Lizzie

I agree that it gets peep out to get tattooed but it gives people a fucking retarded idea of what success is in this industry:

About a week ago, two of the types of guys who LOVE those shows come in and bro down for their bro tats. They keep telling me that maybe "one day I'll be on one of those shows." so as always, I act polite. I tell them that for me personally I wouldn't be interested in the extra work that a show would give etc. Etc.

They seemed to lose all faith in me after that as though I just said I went interested in being a good tattooer. Therefore, my only complaints about those shows are (a) the Eikon sponsorships and (b) the attitude it gives clientele that those tattooers are the end all be all of the industry and choose not to look more into the art than staring at the boob tube.

Just my opinion.

I have had the complete opposite experience. Luck of the draw.

Tammy - a girl from Toronto is organizing the show and invited me to be a part of it. Such an hinour to be up with so many talented people.

Cool! See you there!

Hell yah man!

Thanks man! Would love to meet you but understand the busy life!

ps it's at 111 Minna Gallery!!!

Hi everyone!

I'd love it if anyone who is in the San Francisco area could come and attend this awesome art show featuring some amazing tattoo artists from all over. Musicians from great bands are also contributing visual works...

Please check out this banner and come, I'm excited to meet anyone from LST in the area!!!

Of course! I love this community!! Meeting more tattooers and sharing this trade is my 2nd priority next to doing clean, good tattoos!

Hello LST!

I own a shop in Toronto that has hosted a bevy of amazing international artists in our first 18 months of operation and hope to host more. We have in-shop accommodations as half of our shop Is an old converted apartment.

Speakeasy's approach to the guest spot is to offer our shop as an artists' sabbatical wherein you can paint and tattoo any hours you please, if our noon-7 doesn't fit your preferred schedule. Our manager, Hayden, is a force of nature booking people in and no one has left disappointed or under-paid for lack of jobs.

We also host what will become an annual heavily advertised summer tour where www have 5 artists back to back who work for a small daily rent and can pocket as much cash as they can make, or as little if they just want to come up and be laid back! Last years roster was nikki balls, Josh Egnew, cla Dankmeyer, Adam sage, and Jason lambert, and we can't wait to see who will be part of this amazing project in 2011.

All of our advertising for these projects are grassroots and safe for your travels: by postering and handing out handbills, you can be sure that a border guard cannot search your name and deny you entry upon Viewing easily googlable posts about your work trip.

We can't wait to host all kind of new friends and share tips tricks and jokes.

Lizzie

Hi Bill! Waverly is awesome!

Totally! That's the worst part of conventions - everything is so precariously assembled and balanced to get clients in good positions that it can get a little distracting. We just worked our first local convention (or close to home, I should say) and having all the comforts in the back of our van (like proper tables and chairs and pillows etc) was AWESOME. Made the work simple and fun. We found our best massage table at a hardware store! Just goes to show that a lot of those furniture companies aren't really doing anyone a favour. You just gotta open your eyes.

I dunno man!! Other than saying I'da tattooed it the opposite way, or maybe that her whippin' hand is a bit jacked...

I'll do it all too, but when I get a repeated request 20x in a year, I'll definitely run upstairs to privacy and BITCH MY BRAINS OUT til I'm ready to tattoo it. LOL

I have a 5-tree-per-year quota. And I'm serious. I hate them. Always "gnarly roots and dead branches" or with "the seasons going left to right."

I have one in my portfolio even... mayeb I should take it out so as to not encourage more people!!

WORST MOST HATED REQUEST: MOTHERFUCKING OWLS

JESUS MOTHERFUCKING CHRIST.

I'd like to do an owl eating a cupcake with a hat with a flipped up bring that says something like "416"

That is probably the hottest tattoo of the year!!!!

We are a Queer positive shop so we have no - NO - shortage of every kind of person from every fringe queer community and it's AMAZING. The other day, a guy said to me "This new album is SO gay." and I replied "YES THAT IS AWESOME!" It felt mututally nice that when someone called something gay the first reaction we all had wasn't like "Oh, really? It's stupid?" LOL

Anyway, as for the massage tables -- STAY AWAY from the ones that have the beams that pull out and you click them into the four corner legs. They're cheap cuz they're week. Try to find one that fold out as simply as possible with as little assembly as those are the ones that I've used for years and had no problem getting REAAAAL big boys and girls on top.

It's a nice thing, too, to be able to tell a client who is scared that they m ight d amage your table by virtue of their weight to, "do their worst." Or similar jokey-type-thing. Really breaks the ice and let's 'em feel like no one gives a shit if they've got a few extra pounds. We just wanna tatttoo em and not judge.

I tired to get in this year but had no luck. Will definitely try to get my name in again next year for consideration. Those booths are hot commodoties!