justcallmematt

I was super excited about this forum and check it regularly-ish. I've actually just started delving into the blogs and stuff. Fucking LOVE the interviews. I honestly don't post much for the same reasons that have been stated about the forum being public and a mix of artists and enthusiasts. I have tons of respect for the artists that are on here and would love to be in a forum that was an exchange of ideas, etc, between artists. I think a lot of us hold back in front of the public so as not to offend or confuse new, old or potential customers. I know "artist only" forums can get pissy and jaded and all that, but if there was artist section on here, where folks like Stewart, Deb, Scott and Mario are talking technique, reference, suppliers and stuff away from the public, I'd be here every day.

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

f#ckin facts,hilarious.....yeah......I'm sure Ive got better things to do.
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hell yeah.....

Of anyone here, you have more right to be preachy. You, Don and the rest of your family represent the kind of authenticity that cannot be faked, styled or imitated. A beacon for us all.

@kylegrey perfect response. The crux of the matter is that this site is only as good as the things people here say. Lets ALL try to be thoughtful and help others be thoughtful too.
Although I can't say I speak for all tattooers... "we" - meaning tattooers, tattoo artists etc. were busy before we joined this site. We're still busy. That's not why we don't post.
Switch the focus from 'busy' to ' interested' and think about what keeps people interested. If someone can be entertained by, benefit or learn from someone else, they are interested. Otherwise it's a one-way-street. Entertainment is easy to find on the internet, so that leaves the other two if we're talking long-term.
Tattooers is peoples too.

Thanks for bringing this up @Shannon Shirley while we've never met, people who I think are awesome tell me that you're awesome. Everyone here should pay attention to what this guy says.
I still check the forums every day but I told myself I'd try to only get involved if I could be constructive in some way (even being a dick in a particular way can have a positive outcome).
Lately there hasn't been much 'new' information or discussion where I felt my opinion would make any difference. Often someone else gets to the point before I do. I don't want every post I make to be a verbose "Me too."
On the other hand... The more help or insight we give, the more help or insight we're asked for.
Everyone likes to say they "Did their research" for their tattoo but that often just means looking at pictures in a Google search or checking Instagram. But what about the kind of research where you follow an idea that someone mentioned and find out for yourself? Learning and discovery is fun. Information discovered is more cherished and valuable than information that's spoon fed.
Everyone wants a book or website recommendation where the mysteries of life and everything will be explained, with pictures.
Explorers will eventually tire of conversing with tourists and consumers but they may feel nourished conversing with other explorers. (I use these terms with their proper, non-insulting intention) If more people try to be explorers (intelectual, spiritual or physical) this site, and the world will be a better place.
I've said it before but I don't come here to help with tattoo questions. We have a phone at Frith Street Tattoo. Helpful people are paid to answer it and answer questions. Most tattoo shops work with a similar system. You can get a helpful answer pretty quickly that way.
Even if you're in another country. International calls are not very expensive compared to the price of a tattoo.
I come here because I realised that it was a place where professional opinion meant something. I only started typing when I knew that nobody better qualified had answered. The turning point for me was Bryan Burk's post about Japanese tattoo politics. Finally we had first-hand, sensible and interesting information or opinion from a reliable source instead of conjecture or wiki-regurgitation. I knew then that I'd beter keep my mouth (or keyboard) shut unless I was sure I could contribute something worthwhile.
I'm aware this approach doesn't make for a lively forum but it was great to see it in action earlier this year when Bart Bingham put a halt to some whining about tattooers drawing directly on the skin with a simple, direct and thoughtful post.
Sorry for the lack of links to threads and @ mentions. LST seems to be loading extremely slowly so I couldn't check where stuff was.
Other that the fact that one of my favourite tattooers started this site, I still like it that real-world experience holds water over post-count here at LST. I also like it that the mods (well, the one's I've met) are heavily covered with genuinely great tattoos. That really makes a difference.

Eric Inksmith, my favorite tigers of all time. Hands down.

I sat for 7 1/2 on my ribs, well technically I sat for 2 1/2 and then drank a pint of vodka and slept for the next 5. I'm the worlds biggest sissy, really I'm like a 3yr old girl with a skinned knee when I get tattooed it's horrible. The next longest was 4 1/2 by Eric Inksmith last year. It was right before he started touring, his first time using disposables, on my calf. I tried to crush my skull by squeezing my temples to distract myself. It was right before the state fair, I had to stop and buy a cane at walmart, my leg was so swollen I could barely walk.
The longest I ever tattooed was in my first year, payday weekend at Ft. Campbell, tattooed from 10am til 4am, with only breaks to setup and break down. My hands were numb from my fingertips to my elbows.

If you liked 'I am legend' then you might want to check out the recent anthology 'He is legend' by various contemporary SF and horror authors. Basically tribute short stories using various of Matheson's stories. So 'He is legend', for example, charts the events of world of 'I am legend' through the eyes of a vampire.
I'm a huge SF nerd - Just finished re-reading Roger Zelazny's 'Lord of light'. Probably his best work. Quite elaborate, but essentially it's a SF novel playing with the idea of a pantheon of hindu gods who appear to rule over a far future human space colony. The 'gods' aren't really gods, and the protagonist that opposes them isn't really the Buddha, but Zelazny has a lot of fun with the idea that sufficiently advanced science can be indistinguishable from magic depending on who's observing it.

