Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Derby Helper 2009 Roller Derby Tattoo Contest

Folks, it has been a fun month watching all the contest submissions come in. While the Derby Helper staff was more than a little disappointed at the lack of tattooed naughty bits (Jessticles cried a little), overall we were impressed at the wide range of artistic interpretations that the people of the derby and tattoo worlds combined to create. Because of the number of beautiful and deserving tattoos that were sent in, we have decided to totally punk out on making a decision ourselves and instead are putting this in the hands of you, the Derby Helper audience. Look through the gallery then vote for your favorite at the end. In alphabetical order, here are your nominees:

  1. 4 Leaf Cleaver
    Naptown Rollergirls
    Indianapolis, IN


    As you can see on the full back pic, I am very much into fairies. I also like to show that I am well rounded. So, the fairy on the left is me as my roller persona and the fairy on my right is playing the cello, as I did for 7 years. The tattoos were done by Matt of Metamorphasis in Indianapolis, IN in August 2008.





  2. Beat'n-Chix Kiddo
    Arch Rival Girls
    St. Louis, MO



    My name is Beat'n-Chix Kiddo, number is Vol. 1&2. I skate with the Arch Rival Roller Girls in St. Louis, MO and my local team is the Smashinistas. I got my tattoo because I wear yellow skates to go with the Kill BIll theme that goes with my name, so I got my own skates as my tattoo...The grenade is for my team, as we have a gun/grenade/Army theme and that is why my name, "kiddo" is in green and pink as those are our team colors. :) This tattoo is about one week old, this picture was taken right after I was finished, I'm still sitting in the tattoo chair in the picture.




  3. Cannon Doll X
    LA Derby Doll Sirens
    Los Angeles, CA


    My tattoo is a represention of LADD, my famous skate (that's my signature, been in ads and people mag) and if you look close has my "CDX" (Cannon Doll X) in the laces.. I'm a SIREN.. we're the COPS of roller derby therefore the Sheriffs badge in the background.




  4. Celia Graves
    Derby City Rollergirls & Quad Skate Terrors Roller Derby
    Louisville, KY


    Done by Adam Potts. This was actually the image from one of our bout posters that Adam designed.




  5. Domesticated Violence
    Rose City Rollers
    Portland, OR


    Tattoo done on LA Ink by Hanna Atchison in August 2007. Real photos from RCR bouts were given to Hanna to help her with my idea. She created (IMHO) a good mixof modern & retro styling for this derby piece.





  6. Dora The Destroyer
    Naptown Rollergirls
    Indianapolis, IN


    Hi! I'm Dora the Destroyer from the Naptown Rollergirls and this is my derby girl thigh tattoo. She's not supposed to be me, she just has my number and skates and a jazzed up version of our uniform. i wanted her to be like a comic book superhero, which is why she has the pow! and the flying tooth and our skull logo above her.




  7. Flo Shizzle
    Charm City Roller Girls
    Baltimore, MD






  8. Harlot Fevah
    Boston Derby Dames
    Boston, MA


    I'm Harlot Fevah with the Boston Derby Dames. And no, there are no wheels involved in my roller derby tattoo....but there is a lobster and my team name, because when I think of Massacre....I think of Lobster.




  9. Hissett Fit
    Calgary Roller Derby Association
    Calgary, AB Canada






  10. Karmann Ghia
    Terminal City Rollergirls
    Vancouver, BC Canada






  11. Lemme Adam
    Cedar Rapids Rollergirls
    Cedar Rapids, IA


    I am from the Cedar Rapids Roller Girls in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Our team is called the Helldorados. This tat is my "skull and crossbones." The first home bout I played in front of a crowd at our venue was Talladerby nights; notice the checkered flags in the background. That's the ironic part...got the tat before I ever bouted, and THAT happened to be my first bout! fitting! Our team colors are pink and black; thus the hot pink choice of color. Missing tooth, cracked helmet, along with a tube of lipstick and brass knuckles to make this a Bad a** tattoo with a bit of feminine flair! Let's not forget the piggy tales coming from the helmet!




