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.

Dermal Anchor Artwork

My friend Sean Dowdell from Club Tattoo is holding a few dermal anchor seminars (click for a flyer), so let me share with you two gorgeous dermal anchor projects he’s done (the angel wings one I’ve actually posted before, but this is a much nicer photo). First, this Om is really something, in terms of really characterizing the level of “art” that these can bring to what’s traditionally more of a “craft”:

om-dermal-anchor.jpg

As is this metal angel… Hopefully Caitlin and I can make it out to see him at the Maritime Tattoo Festival in Halifax this May, which is one of his seminar destinations along with Baltimore, Mesa, Philly, and Long Beach.

dermal-anchor-wings.jpg

Comments

156 responses to “Dermal Anchor Artwork”

  1. Mangaartist Avatar
    Mangaartist

    I would think she doesn’t wear bra, the space between two anchors on that part of the back just looks so small in the picture a bra wouldn’t fit in there and if she put it over the anchors it would irritate them like hell. But everything is possible, maybe she found out a solutin.

  2. BMK Avatar
    BMK

    I’m with John D on this. They look great, but I have doubts on how well thats going to look in a year. Not to mention that 95% of the people that will look at this pic will never be able to grasp the healing factor of the project. Hell, 95% of the piercers that look at this pic won’t have a concept on how to properly perform something like this.

  3. BMK Avatar
    BMK

    I’m with John D on this. They look great, but I have doubts on how well thats going to look in a year. Not to mention that 95% of the people that will look at this pic will never be able to grasp the healing factor of the project. Hell, 95% of the piercers that look at this pic won’t have a concept on how to properly perform something like this.

  4. BMK Avatar
    BMK

    I’m with John D on this. They look great, but I have doubts on how well thats going to look in a year. Not to mention that 95% of the people that will look at this pic will never be able to grasp the healing factor of the project. Hell, 95% of the piercers that look at this pic won’t have a concept on how to properly perform something like this.

  5. modfan Avatar
    modfan

    I think Mangaartist is right. It looks like she can never wear a bra, nor ever sleep on her back. Oh, what pains we go through for beauty’s sake! But, it is well worth it for such beauty. Makes it all worth the while.

  6. modfan Avatar
    modfan

    I think Mangaartist is right. It looks like she can never wear a bra, nor ever sleep on her back. Oh, what pains we go through for beauty’s sake! But, it is well worth it for such beauty. Makes it all worth the while.

  7. modfan Avatar
    modfan

    I think Mangaartist is right. It looks like she can never wear a bra, nor ever sleep on her back. Oh, what pains we go through for beauty’s sake! But, it is well worth it for such beauty. Makes it all worth the while.

  8. Shannon Avatar

    Luis/John – Definitely interested in hearing your feedback and concerns since you’re both very experienced with surface work in general… As you know, microdermals certainly seem to be standing up very well.

  9. Shannon Avatar

    Luis/John – Definitely interested in hearing your feedback and concerns since you’re both very experienced with surface work in general… As you know, microdermals certainly seem to be standing up very well.

  10. Shannon Avatar

    Luis/John – Definitely interested in hearing your feedback and concerns since you’re both very experienced with surface work in general… As you know, microdermals certainly seem to be standing up very well.

  11. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    It looks really cool, for sure… My thing is just like previously mentioned, for sure 95% percent of the people that see this think they can just wander on in, get this done and it will look cool forever… Just not true.. Im always a fan of function first, fashion second. Sometimes less is more. I find it makes my clients happier over the long term. Looks cool, but functional??? Come on…

  12. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    It looks really cool, for sure… My thing is just like previously mentioned, for sure 95% percent of the people that see this think they can just wander on in, get this done and it will look cool forever… Just not true.. Im always a fan of function first, fashion second. Sometimes less is more. I find it makes my clients happier over the long term. Looks cool, but functional??? Come on…

  13. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    It looks really cool, for sure… My thing is just like previously mentioned, for sure 95% percent of the people that see this think they can just wander on in, get this done and it will look cool forever… Just not true.. Im always a fan of function first, fashion second. Sometimes less is more. I find it makes my clients happier over the long term. Looks cool, but functional??? Come on…

  14. Shannon Avatar

    I’d agree that the back one is going to be trouble but I think the Om is very doabe and should be possible to keep in the relative longterm.

  15. Shannon Avatar

    I’d agree that the back one is going to be trouble but I think the Om is very doabe and should be possible to keep in the relative longterm.

  16. Shannon Avatar

    I’d agree that the back one is going to be trouble but I think the Om is very doabe and should be possible to keep in the relative longterm.

  17. Killaya Avatar
    Killaya

    Oh, wow. I love that Om. Absolutely gorgeous.

  18. Killaya Avatar
    Killaya

    Oh, wow. I love that Om. Absolutely gorgeous.

  19. Killaya Avatar
    Killaya

    Oh, wow. I love that Om. Absolutely gorgeous.

  20. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    for the record the wings are almost a year old now. so I guess there goes the it’ll never work aspect. and akthough Im also a fan of less is more. but are you really going to deny the pieces strengths? seriously? john and luis are both great practitoners and I have nothing but respect for you guys. but shame on you for suggesting its just a ” hey there walk in customer I never met. get this.” project. oh and I believe the ohm is roughly six months.

  21. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    for the record the wings are almost a year old now. so I guess there goes the it’ll never work aspect. and akthough Im also a fan of less is more. but are you really going to deny the pieces strengths? seriously? john and luis are both great practitoners and I have nothing but respect for you guys. but shame on you for suggesting its just a ” hey there walk in customer I never met. get this.” project. oh and I believe the ohm is roughly six months.

  22. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    for the record the wings are almost a year old now. so I guess there goes the it’ll never work aspect. and akthough Im also a fan of less is more. but are you really going to deny the pieces strengths? seriously? john and luis are both great practitoners and I have nothing but respect for you guys. but shame on you for suggesting its just a ” hey there walk in customer I never met. get this.” project. oh and I believe the ohm is roughly six months.

  23. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Doable yes, retainable???

  24. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Doable yes, retainable???

  25. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Doable yes, retainable???

  26. Matthew Martyr Avatar

    Retainable? Did you not read what Trevor wrote? I can vouch for both of these. The wings are around a year old (they were long since healed by the Valley of the Sun expo last year). And the Om is many months old.
    In reference to the wings with the exception of her losing one of the screw on gems from time to time, she has no problems.

    So. To recap. Doable? Obviously. Retainable? Evidentally. Practical? In this case, yes. Undoubtedly.

  27. Matthew Martyr Avatar

    Retainable? Did you not read what Trevor wrote? I can vouch for both of these. The wings are around a year old (they were long since healed by the Valley of the Sun expo last year). And the Om is many months old.
    In reference to the wings with the exception of her losing one of the screw on gems from time to time, she has no problems.

    So. To recap. Doable? Obviously. Retainable? Evidentally. Practical? In this case, yes. Undoubtedly.

  28. Matthew Martyr Avatar

    Retainable? Did you not read what Trevor wrote? I can vouch for both of these. The wings are around a year old (they were long since healed by the Valley of the Sun expo last year). And the Om is many months old.
    In reference to the wings with the exception of her losing one of the screw on gems from time to time, she has no problems.

    So. To recap. Doable? Obviously. Retainable? Evidentally. Practical? In this case, yes. Undoubtedly.

  29. sean Avatar

    I could say so much more here but the wings are 1.5 years old, they healed up beautifully. The ohm is about 6 months old. It healed up beautifully.

    I find it funny that John worked for me and that he has the audacity to put me down on this.

    Is this the same John Durante that told me my corsets were not a good idea and then low and behold he has corsets in his portfolio now as well?

    [edit/shannon – a bunch of personal conflict removed]

    you know where to find me ass

    sean

  30. sean Avatar

    I could say so much more here but the wings are 1.5 years old, they healed up beautifully. The ohm is about 6 months old. It healed up beautifully.

    I find it funny that John worked for me and that he has the audacity to put me down on this.

    Is this the same John Durante that told me my corsets were not a good idea and then low and behold he has corsets in his portfolio now as well?

    [edit/shannon – a bunch of personal conflict removed]

    you know where to find me ass

    sean

  31. sean Avatar

    I could say so much more here but the wings are 1.5 years old, they healed up beautifully. The ohm is about 6 months old. It healed up beautifully.

    I find it funny that John worked for me and that he has the audacity to put me down on this.

    Is this the same John Durante that told me my corsets were not a good idea and then low and behold he has corsets in his portfolio now as well?

    [edit/shannon – a bunch of personal conflict removed]

    you know where to find me ass

    sean

  32. devtastic Avatar

    So amazingly gorgeous!

  33. devtastic Avatar

    So amazingly gorgeous!

  34. devtastic Avatar

    So amazingly gorgeous!

  35. sean Avatar

    and thank you guys for the nice comments otherwise,

  36. sean Avatar

    and thank you guys for the nice comments otherwise,

  37. sean Avatar

    and thank you guys for the nice comments otherwise,

  38. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Damn, thats some crazy shit coming from Sean, I am not even going to go down that list, I was not “putting anybody down”, simply questioning the retainability of such procedures. Jesus Christ.

  39. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Damn, thats some crazy shit coming from Sean, I am not even going to go down that list, I was not “putting anybody down”, simply questioning the retainability of such procedures. Jesus Christ.

  40. John Durante Avatar
    John Durante

    Damn, thats some crazy shit coming from Sean, I am not even going to go down that list, I was not “putting anybody down”, simply questioning the retainability of such procedures. Jesus Christ.

  41. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    I generally tend to think a piece of work will defend its self. and in this case both have. and I think thats the core issue that’s been overlooked.

  42. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    I generally tend to think a piece of work will defend its self. and in this case both have. and I think thats the core issue that’s been overlooked.

  43. t.thomas Avatar
    t.thomas

    I generally tend to think a piece of work will defend its self. and in this case both have. and I think thats the core issue that’s been overlooked.

  44. sean Avatar

    well, I covered that too….they are still in perfect condition and still look great over a year and a half later

    enough said by all..

  45. sean Avatar

    well, I covered that too….they are still in perfect condition and still look great over a year and a half later

    enough said by all..

  46. sean Avatar

    well, I covered that too….they are still in perfect condition and still look great over a year and a half later

    enough said by all..

  47. Shannon Avatar

    Either way, they look amazing, and it’s great to hear they have been so successful.

  48. Shannon Avatar

    Either way, they look amazing, and it’s great to hear they have been so successful.

  49. Shannon Avatar

    Either way, they look amazing, and it’s great to hear they have been so successful.

  50. sean Avatar

    and seriously Shannon thank you for the support, if you want to sit in on the seminar, no problem and no charge,

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