Black and grey realism tattoo of five moon phases in a row across the lower abdomen, above the waistband of unbuttoned trousers.

Enlarged with AI from a smaller original

Moon phases across the lower abdomen

Realism · Other · Black and grey · Photo

A row of five moon phases runs horizontally across the lower abdomen, from a thin crescent on the left to a full moon at the centre and a waning crescent on the right. Each moon is built from fine shading and stippled texture, with the full moon showing the most detail and the crescents fading into the skin. The image is black and white, with the tattoo centred in the frame above low-rise trousers, a navel piercing and a hanging padlock.

Realism Dotwork Other Moon Moon phase Crescent moon Full moon Celestial

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Nell,

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The rain has been coming down on the Saturday market since six, so the stalls shine like wet slate and nobody is buying anything but umbrellas. I've been sheltering under the awning of Ruddock's fish van, which smells of brine and is the only warm thing for three streets. Arthur came by with a box of tin moons, the kind people hang over cots, and asked after you. I told him you're fine. You'd be proud of me for saying it with a straight face.

Remember the brass pocket watches Dad left in the loft? I sold the lot on Tuesday to a man who wanted them for a film set. He paid in cash and didn't haggle, which told me he'd been waiting for them. With the money I've bought the lamp stall at the north gate, the one with the green shade and the crack down its foot. I'll be there from Easter if the council stops moving us about.

I drew the phases again last night on the back of a receipt, the way Mum taught us: new, waxing crescent, half, gibbous, full, then all the way back down. Five in a row, shading thick where the light falls and barely anything where it doesn't. The full one I did last, pressing so hard with the biro that the paper went soft. I've come to think the dark parts are doing as much work as the light.

The rain has let up now. I'm going to walk home the long way, past the canal, and see if the moon shows.

Love, Jo