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Hello, I'm Grant, I've been a stalker of your forums for quite some time. However i now feel i am eligible to join the forums due to the fact i recently got my first tattoo. Props goes to Joe Ellis from Lab Monkey at Stirling, Scotland.

Already posted this in Latest Tattoo Lowdown but I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring. 100 Years of Solitude rib piece Artist: Matt Brotka Shop: Salvation Gallery

I found a lost dog roaming around while I was walking my dog this morning. It wasn't wearing a collar. I caught the dog and went around the neighborhood trying to find it's owners without any luck. I had to get to work so I brought it to my house for fear that it would get hit by a car if left outside. I then spent the entire morning while at work putting out ads for this dog. I got a couple calls throughout the day but this wasn't the dog these people were looking for. By the time I got home I called my vet to see if they could scan this dog for a microchip but they were closed for the night. By this time it was dark out but I took the dog for another walk around the neighborhood in hopes of finding its owner, still no luck. Just an hour ago I was sitting at my computer and thought I heard a very faint whistle and what sounded like someone calling a name. It is unusual for me to not have the TV or music on while at home but for some reason I didn't tonight and I was able to hear this. I opened my window to see if I could hear it again. I saw a woman across the street calling out a name. I yelled across to her and asked if she was looking for a dog. Sure enough she was, and the dog I found was hers. She was in tears and I was so happy to get her dog back to her. I was so stressed out about getting this dog back to his family. All I could think about was how devastated I would be if my dog was missing. While putting out ads for this dog I couldn't believe how many dogs and cats people are missing in just this city. It really bums me out but I'm glad I was able to get one of them back home.

Packing to fly to Tokyo on Sunday... I think that's pretty awesome (I'm not one of those people who hates packing). The only downside is that we were due to be leaving tomorrow morning and without any warning SAS cancelled their flight and re-routed us... I thought swedes were supposed to be super efficient and whatnot? Morons. So we're down a day on our vacation, but I guess the silver lining is that I sent them an e-mail laying some EU regulation smackdown on them. Because we didn't get notice in the appropriate timeframe, and because no exceptional circumstances apply, and because we're arriving more than 2 hours later than our originally scheduled time of arrival we should be entitled to compensation. Look at the regs it will be either 250 euro each, or as much as 400 euro each (depends on what whether the whole distance travelled in the intinerary is counted or just the leg they cancelled). Bought a few bits and bobs to bring the guys in Yellow Blaze today as small gifts. I know they'll probably never do a celtic style tattoo, but maybe what I bought will find a spot in their rather large library of reference material - a few books on celtic design, knotwork, bordering etc. Going to chuck in a bottle of whiskey too.

Lining the chest, stomach, and ribs in one sitting hurts like shit...I would post pictures but I think ill wait until its finished.

Awesome things I am doing lately..... Worked my first convention Went to my first seminar and I've made a point of being more honest and true to myself. Goal next year, travel more.

i got this on my forearm from Mike Wilson at the SOG convention. he was stoked on this being the first time doing a snake with a black belly. (fyi, this is an unhealed pic, one day after i got it)

Oh man, link please.

@metalmancpa glad it looks like it's going to work out for you. I was never really worried about whether either of these guys could pull it off, in general it's just hard to find people willing to work off other peoples tattoos, especially people that stay pretty busy as it is. My only prediction is your idea of stopping after this tattoo isn't going to happen.

This was great. Thanks for sharing! Oh and I was thinking more of a Red Fang song for the ending...

I'm doing the same when I go to see him in February! I'm getting a sleeve done though, so it shouldn't be too too bad, save for the ditch and elbow. Good luck!

I have sat for 6+ hours a couple times and will be doing 6 hours two days in a row when I start with Mr. Flatmo. I gotta say...at about 4 hours the pain makes every second agony, but, if the tattooer is fast and constantly works the skin, and doesnt take little 30 second pauses, then it goes way better. If the needle stays in the skin as much as possible I feel like my tolerance for pain blocks it out much better. Same goes for breaks. I prefer to take no breaks unless absolutely necessary. It just hurts tenfold when that needle hits skin again. I can't even imagine how my two day session with Kore is going to go. I know he is super fast but sitting 6+ hours and then doing it again the next day with a raw back and ass....whew. I am going to be fucking hurting.

