Letting Ideas Fly: Seeing My Design Tattooed by a Stranger

It’s a strange feeling to see something you’ve drawn take on a life of its own — especially when it becomes part of someone else’s body. Recently, one of my designs traveled from my sketchbook to the skin of a stranger in France, turning into a tattoo. The image, a meditating figure with their head replaced by a floating chicken, speaks to ideas of detachment and identity, and seeing it inked into someone’s skin made me reflect on what it means to let your ideas go.

The Floating Chicken: A Symbol of Detachment

I’m sure the sitter has attached their own meaning to the work, so I’ll spare over-explaining. At the time, I was exploring themes of mindfulness, and detachment— and that playful-yet-dark imagery emerged naturally. The headless meditator with a chicken hovering above them felt like a fitting symbol for those ideas. I shared the piece online, not thinking too much about it, but just enjoying the act of putting my work out into the world as I’ve been doing daily for a long time.

From Sketch to Tattoo

The process of this design becoming a tattoo started with a message from a stranger named Noah. They asked if they could get my drawing tattooed, a request I’ve received before but rarely see followed through. What stood out about this one was the care and respect they showed for the work. That’s all it really takes for me to say yes.

When I saw the final tattoo, it felt familiar yet different. There’s a difference between seeing your art on paper and seeing it permanently etched on someone’s body. It’s a commitment, a declaration that the image holds meaning for them in a way that may be entirely their own.

Letting Go of Ownership

As artists, we often create from a personal place, but once a piece is shared, it stops belonging to just us. This experience reminded me of the importance of letting go. The floating chicken, in a way, is a perfect metaphor for that detachment. Ideas aren’t meant to be caged or controlled; they need to be free to take on new forms and meanings.

I never imagined that a playful sketch would find its way across countries and onto someone else’s skin. It’s a reminder that art has a life of its own once it leaves your hands. It resonates in ways you might never fully understand. Shoutout to @cam_coum_tattoo on Instagram, the artist who brought it to life with such care and skill. Trust between artists is so important in these moments — and Cam Coum did an incredible job translating my work into something meaningful and lasting.

Final Thoughts

Seeing my design tattooed on a stranger reinforced why I create: to connect, to express, and to let ideas fly. The image itself is a playful, absurd reminder that thoughts and identities are transient. We can hold onto them, or we can let them float away like a headless chicken.

To Noah who now carries my design: thank you for reminding me that art can cross boundaries and take unexpected journeys. Every sketch has the potential to travel far beyond where we imagine it will go — if we’re willing to let it.