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got the star a few days ago. it is still the beginning and there is plenty of room on that leg but i like the progression...so i am posting this :p

below is boltz from last fall - awesome time with steve - loved that shop - cant wait to get back for another from the smith street crew

It's been a while. Went back to Mexico for a visit. Done by Juan Arreguin "El Super" at Superfly in Leon Guanajuato Mexico.

Finally got an appointment with Sneaky Mitch. He's been my great white buffalo (hot tub time machine anyone?) for a while now, especially since he literally works 5 mins from me! Haha. So worth the wait though and he's a top guy.

Got this done a while back. They are fresh photos so excuse the shine. It started up as a fix for Nefertiti since she was old and looked like a blob. I could not stop after that and decided to do the whole leg/ Egyptology is a major interest of mine.

I was lucky enough to set up appointments with Steve Boltz and Dan Santoro in march. This will be my first time visiting NYC and now I'm even more psyched about it!

The recent activity in the "awesome things we've been doing" thread has been pretty canine based, so I figured it might be nice to a have a separate thread where we could go dog crazy... then I figured that folks probably have more diverse pets than just dogs, so I went the unbiased route and opened it up to all animals. I'll start things off with my corgi/shiba inu mix. he's almost 4. we adopted him in Nov 2012. his name's Huckleberry. this is him after a good day at the 40 acre dog park in Redmond, WA...

Woulda just out this in the "Pet Peeves" thread, but since I'm not a tattooist... Reading through all of that, man, I felt bad! I've never gone to a shop in any but an immaculately clean condition, wouldn't think of trying to tell an artist how to do his thing, nothing like that, but you know, in the last three or four months, I've probably done some of every pet peeve on there. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa. I get tattooed at CTC exclusively. No big news there. I've got six kids, and they are all fascinated by tattoos. My oldest, 25, disregarded my advice and went to a local "shop" on his 18th birthday. He has kept the thing as a reminder not to go there anymore. When he was 16, I brought him and one of his buds into CTC with me to watch part of a six-hour session I had booked with Miles Maniaci. I asked if it was kool for them to come back and watch a bit, and was told it was all good. They watched for maybe a half-hour, then split, then came back later for another maybe half-hour. That one has gotten two fairly decent-sized pieces from Nick Colella at CTC since then, and was talking to me the other night about how he'd like to have Mario do some Oriental-style work on him. My 18 y.o. son has gotten some good pieces from Nick as well, and both of them are planning on getting more. When my Lady and I went into CTC to get a matching piece, I had spoken to Nick and e-mailed back an forth with him about the piece we wanted, and he drew it up. We got there, and it just didn't light us up...the execution was great, the idea was just not that good. My Lady spotted some old Sailor Jerry stuff, and we both liked it immediately. I apologized to Nick, and asked if he would do that for us instead. He agreed, and didn't want to hear about being paid for the sketch he did. I went back last month and had Nick do an old piece of Cliff Raven flash, I had e-mailed him and told him I wanted that, but customized with my kid's names and some other things, asked him to run with it. No pics, just gave him an idea. Went in, took my 14 y.o. daughter and my Lady with me. Asked if they could watch, and again, was told no problem. Looked at the thermo, laid down on the table, and never looked back. Killer piece. So last week I went back, this time with my 16 y.o. daughter, my 17 y.o. son, and my Lady, got a fairly large chunk of my ribcage done-still hurts like a mofo-and again, asked if they could come back and watch. Again, no problem. I told the kids they had to split if it got crowded, and to stay away from the other artists work stations. I suppose I'm one of those guys who watches every line being done. Not because I can't wait to see my stylized dreamsickle, but because the craft, the art, the skill, blows my mind, even after all these years of being tattooed. I ask questions about equipment, I ask questions about technique. I wouldn't dream of trying to tattoo in a million years, I am just curious as hell, and am amazed at the development of the equipment-and techniques-that have taken place in the 38 years since I first walked into CTC and plunked down my $20 for my first pro tattoo. Even with all that ignorance, Nick and Mario have never blown me off, always answered any question I've asked, and never treated me like a mark. Last week, I was asking about power-supplies. I had seen a fairly high-end power-supply/regulator at American Science and Surplus in Milwaukee, and wondered if it would be worth buying and bringing in for them. Mario was gracious enough to explain the advancements in power-supplies, and why it was better to use purpose-built units than to adapt others, and he didn't even make me out to be stupid. I've always told my kids to be quiet, to be respectful, and to stay out of the way. When they do come back, I ask where they should sit or stand, and make sure they stay there. If I have a coat, a hat, glasses, whatever, I ask where I can put them so they won't be in someone's way. I turn my phone off, and make sure anyone with me has their phone off. I'll be going back to CTC as soon as my ribs heal to start sleeving-in my left arm. I have a bunch of work on it from Dale Grande, and a bit from Mark Miller. It's all connected, but Nick is going to put it all together for me. I guess I should rethink bringing my kids with, but to us, it's a big deal, something we do together. Guess I'll talk to Nick, and make sure it's okay with him, and with the other artists working there before I do. I know there are a lot of jag customers out there, I've seen 'em. Maybe there's a way to get 'em to go only to the jag scratchers that abound?! Went into a place local up here, I had met the owner's wife where she works. The owners apprentice was the only one there, and I heard about the shop he had that "went under because the assholes around here work too cheap", I hear fuck this, fuck that, fuck the next thing, I got cigarette smoke blown in my face, and ya know, the guy never even asked if I was interested in getting a tattoo. Guess I missed my chance with him.