  12. Mama Kaze
    Texas Rollergirls Rec 'n' Rollerderby Recreational League
    Austin, TX


    My tattoo is meaningful on many levels: Firstly, the bruised beauty is offering up praise to rollerderby, and I do give thanks for this sport every minute of the day. I started skating 6 weeks after my second child was born, and if it wasn't for derby I never would have found this amazing community of women that supports me and my family in all that we do. I have an incredibly diverse circle of friends, all united by our common love of the sport. Secondly, on the helmet of the skater in my tattoo is a sticker for Derby or Die which is owned by my skate-sister Zen Lightening. Zen does so much for our league that it is an honor to carry a symbol of her on my body forever. Thirdly, I am so proud that it was another one of my league mates who designed and delivered this tattoo. It is one thing to take a hit from Stacey Martin/1000 Hurts, but quite another to surrender up your tender flesh to her artistry for several hours!




  13. minx a'matosis
    Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls
    Lincolnshire, UK


    Here's mine, from Ben at Lifetime Tattoo, Derby, UK




  14. Rex Havoc
    Emerald City Roller Girls (ECRG)
    Eugene, OR






  15. Roxy Horror
    COMO Derby Dames
    Columbia, MO


    It’s my best buds Maim-y Fisher (jammer from COMO) and Smack ‘N Cheese (blocker from ARRG), back when both used to skate for COMO. Home teams were the “Die Die Darlings” (Maim-y) and the “Daisy Duke-ems” (Smack). This was created from a photograph and cartoon-ized by the tattoo artist, Jon Bush of Columbia, MO.




  16. Roxy Rockett
    Carolina Rollergirls
    Raleigh, NC


    It is a tattoo of a roller derby skater (me) done back in 2005.




  17. Rubella Plague
    Fox Cityz Foxz
    Appleton, WI


    Pin up derby girl.




  18. Scarlet GoDancin
    NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls
    Akron, OH


    This is a split-image of me, for the two lives I lead. One half; a Jammer for our league and the other half; my love of cupcakes and 50's lifestyle - being a stay-at-home mom, that is my other side. It was my idea and a former skater with our league and tattoo artist drew it up. It was supposed to be on my arm but it kept getting bigger and bigger and ended up on my thigh!




  19. Sister Mary Superego
    Denver Roller Dolls
    Bad Apples


    Rosie the Riveter was an iconic image during WWII that encouraged women's empowerment and telling them to roll up their sleeves and do the tough, male-dominated jobs while the men were off fighting. She's a tough chic who's not afraid to muscle up and get it done.

    Roller derby saw its first heyday during WWII, so it seemed appropriate that these two things should be combined. And roller derby helped fuel my own sense of empowerment - all the way to getting Rosie, my very first tattoo, at 33 years old!




  20. Sk8 Crime
    Cincinnati Rollergirls
    Cincinnati, OH


    Flying Skates on Chest.





  21. Slugs Bunny
    Nashville Rollergirls - Inactive
    Nashville, TN


    Explanation: hello? none needed!




  22. Stormy Trooper
    Dead Girl Derby, Founder and RollerCon Assistant Head Planner
    Kansas City, MO/KS


    my skate name


    my roller con one



    my copy of a misty benson painting



    my league name





  23. Sally Strych9
    Oklahoma Victory Dolls
    Oklahoma, OK


    Rollerskating robot eating ice cream...need I say more?




  24. Susan B. Agony
    Atlanta Roller Girls - retired
    Atlanta, GA



    This is my tat that I designed originally for one of our flyers during 2005, I included the original drawing




  25. Sweet C
    Naptown Roller Girls
    Indianapolis, IN






  26. Synyster Motives
    Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls
    Lincoln, England


    My tattoo was designed by one of my team mates, Total Melfunction, and on seeing it for the first time Brut-Ali-T (another team mate) commented on how it looked just like me! So I got it tattoo'd.




  27. Whomping Willow
    High Desert Darlins of Hermiston, Oregon
    Lilac City Rollergirls (the SheWolves) of Spokane, Washington
    Tri Cities, Washington State



    My tattoo is just my derby #, not expecting to win, but wanna show it off! I was pretty stoked to not have to draw on myself with permanent marker anymore, lol. Who needs to pay for an armband when a badass artist gives you a free tattoo!!


