Tornado6

So far this one is healing like a b. I had to teach my class this morning sitting down. Everything is hot, swollen, oozy, and raised, and I'm feeling crabby about it.

I've seen a few IG check ins from tattooers over there.

So much bad news :(

Sarah Hurst (recently voted Knoxville's BEST tattoo artist - congrats!) placed this awesome cameo of my beautiful wife (from a photo taken on our honeymoon 34 years ago) on my left shoulder yesterday evening. I am VERY happy!

We are totally tattoo buddies. This is twice we've been tattooed on the same day.

Matt Thornton at Trader Bob's did this on his birthday.

Strawberry plant for my Mom. Opposite side of my ankle from the tattoo for my son.

My bird loves you too :)

Trust some technique issues don't have to ruin the impact, and get tattoos that make you happy.

I think they look like "hand poked" tattoos, which are their own style, and are kind of a big thing right now. I would not change them. They're kind of charming if you look at them in that light.

Some day, you may decide to get your hands tattooed. These little designs should not be too much trouble to cover up as they are now. I'm afraid if you try to go in over the same lines, you'll get scars that will be harder to cover.

Unless they are really driving you crazy every day and you hate them, I'd concentrate on getting more tattoos in other places. Experiment with different artists if you'd like. You don't sound satisfied with your prior experiences. It should be fun and you should come out with an end product that makes you happy to look at.

There are probably some line issues with this bird tattoo. I know there is a perspective issue with the french fry. It also rides a little too far back on my leg. Can I pick it apart? Yeah. Do I love it? Yeah! It makes me laugh, and I like showing it to other people and havning them laugh too.

I don't have fibromyalga, but I do have a chronic autoimmune disorder - ulcerative colitis - and I am immune suppressed. All of my tattoos have healed perfectly, and the disease and tattoos do not seem to have had any effect on each other.

so far, knock wood, etc.

I'd agree with that - A, B, or combo. I'm supposed to have this done, but I've found creative ways to dodge the four shot series for a while...

I don't know if some states might require a HBV vaccination for tattooers. They could, since they are exposed to blood during the regular course of their job.

The OP was about asking in person. As in, how much to I talk about this ahead of time with my artist without sounding like a paranoid client with 9,000 questions and making the artist want to back out?

I have an honest question about the money conversation I've had with all three of my artists, but I'll never ask it here because of this kind of response.

The bottom line is that it is your body, and you're entitled to ask any questions you'd like to ask. If the artist thinks it is too much, well, find someone else. Customer service has to be part of the equation if you're going to art on human skin, and the health concerns are legitimate if things aren't being done correctly.

I don't know, I think blogs and webpages are a better format for archival data than a discussion forum. This is a fairly static forum because everybody is always so concerned about what everyone else is posting. I am 'older' and I realize that the Internet just doesn't work like the old threaded bulletin boards we used to use. A lot of people just want an answer without wading through 700 pages of out of date material.

Every time I try to do what the tattooer tells me to do for the first wash. Each one has been a little bit different, but it was all basically gentle soap, no scrubbing, until it is clean. I took clean to mean no more goop at that time, but of course we all know they goop up again eventually in that first day or two. So that's usually when I wash them again, if I can. I guess I let the goop be my guide :)

Huh. They didn't even have the video? It was pretty interesting to see in motion.

:) My first exposure to tattoos were the kind made in kitchens with guitar strings and India Ink from the record store (if you were lucky...) They were very rarely paid for with cash.

I don't have any of these, but I sure do know a lot of folks with them.

I think body image is a big reason why my husband doesn't want tattoos. :(

Mine's all_the_doughnuts but I am a seriously boring IGrammer.

Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you're part of the team

Oh great. I'll be singing that all day.

I have a girl crush on @HettyKet's sleeve.

I know! So many goodies, and so well composed.

Oh just get it. You may not feel the same way about it when you're 50. So what? It is who you are, where you are now. Be ready to spend a little money on the thing, and wear it with pride.

I agree that their names (probably) won't change, and your own children are exempt from any "no name tattoo" rules. If you like tattoos of words, just get their names. (And maybe leave room so your third child doesn't feel left out ;) )

This is my tattoo "for my son". If I got it based on his interests, I'd have Blues Clues, a tank, a monster truck, or any one of a million video game images. It doesn't have his name either. I know his name. :)

This is a wood sorrel, and in the language of flowers it means "joy and maternal tenderness."

But beyond "what it means", I have a tattoo I really like.

What do your kids like? Boys, girls? Are their names already images, like Hunter or Iris?

I took my son to one of the better shops in town, and paid for his first tattoo. I made him wait until he turned 18, even though we can do it earlier in our state. We've talked about keeping tattoos in areas he can cover until he knows for sure what he will be doing for a living. I got my first tattoo at the same time, so we did the whole experience together.

Interesting! Is it for a college class? My husband traps, and we make and sell our own snares. It's not every day I see fur bearer pictures on forums so I'm curious!

I teach a class for 11 - 18 year old olds. We have a YHEC team that we take to State and International every year.

Amsterdam gets a lot of guest artists. If your timing is good, your dream artist might come to you.

Look at some blast overs. They sometimes wind up looking really cool with the old color poking through.