The new Primal Collection is available now!
This collection of designs has been based around aspects of tattoo culture and creatures within nature. I wanted to create various tattoo style designs by taking the symbolic meanings behind some classic tattoo themes and combining these with the corporeal and spiritual creatures displayed in nature. The creatures themselves vary between ancient beasts and unpredictable wildlife to fierce warriors and spiritual entities.
The Hannya Mask design displays a tortured soul born from jealousy and vengeance. This symbol of Japanese culture has become a well-known motif worldwide as well as a popular tattoo design, making this concept of a demonic persona a sure fit for this collection. I wanted the design itself to incorporate traditional Japanese themes, such as the sakura cherry blossoms and the hannya mask tag. The bolder the colour of the mask, the stronger the feelings are of the jealous soul and in turn, the more powerful the demon. I wanted the mask to appear as if the demon had almost completely taken over, hence only the top of the forehead is a lighter shade.
The Snake & Sword design can be interpreted in a number of ways. Firstly, this is
often confused with the medical symbol, the Staff of Asclepius, derived from Greek mythology, in which the snake is coiled around a staff, not a sword. This design I created takes inspiration from that theme, however the intended meaning behind it is the representation of one's struggle in life and the fight to rise above it, symbolising pride, protection and bravery. Traditional colours used in tattoos usually see the snake body as green with a red or yellow underside. I opted to go for a slightly different body colour to hint at a perhaps more mysterious appearance. I also chose to have the snake's head in a warning pose, hinting back to the theme of protection.
Scorpion designs have always been a favourite of mine, and I've always wanted to create my own traditional tattoo style scorpion. There is a subtle meaning behind this design, as scorpions are generally known to be unpredictable, intimidating creatures. I wanted to draw the focus to the pincers using glinting stars positioned around them. This takes the focus off of the stinger which is the weapon the scorpion uses to strike down foes.
With the Panther Huntress design, I wanted to create a backstory to the character in the drawing, taking themes of primitive hunters and native American tattoo girls. Long before modern day civilisation, these female warriors adorned their armour with the fur and feathers of powerful animals as a way to channel their animalistic instincts and in turn intimidate their enemies, but also as a way to honour the animals themselves. I decided on using the head of a panther to bring in themes of stealth and cunning, covered by foliage in the fading light of the setting sun. The unwavering focus can be seen in the eyes of beauty and beast, alike.
The Spirit Bear design uses similar aspects of the Panther Huntress in the sense that spirit animals can be used as a guide and as a way to channel the primal creature inside yourself. Bears are often seen as symbols of courage and leadership, and rightly so. They are strong, intimidating, albeit gentle animals. They possess many qualities that a leader should, even though at times they can be reckless when their pride or the safety of loved ones are brought into question. The 'hollow' appearance shown by the line art was a choice I made in order to make the bear seem more celestial. The woodcutter's axes add to the strength and power of the bear, while the Maple and Oak leaves hint at a more calming and homely presence.
This brings us to the final design in the collection and quite possibly my favourite of all the collection, and what more can be said than 'awww, look at him'. But don't be fooled, as often appearances can be deceiving. To call himself 'The King', surely he must have earned such a moniker, right? Its not like he just made himself a little crown because he wanted to... whatever the case, he more than deserves to be a part of this collection. After all, he is the King of Dinosaurs.
If you've made it this far through the description of what the Primal Collection means to me, then all I can say is thank you and I hope my drawings bring you as much joy as they bring me. So why not unleash the creature within and awaken YOUR inner being!