you could always get a reverse image of it - make all the white parts black, on no background.

It seems like it would be kind of tricky, like you'd need someone really good to do it, but boy would that look cool. As-is, or reversed.

I like the black background, though. I think a good artist would be able to do it.

a friend of mine who is a white lady has a celtic knotwork armband in white ink, so that it shows as negative space when she tans. it's really cool.

you're right - although a tattoo artist who is that good is probably rare enough, i would think there are likely no more than two or three in your entire area who would be able to do it. and also remember - filling in that much solid space is gonna hurt like a bastard.

i am having flashbacks to my viking tattoo, talking to you about this...the blood...laughing my ass off and kind of scaring the artist a little...of course, the laughter only lasted the first two hours.

I laughed through the entire bulldozer tattooing...and Guy had to keep telling me not to laugh so violently. I don't remember any pain at all. I think I have a pretty high pain threshold. I think the black wouldn't bother me so much.