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Chest piece appointment booked with Jason Phillips at FTW in Oakland. Nervous/stoked at the same damn time.

It's been around, but I didn't see it here on a cursory search. I wonder if they offer quantity discount?

Two months ago, I deadlifted 315x1 (for the first time in over two years) and an all-time PR of 325x1. Today, I pulled 315x3. It feels great to be progressing and breaking through some physical and mental barriers.

From the Needles and Sins blog, a short video from TED. Really neat! Needles and Sins Tattoo Blog | Tattoo 101: What makes tattoos permanent?

Day 1 of year 28. Took day off from work. Drinking Cisco Brewers' Grey Lady. Plans to hang frames on the walls are on hold.

We had a wild night deadlifting last night and both hit new PRs on deadlift 245 and a 465 getting closer to that 500 so fairly happy

These were from a visit I did will a few friends. The skull and sparrow were from Steve and the Lilly and Knife were from Eli.

Re: cost. Almost everyone has asked me this question and very few people know I am working on a full back. It makes me uncomfortable, even from friends, and I don't have a pat answer yet. But the other day, without even thinking, I replied, "Yeah, it's more expensive than going to the movies." For some reason, that shut down the question with a little laugh from both of us, but in a way that it was clear I wasn't going to share, conversation was over, without being rude or making them feel like a jerk for asking (my friends, after all). Not sure I can explain that, but it was a positive thing and I think I'll try that one again.

Yesterday, after two years in progress, Marius Meyer finally finished my back piece. It was 6 painful well worth hours. Going back for a touch-up in the belly plates and white in eyes/claws/teeth. @Iwar has some cool footage from the session that he maybe will post, I think?

Just got booked in with Adam Kitamoto for a full sleeve and chest panel... for february 2016 haha, not very upcoming but I can wait.

My most recent deadlift was 225lbx6.

We usually bring saran wrap and medical tape with us to rewrap overnight. We also usually bring a shitty towel to use for the first couple of washes, to not ruin the hotel towels. We've never had trouble healing in hotel rooms!

Not to belabor the issue, but: I haven't met anyone from this forum, but I do care (or if "care" is too loaded a word, give a shit) about the people on here. If you've hung around for longer than a few weeks, why wouldn't you? Having met a handful of people who I'd previously only talked to online, I'm no longer so sure that the internet is less "real" than other ways of communicating. But it does suck to feel like you've been at the receiving end of some false or patronizing sympathy. @Gloomy Inks, I am so sorry to hear this.

There are too many great replies to quote, but @cltattooing, @mmikaoj, @suburbanxcore, @smiling.politely, and @DJDeepFried are killing it. @Steele, to quote one of cinema's greatest characters, "That's like, your opinion, man." And you sound like a missionary trying to convert us. So stop doing that, stop scratching, and go get on Carlos Torres' waiting list. PS You diss Ed Hardy, you diss yourself.

I have no respect for anyone that likes apples. Those are snacks that second graders eat. I mean, you don't even have to peel an apple. Where's the skill in that? Seriously, explain to me why I should like apples!

This is the best advice in the world. When you understand where a lot of us come from here Miss Veronica you will see @Graeme was being genuine, welcoming, friendly and sincere. Now, after you apologise for calling his knowledgeable response dumb, maybe you can start appreciating and learning why this advice is so sound. Plus, I like it. Reminds me when I wanted my eagle slammed into my stomach and ribs, I said to my tattooer. I don't give a fuck how it looks, all I want is a trad looking fuck off eagle in flight gripping another big fuck off skull drilled into my mid pipe. He knew exactly what I meant. For me, it represents my freedom, my flight from a dark period into a brighter future, although carrying elements to remind me of where I've been, and to where I'm going. Ha! No it doesn't, I literally just made that shit up on the spot! Maybe I watched too many episodes of M.I. Sounds fuckin cool, I mean stupid but doesn't it? No, I got it because...well, you should kinda get it by now I'm hoping :) Welcome the fuck to LST. The friendliest place on the web ;)

"Tattoos are not an addiction; they are a collection. A tattoo collector is just like a conventional art collector who buys a painting, hangs it on the wall, and then moves on to acquire the next, unique piece. Tattoo collecting is a spiritual pursuit, while addiction is a physiological need. Addicts repeatedly take the same drug over and over without limit. A tattoo collection has variety, and it has an end. Once you collect the whole set, you're done." -Horiyoshi III Side note: I also have a Hello Kitty. It was done by my fiancée, is about an inch and a half wide, and took her about an hour. It's just lines, aside from color in the bow and nose. She was really trying.

