The Rookery 2020

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Portland’s Winter Crow Roost

Ever wonder what’s up with the studio name, The Rookery PDX? You can thank these dark-winged winter residents.

Each winter (roughly November-February), tens of thousands of crows migrate into PDX for the winter and gather at night in densely-packed roosts downtown.

Every day, just before dusk, the birds gather in the trees outside the studio windows to caw and squawk about the corvid goings-on before flying downtown as a group at nightfall. For about half an hour at dusk, they encircle us : some preening, some cawing, some feasting on treasures gleaned from nearby restaurants. Some even enjoy getting close to the window for a photoshoot.

Getting to end the short winter days with them is one of my favorite parts about this beloved studio. The roost is a fairly recent phenomenon (first documented in 2013), but is every bit as amazing as the celebrated Vaux Swifts. Check them out flying into downtown any winter evening, and if you have a winter appointment here, expect it to end with ample dark wings. Not so much with the dark words, let’s hope.

To learn more about the roost, check out:

Layered color: healed vs. fresh

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P.J. Redoute’s Rein Claude Franche Plums (1802)

Healed two years on S.

These plums were rendered in two sessions of layered color, where we tattoo the midtones in the first session and then the darks and lights over the top of the healed midtones to enhance the contrast and detail we can achieve. S has taken immaculate care of their piece, which looks nearly identical healed (left) as it did fresh (right). Thanks for taking such great care of your piece, S!

The Finger

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Genus Hepatica knuckles on A

Genus Hepatica knuckles on A

Finger tattoos: I love them, but don’t do them often. Fingers are one of the few spots on the body particularly well suited to very small designs. However, if you’ve ever tried to get a finger tattoo, you may have had a hard time finding an artist who will do them. I typically do not offer them to clients that I do not have an existing rapport with, and only offer them on the tops of fingers. (Palm skin is a different story for a different post.) Here’s why:

They will not heal like other skin.

Due to the nature of the flexible and durable finger skin, finger tattoos will very likely experience ink fallout and require touchups. Clients and artists need to be on the same page about expectations and have a touchup plan in place going in.

They will not age like other skin.

For the same reasons, finger tattoos will not hold detail over time like other areas. The level of tolerable detail loss is different for everyone and is a discussion for each client to have with their individual artist.

They are tougher to heal.

Because fingers move around and are touched so much, they can be swollen and/or sore for longer and more prone to infection. Attention to hygiene is key.

They are painful.

There are lots of nerve endings in the fingers. A finger tattoo may be quick, but it will not be comfortable.

Like so many other variables within tattooing,

communication is key.

Having a conversation with the client about what to expect in terms of healing and longevity is the key to everyone leaving happy. For example, A and I have had a conversation about what to expect with these hepatica flowers. They will be seeing me again for more work on their sleeve and knows we will address any necessary touchups then. I’ll keep you posted as these heal!

Grey wash: healed vs. fresh

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Fresh vs. Healed

Blackwork + grey wash

Many of my pieces are black ink only, but if we need a softer gradient or a finer line, I will bring in grey wash (black ink diluted with water). Grey washes look darker, sometimes even black, when the piece is fresh, but lighten up throughout the healing process, resulting in a gradient that resembles graphite.

This piece is a perfect example of how grey wash heals.

The darkest bits are black ink, but note the difference in value fresh vs. healed among the lighter areas (the ribbon is a very easy place to see the difference). A few different concentrations of grey wash were used here, so some greys are darker than others. Results will vary depending on the client’s individual skin and the dilution of the wash, but if your artist mentions grey wash, you can expect to see the area lighten up during healing as this piece illustrates.

Thanks, T, for the great healed photo! Piece based on Nicholas Robert’s Anemones from Sketchbook A, c. 1650