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Got my shin and knee done by Marie Sena in Dallas at Saints and Sinners. Can't say enough nice stuff about Marie and my experience with her. She's doing some 2nd layer/blast over stuff on one of my arms next and then she's doing the side and back of that thigh. Can't get a good picture of my leg...its either too dark in the house, too weird outside, or has to be too far away to get it all in the shot. You get the idea though.

12 days and counting until my life gets ruined by some hand tattoos courtesy of Thomas Hooper...

I had these done last November. It was a fun tattoo to honor my kid.

I never get too concerned about other people's tattoos. I don't know their story or how they came to have their tattoos. I also never crap on anyone about their tattoos (or clothes, or taste in music, etc). Life is too short to waste time and energy harshing on other people. Historically, I look at older tattoos and appreciate the tattooer and the client for paving the way for the things that came next. I have enormous respect for people who blazed the trail and made things easier for me. (Full disclosure - I got my first tattoo in '91 or '92. And yes, there are times that I shake my head and wonder what people were thinking - I just keep it to myself) Interesting question - thanks for posting it.

Okay.....I haven't started a thread here in a very long time.....if ever.....LOL Hang in there I will get to my question I promise....... This seems to be a newer thing......with the age of technology and media capitalizing on the tattoo community people who never would have been tattooed 20 years ago are now seeing tattooing as a type of art form and because society deems it okay now....they have now done a flip flop and are getting tattooed! There was a time you had to rely on just magazines or word of mouth to find a tattoo artist of a higher caliber and most people back then really weren't concerned with the quality as much as just getting the mark! Now with technology it is easy to find a tattoo artist who can put in a solid tattoo that will still look good in 30 years if taken care of.....of course most people still don't seem as concerned with that still.....but that does seem to be changing! BUT....with the media being so involved now in the craft and the internet being the source of most people's information on tattooing......it seems to have given rise to the people who want to be "tattoo collectors" I never really enjoyed being labeled that by tattoo artists BUT as time went on it is what I actually became...... BUT.....in my "collecting" it really was never about the quality of the tattoo BUT the person doing the tattoo.....people who had put their time in and had a history in the business! The new "collectors" seem to be totally about quality tattoos AND there is definitely NO shame in that......it's awesome!!! So here it is....and thanks for hanging in there and reading all this...... Do you notice people being treated (or do you seem to treat people differently) who have a lesser quality tattoo??? I mean sometimes I find myself just shaking my head anymore and thinking WTF were they thinking......but I still do my best not to treat them as a lesser person because they made a bad choice...... I do however see others and hear others making comments behind backs and I am sure I am even guilty of this too in the past! I am however trying to correct that behavior in myself even though I know these people would never listen to me about trying to steer them in a better direction! Any thoughts or comments???

Thanks :) Not long to wait... I'm getting my koi done on April 26th. Woop woop! I think I'll work the ones I already have into a larger, cohesive, epic tattoo of awesomeness ;)

After a month off I am back at it this weekend with a session on my arms with Horitomo and next weekend my back with Jill.

I think it looks great as is. I'm also of the persuasion that when in doubt, add more black.

Hey guys. Well, it's about time. I'm coming out to San Francisco this summer. I just booked my flight. Flying out on Monday, June 30th and leaving the 5th of July. So far, I'm planning on going to Blackheart, FTW in Oakland, and hopefully others. I'll be traveling with my friends and acquaintances. My pal Chris, Dustin Golden (Deluxe Tattoo), and Bunny (Rising Tide Tattoo). I know they already have appointments lined up at Blackheart. Needless to say it's a motley crew. But, that said, a lot of you fine folks live out there, and I sure would like to meet those of you that are so inclined. We can discuss all that radness here I suppose.

Been turning this... Into this... Some more refurbish to go before it's ship shape. It's a banyal sword from Moro land in the Phillipines.

I agree with this 100%. As a whole we have a tendency to mostly recommend a select group of well known tattooers/shops even though there are plenty of other experienced professional artists that do solid quality work. I think this is a good definition of a "quality tattoo". We should all be getting quality tattoos. Maybe they lack the "wow factor" or don't have a name brand artist attached to them but it is still a quality tattoo.

Chad again soon, then i hope 1 more laser trip then I can start back up with chris o donnell by years end but we shall see. Also id like to get a few smaller tattoos.

@cltattooing is finishing my Saint Death tattoo on Wednesday. Been waiting rather impatiently for this.

Being able to see evidence that it was made by a human is part of the appeal for me. I was pretty freaked out by all the little funky things I could find in my first tattoo, but it doesn't matter so much anymore. I can actually find flawlessly clean tattoos a little cold, sometimes - depends on the subject matter, but I feel like I've seen a few things that seem to have more technical ability than heart. They're impressive but would feel wrong on my imperfect self. Kinda like when you get a new couch and everything else in the room looks shitty. I suppose this is elitist. Enough things in my life are mass-produced that I don't feel the need to have tattoos be one of them. I don't want tattoos that look anonymous, not because I'm a special snowflake but just because it wouldn't be fun anymore. I could see this saving people from really badly rendered flash, maybe. - - - Updated - - - I think the distinction you draw between elitist/non-elitist might not fully hold, either. I understand you are referring to a mindset, and not a person's circumstances (though good tattoos are expensive, and I am frankly shut out of getting certain kinds of work at the moment, possibly for life). In the circumstances sense of the word, though, I'm sure plenty of folks from non-elite backgrounds want the best work they can get...even the best shops in the world are someone's neighborhood shop. I think appreciation is capable of knowing no class. In the mindset sense, well, LST is available to anyone with an internet connection and a willingness to expand their horizons a bit. I'm a numpty and I found my way here (and proudly proclaimed that I thought flash was "boring" in my 3rd post or whatever). Sorry to go on, and to keep updating this thing. It does chafe a little bit to see art appreciation referred to as elitist when some of the folks dearest to me are a living refutation of this.

Rad! Is it time to organize another bay area meetup?

Last one by Hugo from Siha Tattoos (barcelona) the pain was bearable and it was about 3 hours of line. shading and colours at the end of the month! Teapot by Mors from Chiale Baby (Lille) and calf by Servadio from AKA London the lettering reads "DOOM"

Hahahahahahahaha, holy fuck this is such blarney. I dunno if any of you noticed how they cut out the video right before the circle was joined but if anyone did notice, it was because the line trajectory didn't come to the origin point. I honestly don't think that anything like this will ever take off. Tattooing involves such an immense amount of critical thinking and on-the-spot decision making. Not to mention adjusting technique for various skin types, stretching the skin, adjusting needle depth per area of the body, and any other number of important variables. Waste of money.

Fun little Impala on my forearm from yesterday. Artist is Clare Hampshire at Korpus in Brunswick, Melbourne AUS. Photo from her Instagram.

@cameroncrazie80 The "elitist" thing rubs me the wrong way, but I don't think you meant any offence by it, so whatever. I do think, however, that contrary to what you wrote above, that you can't do away with the artistry and craftsmanship of tattooing and expect "basically a perfect tattoo". I think that if it was possible to feed a design into a machine and have it perfectly replicate that design on your skin, most people--probably virtually everybody--would still get utter garbage as tattoos because it takes somebody who actually understands tattooing, who cares about the art and the craft of it, to take something on paper and translate it to something that will actually work as a tattoo, that will fit the body well and age gracefully with it. It isn't something that can be reduced to a set of rules and programmed as an algorithm.

Here's my buddy Stanley...a 12-year old Sun Conure. And, of course, the matching tattoo...

only good tattoos* ;) a point of view that I fully agree with, sidenote

I discovered solid tattoos from a former co-worker by watching as his two sleeves progressed. I have friends with rough looking tattoos and when tattoos become the topic I always try to encourage them to lots of research, most don't do forums but I suggest LST all the time. I think where some of the 'elitist' idea comes from is every tattoo isn't epic in nature.

But don't discount the comment by @slayer9019 (a moderator here) in that thread... "There are very rare examples of people with only good tattoos in my personal experience. I guess it is just a part of the process" I'm sorry you felt that way doll......BUT his comment is dead on and very true! Most people's first tattoos are not that good! It is all a learning experience that I think a lot of people seem to forget! This site though now exists to help people who have been tattooed BUT also you'll see a lot of people seeking info about getting a first tattoo as well and they will maybe learn from this site! I can't say I haven't thought that myself......and I struggle with it....which is why I put this all out there!

There's a slim chance I may be in the SF area at some point during those dates, I'd be stoked to meet some of you as well, if it isn't douchey to possibly invite myself?

cool, I'm in :cool:

This year I seem to have more students who constantly have their nose in a book than ever before. And ironically enough, for an English teacher, I'm not at all well read when it comes to YA literature. So, on the recommendations of my seventh grade students, I read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It was definitely kinda sappy and young adult-y, but all in all it was ok. Next I read Divergent, which I pretty much hated. Haha. Maybe the movie that just came out is good, but the book is not. I think next I'm going to check out The Maze Runner. Kids are really into that right now, too.

I've been getting pierced from a very young age and plan to get other piercings in the future. I don't really understand the puritanism when it comes to the cross-over between tattooing and piercing. I mean I don't think that tattooers should pierce and that piercers should tattoo because they are both very specialized, attention-demanding, and separate crafts. I guess that I mean that the judgement directed toward piercing from tattoo culture is stupid and hypocritical. Conversely, I think that a lot of the holier-than-thou "contemporary shamanism ideal" that many piercers indulge is also fucking stupid. Live and let live and whatnot. Anyway, I've been getting piercings from the ages of 6-21 and if it weren't for getting pierced, I wouldn't have landed my apprenticeship. Currently I have both nostrils, my septum, conch, both ears at 9/16" and my labret which I don't wear jewelry in anymore due to dental health issues. My goal for my ears is 5/8", I'd like to do my other conch and second lobes, and probably nipples if I can ever get over the horrifying idea of putting a needle through my nipple. Twice. Fuck.

So I now own a company (yea!) and this topic creeps into my head every once in awhile, but now from a slightly different perspective. I'm moving toward the slightly heavier tattooed situation week by week and personally keep by my motto "when in doubt cover it up". Then again i generally am wearing a suit, so moot point as I don't have anything below the wrist or above the collar. I did just recently run into I guess an issue...I have an employee who is getting tattoos, which is all cool by me. Hell show em off when you get em and if you want to burn a PTO to get one, all cool by me. The problem is the same guy has mentioned he wants to get some more visible tattoos, and generally the themes are a bit, eh, black metal. It's a no-go by me just because customer relations standpoint but man is it hard to push that when your employees know I am covered in skulls, demons, snakes and daggers. On a more refreshing note, it was wicked awesome to walk into a clients office and see people with tattoos galore! I was like YES! Can't wait to be able to wear a polo again to work on casual events. The industry I moved to seems to have a much more relaxed set of people in it, as far as tattoos go. Even met a guy with his hands/neck done. Not the usual but nobody seemed to care all too much.

Balls deep into the home buying process. The inspections have been done and we're only a few weeks away from signing our lives away. Speaking of which, time to get packing! Wheeeeee! P.S. Time has been a precious and scarce commodity as of late; I hope the LST crowd is doing well!

Got an appointment with Chad K on the 20th. Stoked to be getting tattooed 2 times in a 3 week period

My 5th of June appointment for finally getting Goku on my stomach has been cancelled... and instead been forwarded to the 3rd of May, one day after my birthday. Awesomeness. Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk

Add some tigers in the basement & it sounds like Roy Boy's shop hah

Not to sidetrack the thread, but I bet a lot of these tattoos were craigslist specials/barters. If you discovered that a good artist you knew about advertised on craigslist, would you think less of him/her? I browse craiglist occasionally to see if I can score my next tapout special </sarcasm>. I've seen a few good artists post quality work (assuming it was their work) and actual shops that advertise in craigslist. I wouldn't go to any of them, but I can see how this would be tempting to people who can't afford good work or can only barter.

That is so true. When I was younger (I must have been 10.. 11?) and got my ears pierced for the first time we went to Claire's or an equivalent at the time. I don't know how they train their workers to give ear piercings, but... I was nervous, so my mom (who was trained to pierce) held one gun on my right ear and the woman working at Claire's held the other gun on my left ear. Let's just say my left earring hole is forever set significantly lower on my ear than my right. It bothered me a lot when I was younger, but I've since gotten over it. It's more noticeable when I wear dangle-y earrings that pull on my lobes. F-in Scratchers... or Pokers? Haha

I sure would like that y'all!

Right now I'm reading Teju Cole's Open City. I can't remember the last time I read a book that made me want to slap the author in the balls and tell him to get over himself this badly. I would have probably loved this book when I was in my early 20s and was a total dickhead. I wanted to read the third Malazan Book of the Fallen novel instead of this but my beloved dog decided that her new habit is to eat books and that book was a casualty. I tried to feed her Open City but she only nibbled the corner of it and left the rest of the book readable. Curses!

You know, he's doing much better now. He was just hungry all the time and they could not figure it out. Here's a pic.

Dr Well damn, filing that one away in the Santa Claus cabinet

It looks good like it is

I'm always amazed by the awesome tattoos that are posted in this thread, I thought I'd have a go myself. Apologies for flashing so much of my underwear. This was done by Paul Dobleman while doing a guest spot at Frith Street.

In reference to those aforementioned legendary vending machines... Japan's Panty Vending Machines: The Unreal Hyperbole (and Honest Truth)

Totally side-tracking the new contest, but when I need to see @Lance 's feet.... @KBeee, I just type "Horitomo monmon cats" in google images and they pop right up:

My Kannon inspired, forearm cattoooo from Horitomo - State of Grace, San Jeeezzy, California (January 2014). Yaaaaaay for Horitomo! Yaaaay cattoooos! Yaaaay tattooooos!!:D:o

Experimental Japanese poppy hip hop "dedicated to the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan."

I've gotta admit, I never noticed the lack of black women in flash/tattoos before. I feel kinda stupid now. Done by Dusty Neal (more info at THE STATIC AGE, I started thinking one day how I )

Maud Stevens Wagner Rusty Skuse I'm reading "Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo" by Margot Mifflin right now. She just released a 3rd edition with a number of awesome updates and photos. Highly recommended! Both women were tattooists in their own right as well as being heavily tattooed!

Cindy Ray deserves a mention, yes?

got this outlined yesterday by max kuhn. looking forward to finishing it.

now THAT'S a tiger! The only thing I'd like a bit better is if there was more black in the mouth to set it off from the clouds. Unless it's getting colored, then nvrmnd.

Horiyasu: Horiharu: Hijiri: