sourpussoctopus

I wouldn't say no to a Jondix . . .

Let's be real, who would?

Inner arm near armpit really is crummy.

There are a few things you can never go wrong with, provided the artist is good:

- snakes

- skulls

- panthers & tigers

- eagles & crows

- roses

- lady heads

- any combination of the above

Start with any of these and you'll be way ahead of the game.

What about holding off on extending the sleeve/starting a new 1/2 until you're sure, and getting tattoos elsewhere in the meantime? Legs are pretty easy to cover, there's plenty of room to play with, and most spots don't hurt any more than the arm (in my experience, at least). You could go full squidpants and no one at work would be the wiser :)

Fantastic thread. Lemme add my late-to-the-party contribution:

I feel a little resistant to classifying tattoos as a luxury product. And if I'm being honest, it's because "luxury" to me connotes wealth, which I do not possess. I'm ok with people asking me just about every silly questions about my tattoos (even the dreaded "what do they mean?" and "what are they gonna look like when you're old?"), but I can't stand it when I'm asked how much it cost. Partially because it feels like they're shopping for a bargain through me (which is insulting, and I'd rather not be a part of that), but mostly because it gives the asker an excuse to make some snap judgment about my socioeconomic standing. I shouldn't care, I know, but that stuff is a bit of a sore point for me. All I've done is made a value judgment, and traded certain trappings of modern living (TV, cable, blu-ray, microwave, newest/baddest phones, etc) so I could get good-quality tattoos by excellent artists. That's not say I don't have possessions I cherish, I do, but I think I spend much less on planned obsolescence than most. That to me is not a luxury purchase, it's just making a consumer choice.

But like @misterJ said earlier, if we're doing all this mental gymnastics to justify it, then it must be a luxury thing. I'm sure sneakerheads share our struggle.

I'm getting a sleeve by Thomas Hooper! Quite stoked on it.

I have one of those lower sternum/underboob jammers, and honestly most of it was significantly less painful that I expected. Except for this little bit that went right in my cleavage, and holy hell, it SUCKED. Three minutes of straight suckage. But at least now I'm more prepared for any future chest pieces.

Also, some months back I got a tattoo over a sunburn. A sunburn I didn't realize had happened until the next day. Unnecessary extra stinging because I'm an idiot who forgot to bring sunscreen on my trip.

Tomorrow I get my first tattoo at Saved in NYC with John Sultana. I'm nervous and excited! ... eeep! (I feel like I'm bragging, saying from where/whom I'm getting my tattoo, but I'm supposed to share that info, right?)

How'd it go? What did you get? I'd love to get tattooed by him, so I'm curious.

My mom still gives me a stink face when she sees a new one, so I don't tell her about them. I don't hide them, but I don't constantly update her. When she found out I went to Austin (I'm in NYC) for the sole purpose of getting tattooed, she was pretty pissed, though, and served me her A+ guilt-trip game.

Her and her siblings (my uncle and aunt) all seriously dislike tattoos. Yet all their kids have them. It's a bit of sore point for them, but what are you gonna do.

I like alliteration, assonance and words that rhyme but don't normally go together. Awful waffle. Enemy anemone. Sourpuss octopus.

As long as you choose your artists well, you really can't go wrong either way. Both my arms are sleeved by one artist each (continuous pieces, not individual tattoos put together). One is color/neotraditional, one is black/dotwork. Sometimes I'm envious of people who have piecewise sleeves because it gives them a chance to get tattooed by more artists, and sometimes I'm envious of people with bodysuits done by one person. All that said, I love both my sleeves and have enjoyed each session I've had for different reasons. I really wouldn't trade them.

So go in, get your first tattoo done and see where that takes you. It'll be sick either way.

@Graeme @losParanoyas Thanks for the feedback. I totally agree with you guys that a well-taken tattoo will age differently than one spent years under tropical sun. I myself am quite diligent with applying sunscreen to my tattoos in an effort to preserve them.

Had my 2nd session with Thomas Hooper yesterday. Mostly dot shading and mostly sat okay for it. Much easier than the line work during our first session.

Hey guys, a quick n00b question: how well do you think stippled/dotwork tattoos age? Everyone here seems to agree on the importance of outlines in making a tattoo last, but that mandala doesn't have one. Just curious.

( @losParanoyas Sorry to use you as an example, haha. I'm getting work from Thomas again soon, so it's not like I'm picking on you/your artist. Excellent tattoos, by the way.)

Story of a 19th-century woman who became famous for her facial tattoos, acquired while she lived with a Mohave tribe (she was captured as a girl).

I'm always interest to see what native tattoos look like, so I thought you guys would like too.

I think Eva Huber does great hand tattoos, both woodcut-hand and hand-holding-object motifs (I actually have tattoos of both types by her). If you look through her instagram, you'll see hands come up quite often.

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir, Flo!

If you look at patterns of Berber face tattoos, or Harquus patterns, you'll notice they're kinda similar to the tattoos you posted. You'll also see similarities with the patterns in assuit fabric and Tuareg jewelry (the shapes of the jewelry as well as the etchings on it). If you want to decipher what those tattoos mean, I guess you could also research the symbolism of the aforementioned examples.

When it comes to these simplified, geometric, pattern-based tattoos, you could point to several different cultures and find similarities. Humans have been adorning themselves for so long with these kinds of shapes, it's almost impossible to guess what the artist is basing their designs off of (unless they're explicit about it).

@Mike Panic Just out of curiosity: is this what those "unregulated" lasers look like? Video is long, but you can kinda see it around 0:45.

"

This discussion is actually making me resolute in getting a demonic lady-head tattoo. Look at the dire state of affairs: compare and contrast.

It's a soft start, but I really like this demon lady by Angelique Houtkamp (which is based on this print of hers).

I'd advise you to hold off on hand tattoos for now. Start on your sleeve; maybe your tattooer could even incorporate your hand in a way as awesome as this Seth Wood piece.

Personally, I think hand tattoos with no sleeve just kind of look like a hand stamp you get at a club, or something. Unless we're talking mehndi-like design, then it's whole other thing.

That's really sweet. Reminds me of the parents who got insulin pump tattoos to show support for their diabetic son.

@polliwog Smack-you-in-the-face amazing, indeed. That is undoubtedly quite a striking tattoo. I'm also in the search of a potent back piece, so I know what you mean.

Your bit about looking at Kali only through a feminist lens is so spot-on. I think it's very tempting, as Western women whose cultural female iconographies are dominated by the demure Christian variety, to cling to Kali as purely a symbol of female force. It's empowering, and I can see how folks are drawn to that.

Tattoos are entirely personal, though, and I think people should be free to do as they will. I hope this discussion doesn't come across as a condemnation of some kind.

So what about those devil tattoos, huh?

I like Sympathy for the Skin by Lush. It's on the pricey side, but it's light enough to not feel greasy and it absorbs really well. On the pricey side, but it does a great job, in my opinion. I tried Aveeno, Cetaphil, St. Ives, Eucerin, Curel, but everything just felt like it just sat on my skin instead of moisturizing it. I also tried Dream Cream and Charity Pot from Lush, but both those were too thick for my liking. Also, most of these turned out to be incompatible with my skin/comedogenic and would make my upper arms/shoulder areas break out.

@Graeme It wasn't until that appointment that I really understood what is meant by "placement", which I used to think just meant "looks good in this spot". I'm grateful he was willing to explain his process to me, instead of just slapping it on there.

Just took a look at the photo of your sleeve - those concentric rings above the crow actually look like they're spinning. It's amazing!

@herewego Oh, I know, lol. I adore Eva and really enjoy getting tattooed by her, so when I heard she was moving to NYC I cried with joy and immediately booked. We're gonna tidy up a few things on my sleeve soon, I was just waiting for her to get back from conventions. But thanks for looking out, man! By the way, I highly recommend getting work from her. And, aahhhh! Virginia Elwood!

@Manu Manu @suburbanxcore @itsye Thank you, thank you.