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Have posted these in the latest lowdown but this is a better spot for them. William Yoneyama Dragon on me, Kano Hogai referenced.

Got tattooed by Scott today but got a lousy picture. I'll wait til it's healed and get the lady to take a photo. Good, good times.

Aspirations are great, Brock, and no one should ever lose them. At the same time, we need to deal with the reality of life as it is. The problem with things like facial tattoos is that you don't know where you're going to end-up in life. You may be perfectly happy in a low-stress envirinment now, but someday daown the road you might decide to go for some more money, and that might lead to more responsibility, and that might lead to that suit and tie. It can happen. And it's rough not being able to buy things for your kids because you're topped-out in your salary-range for your field. And I should mention that I do have a tattoo on the back of my hand, it is visible, and sure, I've lost-out on a few things because of being tattooed over the years...but it was my choice to do it, so it's all on me.

Enjoy this time of your life. When I was young I wanted to be a rock star. I played up and down the east coast and it was one of the best times of my life. I have memories I wouldn't trade for a million dollars. I love my life now too, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

Yep, Heinlein said it best:-

it was a good one! OM is pretty much a religious experience and Higgs basically played one banjo riff and did cool spoken word

Sunday I road tripped to an OM/Dan Higgs concert- amazing music, good friends, and got to meet the man himself

Stevie Edge!

And I want to live in this great utopia, with world peace, where the lion lay with the lamb, and we all get magical blowjobs from the heavens, but it doesn't mean it's going to happen any time soon. Actually, everyone has the right to tell you that, but you also have the right to tell them to stuff it. You makes your choices, and you lives with the consequences.

Today was my first day back to work after a 12 day vacation, during which I had my hand tattooed. I wore a Lycra material wrist support thing I found at the drug store. Flesh toned, pretty soft, and no finger holes; completely open at the knuckles. It hid the top of my hand perfectly and after a bit I didn't even feel it. No one noticed. Not one question or comment. Since I always wear long sleeves at work it helps cause the sleeves hang low onto my hands. To be certain though, prior to leaving for my vacation I printed our current personal appearance policy and date stamped it. At the very moment I had my hand tattooed I was within policy (cover it). I know for certain no one has a hand tattoo. So, if they eventually find out, freak, and re-write the policy to ban hand tattoos entirely, I will be grandfathered in and OK. Gotta love being in a union.

I guess we have the same taste because I just finished a HALF sleeve by Kim Saigh of Memoir Tattoo in L.A. Black koi with gold fins, two chrysanthemums, falling maple leaves, finger waves, water bars, and a large rock -- so I say you can fit all of it, maybe minus the tree branch. Will post pics soon (when it's fully healed). Don't know that it's strictly traditional Japanese -- not tebori or anything -- as it's filtered through Kim's style, which I like and is the reason I chose her. Japanese and American/Euro style are so intertwined anyway -- going all the way back to Sailor Jerry if not before -- it's hard to say what's traditional and what's not. (Not that I'm an expert.) Shige's stuff, for example, is really amazing and different than a lot of the older tattoos I've seen. Sounds like you're in good hands, though. Mo's portfolio looks killer.

Ah well... So. I thnk I'm the oldest one posting here, and I've been an employer for 17 years now, and before that, a foreman and manager for another 10. I hired an old partner of mine to work a trade show last year. Did I say a "trade show"? Let me rephrase. I hired him to man a booth at the largest industrial exhibition in the world, for 8 days. The job was to be in the booth, hand out flyers and like that, talk to people, get names and phone numbers, all that good stuff. My partner has work pretty much all over his body, with the exception of his face. He has a second face tattooed on the back of his head, his neck is covered, his hands are both covered down to the nail, and 99% of the work is jailhouse. Well-done jailhouse, but jailhouse nonetheless. DIdn't hear a bit of negatory feedback. The industry I'm in has always been a tad more open to new things than most...pretty much, if you've got the stones to rock it in a machine shop, hey-go for it. There are exceptions, of course, and I can tell stories about customers banning me from shops, or kicking my co-workers out of field-sites because they didn't like the tattoos/beards/hair/clothes/whatever, but that's really in the minority. Even when calling on GM, Boeing, Cincinnati-Milacron, places like that, as long as you wore the uniform-suit and tie-you were good to go. Didn't matter if you had work that was visible from under the cuffs, as mine is, as long as you had that tie. Now, hell, I don't even think about it when I go out somewhere, and that's usually in a short-sleeve, open-necked shirt. But would I mind if someone else was like that? I gotta admit, if I went into my lawyers office, and found out I was laying out four bills an hour for a slacker in ratty jeans and a tattooed face, I would probably not go back. I know a good number of people who have work, a lot of it pretty radical, on their faces, heads, necks, and hands. I personally don't find the oak leaves and feathers around the eyes and down the cheeks to be a very professional touch, more like the equivalent of ratty jeans. Just my opinion. At that, I would say yeah, great to try to see everyone treated equally, but you have to be realistic to a degree as well. If you plan on EVER doing anything that is a traditional "white-shoe" type of thing, I'd pass on the face and hands. But that's just me.

