RIP Hilda Frances Pugh (1919 - 2010) and Edward Joseph Pugh (1921 - 2011)

After my grandparents passed I decided I wanted to get tattoos as I guess some sort of memorial to myself. I love portraiture but it’s never been my personal choice of tattoo really. Without much thought I knew I wanted to get my grandad’s pocket watch which I inherited when he died and a teddy bear for my nan, as she liked them…well I guess it was more of an obsession for her as she used to steal them from her kids and grandkids…and I knew I wanted them on my feet.

I was familiar with Rachel’s work after a couple of sessions with Jo at Modern Body Art and liked her style. After a short conversation we began discussing the pieces. I also wanted to get my nan’s favourite flower; the freesia and after chatting to Rachel about it we agreed it would be better to get it with both tattoos to tie them together. It didn't take her long to send over a design and I instantly fell in love with it.

 

I have to say, that despite having 10 hour long sessions with Jo, after an hour and a half I was ready to tap out. I knew getting my feet tattooed was going to be ridiculously shit but I like to think I have a pretty high pain threshold. Being that I’d booked out a whole Saturday, there wasn’t much I could do but grit my teeth and bare it. My feet did involuntarily jerk several times, which was rather frustrating for both of us but we made it through it in the end.

In total it took 1.5 hours to do the pocket watch and 3 hours to do the teddy bear and I’m so pleased with how it turned out.