David Flores

May not follow the mold exactly, but they both do have less than four words. Plus neither of them sound like Juggalo names. - - - Updated - - - Their is a bar here in Portland called Belmont Station, they moved on block over on Stark, but still kept the name, it becomes confusing at times. The same name thing is a weird thing. first shop I really hung at was Deluxe Tattoo in Portland, which has been around for awhile, I mean originally it was All American Tattoo, but at least since mid 80's, but most people would associate the name with Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago. On the other hand I work at shop now called Acme Tattoo Co, but most would associate that name with Don Nolan, in Minnesota who had the handle first and I know a couple other people have taken on that name.I think the thought was the shop was basically going to tattoo people in Portland and other parts of oregon but that's about it. Oddly enough he chose Acme to be first in the phonebook, but a couple of us really wanted Tip Top Tattoo. Ironically enough someone opened Aardvark Tattoo a couple years ago and nobody uses the phonebook and the internet has connected everyone.

Funny just reminded me of something that kind of goes hand in hand with a bad shop name. Be weary of any place that say they have "award winning artists" or "world renowned artists", almost every bad shop I find always has this in their bio. For all you know the award they won could be a bowling trophy.

I just thought of an idea. Try to think of the worst possible name for a tattoo shop. I am going with Infected Ink for my first submission, it fits my formula but still I think i would pass. I definitely think bad names either sound too intense or like they are trying to hard. I have some good names for shops as well, but saving those just in case.

One thing I haven't heard discussed is how cool and important having a good name for a tattoo shop is. Maybe I am kind of a snob,but if a shop has a dumb name, it sets off red flags for me and makes me a little unsure right off the bat. That being said obviously naming a tattoo shop, shouldn't and sometimes doesn't have anything to do with quality of work, but my hunches rarely let me down. So I don't think there is a set rule for what a good tattoo shop name is or isn't, but I have a few things I look for 1. Is Tattoo in the name. I would rather go to Hello Kitty Tattoo, than insert random city here INK or such and such art studio. Tattoo City, Chicago Tattoo, The Tattoo Emporium, Liberty Tattoo, Electric all kick ass names all have tattoo in them. 2. No more than Four words in the name. I want to be able to remember the name. Freedom Ink, Odds and Ends tattoo, Flying Tiger Tattoo, Hot Stuff Tattoo, Rock of Ages Tattoo, Inksmith and Rodgers Tattoo, gets the point across and sticks with you without writing it down. 3. Alliteration, whether you have tattoo in the name or not, it works for me. Shamrock Social Club, Absolute Art, True Tattoo, Temple Tattoo. Obviously there are way too many good shop names to list and it's not the deciding factor whether a shop is good or not, but the right amount of creativity goes a long way. I thought up this post when I saw a business card in a public place and the name of the shop is Breaking Ink. My first thought was they were going through stuff on the DVR and Breaking Bad and LA INK were on the list so they just decided to blend them, then of course I looked them up on my iphone and that probably is about right. But It really just reminded me of how many better names there are for shops out there. Anyone else have any thoughts or insights?

That tattoo is pretty amazing, I too kept seeing it all over social media, pretty jealous. I missed RHW the last time he was out my way, and pretty much everyone else I talk to around here got a tattoo from him.

I am sure there is a wealth of imagery that could be created from the stories in the bible, but I don't think a lot of people want tattoos of the lesser know characters in the bible, it's really all about Jesus and Mary and of course the tattoo of St Michael that people get keeping the devil out of heaven with his staff, pitchfork thing. If you are Catholic I there are probably more options, as there seems to be a lot of depictions of different saints. Depending on what the saint stood for or maybe what saint you were baptized under that could be an option.

The virgin de guadalupe is pretty powerful imagery, and all the secular interpretations people have come up with are pretty entertaining. I think the problem these days is people who get christian tattoos just want to get script lettering of bible verses.

I got a cast iron griddle, and a steel brush, which my son decided to clean the toilet with. I bought myself a pair of Doc Marten Chelsea Boots, I wear the brown ones a lot so I thought the black ones would be a good purchase. I am the worst person to buy for and never give people any clues so I don't expect much, but everyone managed to spoil my child, which is what it's all about anyway.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Getting tattooed can be like Christmas, months of build up and anticipation to that day, then it the day comes you get the tattoo and you wake up the next day and start the wait all over, and nothing magical happens, you are the same person just now you have a tattoo, a badass tattoo, but still just a tattoo. i can relate to that and I imagine it also afflicts me. It's probably thing in my head that always makes me focus on how much blank skin I have, not on how much of it is tattooed. I would say sometimes I shake my head at how silly this whole tattoo thing is and how I got involved, but most days I wouldn't have it any other way. This is kind of the reason I don't travel more and get tattooed, it is kind of a head thing for me. I feel much better about going to someone i know and getting tattooed either same day or next couple days type of thing. To many stuff involved, too many things to go wrong, and I hate being on vacation and having to stick to some schedule.