I worked hard enough to get the damn appointment, I'm gonna make as many as possible!

I love drawing ladies faces - but rarely get to do them, maybe only a couple a year): Has anyone mentioned Isaac Fainkugen? Definitely one of my favorites!

Like @Graeme said, I rarely get this one anymore because we live in a neighborhood where it's more common to be tattooed than not. I also keep my tattoos covered up a lot of the time. Usually when people do ask, it's because they are friends or acquaintances who know I've recently gotten tattooed and want to see and are curious. I would say that most of my tattoos do have meaning to me, but not in the literal, very specific way that they're represented on TV. For example, when I recently got a dragon on my thigh, it was because I'd been feeling really drawn to dragon imagery for how it depicts both luck and strength, and I'd been feeling like I needed a bit of both on me. I think of my dragon tattoo as my little good luck charm. Also I just really loved the design and couldn't get it out of my head! It was the right thing at the right time. I think when serious tattoo folks talk about tattoos having meaning, it's often in that way--some really beautiful imagery that just speaks to you and feels right on your body, like just what you need. Even my less obviously meaning-laden tattoos are still meaningful because they serve as reminders of the time/place I was in when I got them, and who I was at that time. These meanings are often pretty ethereal or abstract. When we make fun of the LA Ink style meaning thing, it's often because people go so literal, rather than letting the power of tattoo imagery speak for itself. All that to say that when folks ask me about what my tattoos mean, I am happy to get into it if it's close friends, but it is pretty annoying if it's people I don't know very well. Because there's no good answer. If I say it doesn't mean anything, then that's alarming to the tattoo noob (I think they mix up meaning or lack thereof with how seriously you took the decision to get tattooed, as though if it isn't obviously meaningful, then you must not take tattoos very seriously. So misguided.). But if the tattoo is super meaningful to me, then why on earth would I want to share such super personal stuff with someone I don't know very well? Part of the tattoo TV problem is that it assumes that even if we are getting tattoos that are profoundly meaningful, that we're also all super confessional exhibitionists who like, want to announce all this shit to any stranger we meet. Nope.

New one from Thomas Hooper last week

Got this from Antonio Roque today @ Black Label Tattoo Co.

Some really great work this month! I thought I'd throw mine in as well. Tony Nilsson Blue Arms Tattoo Oslo Norway Tony did a great job! I couldn't be happier!!! Here's a link to Tony's work via.... Instagram

Here you guys go! ha just realized I screwed the last 30 seconds. will fix

got a few of these left from a recent convention. 16x16 or 18x18 don't remember. $30 and some shipping. my email and paypal: [email protected]!!

Either an eagle on my chest, LArge ship with waves etc on my right leg or a stag with roses on my upper right arm :)

@CultExciter Yep, he wanted to do some shading but I had to tap out.

Me and a friend(who is also starting a full back with Kore) are driving in 10 hours away and renting a car/booking hotel etc. I would really like to see what he has planned before I actually make travel arrangements. My buddy is a tattooer so it is harder for him to find the time off...he is really the one who wants to see his study. Thanks for the pro tips. I will have to make sure I eat throughout. I always make sure I have plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluid so hopefully all goes well on that second day.

I've always liked Tim Pausinger's tattoos (I believe he's working full time at the Pearl Harbour Gift Shop in Toronto these days). I'm not sure what it is about them, but I think his work has a real style of its own - always some cool touches or a different way of looking at a traditional subject. He's got a couple of cool ROAs in his instragram feed: Traditional, but he does his own thing with them. I like the way he illustrates the women too... Here's one:- I kind of like 'em because they look like they're leg pieces also... For those of us who can't fit a ROA on a back!

Looks like laser removal on that neck swallow... maybe he makes bad decisions?

The names of people who will be guest spotting there is impressive. The shop is right off of Portobello Road; I spotted it being built when I was there a couple weeks ago. Grant Cobb told me about it in October. If anything, there will be some good work coming out of there. I don't expect any less from those names.

Freaky! I like it. And welcome, @Grant.

