A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

What, you’ve got a better source of inspiration?

Maxwell Brand (seen here a couple times before) writes of his tattoo based on a ModBlog feature from June 5th, 2006 (a difficult choice due to the blown out lighting and unusual proportions),

“My friend Sean Herman of All or Nothing Tattoo was going to tattoo me, but I hadn’t come up with something to get. I flipped through pages of ModBlog pics until I found this gorgeous girl. Then, Sean tattooed her on me. So, it should probably be a ModBlog feature itself…. haha.”

Maxwell, I agree entirely that I need to post this. I love meta-references and meta-jokes, so this is definitely getting modblogged! I wonder what BreedTheCancer (the person whose portrait makes up the tattoo) will think when she finds out (assuming she doesn’t know already) about the tattoo — and being featured a second time in this unusual way.

Comments

173 responses to “What, you’ve got a better source of inspiration?”

  1. Reedee Avatar

    She looks a bit scary (the tattooed version), especially her right nostril…

  2. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    Mmm I personally wouldn’t want someone I didn’t know having my face tattooed on themselves, but hey. I don’t really think it does her fair justice.

  3. jesus Avatar
    jesus

    thats just wierd why woudl you tattoo a random person on yourself…

  4. SISU Avatar

    To be perfectly honest, I don’t think the tattoo looks like her at all. Not nearly as pretty as she really is!

  5. restraining order Avatar
    restraining order

    that does seem pretty creepy.

  6. me Avatar
    me

    is it supposed to look like shit?

  7. waxfrog Avatar
    waxfrog

    Doesn’t really work for me, tattoo doesn’t look much like the original photo and I know I’d feel a bit creeped out if someone I didn’t know got my face tattooed on themselves…

  8. Toser Avatar
    Toser

    that opens the possibility of a lot of awkward situations. imho.

    but if it makes this person truly happy, than fuckin keep on truckin.

  9. ~ Avatar

    if a stranger got my face on their body I’d be flattered.

  10. Toser Avatar
    Toser

    might i add to my comment –

    keep on truckin – but if this causes problems for this girl – like if she is creeped out, scared of the tattooee, ect, than that’s not cool. though im assuming it’s not legally nessesary, i think it would have been cool of the tattooee to ask first.

    but if it’s conscentual….whatevs.

    apologies for any spelling/gramatical errors.

  11. Jana Avatar
    Jana

    If someone would get my portrait tattoed on him/herself without having my permission, i’d sue the person. Isn’t that violating some kind of privacy law?

  12. ~ Avatar

    I don’t think it violates a law once the photo is in the public domain. It would probly violate a law if someone took a picture of someone without them knowing and then got it inked.

  13. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    If someone got my picture tattooed on them I’d be really flattered, but I think it would be weird if the person wasn’t either well known enough to be relevant as a symbol of something they created (like when people get an actor’s portrait tattooed, a musician, etc.) and thus have given (in my opinion) implied permission, or personally informed prior to the tattoo if they’re not a public figure of some sort.

  14. Jana Avatar
    Jana

    i think you still need the permission to use an image you took off of the internet.
    i’m not an expert in this kind of situations.. i just don’t think it’s right 🙂

  15. chr_st_ne Avatar

    hahaha that’s extremely weird, especially since i know who that girl is.

  16. mpatshi Avatar

    I think it’s awsome:p…I was amazed by the photo when I saw that for the first time (some posts ago) …so,why not?:p…
    I’d be flattered…or not…depends on the person I guess

  17. Dustin Avatar
    Dustin

    I would probably be flattered (and a lot creeped out) if somebody got me tattooed on them. However, in this case, if my tattoo turned out that badly, I’d be insulted.

    Pretty girl, nice photo, bad tattoo. What a waste!

  18. ÈMþRê§§ Avatar
    ÈMþRê§§

    Shes a pretty girl I can see why he had her tattooed. The artist did a good job, but it would be hard to capture the dewy look in her eye with ink.

  19. lilish Avatar
    lilish

    Does she read modblog regularly? I would be very interested in what she thinks about this.

