I've seen the artwork for an unusual tattoo before - but where?

December 11, 2006 9:29 AM

The other night I saw a woman with many tattoos - one of them was of a pair of worms that had the heads of a perky boy and girl. I know I've seen this image before but my searching has been in vain. Does this sound familiar?
posted by pinky to media & arts (17 answers total)

When I read this I immediately flashed onto an illustration in a grade-school "health" textbook. (The textbook might have been published in the late 1960's.) The chapter was about the skeleton, and this picture was supposed to depict what people would look like without bones. There was a disclaimer saying something to this effect: "Of course, if you had no bones, you would not have enough shape to tell if you are a boy or a girl!" I think I'm remembering this in detail because it must have creeped me out at the time. Interesting choice for a tattoo!
posted by Wylie Kyoto at 9:44 AM on December 11, 2006

Could it be something by Gary Baseman? He does a lot of anthropomorphic worms. Among other things, he's done the TV cartoon Teacher's Pet and the art for the game Cranium
posted by Wink Ricketts at 9:45 AM on December 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

Can you describe them a bit more? Where they Dick and Jane style kids, or more cartoony, what color were the worms, etc. It sounds vaguely familiar. The first thing that popped into my head was Mark Ryden.
posted by JeremiahBritt at 9:49 AM on December 11, 2006

very interesting choice - that's what I thought too!

the heads were definitely more retro Dick and Jane-style (I think the girl had pigtails or braids, maybe) - I'm familiar with Ryden and Baseman, and the tattoo didn't really give me that feeling.

I now have this faint memory that I saw that image painted very large on a wall somewhere, but that could just be a false memory.
posted by pinky at 10:16 AM on December 11, 2006

oh, and the worms were pinkish. what i think of as "worm color."
posted by pinky at 10:17 AM on December 11, 2006

The latin-derived word for "worm color" is vermillion. Means exactly that.
posted by Araucaria at 10:44 AM on December 11, 2006

Perhaps it could have been something by Frank Kozik. (Warning, first 3 links will attempt to resize your browser window).

While I couldn't find a picture that matches what you said, it sounds like something he would draw.
posted by mjbraun at 10:47 AM on December 11, 2006

I think I know what you mean, and I think it was in the Book of the Subgenius. I'll go look for it.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:49 AM on December 11, 2006

Yeah, definitely border art from the Book of the Subgenius. If my book hadn't been stolen I'd be able to give you the exact page (grrrrrrrr...)
posted by lekvar at 11:56 AM on December 11, 2006

My first thought was Richard Scarry's Lowly Worm, but I can't seem to find a girl worm picture...
posted by hsoltz at 12:49 PM on December 11, 2006

1. Go to the Amazon page of the Book of the Subgenius

2. Select Search inside this book (under the cover art).

3. Enter "BEWARE: the fake Godjunior" in the search bar, and click the GO button. (

4. Click the "on Page 38" link to the right.
posted by JigSawMan at 1:28 PM on December 11, 2006

JigSawMan found what I was thinking of....
posted by kuujjuarapik at 1:45 PM on December 11, 2006

The image JigSawMan found is This
posted by JeremiahBritt at 1:55 PM on December 11, 2006

DISCLAIMER: The above image is hosted at my site. Sorry.
posted by JeremiahBritt at 1:58 PM on December 11, 2006

Richard Scarry is what popped into my mind as well.
posted by phearlez at 2:02 PM on December 11, 2006

it's not boy on a stick, is it?
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:48 PM on December 11, 2006

i can't seem to mark more than one answer as best, but thanks to everyone!
posted by pinky at 3:14 PM on December 11, 2006