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people who are into tattoos get tattoos whether they are tattooers are not. if you're not tattooed then you'll never convince me that you are really into them. my experience has been that non tattooed tattooers dont love tattooing, they love money and they think tattooing is an "easy" way to get some they are "artists" who cant make it as an artist in the art world so they become tattooers because it the only way they can figure out to make a living illustrating. sidenote: Ursula, while the majority of the time you'd probably be correct it is not always true about tattooers being covered in the stuff we like to do. especially with people like myself who've tattooing for a long time. the 90's was an exciting time for tattooing and i am covered head to toe in tattoos that do not reflect who i am artistically at all anymore.because tattoos are permanent they do not change as our taste does so I have a biomech sleeve even though i havent done any biomech tattoos or had any interest in biomech at all since the late 90's.

i did this fun one just the other day

1) while those tattoos do not reflect who i am any more i do not regret any of them. they reflect who i was and where i came from artistically and i remember everything i learned from every one of them. i learned more about tattooing from getting tattooed by good tattooers than from anything else. i do wish i had room for more tattoos however. but not because i regret what i have but because i love tattoos and as i said previously "people who are into tattoos get tattoos" and that desire doesnt go away when you run out of room. 2)this isnt a discussion about saving a spot or two for future tattoos its about not having any tattoos.

Not a Dandy Warhol fan but funny enough did see them in concert in Portland in 1995. I only spent one year of high school in Portland and one in Seattle. But the music scene definitely drew me toward Portland. I have to say that I know a lot of people who fancy themselves photographers and none of them are making very much money because every asshole with an $80 digital camera is now a photographer and Every asshole with a computer is a graphic designer. I don't know your friends work, but what I do know is there are a lot of people willing to work for next to nothing and often time volunteer their work for free and people looking for this work know that and just will go with the free work, despite the quality. Gee what other craft is like that? Tattoing is different than other fields in the sense that most feel you have to earn the right to tattoo by paying your dues, regardless of natural talent in art. Skipping this step, depraves you of a lot of insight to running a tattoo shop that aren't related to art. Getting tattooed was a way to learn about the industry and be present to some important conversations. Don't believe me go watch the Dringenberg Interview on the home page.

Can we all just stop kicking this dead horse. Points have been made, and points have been argued. Does that make them right, no. But if you want to get tattooed by someone with little to no tattoos go ahead. The rest of us will be with the guys in suits.

This is a tattoo site we're all about firm views .

There's no way he 'loves' tattoos and doesn't have any. Period. Nothing you can say will change my mind on that. All you did was prove Bart's comment that most of the people tattooing who aren't heavily tattooed are in it for the money because they couldn't make it in other art related jobs. There's no way he would make more money as a photographer. Every asshole with a camera fancies themselves a photographer now a days, it's a very very hard field to make money in, unless you are truly talented.

I know you're clawing desperately for a way to be 'right' in this argument but this way of thinking would only apply to someone who is expressing themselves, for the benefit of their clients via their tattoos. Thats not the way it works. We get tattooed because we LOVE tattoos. If a tattooer does save space for the different 'periods', by the time they are a decent tattooer they should have passed through so many 'periods' that they have a shit-load of tattoos anyway. I still have space on one of my forearms. My bodysuit was finished before I did anything there. But like Bart said, that saving space, which isn't what this argument is about. I'm guessing you, a friend or your tattooer doesn't have many tattoos and you're trying to find a way to be told "It's ok, you're different." It's ok, they will get lots of tattoos eventually. But to put another spin on the argument: how many good tattooers (I mean tattooers, people who do tattoos that look like tattoos, not colour portrait guys) don't have many tattoos. There are a few, but not many. Also, this isn't a theoretical argument, where logic wins. "If this is true, then this must equal false" It's a real-life discussion about real things and when it comes to tattoos and tattooing: The tattooer is ALWAYS right. ;)

well actually it is "little to no tattoos" so forget number 2 . but still... saving a spot or two for the future is fine but not getting tattooed not at all or almost not at all because you might not like it later...well... that is part of the attraction of tattoos. the permanence. not getting tattooed because you might not like it later is like choosing to not date someone who's totally awesome and perfect for you because you might grow apart and meet someone better in 15 years. there's no way to know.

