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About 36 hours into this. Just finished up the background and going to start working on Fudo next session.

You can't have too many skulls!

About 24 hours into this. Fully outlined to the bottom of my butt and the background is almost done. Moving into the flames soon! Enjoying the process.

Got it this past wknd in one session, about 5hours. Glad I went with it!

thigh goat with color and a fresh seraph on my shin! both done by dmug at blood moon tattoo in ambler, PA 🙂

Progress on this, 3 sessions (approx 9hrs) down, colour being added next time

I started working on my ass yesterday! Tattoo I mean. I’m working on a body suit and that pasty white ass was really bugging me so I decided to get that tattooed too. I told my artist he could do whatever he wanted, which has always worked out well. My wife said, “ You told him he could do whatever he wanted with your ass?” It’s not as creepy as it sounds.🤔 it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would. A little tender around the crack, but not unbearable. He did the outline yesterday, we’re going to color in two sessions, depending on how well I sit.

very nice, I like it a lot, I need more skulls.

Fancied a skull on my foot 🤷‍♂️left head space to make connect into a leg sleeve most likely

It’s all good now. All scabs gone and not lost any ink.

Touched-up knee and a few new little space fillers.

Thanks a lot, will be posting a pic when it's healed 🙂

My elbows were both super painful. But I think my knee was the worst.

3 hours is a real sweet spot for me too. No need to go much longer. Props to those who can continually do the marathon sessions. I like to look forward to my session each month, not dread it 😂.

My back piece took about 18 months. About one session a month. Sometimes two, sometimes skip. 3 hours per session. It was worth it.

Slowly but surely! Realizing now the mindfuck that is a full backpiece. About 15 hours in and not even close to halfway there. Enjoying the process!

Thanks so much folks. I really appreciate the reassurance. I will have a look around the forum and get inspiration for my next tattoo thanks again

Finished up my TMNT piece today. The picture is a little bit before we finished, I forgot to grab a finished shot. Waiting on my artist to send me the video he took.

I prefer colored tattoos. I don't think they're as durable though

Back at the shop again today! Two tattoos from Binger; a flaming skull from his flash and a reverse mermaid that he drew for me. I was meant to get this last year but the universe was against me. These are both on my right leg- lower calf and outside ankle. So bloody happy with them both! He also touched up the axe and swallow for me . March is my birthday month, so it would be rude not to pay him another visit then😁.

So Kyle had a cancellation at 2pm.... ended up going in for an impromptu elbow ditch pearl in a clam shell! from stencil to walking out, 1hr total! I expected it to be horrible but it was actually fine. I just can't bend real well well at the moment 🤣

My elbows weren't the worst, but it still hurt. Hahaha. Prepare yourself. 😂

True. Different people react differently. I hear how bad the back is, but I almost fell asleep several times when I had my back done.

at least for me, my elbows were not too bad.Don't over think it, you might be surprised how it's not that bad.

That looks really overworked to me. Just give it a couple of months. If will probably heal fine. I don’t think I’d go back though,

the only person to ask for that info will be the tattooer you choose to do the work, it depends on how big, where it's going, etc etc, you also need to research tattooers that do that style, making sure that tattooer is good, once you find the right tattooer, setup a consultation to talk in person about your idea, it's a process,

no way to tell, find a good cover up artist and get it covered up.

I don't know how well that will hold up, especially if you don't find an artist that has serious skills. I would try to make that less ... busy? There's just too much happening. Way too much.

Good idea. If there is an issue, you can always get it touched up. Have a drink, or your favorite unprescribed pharmaceutical and relax.

And a little means a little. Too many people drown their tattoos.

Looks fine. Just keep it clean.

so, keep it clean, put a little Aveeno on it a couple times a day, and look at it again when it's healed in 6 weeks. It looks fine, don't scratch it or pick scabs.

Dan is 100% right. You are exponential more liable to F*** it up than fix it.

yes it is,let it heal for a couple months, the scabbing and milky look will go away. don't pick at it, put on a light coat of Aveeno a couple times a day. it will be fine.

What the F*** are you talking about you F***ing idiot??? No one wants to go to your shitty writing website.

White ink didn’t hurt me more than any other, but my skin is really pale and it looked like I hadn’t been tattooed at all. It was the kimono of my Japanese warrior and my artist wound up redoing it in pale green. No more white ink for me.

so why would that offend anybody ?

Hey everyone, long time lurker here. Reading through this thread has always been really informative (and fear inducing) but now I'm midway through my own backpiece and figured I'd drop in a progress report. I'm getting it done by Jacob Redmond at Fourth Street Tattoo. We're roughly 20 hours in so far. The pain is no joke, but it was definitely front heavy with the linework. Shading overall has been bearable. Next sessions should be a fun one, we'll be filling in that buttcrack and starting on the scales. 😬 The pressure is on to choose a color and I'm still waffling a lot. I love the classic look of black scales red belly, but something about this design says blue dragon to me. What do you all think?

