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What the hell, I'll throw my hat into the ring. By El Monga guesting at Spider Murphy's in August. Healed shot.

Wait, wait, wait...WHAAAAAT?!?!? What the...what? Wait a minute...no, just simply, WHAT??? Traditional American Japanese? Neo new old school? Am I missing commas? Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Ha ha! That was hella confusing the first time I read that. Some of it sounded like an oxymoron. I'm a little anal though. Things are either traditional japanese or new school or old school or Neo Japanese or American Japanese but old school traditional American neo new school Japanese? That's a new one for me. Are you thinking an Ed Hardy style? I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Would love to see an example. Enjoy November 19th.

Hi all - I mentioned in the 2013: The Bay Area Convention of Tattoo Arts thread that when I was all high on tattoo endorphins and adrenaline and whatever the frak else my body generates to get all loopy post-tattoo - that I impulse bought the "Bloodwork: Bodies" & "Bloodwork: Sleeves" set. All 30 lbs of it arrived yesterday. I don't know yet why I'm even writing this now, because I am still overwhelmed by it. So forgive me if I am late to the party, but: Oh. My. GOD. These books are...breathtaking. I'm not even talking about the photos yet. The production and design of the book sleeves, the binding, and even the boxes they shipped in - are incredible. And the photos. I don't even know where to begin. I actually had to stop looking midway through Vol 1 (and I only opened "Sleeves" enough to get my heart racing again before I had to shut it) because I was literally...I don't know...my heart was racing, my breath was short and fast, my body temperature wouldn't regulate, I got tunnel vision...it was like the tattoos and photos and presentation of the tattoos and photos all together caused me to have some sort of...something? I was hot and red and sweaty (and somehow this was NOT a sexual experience, hah!) and had the internal experience of being beset by a kaleidoscope of body suits (no drugs were involved, but this is what happened!). Internal because clearly I was not physically in the middle of said kaleidoscope, but I have a strong impression of that being my situation. It's beautiful. So beautiful. But i feel f*@king crazy. Has this happened to anyone before? Am I going crazy?? I feel very sane and whole etc in every aspect of my life, but this is sort of throwing me through a loop, it was such an intense experience. I had a similar experience at the tattoo convention but thought it was just sensory overload because I am not very good in crowds...but it happened alone in my apartment, when I sat down to begin poring over the photos. Anyway. I figured maybe someone here might have some insight. Or at the very least, having seen the books, understand my geekery/craziness/physical body reaction?!? ;p In any event - well done, Adrian Lee. Thanks for elevating my art experience?!

hello and welcome get dueling panthers or tigers on each side, whatever those tattoos are will be eaten up by the awesomeness

Getting a dagger from Scott Sylvia in two weeks. Beyond excited.

Living in Sydney I don't understand why you would travel to Thailand for a tattoo ? You could jump on a plane and in under three hours flying time get tattooed by a world class artist like Dean Sacred in Auckland N.Z. or in the other direction get yourself to Melbourne and the likes of Trevor McStay or Geordie Cole . Either are far shorter distances and I guarantee you will never again need a cover-up . Here's some links to ponder Dean Sacred | Sacred Tattoo Shop Geordie Cole Trevor McStay | Dynamic Tattoo

Might as well book with Grime now too, I should have enough money saved come 3 years from now... I have an appointment with Tim Lehi in a couple weeks to do something on my shoulder. I only have a general idea of what I want and am probably gonna let him do his thing with most of it. He's one of my favorite (possibly my #1) artists/tattooers, so I'm sure I will not be disappointed.

I can't believe that no-one has mentioned true love yet, a great tattoo show from Italy. Great tattoos, no drama, and a good host that is getting tattoos as the show goes on. It's too bad that was short lived.

I was fortunate enough to be in that book (as Jill Bonny's client), and even more fortunate to receive a copy for my participation. I echo everything you've said; it is without a doubt the most beautiful set of books I own. The sheer size of it is epic, and it really captures the magnitude and beauty of the work. I could look over both volumes every day for a year and never really feel like I took it all in.

Yeah they are definitely good books, no doubt. The presentation doesn't make it very easy to just flip through casually but part of what makes it so staggering IS the presentation. And how much it weighs haha

one of the prominent tattoo sayings is "go big or go home." the back is the place to go the biggest! I would bet most artists would advise you to get a big back piece and I tend to trust the artist's opinions. I personally think the full back piece thread is one of the best on here! but, as it's been stated before on this thread... your tattoos are your own and that's one of the main things that makes it great. do what makes you happy!!

Turned my speedball dip pen trial into this.

hey people, im having an exhibit of my work at "8 of swords" in brooklyn (115 grand st wiliamsburg 11249). december 13th 7-11pm. id like to so whom ever can make it. thanks for the support :) best invite ever? ha! seriously though i hope everyone can make it

Haha I definitely will. I'm very stoked for it.

I am super far from being knowledgeable about this so treat my recommendations with a good amount of skepticism, but I'd recommend Horitaka's Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo to begin with. It's really focused on Horiyoshi 3 but I think it gives a pretty good overview of traditional Japanese tattooing, it covers the nomenclature of it, it has a lot of beautiful photos of Horiyoshi 3's tattoos, and it's pretty inexpensive and easy to buy. I'd also pay attention to Crystal Morey and Gomineko Books. She sells a lot of reference books for tattooers and publishes books herself. I am currently waiting to receive a book she published about Horiyoshi 3 and his relationship to Japanese Buddhism that looks pretty amazing. Crystal is also super cool and knowledgeable and travels around to a lot of conventions and is always super helpful. Her instagram is worth following too because she posts a lot of flipthroughs of the books she sells. She'll also sometimes offer sales on the books she publishes...up to 50% off kind of stuff...so they're really good deals.

I'm late in posting this. Also it's long. Grab a cold beer and read at your leisure. So was I the only one who attended the Shige Seminar at the SFO convention? If anyone else went I'd love to hear your thoughts. Especially if you went Sunday. I attended Saturday and what was supposed to run from 10:00-11:30, lasted till about 1:30. And only because Ed Hardy's lecture was supposed to take place in the same room at 1:00. I suspect it could have gone on for another hour. Shige was rushed at the end and had to skip over some explanations. Even then, it was both entertaining and educational. For about 3 hours he discussed the practice he goes through developing each of his back pieces. Starting with a day long consult with his clients to make sure they get the tattoo they want and to make sure he and they are all on the same page. He explained 1 day may seem extreme for a consult, but given the size, the fact they will be together for long periods for the tattoo, and the tattoo will be a part of the Client forever, giving them a day for a consult was most responsible. In one of the back pieces he showed us, he explained the Client originally wanted one design motif but he convinced him to go another route. In that particular case it was a friend with a family, and who owned a nail salon. The Client was originally interested in a hell scene but Shige asked him if he really wanted that type of scene given his new family and his life making people feel more attractive. The Client realized then that something else was more appropriate and together they arrived at a design incorporating a Buddhist diety. I thought this was cool because it showed his commitment to his Clients and their happiness. He also noted that each back piece is designed specifically for each individual's body. No design can truly be swapped out for another person because he designs in full scale, and for the bearer's shape. Rather than drawing a sketch and enlarging it, he'll draw life size designs. I thought this was an interesting approach and allowed him to fit as much detail as possible into a design. This explains a lot from what I've seen of his work where for example the arc of a sword scabbard perfectly follows the curve of someone's lats. In regards to subjects, whether they be Buddhist entities, mythological/natural creatures, or scenes from specific stories, Shige explained he takes great care in making sure he gets the subject just right in portraying them accurately and accentuating certain elements as needed. One thing he mentioned was that it was his job to educate the Client about stories. The Woodblock, Noh, Kabuki scenes are not something most Japanese Clients know about. Most people in Japan are just as uneducated as non-Japanese in regards to this. As such he takes great pain to research as much as he can. In the instance with deities, each hand carries a certain item. Which hand it is in and which item is very specific. This reminded me of Horitomo's lecture on Fudo Myo-o who said the same. If the items were lacking or in the wrong hand then the depiction of that deity would be off. It's all in the bearer if they truly care, some don't, but it's good to hear things about these deities most are not aware of to know they may be incorrect. He also noted that most motifs based on a story is based on a true story with a historical figure and context. It was very important to know this and he went through the process of showing some back pieces and describing their stories and where in particular they took place in Japan and when. And also compared the time spans between each. Now I've always been interested in mythology since I was a wee lad so bit by bit I've made an effort to learn about particular historical characters, many of whom figure into these stories to a certain degree so some of these stories were familiar to me, but I always relish the chance to hear more about them. Even so, Shige apologized many times to the group for making it feel like a history lesson, but also stressed how important it was to know it. Why so? One example he explained was when designing patterns on kimono or the colors used. One would not apply the print design of a geisha from say the 17th century to the print design on a princess's kimono from the 10th century. The pattern would be wrong for nobility and the time period would be off. subtle things. In the past the closest thing I've seen to this example was with regards to samurai style armor from the 1500-1600's being depicted in stories from about 1100. They were cool images, no big deal you think, right? Not really. I mean if you don't care about details like that it's all good, but in relatable terms it's like showing a Viking at the controls of a drone strike or a knight wearing chaps and a pair of six shooters at his side. It can be cool but it can also just as easily make someone scratch their head. All this, displayed the shear amount Shige goes through to give his all to a tattoo. What was also nice was that while informing the group about the historical backdrop of particular stories, he also touched upon their relationship to other stories and how they interconnected. He also alluded to particular stories he felt would make interesting subjects for future large pieces. Taki who was translating, joked that he wasn't sure if Shige was hinting that he wanted some one to make a request for those stories. If it was, or you want to give it a try, I can fill you in on which stories those were. Ha ha! Between all of this he also described how having no "master", outside of the constraints of certain story elements, he was allowed creative freedom to do what he wanted and not conform to rigid traditions. For example normally a back ends a certain distance on the ribs down the side but I believe it was his Taira No Tomomori back piece, that the subject wrapped around the Client's body to almost become a full body suit or in the case of another tradition mandated a Buddhist deity be depicted with 11 faces. In that particular case instead of tattooing all 11 he introduced some western notions having some hidden with the idea that as the faces wrapped around the deity you wouldnt be able to see some and he also allowed the Client's face to be the 11th. In addition that particular face was known to always wear a smile. So Shige told the wearer that he always has to smile now. I thought that was pretty clever and a nice inside joke between the two. I'll end this now, but like Shige's lecture it could go on much much longer. Suffice it to say it was a very enjoyable time and what I came away with was a profound appreciation for one man's deep thought process he gives to each of his Client's tattoos. Often times, something Clients take for granted of their Tattooers. Thank you Shige and Taki for the seminar. Also everyone who attended received a print of Fudo Myo-o and a digital copy of his book! Now I have all 3 versions. Hardcover, paperback, and digital! Sidenote, every time I mentioned "Client", I was very tempted to swap it out for "Canvas". But that would be too cruel.

anyone here into printmaking? i found photos of some work i did a year or so ago this was the biggest silk screen print i've ever done. its about 1 meter wide and 1 and a half tall from what i remember ive done a bunch of lino cuts, etchings and woodcuts as well. it's been a while, i'm craving the craft

In Sydney you've got Kian Forreal, just google him, he's great at traditional Japanese.

@Rebushido ...just saw your belly. GODDAMN.

That's actually a kind of sweet idea!

Turns out I may be moving soon. Before I do so, I need repairs on a recently done tattoo as previously mentioned, but I really want the guy who's done a bunch of my tattoos to pick out one more tattoo to do before I leave the state. It would be a fun way to leave.

Welcome and it looks like you're well on your way to getting a really nice collection! You do know that because you posted that you're getting tattooed by Tim Lehi that you're now obligated to post a picture of the tattoo, right? Them's the rules.

Thanks man! I'll definitely be posting a picture when it's done. So far I've been tattooed by Steve Boltz, Adrian Sanchez, and Austin Maples, but all are on my right leg. Gotta get my arm started off right.

Grime | VICE United States

Finished this today. Pharaoh's Horses is one of my favorite classic images. Overall pretty happy with it, just wish I had picked darker colors or left it completely black and grey. Luckily this is the first and probably not the last time I will visit this image.

My fiance is going to rehab for a month next week, so I have decided to spend the time he is away writing a letter to him telling the story of our relationship. I've been in a writing lull lately, but I think this will help me get through the next month with plenty of material and also will be a sort of catharsis for all the shittyness going on in our lives right now. We are en route to get married next summer or the following (should his sobriety stick this time around), so I'm hoping to give him this piece of writing as a wedding gift. Sorry for getting so heavy on this thread, but I'm stoked to start working on this and think it's an "awesome thing" :) I'm a firm believer in finding and holding onto happiness in our darkest moments.

KING MOONRACER right in the neck maaan tattoo made in Edmonton, AB by Shawn O'Connor @ Ink Machine

I´ve already posted this one in this months contest, but here it is. Mike Rubendall 5-6 hous. Most painless tattoo session ever,

latest from Eli Quinters

Starting my Backpiece on Friday with Stewart Robson! 3 hours, so hopefully get the outline done! Super excited but am now feeling slightly anxious....

Hell yes! I highly recommend that those who haven't seen them get on Youtube right now and fix that. It's a great, great series that I wish there were more of.

Got this a couple weeks ago from Nikki Balls in D.C. Still a little shiny, and not a great pic, but you get the idea. Thanks for looking.

@Cork Three sessions down and probably a third or more done? I'm filled from the bra line up. Three more sessions before the end of January and then I'm gonna give myself a little break. I've got my progress up over yonder: Flickr: Please wait...

Look up the Gypsy Gentleman and watch all of those, well worth it Also check out the interviews on here Scott Sylvia's interview is great if you have plenty of time to watch it.

those are beautiful koi @ironchef

Here you go, on my left thigh, koi, water and cherry blossoms done in Japanese style by Henning Jorgensen. Not completed yet and also now connected to my back piece project. Will eventually get a piece on my right thigh to balance things out. Maybe a tiger or dragon or both.

Had another crack at the boxer guy, and attempted a couple more new ones. The girl I found on an old circus poster. Time to start another.

My girlfriend and I got 'honeymoon phase' tattoos from Nic Lynds in Austin while we were on vacation. This one is hers. Mine is the same just harder to shoot.

i painted this shitcatbird yesterday. definitely was fun.

painted today

- - - Updated - - - oh the bay and the low ceiling, I just got home after my SFO was severely delayed taking bart to Oakland then flight to San Diego onto Phoenix finally home to okc. I really enjoyed meeting the gang, @cvportagee and his wife were so nice and it was good to get to know them better. also cool to see BOSS @hogg @Reyeslv and his wife @Lance @ian @9Years and @beez [

I plan on getting tattooed by him as soon as possible. Got a spot right next to my Horitomo piece picked out for him. Thinking fudo or a dragon. I dont have a dragon yet.

I got a koi with maple leaves and water from him in 1999 at 222. Super awesome experience, and as others have said, he's a great, great guy. You're stoked!

Got this from Kyle Crowell at Torch Tattoo in Anaheim back in August.

Got this at the Oregon Ink Convention this week by Mike Volkakis @ Artwork Rebels Portland. I have always loved this Sailor Jerry Design and Mike is a hell of a tattooer and cool guy to hang around. Big thank to @hawk , who owns the first shop Mike tattooed in.

Dan Higgs and Robert Ryan

i think one of the main things that adds to the mystique of higgs is that he doesn't tattoo any more. not because he can't but because he chooses not to. he worked with some really talented folks and for most of us that do this, it's something that we'd probably find hard to give up if we had the same opportunities. also, it wasn't until after i started tattooing that i really even knew that he tattooed. i always knew him to be the singer in lungfish, it was only through diligent efforts that i was even able to obtain the lungfish albums back then and that was from working in a record store. back before the intervebs, if you didn't have an excellent book store or some type of real active art scene, you didn't get to find out about much that went on in the world. so i dig getting to hear stories about and from people who were there and got to work with him and it's obvious he had an impact on them. plus, in reality he is an important component in tattooing history due to those interactions. so rock on!

just cram 'em all in there. i don't get it when people plan their whole bodies out or want all this "balance". do they plan on posing around naked all the time for us to scrutinize? most of the time people only see our arms anyway.