I used to think I had to slow down, so I don't run out of space, but now I don't have as much free time or money to get tattooed and all I want to do is get more tattoos. I can't imagine I will stop. I see other friends who are a little ahead of me and they seem to find ways to keep getting tattoos with limited or no skin left. I don't really want face tattoos even though that seems to be the trend right now, I have a feeling it will slightly harder to live with and a little more regretful than all the tribal armbands that came out of the 90's and I would just assume skip it.

Welcome Jeff, I visit Chicago a lot, it's a great city. What shop or shops do you get tattooed at?

Thanks for your response, I definitely see your viewpoint and for the most part we are totally on the same page. Even though I watch this show doesn't mean it doesn't infuriate me, especially when you see projects that people spend some much time and put so much passion into like tattoo age, get so little mainstream attention. There just isn't enough people out there I guess to justify a show about tattooing, I think the same goes for most things. If the show about Crab Fisherman made all the crab fishermen happy it would probably bore us to death. What it comes down is tattoos have become so popular with a large group of people, who don't really like tattoos. I am sure we could talk for days about what is wrong with this show and people in general. I hope you have a happy holiday Dave

People are always going to have an inaccurate representation of tattooers and the tattoo lifestyle. I don't think this show started it, the world is full of mediocre and bad tattooers who are completely delusional with over inflated egos, this show just happens to give those people 15 mins of pseudo fame. But I don't even know if this could be considered Z list celebrity status, the contestants are pretty forgettable and at best have a short career headlining traveling tattoo conventions. Why does it really matter what people think about the lifestyle. People who are serious about tattooing whether it be clients, or tattooers understand the hierarchy and where this show place is in it. People who aren't into it probably already have their per-conceived notions or don't really care one way or another. I have had to listen to plenty of customers rattle off their interpretation of what happened on last weeks inkmaster, and a lot of them are completely clueless about a lot of things, but most of them understand that these people aren't that good and are full of themselves. All I really have to do to give tattooing a better perception amongst them is just not act like the contestants. And as annoying as listening to this stuff, if people watch a show about tattooing and it makes them want to get tattooed, I am not going to complain. For the record there are hundreds of threads about who is the best tattooer, favorite tattooer, who's doing your next tattoo, a thread for each genre of tattoo, a thread for each animal that people get tattooed, and so on. If you added up all the activity of these threads you would probably see how little people really talk about this show in comparision. But really why wouldn't we talk about this show. This season alone has had Rubendall, Jack Rudy, Richard Stell, and Forrest Cavacco judging tattoos. I don't know one person in tattooing who hasn't watched one episode (most have watched more, but some will only admit to watching it once).

When they sit down in the station when you are trying to set up. Sometimes I remind people that we only take cash, or tell them if they need to smoke or go get a beverage or sandwich to do so, it gets them out of the way for the moment, but also means you don't have to stop for a smoke break or trust them to come back from ATM when they try to pay with card.

I didn't watch, but I think just having the name Tatu Baby should be grounds for elimination, regardless of what tattoos your produce. Kind of hope Sebastian wins, not a fan of his tattoos, but the other two could use to be taken down a peg.

Agreed those paintings are bad ass. 2012 has sure been the year of the cat as far as tattoos go. I am not a cat guy either, but some pretty cool cat flash and paintings going around.

But do they really have their art, or do they have a low resolution photograph of photograph or screen shot off your IPhone compressed. Also do you think it would ever get to that point, or is the terms and services really just their to give them freedom to generate more ad revenue. I am not saying it's not screwed up in some ways, but it's not like Instagram is going to open up an Etsy shop and sell prints of all the tattoo flash people post on IG. I know things work a little differently for each type of art and I can see how it could really screw over photographers. I guess the question is the risk of being ripped off worth the free advertising and possible added revenue being on said social media site could provide for an artist.

Very True. Social Media sites like Instagram and Facebook have made it alot easier for tattooers and many other people to get their work seen by a larger audience and it has been virtually free to do so. But nothing comes without a cost. I understand why people are concerned and I am not a hundred percent stoked on it, but I try to keep in mind that everything I put on the internet can be seen by other people and used to try to sell me stuff. Just a half hour ago I watched a UFC fight on another website, as soon as I signed on to facebook, UFC was the first suggested post in the news feed. I guess I could not watch fights or not have social media, but instead I just decide not to give a fuck.

@Graeme is right, Tattoo Archive is one of the best tattoo websites around. Have you tried to do a google search on your website? Chuck Eldridge's website comes up and you are no where in the search results. Unless someone types your exact website in the browser they probably aren't going to find you. Anyway that aside, welcome to the forum, so are the people on your website the people who have tattooed you? We all would love to see pics.

Funny lately I have been on a Mike Adams trip as well, almost forgot. I have a lot of crushes I suppose.

