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I did! Kind of. I made it to Three Tides in Tokyo where I had a wonder experience all around and ended up with a nice little dragon head by Ganji. [/img]

got my second tattoo from claudia de sabe today needless to say i'm extremely happy with it (and sore) on the back of my upper arm

Grez at Kings Ave tomorrow afternoon!

Hello. Gloomy here making my entrance. Tattooing, on and off since I was 22. Seriously for about three years now. Much more to learn of course, but I'm not one to have a big head. I'm very much into the "old masters" although people like Paul Booth, Caleb Morgan, and many more I can't think of at this early hour for me. I'm writing as well as gearing up to start a shop here in Central Florida, although there are so many fine artists here, truly, that I'm humbled every day to see fine work, and being my worst critic, strive to do the best work I can. I'm pretty gregarious. I'll pull a hunk of pork chop out of my mouth, put my beer down, and run after an old guy or gal on the off chance that they'll tell me about an old green one. The wonderful thing about tattooing that I feel sometimes we miss is that we're artists, we have more in common than not. There is room for everyone, it isn't going to die. Sure, the art will on skin, as we all have a shelf life. The flash, the machines, the crazy, scary, and down right funny stories (and what is up with the old time guys and monkeys? My grandfather had one once, terrible stories he told me, and every time I hear about an artist with a monkey I brace myself for something worse) that bind us, rather then tear us apart. It's not us against us, no matter what the back biting of the current and past maybe. For me it's balance always. I'm a 'mersh artist, I just happen to be one with a really friggin' cool jobby job. You can't go swimming without getting wet, so I put on my mask and snorkel and dive deep into as much of the art, the history of it, and the mechanics as I can. From making machines, tuning (things I'll admit I'm getting better at, but still I'm way lame), to cutting acetates, to dealing with people of all walks as we do these days, to taking classes with the retired folks at the library on watercolors. My goal is not to be the best, as Stoney St. Clair (a true inspiration when I'm feeling burned out) said, "Just as good as the rest." Sometimes I get asked what I do best. My answer is simple: clean, quality work. You walk away happy, smiling, and without a fatal liver disease. I do have other interests too. I love to write, and I'm doing some tattoo history research, albeit slowly, as well as working on a novel about tattooing, revenge, and redemption set right before world war two. I'm a big US Civil War buff. I've played music since I was 12 and have not let up on that either. Somehow, I even find time to be with my stunning woman, who I have no idea what she sees in me. All that aside I have a bit of the rebel in me. I hated school from the first day of kindergarden. It was a 14 year (I wasn't held back, but I was too big for another year of the little kid stuff, and too dumb for 1st grade) prison sentence. Even in art class, even though I didn't know what flash was, that's the kind of stuff I would draw. I used to be a bad kid. Anything I could think to do I would. Took me a long time to realize that my Mom, one of the five best women I know, had raised me with manners. Like to 27! I got a DUI. I liked to play two hand tag. Stay out late with the boys and I got my first ink on my 18th birthday, the first in my family. My sister may have beaten me in tattoo numbers by now. I dunno. These days though I try to take things slow, reason them out, and keep my head about me with a liberal dose of humor, much of which I pointed right back at me. I have a terrible temper that I try to control, and every now and again flares up big time. More often then not though it's for about five minutes, and then I have doughnut and some coffee and babble about the fierce look on Cap Coleman's mug, or how on my 10th birthday all I wanted was a Gameboy. That same day Paul Rodgers passed away and now I'd sell my left hand (yeah, I'm a lefty. Bad genes. I know. I know...) for a honest to goodness J frame or Mad Bee. Might just have to make it myself, ja? I'm currently learning German, and as well, even though I have no business doing it, I'm drawing with my best bro, who has recorded much of my music and puts up with my pique, and plays mean drums and keys, and he's into the idea of tattooing now too. We're learning from each other, bouncing ideas back and forth, delving into all sorts of dark corners of this "black art". Um... hmmm. I like animals. I hope one day someone asks me for a sheep tattoo rather then a wolf. My sister is 100 times the artist I am. She can paint! I'm just rocking the high end of bum, the lowest bottom man on the pyramid of greatness. If I can pull myself up to just being a solid worker, I'll feel pretty good. I expect nothing, but I will show all of you respect, and will do my best to help, inspire (such as I can), prod, poke and joke all of you, be you artist or client, into being better then me. Which certainly won't be hard for you all. All the best, and I mean it! -Gloomy Gus PS- Trust yourself in everything and you can't lose.

So I have been away for over a week on vacation, no internet. Logged on today, saw that there was a bunch of posts in this thread, and started to catch up. Got halfway through @mmikaoj 's post and decided to leave it until tonight after my son's soccer practice. While there I was talking to my buddy's wife, who apparently hasn't seen me in shorts since December. So I proceeded to answer just about every single question on here - pain, cost, meaning, where, why, etc., etc. Started out like this: Her- "Whoa, when did you get that?!? Me - "December" Her- "What's the meaning??" Me - "It means I have an awesome panther on my leg. With a sword. And some roses." Her - "Oh, three roses! For your wife and two kids. Me - "Uh....OK" I felt like the conversation was happening because of this thread.

Started my back with Aaron Coleman last weekend.....shit hurts so bad haha. Got through 4 hours of lining the back and butt, next session lining the thighs and hopefully some background.

After a month off back with Horitomo on Saturday and Jill the following Saturday.

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

New-ish to Texas, finally got over to Rock of Ages. Got talking to Dreyfus about Steve Byrne's availability, before long my girlfriend interjected that we needed to discuss how we were going to pay for an upcoming trip. I agreed, we left, and then I went right home and called the shop the next day anyways. Snagged a Friday afternoon in October :cool: Haven't decided what I'm going to get. Instead, I'm going to see if he has any ideas about filling one of the last (kind of awkward) spots on my arm. Way excited.

Just thought I would say thanks to all that are pulling for me. As to Myles, dude, I hear you, however I like to think that people here, tattooers, collectors, all of us, have something together that people who don't wear tattoos will never have. Hey, people may look at me like I'm sick, but I just make 'em laugh. Determination can do wonders for you, and nothing can focus the mind like the thought of your own demise. And hey, you only get the one go round, no one gets to be here for the whole time, and you gotta make the best of what time you have, use it. That's why I'm looking into starting my own machine company. Nothing pretty, but all US made, coils and all. Brass no less too! To else, here is my abridged bucket list: 1. Marry my woman. 2. Start and finish my back piece (from an 1860s photo of a female Samurai) 3. Make machines and tattoo as long as I can. 4. Visit Norway and Germany. Norway is where my Grandfather, now 91, is from. 5. Finish my books I've been writing. 6. Make amends with those in my family and old friends who have not gotten along with. 7. Tell the rest of the mo-fos to eat cat poop. .... Y'all get the idea.

@bongsau sorry for your loss. I had my ribs punished on Sunday by Andre Malcolm, who also did finished a Kirin on my brother the day before. The sunday was one of the hardest sessions I've done, mostly due to a very enthusiastic drinking host the evening before, can't speak highly enough of the guys at Skull and Sword though, really looked after us out of towners! Would have loved to meet up with some of you Bay Area types, but was pretty much a fly in/fly out deal. Next time! *damn you tapatalk, see Instagram @__andre_skullnsword__

I love the contact info on their website. After a deposit, they will disclose phone number and location, and then keep it to yourself. Definitely piqued my curiosity with that alone.

Hooper. Left side of my squid pants.

@BrianH Henning and Mike usually share a booth at the Montreal convention so you should have plenty of chance to talk ideas with him while you're getting tattooed.

I'll be in there Oct 20th.

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.

I just want to say that I read this thread now and then and my heart just sinks. I appreciate that this is a place where many of you feel comfortable sharing some of what you're going through, and I only hope that it offers you some measure of relief and comfort to know that many of us are thinking of you, and all of us are pulling for you

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.

Nicely put. When ya put it out there, ya sometimes think...fuck! kick ya toe, why did I do that for! but that summary @Gloomy Inks nails it as to why I kinda took a punt to throw some shit in as well. Yeah, we don't know exactly what we're dealing with on line at the best of times, but I kinda feel we're in pretty good company here. I only fit in with one type of people, our kinda people. Dudes I'll probably never ever meet in person here have still pointed me in the direction in sourcing out shit for my bikes and stuff. Taken the time to send a PM to steer me in the right direction. That's genuine shit, so I'm just being genuine back. @Gloomy Inks again, you got a real good disposition with your shit man. I was reading your blog, and that's strength brother! You have much more than most going on dude. Sweet. Oh, and if ya ever on the East Coast of Aus. Let me know, my shout at the bar.

Hotel sheets have probably had a lot worse on them than leaky fresh tattoos, I don't worry about it that much. I think the gory bandage in the bathroom garbage can is a lot grosser, personally.

^^ hilarious! I love the "Uh...OK"

I finally bought the Charnos Armery tights for covering my arms at work with short sleeved shirts. I'm pretty psyched about how they fit. The other type of arm sleeves I tried (I think it was tat2x sleeves) didn't work for me, they would fall down and bunch up at the top. These sleeves are great because it goes around your back, all one piece so it can't slip down. It makes it possible for me to wear this short sleeve shirt to work without having to put another shirt on underneath or cardigan on top. The sleeves don't quite come all the way to my wrists, good thing my tattoos don't either... Here's a before & after: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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

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.

Dude... That sucks. My sister has a whole bunch of the cafe au lait spots and we've always wondered if that's what she has. So far so good for her though. I have my own incurable thing... I've posted about it some, and it's actually what led me here in the first place. The way I look at it is this - there are no guarantees at all. I could step off the curb and get hit by a bus tomorrow. "now" is all you can count on. I try my best to fully inhabit "now". The future is fuck scary. The past, it's gone. I want every moment I have to be as happy and good as possible, so I focus on the good, attend to the things that make me happy, and try to let all the rest of it go.

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.

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

I'm sure they think we're downright freaky ;)

Love it!!

Maybe we were all out getting tattooed that day.

Nice!

I had about 3 years to figure out what I wanted. With regards to the appointment, I could have had an appointment within the first couple months after finally coming to Dana because he was really in to the idea, but I had to wait for various reasons. So the wait ended up longer than it had to, but yes there were plenty of mind games the entire time. The commitment is very demanding, but I can tell you that if I had 2 backs, I would do it all over again. Anything Mike will throw on you will be awesome, so at least you won't have to worry too much. My leaning has always been deities/characters over animals, but that's just me.

OK. You got me now. You ride? What does it take to ride as a tourist there? I've always been slightly scared of Australia, what with the snakes, spiders, those worms that bite the soles of you feet, the dingos... and those kangaroos. I'm scared of 'em I mean, you think, "Oh how cute!" Then they pummel you, take your money and shove it in their pockets and VOOOOOM! Gone.

I always worry about these things, I like to stay in good hotels and feel guilty when I wake up and there's a large rock of ages printed on some Egyptian cotton, I know it washes out though so it's not to bad just a bit rank for the cleaners, but I've also started packing extra cling film tape and a flannel to clean it off before and after bed

My most recent deadlift was 225lbx6.

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

Look on the bright side- do you know how famous The Elephant Man is? But seriously. Dude this is horrible, you can get legions on your eyes and become blind, your bones can warp and break and never mend themselves, limbs grow misshapen and alien, it can even mutate into cancer. I've never even heard of something so awful. Have any symptoms arisen yet? If so, what are they? That really really sucks man- but now is the time to do everything you've always wanted. Live an adventure. Travel with only a backpack to foreign countries and live the life of a vagabond seeing the world and meeting people. I'm not saying you better fulfill your bucket list- but you have got to Live man.

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

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.

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

Couldn't resist booking a little one with El Monga while I'm in Barcelona. I'm getting a frog because I really love frog tattoos, and I really love El Monga's tattoos so it's going to be super cool and fun.

Grez just made this one on me a few hours ago... I'm in love.

Had a consult for my back, got it traced, and we're going with a tiger fighting a snake with wind, water, and maple leaves, starting July 24. It's going to be so rad, I'm really excited to get started.

Picked up this lil' thigh giblet while on vacation in Japan in 2013 from the (then) Hiroshi Hirakawa at Three Tides Tattoo, Osaka

Might as well post this one up. Got this last week from David Mushaney from RebelMuse Tattoo in Lewisville, TX, just outside of Dallas. I couldn't be happier!

Throw me L side in. Crocodile (from my Croc fighting days :)) & my ugly looking bat. Tattooer CP, Australia. @polliwog. I love that Eagle. F_uck_ing rad.

Guess I'll throw this in for this month. The only black & gray piece I have, and hopefully not the last. By Yoni Zilber.

Thanks! Timm McKenny did the peony. He is now at Sink or Swim Tattoo in KC, Missouri. Forgot I had this thread. Am working on the cover up. I already posted these in the latest tattoo thread but they fit here too. Dom at Big Brain in Omaha, Nebraska is doing it. More work gets done in August.

Really, really hard to get a pic of this little FILIP LEU that was way up on the wall: Jason Kundell of Artwork Rebels: Andre Malcom, Analog Tattoo: Joey Armstrong, Seventh Son: An awesome event all around.

chris trevino