My new flash set is up for sale.Sorry for the dull Picture but I promise these sheets are BRIGHT. $65 delivered in the U.S. $60 in person Paypal [email protected]

I agree with you completely. I'm only 25 and won't even consider getting hands/neck/face done until a long time down the road (if ever). I don't see the point, I have other spaces still to go. Also as much as I would like to be one of the people who goes against the norm, I'm more concerned about losing everything I've worked for and will have to work for in the future (maybe that makes me a pussy but I'm ok with that). For me tattoos are a big part of my life, but I don't think they should ever affect the rest of my life in an adverse way. It's why no one at my work knows I have tattoos despite having my upper arms, torso, back, lower legs, one knee and both feet done. My work life is not my personal life, it's something that gives me the ability to have a personal life.

thats what happens when theres a convention, a buddy in from cali, and a tattooer staying in my house haha I have an appt next week to blast over my chest :facepalm:

Can we commiserate about a spouse/partner's healing process instead...? Well @DJDeepFried has been healing for a week now and we have different healing methods. I use a minimal amount of unscented moisturizer as needed. HE uses Aquafor slathered all over and it makes our sheets and comforter all greasy! Hee hee. Love ya honey. <3

@Brock Varty Once you see them you'll think " Oh yeah " but they can be hard to spot -

One day when you have a sleeve or two and 30 other tattoos you'll be able to say 'this was my first'

I think you should keep it, I mean you made your username based on it. Just get more tattoos and you won't even worry about it any more.

For those of you who care and don't already know, I post shop pics under the handle acmetattooco I have a personal one misterdflores, but don't use it and there is only one picture of me singing Karaoke, under a disco ball thing. Tattoos and tattoo people just seem to be the only thing that interests me on instagram. I have already started following people on here as I find them.

Oohhhh, BABY!

CHICKEN!!! Just shuckin...you don't have to worry about "Famous" artists, I think everyone here has a piece or two that isn't 'zactly the height of perfection!

Hello, and welcome! If you care to share, we'd love to see any of your tattoos and find out who did then. I'm pretty partial to RedLetter1 down your way.

Tomas' ride flaked out unfortunately but at least we got to hang a couple times whole he was here... Bivetto and George Archer made it though and we hung with Jeff Cribb which was cool

@catchchaser Just as long as you realize that no truly good tattooer will work for you and that you will only attract the flakier of tattooers because no reputable tattooer will work for you for any length of time. Any decent tattooer that does come your way will jump ship for a real shop as soon as one owned by a tattooer offers him a job. Its the difference between working for a fast food place and a gourmet restaurant, other than a quick paycheck you can't offer them real job advancement because you aren't really part of the business and have no connections. I am just being honest with you because the few quality shops that are owned by non-tattooers are owned by people who had years in the business before they ever opened a shop, both in working in shops and getting tattooed by top quality people. I won't even say good luck because I don't really wish it upon you but feel you should know what road lays ahead of you.

Look for the shapes with three little dots on them. The Horitoshi family tends to put three teardrop-shaped dots on their rocks, although, from what I know (and again, I'm not an artist), there are no hard and fast rules to that. Generally, you'll see a heavier, calligraphied outline on traditional Japanese rocks, but of course, each artist may have his or her own interpretation of them.

It's nice when you are in a position to pick and choose. In this economy most of us are more concerned with keeping our jobs than in choosing clients that agree with our views on tattoos.

ive gotten 4 this week and i am at many maddening stages of healing at once

Yea lawyers are a must. There is a ton of small stuff most people miss. I recently got involved in creating a startup with another guy I work with. Stuff came up like "what happens if one of you is incarcerated/dies?". Technically if you didn't spell out these situations if say your partner is jailed/dies their spouse can become your "new partner" and can tank the company. Shit I didn't even think about! Plus there is a literal fuck-ton of paperwork in starting a business and as @Dan S said write everything out in plain-ol-english. Otherwise it becomes a game of he-said-she-said. Shit came up in my family where my Uncle could no longer go to work due to "stupid decisions" but he was still a owner of the company and still received a paycheck, damn did that suck. Also rembember lawyers and paperwork ain't cheap. Add that to the startup cost. Good lawyers (at least here in NYC area cost hundreds an hour). If I remember correctly my small company was about 10k-ish with a family discount to get going legally. Oh yea also don't forget insurance! Not just health insurance but building insurance, life, disability, renters, umbrella, etc). What happens if your business is sued? Been there done that, and without a big-ol-insurance policy you can get screwed. People these days are trigger-happy on suing, especially with this crap economy.

awesome.

