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My plain old ordinary artists do their own art work. I can't imagine taking a stencil on to a top tattooer. I can't imagine a top tattooer accepting a stencil.

I can barely tell what it is as a drawing.

Why is it rude to ask who the tattooer is?!?

In over 40 years of getting tattooed I've never put anything on mine. Ever. They've all healed just fine.

Back from our trip to Helsingor! I'll post a photo when I'm healed. I cannot say enough GREAT things about Henning and the crew at Royal. One of the most perfect days, ever!!

True story, a very good artist will take care of you. You are probably paying thousands for that much coverage from a top tier guy, and he knows what he's doing. Trust him. It is, like, his job. It is totally normal to say who you are excited to have a appointment with, and who has done your work. That word of mouth advertisement is their most powerful marketing. Some top guys don't even use Instagram. They are just known. I don't know if the color change in the text will show up, and you don't need all three slogans. You could really make the point with no text - you have powerful images already. That is what I'd edit, because it will get lost first.

I'll be honest, I hate trash polka. I don't think they work as tattoos and I think they're just not aesthetically pleasing. But this is a rough one even for that style. It's a mess, dude. Go to someone really experienced with the style (not your "best in the biz" guy, I have a feeling) and let him have some freedom to create an original image that'll work as a tattoo. You're going to have to be prepared to let some elements go for it to work, maybe get rid of the helmet or wing or some of the lettering, it's just too much to ever turn out readable on the skin. This thing is going to be fucked from the minute it's applied, imagine how it's going to age and how all this ink is going to spread with time. You're always better off going bold and simple with designs, imo.

Let the tattoo artist draw it up. You might have to lose a few elements but it will work better as a tattoo.

You think he'd appreciate you coming here to "improve" on his design? You're going about all this the wrong way. "The best in the biz"? Really? Then tell us who.

The pictured leg has more negative space than your design does. They really look like separate tattoos that have been tied together with filler. Also, in the traditional style, people tend to get one or two tattoos and then build off of that with whatever negative space they're left with. Example: "I have this triangular shape in between these two tattoos, maybe I could fill it with a tiger head." I would say get one of the designs somewhere on your arm and then build it from there. It's more fun that way. If you do insist on planning a sleeve out, then go to an artist to help you plan out what should go where, because the composition of this doesn't work.

Your answer depends on the tattooist. If you're expecting just some tattooist to exactly reproduce an on-line image you've brought in - you're heading in the wrong direction. Only a high quality tattooist is going to be able to pull that off, and that is where your search should begin.

When life gives you lemons... Andy Northup @ All Star Tattoo

@IAmMattLewis Sounds like a great weekend, and I love that little skull!