Oh I'm fully expecting to hate myself for it 🤣 But it will be worth it... right 🥲🥴 Thanks for sharing the pics! Also, loving the stack of skulls on the left arm! Glad to hear you didn't find it too horrible, I'll hold out in hope! While it would be nice to have the same experience as Dan, I'm fully expecting it to suck

I have both my elbows and knees done, honestly they were not that bad, my knee ditches were bad, I don't have any good pics of my elbows

Hi. Female here. Don't get a cliche tattoo in Vegas if you are worried about the pain. Also, calling people names? Grow the F*** up. Byeeeeeee.

Being an ass hole to the people who have been on this forum a long time is not a smart way to get advice. Frankly @Dan is right; if you’re worried about the pain, don’t get one. There’s no way to quantify the pain. I have other helpful hints for first timers.

for those playing at home- I have decided on a sad eye cloud (cloud, eye in middle, raindrops) for the right elbow. Still trapesing through images for further inspiration for left arm through.

I was going to pop this in latest tattoo thread, but the rest of my collection is here, so I'll just keep it together. Initially, today's appointent was going to be 3 pieces, but have to hold off - so just grabbed the dragon head. Back of the bingo wing. Next week Andrew will touch up the reds he's done previously (axe, butterfly, strawberry, little bit on swallow) as he isn't happy with how the reds looking. Happy with my dragons head 🐲❤

it's skin. Not paper. Of course it moves. Just get more tattoos.

@Mattwall92 Not trying to be harsh, but I think you have unrealistic expectations. Your skin twists and stretches as you move. Of course the image will be affected. Enjoy your tattoo. Get more.

It has been forever since I have been on this forum! Been super busy with life and remembered this awesome group! I have just uploaded the last few tattoos I have had- during covid in 2021... I got a thigh piece done- hip to knee. skulls, roses, crow (posted pic in bird gallery) which ended up taking 3 sessions: one for outline which was a 5hr appointment, first lot of colour which was super close to being finished but after 6 hrs my thigh was crazy swollen to the point it was not workable, then final was to finish thorns and the red circle behind the crow; a kraken taking down a ship (posted in nautical gallery)- easy session with Kyle , and a panther dagger combo (animal gallery) also with Kyle. That was right around when our shops were yo-yoing here between being open and shut down. Start of this year (feb- pic in object gallery) I got a little axe on outer right forearm by the new apprentice- Binger, near the wrist; March a little diamond and strawberry on my birthday (both in object gallery) also Binger, April a swallow on right inner forearm and butterfly on left inner forearm (bird and butterfly galleries respectively) also Binger , then last weekend I got a lucky rabbit's foot (object gallery) on my right inner forearm which sits under my swallow (toward the wrist) and a circus elephant on right inner bicep by Kyle(animal gallery) . I have two appointments booked for July- as I work in a school, I have booked a day with the apprentice during the school holidays (he did my axe, diamond, strawberry, butterfly and swallow) for 4 more- getting a dragon on the right arm, a trio of roses under the right knee, sad cloud front of ankle on the shin (right) and skull and cross bones on same placement, opposite leg. (hope that makes sense) End of July I am booked with Dan (did my thigh) who will do a snake/carnation combo on right outer forearm. Dan books 3 months in advance and his appointments fill up fast. Kyle is only booking a month at a time, while Binger takes everyone as he can. I will add pics once these appointments arrive 🙂 now to go back through and see what everyone has been getting while I have been absent from here! I was a huge Michelangelo fan as a kid! Mum reluctantly gave in to me getting a "boy's toy" when I was 7- a Michelangelo figure with nun-chucks and a working parachute! That toy shit all over Barbie I tell you 😄 Wow , so close to completion! I bet that's a bizarre feeling! Looking forward to the photos!

Their first and only post. I’m just surprised that there wasn’t a link to some shitty website. I guess that will come in post number two.

I didn't look at all of the tattooers and all of their tattoos, but overall I wasn't that impressed. Lots of one dimensional, flat work. Also, I wouldn't get hung up on how long someone has been tattooing. The guy that did my wife's tattoo had only been tattooing for 3 years and he absolutely killed it. 10 years later, it still looks fresh. I'd seriously suggest watching Ink Masters. Skip to the end of each show where they do the critiques and you'll miss all the silly made up drama. The judges critique each tattoo and tell what's good and bad about it. There are plenty of shitty tattooers on that show and a lot of them have been tattooing for a long time. It's just a place to start. I'd go to tattoo conventions where you'll see everything from absolute crap to outstanding work. Look at Tattoo magazines. Educate yourself before you get more tattoos.

Oops You have been awarded dunce of the year for most obvious spammy spam spamming yet. You should at least TRY to hide the fact that you’re a spamming maggot!