First piece completed in 3 sessions with Timothy Hoyer and i am beyond stoked for it. Upon completion of the tattoo, I decided he is doing my full back. Gave him my ideas and he is down. Just going to save up cash then actually begin session sometime in September. I feel I should have hit him up sooner for some work. Once healed I'll post pics. I can honestly say for once, I currently have no upcoming tattoo appointments.

Chloe loves sleeping in wash baskets.. clean or dirty!

I am not sure when he starts the clock on this but he is coming through Michigan in March. I got him to pencil me in about a week before he announced this tour. Super excited about this! Even for a well traveled dude this is gunna be a crazy schedule. Im not sure what I'm getting. Told him to tattoo something that would be "fucking rad" as he would say. crawling tiger/panther... dagger through something awesome like a lion head or crazy squirrel head or polar bear. just something bad ass on the back of my arm. we shall see what he comes up with.

I flew back down to San Diego for a couple more sessions with Aaron Della Vedova at Guru Tattoo. He finished off my Mountain Goat backpiece and started in with the layout and lining of my Great Blue Heron front piece. I'm psyched to get this piece rolling!!

I recently came across an artist from Texas who is coming to a convention in my city. I might get him to tattoo me.Check out his FB Jonathan Montalvo.He`s amazing.

thank you @kimkong :) I had this weird gap between my chest and stomach and then I was reminded of the image during a vinyl crate dig when the tattoo-lightbulb went off. The reference is from Bunny Wailer's Solomonic record label and I'm a pretty big reggae-head so I was pretty drawn to the imagery. A bit of a spin on the classic traditional tattoo eyes or the buddha eyes. I'm pretty happy with the outcome - different, gritty, hypnotizing and goes with the different dragons on my hands and ribs. I may go get them re-lined to pop them a bit.

Just got my first proper custom tattoo finished, my first one with colour too.