I'm putting this in because I've had good feedback :) Rose morph done by Nick Agnew at Kingsland Ink, Auckland, NZ

This is a really terrible picture but I got this cigar smoking frog from El Monga at Aloha Tattoo Barcelona yesterday. I am super stoked that he decided to attach himself to my leg because I think we're going to have some good adventures together. @bongsau Really sorry for your loss, and my deepest condolences. Sometimes it's the silly little tattoos that have the deepest significance.

I've stayed in the travelodge after tattoos, I didn't rewrap, don't like the idea of sleeping with clingfilm wrapped around my leg. Didn't have any problems, but I didn't get any leakage, no blood or ink or anything (benefit of dotwork I think). But then I wouldn't worry about ruining the travelodges sheets, if it was a nice place I might worry.

When we travel for tattoos we take tape, bandages, gloves, and towels. Usually that does the trick and we've never had any complaints. Though I sometimes wonder what the hotel staff thinks of all that stuff piling up in the washroom.

I've stayed in a hotel a couple times after particularly gnarly late night sessions. I also bring a ratty towel but I've sometimes soaked through a shirt AND the underlying towel because sometimes I just leak for hours and hours (back tattoo). But this week I just discovered the amazingness of doggy pee-pads. Tape one of those babies down to the sheets - they absorb liquid and keep it trapped inside. I'm using them at home from now on!

On the topic of comic book tattoos, I always thought this would make a killer one.

Yes! Congrats!

@hogg I did sumo for my 1st 8 sets yesterday then failed on 465 with sumo so had a little rest cranked the iPod up and lifted conventional and it flew off floor, but I'm sure if I work on my sumo more than once a month il get to a similar level, you into barbell or dumbell RDLs? Yep she's killing it at the moment,

@hogg Around 190, I've hit 200kg before but with straps and belts so never counted them, using wave training with my squats and deadlifts and seeing a huge increase over the last few weeks so with deadlifts I'd do 5,3,1,5,3,1,5,3,1 and squats 6,4,2,6,4,2,6,4,2 so your always hitting big numbers, if you've never heard of wave training you basically start with 60x5 then 80x3,100x1,80x5,100x3,120x1,100x5,120x3,140x1 so your constantly building up

Get booked in with both of them, Steve's the only one I havnt had work from but he seemed a good guy when I was in, all four are so solid though you can't leave disappointed

Aw yeah buddy!

Im leaning towards him! Right now it's between him and Eli!

Looks like a new .sig.

It's been true summer for a week now in Stockholm and I've been in t-shirt and shorts most of the time. I am starting to grow tired of talking about tattoos with people with no tattoos/really bad tattoos. I think during this time I have talked about tattoos with most people that I work with, many of my friends (that I do really love by the way) and a few random folks. And I don't see the point… or rather, it gets very tiring. Maybe because many people don't know jack about tattooing, only from what they have seen on tv and they ask you the most rude and stupid questions. And then proceed to show you some horrible work on "a buddy" by making you browse this persons instagram feed. Normally I am a very polite and patient guy but after a week of this.. I don't really think I care about talking tattoos with people who are not deeply into it. I feel like an elitist for saying this but, I guess right now, that's me. I think one of the problems has to do with how tattooing became a mainstream and "cool" thing. Much like skateboarding right about that time when Adidas and Nike decided there was money to be made. Skateboarders used to be the weird smelly kids, the outcasts of the school. It used to be something the general public had no understanding for. I wrote this to a friend recently who thought that my skateboarding hobby was cool "I don't think skateboarding is so cool, obectivly speaking. Same with tattoos. Or, I don't want it to be cool and hyped and a lot of attention and money into it. I prefer when things are underground, wierd/repulsive to the general public and only cool to the people involved and active. Outsiders and tourists destroy everything genuine (especially as soon as money is involved) It's cultural gentrification." /End of angry rant. Back to trying to be a nice person and talk reasonable and in a friendly tone to people who wants to talk tattoos with me. Shit, I did not get these to be a conversation piece. One of the rudest things that I've had to respond to in a number of occasions is about the cost of tattoos.. like "Woow, dude that's a lot of money on your legs right there!". Few people would talk about the cost of the paintings on the walls of a friends place the first time they get invited over for dinner, am I right? ps. I am a really nice guy in real life

