Dragon Tattoos 2011

Mary-Lee appeared in my doorway at the end of the work day with Anthony standing next to her.

Mary-Lee's tattoo was featured here in December. I had never met Anthony before, but Mary-Lee had mentioned his tattoo to me, and she had told him about Tattoosday. He works for one of the vendors our company utilizes for a mailing process.

Anthony, whose birth name is Antonio, is a second generation Italian-American, and the son of Antonio, Sr. He is 100% Sicilian, and last year, on July 29, experienced the joy of having a first child, a son, also named Antonio.

Antonio III.

Aside from memorial tattoos, ink honoring one's offspring is equal to, or possibly greater, in popularity. As a parent myself, I'm partial to tattoos that pay tribute to one's kids. Both of my tattoos were inked in honor of my daughters, so parental tattoos have a special place in my heart.

To so honor little Anthony III, Anthony Jr. inked his son's birth name over his heart and, just below it, had his baby footprints added.

He wears with honor the legacy of his father's name, and bears the mark of tradition, as it carries from generation to generation.

A closer look also shows that the footprints are done lighter than the print of the name, which I think is a nice effect:


A footprint isn't generally a "permanent" fixture, and fades with time. Although the tattoo is permanent, the lighter ink lends more authenticity to the temporary nature of this snapshot in little Anthony's first moments in the world. It captures the moment of his birth, a pinnacle of joy in every father's life.

For a comparison, and I pass no judgment here, check out this earlier footprint post. There's a stark difference in the two tattoos, and I will say that this example is a nicer representation of the style of tattoo.

This is Anthony's third tattoo, but clearly the most important one. He had this inked at Tattoo Lou's in Selden, New York. Work from one of Tattoo Lou's other locations has appeared previously here.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing his meaningful tribute to his son, and his family tradition, here on Tattoosday!