RoryQ

"Fear of a flash planet"
http://tattooartistmagazineblog.com/2012/08/01/jojo-ackermann-fear-of-a-flash-planet/
It's been posted before, but reposting it is easier than rehashing the argument about the role of flash in helping people get good tattoos. And Jo Jo Ackerman makes it better anyway :)
Classic or modern flash that is tattooed however many times (that army of crawling panthers) just isn't the same as someone copying what is clearly intended as custom work...

I can identify with what you're saying ... although maybe it's a *bit* harsh.
However, everyone starts somewhere. Maybe that person with the feather turning into a flock of birds will go on a tattoo journey and finish up with a Filip Leu bodysuit. Stranger things have happened.

In defence of that tattooist at a party: Could it just have been that they were off the clock and the last thing they wanted to talk about was your prospective tattoos?
It might be a bit like the situation doctors, police, lawyers face whereby... you meet someone at a party and suddenly you're listening to their questions about that growth on their penis/aggressive neighbour/problem with their mother's will. And you don't get paid for listening.

I can identify with what you're saying ... although maybe it's a *bit* harsh.
However, everyone starts somewhere. Maybe that person with the feather turning into a flock of birds will go on a tattoo journey and finish up with a Filip Leu bodysuit. Stranger things have happened.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Actually, i got tattooed by that same artist at one point years later and brought it up. She admitted it was a snob move and apologized.

@RoryQ and @jen7, I realize it's a bit harsh. It probably comes from the area I live mixed with the work I did up until about a year ago - very affluent community with a hipster undertone at the retail store I worked at. I saw more than one person hear our company's very open tattoo policy, only to immediately go and get the most random tattoo on a very noticeable spot (behind the ear, neck, forearms and hands). And that would be all they got during the three years I worked there. I almost felt bad, because they were making their career path harder outside of this company. But that's beside the point! All I'm saying is working within that kind of community, I saw a lot of trendy tattoos that were never expanded upon, sleeved out etc. That's why I'm with you guys on this forum! I'm not hating on trendiness, I'm just more interested in a community where more people are going for full coverage. Apologies for any offense taken.

In defence of that tattooist at a party: Could it just have been that they were off the clock and the last thing they wanted to talk about was your prospective tattoos?
It might be a bit like the situation doctors, police, lawyers face whereby... you meet someone at a party and suddenly you're listening to their questions about that growth on their penis/aggressive neighbour/problem with their mother's will. And you don't get paid for listening.

In defence of that tattooist at a party: Could it just have been that they were off the clock and the last thing they wanted to talk about was your prospective tattoos?
It might be a bit like the situation doctors, police, lawyers face whereby... you meet someone at a party and suddenly you're listening to their questions about that growth on their penis/aggressive neighbour/problem with their mother's will. And you don't get paid for listening.

I can identify with what you're saying ... although maybe it's a *bit* harsh.
However, everyone starts somewhere. Maybe that person with the feather turning into a flock of birds will go on a tattoo journey and finish up with a Filip Leu bodysuit. Stranger things have happened.

I honestly don't give a shit about most people's opinions on my tattoo's. alltho I got my dot work sleeve off xed lehead a long time a go seems to be becoming more and more fashionable. I feel sorry more for xed really his style has been copied so much. half the time he doesn't even get credited with it, people that have worked along side him and been influenced by his stuff do (not naming names) I suppose it's like being in to a unknown band tho and when they get popular it upsets you that every one likes them now. The thing with a lot of current trends at the moment is in the future there going to look like shit, especially the water couler stuff!!!

I can identify with what you're saying ... although maybe it's a *bit* harsh.
However, everyone starts somewhere. Maybe that person with the feather turning into a flock of birds will go on a tattoo journey and finish up with a Filip Leu bodysuit. Stranger things have happened.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

So, I have an appointment with Shige later in the year to talk about getting tattooed by him.
He knows I don't have much space left for pieces of the size he prefers to work on, so I'm hoping he'll agree to do a smaller tattoo on me. We'll see how it works out but fingers crossed.
Really excited about this. I've been tattooed by Tomo and it would make me really happy to also get something from Shige.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Got this on the back of my knee by Tim Pausinger today at The Pearl Harbour Gift Shop.
I was really surprised that he said he didn't tattoo this before (or anything else on that sheet).
Saw some really cool Bill Baker flash in there of all these different wrestling holds - awesome! If I'm back I'm getting the sleeper hold one for sure.
Most importantly met LSTer @markbee and his wife - really good folks. Next time In in town we'll have a proper coffee / bite to eat ... Although then again can't beat a meet up in a tattoo shop either.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Seems like there is a new regard for that spiky black tribal trend of the 90s again - and rightly so.
First it was a little bit ironic (black tribal creeping into traditional motifs) and now it feels like it is heading towards a wholesale reappreciation. People are like, wow, Leo Zulueta style tattooing can have massive visual impact and hold up well.

I always thought it was odd some people who loved recent geometric and black work might have turned their nose up at 90s tribal.
Paul O Rourke from All Star tattoos a lot of this type of thing and man, if this is what 90s fad tattooing looks like then they weren't as bad as I remember.
I don't think this ever went out of style for tough guys.


When it comes to later fads for feathers flocks of birds - where it's more about iconography than just style - I wonder can you think of them as just being new entries to the pantheon of popular flash. A feather is not to my taste, but it's no more arbitrary than a swallow in some ways.
Now, Victorian dressed animals smoking pipes... I can't stretch to getting on board with those.

Genuinely curious- why go ahead and let him tattoo you it if you weren't happy with what he came up with for you?

So, I have an appointment with Shige later in the year to talk about getting tattooed by him.
He knows I don't have much space left for pieces of the size he prefers to work on, so I'm hoping he'll agree to do a smaller tattoo on me. We'll see how it works out but fingers crossed.
Really excited about this. I've been tattooed by Tomo and it would make me really happy to also get something from Shige.

Both by Mo Coppoletta, TFB.

"Fear of a flash planet"
http://tattooartistmagazineblog.com/2012/08/01/jojo-ackermann-fear-of-a-flash-planet/
It's been posted before, but reposting it is easier than rehashing the argument about the role of flash in helping people get good tattoos. And Jo Jo Ackerman makes it better anyway :)
Classic or modern flash that is tattooed however many times (that army of crawling panthers) just isn't the same as someone copying what is clearly intended as custom work...