tiger and cobra sleeve

Last month i had the privilege of starting a new full sleeve on a client and friend i first worked on about 15 years ago. At the time, Blake was a guitar teacher and local guitar shredder and was getting star wars and space/aliens themed tattoos. Nowadays Blake is a single father living with MS and works as an IT for a local board of education. Last year we did a dragon and shi shi on his leg as well as a skull reaper cover up on his upper arm. His love of life and general laid back attitude, while struggling with such a difficult and debilitating disease, is a great influence to be around.
For his latest work we agreed on the cobra fighting tiger theme as a full sleeve on his right arm. It is both symbolic of his daily struggles with MS and also a beautiful and classic tattoo theme. I was influenced constantly by cobra and tiger motifs everywhere while traveling in Nepal and through India, so i am always eager to create my own versions of this classic and iconic imagery.

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