Well, one of the good folks I met at SxSW got back to me already, here is the story behind Bada Bing from Karen Bellavia a piercer Custom Tattoos from The Soul on 6th Street, and Amillion Tattoos:
My story is pretty simple really, I got “Bada Bing” because my friends used to call me that as a nickname (long before the Sopranos). They also used to call me “Grape stomper” but that wouldn’t fit. I’m italian so I thought it was fitting. My last name is going on my lower knucks soon so it will say Bada Bing Bellavia!
Here is a knuckle tattoo from Norway. It is done by Birdie from personal art tattoo.
For me TRUE LOVE stands for the love that Jesus has for all of us.
But also the love between my wife and i.
For me it stands also for the love we need to have for each other in this world, in your own family and for your friends!
God bless knuckle brothers
God bless the knuckle brothers all over the world, my friend.
These knuckles come straight out of my hometown, Austin, TX on the hands of Adam H. Here is the reason behind them:
I picked good and evil, because i consider myself a little bit of both, i didn’t want my wedding ring to be on my evil hand, but i decided fuck it, its just a tattoo right?
I also discovered i could make “god” and “devil” out of the letters, and i thought that was badass too.
Artist Michael Todoran of Las Vegas, NV sends us this set of knuckle tattoos. Check the link at the end to see his art work. It is really great stuff. Looks like his HARD WORK is paying off. Here is what he has to say about his knuckles:
Tattoo by: Brian (Owner of Mastermind)
Shop:
Mastermind Tattoo
3111 S Valley View Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Significance:
I am a descendent from a Romanian father and Yugoslavian mother. Both of them were raised in the ‘old country’ in Europe, and both of them are from hard working farmer stock.
Born and raised in Los Angeles I was fortunate enough to not have to work as hard as my family just to survive.
When I finally was on my own I joined the Coast Guard. First, doing two years of Search and Rescue on the Oregon Coast, and then two years working on a Buoy Tender in Hawaii. Both jobs required a tremendous amount of work, and by willing to commit to that I was able to advance and get to work on all the cool jobs.
When I was done with my enlistment, I used my G.I. bill to get an art degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and that is where I really applied a hard work ethic. I spent countless all nighters’ working on my drawings, and honing my skills. The work got noticed by my professors, and it made it that much easier to work with them on a more personal level.
Often, I have felt that I am not as naturally talented as I would have liked but I heard the saying a long time ago, “Hard work beats talent, if talent doesn’t work hard” I’ve proven this several times over.
So, as a professional artist, curator, and future architect I decided to remind myself of how I got where I am, and what I need to do to get where I’m going.
All the way from across the sea come this set of knuckle tattoos:
hi, I’m from The Netherlands and I got this tattoo in Amsterdam by Inkcrowd tattoos.
The reason behind the tattoo is simple, in real live you got some giving to do and so now and then some taking. that’s how I’m living to, I treat people the way the treat me !
greetings, Marcel Van Broekhuijsen
The Netherlands ( Europe)
Elisabeth B. from Cortland, IL sends us these knuckles. Check out her stuff on etsy, listed under 13 stitches:
These tattoos were done by Kristie Lundgren at Proton Tattoo Studio in Cortland, IL. I got them done on Feb. 8th and they are still healing. I’d wanted my knuckles tattooed for a long time, and I am so glad I finally did it! I chose Amor Fati (Latin for “love of fate”) because I strongly identify with the concept of accepting one’s destiny and viewing all things that happen in your life as ultimately good.
I got this tattoo after serving a year in jail for drunk driving. I got hard luck because of the situation and the circumstances pertain to my incarceration. Life’s a bitch and I have HARD LUCK.
I had just got out of jail and it was the first time i had drank in a few months so it just seemed appropiate. Ya know i drove down the wrong road at the wrong time. I have always said too that i have had hard luck. I always seem to learn the hard way so i guess it just fit for me.
These are the knuckle tattoos of Bob Sleg, a FleshTransfixer who owns a shop in Lille, France called COLD FLESH, THE BODY PIERCING CRYPT in Lille (FR).
This FUCK/LOVE tattooed in December Y2K by WILL TATTOO from Angoulême, FRANCE (EU), represents a lot to me.
First of all, it says all together FUCK LOVE, ‘koz ‘am a bloody heart-sensitive Dude and I wanted to “protect” myself against other heartbreaking love stories…
Second, the LOVE one is on my left hand, the one of the heart. And the FUCK one his on the right hand which represents the military salute and the fighting fist to me.
Third, when I reverse my hands (left/right) or put’em in front of me, it says LOVE FUCK, ‘koz Hell yeah ‘am heart-sensitive but I still luv’ action !
Fourth, I always had in memories the Robert Mitchum’s LOVE/HATE “tattoo” I saw in The Night Of The Hunter when I woz a child…
There’s sum’ other meanings for my knukles’tattoo to me, like FUCK is my favorite word in the world; bu’ I keep’em for my LOVErz..!
-Bob SLEG.