  20. Zar Avatar
    Zar

    has anyone told her yet? i’d be flattered if someone got me tattoo’d on them, but only if it was a husband, child, or someone else who was close to my heart. honestly getting a random tattoo’d on you is a bit creepy, and personally i wouldn’t get anyone’s face inked on me.

  21. Max Avatar

    OK….so i have the tattoo…..and there is nothing creepy about it. I don’t know her, and I’m not interested in her. Sean Herman tattoos a lot of pretty girl faces, and I wanted a real Sean Herman style tattoo. Sean uses pictures of his girlfriend for a lot of tattoos that he does, but I didn’t want that. I searched around for about an hour till I found a pretty face that would make a good tattoo. And the tattoo is not her, her picture was just used for reference. And there is nothing illegal about getting any kind of content tattooed on their body. When you get a tattoo, you pay for the artists ability to do a tattoo, you don’t pay for what the specific content is. I’ve worked in a tattoo shop for ten years, and I wouldn’t expect people that aren’t in the industry to understand……but that’s ok……just hope you guys enjoy pretty stuff, and stay open minded. Oh…..and thanks for putting up her myspace address, maybe I should start stalking her now……I’m kidding…..

  22. Max Avatar

    Oh…..I just wanted to add…..people have this misconception that tattoos last forever, but I’m pretty sure that I’ll be dead some time in the next 60 years, and my tattoos will be gone forever. People put way to much thought into their tattoos……try just having fun…..I usually get sill, funny stuff…..

  23. passion2piercings Avatar
    passion2piercings

    that would totally weird me out, considering he doesnt know her and got her face…or something extremely similar to her face, tattooed on himself.

    she’s a gorgeous girl, and the tattoo is trying to look like her but isnt doing justice.

    Id be interested to see what her reaction is to this.

  24. tony Avatar
    tony

    i think its interesting (and i’m not trying to say this in a condescending way) that if someone copies someone’s tattoo design (like say, amina munster’s story) it is pretty much the most heinous sin a tattooist or collector can commit, and when it happens it is usually said that something very personal and identifying has been stolen from that person. (which i would totally agree with)

    yet there doesnt seem to be near as much opposition to getting a tattoo of a random stranger’s face, which is the most identifying feature a person has.

  25. Toser Avatar
    Toser

    “I flipped through pages of ModBlog pics until I found this gorgeous girl. Then, Sean tattooed her on me.”

    and

    “And the tattoo is not her, her picture was just used for reference.”

    im confused….

  26. ÈMþRê§§ Avatar
    ÈMþRê§§

    ouch, Max you seem pretty uptight, chill 🙂

  27. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    I think Max’s answer is pretty relaxed!

  28. ÈMþRê§§ Avatar
    ÈMþRê§§

    I guess with Max, its like all the hundreds of people who have used Elvis or Marilyn Monroe for inspiration. People find it kinda weird cus shes not a celebraty, but maybe now Max has her picture she will reach dizzy heights.

    Nice to see you back Shannon 🙂

  29. Jp Avatar

    I like it.
    Fuck em’

  30. Max Avatar

    Toser…..photographs are photographs, and tattoos are tattoos…..do you get confused a lot….

    And…..if someone got a random tattoo of a bear from National Geographic Magazine, do you think the bear would be creeped out or offended to see his picture tattooed on someone. Yeah….I probably should have just picked some tribal off the wall…..haha

    I’m not up tight, I just have a job where I have to answer dumb questions to ignorant people all day. I don’t mind that at all, that is the life I chose, I just didn’t think I’d have to deal with that here too……I figured you guys would just appreciate art as art……

  31. Zar Avatar
    Zar

    whoa, she is not a random bear! she is a person who will very likely see this tattoo, if she hasn’t already. this isn’t a girl who consented to having her image stolen and don’t you dare compare her to wildlife. we all knew you had no regard for her feelings when you didn’t even ask if you could use her picture, but jesus christ. wildlife!?

  32. lindsey Avatar
    lindsey

    i like it! she’s a very very pretty girl and pretty girl tattoos are awesome!

  33. June Avatar
    June

    “And the tattoo is not her, her picture was just used for reference.”

    Wow, looks a lot like her. Even all the details.

  34. alice a. Avatar
    alice a.

    Gosh, leave this guy alone…. His tat is just fine and as he said, it’s not like he’s gonna stalk her or anything….

    Whether or not you would be creeped out or flattered if you discovered your face tattooed on some stranger’s body is irrelevant: Once you consent to having your picture published, you forfeit the rights to any non-commercial uses of your image. Think of it this way: If this girl modelled for a glossy mag instead of a web publication, even though she is not otherwise famous, wouldn’t anybody be allowed to get her photo tattooed on their body?

  35. Toser Avatar
    Toser

    its OK, i saw two things that one person said that were conflicting and got confused. my apologies. i wouldn’t mind if someone could take the time to clarify it for me…. please?

    and

    bears?

    ….i should take a picture of the extreme confusion that my face is experiencing……

  36. Toser Avatar
    Toser

    and i think the feelings of the girl involved are very relevant. she may not have legal rights to do anything (if she chose) but her feelings are still relevant.

  37. Jp Avatar

    LISTEN.

    to answer all questions I talked to the lovley young lady about the piece and she said she was flattered, and laughed when she saw it. From what I got she wasn’t a but disopointed, or a bit pissed off. This is MODBLOG. I mean Jesus, I’ve seen men on here with stake knives threw their cock & it didn’t see this much of a reaction. You kids blow shit up way to much, it’s art. It’s no different then getting Jesus tattooed on you, the virgin mary, or a fucking koi fish for that matter. He liked the image, he got the tattoo. Isn’t that how it always works?

    I love it man.
    Love it.

  38. Max Avatar

    thank you Jp and thank you Alice A…..and thank you to all of the other open minded people…..

    Just like every single photo on BME, it’s my body, and I’ll do what I want…..

  39. Zar Avatar
    Zar

    no its not like getting jesus tattoo’d on you. is she a historical figure? no, she is not. now, she isn’t upset about this, great. the fact still is that this guy took a picture of her without consent and inked it on himself. what if it was someone else who WAS creeped out? would she be wrong to be creeped out that someone tattoo’d her face on them? NO. oh and putting a steak knife through your penis is not the same as this at all. how is doing something that doesn’t require consent at all like getting someone’s face tattoo’d on your body, when all it would have taken in this case was a simple IM asking if he could use her pic?

  40. Lori Avatar

    Above and beyond all of the issues regarding getting a portrait of a non-celebrity total stranger tattooed on you, that’s one of the shittiest portraits I’ve ever seen. The proportions are all wonky, the colours and shading are choppy as hell, and her head looks totally munted in the tattoo. It’s a shame, as the original photo is really lovely!

  41. Sunday Avatar

    yeah, i’m in agreement with Zar. personally, i’d be really creeped out if some random got my portrait tattooed on them. if they contacted me beforehand and asked permission, then i would be flattered, but if i opened up Modblog and saw my portrait, i’d feel really violated and uncomfortable.

  42. the_logic_of_crocodiles Avatar

    oh my god, get over it! it’s a fucking tattoo!!! go argue over something that actually concerns you

  43. Ariel Avatar
    Ariel

    Too bad it looks like shit.

  44. Katia Avatar
    Katia

    if you put a photo of yourself on the internet, you’re pretty much surrendering it, for anyone to do anything they want with it.

    i would still find it creepy, however, but seriously, things are stolen off the internet everyday. that’s what it’s all about.

  45. Jp Avatar

    oh and Max, All or Nothing is one hell of a studio, I’m planning on getting some shit done there in Oct. Haha, so screw what they say, you could have got shit tattooed on your forhead and you would still the the man because hell, you where tattooed in Bonds shop, it’s like a church in there, I’m just praying to get a spot there, I don’t care what I get. hah.

    I’m done cmnting nowlater.

  46. Jp Avatar

    Holyshit, nevermind, you work there.
    What the hell. Dude.
    Fuck being lucky, here in Atlanta, you’re a god.

    later.

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