peonies

My back piece officially turned a year old last August 13. And yes, it is my first tattoo.

I have always wanted to get one since college, but I was never able to make up my mind on what design I want to have permanently inked on me back then. A couple of options I have considered were a bunch of art nouveau roses and irises on my upper arm, and a huge dragonfly with its intricate wings spread across my back.

Then one February morning in 2011, I woke up knowing exactly what design I wanted – a Venetian mask with a peacock for an ornament, entrenched with roses, peonies, and paisley prints with two dragonflies hovering over one side. Basically, it is a hodgepodge of some of my favorite things, organized into one cohesive piece. I immediately started drawing the design on a 1/4 illustration board, then contacted Ram Marual of Psyko Studio Tattoos Cavite to schedule an appointment.

On the 5th of March 2011, I finally got my first tattoo. My first session took a total of 9 hours straight with a 15-minute dinner break, Led Zeppelin blasting from the speakers the entire day.