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was in sf last week got this from jeff rassier. super happy about it reaper1 reaper2

Thanks for the interest but... people have no problem asking personal questions on the internet huh? But to be less abrasive: Soap will be working at Modern Classic in Fulham, London one week each month... then we'll see what happens. There are myriad factors to consider after that but the long-term goal is for him to work full time eventually. The "status" of Lab Monkey for the coming months is the same as it has been for years - it's open, with Soap and others (currently Adam) doing tattoos. If Soap sells his existing shop isn't really anyone's business but his own. Same deal if he gives it to unicorns, another tattooer, or simply closes the doors forever. Whatever happens, Soap himself will give appropriate information. Yes, Lab Monkey is the first shop I did a tattoo in. While I was still struggling to learn, without structured guidance and tattooing out of my house, Soap graciously offered to let me sit in at his place for a week. That was the first time I tattooed people that I didn't already know. I'd been tattooing for about a year at that point. I've tried to return when my schedule allows. The information we've given about the shop is all that we've had the time to prepare. It's been a hectic 12 months preparing the shop. Especially hectic since the end of August when we got legal access to the premises. There's also been a bunch of conventions, visitors and regular work to do with Frith Street while getting our new space ready. - To answer another frequently asked question: Everybody at Frith Street knew about our shop since the end of 2013. They have all been supportive, interested and helpful with myself, Valerie and our new manager. Especially Naomi and Dante. It's easy to leave a shop on sour terms. Not so easy to keep it sweet. Sometimes we don't get a choice. So Valerie and I have gone to great lengths to preserve our working and personal relationship with everyone at Frith Street. I will keep my Sunday appointments there for the foreseeable future. Rest assured, we will make public updates with relevant information in due course, when time allows. Right now, we're concentrating on opening a street-level, regular tattoo shop that's practical and convenient for the people who work there and the people who want to get tattooed there. Your best bet for reliable info is the shop Instagram, Twitter and website. Keep 'em peeled!...

Was able to get a three legged money toad (Jin Chan) from Takashi Matsuba (IG: traditionaltool) last night. The shading was done by hand (tebori) which is a first for me. Also the first piece I've gotten where the artist drew it on first as opposed to using a stencil. Can't wait to see the white all healed up and yellowed a bit. That's also three tattoos in three weeks. Feels good to have a break and be able to plan my next pieces :).

My new piece from Matt Houston done on a trip to Amsterdam at Salon Serpent. Real nice guy and had another great experience in this shop. I tried to get in with Matt before in Vancouver but time was against me so super happy to nab an appt this time. Flames go up back of elbow and still healing ( it sucks!) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Graeme Too bad you don't have something lined up for when you are in NYC later this month! Reposted/stolen from Yoni's instagram: http://instagram.com/p/u9m5YGMGjb/ I don't know how to load a picture via instagram, sorry.

I hate posting the same pic over and over again, but i want a LST shirt! Done by Shige. Pics do this piece no justice.

Going in to get my arm worked on tomorrow - ditch/ elbow fun!

Post-outline, pre-shading for me today! I can't believe I remembered to take a picture!

THANKS! @Lance, @SeeSea, @Cork, @hogg, @Mick Weder, @Fala, @Mush, @MrToby, @DeathB4Decaf, @misterJ I was very excited to see Henning again and get more work done on my back but it was tough couple of sessions. Long hours and in very tender spots made me question my sanity and whether I will ever consider starting another tattoo project, hahaha. Henning consulted several old woodblock print references for inspiration on colors and added his own unique take on them. He felt combination of muted colors on the body and bright tail feathers would not only make the phoenix "pop" but also simultaneously compliment and contrast off of Rubendall's dragon colors. Needless to say I'm very happy with how it turned out. Happy everyone is enjoying the progress with me. Cheers!

@MoistTowelette Although it would be well deserved, it looks like your need for shirts is almost over :cool:

Augh Yoni is the best and that is so gorgeous! I am going to make you pull your pants down to show me in person because I am a creep.

UPDATE: Two days of brutality on my back with Henning. This go around we started coloring in the phoenix at Kings Avenue Tattoo. 7 hours on Friday in Long Island, then 6 more hours on Saturday in Manhattan. Henning thinks we need one more full session to complete everything. I think probably 2 more including any touch ups. By the way...I really really hate ribs...and spine....THE WORST. Enjoy the pics.

in cali all you need is a doctors note to grow a money tree!

