Design Story

This Polynesian tattoo of a manta and octopus for the upper back was designed to be the joining piece between two Polynesian sleeve tattoos.
The manta bridges them and the octopus frames it adding movement to the piece balancing the two halves of the back without being exactly symmetrical.
This was done intentionally to symbolize the nature of the octopus and its mimicking abilities.

The manta has waves on top to represent the rest as life underwater, and we have added two hammerhead sharks and a whale shark.

The tiki surrounded by a sun is a symbol of protection and of the joy that diving gives Marco, for whom this tattoo was prepared.
Fish also represent prosperity, and the rows of birds voyages.

The image below highlights the main elements within the tattoo: