Duffa

So after reading Iwars' San Fran travel blog, I'd made a comment a long the lines of "maybe I'll do the same for my next Japan trip..." I'm pretty sure the response from @Iwar was "you better blog the shit out of it". So, for Iwar & the rest of the LST crew, here is a blog/travel log of my last trip to Japan, in December 2011 to complete my sleeve by Horinao at The Cat Claw Tattoo-Z in Kyoto. And to catch up with my Japanese fam ;)
(This is my first blog type thing ever so my apologies ahead of time if I waffle on or if it's boring as shit lol. You have been warned :) )
For those of you who just tuned in, I'll do a really quick (ok, not so quick) update to get y'all up to speed on where we are at :cool:
In June last year (2011) I'd gone to Japan to visit and stay with friends in Osaka, and to do a few more things I wasn't able to do on my first trip the previous year (October 2010). Probably the number 1 item on my list was to get a tattoo while I was in Japan (I really love Japanese tattoos, so why wouldn't I want to get one in Japan?). I knew what shop I wanted to go to and who I wanted to get something from, so before I'd left I'd sent off a couple of emails to Catclaw trying to figure out if I could get a booking and when. Unfortunately, I never received a reply... but that wasn't going to deter me ;) Yosuke (My japanese friend who I knew from Australia and who was helping as my translator and local ye olde inn keeper) and myself set out to find the Catclaw and see what we could make happen...
When we've walked in to the shop, Horinao was at his station painting and Hiro was working diligently on, funnily enough, another Australian. Speaking to Rina (pronounced 'Lina') the shop manager and Horinao via Yosuke (and my bad Japanese lol) we decided on a Hannya. Horinao asked what colour I wanted, and my reply was "Aka" (red) making a real emphasis with my body language to say "I wanted this baby really really red" (For those playing at home different colours represent different stages of transformation and different standings in society) Horinao got this cheeky little smile, nodded and knew exactly what I meant. And from pretty much from that point we where total BFF's... lmao. Rina said to come back in an hour and we could start, so Yosuke and I went and grabbed some food and headed back when it was time.
2 1/2 hours (maybe 3 including a break) I walked out with this:


I was pretty damn happy to say the least, and at that point knew that I wanted him to finish the sleeve... IF it could be finished due to needing a cover up that wasn't going to be that easy. Well, there was that and the fact that I'd need to somehow figure out how to get back to japan for this to happen ;)
I get back home and about 4 days later, without going into to much detail, I get some bad news from my Mum but with this news also comes some money and I can only think of one thing I really want to spend it on. I even jokingly said to Mum "You know what this is going on don't you?" and in typical Mumsie style, she responds with "Yeah, I kind of thought that. Just let me know when you book your flights" and that was that...
The next piece of luck was that Jetstar where having another sale to Japan! It's the only way I've been able to go as often as I have - I've never paid anymore than $450 return ;) thank you Jetstar. So I emailed the guys and asked if Horinao thought the tattoo I wanted covered could be... This is what I wanted covered:

Yes, it's Venom from Marvel Comics' Spiderman series. I'd gotten it when I was 19 I think if memory serves correct? It had a lot of black in it, as well as a nice assortment of colours, so I wasn't sure what could be done. Laser was an option of course, but I figured i may as well just spend that money on the tattoo.
Horinao said it'd be all good and asked what I wanted. Although I'd never wanted a Dragon or a Koi as such, I also knew they where probably my only two options. Horinao agreed, and said that a Koi would work best and so thats what we agreed upon. I booked my flights for the end of August, booked 2 days in and after that trip I was left with this:
August 2011 Day 1 (A little over 6 hours not including breaks):


August 2011 Day 2 (4 hours not including breaks - Horinao had a gig that night lol)



He drew everything directly on to my skin to make sure it all worked and flowed as well as possible. I have to admit I was in awe just watching him sketch onto my arm. I couldn't make out shit, but knew I was in safe hands ;) He also never shaved my arm (except for the first time with the Hannya) which I found on later isn't super necessary unless your quite hairy, and it helps lesson the itching during healing :) (hairs aren't growing back)
I got back, twiddled my thumbs until Jetstar had another sale and the second they did, I booked my tickets back for December...
Well, that pretty much brings everyone up to speed with where I was at before I left in December last year. I'll make this the first post, and do the next few as individual days me thinks? So if possible just hold off on any replies until I say "FIN" lol :D (don't worry, they're coming right now!)

@iowagirl the lady head you posted is a painting by Lina Stigsson http://www.linastigsson.com/ who would be doing the tattoo? Just be wary as if you aren't able to get her to do it then maybe it might be an idea to get another tattooer to draw up a design as they may not be able to do that beautiful painting justice (not trying to be a douche, just saying)

Healed from the London Tattoo Convention - by Chriss Dettmer

Thank you! @ironchef, you would be absolutely correct. Laying down in his space was a great experience to be had. He's a very nice guy too. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned previously but both Horitomo and Yokohama Horiken have rooms to work in while everyone else at the shop works in an open plan. The rooms are raised platforms and you remove your footwear before entering. You lay out your towel on the floor and he sits to tattoo. Very traditional. Being able to lie there and see him work, see his drawings for ongoing or upcoming tattoos/paintings, seeing his reference materials, and the little sculptures of Fudo Myo-o was a great time and while laying there being poked on the feet may not sound fun, I'm pretty sure I was wearing a goofy smile the whole time.
BTW, if anyone was wondering, to me, shading by tebori didn't feel as painful as by machine.

