The client is from Hong Kong. During university, he made the decision to move to Taiwan to complete his studies — and he has now been working here for several years.

When we discussed the design, he brought a photo of his aunt’s hand. He wanted a hand in the tattoo because she has always supported his choices and stood by him throughout his journey.

Although we didn’t directly reference her hand for compositional reasons (sorry, Auntie), we chose to symbolize the story through a hand and a mortarboard.

While drawing, I noticed the composition subtly resembled a streetlamp — so I incorporated a soft glow into the design. A quiet light, representing guidance, support, and the path that led him here.