5 hours on a ribcage for 1st tattoo? Not something I would usually say is a great idea, but hey go for it. My experience with tattooing people there for their first time is that they have an absolutely miserable 1st experience(esp for something as big as that). There are exceptions from time to time, but we are talking a ratio of 50:1 at best. Everyone says "well I can do it, it can't be THAT bad". And to a certain degree, that's right. You can do anything you put your mind to. It's just that they have no relative scale to judge it by, so they have no idea what to expect. Ray, on a 1 to 10 scale a upperarm or calf or even thigh its a 1, 2 or 3 vs a ribcage which is no less than a 9. My advice is a different place that is easier to endure (like side the places mentioned) for a design like that anyway(if it is a lady head if I read this correctly. just wanted to say that everyone here posting about your somewhat mild rib tattoos must be super tough guys. hats off to you for your spirit.

@Therinx, the Ironborn will matter. They already do. and @RoryQ, you can find the novellas online. They're rad little things. I busted them all out in like a 3 hour session and reeeeeeeeeeaaallly was hurting for more.

And worked for Keyser Soze ...

My neck tattoo is vampire bites, so I just reminded myself that it wouldn't take to long but I do want something bigger on the left side of my neck. - - - Updated - - - See !

I am a fairly social person but do not like talking about my tattoos with those that I feel are just being nosey. My standard answer... Them," Hey where did you get those tattoos?" Me, "prison" Although my work I think is exceptional and def not prison work(Ive never attended!) this response typically pushes people way from me while they make sure they still have their wallet and/or purse. If you want to be flat out mean and are in a bad mood....When they ask "Did it hurt"....just reply, "not as much as the sex I traded it for."

I obsess over lady heads and study the shit out of them, yet still suck at them. Anyway I thought I'd throw a few other names into the mix. Forgive me if any have been previously alluded to. Mando Rascon (one of my personal favorites) Kevin Leblanc Whitney Lennox Angelique Houtkamp Emily Rose Murray Aaron Coleman (not necessarily known for his lady heads, but trust me. His fucken' rule) Mikey Sarratt Ben Grillo - - - Updated - - - Also, Tyler James Densley Johannes Nota Milford Barnes

BOMBS

I have been trying to teach myself to paint over the last 6 - 12 months and these are probably my least crappy attempts so far. Still a long way to go but thought I would stick them here as I didn't realise there was a thread for this!

Thanks for the information. Russ Abbott emailed me back and said he would only do a new piece on me as he doesn't do covers or add-ons (he doesn't like doing them). Gunnar emailed me back tonight and said he'd be happy to add a cobra/snake to the eagle. I really only planned on having two tattoos, so I'm not ready for a new one from Russ (never gave any thought to where, plus I have no new tattoo ideas). I have some faith that Gunnar's addition may not look like my original Gunnar piece. I think a good artist can do work that isn't within their stereotype (Gunnar and I talked about that). A lot of artists, as good as they are, get pigeon-holed into a style, yet they probably could do other styles just as well. But since they're "known" for a particular style, people continue to come and fill up his time slots with a particualr style (or least in the majority).

Buying one of those waterbrushes that Valerie mentioned earlier in this thread was one of the best moves I've ever made! haha. Alexander Grimm also suggested getting them and his paintings are fucking excellent. Takes sooooo much stress out of painting tattooy type images. I just apply paint/ink with a normal brush as usual) and a pentell water brush to blend out. Just start to blend out with the water brush, quickly dab the end of it to get rid of paint that has now come on to it, then blend out some more with it. Real easy. Make sure to only use a smallish sized water brush so not too much water is coming out. Also, one other thing I noticed don't fill up the water brush fully with water when refilling it. Only fill it around 1/3 of the way maximum. I've found that if it's completely full then the pressure of the water causes too much of it to rush out when you're using it which makes the blends harder to do. Anyway, hope that helps someone :P I did this quick rose painting with the water bursh and this longer girl head in a rose one with a water brush too. Definitely saving me a lot of time :)

Looks like ill be getting one next year....and I kinda want to do it on a smith street trip and would really love Boltz to do mine.

Side of the calf, or upper arm.