Guess I'll throw in another Scott Sylvia... from richmond
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How to I post the full pic instead of thumbnail?

28th might be my last session with Rubendall. He thinks we're going to wrap things up in the 6 hours I have booked. I have additional appointment times booked so we'll see. :D

Got a this little wrist filler by Henry Wyatt at Inkies in Fremont, CA. Representing and supporting the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda Relief... The design is a a guide taking the deceased to the Hereafter by canoe, based on an artifact known as the Manunggul Jar.
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Needles and Sins Tattoo Blog | Tattoo for the Philippines

Pure awesomeness ! Memoir is such a great shop I think if I won the lottery the first thing I would do , would be to book a flight to see Shawn Barber his work is just mind-blowing.
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Got my wife to take some photos of my latest tattoo all healed. The photos are a bit glarey cos of the flash. Tibetan Skull by Ema Sweeney at Custom Inc .

Hey Guys
So i have decided to travel to the states from Australia around July/August for a couple of months possibly with another tattoo friend of mine and would love to meet a heap of you guys while I'm over there. We are planning to start in San Francisco and travel across the country to New York hitting a lot of shops on the way for walk-ins (not going with a plan). I just wanted to use this thread as a kind of home base for information for the next few months.
Thanks LSTers
Also i will probably be doing a travel blog thing aswell.

"I'm an oil man, ladies and gentlemen.. I have numerous concerns spread across this state. I have many wells flowing at many thousands of barrels per day. I like to think of myself as an oil man.." That's a solid 'stache @haervaerk

Love Chris Brand's work so much .

Hey all,
I just joined and started flicking about thoroughly enjoying this thread only to come across this guy here! I live in melbourne and the guy with the chad koeplinger in Rough Operators post is my good friend who I was drinking a beer with only hours ago.
This piece looks amazing now that its fully coloured and complete, I'll see if I can find a photo somewhere!
Small world, great thread!
Here's a sizzler from El Bara, from Madrid.

Man I love this tattoo done by Chris Anthon. I would love to get something like this on my back or front. Only problem is I have a session booked for a similar design on my forearm.

I like seeing the pics of all everyone's overall look, so here's my updated one:
(ETA: now my right arm tattoo is going down farther than my left arm, so now I'm going to have to add more to my left. And so it goes...that's how they get ya.)

I tried to post this last night but it got caught by the spam filter for some reason.

Done by Jeff Zuck in Ann Arbor, MI. I'm really blown away.

Got to squeeze in an appointment with Beau Brady before he left town.
Here are the results (picture stolen from his IG)

Aw what the hell. I wasn't going to post this because, most of what I see here is just so epic. This isn't particularly epic but, I like it just the same. This was my first real 'impulse' tattoo. I was hell bent on getting some kind of little banger as a souvenir of an awesome trip to Vancouver. I wanted to get something done at Gastown but they were fully booked so I walked around til I found a place that had time for a walk in. Normally I would be a lot more fussy but, I wanted it right then and there. I had always wanted a sparrow/swallow, and I liked the date so I threw that in too. Vancouver is the place of my birth and although I haven't lived there since infancy, it always feels very strongly like home when I'm there. So, yeah..... :) Oh, and, pardon the nipple LOL

Got these swallows done by Jeff Zuck in Ann Arbor after a few forum members recommendations.
Love it

Just finished off my right shoulder. It's now linked with my chest piece. I'll post a pic next week, when I finish the other shoulder. As usual the work was done by Tim Pausinger at The Pearl. I'm also on the cancellation list for Mark Cross who is guesting at The Pearl in a week or so. His schedule filled up fast!
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Son of a bitch! I hate you, by which I mean I am sickly jealous of you right now. Those are outstanding!

And this happened yesterday! I love Caturdays. By Horitomo at State of Grace (duh!). The outline and black shading are by machine. The white shading is by tebori. My first tattoo that uses color ;-)
http://www.intagme.com/horitomo_stateofgrace/625645608470926116_177828155/
I swear I have the fugliest feet in all of Hobbiton. Ha! Well, before the tattoo that is.

going to la to finish this with bryan burk in a couple weeks. and i just booked a flight to austin in february emailed steve byrne! sorry if the pictures big

I got some blackberries, leaves, branches, and another rose added to my arm yesterday (Kim Saigh at Memoir).

Okay, per request, one Monmon Cat by Horitomo.
HORITOMO (@horitomo_stateofgrace) | Just finished | Intagme - The Best Instagram Widget

This was done by Gina at Studio 69 Tattoo on Long Island, NY last month. Picture is right after it was finished. I have a follow up appointment on 1/8 to complete the forearm sleeve.
Rob