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Sorry for blurry pic. Bottom hannya and black flowers done by jeff gogueand took a total of 8.5hrs in 2 sessions. Top hannya and flowers done by shige. Took 8hrs. Not yet complete... :-( Close up of shige's work. Pretty brutal he hit the nipple, sternum and armpit. That fucker...

from the convention ;p

Hello folks! I'm Abyss, I live in ATL Ga. I've been reading on this forum for a while now and thought to myself it's about damn time to register and join the community lol. I am always hesitant about forums because I just don't know what to write about. But I figure, I could write about the tattoos on me for this forum. I recently just got tattoo by Mr. Rubendall in August. We did 4 sessions (2 consecutive follow by 2 weeks of healing and another 2 consecutive) total so far. I have to fly back to NY in November to finish it up with 1 more session. Here's some flicks off the outline and shading. I actually have color on the dragon, I just haven't taken a picture of it yet. I will take some picture soon and post it! Let me know what yall think! Thanks!

As if he hadn't suffered enough already, the poor guy...

At dinner there were enough back and torso pieces in the group, we should have had a shirts off photo taken! And on that note has anyone else noticed the photo bomb in the background of the photo? Ha!

Ha ha! That's what happens @cvportagee when you're a 5'-8"ish cherubic faced Asian with long straight hair, I guess. You end up being called ma'am when people take your order, and @hogg and thinks you're @Reyeslv's wife. Then there's @Scott R who wants you to take your clothes off. He wanted to see the back piece but it was hilarious. Oh the things that happen at the SFO convention. Not to mention meeting @ian too and then seeing him tough it out, getting his chest tattooed Sunday. Oh and I cannot forget to mention meeting @beez punch drunk on tattoos. It was awesome. You're a mad woman getting tattooed all day. @MoistTowelette, I saw your post too late. I saw you getting your ribs done by Gogue but I didn't know it was you. That Hannya is jaw dropping impressive. It was great meeting everyone and their spouses. I would have liked to have met the rest too, next year for sure. Like Scott R my flight out was delayed too. It was annoying cuz all I was thinking was how I could have stayed till the end of the convention instead of sitting at the airport, then again waiting in the plane sitting on the tarmac. Awesome convention though. The busiest one I've been to in the last 4 years. And the Shige seminar was awesome. I'll try to post something on that later. Let me also add that all of you who got tattooed from what I saw was awesome and cvportagee, Jill's back came out great and Horitomo's is bad ass already. I'm incredibly jealous, but it's going on a good guy. Can't wait till December/January when it's my turn.

Here's the progress so far on my knee tattoo from Matt at invisible nyc

Had a few more sessions with Horitomo over the past few months. I think we have one more outlining session to go. I'll post pics when the outline is done.

finally get to contribute to this thread again on friday. driving down to richmond for session 3 on my back, i'm excited to knock out some more black but at the same time i want to puke when i think about it.

Thank you man! I also forgot to mention, this is a cover up of a portrait of Jesus. I had Jesus lasered 9 times. xD

Hahaha this is fun, funny, and true. @Lance got a big hug from me. Which was awkward considering WE HAD NEVER MET ahahahahaha, thanks for understanding, Lance!!!! - - - Updated - - - Found a pic! Scraped from instagram.

So that IS you, @MoistTowelette! You earned every last drop of those tattoos. They look absolutely incredible.

One of the highlights for me was meeting this guy: He has a full suit--neck to ankles--from Chris Brand. I wish I'd taken photos of everything; it was really difficult to take it all in, and every part of it is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Only a few more days until i make my journey down to Kings Ave, Massapequa. Just a little excited about it!

My appointment with Matt ran late, which is par for the course at conventions. It also allowed me to go to an impromptu LST dinner with @Reyeslv and his wife, @cvportagee and his wife, @ian, @Scott R and @Lance. Three Jill Bonny backs at one table! When we got back, Matt was ready to roll. He drew on the eagle and banged it out in no time. It was fun; I had Thomas Hooper on one side of me and Steve Byrne on the other, while @Stewart Robson and @Valerie Vargas were right across from me. The eagle, by the way, came out great: And @beez, your back looks great! You were handling it like a champ. - - - Updated - - - And @MoistTowelette, don't make us beg!

Hello! I'm new to this forum but looking forward to sharing my progress on my gianormous back piece that i'm in the early stages of getting. I've always wanted a full back piece and the only other tattoo I have is a 3" jellyfish on my left ankle (which hurt like a mother!) but it didn't hurt bad enough for me to not want to get my dream piece: A Russian Firebird rising from rosemaling waves of water trying to crash down upon it and put it out. The theme of the piece is Rise Above it. When I got my Jellyfish Tattoo, I was 21 and in a very laid back and 'go with the flow' kind of mentality... as I've gotten older, I've gotten a bit of fire in my step and wanted to represent this change in myself with an epic piece. My 1st tattoo was done on the whim at Venice Beach... but for a full on back piece I wanted to select an artist that I knew would do it justice, so I chose to go with Hana Li Tek. Here's the latest image of it! Just got some work done on it this evening for an hour and going back next Sunday for more! Almost done with thickening out the line work and then onto my most anticipated part... the coloring!! :)

thanks guys! i am sooooo happy with these pieces! over the moon really!

Damn, @MoistTowelette. Doing it right.

Yes! My tattoo appts = doctor appts at my job haha "Yes, I have to leave early to go to the doctor in NYC and no, I will not be back as the appointment is 4 hours long...."

this sentence is funny

email to my boss this morning: "Yes I still need to be out on Thursday. Sorry for having so many odd days off this month. Hopefully I won’t have another one of these odd days off pop up in my calendar until January/February." i feel bad about being so vague because he probably thinks i have a serious medical issue but i don't feel like explaining tattoos to him.

Homey, everyone else has suggested good folks, but, I would also check out JD Crowe's Ancient Art in VB. Dave Voegeli, Scott Sterling, and Tony Riccio are hot fire.

@MoistTowelette yup, that's me in 53! @Delicious good eye!! The yellow dog looking thing (you are not the first to describe it is a such!) is a karajishi or fu dog. :) And it's a peony, not a lotus, but it is just barely visible, so kind of hard to see!! I'm impressed that you caught that much from the photo! Too bad you couldn't make it this time! That blank spot on the back of my arm is also now home to a sweet little snake/hand/mandala joint by robert ryan (i'm just gonna say that 800 times now ;P), and I'm feeling stoked and lucky indeed. - - - Updated - - - Definitely! I'll be around in January. TattooLunch.

Some shops actually do this. At Idle Hand in SF, they have a "Get What You Get" day. You pay $60 and get a little plastic bubble from a gumball machine. Inside, there's a flash design. And you get what you get.

Yesterday my wife had her 4th session on her backpiece, and the background brought it to life and we are so stoked I just had to share it with you all :-) The piece is made by Bonel from Corazon Santo in The Netherlands, which also did both of my sleeves and chest pieces :)

I really want one from Jeff Rassier. Photos stolen from his IG.

I got some more work on my back last week. I think I'm down to 2 sessions plus a touch-up session or two. Can't wait for the journey to be over! I'll post some updated pics soon.

and i ended up getting a torch not something i'm usually too into but the narrow spot kinda dictated it. also was not worried though, because i know this guys work and knew it would turn out awesome.

Yes! Awesome first post dude. Thanks for sharing those! Welcome to the forum.

Absolute Art in Richmond, VA and check out the Richmond Convention next month: Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival - November 22 – 24, 2013

WOAH! :-O That's stunning work right there. And to go from being tattooed on the side one day and then the chest the next for the amount of time, hats off to you. I saw the progress posts on Diamond Clubs IG. I figured that might be you. Damn!

I found this on Reddit. And it made my day.

That was a laugh out loud moment during dinner. That waiter was definitely flustered after that one. I also want to thank all of the awesome people I had a chance to meet this weekend. My wife and I had a great time hanging out with @Scott R this weekend and introducing him to the Swan Oyster Depot. We had a lot of fun during dinner and talking with @hogg, @Reyeslv and his wife, @Lance, and @ian. It was nice to meet you too @beez and your back is looking beautiful. The convention was a blast and hopefully everyone can do this again next year!