It's like comparing Chopin and Black Flag. One is well constructed, technically "perfect" (whatever that means to the viewer), and is intended to come across that way. I find it well made, but kinda boring to my taste. The other, for lack of a better or less uncouth term, has balls. Strength. It punches you in the gut and gets your attention. As much as perfection is impressive, I like balls.

Finally my tattooer put something up on his instagram so I can add an in-progress here! We are in the middle of a grind tonight. Adding tube sponges and corals along the bottom and up the right side. And standard disclaimer - nothing is done except the snake, which is under my top.

Meh.... I'd rather get this Or hulk 340

Welcome Veronica. I think you should get a big eagle across your chest because tattoos represent whatever you want them to represent so you might as well go for a huge fuck off eagle.

A few weeks back I managed to get an appointment with Steve Wimmer in November. I think he was booked until February but a cancellation came through and I took it. Going to get Wolverine #1 on my outer left thigh. I think it will come out great, especially since my skin is paper white.

I've gotten the addiction one a lot lately, and I feel like I'm moving at a pretty slow pace compared to lots of people here. I just tell people that I think tattoos look better together.

Awesome! This is one of my favorites so far - I love how the claws and thorns look almost interchangeable and are a consistent accent through the design. Congrats!

Sweet advice all around here already. Again, don't be too concerned with a little blow out here and there. I'm with @Graeme on this, I actually like my little imperfections, makes them look real. Like with my hands, some places I've had a little drop out, I love it. It makes them look how tattoos kinda should look on the hands.

Got my rose morph today... am super happy with it

well. i did not get my touchups. but i did get a new tattoo which did involve a tear-out: My pug. Winston. Riding the red rocket. Which was really hilarious. Until I got a call 3/4 of the way through the tattoo that my mother passed away. Shout out to my pal Ollie for working like lightning to finish the tattoo before my ride showed up to go see my family. So some more to add to the arguement that a tattoo is more than just a silly picture on your skin. It's not just about "what" the tattoo is of or the "why"...but the "where" and "when" and "who" of the experience is of equal importance. A colourful timestamp for this lifetime. And now I'm left with a lot of sorrow to deal with, a good laugh and a great tattoo. Laughter is the best medicine. And my Mom really loved my idiot pug. But I think my next tattoo will be little more serious and carry a lot more weight. Peace.

Thought I'd throw this in. I hope no one minds as I've not posted too much on here. Done by Stewart Robson - Frith Street Tattoo

What do you call an Australian with a bottle of champagne in his hand? A waiter.

That's really the only option, isn't it?

Give it a little bit of time before doing anything. You posted recently that it hadn't peeled yet, and often when a tattoo hasn't totally healed the lines don't have the crispness that they will once the tattoo is properly settled in. This is maybe a tougher pill to swallow, but sometimes, even if there are bits that aren't perfect on the tattoo, that's okay because you're talking about something handmade on skin. It inevitably will have flaws and imperfections and that those are beautiful in their own way.

You are fine. Back pieces are a huge commitment and traditionally done in small increments and chipped away at over long periods of time. It's totally normal to discuss with your artist what kind of time frame your funds will allow. They're just happy to have your business. This forum is a tiny subset of a tiny subset of the population. Very few people have the time, money, and dedication to blast through a back piece in a few months. And depending on the design/style that might not even be possible. For example something like a dragon with a million scales will take longer than something without. Don't act like they are doing you a favor by tattooing you. You're the customer. Talk to your artist, you might be surprised to find that most of them are super super nice and cool people. And if they're not, go somewhere else, my 2 cents.

Counting down the hours at the airport bar. Appts with EQ tonight and SB tomorrow. I am very excite.

It's going to be on my calf so maybe I should invest in some maxi skirts - though it's hard to find ones that don't swallow you when you're 5'1". I'll check out H & M too. Thanks everyone!