Riro

Design Story

This half sleeve tattoo was prepared for Alexander and the phoenix in it symbolizes his rebirth after a great change in his life.
It also serves as a visual divider between his past (on the back of the arm) and his future.

Many challenges are in the past (the pain symbol, the thorns, and the path of Kamehameha) with the flight of the albatross representing the journey that took him where he is now, with the manta symbolizing the freedom achieved, and the Marquesan cross standing for harmony, surrounded by a sun made of mountains to represent joy and stability.

The hammerhead shark is a symbol of the tenacity and strength he showed, and the turtle next to it is for family, with an all-seeing eye in it to keep all bad away.

The braid shows union, fish are for prosperity, and the row of birds is for the voyage that is still ahead.

The stepping stones at the base symbolize all that he learnt and achieved along the way.