Rock of Ages Tattoo Design

[Graeme]

Just finished the first sitting of my Rock of Ages, backpiece.

It is done by Robert Aalbers at his shop Clean Solid Tattoo in Waalwijk, The Netherlands (the Land of the Dutch).

All the lining is done, can't wait to get some color in.

I love the water in that.

[Guero]

Rock of ages, probably my favorite tattoo design. Many of you have probably already seen mine in my introduction thread, but I'll make it official here. Done by Juan Arreguin (El Super) here in Leon, Mexico at Superfly tattoos.

[guitguy]

The first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread was the Def Leppard song. I was sooo stoked ahahaha. Damn my rotton brain.

I'm sorry but, that's just SO wrong! LOL ;)

[el twe]

Just read through all 16 pages of this, now I want a tattoo and have this song stuck in my head (not that there's anything wrong with either one):

[TravisGarcia]

I thought I was done with my Rock of Ages back piece but I got asked to do some more work on it and already started a session last week. The mindset of "well at least I don't have to do that again" turned out to be very wrong haha. It's bringing back all the bad memories :p

[JBHoren]

holy shit. can you imagine a back piece of this?! thanks for sharing this is so fucking rad

Yes, I can imagine that... in fact, I have this very one! I found the original design (of course, doh!) on the Internet. Turns-out that the person running the website had apprenticed with Tattoo Ted Nelson (who gave me my first tattoo on my 21st birthday, back in late-January 1972, in Fairfield, IA), and Ted had apprenticed with Bert Grimm. Small world. Anyway, this piece was inked on me by "Painless Jimmy" Hankins (yet another "old timer"), at Louie Lombi's Tattoo Paradise, in 2005/6. I'm pleased with it. Jimmy's still slingin' ink here in South Florida, but Louie Lombi retired and gave the shop to his long-time apprentice and worker, Clark O'Dell... it's now called Tattoo Paradise of West Palm Beach.

[reaperz]

hey guyths.. I think it was this thread I remember someone talking about a sort of satanic version of ROA well this one was started at Saints and Sinners in Dallas not mine but I Just thought I'd share. Artist: James Yocum

[hogg]

Oh, what the hell. I'll post mine here, too:

By Paul Dobleman at Spider Murphy's. I didn't give him a ton of room to work with, but he still pulled a great, unique take on an iconic image.

[oldmansea]

Have you seen the one Mr. Tim Hendricks did on the back of a hand ? It's on his IG, it's amazing !!!

[reaperz]

Have you seen the one Mr. Tim Hendricks did on the back of a hand ? It's on his IG, it's amazing !!!

It's Soooo dope!!!

[Casey Harris]

Yeah a guitar if bones like Rob Zombie.

[LaCroix]

Chris Stuart from Ace Custom Tattoos in Charlotte has two amazing ROA back pieces up on his IG. Definitely worth checking out.

[suburbanxcore]

Have you seen the one Mr. Tim Hendricks did on the back of a hand ? It's on his IG, it's amazing !!!

I put this in the hand tattoo thread a little while back. It's incredible.

[velvetlover36]

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but this is probably my favorite version of RoA. I know it doesn't have that "wow factor" that more modern versions of this piece has, but I tend to gravitate more towards the old-school images.

William Grimshaw:

[Synesthesia]

Bumping this thread back to life because holy shit I love rock of ages and I'm thinking about getting one on my forearm someday soon. Anybody find anything else cool?

[hogg]

Have you seen the one Mr. Tim Hendricks did on the back of a hand ? It's on his IG, it's amazing !!!

I saw this one in person recently. It's on Christian Cervantes of Spotlight Tattoo, and yes, it's incredible up close:

[suburbanxcore]

I posted that one in the hand tattoos thread a while back, and it still blows my mind every time I see it.

Edit: I realized I said this a few posts above. I'm an idiot. But it still rules.

[polliwog]

Bumping this with a possibly silly opinion question for you all--what do you like to see in a Rock of Ages? Are water, background, some sort of border essential for you? Recently Chris Marchetto posted a couple stripped-down takes on his Instagram feed that are beautiful to me and suddenly make me really really want this design somewhere on my body, BUT I also really like looking at beautifully-drawn water and ornate borders and things like that.

I did get to briefly look at the RoA book for inspiration but unfortunately don't own it.

[CABS]

I want two babes in it, one helping the other. Still toying with the ROA idea for my back, but that isn't going to happen for awhile.

[Nick W]

To me, water is a crucial part of it. I'm being patient with the ROA I would want, though I've always had the idea of the water/weather/elements being a huge role.

On a side note, I was recently at a tattoo ship talking about ROA references, and the gentleman said he'd check the basement to see if the Ed Hardy ROA book was there. I was sooooooo excited and turned out it was at his house. :\

[STAGreg]

I waited a few years before getting my R.O.A, I knew I wanted Brad to do it, and it fills a large space on the back of my arm... Done by Bradley Tompkins at Frith Street,not the best picture as tattoo wraps quite a lot.

[The Tig]

This one from Tim Hendricks?

full size:

[marley mission]

by Robert Ryan - Electric Tattoo - Asbury Park NJ

 

[kimkong]

amazing!