In most cases it is better to do absolutely nothing to your tattoo than to over care for it.
Your photos look like a normally healing tattoo.
The white, wrinkly, opaque skin- is just your new skin ( as far as white dots- it's impossible to say without seeing)
I usually advise a light wash daily, pat dry, apply mild lotion sparingly a few times a day- massage in to skin.
Everybody heals differently.
Don't worry
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The above post is actually by Matt's mother- also a tattooist, he didn't sign off of the computer.

@Iwar Thanks. I knew someone here would find it eventually. Thanks for sharing.
I've told a few people face-to-face about this project but I want people online to find this on their own, for now. If I shout about it and create hype, everyone will be bored of waiting by the time it's finally finished. I expect a long gap (at least 6 months) between the last shot and the finished edit. At the moment I'm doing this 100% on my own - Camera, lights, sound, music, graphics, editing, planning, photography, layout, writing, interviewing, transcribing, promotion, etc etc. I'm glad you like what I've done so far. As well as the guys at the shop I have some great people lined up to get interviewed too. Some of them you know, some you don't know.
Actually, on the subject of transcribing... I do need help. Lately I've been thinking about asking for help but I wasn't sure to do it here, twitter or wherever.
Without turning this into a sob story, I can't transcribe every interview myself. I've done a few but my wrists can't take the strain of tattooing 5 days a week and typing for 2. Having hard-copy interview transcripts is essential to the editing process. So I guess this is an open offer for someone to have some low paid, occasional, boring work but to help out on a project that I think might be interesting.
I don't have the budget for professional transcription services (actually, I have zero budget, everything is paid for out of my own pocket) but I can pay a percentage of the standard professional rate.
If you think you'd like to help or know someone who'd like to help, email [email protected] Thanks.
HOOPER versus PECKer:
The footage of Oliver getting tattooed was almost an hour long. It was tough to cut some of the hilarious one-liners but the best ones are in there.
@Scott R I'm the guy holding the camera. We did meet at the SFO convention.
There ware lots of people watching Oliver get tattooed from outside the room, but the guys you can see while Thomas gets tattooed are Chad Koepliner, Stefano C, Shane Wilcox, Me and Thomas' friend James.

In most cases it is better to do absolutely nothing to your tattoo than to over care for it.
Your photos look like a normally healing tattoo.
The white, wrinkly, opaque skin- is just your new skin ( as far as white dots- it's impossible to say without seeing)
I usually advise a light wash daily, pat dry, apply mild lotion sparingly a few times a day- massage in to skin.
Everybody heals differently.
Don't worry
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The above post is actually by Matt's mother- also a tattooist, he didn't sign off of the computer.

In most cases it is better to do absolutely nothing to your tattoo than to over care for it.
Your photos look like a normally healing tattoo.
The white, wrinkly, opaque skin- is just your new skin ( as far as white dots- it's impossible to say without seeing)
I usually advise a light wash daily, pat dry, apply mild lotion sparingly a few times a day- massage in to skin.
Everybody heals differently.
Don't worry
- - - Updated - - -
The above post is actually by Matt's mother- also a tattooist, he didn't sign off of the computer.

Annabelle moved to the Elephant Sanctuary in California, Bob Barker came and got her. We have two polar bears now in a beautiful enclosure.
Hey Ma, you got me!!!!

You've only been Tattooing 2 years? BRAVO SIR!!!!!

You've only been Tattooing 2 years? BRAVO SIR!!!!!

Long time lurker. First time posting and introducing myself.
My name is Tron. I just recently moved away from NYC where I worked with my friends/tattoo family at Thicker Than Water in the East Village. I just moved to Portland, OR and am currently looking for a new shop to call home out here as well as some new people to befriend and paint/hang with. I've been tattooing for a little over 2 years now and always trying to push on and move forward and learn as much as I can. I don't do much but paint all the time. I'm into punk, bicycles, motorcycles, weird shit, funny shit, hopeless romantic shit, science, nature, the occult, coffee, and Morrissey.
I'm technologically retarded and have no clue how to post pics of my stuff so...
My website is here: LOSINGSHAPE
In the words of Boy George: I'll Tumblr for you - Losing Shape
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter: @LosingShape

Eric Inksmith, my favorite tigers of all time. Hands down.

Eric Inksmith, my favorite tigers of all time. Hands down.

Eric Inksmith, my favorite tigers of all time. Hands down.

Well I'm screwed, I'm way too pleasant to get picked.

One trick ponies with no respect for other styles. The dumbasses were arguing with Freddy fuckin' Negrete over black and gray. None of them would last 5 minutes in a GOOD street shop outside a big Army base on payday weekend. They would all cry and quit. "What do you mean there are 36 people on the waiting list! I need 3 weeks to conceptualize and draw your tattoo, and we have to do it this way, no I can't do a tribal tear out, that's beneath my artistic ability."
I'm going on this show, fuck it, you wanna see a tattooer work, I'll tattoo 3 "Human Canvasses" an episode and pick up a walkin'.

redletter1 DAVID BRUEHL

Bitch got crazy face.

Well this month was pretty badass for great tattoos as well as lots of voting. Thanks to everyone who posted, liked, and got some awesome tattoos!
Both people who won got multiple tattoos over a short period of time. The SFO convention wins in general for putting out some of the most liked tattoos for Novembers best tattoo and from that convention we've got a tie.....
The winners are:
@ian with his skulls by Jeff Gogue & skull by Jondix (post #2), Congratulations!!
AND the other winner is
@Scott R for his Eagle backpiece laser then coverup by Scott Sylvia (post #17), Congratulations!!
It's been cool to see both guys tattoos and process to get the tattoos they wanted overtime so thanks for sharing with us at LST!
Bring on Decembers Tattoo Contest.......
Winners, PM me your shirt size and address