In my neighborhood, having a money tree is called "robbing drug dealers" but somehow @Pugilist thinks this is a really bad idea. I don't get it, it's not like they're going to go to the cops to report being robbed.

I was hoping that maybe I'd be able to squeeze in something small but unless I come across that much desired bag full of money I'm always keeping an eye open for, there's no way I can afford it. Besides, I want something big from Yoni.

Honestly......I really don't see the huge deal with this "I won't do them" posts If the people know up front that they may need some maintenance then what is the big deal? Customer walks in....you tell them up front the deal....they still want it....make them sign something saying you told them.....do the tattoo! My thumbs....including the sides have held up perfectly fine for 3 years now....and I am not talking script...i am talking images..... If done by the right person then fingers can hold up....maybe not forever.....but just go get them touched up every year or two or three when they need it! If you work with your hands it is less likely to hold up....of course! But if you sit behind a keyboard and take care of your tattoos then they will hold up longer! There are ways of making them last longer......techniques that were shared with me before I even started tattooing to make tattoos hold longer! If you want it done and you know the possibility is there you'll have to pay to get it touched up in the future......(prob shop min)....then go get it done! Just my opinion of course! - - - Updated - - - Sorry.....this may be based on "science and society" but this is not in every case.....and I don't think it's all that constructive or helpful! It basically is trying to talk people out of getting tattooed in areas this artist doesn't want to tattoo anymore.....at least it reads that way to me! Tell people up front and let them make the decision! Now if you don't have the skill to put it in without blowing it out.....that's another story! Send them to someone with more experience! Sending them to someone who has the experience to do it shows the customer you truly care about their tattoo and not the money in their pocket! Society moves forward by those willing to push the boundaries......not falling in line with the rest of the sheeple! Yes.....inform the people what COULD happen to them.....and let them make their own minds! If this was written by someone with 30+ years in the craft.....I'd consider the advice! I was told 30 years ago the same thing.....society won't like it!!! guess what...they didn't....LOL......and I still have a better job than most of my friends who didn't get tattooed in 1984!

@Lance I have bonji from Horimitsu of the 8 Buddhist bosatsu at the end of my 3/4 sleeves. For my right arm, I chose to highlight my birth year character in red ink (Fugen) while the remaining characters are in black. Fugen is also associated with my birth year zodiac sign, the year of the dragon which I also have on my right arm so that goes very well together. On my left arm, I went with the same bosatsu but chose to highlight the Fudo character in red as he is the immovable one and I always love the look of the written bonji character. My own personal research indicates that with multiple characters, it normally variations of the 8 bosatsu or just a few of the characters. There are also mantra's that you mentioned. One I really like is the mantra of light from the Shingon school of Buddhism in Japan. Try this link for a little bit of research: The Mantra of Light Also, do you have a specific artist in mind? A lot of the Japanese artists that I've encountered are very well versed in Buddhist imagery and might be able to make some recommendations. Some non-Japanese artists like Jondix, Yoni Zilber, etc who have studied the Buddhist religion may also be good choices. (Both Jondix and Kiku did separate bonji characters around Troy Denning's neck)

@Pugilist - good thing I'm not modest!!!

On a related note, does anyone have information regarding bonji around the wrists/forearm or neck? I've seen (as posted here) beads often depict bonji of a specific deity, presumably of the bearer's birth year Protector (Kokuzo Bosatsu for me). For the style where multiple bonji is depicted, is this traditionally a mantra specific to one's Buddhist Protector or is it actually bonji of all 8 Buddhist Protectors of the zodiac? I've been wanting to do something around my wrists to cap my sleeves and bonji is probably the strongest of a couple options I'm leaning towards. Any help would be appreciated. @hogg, you briefly mentioned your bonji at the convention. Any further insights? Thanks all!

@Fala I just saw the picture on IG and it's so beautiful. I really need to get tattooed by him.

That skull on the head with rope is from Kitsune reference - You can search Kitsune tattoos or Kitsune mythology and find some good stuff!

Koji is at NY Adorned this week @Cork ;)

Just finished a session with Yoni at NY Adorned, will post a photo when I am less red and bloody! It's a wheel of life with lots of nice colors - oranges, blues, greens, reds. Super short 2.5 hour 1-off session, flew by save for my hip screaming at me for laying on it funny for that long. And dang is the fleshy bit near the hip the pits to have tattooed, I think I'd rather have my ribs tattooed again. Bummed that I don't have anything else planned with Yoni for a while.

got this one Halloween. A reward for losing 40 pounds. Kind of a spur of the moment thing. I had a couple ideas and really wanted to get one, but couldn't decide on one of the ideas I had, walked around for a couple hours while searching the internet for ideas and other designs, finally picked this one and walked in before I could change my mind. really happy with it. the first one that my mother actually liked, kinda, she still hates tattoos.

