Rihanna flies her tattoo artists 1,500 miles to spend 11 hours making her New Zealand tribal art work 'pretty'

Rihanna wanted to add to the tribal hand tattoo she got in New Zealand, so she called up her American ink artists.
Only thing was their New York City shop was 1,500 miles away. Not a problem for the Diamonds singer - she just put them on an airplane to meet her in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, according to PageSix.
The designers said it took them 11 hours to make the traditional marks 'pretty,' no doubt offending the ancient tribes. She showed off the new work during her Puerto Rico concert on Monday.

More ink: While performing in Puerto Rico on Monday, Rihanna showed off her new henna-inspired tattoo on her right hand that covered up most of the traditional art work she got in New Zealand

Before and after: Tattoo artist Keith McCurdy says he thinks he made her tribal art work 'pretty'

She can't stop: It took 11 hours to add to her old designs, and she was left 'bruised,' according to her artist

NEW ZEALANDER TATTOO ARTIST DEFENDS RIHANNA AFTER BACKLASH

Rihanna has been slammed on Twitter for modifying her traditional tribal ink.
Purple Kisses said, 'Far too much going on' and They Call Me Sir! said the decision was 'horrifying.'

Tiki Taane, who was one of Rihanna's New Zealand tattooists, has come out to defend the singer.

'I love how she’s pulling together all these different cultures through tattooing, that’s mean alright!' he wrote on his page.

'I think the added tattooing looks awesome! It pulls the traditional work in nicely. Go Riri i say. I know what its like traveling the world getting tattooed & its always a massive work in progress. Ive had 43 tattooist from around the planet work on me & im still along way off finishing it all. Choice one!'

Her artists Keith McCurdy and Cally Jo - who have tatted up Rihanna's pals Katy Perry and Justin Bieber - work out of Bang Bang Tattoo in New York City's Lower East Side.

'We designed something that plays over the knuckles and wrist, and just tried to incorporate it with what was done before,' Keith told Page Six.
'We blended what used to be there into a more decorative pattern. We tried to make it look like jewelry, a bit like a henna tattoo.'

 

Rihanna performs in skimpy leather outfit in Puerto Rico

Happy at last: Keith McCurdy said the Grammy winner 'loved' her new tattoos

An obsession?: The Barbados beauty has several other designs on her body, like a gun on her side

Does she want more? The Chris Brown ex has about 20 tattoos already

RIHANNA'S TOP TATTOOS

1. Egyptian queen Nefertiti
2. Hand gun
3. Skull
4. Dragon claw
5. 'Love'
6. 'Shhh...'
7. Pisces sign
8. Stars
9. Goddess Isis
10. XI IV LXXXVI

Keith added the 25-year-old was 'bruised' from the session on Sunday, but was 'fine.'
'We drew on her hand from 7 pm to midnight. We were drawing and changing things,' Keith told E!
'I'd take a break and Cally-Jo would draw, then I'd draw ... The inspiration was henna art, we wanted something really decorative, feminine and sexy. We thought that was the closest in style where we could shift and make it look decorative.
'She had something pre-existing on her hand. So it was a little bit of a cover up, but also making it look good, wanted to make sure it flowed. We needed to work with what she already had. [It was] difficult, because the stuff she already had was a pattern on skin. We were trying to fit the body with what she already had. Mend the two styles with a new style.'
Rihanna 'flipped out! Absolutely loved it, loved it!' the artist also told E!
He also commented on a before and after Instagram photo of the hand, 'So proud we made it pretty??'

Hardcore! She had a traditional Maori tattoo inked onto her arm with a chisel and mallet during her trip to New Zealand

Struggling: The intricate design featured lines and symbols going from the top of Rihanna's fingers down to the middle of her forearm