Wow, just finished reading this thread from start to finish. First things, there are some truly eloquent opinions on here, and I'm really impressed that there has been so much in the way of disagreement and debate handled in a proper grown up way..... Surely it is a rariety indeed to find an online discussion which features strong opinions that has not degraded into name calling or worse. I kept thinking I wish some of those people who judge the heavily tattooed as stupid could read some of these posts! Secondly, my humble opinion is that there is a distinct difference between seeking out a tattooer solely because they are a well known name and doing so because they do solid, beautiful work that appeals to you (and they're well known). I'm very lucky to have been tattooed by some well known tattooists, but every single one of them I have chosen because it is their work that speaks to me first and foremost. I'm also extremely lucky to have had lovely, positive experiences with those guys, so much so that I've been back for more! A tattoo is so much more than the image you're left with. I pride myself on my collection, but have been known to be tattooed by people I've never heard of because I got good vibes from them. Last year at Brighton I got tattooed on whim by Stewart OC (who was then at Prick, London) because I walked by his booth, we got talking and just got on. I thought, I want this guy to have my money! I'd just started my apprenticeship and he was so lovely, offering advice etc. And last of all, as a tattooer myself, someone who is constantly working on improving, putting the best tattoo I can on (not just thinking about that instagram photo!), I do come across customers who clearly only want to be tattooed by certain people because they have a 'name', like it's more important to have been touched by those people than for them to have a good tattoo. That definitely irks me! Sometimes I think that comes from ignorance and the assumption that just because you've heard of someone that they MUST be better than someone you haven't heard of. But as as an anyone who has a 'hidden gem' in their local shop knows, that's not always the case!

Got to be a reckless kid one more time and got tattooed by Valerie again, this time in London. They're peeling and unsightly now, but here they are in their fresh glory: The warrior: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvLzMPDKFR/ The priestess: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvLqtnDKFD/ Bonus video: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvLTr3EHRy/

3.5 more hours of progress last week. total is about 51 hours so far and i'm guessing we have 20-25 more hours until we are finished. Legs and ass are 99% complete. Waiting until it is finished before sharing anymore full back pictures but here is a close up on my ass/leg/lower back area: - - - Updated - - - Also I just realized that over the past 12 months I've been tattooed a total of 63 hours (51 on my back and 12 on my front). plus ~100 hours of driving back and forth from Boston to Long Island x10, Boston to Manhattan x1, Boston to Montreal x1, and Boston to Reading PA x1.

This is my 5 year old Staffy. He's super energetic and playful, I get people constantly asking me if he's still a puppy. Sigh. He's a handful but a great family dog. A couple 'glamor shots' from back when I was super into photography: Aaaaand one of him letting my 6 month old son climb all over him. He's loving it.

So here is the remainder. Kongo Yasha Myo-o in his full glory from Dana Helmuth. This was pretty much the home stretch at this point. Once all the shading was done, the color was only about 1/3 of the remaining time I spent with Dana. I love Dana's snakes. Once mine got colored in, I couldn't stop staring at it, I still can't. Also everyone loves the blue, and so do I. It's bold, and it'll be awesome for a long time. I spent a lot of time at Read Street Tattoo in Baltimore and it was a great shop. The final session was in Dana's tattoo lair at his home in Maryland and it's a true honor to be a member of his back piece club. And the final obligatory baby picture, because I want to be as cool as @hogg.

If you think that they are cliche' or poorly done you can friend this gal up, show her what a decent tattoo looks like, and point her towards LST. It's what tattooed Jesus would do. Maybe she'll broaden her horizons and get different work, maybe not. It is still okay for her to be happy with what she has though.

my girlfriend said she loves my tattoos because she loves me, and they're a part of me! /loveydovey i think shes a keeper, even if she doesnt want any tattoos herself, i still lover her. haha !

Not now, maybe not ever. Why would you get tattooed on your back anyway, you'll never see it, and unless you plan on spending most of your time shirtless, neither will anybody else.