Yes, I ride and just got home on a 47% night ride through "Deer Alley". I don't think I would be here if it weren't for Harley Davidson, my Dad rode by my Mom one day when she was sitting on the lawn of her parents home, eventually a girlfriend of hers told her that "Bob Hawk wants to take you on a date", my Mom replied "As long as he picks me up on the robin egg blue Harley Davidson of his then he has a date" and the rest has been history. I eventually restored the same year and model with the factory paint color, it was HD color code "Peacock Blue"(Mom always called it robin egg blue) for 1949. My every day rider is a 1948 panhead HD and my land barge is a stock 1967 Electraglide HD and my go fast machine is a 93 inch S&S in a 1974 frame with all the cool chit but goin into Winter I'm ridin a stock 1978 bagger with full fairing and snap on leg covers to deflect the cold and I will probably be ridin it come the early Spring, may have to head to South Dakota on that next week due to a death in the Family. Those are what I have plated to ride but I will always have a Triumph in the garage til I die, it's a 1962 pre unit 650. Can't count all the bikes I've had in my lifetime now and the whole Family rides, in fact we would come home from school to go ridin when we were young and Dad would take one of our bikes to work, guess he felt entitled, ha! I sold off allot of bikes back when I bought the home I live in now, back then Bankers weren't very keen on Tattooers cause it wasn't "popular" like it is now and the banker told me that they could ask for as little as 10% down and the usual was 15% down but from ME they wanted 20%, I knew this was a way for them to get rid of the long haired tattooed biker trash but I said OK. I went home and called a friend of mine whom I worked the motorcycle swap meet circuit with, I tattooed and he sold parts, told him what was going on and to come over and make an offer. Sold him all of my 6 and 12 volt parts, a 1948 Indian Chief, a WW-II 1942 WLA HD, '81 FXR, '80 FLH HD, '74 shovelhead Chopper HD, and a stroker shovelhead custom and that 1049 pan and didn't look back, went to the bank and laid down the 20%. Another kid was comin and we needed more room for what was going to be my last rug rat, 4 boys and this 5th to be a Daughter and here is a picture of the smartest one of the lot, well armed when she was just little, you guys don't get any pic's of the lady she's grown to be...The second is a pic of my other precious the 1948 Pan and she's had some mods since this pic. Thanks for kick startin this thread, enjoying the read. RIDE HARD DIE FREE

@LilMountain if your question hasn't already been answered in another thread, just ask it here. If it turns into an interesting/useful thread, I'm sure one of the mods would move or re-name it for you. Good luck...

how can a client take them seriously when theyre telling them how to take care of something they dont know how to themselves. i dont even understand how you can be, not only artistic, but also into tattooing and not get them yourself. i think about tattooing about 45 out of 60 minutes every hour and i dont even tattoo haha... shit, maybe im an obsessive freak though.

So we've got a lady head thread, how about an entire lady body thread! Here's one that I've always liked! It's by Mike Wilson. And if you knew the guy in the photo, please know I mean no disrespect by posting this, he was a friend of mine to, and he had and did some awesome tattoos. I really like the simplicity of the design. The shading is so minimal yet so effective.

it's really hard to make money as a photographer even if you are talented(one of the largest international photography prizes (the HCB award)is only $70,000, which sounds like a lot, but it's a grant and meant to be used to pay for equipment, travel, assistants, etc. and that all adds up quickly). but that's not why most photographers take pictures. they do it because they love it.

NICE JOB! That is one hell of a ring!

I bet your bro does sick ink and sweet tatties all day long, and he may say he likes tattoos but actions speak louder than words, and getting tattooed shows your dedication to the craft. I don't know I think this topic has been exhausted and we have heard from some of the best tattooers in the world and they seem to have a similar opinion. I am not saying someone can't put on a good tattoo without tattoos, but clearly he doesn't love tattoos as much as you or he would have some.

Buah ah ah, I thought she was pregnant!!! Congrats on the engagement Ursula!!!

The only hardtail I would buy at the moment would be an older Triumph. I'm not a fan of big bikes (too heavy! Plus not 'flickable') and harleys are overpriced in my opinion. But to each his own. Bike below is what I want if I had the money for a kidney-busting bike.

Here's a big ol Dragon Ed painted. It was one of like... four, five pieces at the Tattoo the World event.

I don't take personal offense when people use slang terms I just kind of use it as a barometer for how in the loop a person is. Two people joking around in the shop might say "ready to do some tatzaps" and the other might respond "slinging ink all day long" and i know they are joking having a good time. However if some guy comes in and wants to show me his sweet tatz that his bro who has his own tat gun and ask how much it would cost him to get sleeved cause he bro would do it for $100, then that is annoying.

pearls to swine. If they dont get it,they just dont get it.

@Stewart Robson every time I come here I'm surprised to see you're still posting. Surprised and glad, you're deff one of the best. Now if we could only figure out how to get more like you and less of these we'd be set!

Another Rodney Raines tiger...on me.

Congrats Ursula! My best wishes to you and yours!

NYC Invisible. Second NYC Adorned.

Free repairs! My dude was good enough to purchase the lifetime warranty :) No date yet, that will come later and depend on what happens with immigration.