Boom! Teaser shot until my sesh on monday! Gogue tomorrow! I will spare u guys pics of my robert hernandez piece I got on friday since I know this forum is traditional biased, but I will say that its sick as fuck! - - - Updated - - - I stopped by the diamond club booth but I got there a lil after 5pm and junii wasn't tattooing anymore so I missed u... :(

DEEEEEENNNOOOOOOO at the Bay Area Convention of the Tattoo Arts Dude was so cool, I had such a great time. I also got to practice my spanish and many laughs were exchanged. I asked about some of his tattoos, he asked about some of mine, overall a lovely experience. Also, my forearm now somewhat resembles a balloon. Ha

No service in the convention! (If you have AT&T) Back to the table. Met @Scott R and @ian already! This is fun, guys. :)

this is my girlfriend's newest from ashley love at ny adorned in nyc, I am way too jealous

I adopted the most utterly adorable leopard gecko last night. I've been wanting a snake again for some time, so I think this will be a good transition. It's previous owner was a piece of shit who neglected the poor thing. One of its eyeballs was dried out like a raisin, it's missing a bunch of toenails from joint suffocation, and its tank was filthy with shit, dead crickets, and dead maggots. Gonna pick up some crickets today, I have no idea when was the last time it ate. Kinda stressing on the possibility of it getting sick from its previous conditions, and hoping more toes don't fall off (there's still shed skin stuck on em). But I'm in love with it and can't wait til it's all settled in. LOOK HOW CUTE!!!!!!

My 21st wedding anniversary this weekend (yeah I know I was married aged 20 :) ) , so off to London for some drinking and eating .

You're eating at taco bell. All nutritional concerns go out the window.

waiting for @peterpoose to chime in here. This guy is mental, 16 hour sessions every day or two. He must have gone from no tattoos to 60% coverage in less than a year? Correct me if I'm wrong Peter. All his work is by top artists as well. I just want to meet this guy to shake his hand.

Just Paul. And Theo Mindell. And Stuart Cripwell. And Bryan Randolph. And Aaron Hodges.

@Avery Taylor here is my ladyhead added to the arm ditch by Jack Rudy.

Super cool! Nice work, @cltattooing.

I live and work in China and got my first tattoo here this summer. Although more popular with younger generations, in China tattoos carry a much stronger stigma than in the west and are associated with prisons, crime and lack of education, in a much more narrow view than in other countries/cultures. I started a full sleeve and and the general response of my Chinese colleagues in the office (I'm Caucasian) was one of total silence, except for two younger girls, who asked if it hurt and said it was cool. Old ladies in the bus are scared of me now. Man I'm such a badass.

I think that living in SF has a lot to do with this. :)

I often get a bit apprehensive in giving a large rib piece to a person not that experienced in getting tattooed. I have had a few nightmares in my years of people just not able to sit still and go with it. I recently got a full side panel from a co worker and amazing artists and although i did sit well for 2, 3 hour sessions, not moving or whining, It was the most challenging tattoo to sit through and im pretty covered. full back, sleeves, chest panel ext. The outline which normally for me is the most uncomfortable wasn't to bad but the shading session really took my breath away and was hard to surrender and go with it. The nightmare first timers rib clients ive had make me inquire more about the person during the consultation now. Having somebody quit halfway through an outline truly sucks and depending on the design can be next to impossible to align the stencil to the half done outline and free handing isn't always an option for truly detailed and symmetric designs. IMO 5 hours is a long time to sit on the ribs but isn't un common. you just need to know yourself and how you deal with pain and difficulties. My advice is DONT try to grin and bear it, don't clinch up thinking youll just squeeze the ever living shit out of a friends hand. this will only make the suffering worse and drain your energy. You will never make it 5 hours unless you learn to just surender to the experince and go to a comforting place in your mind. Focus on your breathing and total surrender to what is. most of the suffering from a tattoo comes from not be able to just accept it. Good luck but i agree get the tattoo where you want but if you feel oits going to be too much re consider placement. IMO ribs are quite easy to work on as an artist so im not sure where you got that info from concerning the quality being compromised there. Stomachs can be a bitch but a good artist and client working together for a big stretch to me is a easy day at the office.

If you don't like pain, by all means, go for a backpiece. Total cakewalk. :)

Well, its kinda funny you mention that, my Dad is going to go in with me to get a new tattoo (first since 1957) pretty soon and he is 74...so maybe I will end up with at least hands...I could get knuckles that said AARP LIFE or something...