I really agree with this, and I think there's certainly an extent to which, especially if you're fairly new to getting tattooed and want good tattoos but maybe lack the self-confidence to look at a portfolio and say, fuck yes, this is what I want, that there's a sort of reassurance and validation that comes from going to a tattooer with a well-known name. I don't mean this to denigrate anybody because I've been there and I'm sure most people here have experienced this to some degree or another. I mean, I got my first tattoo from Seth Wood, who needless to say is absolutely fucking incredible and who I really credit with setting me on the path to get tattooed how I do, but when I got tattooed by him I didn't know shit about tattoos, I didn't know he was a pretty big deal, and while I wanted to get tattooed by him because he was the person at the Montreal convention who's tattoos spoke most to me, I remember looking at stuff on the Internet about how to look at portfolios and how to look at linework and shading and what not (this was before I knew about LST) and I was checking that against what I'd seen of Seth's tattoos and to be honest, though everything seemed good, I had really no experience to tell good from bad. I also think that an important part of getting tattooed is that it's the sort of thing that you can only start to figure out by getting tattooed, so maybe the tattoos you got when you started getting tattooed wouldn't be the tattoos you would get when you have more experience getting tattooed, but that's the beauty of tattooing.

This thread really makes me only want to get tattooed by people older than me like Bob Roberts and Eddy Deutsche. I realize it wasn't your original point (I too am wary of the star culture in tattooing) but your misinformed dismissals ('there are limits'!) are so offensive to me that I can't get over it. In the end I realize it comes down to different sensibilities and what I'm looking for in tattoos is obviously very different from yours. BUT, if I can add my 2 cents as a person who's been tattooed by both Eddy Deutsche and Bob Roberts, Eddy is the most 'PMA' guy ever (if that's what you're after). If you're looking for an 'experience' or stories, Eddy and Bob have plenty. The flash at Spotlight has bullet holes. (The fact that the stencil is made from the original flash push pinned on the wall alone makes it almost worth getting the tattoo to be a part of the history.) Nothing 'soft' or 'squiggly' about my Bob Roberts tattoo. There's no question about Eddy's technical ability. I think every respectable tattooer would disagree with you on this point. I think people with 'perfect' tattoos look uptight--not what I'm going for (not interested in putting computer graphics on my body either). Any imperfections will add to its beauty.

I have things to say on this thread that will have to wait until I'm done work and have the time to write a proper response, but in the meantime can we try to distinguish between seeing tattoos and seeing pictures of tattoos? Because the two are not the same at all.

I'd choose "tattoo mojo" over technical perfection any day. It's like music man... It needs soul! I think Deutsche, Roberts and Horiyoshi's work has plenty, and then some.

Yeah, I think the thing some people need to remember is that these days most people seem to get their tattoo info from a format which involves looking at teeny tiny digital pictures, out of context, unhealed, etc. Instagram is basically bullshit for seeing the quality of people's work. If you've ever been lucky enough to see a Horiyoshi III tattoo in person, you would realize how seriously wrong you are. (This is kind of a digression, but what I hate about Instagram is that it ends up prioritizing tattoos that photograph well over tattoos that have soul. I'm going to go like, rearrange my crystals now.)

Thou shalt not argue that thou's drawing on a piece of paper makes for a better tattoo than a (LST recommended) tattoo artist's rendition of the tattoo, especially when thou hath no tattoos.

he's got all kinds of nicknames, depending on his mood. we've called him chuckleberry when he's got the goofy, tongue out smile. others include stuckleberry (when he won't leave my wife any breathing room), snuggleberry (when my wife won't leave him any breathing room), hucklescaredy (4th of july and such), huck, huckabee, huckle, HB, Hbeezy, huckybooboo (my wife hates that one). needless to say, he'll answer to anything. as far as play date goes, we've since moved down to The Bay area, so he prolly won't be going to Marymoor anytime soon, sadly. love that place! anyone know good off leash areas in CA? I frequent the Fremont park, near Lake Elizabeth.

My pup and I are too cute and bc I don't really do Facebook or Instagram, this is my outlet! Selfie of dog and...self. Staring adoringly at each other :p.

Found another great Hardy backpiece on an old computer I haven't used for ages

These are my hands. The bird by Bailey Robinson and the panther by Steve Byrne. The knuckles and little guys were done by Vinse One. Actually Matt Arriola did the anchor.