I wish this style didn't have a name. As soon as a style is given a name, it seems to give others the impression they can do it too. The reason I don't do this stuff is because I like Hooper, Jondix and Albrigo as people and friends. They each seem to take direct influence from each other while still retaining some individuality and nuances of design and layout that make it possible to identify which one of them did it. The same goes for Binnie, Xed, Tomas Tomas, Mike from Athens and Curly. I love the work of each of those guys. I can't say the same for anyone else doing these styles. It seems to be a "Me too" attitude. They let the first few guys take all the risks and learn what works and find select clients who want to trust in something new. Then they make technically clean but hollow facsimile of something that was interesting. Maybe thats a bit strong coming from someone who doesn't have a style of his own, but I try to work in existing, classic tattoo styles and sometimes have a little fun with them. The reason I don't do this pattern/skull/mandala/pointilist stuff is the same reason I don't do Biomech, Pacheco painterly colour or straight-up cholo tattoos: They are styles that were developed by people with a specific set of interests and inspirations that managed to filter them into a style of design and execution. Also those pioneers are still alive and working. Maybe I've opened a nasty can of worms... How soon is 'too soon' so imitate an iconic style? Do we have to wait for the pioneers to die before crotchety fucks stop complaining? To be honest, I'm not interested in the answer. I just notice that every week the internet spits out a new guy who sticks a skull over or under a doily and it's held in the same regard as work by Mike, Jondix and Hooper. The same as we distinguish between Aaron Cain or Guy Aitchison Biomech, we shouldn't try to coin new phrases and just refer to Thomas Hooper, Jondix or Tomas Tomas Blackwork, dotwork or whatever. Use the name of the guys that made it what it is. We at least owe them that if we're gonna encourage other people to try it and get it tattooed from the rest of the pack. note: I'm certainly not anti-new styles and I'd like to say that I'm eagerly awaiting the second generation of artists influenced by these guys who take it somewhere new, now that there's a body of work by a group of artists. That could be exciting!

Hooper did this foot as part of a full squid leg: I was lucky enough to see it in person while it was being worked on and it was knock-you-on-your-ass good. I'd love to do something like that with my feet but I'm not in a place in my life right now where I can heal something like that.

My back piece experience so far. Hmmm, where to begin... Both empowering and humbling is my best description. Empowering, because despite after always admiring the full back pieces I'd see in tattoo magazines in the 80's and 90's, then, especially here on LST, I never in a million years thought I'd ever be able to do it. But, this year, at age 46 I started mine on June 30th. I had it built up in my head that it would be the most painful experience of my life, and was so worried that I'd have to quit halfway through, but then I saw the stencil on my back and I was like "It's so awesome. Cool, so what if it wraps around my ribs and goes collar to waist, I can do this." Well, I did do it. It wasn't easy, but I made it through the outline (Shit tons of lines, but he got it on me in 3hrs 40mins.) Yeah, it was painful as Hell. I knew going in what I was about to put myself through, and went in with my head in the game. All of the shading and coloring has been painful as hell as well, but I always see progress, and it keeps me stoked for the next time. I'm about halfway done now at the 17.5 hour mark, taking it in 3 hour or so chunks, plus random tattoo of opportunity times. Humbling, because all the other tattooers and clientele at the tattoo shop doing my back, and other people that have seen my back piece are now like so reverential of it (think "Whoa, Dude, how the Hell did you do that?") I feel like all I did was just lay there and take it because I REALLY, REALLY wanted a ROA back piece. Once it's finished I'll get get to wear this motherfucker till they put me in the ground and I'm worm dirt.

Rob Noseworthy painting: For total nerd reasons, I love the Star Wars/samurai crossover stuff because of the Kurosawa influence on Star Wars.

Started this Piece but havent gotten a chance to finish because the client ran out of $$ for now. A damn shame! Im loving the motorhead vader

this is from gil taimana. fucking badass

Couple of sheets from the shop painted by Derek Ward. People have actually gotten quite a few off these sheets. I think he sells prints of these but it's a five sheet set combined with two halloween and one christmas sheet.

Guess I'm lucky...I run my own office/shop, and do nost of my bidness over the phone and internet. Short-sleeved dress shirts with the first three buttons Guido'ed to show-off the eagle n roses on my chest. My oldest mans the front desk with usually a sleeveless tee to show-off the Nick Colella dragon on his upper arm, and number three son has a .30-06 round on the back of each bicep that are REAL obvious with a tee-shirt.

From handbag to douchebag

did these machine drawings this fall for a couple art shows/machine trades, lotta fun.... seth ciferri microjones done up rogers style: john moniz single coil liner: