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.

Zombie, Alive, Alive-O

Here’s yet another wicked back piece, this time from Ra, Decorate Tattoo, Phuket, Thailand.

“The tattoo was drawn on free hand. It’s not finished yet and there is still a lot more detail to be added to the bugs/spiders et cetera, and pink shading where all the skin is torn.

Seventy eight hours of work in seven days and the longest sitting was fifteen hours! The reason behind the tattoo? I wanted it to look like my back was ripped open and underneath the skin was a decaying zombie. It’s only two weeks old and the photo was take only eight days after the last sitting so there will be more photos to come!”

Comments

15 responses to “Zombie, Alive, Alive-O”

  1. Furnace Avatar
    Furnace

    Absolutely LOVE this piece! Awesome work on the bugs.
    Wonderful shading. I adore spiders.

  2. Lares Avatar
    Lares

    I would love to see this, when it’s done.

  3. snoogans Avatar

    the bits that are skin look like tin foil to me.

  4. Tranque Avatar

    It’s a nice piece, but the dullness of the colors makes it all seem to run together to me…
    Maybe if he had left the pieces of flesh that were falling away their original color, or at least if they were a different color from the insides. The shading might even take care of it.
    Nevertheless, still nice.

  5. Perdita Avatar
    Perdita

    I agree with snoogans, the “skin bits” look like tinfoil, not really realistic at all.. also the lack of muscle tissue is kinda bothersome, zombie or not there would still be muscular tissue. Over all I’m not that big of a fan, good premise, not so good execution. But that’s just my opinion.

  6. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    It looks beyond decay to mummyfication. Personally I think…leave it monochrome and just darken/shade.
    It’s beyond pink skin and moisture…leave it “dry” or pinking up the flesh will look like pink tinfoil.

    Going for a mummyfication look would be awesome.

  7. Stewart Avatar

    Good work and sterling performance on the hours! Reminds me a fair bit of Skullboy’s work.

  8. Scrunnel Avatar
    Scrunnel

    I think this is an excellent piece – unfinished as it is. I once had a 9+ hour session and can’t even imagine what 15 hours must have been like. Congratulations! Can’t wait to see the finished piece (or finish mine)!

    To snooggans and Perdita – I don’t know how much experience you have with tattoos, but that ‘tinfoil’ you are carping about looks to me like a lighting effect, possibly due to recent work on the tips of the shoulder blades. My bet is it will vanish as the tattoo fully develops.

  9. lespaul Avatar
    lespaul

    Scrunnel, i dont know how much experience you have with photography, but thats just the flash refelcting off the skin, not the ink at all. and i have to agree with the other two, the “skin” does look like sheet metal. kinda shitty…

  10. Myke Avatar
    Myke

    All in all i just can’t wait to see it completed!

  11. LiveLife Avatar
    LiveLife

    Wonder what something like this cost in Thailand…

  12. Stefunee Avatar

    Can’t wait to see the finished project.

  13. ward. Avatar

    I like the “cartoony” look to it, hope it stays that way.

  14. Donna Avatar

    I realise it’s not finished… but it needs more depth to it.
    The bugs really need to stand out a lot more.

  15. lauren Avatar
    lauren

    i feel the artist got carried away by the rippled effect on the pieces of flesh… its gonna be meeaaan tho.

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