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.

Now that’s an explicit tattoo!

Well, I think my tattoo has healed enough and is close enough to done that I can post it here. This was done over four sessions by Shane Faulkner at King of Fools in Toronto (an amazing tattoo artist that’s done almost all of my work), and is based on a Tom of Finland painting combined with several pieces of artwork from BME/HARD as well. Anyway, it’s kind of tricky to take a picture of your own chest, but here you go:

cbt-tattoo-blurred.jpg

Yes, I am also a fan of gay mermen

ModBlog returns for real tomorrow or Tuesday. I hope everyone had as fun a weekend as the dudes in my chestpiece!

Comments

322 responses to “Now that’s an explicit tattoo!”

  1. XinX Avatar
    XinX

    Well when I saw the tattoo I really liked it because it had depth, it looked as if his chest was made of glass and through it you could see this amazing world. I really loved how detailed the background was, the amazing colors, I really loved the black bar which covered the man’s eyes (I thought it was unique), I loved the door with bright yellow color where it gave the illusion that it was a doorway to another dimension and I really loved the man standing in the doorway as it some how reminded me of characters from speed racer.

  2. XinX Avatar
    XinX

    Well when I saw the tattoo I really liked it because it had depth, it looked as if his chest was made of glass and through it you could see this amazing world. I really loved how detailed the background was, the amazing colors, I really loved the black bar which covered the man’s eyes (I thought it was unique), I loved the door with bright yellow color where it gave the illusion that it was a doorway to another dimension and I really loved the man standing in the doorway as it some how reminded me of characters from speed racer.

  3. XinX Avatar
    XinX

    To add to my previous comment I also really loved how the background is a wooden shed on skin, I like it because it’s dried wood on skin which is alive (I can’t explain it). I don’t know I just really like the tattoo, I guess maybe because it is very detailed and takes such a unique imagination to come up with.

  4. XinX Avatar
    XinX

    To add to my previous comment I also really loved how the background is a wooden shed on skin, I like it because it’s dried wood on skin which is alive (I can’t explain it). I don’t know I just really like the tattoo, I guess maybe because it is very detailed and takes such a unique imagination to come up with.

  5. Jen Avatar

    Shane is such an amazing artist and such a nice person. Seriously, can’t say enough great things about him! His work is outstanding. And that’s why he’s pretty much exclusively my artist too. 😉

  6. Jen Avatar

    Shane is such an amazing artist and such a nice person. Seriously, can’t say enough great things about him! His work is outstanding. And that’s why he’s pretty much exclusively my artist too. 😉

  7. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    Amazing.

  8. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    Amazing.

  9. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    It’s the amazing yellow pigment in the doorway that I LOVE! The whole tattoo is provocative and detailed…but it’s that color and that image of the figure in the door that I cannot stop looking at.

  10. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    It’s the amazing yellow pigment in the doorway that I LOVE! The whole tattoo is provocative and detailed…but it’s that color and that image of the figure in the door that I cannot stop looking at.

  11. Jay.O Avatar
    Jay.O

    rori – I think you’re right, I wouldn’t say it better. One should do what makes THEM happy!

  12. Jay.O Avatar
    Jay.O

    rori – I think you’re right, I wouldn’t say it better. One should do what makes THEM happy!

  13. Burt Reynolds' Hairpiece Avatar
    Burt Reynolds’ Hairpiece

    Wow!!!! that’s pretty amazing/full on !!!!
    I like the effect on the band around your neck,Shannon (I dunno if it’s because of shaving,etc, but it kinda looks like leather in that pic) ….do you have any pics of the tattoos on your arm (i like the different colours on the sky part :P)

  14. Burt Reynolds' Hairpiece Avatar
    Burt Reynolds’ Hairpiece

    Wow!!!! that’s pretty amazing/full on !!!!
    I like the effect on the band around your neck,Shannon (I dunno if it’s because of shaving,etc, but it kinda looks like leather in that pic) ….do you have any pics of the tattoos on your arm (i like the different colours on the sky part :P)

  15. Gemma Avatar
    Gemma

    Wow, that is incredible. The colours are so bright! Especially the light from the doorway.

