Jan 25

tempus frangit

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This is Will’s tattoo:

This was my first tattoo, though I’ve been thinking about it for … well, a long time. The phrase comes from Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” series, from Delirium’s sundial and means “time is broken.” For me, it was always a play on having no sense of time, but realizing that memories are persistent beyond any real sense of time. I can remember what happened ten years ago better than I can what I did for lunch yesterday. I think most people are like that. Having it just above where most people wear a watch is just part of the joke.

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Nov 25

It always ends.

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I know, I know.  Regular updates will be back soon.  For now, an ominous tattoo for everyone to read too much into.

CIMG0096

Ron’s tattoo is from Neil Gaiman’s Death: The High Cost of Living.  This is Ron’s story:

I broke up with my ex girlfriend in 2007; she was my high school crush (I’ve known her for 10 years, dated solid the last 5), we never stopped talking and kept trying to ‘make it work’.  Last October 2008 she ended up pregnant.  I stuck by her, did everything I could for the pregnancy, changed my schedule so I could be there for every appointment, went to all the classes; et al.  In May she brought it to my attention, I may not be the father-  I didn’t freak out, I kept going to every class, and appointment, because what would be worse?  Going to the appointments and the baby not being mine, or being mine and I missed all the appointments out of anger?  Lucas Grey was born on 07/08/09, at 10p and I instantly fell in love with him (despite never wanting children).

I stayed at her home, did the midnight changings, put him to sleep, pacified him when he cried.  I was daddy and it really felt good.  On 7/18 I got the test results that he is not mine.  I left and I’ve been entirely devastated ever since.  Buried myself in my work, was drinking a lot, and became a good shut in.  I got this quote for several reasons.  First, When he used to sleep, he would sleep under my left arm, nuzzled onto my chest, secondly its my reminder that its better for both of them without me there, staying only for the selfishness of wanting to be around him.  They are both better without me, and my animosity towards her.  Third, Neil Gaiman is my favorite author, and High Cost of Living is what really introduced me to him, I was a huge Tori Amos fan and I bought the book only to read her forward of the book.  It is also a true quote in every single aspect of life; everything ends, for something new.

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sandmantattoo-tc

This tattoo of Dream from The Sandman is on Michael.

Everytime I hear “Tear In Your Hand” by Tori Amos that got a reference to Neil Gaiman:

“..if you need me, me and neil’ll be hangin’ out with the DREAM KING.

Neil says hi by the way”

I feel good to have Sandman on my body and in a way in my soul.

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This is Jocke Berg, singer in the Swedish band Kent, with a tattoo of the Key to Hell from Season of Mists, volume 4 of The Sandman.

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keytohell

This tattoo of The Key to Hell was submitted by Favve.

I got this tattoo about two weeks ago. I started reading The Sandman like a year ago or so and I became a huge fan of Gaiman’s, I read every book that I can get. When I read Season of Mists, I thought about the Key to Hell as the perfect piece of art to be inked, it was perfect, with a deep meaning, related with Neil Gaiman and with a great design!

I got it to deal with changes, I’ve always been some sort of status quo person and changes in every sense affect me a lot. This tattoo have help me through my very own seasons of mists.

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sandman

This tattoo was submitted by Preeti and is from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Volume 9: The Kindly Ones.

Gaiman’s a favorite of mine, and the quote just really struck me, I’ve got a bit of wanderlust and want desperately to see everything and live everywhere. Not to mention, Lucifer says it to Delirium and barring Dream, they’re my two favorite characters.

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I’ve been working on a feature film in the middle of nowhere (I do stills), and of course the day I head into the land of no internet access, Neil Gaiman links to my site on his Twitter!

I am declaring the next 5 days “Neil Gaiman Week”.  I say 5 days because I am headed back to the land of no internet access in 20 minutes and I don’t have time for a full week’s worth of posts.

dream

This one comes from Ula:

Here is a picture of my tattoo of Dream from Neil Gaiman’s “Fables & Reflections.”  This particular design is from the the story “Ramadan.”

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Apr 28

Neil Gaiman

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“Sometimes, when you fall, you fly.”

- Neil Gaiman, The Sandman

(source)

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  • Welcome to Contrariwise

    This is a website about literary tattoos. That is, tattoos based on books, poems, lyrics, and many other literary sources.

    My email address is jen@contrariwise.org, so send your comments / suggestions / praise / hate that way. If you want to submit your own tattoo (please do!), see this page.