exume

Here's the cobra that I got from Chris O'Donnell...

I hesitate to do all this politlcal shit on what is a forum for and about tattooing.
That said, there seems to be no one more intolerant than one who espouses tolerance.
If you don't want to tattoo something, that's fine, totally your business. But don't call the "racist" bullshit if you're willing to do the portraits of Che, the clenched fist, the Hammer and Sickle, all those other symbols that are, ultimately, racist.
The swastika is derived from the Sunwheel, which was/is a symbol used by the ancestory of ALL White people for thousands of years before a group of fanatical SOCIALISTS cloaked themselves in Nationalism and used it as a symbol of their regime. Many people still use the sunwheel, or various iterations of the swastika, as a sign of their beliefs.
MAny people today still have swastikas tattooed on them that have no political meaning whatsoever. I know it's hard for someone that is, say, in their twenties or early thirties to imagine an era before political correctness, but int he sixties and seventies, the swastika was extensively used, especially by "bikers", as an emblem to shock, or to express their alienation from society.
This does not make them racist.
If such a person were to get that tattoo retouched, it could well be nothing more than refreshing their memories of that time. If a person got such a tattoo in prison, it's quite possible that they have an attachment to it that transcends politics or race. A mark of survival, if you will.
I've posted before that I've done too many "bad" things to judge ANYONE for anything. I guess I've lost touch with that essence of absolute innocence and conviction that allows one to condemn sommeone they know nothing of because of a symbol they have tattooed on them.
And just to prove what a racist I am, my oldest son's Godfather is Puerto Rican, my Granddaughter is a quarter "Native-American", and my best friend and main partner is half-Riquenoo tambien.
To be truly tolerant of others means to be able to be tolerant of them even when you don't agree with them.
.02

So typical to start out w/such a tiny one. ;)

Can't be enough skulls, that's for sure. Seriously considering the rooster from the sriracha hot sauce bottle. God I love that stuff, lol.

Stopped into Cathedral Tattoo yesterday and got myself a spur of the moment birthday banger from the talented CJ Fishburn.

first hit on my back piece. snakes tail and skull will finish down my right thigh as my left thigh is already covered.

Too early for me to have decent pix of this work, I only got it tonight, but if you like Traditional stuff, you may find it interesting.
Originally done as an advertising sign by Ralph Johnstone for his parlor in the arcades on south State Street in Chicago, and repainted by Nick Colella as his signature sign at CTC. He's had it hanging there over his work station for I don't know how many years, and in the times I've sat for him, it just kinda grew on me. He told me tonight he's never put it on anyone else, so I guess I got a one-of-a-kind piece of Chicago tattooing history, from one of Chicago's tattooing legends.
Nick Colella / Chicago Tattooing Company. I can't recommend Nick enough. He is a wonderful artist, good people, fast, accurate, and skillful tattooist, and an all-around good guy. Anyone thinking of gettinng tattooed in the Chi should give serious consideration to him.
I did post this in another thread, so if that's not kool, please, would a mod just delete this. Thanks to all of you who have "liked" my posts here thus far...even if I ahven't personally thanked you all, please know that it is appreciated!

Victor Kensinger - Kings Avenue Tattoo

Change that "or" to a "and"

Anything that TV didn't teach me I can learn from the internet. Isn't Kat Von D the best in the world????
Now, let me tell you what my tattoo means to me ... my mother died before I was born and my father abandoned me before I was conceived, but this tribal koi riding a skull and fighting a dragon tattoo will make everything all right!

But I did send you some nice pictures of food.

Latest by Sarah Schor. While she was guesting at Frith Street.

Tiger tattooed by @Stewart Robson , Frith Street Tattoos, London, UK


I love it!

best of craigslist: 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
le bump

best of craigslist: 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
le bump

Got a little sailor jerry anchor on my arm by Jeremy Sutton. Met @Perez , drank free rum, and saw oliver peck. Today was seriously rad.

I've been lurking here for a solid 8-9 months now, not heavily tattooed, just getting started. I'm working my way down one arm right now, but due to being a grad student, it will be a while before I'm finished.
Started with this by your own Mario Desa back in November:

Got this Dietzel flash from Nick Colella in March:

Also have a little Sailor Jerry butterfly that I got from Mario on the same day as the gypsy, but I don't have a picture of it.
Sorry if these aren't as recent as stuff people normally post, but I wanted to contribute.

Take it easy with the juice, Ursula:

Too bad she isn't a gynecologist.

el monga, slaughtering shit.

A very good choice......tell him his Sister say hello!

so I know I talked a lot of shit about future plans and things that didn't work out before, but I finally set an appointment for my first tattoo! a certain Myke Chambers had a cancellation at a convention just down the road from me, I'm so stoked right now

so I know I talked a lot of shit about future plans and things that didn't work out before, but I finally set an appointment for my first tattoo! a certain Myke Chambers had a cancellation at a convention just down the road from me, I'm so stoked right now