Although not a tattooer, I work in a shop and can I please add: 5 friends + 3 iphones taking pictures should not equal 1 tattoo. That is annoying math.

We get loads of people walking in and saying "I want a sleeve tattooed" to which we obviously reply "Okay mate, what do you have in mind?", they then say "I don't know." Honestly? You want your whole arm covered, but you haven't given any thought to what with?

I have one son who has turned to the dark side as well.... I made sure he went into a good shop, knew how to get what he wanted and was a good client. How you conduct yourself before, during and after the chair time gets you on the good side of the shop. I see what they have to put up from the jackoffs that I witness, showing up late or not calling at all to cancel an appointment. CG

"Nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned..." :P My partner is totally indifferent to tattoos. No interest in getting any, doesn't care what I get. He does occasionally marvel at how much money I'm willing to spend on them, but other than that it's a non-issue. 5+ years together, so I think we've got that one sorted. We probably look a bit strange as a couple, though...

Chris "Pee Wee" Levi (1999)

When I met my husband about 9 years ago I had 1 tattoo and he had 0. Now I have 5 and on the day I got my 4th (last month), my hubby got his 1st! I think he's hooked now, as he's been printing out images that are inspiring him for his next tattoo. I'm happy about it. I loved him anyway and would be fine with it if he didn't want any--it's his skin after all. But now that he shares my interest it's pretty cool.

every guy i have had a fling or relationship with during the past 7 years has either been heavily tattooed or interested in being heavily tattooed...except Jackson. i mentioned this in another thread (i can't remember which one) where tattooing and masculinity were being compared, but Jackson is not heavily tattooed. in fact, he only has one tattoo, on his calf, and it is covered up most of the time. he's made record shopping more of a priority, and that's fine. what is funny is that before Jackson and i clicked, i really never thought i could be attracted to another who was not heavily tattooed or did not desire to be. and now, that we've been dating for 2 years, i sort of don't feel that same attraction to guys who are heavily tattooed. it's not that i don't see myself being attracted to someone who is heavily tattooed, but i also don't think that it's a deciding factor anymore. as long as someone can accept the fact that i am becoming heavily tattooed, then that's all that matters. Jackson has expressed being attracted to my tattoos and me becoming heavily tattooed, and it's nice to hear that he likes it. i know we're kind of the odd couple on this, as it seems like there may be more heavily tattooed men dating lesser tattooed women, but this relationship has definitely changed me and my perspective on the subject (and it works out just fine for both of us).

When I started dating my wife she had no tattoos and I had only one at that time. She liked it and I did not mind that she had none. I did not mind if she wanted a full suit or not, it did not matter to me. She also was aware that I would be over time, getting many more and she was ok with that. Now I have a nice start to my collection of tattoos and she does as well. LOL its funny because we now get appointments booked for the same day by the same artist and make a day of it LOL. (I couldn't ask for better) :)

Good topic gouge. If I wasn't married to my beautiful wife I couldn't imagine myself with an untattooed woman, I just couldn't see how someone that showed little or no interest in tattoos could possibly understand a very big part of my life revolving around being tattooed and the culture. I am lucky that my wife loves traveling and getting tattooed as well, although I don't think she will ever have full sleeves she has some pretty cool pieces and ideas. She is also very lucky to be getting a half sleeve from Shige in Japan this coming April.

I hate when fools show up 15 minutes late and don't say SORRY. Give me a lame excuse and acknowledge you were late.

Yuppies. I know this us a huge generalization, but they usually get the wackest tattoos!!!! They get super small super detailed crap in a super private spot. Coming into the shop acting like they are such huge rebels. Wanna be a rebel? Buy a Honda instead of a BMW. Reminds me of one of my favorite jokes.... What's the difference between a BMW and a porqupine? Porqupines have the pricks on the OUTSIDE. *nothing against BMW owners. Just yuppies