Bottom line is healing tattoos sucks, and their is no magic lotion that is going to make it any better. Winter is generally worse for drying out tattoos, but at this point in the healing stage their is very little you can do that is going to affect the tattoo, a little bit of lotion might help relieve some itching and discomfort , but ultimately until it heals it's going to suck, but as long as you don't pick scabs the tattoo should be fine, and even if it needs a touch up their is nothing any lotion regiment or magic tattoo goo cream is going to do that will make the tattoo any better.

Also, don't over moisturize. Sometimes I baby my new tattoos too much and they start to bubble a little. Which means you just have to leave the guy alone and let it stay dry.

Heavy hitters , Ritchie even busts out a " forget about it "

Please tell me he's getting 'live laugh love'

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

Valerie Vargas was kind enough to do 2 tattoos for me and pretty up my thighs at SFO

Scott sylvia blackheart tattoo SF done in 2 sittings 4 hrs for outline of eagle and shading 7 hrs for roses and color its also going over old lasered stuff!

I guess I'll pop this threads cherry :D Done by Jeff Gogue, Off the Map Tattoo in Grants Pass, OR. Done at SFO Convention... Done by Jondix of Barcelona, Spain at SFO COnvention...

I could post Horitomo's work all day, I need to get tattooed by this master!! Another stunning dragon and back piece.

I do machine shop work on the side.... I had been working on these really close-tolerance parts for a another shop over a year ago. It turns out that some of them are on the Mars craft that is actually now on Mars. How can you beat that? I found out about it last week. CG

Ok so I was slacking and forgot to update you all, Thanks Dan for reminding me. Test was a 3 1/2 hour test, and after gaining two large blisters, two black eyes, bruised jaw and a awesome fat and bloody lip, I received my Shodan :D Basic's Kata Also Kata One attack Sparring - 1st fight, 1 vs 1 for 2 mins. Sparring - 2nd fight, 2 vs 1 for 1 min You can see it starting to swell up during the question and answer portion, by the time we got to the bar, I had to use a straw to drink Myself and the 3 others who tested :)

here's an update guys! i went sky diving this morning and it was the most amazing experience of my life! my friend said just as addictive as getting tattooed i wanna go back for more!! and i wasn't as nervous as i thought i was going to be. you dont have time to be nervous really! actually the scariest part is signing the liability wavier before you get suited up.

I just laughed.

Since becoming single unexpectedly, I've had a major fire under my butt to get in shape- physically and mentally. Since May 9th I've lost 45lbs. I ride my bike 20 miles a day for fun. I've radically altered my eating habits. I go to the gym every day. Instead of staying on my couch eating a bag of m&ms, I'm ziplining in the Pocono Mountains. Things like that. Instead of bitching that my life changed without my consent, I'm going to therapy to work on my noodle; make myself an even better person.

i feel like this thread should be renamed "List of people Bunny gets tattooed by because she's way cooler than I am" Seriously though, awesome.

it's a little comforting to know someone still thinks tattoos could be dangerous to society. i think though, denying a business is a separate issue from free speech. i think that the ordinances like no alcohol sales or tattoo services within so many feet of a church is a violation of the separation of church and state. where is the ordinance that states if i don't like religion, i cant have a church within a 1000 feet of my house? isn't arizona plagued with outrageous forclosures? they should have bought a house super cheap, gutted it and set up a nice shop in it.. i imagine the local tax agency, the irs, and health dept might get upset if they didn't get their cut of the money but at least they would still be exercising their freedom of speech. if people got upset, say it's not a business all money received are strictly donations, "we're just exercising our artistic expression" then make an issue of it when they persue a court case against the "illegal business". the irony in their denying a business in the first place then wanting to get money from the same business would generate some publicity at that point.

within a 30 minute radius..spokane and the little surrounding cities..about 650,000 people..we have over 40 shops listed in the phonebook..thats not including the ones not listed...i can thik of 10 more off the top of my head..ridiculous..and here i go opening my own shop..hahaha