This!! Seth Wood.

What, you don't have a money tree growing in your backyard?! Ha! Now I REALLY want to start on my backpiece, too bad I don't have a magic money tree either...

@Stewart Robson - it is nobody's business but your own what happens with your life and career. You don't have to explain anything to anyone about what, who, or why things are or are not happening with yourself, Valerie or anyone else for that matter. With that said, thank you for your openness!

I went for my first sak yant tattoo in Chonburi Pattaya Thailand about 9 years ago, I had a small good luck tattoo done on my wrist similar to this: this is from the "home temple" of the Ajarn or teacher A couple of years later I went to a temple in Udonthani Thailand for a Gao Yord tattoo, cost me 99 baht or $3 and some required donations, I added 1000 baht or $33 donation to the temple, I had to "push the offerings on a plate towards the monk" as he could not accept money by hand. I am currently getting a full back tattoo at a local shop here, thats why I joined this forum to get info about pain medication. I have a stash of vicodin and valium from Cambodia bought OTC. I did the first session natural and it was tough..............

@Fala Yoni's attention to detail is AMAZING. Beautiful work!

@Fala I LOVE Yoni's work! So happy I was able to get some prints from him! Enjoy the new tattoo!

I would have, but I just used my little bit of tattoo $ today :rolleyes: His work is so great.

@BrianH ... damn, I was so wishing for new work on here. Ill be patient i promise wow @ironchef just wow I go back in the chair nov 22... that's like forever away

Thanks hogg!

Ok , so I missed this post when you made it in September, but just saw Valerie's post on IG today about it, and my mind was blown. I am wondering about the fact that Soap (who is a really nice guy and great tattooer) will be tattooing there though. What is happening with Lab Monkey tattoo in Stirling? Has he sold it, or will he still own it but work in the new London shop, or...? His own instagram (@soap138) mentions the new shop but doesn't mention the status of the old. If I'm not mistaken, Lab Monkey is where @Stewart Robson got started tattooing, or at least was a key part of his early tattooing career.

I only started getting tattooed five and a half years ago. These years has been very turbulent and challenging and, in the later years, also filled with positive learning experience on so many levels. I feel better than ever about myself and I now live a life where I am happy in the moment and also with where I am heading. The experience of getting tattooed more and more and learning about the art and culture has been like a companion through the struggles and personal development. Tattoos has often been a big part of my life so it's hard to separate what comes from what. One way for me to handle rough emotions has been to keep busy all the time, working for money. This money in turn needed to be channeled somewhere and I turned a lot of it into tattoos and travelling. So that was a delayed very positive side effect of negative emotions, new positive experiences. Tattoos have absolutely taught me to appriciate art more, different kinds of art. This has also been inspirational when it comes to drawing and painting my own stuff. Art of course ties into history, structures of society, religion, symbolism and culture: all things I that interest me now more then ever. The more I learn in these subjects, the more I get associations when looking at tattoos, which is also interesting. Tattoos and travelling to get tattoos has given me some very interesting meetings with people, and sent me to places I might not have visited otherwise. I've had many good conversations in tattoo shops and also made a few friends. Most of my friends that I met in other circumstances are not into tattoos, so I tend to not talk so much about tattoos with them. But to know some people that are as neerdy as me is a great joy. Some of these people have told me things that spiralled into new interestest and knowledge that I want to pursue. The experience of getting tattooed also gave some valuable lessons about pain and the body. I am more interested in sensations now than before, I used to be really inside my head and logical in my thinking. This was sometimes acting as a wall when it came to having good experiences so it was something I wanted to change. It's hard to say what's the egg and whats the chicken in this struggle but tattooing has been part of solving this problem and being more mindful and physical in many aspects. I am now more aware of my bodily sensations and I tend to enjoy them more. The tattoo process and the people I've met has also tied well into my interest in health care and nutrition. I also took a course in yoga recently, after friends and tattooers told me about the benefits. Getting tattooed quite heavily also did something to my body image. I am still not happy with the shape of some parts of my body but now at least they have very pretty wrappings. Also in relation to other people, who may view you differently when they see your tattoos, being a tattooed person has made me think new thoughts in social situations. Sometimes in makes me uncomfortable but not as much anymore, despite more and more coverage. It's funny because in many ways tattoos are more then something that I care deeply about and want to imerse myself in. At the same time it is "just tattoos". I think sometimes that other people, without tattoos, make it a bigger deal than it actually is. Like it's being fetishized and or stigmatized in many contexts. Some years ago I would still feel a bit uneasy when someone would ask me "what if you'll regret all this later on?". But now it is "just tattoos", there is so much more to me as a person than what I choose to make my skin look like. On the other hand I feel that I would take quicker showers if I wasn't admiring how damn cool/tough/pretty and sexy I look now. I could probably go on for a bit but I'll stop now. Tattoos has enriched my life a lot and I love it.