Thanks Alana and thanks everyone else! Yes it is true, James proposed last week while visiting me in Toronto. We celebrated by filling a large box at Nadege french bakers with all kinds of crazy tarts and pastries and then shared then with our friends at the tattoo shop. Later that night we went to Guu Saka Bar which friends who've been there (Japan i mean) claim it's the closest thing to being in Japan without being in Japan. lol @Texkota pregnancy is def not something we're planning for now or anytime, no matter how badly his mom missed 'small feet running around the house' hahaha Also, we should congratulate @shawn porter who got engaged within the last month as well!

AHHH just finished the first season last night! THANKS A LOT D. Show's pretty epic. I like to think that Samson is actually the little dude that lives inside me.. And funny, just finished first season of Twin Peaks, too.

that's what your legs are for ;) no but seriously, i can't remember who it was now, but someone was shown in one of the tattoo age videos (i think, maybe it was another video??), an artist who i like and respect, who had a lot of space left on his legs, and i thought "aha! that's smart! and sneaky!" but understandable. hell, i want to get tattooed still when i'm in my 50's! and im curious to see what i will be getting tattooed when i'm that age.

speaking of banjo gods, check out danny barnes. absolutely one of my favorites. all his solo stuff and of course bad livers entire catalog.

Last post before I'm turning in for the night... I might be a little bias as I have several tattoos from Marius, but I think he deserves a spot in this thread too. Here's a link to his blog: Marius Meyer - CUSTOM TATTOOING A couple of my favorites (not on me though)

Not at all man, I just forget to do it! I just got 'Tattoo Zeke- His life and time' the other day, so expect more good stuff soon!

Frank Carter! Sure, he's gotten tons of recognition as the former lead singer of Gallows, but everyone might not be familiar with his tattooing. Works alongside @Valerie Vargas and @Stewart Robson at Frith Street from time to time. Check out his website: Journal - frankxcarter.com

@ShawnPorter Hope you don't mind that I share your latest VHS converts in this thread. Thanks for uploading these Shawn. I regularly check in on your blog, and so should everyone else: Occult Vibrations Henry Goldfield Lyle Tuttle Elizabeth Weinzirl

If you love tattoos you'll probably be covered in them, or atleast have the desire to be. I'm not even going to comment on what you said about "artist with no tats is the stronger person" "Serenity now!" as Frank Costanza would say...

@LilMountain and other newcomers, check out KeithReed and Stewart's other responses on page 3 of the thread. Quoting Stewart here from another of his comments because he always seems to sum shit up in a really articulate way. It's more than simple empathy, or trying to fit into a mold. It's getting tattooed to learn, to immerse yourself in the craft, to participate in something that you not only have this frenetic drive to be a part of, but to support and absorb everything that is a part of tattooing. And yes, that goes for the social side as well. Plenty of tattooers have said that they have learned the most from getting tattooed, by watching and feeling the application ––*and you can't get that just from hovering over someone's shoulder while they tattoo someone else. You can't fake that. That's why pinky tattooers are called parasites or tourists. And that's why it's difficult to compare it to another trade, because so much gets rolled into one. It's a lot easier to understand the more tattoos you receive yourself. I won't drag out this thread anymore, no use in going around and around, I think everyone's said their peace at this point. I'd just encourage you to poke around some more on LST. And also get more tattoos.

That murder by death record is killer.

I think the saying actually goes: "Opinions are like assholes, and bubbleberry is goatse"

i don't know if she did the right thing, all i know is that there is no crying in tattooing.

There are sometimes exceptions to any rule and I agree with Tim but I would go much further and use the term parasite. They are feeding off something and giving nothing back. I fail to see how any tattooer can understand what they are doing to people if they have no tattoos. Yeah there's the pain side. Mostly it's not that bad, but if you're tattooing ribs, chests, backs etc you should at least have empathy with your customer. But more than the sensation of being tattooed, there's the mental and emotional side to being a tattooed person. The way it feels to have made a deliberate choice to get a tattoo, placed a certain amount of trust in a stranger (usually) and to have the results with you every moment of your existence. To know what it's like to live with a tattoo, to see it age with your body etc. Not forgetting the social side, the way other people interact with you, either positive or negative. All these things cannot be understood without having tattoos. Being heavily tattooed is certainly no indicator of the quality of a tattooers work, but I have zero respect for tattooers with no tattoos.

I personally do not respect tattooers as much that have no tattoos either. Now maybe I'm being closeminded but fuck it. I wanna know that a tattooer is devoted to his trade; mentally, emotionally, financially and most of all physically. I'm not talking about being heavily tattooed but at least a forearm shot or two. If you're a tattooer and have not one single tattoo or maybe just one... You're just a tourist in our business, go back to selling real estate, there's more of that 'glory' stuff you're lookin' for.

no respect.