We May Race & We May Run
Whenever I am asked to design a tattoo, I feel so honored that someone else would want me to have a hand in something that will be immortalized on their body. While I always work hard to make a design that reflects my clients’ desires, it’s also important for me to create a design that respects the story behind the tattoo.
When my high school friend Heather contacted me to design a three-line, twenty-one-word, ten-by-five-inch tattoo for her back, I felt a lot of pressure to make something absolutely perfect. Tattoos have restrictions that other calligraphy projects don’t, like needing more space between the letters and not making hairlines too thin or complex. Something so large and so personal called for a lot of thought and layout planning. Ultimately, Heather and I are both thrilled with the outcome.
Heather explained the story of her tattoo thus:
“[The quote] is from the David Gray song The Other Side. I’ve always loved the message of it. It reminds me to be aware of my actions and words every moment because they cannot be changed. It also reminds me not to dwell on regret because I can’t change the past. I ultimately decided to get the tattoo after a very close friend was killed in the Fall.”
Photograph by my client, Heather W.
