Leaderboard

Not every cool design or style makes a good tattoo. - - - Updated - - - the land of entitlement in the age of narcissism. I got tattooed as a "fuck you" to society. It's still why I do it. No matter how many folks try to water it down.

I'll agree with Graeme, Yann is well known in Mtl and does good work in his style. You shouldn't sweat it too much, when you friend gets tired of this piece he can still get a giant solid black panther blasted over everything. Third time is the charm they say.

Booked in with Bert Krak and Eli Quinters on the Saturday! Mad excited about it, just gonna see what i like the look of on the day.

After about a year of injuries and a slow return to running, I started my 14 week plan for the Philadelphia Half Marathon today. I haven't hit the track in quite a while, so it felt good to get out there and knock out some 600s. It's a pretty conservative plan so I probably won't come too close to my PR from two years ago, but I'll just be happy to get through it and to the starting line healthy.

Most of us have been there before. Stay positive. Even a few spots of ink loss become less obvious after a few months of settling into the skin.

Kyle Hollingdrake who tattoos at the Okey Doke in Toronto wrote a thing about a specific design website, parts of which relate to the matter at hand:

Your sarcastic remarks are not appreciated. Please let me engage in quality conversation about quality tattoos without further tattitude from you mister tatty mctat pants.

Hi all, I'm a self confessed tattoo virgin currently planning my first tattoo down here is sunny NZ. I've wanted a tattoo for a while but to be honest I've found the whole journey a little intimidating, I feel I hit on what I really wanted about 12 months ago and I've spent that that time NOT getting that tattoo in order to make sure it's something I really want. In the meanwhile, I was inspired by reading Magpie Hall (and NZ novel about tattoos) and Bodies of Subversion (a fantastic non fiction book about women and tattoos)... I'm a librarian, can you tell? Anyhow, I've found it quite hard to find quality advice around tattoos, not being part of the typical tattoo crowd (though I'm starting to learn there's no such thing). Looking forward to tapping into the gold mine of info on LST!

My poor butt! You can see the beads of blood already forming on the lotus on the left side. Butt is finished. Not much left! I swear this towel was clean before we started. And I got to add a new color to my stained fundoshi. Purple!

I live in Montreal and I see Yann Black's tattoos around a fair bit. They are 100% not my thing, but it's solid work and you can read his tattoos from across the street. Style and taste is another thing but I think for what his tattoos are they're well done.

Just wanted to say thanks again to those that gave me advice - two days work now done and I feel very sore, but happy. Found a bra that could go into a halterneck, which was perfect for my back today, and I have just tucked my vest strap into it.

Not one dagger, rose, panther, snake, or eagle on that first page. PASS

Kristen, Watch this, and listen closely to what Chris is talking about (especially around the 2 minute marker). Hopefully it will enlighten and educate you a bit.

I see what you did there.

You mean tattoo artists, "tattoo design" websites are a scam and a "tattoo designer" isn't a thing.

A tattoo enthusiast has tattoos. You're a tourist at best.

Just booked Jimbo @ Blvd Tattoo Co. for Saturday to do my outline. First tattoo ever...

the half is a great distance but there is something about the full - the pain of the finish - being there and sharing that with others something special about it i love as you approach the halfway point in philly - that band of crazies in costumes dancing it up anyway - i have also done the NJ @ jersey shore 2x and AC 1x nothing compared to a bigger city marathon like philly i think baltimore will be fun too i also have my eye on a few for the spring (cincy, pitt, DC) i already have NJ in the book again but looking for a 2nd also have an eye on some ultras - i know i could gut out a 50K but these guys (and girls) that do 50's and 100's crazy stuff - maybe one day

@marley mission Nice! I did the Philly full three years ago as my first marathon. It went pretty well, but I made a lot of the first timer mistakes. Haha. The next year I ran the last half of it pacing a friend who was doing his first. It's a nice race for the most part. I wanted to do the full again, but I don't think my base is where I want it to be, and I'd end up just being unhappy with it. I figure the half would be a nice return to racing. Good luck there and in Baltimore! I've heard that's a nice race. @cutlexciter When is the Richmond marathon? How's your training been?

@ThatGuy, your back piece is really amazing, I'm surprised you don't just walk around with your top off anyway ;)

Anything really, but don't just post for the sake of posting. Provide something of substance. Dig through old threads. There are a lot of good, long-running posts on here. Ask questions. Provide commentary with something more than "cool tat!" And welcome.

For me, I'm all about balance. I'm slowing chipping away at all my limbs. I couldn't have one limb completely filled while the others are blank. I think the last spot I'll ever have are those weird inner thigh spots.

You are totally correct. Once I upgraded to the newest version of the Flash, it enlarged so I could read it. I also agree, it is an interesting read.

I use Chrome and it worked fine with it, so it could just be a browser issue.

This is the internet, man. We all know what we're talking about! Welcome.

i remember the feeling i had on my first session of my back when the machine started up and then cut into me for the first couple of lines. i thought, this is completely retarded. i'm never even going to see this thing..

No idea. He's bringing a book of 100+ designs so will choose one on the spot.

I doubt you'll answer this.... can you share some photos of your designs and the final tattooed result?

So pleased I'm all done with my back.

I'm trying to come up with something witty to say, but I think @Graeme and @BrianH have covered it... Being a highly respected/regarded tattooer/tattoo artist who creates sheets of flash that folks can choose from, then have individualized from there, that are based in sound tattooing practices and aesthetics, is simply wonderful and part of a long-standing tradition. I see no value in pre-made designs such as these. They are generic at best and cost the consumer more in the long run for something that a basic relationship with a quality tattoo artist should be able to accomplish. If folks think that this is the way to go, then IMO they should not be getting tattooed. And... fellow needle-phobe here - tattooing is totally not the same as getting a shot or blood drawn, and the "pain" is super temporary and no worse than menstrual cramps.

I'm sold.

Sounds perfectly reasonable.

Why would someone do that?

So I end up paying more?

Ladies and gentleman, he's back!

How much do you charge?

I'll just leave this here: Pallbearer: Foundations of Burden | Advance | Pitchfork Their first album rules if you haven't heard it: Pallbearer

Enjoy it man! Good luck staying away from the pain-in-the-ass reps trying to get you into clubs... Maybe they will start calling you "tattoo boy" as well - haha.

I'm a lefty. I've learned by watching and most importantly, listening. It doesn't matter where the sideplate faces or what side the desk is on. You just might have to move around a little bit more. I'm more baffled that your mentor told you to look online instead of figuring out what he/she should be doing differently on their own. Good luck! Or good luck?

I realized it was fireworks, but I didn't see immediately that they were originating with hearts. I like it fine. If it was me, I'd probably ask a good artist if it could be enhanced with some black or something and make it pop a little more. Nothing extreme. Just my opinion. But like others have suggested, wait until it's fully healed before you make any decisions.

so here is my contribution to this old thread. Done by Amy Kinsell from Modern Body Art UK. Done at the Cardiff Tattoo and Toy convention, the theme was Star Wars (at the con) so naturally I had to go with the same theme for my tattoo... :)

Dean Bloebaum at Infinity here in Portland made this one for me. He has a few cobras in his flash and I've always liked his skulls, so I said "Cobra-dagger-skull" and this is what he came up with. I'm stupid stoked with how this turned out. Edit: Even before the color was added I thought it was pretty cool.

So here's my super awesome lady head by Kim Anh Nguyen, done at the Montreal Convention last year.

I'm gonna submit the smallest tattoo to win the monthly contest (ok, not really, that back, gahhhh)! RAT HEADS GET NOTHIN' BUT CHEESE Y'ALL, done by Cody Miller at Blackheart. Photo pilfered from his Instagram.

So Chad finished my back recently. Here it is.

My oldest daughter wanted to slam some bullshit passage down her rib panel. I said, sweetheart...I love you, but if you ruin prime real estate like that with shit text, I'll be forced to trade you for another daughter with more brains. She's 25 this year and has learned the sound advice given by her father.

You can lighten it up by disassembling it and drilling some holes in the frame. Voila, re-assemble and you're good without buying a new machine. Try it! I also am not sure you will sell that on this forum, no offense intended. I've never heard of this company before and they do not seem to be tattooers, thus making 2 strikes against them for myself and others. Good luck though.

My back is in progress and last session I realized that getting one's back tattooed is like getting your ribs done all over again. I foolishly thought going into it... "At least my ribs are done. Nothing could hurt that bad." If I'd given it an ounce more thought and considered the anatomy involved I might have realized that ribs wrap from front to back... fucking duh! I told Scott we will be finishing this thing in 30 minute increments. What a cry baby I've become in my old age.