yup i'll be there doing the full 1:30? fast half! awesome philly is a blast - cant wait baltimore was tougher than i thought lots of hill honestly - i wasnt thrilled with the course either from an aethetic point of view but no regrets cool experience as always this is my 3rd philly though and i plan to keep on coming back my training is unorthodox i guess i did a bunch of long runs for baltimore but i wont be running again until philly just some road bike and skateboarding i dont follow set plans - kinda just do what i feel like doing which i probably should look at if i want to improve my PR which is a pretty slow 4:53 but i did do three 20 milers prior to b'more also of note is i run in the five fingers - seeya model - ultra minimalist my dream is to do one barefoot but you gotta build that base from zero its easy to rip holes in your feet if you get too ambitious :) been there done that good luck in your race!

From the past two days at Kings Avenue Tattoo in Long Island and Manhattan. Yesterday was a shitty day in terms of weather but the Manhattan location was packed with appointments and tons of walk-ins.

Had a planning session this morning, & the usual cold cider stubbies while mapping out the right foot we'll start drilling into in 4 weeks. An idea I've had for some time and some inspiration from a certain design by @daveborjes [emoji106] Thanks man, it's gonna fill the foot nicely. It's funny, doesn't matter how many tough sessions you sit through, that nervousness about embarking on new territory is always there. Love that shit.

Just got this guy at the yellow rose tattoo club by johnny tugboat! SENT FROM MY LG G FLEX ON THE NOW NETWORK FROM SPRINT!?✌

Kids love looking at tattoos so if you get some new ones it's kind of a present for everyone.

I can only speak from my own experience, but I have tattoos in the area you're referring to. They are over 2 years old and still look clean and tight. The white ink in one has since dropped out, but the shading and line work is fine. In the initial few days/weeks they tended to look a little blown out, but this seemed to sort itself out over time. The only time they look anything less than good is when my skin is really dry - but a little handcream fixes this.

Drew Flores from State of Grace just posted these (added to a Paco Excel sleeve): To me, they're perfect. Very simple, but just right.

The little bracelets of masks are super rad.

100% agree. I love my Japanese very simple with plenty of black. If the image is a Koi, then it should be with more Koi. Almost makes me cry when I see a dragon, a tiger, a mask flowers all crammed into one sleeve. Maybe an extreme example, but you do it see it. I always find myself looking through Horitoshi 1 and Hori Kyo facebook pages. Something so majestic about it. It would be interested to see a piece by Gogue, Shige or an artist of similar style after 20 years. I'm not sure how such intricate designs will hold up.

I'm in the same boat as you. I love the works of Shige and Gogue, but I prefer the traditional look. Add to that I used to think I wanted pieces with super details but I've come to realize while small details may be nice, big and bold leaves such an enduring image.

jesus christ my back killed. i tried to brave it with a first sitting of 3.5 hrs for the outline and gradually those sessions tailed off to paltry 45min ones. if i had been my own customer id slapped me honestly haha. i didnt really plan anything artistically, i asked the tattooer for a design id had in mind for a few years and after seeing a few sketches the final design came thru, i feel like he wanted to show me the drawing thought process to let me trust him but i already did so for me, they werent so important, i just wanted to get it started! the only respite was the shoulder blades and even then they hurt, the worst for me was the butt and lower back towards the side, ugh. i have to admit i was embarrassed at how crap i sat sometimes and have been very sympathetic with customers of mine whose backs im working on since. my backpiece almost felt like the beginning of being an adult and getting serious about my job and getting serious about the tattoos i got. i think i'd been at Frith st for less than a year when Alex started it and it felt like an important step for me, it def marked a special time for me in life and work. so yeh, it's gonna hurt like a bitch so take painkillers, have a decent breakfast and take the rest of the day off, youll be useless afterwards haha