  16. Gemma Avatar
    Gemma

    Wow, that is incredible. The colours are so bright! Especially the light from the doorway.

  17. CumQueen Avatar
    CumQueen

    I, personally think it’s great tattoo.

    And, COME ON!
    Why the hell would we kiss Shannon’s ass so god damn much, that we can’t give him critizism if we want to?
    If I think it’s a crap tattoo, I’m going to say it.
    I don’t care if it’s Shannon, or someone else.
    I mean, why the hell would we do that?
    (No offense at all here, Shannon.)
    Yes, he runs thins site, and yes we all owe him big time.
    BUT, I don’t think he really would care if people told him they thought the tattoo was crap.
    He wont give any of us anything for sayin’ it’s great and wonderfull and he wont kick us out for saying it’s bad.

    And if I write any more, I’ll just be going in circles.

    My point is;
    Even though Shannon seem slike an amazing person, and I think alot of people agree, we aren’t so fucking blinded by his “awsomeness”, that we have become meere puppets.

    (Sorry for the spelling, I’m Norwegian ya’ know.:) )

  18. CumQueen Avatar
    CumQueen

    I, personally think it’s great tattoo.

    And, COME ON!
    Why the hell would we kiss Shannon’s ass so god damn much, that we can’t give him critizism if we want to?
    If I think it’s a crap tattoo, I’m going to say it.
    I don’t care if it’s Shannon, or someone else.
    I mean, why the hell would we do that?
    (No offense at all here, Shannon.)
    Yes, he runs thins site, and yes we all owe him big time.
    BUT, I don’t think he really would care if people told him they thought the tattoo was crap.
    He wont give any of us anything for sayin’ it’s great and wonderfull and he wont kick us out for saying it’s bad.

    And if I write any more, I’ll just be going in circles.

    My point is;
    Even though Shannon seem slike an amazing person, and I think alot of people agree, we aren’t so fucking blinded by his “awsomeness”, that we have become meere puppets.

    (Sorry for the spelling, I’m Norwegian ya’ know.:) )

  19. Empress Avatar
    Empress

    Its clear to see Shannon adores his daughter and would act responsibly around her.

    I disagree a little bit with you Shannon about the part you saying this would not get a different response if it was on someone else. People look to you as a bit of a guru in the mods world. Of course your work will get more interest than other peoples here.

    Rightly or wrongly people would look for perfection in your art work Shannon, and there is always someone whos going to try to be nasty.

    What ever the reasons you took for your design, enjoy it personally I think it great 🙂

  20. Empress Avatar
    Empress

    Its clear to see Shannon adores his daughter and would act responsibly around her.

    I disagree a little bit with you Shannon about the part you saying this would not get a different response if it was on someone else. People look to you as a bit of a guru in the mods world. Of course your work will get more interest than other peoples here.

    Rightly or wrongly people would look for perfection in your art work Shannon, and there is always someone whos going to try to be nasty.

    What ever the reasons you took for your design, enjoy it personally I think it great 🙂

  21. emma Avatar
    emma

    Amazing colours, awesome illustration.
    But damn, the picture itself is ugly.
    But hey if you like it, thats all that matters – you didn’t get it for me to enjoy!

  22. emma Avatar
    emma

    Amazing colours, awesome illustration.
    But damn, the picture itself is ugly.
    But hey if you like it, thats all that matters – you didn’t get it for me to enjoy!

  23. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Wow great artwork Shannon….Amazing colours….
    And remember everyone its a tattoo, get over it

  24. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Wow great artwork Shannon….Amazing colours….
    And remember everyone its a tattoo, get over it

  25. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I adore you, Shannon, and because I have a slight idea of what you’re like, I can take this tattoo and appreciate it. But, if I were to see this chest and not recognize it, be it I’d never seen you or it was some one else completly, my reaction would be to cringe and say to myself, “but whyyyy?”. I understand that you are a person who is art-oriented, and might take things for a little more than surface value, and I think that by knowing this, I am at piece with the artwork, and I don’t think it is out of place by any means. I would really like to see a few close ups of you right sleeve though. I love the colors and the characters.

  26. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I adore you, Shannon, and because I have a slight idea of what you’re like, I can take this tattoo and appreciate it. But, if I were to see this chest and not recognize it, be it I’d never seen you or it was some one else completly, my reaction would be to cringe and say to myself, “but whyyyy?”. I understand that you are a person who is art-oriented, and might take things for a little more than surface value, and I think that by knowing this, I am at piece with the artwork, and I don’t think it is out of place by any means. I would really like to see a few close ups of you right sleeve though. I love the colors and the characters.

  27. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I am slightly embarassed that I spelled ‘piece’ instead of ‘peace’ in my last comment. Let’s just say it was a pun.

  28. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I am slightly embarassed that I spelled ‘piece’ instead of ‘peace’ in my last comment. Let’s just say it was a pun.

  29. jay Avatar
    jay

    you’re going to get lots of dirty pig men following you around when you take your shirt off! (i’m one of them!)
    great inkwork though.

  30. jay Avatar
    jay

    you’re going to get lots of dirty pig men following you around when you take your shirt off! (i’m one of them!)
    great inkwork though.

  31. adelleda Avatar
    adelleda

    Not big on the content, but good god! That doesn’t even look like it was done on skin! Beeaautiful work.

  32. adelleda Avatar
    adelleda

    Not big on the content, but good god! That doesn’t even look like it was done on skin! Beeaautiful work.

  33. chemically_lobotomized Avatar

    I’d like it as hanging art in my room or something, never on my body! I’m not that bold!

    WTG Shannon! The artist is obviously on top of his game.

  34. chemically_lobotomized Avatar

    I’d like it as hanging art in my room or something, never on my body! I’m not that bold!

    WTG Shannon! The artist is obviously on top of his game.

  35. adam Avatar
    adam

    I HOPE YOU DONT HAVE A KID

    I HOPE YOU DONT HAVE A KID OR LIKE TO GO TO THE SWIMING POOL

  36. adam Avatar
    adam

    I HOPE YOU DONT HAVE A KID

    I HOPE YOU DONT HAVE A KID OR LIKE TO GO TO THE SWIMING POOL

  37. Ali Avatar
    Ali

    I love the vivid colours.

  38. Ali Avatar
    Ali

    I love the vivid colours.

  39. Caroline June Avatar

    Comment 145 is hilarious

  40. Caroline June Avatar

    Comment 145 is hilarious

  41. CS Lewis Jr. Avatar
    CS Lewis Jr.

    They’re gonna love you at the nursing home, dude. Issues much?

    Great entertainment value, to each their own, LMAO.

  42. CS Lewis Jr. Avatar
    CS Lewis Jr.

    They’re gonna love you at the nursing home, dude. Issues much?

    Great entertainment value, to each their own, LMAO.

  43. CS Lewis Jr. Avatar
    CS Lewis Jr.

    By the way, nice Jim Woodring illo on your right arm. As a fan of his work I actually find that more disturbing than the bloody dick mutilation ToF stuff. But I see the connection.

    You are obviously living life to something approximating the fullest. Party on.

  44. CS Lewis Jr. Avatar
    CS Lewis Jr.

    By the way, nice Jim Woodring illo on your right arm. As a fan of his work I actually find that more disturbing than the bloody dick mutilation ToF stuff. But I see the connection.

    You are obviously living life to something approximating the fullest. Party on.

  45. matt Avatar
    matt

    ur a freak, how can u possibly think a tattoo like that can meen anything or be cool

  46. matt Avatar
    matt

    ur a freak, how can u possibly think a tattoo like that can meen anything or be cool

  47. Beau Avatar
    Beau

    That is seriously the most amazing work i’ve ever seen in my life. I’d really like to know the meaning behind the tattoo if there is one.

  48. Beau Avatar
    Beau

    That is seriously the most amazing work i’ve ever seen in my life. I’d really like to know the meaning behind the tattoo if there is one.

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