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Flash by Cap Coleman; tattoo by Franz Stefanik

Mine on the left by Chad Koeplinger, 2013, done at Frith Street, London (photo also by Chad, straight after it was finished). My dad's on the right by Bob 'Eagle' Smith, 1970/71 (photo taken last week) Oxford, England.

1 shot Zeis Tiger/Snake by Jason Phillips at FTW in Oakland, CA. Jason slays both Japanese and American traditional. If you're ever in the Bay Area, you should definitely book an appointment with him. So happy with how this turned out. So glad I don't ever have to tattoo my chest ever again.

You don't have to find the "best in the world" to get a great tattoo... My boss has been tattooing 18 years, is a local guy who hasn't done conventions in around a decade, and does tattoos that would hang with anything posted on here on a daily basis. And he's not expensive, either. People here post by folks that I've never heard of that are local guys, who kill it on a daily basis as well. There's no excuse anymore to get a bad tattoo in whatever style, other than laziness when it comes to learning about what you are trying to get. If you want advice, take advice. If you want to work it out on your own, work it out on your own. But don't respond poorly to advice, then claim you're being treated like crap because people respond in kind. Also, not to be rude, but if you're happy with the quality of the tattoo you first posted, then insult Adam Hays' work like that (intentionally or not)... I don't know that there's a lot of room to talk there. As far as everyone seeming like they're giving you the same advice, it's because we really do want you to get a good tattoo. But it's not good trying to shoehorn in a million meanings to every tattoo, or get things that may look cool on paper but will look like a mess when it's tattooed, let alone in 10 years, 20 years, or 30 years. Don't think so literally, and if you can't help but do that, find a tattooer you like, and let them be creative for you. It's their job. p.s.- Did anyone else see how heavy handed I was trying to be with the red pill/blue pill thing earlier? - - - Updated - - - Double post, my bad. But, as a personal example... My roommate in college and one of my best friends in life and I really, really like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Wanted to get bro tats for the movie. Didn't get Hunter's face, or Ralph Steadman art. We got daggers with some elements themed to references from the book/movie, and half of the phrase we both liked the most. He got the lizard dagger, I got the bat dagger. He has since completed the set, I'm waiting to go see him in Arizona to get my lizard dagger. 5 years later, by the way, and they look just as like they did then, and the guy who did mine gave me the chance to work in this business and make a living. (also, us goofing around midway through- https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/60231_781027023591_1119459_n.jpg?oh=d2c37e1947a7af9f4e64268e6b5805ac&oe=54727246)

I try to be a smart ass as often as possible in real life too :)

Todays action. Tibet dagger-thing, or it could look like some other things depending on your imagination capacity. By super great guy Adde Ramstedt - - - Updated - - - @RickSanchez Seek out Michael Aul and have him conjure up something based on that photo, I bet he'd make it work.

As it's payday my deposits finally went down for Todd noble and Valerie Vargas, :)

Dude, the Matrix is like the #1 movie for 30-something white dudes who think they're deep. There's no danger of people not "getting" it. People are trying to give you advice because you're sacrificing something that will look good for something that you perceive as meaningful and unique. Get whatever you want and what makes you feel good, but this shit ain't special.

I just said that Matrix tattoos aren't particularly special? You're not finding anything because tattoos like that rarely look good, which is why it's not a great idea.

next time you ASK for ADVICE consider NOT asking if you already KNOW you won't LISTEN.

We are supposed to know what it means?! Fuck I need to figure my shit out.

Dude. All these ideas...you're killing us. Just go get tattooed. The more you get tattooed the less you worry about if each tattoo has some significance.

Not. A. clue. Actually I'm hoping Jill can help me narrow it down to what works best with what I already have. I think I'll go munewari style though. So far I narrowed it down to: 1) Paired Tennyo 2) Dueling Tengu 3) Myth of Izanami-no-Mikoto & Izangi-no-Mikoto (Shinto creation of Japan story). 4) Myth of the god Susanoo-no-Mikoto battling Yamata no Orochi (8 headed/8 tailed dragon). 5) 2 Deities. No idea which but peaceful soothing looking ones rather than aggressive Myo-o type. My Shinto/Buddhist diety knowledge sucks. 6) Pairing 2 (of 4) armor clad Heavenly Kings, buddhist protectors of the 4 directions. Similar to the Chinese dragon, phoenix, tiger, tortoise/snake idea. I already have a dragon (east) and a phoenix (south) on my arms so possibly Tamonten (Bishamonten), Guardian of the North & Komokuten, Guardian of the West. 7) A solitary Bishamonten incarnation as Tobatsu Bishamonten depicted in the 3 headed 10 armed version riding atop a lion but how that would work in munewari format, I'm not sure. Of course I could just go full torso (but with no background) with Tobatsu Bishamonten or Yamato-no-Orochi. How cool would that be to have an 8-headed dragon chest piece! Boom!!! There's probably one other idea I'm forgetting right now but after she rolls her eyes at my indecisiveness, I'm hoping Jill can say,"These work, those don't, I really like this one the best.". She didn't much like my original subject thoughts because she felt it would dilute the strength of my back piece subject.

@Graeme YES, the meta-troll. you just broke the internet.

I sincerely hope the 1% of doubt is because you're also thinking of getting this as a tattoo:

Yeah, the worst part is already done. The rest is way more tolerable. Here's my new tattoo by Unmon at LTW (Barcelona). Line by machine, shading using tebori (holy shit is it slow!) A classical samurai and oni fighting. One session out of 3. Next one will be on september 9th

Bummer @Mark Bee and @El Dolmago! I'm working very hard to make it to this, but life has been hectic as usual... Keep you all posted if I do make it out. Would love to meet you all.

Personal meaning is not necessarily etched in the design. That CR skull & flames BrianH posted early in the piece, go for something along those lines, slammed fkn solid in that forearm. Then you can say it was a matrix inspired tattoo. WHOA no one will know what the fuck ya talking about. Cool [emoji106]

I understand that. But, isn't the point of a Rorschach image that it isn't actually anything, and is defined by the mental bias and psychological profile of the viewer? And doesn't making a Rorschach into a definable image sort of defeat the purpose of a Rorschach test card?

Been lurkin for a while, thought I would introduce myself. My name is Pete and I'm a tattoo junky. Got work from Scott Sylvia, Nick Rodin, Tim Lehi, Bryan Burk, Tony Hundahl, Shawn Barber, Rob Struven, Matt Arriola, Chad Koeplinger, and Justin Weatherholtz.

I can't believe this thread is 9 pages long... Dude - this has been said again, and again, and again and there's no way I'm going to be able to state it as eloquently as others but... Pick a couple of images that follow a theme, then bring them to a tattooer (a GOOD tattooer) and let them take care of the rest. You can have meaning all you want behind the tattoos, the tattooer doesn't care what they mean to you because they need to create a great tattoo. If you need to explain it to someone else, what it is (not why it is) then it's a poor tattoo. FWIW - I didn't get the whole batman/joker image in your current tattoo until someone else said it then I went back to look at the tattoo - tattoos should be easy to read...

All we care about is that you get a quality tattoo. That's all. WE DON'T CARE WHAT SPECIAL MEANING YOU PUT BEHIND IT OR HOW UNIQUE IT IS, THAT SHIT IS FOR TV SHOWS.

I wish this was true. Eight pages (so far!) of this thread says it isn't.

I love it so much when people do that!!! Looks great, @abees

Samurai woodblock motifs and green tea ice cream for me.

That's it, I'm checking it out this weekend. I'm actually getting tattooed by Espi soon, who's featured in the exhibit in one way or an another.

But chocolate is the best flavor of ice cream just like dragons are the best tattoo.

I agree with @jimmyirish....great looking photo, awesome landscape, but wouldn't be something I'm interested in if it were translated literally to a tattoo. To me it looks very serpentine. How about a serpent, snake or dragon in water or turning into water with the same basic colors of the picture?

I'm wrapping up the label/branding for my herbal products line, making herbal medicine, working on my blog, schtuff like that. Been pretty busy - looking forward to the long weekend and relaxing (and sleeping!!!)

There's a pic of my backpiece by Lehi in the eagle tattoo designs thread. Post #24 - - - Updated - - - I'll try to post some pics in the next couple days. Not to tech savvy, still rockin a flip phone.

Looks like a beautiful place but that just isn't going to work as a tattoo in my opinion.

Really excited with this fresh one on my knee, Tattooed by Norbert at Hunter and Fox in Sydney.

Hello everyone, My name is Gilles, just joining her so i can enjoy the galleries of awesome tattoos, to help me get inspired about tattoos for myself. Awesome sight, thanks for hosting such a wealth of tattoo pics. Just started my collection, I really enjoy traditional in the style of sailor jerry and ed hardy. I always knew that "stamps" (this is what my son calls tattoos haha) was something i wanted to get, but was anxious of the pain. finally went for it and now im drawing up ideas like a mad man ha. Hope to be a contributing member of this awesome community. A little about me Im a Alberta boy, grew up in rural northern Alberta (yah its cold up here). I work service rigs, i love riding my mountain bike (trail rider) and i have 2 awesome sons that are the world to me. Well thats the coles notes version. Hope to meet some local peeps.

I got my first tattoo at classic. i think that's where ill be getting this one done. hopefully by Lucas. i also have looked into ollies work, the good news is i waited so long to get tattooed i have lots of prime real estate to work with haha

Welcome Pete. Your back piece looks amazing. Would love to see the whole thing though. Sounds like you have quite the collection.

no offense taken. it was a fun thread of nonsense with some good advice sprinkled in. - - - Updated - - - I want this in fancy lettering.

Close up of mine, by Chad Koeplinger. (Healed)

Skulls. Cookies and cream.

I like tigers more! And mint chocolate chip so :cool:

My pug the day I got it done, first tattoo :)

I plan to make an appointment this evening for my next work. I know the tattoo will not please many (most, maybe) here because a) it has a lot of significance to me and my life, b) it has a religious tone, and c) it is not traditional. Anyway, here is the idea. The artist that did my dolphins and patrol pin is very good with detail work and has done some dotwork very well, so I will be asking her to do it. I will ask her to clean up the borders and make them a bit bolder, and do something with the font without making it hard to read. The dots represent the world's population ~100000 people per dot (many overlap). The text has been my motto since the 70s. I try to stay with it, but of course I fail. It has been hard to find a good representative map as most I've found are projections that distort land area, more so toward the poles(Greenland often shows larger than the USA, when it is actually 1/3rd the area). I found one that was a global peel, and pasted a properly sized Greenland (cut in half on most peels) onto it after removing the lat+lon and other lines, then squeezed the Atlantic. I want it wrapped around my right upper arm from as high on the shoulder as she wants to go to about 1" above the elbow crease.

Been on a wait list coming up on 2 years for a tattooer in my city. Received an email invitation to come down to his studio and get traced out measured up for my backpiece! This tattooer is super low-key, off the radar, underground but is known as THE best, most precision tattooer in town. This man has kept the mystery in tattooing for me since the beginning. He did my first tattoo, my first big tattoo and did my sleeve in his private studio. So it will be a big milestone coming up for have him make a back tattoo. (Sorry folks, I'm withholding his name until the project is underway, don't want to jinx anything!). Really looking forward to the experience and excited as the backpiece will tie in all my existing tattoos as a full bodysuit over the course of the upcoming winter. Tattoo season is upon us!!!

This happened yesterday. @cltattooing did an awesome job, had a really fun experience. Super fun shop, great people all around. Thanks again Carolyn! It was great to meet you and I'm super pumped with my tattoo! (Hopefully this works right. I suck with technology)

Henrik Grysjberg out of France, while guesting at Off the Map Nw. Such a great dude. http://www.henrik-tattoo.com/

Really love these by Rico at Daruma Goya in Japan

working on this one tonight.