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Aw what the hell. I wasn't going to post this because, most of what I see here is just so epic. This isn't particularly epic but, I like it just the same. This was my first real 'impulse' tattoo. I was hell bent on getting some kind of little banger as a souvenir of an awesome trip to Vancouver. I wanted to get something done at Gastown but they were fully booked so I walked around til I found a place that had time for a walk in. Normally I would be a lot more fussy but, I wanted it right then and there. I had always wanted a sparrow/swallow, and I liked the date so I threw that in too. Vancouver is the place of my birth and although I haven't lived there since infancy, it always feels very strongly like home when I'm there. So, yeah..... :) Oh, and, pardon the nipple LOL

I'm afraid you won't find much encouragement for such a venture here. If someone who is an actual part "the tattoo world" wanted to reproduce a tattoo design on a wall, they would likely go to a tattoo artist, most of whom also paint, and commission them to paint one.

A little late reply, but i just found some more bodysuit information on Horimatsu's website

@DJDeepFried, that would just be too sexy, I'm afraid. I'll have to wear jeans instead. ETA: Ok, so for the meet up...look for a blonde woman in jeans with a tall beardo in a fundoshi. That's us!

Yes -- and all wear fundoshi. You too @TrixieFaux!

My mother didn't find out until I was in my 30's. She came to visit and I had just jumped out of the shower when she knocked on the door. I knew it was her and didn't want her to wait as she drove from SF to Vegas. I opened the door and she said, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!?!.... I broke the news that I've had them since I was 19 and it's time she knows.... During my most recent and meaningful pursuit of tattoos she was supportive and knew how much I loved them... Funny how the relationship changes after time.....

first after a break over christmas

I saw MBV live in 1989 my hearing still not recovered ! Fucking awesome though !

@HaydenRose "I am a god So hurry up with my damn massage In a French-ass restaurant Hurry up with my damn croissants" The man is the poet laureate of our generation. @Graeme Never saw 'em live. MBV was one of the best shows I ever saw -- back in the '90s. (The LSD helped.) Not so crazy about the new album so it didn't make the cut. Disappointing after a twenty year wait.

Hard as nails piece by Thomas Morgan .

sadly our family won 10 euros after investing 150 euros in tickets. O well, guess i have to prostitute myself to make extra money so we can visit

I'll be there!!!! We should do an LST meet up!

Here's mine: 1) Queens of the Stone Age – ...Like Clockwork 2) Deafheaven – Sunbather 3) Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold 4) Kanye West – Yeezus 5) Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks 6) Tomahawk – Oddfellows 7) Red Hare – Nites of Midnight 8) Killer Mike & El-P – Run the Jewels 9) Prodigy & Alchemist – Albert Einstein 10) Atoms for Peace – Amok 11) Dumb Numbers – Dumb Numbers 12) Big Business – Battlefields Forever 13) Jesu – Everyday I Get Closer to the Light from Which I Came

going to try and see the exhibit this summer...with my folks...who don't know i have any tattoos...keeping my back and side hidden has been easy...my 1/2 sleeve...not.so.much. :)

Love Chris Brand's work so much .

Got some shading done last Saturday. Can't wait for more!

A club I rode with was asked by the local 1%er club to take off our vests at a biker event because our logo looked too much like a patch. They were really nice about it, but wouldn't have been so nice if we had refused. I think they would have just started wailing on an SOA wannabe. If you're going to be around real bikers, you had better know the rules.

Me and @Pugilist got matching tattoos again. This is from Doc Forbes flash and was done by Chris Hold at Sacred Heart Tattoo in Vancouver, BC. It was a super fun one and Chris was a great dude to get tattooed by. Couldn't be happier with the tattoo and the whole experience.

I posted this in my intro thread, but I wanna partake in the fun over here! by Beau Brady

I was in a wedding back in September, this is one of the candid shots the photographer took :)

@DJDeepFried great list! I'll forgive you for #4 because your #1 is ...Like Clockwork. :)

@ChrisvK, well it is a job....

I didn't realize that Cultes Des Ghoules album Henbane came out this year; I thought I was last year. MY B. Please add that to the above list.

Hoping to go to the opening. Anyone else?

I really like how well done Japanese style work contours with the body , I saw this suit by Horitaka today and it's a great example of this .

Damn, now I have to actually finishing getting into shape so I can get one of these bad ass tattoos! Also to OP, I would say any tattoo with power. What came to mind was maybe a boxer tattoo?

I'd mirror what a few others have said and get yourself to Red, Hot and Blue. Paul Slifer is a great artist and also a really sound guy as well, usually does most of his stuff freehand but always with great results. Haven't been tattooed by Alec by really like some of the work he's been doing recently. The Edinburgh Convention is also coming up in March which would be worth checking out if your based in Edinburgh.

Getting back from our road trip down to Cali today. Stopped by Off the Map northwest on the way up through Oregon just to sight-see. Super nice shop/people. If the stars align I'll be headed back down in august to get a piece from Henrik Grysbjerg who will be guesting for a few days. Crossing my fingers for a busy tattoo year!

been messing around with some different stuff lately. these two are ink on cardboard. 16x20"

Mike aul has been wonderful. I've looked through Jeff zuck's portfolio and was blown away. I plan on going to him in the very near future.

I'm anxiously awaiting the new year so that I can finish up my chest piece. It will be very nice to finally let the hair grow back. Then hopefully at the end of January I'll get to the stomach piece I've been struggling to get done for the past year. I'm in no hurry to get back to work, though. So I'm torn.

I decided to add a little bit of color to my elbow. I have been piecing togather a traditional sleeve. I wanted to add a skull into the mix without it looking to deathly and dark. So to brighten it up a bit added it to a little floral arrangement. No better place to put it other than the elbow. Done by Tony D at Chronic tattoo in Elyria Ohio.

Just got these two from Dusto at Tower Classic in St. Louis as a Christmas present to myself

Indeed Happy Christmas to you my old china !

Got this from Kirk Jones yesterday, birds wing look distorted but it is just the photo. Awesome guy, it is a shame I don't have another shoulder to get tattooed, easiest spot so far.

Hawk wrapped around my forearm by Timothy Hoyer

Finished my half sleeve done by Nick Colella, love the filler. Turquoise is my favorite color Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 2

Top ten of what I actually listened to and enjoyed most in 2013, edited to not have duplicate artists, and in alphabetical order: Current 93 - Of Ruine or Some Blazing Starre Graveyard - Hisingen Blues GZA/Genius - Liquid Swords Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son King Crimson - In The Court of the Crimson King Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath My Bloody Valentine - m b v Saint Vitus - Born Too Late Wu Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) I'm old.

I am a stout appreciator of the holiday season. My house smells awesome, the shop has christmas lights up, and we're getting a little tree! I have also just put an end to a really unhealthy relationship that I've been engaging for like 6 years, and while part of me is sad, the bigger part is like FUCK YEAH, I'M FREEEEE

I want to wear those to my office next Halloween, then take them off at lunch and see if anyone notices.

Awwww! Thanks @Graeme , @hogg , @Delicious , @TrixieFaux , et al. I love that picture, I was stunned when I saw it. I was flipping through the photographer's favorites from the wedding and there it was. I hadn't realized she took that picture. (Admittedly, I'd put back a few by that time of the night!!) I honestly had no idea how awesome the tattoos all look together - I never see them from afar like that, never see them the way a distant observer would. It's no wonder I get stopped on the streets!! :)

Here are a couple of shots of my ankle collar done by Nathan Draper at The Pearl in Toronto. I'll post the chest pics when Tim gets a little more done in the next few weeks. Sadly they are upside down and I have no idea why. No one is rushing to hire me for an IT position, that's for sure.

Very interesting thread. I totally disagree with the fact that people say we're over thinking it. We're not going for full body coverage, so we need to be careful with where tattoos go. As for myself, I have been heavily debating the issue lately. I really love the look of numerous tattoos on the leg, with negitive space between... of course in american traditional. But is it for me? I don't know. When I see my legs, I can't envision it. At most I can picture maybe one more tattoo each on my lower legs, and maybe one on my thigh... which would bring me up to five on my legs, but that seems a bit much for me. I don't have any tattoos on my arm, and while I have deeply considered it, I don't think it would be the route for me. While it could be beautiful, I just dont see myself with arm tattoos, doesn't fit the look I want for myself. Definitely considered getting the other side of my chest with another lady head to make it look complete, but at the same time, I want to wait until I am older. I can see myself getting the other back of my shoulder done, then filling the gap on my left shoulder between the lady and ganesh, and maybe something middle upper back. I don't want to rush or fill up my skin too quickly, without concern for career or for the future. and Probably anything above 30% coverage is too much for me. I'll leave the super extensive tattooing to my sister, she wants alot of tattoos, even more than me. So, as of now, I am at 4 tattoos, I'm seeing anything above 12 tattoos as something not really for me (at this moment) things might change as my professional goals change, and as I age, but I still love the look of my milky white skin accented with tattoos, not just tattooed everywhere.

Balance was foremost in my mind since the beginning. I'm a huge fan of the full Japanese styles, and body placement is a HUGE deal. I kind of started on my back piece sooner than I thought I would be able to, but it was definitely in my head as to what would go where, and how I would tie it all together once the back piece was in place. I never thought I'd be one to get a suit, but I think it would just look weird with empty space between my tattoos ;)

After reading everyones stories i feel obligated to share my own. Well here we go. I'm Chris, a 19 year old kid from Leiden, The Netherlands. High-school for me started being the worst time of my life. Being a metalhead since the age of 9 I went to high-school as a 12 year old chubby kid with long hair and a squeeky voice. Since i was the only longhaired metalhead 12 year old the bullies thought of me as an easy target. This led to delving deeper into my music and finding hardcore. Looking back to that time i'm just glad i stayed true to who i am despite all the shit i got for being me. Forward to 16 years old. The hair and the squeeky voice were gone, the bullying wasn't. One day i had enough of it and went apeshit crazy. The little 12 year old turned into a 1,85m high 83kg heavy mass of hatred. No one messed with me after that. Met awesome friends in classes and been hanging out with awesome people ever since. Lot's of parties, lots of concerts. Good times. After high-school i went to University to study law. After 2 months i realized it wasn't for me. Not only was it boring as fuck, the entire system was just build around being a lawyer that makes money of off unfortunate people and i was surrounded by the most self centered people i have ever met. Dropped out and started working at an indonesian take away place where i worked till last summer. I also did and still do vollunteerwork at a homeless shelter. This is where i found what i want to do in life. Helpin people. Started college this september to be a social worker and aced my first testperiod. For aslong as i am into metal/hardcore i've been into tattoo's. All my favorite artists and bands had tattoo's. They were badass, therefor tattoo's are badass. I had to get tattoo'ed. Luckily I waited till I was 18 years old and went to a good local shop. This was last year. I got the crest of the city i grew up in on my left calf. This city gave me my friends and made me who i am. Everything that happened to me happened in this city and it just felt right getting the crest permanently on my body. More tattoo's will definitely follow in the future but at the moment I simply can't afford quality work. Take care, Chris

i should mention that i was an anti-racist skinhead, not a bonehead. doh!

i've never been good at this sort of thing. Robin A.D. (yes, my initials are RAD, my mom always loved it). 25 and starting life over. east bay area born and raise. have been a museum worker for the last 3 and a half year after getting my first bachelors in photography. now i'm heading back to school to get a second degree in conservation biology, which will come to a shock to those of you who know that i've been interested in writing about tattoo history, but like gougetheeyes, i'm still interested in the history and i'm trying to sort out the proper way to share that history. academia isn't it. i've been into punk rock and hardcore for over half of my life. i'm a former skinhead, who left the lifestyle after deciding i did not want to live my life in a way that asserted power, intimidation, or violence, and found buddhism instead. straight edge saved my life, literally. i've been getting into alt-country more and more these days, and am dying to learn how to play the steel lap guitar, and anything i can about motorcycles (which i've wanted to ride since i was a kid!). i come from a super small family (11 total including me), and i'm the youngest of them all. my mom's side is made up of the 4 strongest women i have ever met, and they have inspired me throughout my life. they're great story tellers, and if you ever meet them when i'm around, they'll fill hours sharing memories of me growing up and doing silly things. i love it. i'd love to get a tattoo for them, but haven't quite figured out what yet. it may involve a squirrel holding a shotgun, or a shetland pony chasing a horse.