An Update on Andrew's Irezumi

I wanted to share a bit of an update on the work I've been doing with Andrew, because it's shaping up to be one of my favourite bodies of work in the studio at the moment. Andrew's been coming in consistently, and between us we've now got a full Raijin sleeve finished, a full dragon back piece completed, and a Fujin sleeve fully lined and ready to move into colour. It's the kind of long-term project I love; proper traditional Japanese work, built up piece by piece, session by session.

We have just completed the Raijin sleeve and I'm really happy with how it's come together. Raijin, the god of thunder, storms, and lightning, is one of the great subjects in Japanese tattooing. a fierce red figure, usually shown encircled by drums, full of energy and movement. I wanted this sleeve to carry that same intensity, so I've wrapped the figure in teal ribbon, framed him with tomoe crests and grey cloud work, and bordered the whole piece top and bottom with cherry blossom. The colour is vivid but still sits within the traditional structure, a proper full sleeve, built to hold up over time.

Alongside the sleeve, I've also taken Andrew's back piece through to completion; a black and grey dragon with bursts of red flame and yellow highlight, set against classic scale and cloud work with cherry blossom scattered through it. Dragons are one of the cornerstones of this style, and they've always represented strength, wisdom, and protection. I wanted this piece to have real presence across the whole back, and I think it gets there.

Next up in Andrew's project is a sleeve for Fujin, the wind god, and Raijin's traditional counterpart. I've just finished the lining on this one; the full composition is mapped out, from the cloud work and drum details through to the cherry blossom borders and it's ready to move into colour next. I always enjoy this stage of a project; it's where the bones of the composition and the line work really get to speak for themselves before the colour goes in.

Andrew's project is a great example of what I love about building out a full body of traditional Japanese work over time, each piece speaking to the next, all coming together into something bigger. If you're thinking about starting a similar journey, get in touch and let's talk about it.