Aloha woman starts petition against cab company after driver, with previous assault conviction, pleaded guilty to sex offense against her | OregonLive.com I just thought I would share this story here. Cassandra and her now husband are very good friends of mine as well as clients of the tattoo shop and as big of tattoo enthusiasts as I know of. I have known about this incident since about the time it happened and talked to her about it, but never really pried for details. I guess my point is I just want to say I think it's very brave of her to come forward in this manner and to realize she is the victim in this scenario and hopefully give other women courage to speak up in similar situations. If you feel compelled to, please feel free to click over and sign this petition. If not please at least read the story. https://www.change.org/petitions/keep-women-safe-stop-hiring-convicted-felons-as-cab-drivers-take-sexual-assault-seriously Helpful hint make sure and check not to recieve emails from Change.org.

I have become a big fan of Kore Flatmo, funny enough after seeing his interview here. I really enjoy the tattoos he does, I feel like they are representative of him, have a huge impact, and still manage to look like tattoos. Uh Oh I might be falling for Kore Flatmo, you heard it first here folks. - - - Updated - - - It seems like every week or so Steve Byrne posts like twenty of the funnest, most colorful well done tattoos around. It's hard not to like his tattoos.

@slayer9019 I think I could have explained it a little better. For me at least it's kind of when it kind of defines reason. When someone is doing essentially the same thing as other people, but for some reason the way they do it just does it for me, more than other people. Richie Clarke, John Collins, Virgina Elwood all have their own style but they are all styles a lot of people have or are very similar. I guess what I am getting at, is when I see what is essentially the same piece of flash I have seen tattooed a hundred time, but for some reason this one just seems more desirable than the last 99 times I saw it. It may not even be drawn different, but some sort of invisible force around the tattoo just makes me think it's the best thing since punk rock. Keep in mind all this is subjective, but for me Grime doesn't do that for me. I think his an amazing tattooer, and arguably one of the best, but I feel like every time I look at a Grime piece I feel like their was a lot of effort made to for me to know it was a Grime piece the first time I saw it, which is amazing because a lot of the time he pulls that off.

Now I don't mean what tattooer you fanatsize about with their shirt off, or want to have babies with, or even maybe take out to a nice seafood dinner. I think we can all relate to seeing a tattoo someone has done and it either introduces us to that person, or suddenly puts that persons work in a new light. Then for the next couple weeks, months, or even years, they are the Michelangelo of tattooing and you wear out the imaginary like button on your iphone. A couple years ago it was Richie Clarke, then I would say John Collins, then Virginia Elwood, now I would have to say it's Deno Jr, and I am not really sure who or what is going to catch my eye next. We have tons of threads about best tattooers and giving tattooers credit and I guess in a way this is just another similar thread, but I guess in a way I feel different about it in the sense that we all can recognize good tattoo work, but in this case it's not even really that you think that person is technically the best tattooer out there, but it's something about their tattoos feels right at that moment in time, then you see someone else's tattoos and it starts all over again. I mention Deno Jr, six months ago I was kind of over the whole stylized, real bare bones traditional stuff and that would be the farthest thing I would be seeking out, but their is just something about his tattoos that made me say fuck yeah. If I am wrong then this thread can die, but if anyone else is out there like me let's hear them.

1. Best Thread- Monthly Best Tattoo Contest. A chance to come on and just see the best tattoos of the month on here. I think it also has made people get tattooed more on this forum (if that is even possible). 2. Worst Thread- Dumb Hipster Tattoos. 3. Favorite Tattoo I got- Snake and Rose by Dan Gilsdorf @blackheart tattoo in SF. I really have gotten a lot of tattoos this year from some really good friends, but getting the chance to visit and hang out in blackheart was a tattoo highlight of the year. 4. Best Tattoo others got. I would say for me my favorite tattoo is the dagger and skull combo that @deaddreamnation got by Danny Reed, but I think the undisputed champion of this year is @Scott R . 5. I would say Danny Reed is my favorite artist I have discovered through here. It's not even so much that I discovered him here, but I put a face to the name and really started looking at his work differently on here. I can't count how many tattooers I have discovered on this site, or been compelled to study more in depth because of work or discussion on this forum. 6. How did I get here? I think I commented on a post on facebook about the facebook friend tattoo and led me to a thread about tattooers with no tattoos, I saw that Nick and Mario from CTC were on here so I started lurking more. 7. I would say the general forum is my favorite part of the site. I like to not only hear everyone's tattoo news, but I do enjoy giving advice and a good discussion on a hot topic. 8. I spend most of my time in the general forum. 9. The one thing I miss is the tattooers that don't post here anymore and post less here. 10. THis year was hectic I really can't think of a bonus quote of the top of my head, but I know that I always enjoy when Stewart Robson joins the conversation and Shannon Shirley. I know that both of them post less, but when they have something to say it's good.