Duck Tattoo from Scholar Tattoo in San Francisco

I started to make my Part Two post of my recent Sacramento trip, but I am once again way too tired to tackle that and instead will be doing a little post about my new tattoo. Another reason for doing a shorter post and putting off the next Sacramento post is how sore my arms are - my left arm from the tattoo and my right arm from my mandatory flu shot for work.

Last month I was talking with my friend Jeramie who owns Scholar Tattoo in San Francisco. He has done my last four tattoos and while talking he casually joked that I should come in for another since the last one was over two years ago. I impulsively said "all right!" and a week or so later I made the appointment with him. I didn't even know what I wanted at the time, just that I wanted another tattoo. It didn't take too long for me to decide on a duckling, because I love ducks and I knew it would look very cute in his traditional style.

finishing the outline

Jeramie wasn't at the shop when I arrived, but his other artist Nathan was there along with a guy I didn't know. Right away the new guy started talking to me, asking me if I watch anime, where I was from, etc. We talked a little bit about One Piece and JoJo - and how I can't watch JoJo because the dramatic animation makes me too uncomfortable - and at one point he suddenly realized we never introduced ourselves (something I am really bad at). His name is AJ and we ended up going to a nearby cheese steak place to get some vegan food for the shop while we waited for Jeramie. I am a pretty awkward person and do not socialize much, especially with people I do not know, but I really was hungry and am always eager to find good vegan food. I felt a little anxious and awkward most of the time (like I do in most social situations with people other than my very close friends and family), but overall it was nice and I was glad to be able to tell my boyfriend about my bravery later, as he is always encouraging me to socialize and get more comfortable around people, and I feel sheepishly proud when I tell him about my little achievements.

Jeramie was at the shop by the time we returned with the food. We consulted for a few minutes about what I wanted and then he got to work drawing it up for me. I had used-up all my social energy so I buried myself in my latest text for my animal behavior class (Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal) until Jeramie was ready for me.

the clean outline before color

During one of the breaks in the session, while Jeramie was setting up his colors, I noticed something funny in one of the plants on the counter:

a cat. a little hidden cat.

After the outline, Jeramie got to work on the color. I wanted the colors to be reminiscent of the colors of the brood I watched grow up last year at my apartment. I became super attached to them and their fiercely protective mother.

"my" babies last year...

...and their beautiful, attentive mother

the end result: my own lil ducky

Photo Jeramie took for his IG

That's it! I am hungry and tired now, so I am going to try and get myself to the kitchen to make something and then maybe watch a movie (I finished my homework early tonight, so I am giving myself a break!)

Thank you for reading and checking out my cute new tattoo :)