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Alright derby and tattoo fans, now it's your chance to shine! Votes will be accepted until midnight of October 18th. The winner will be the envy of all their derbymates when they receive their prize: a brand spankin' new Derby Helper t-shirt from Wicked Skatewear!


(You also have the option to totally dilute the winner's moment of triumph by clicking the picture and ordering your own Derby Helper t-shirt, just, you know, to be a dick.  Just sayin'.)

So go to the survey on the right side panel of the screen and vote right now for whoever you feel has the most awesome roller derby tattoo ---->

And after you vote, make sure to go into the comments to gush about how kickass all the submissions are!






44 comments:

  1. TEXAS TEXAS KILL KILL KILL!! MAMA KAZE - your ink is awesome and your team is phenomenal!

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  3. These tattoos are awesome and show the dedication and love for the sport by the derby girls!!!

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  4. I voted for Scarlet Go Dancing, she is a dedicated derby bitch and works hard to make NEONNR a big Success, she is also an awesome mother and combines both worlds so well. Congrat Scarlet Go Dancing, you deserve to win.~~~ Edna (Names's Mom)

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  5. I vote for Mama Kaze.

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  6. Mama Kaze fer shure, beautiful and meaningful.

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  7. Mama Kaze all the way!

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  8. There were 4 I loved & it was a hard decision but I voted for Scarlet Go Dancin. I know both Scarlet & Jackie Brown the Tattooist ( I even have a J.B. Tatt myself.) Locally she is my favorite Tattooist and this Tatt really embodies Scarlet!

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  9. Mamakaze is by far my favorite!!!

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  10. Wow, Mama Kaze's tattoo is just amazing. The best, hands down.

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  11. I'm going for Mama Kaze like all the rest. Just good.

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  12. I voted for Sister Mary Superego because I love Rosie the Riveter and I am catholic!!! lol

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  13. Vote SCARLET!!!!

    XOXOXOXO,
    Vanity Scare
    www.neorollerderby.com

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  14. Mama Kaze Rules! And That's a completely unbiased opinion.

    Sincerely,
    Papa Kaze

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  15. mama kaze blows the competition away

    t.

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  16. WOW, I'd like to vote for about 10 of them, but if I have to narrow it down to one: Sister Mary Superego I've seen that poster hundreds of times, but never with roller skates - very clever.

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  17. You bettah check yo self before she rex yourself! Rex Havoc not only has the tattoo I vote for but also is awesomesauce in general.

    Runner up: skating robot eating ice crea. Good god, it has it all.

    Cheers,

    Izzy Wright

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  18. Cast my vote for Sweet C, love that tat!!

    Shelby N Pain
    Demolition City Roller Derby
    Evansville, In

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  19. !! LEMME ADAM !!
    Bad ass with some femme-flare and intense colors.

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  20. Go LEMME ADAM!!!! Not only is that tat gorgeous it totally is LA!!!!! Lemme has my vote!

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  21. It's Slugs Bunny or nothing at all!

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  22. I LOVE the HOT PINK! SO VIBRANT! Lemme Adam

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  23. Sister Mary Superego
    Denver Roller Dolls
    Bad Apples

    Awesome!!!!

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  24. Cannon Doll X....AWESOME!

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  25. Harlot Fevah's lobstah tattoo! Go Massacre!

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  26. Domesticated violence - has my vote

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  27. My vote - Lemme Adam!! It's awesome! Lip stick and brass knuckles? Where do you go wrong?

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  28. Mama Kaze just wins out

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  29. Stacy Martin is an amazing artist!! So obviously I'm going with Mama Kaze. I'm lucky to also have a tattoo done by Martin. -Slay West

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  30. I vote for Lemme Adam - well thought out original tat!

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  31. Mama Kaze's tat is my fave! It's beautiful.

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  32. Great Tatts!! Feel free to send me a pic of your tattoo on Facebook@ Roller Derbytattoos, or check out: http://www.site.rollerderbytattoos.com/

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  33. 9 3/4 is an illegal number. / is a symbol. An official number has to be alpha numeric. NO symbols. Don't plan on going WFTDA with that. Sweet though!

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