Koi Tattoo With a Twist

[tacifone]

Hey guys,

I would like to start off by saying that I in no way, shape, or form want this to come off in a way that I am disrespecting the traditional style of this kind of tattooing. My idea is to get a traditional Japanese Koi tattoo covering the left side of my upper back opposite the side of the tattoo I just got last week. I want it to be in black and gray and have the traditional waves and such. I want to add in a little twist but I want to make sure that it won't offend anybody or disrespect the style of this kind of tattooing. I am an avid outdoorsman and love hunting and fishing. One of my favorite hobbies is actually called bowfishing where we shoot asian carp (common carp) with a bow and arrow and give them to some local people in my area who eat them and consider them a delicacy. I thought it would be cool and different to get a traditional koi tattoo but have an arrow sticking out of it to represent my love for bowfishing. Is that a good idea or will it offend anyone do you think?

[Cork]

First, don't worry about offending people with your tattoos.

Second, you'll find that things getting stuck with arrows is not uncommon in tattoo imagery. I couldn't find any koi examples, but there are plenty of wolves. There is also a member here who has a wolf being shot up done by Chris O'Donnell, but I can't remember who it is. I think a shot up koi would look pretty cool.

Valerie Vargas

[tacifone]

That tattoo looks sweet! I have seen tattoos of animals shot up with arrows but never a koi before and thought it would look cool. I think it would be cool to have a common tattoo but a little twist on it to be a little different. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't doing any injustice to the style of tattooing or anything

[tatB]

I like the idea. Koi are always getting a free pass in the tattoo world so I think it is great that someone is willing to put them in their place by putting an arrow through one :)

One thing you might want to think about is placement. By putting a medium/large sized piece on each shoulder you are limiting your options for a potential future cohesive full back piece. Maybe think about getting this koi as a rib piece or half sleeve. Or go huge with it and have a koi back piece surrounded by animal skulls.

[tacifone]

I understand when you talk about the placement of it. I feel as though I am limited with my options. I am still in college and with what I want to do in life arms are kind of out of the question at least at this point. When I get employed though and if tattoos aren't an issue, I do see myself having a sleeve or at least some tattoos on my arms. Ribs seem like they would be nice but scare me a little haha. I don't ever see myself having a full back piece but I'm sure most people say the same thing at first

[tatB]

after some googling i found this:

TRUE NATURE TATTOO: Oniwakamaru

so i guess it is officially okay to stab a carp/koi

[tacifone]

I really like that picture! I want something very similar to those lines with one arrow sticking out of the top of it. Back to the placement topic: like I said I don't see myself ever doing a full back piece but that could change I guess. If I do go with this tattoo on the top left of back on my shoulder blade, is a back piece kind of out of the question? Basically, I am wondering if anyone has done smallerish pieces on the top of their backs and were able to incorporate it into a larger piece further down the road

[Graeme]

This isn't traditional Japanese but here's a "sushi koi" from Simon Golygowski in Montreal.

https://instagram.com/p/3hSGCZg1ZS/

[Beans]

I love your idea with the carp, I think it will be stunning imagery. Ive been thinking on my next piece and was concidering a dragon eating a carp or morphing into one. IDK, your idea is brillant.

Carp killing where I live is a thing, I'm not much of a blood thirsty gal myself but people here are quiet inventive in their methods......explosives, AR15's and BaseBall Bats.

Go for it!

[SeeSea]

This isn't traditional Japanese but here's a "sushi koi" from Simon Golygowski in Montreal.

https://instagram.com/p/3hSGCZg1ZS/

That is not sushi koi. That is Freddy Krueger Koi.

[suburbanxcore]

Just to follow up on @Cork's comment, it's @CultExciter who has that O'Donnell that wolf, and it rules. I can't wait to see it in person.

[joakim urma]

@suburbanxcore Yeah that wolf is so good!

[Rob I]

I like the idea. Koi are always getting a free pass in the tattoo world so I think it is great that someone is willing to put them in their place by putting an arrow through one :)

One thing you might want to think about is placement. By putting a medium/large sized piece on each shoulder you are limiting your options for a potential future cohesive full back piece. Maybe think about getting this koi as a rib piece or half sleeve. Or go huge with it and have a koi back piece surrounded by animal skulls.

dying laughing right now!!! Stupid fish are always getting off easy.