hogg

I'm booked in for one next month. Can't wait!

No way! That's awesome, buddy.

It's kinda sad. She is a smart woman but I sense that she's waiting for a tattoo idea with meaning to come to her so she can get over that hump of feeling like she should do what everyone else is doing.

I see this all the time. I wanna scream, "Tattoos don't have to mean anything!" but there's no use with some people. And I don't mean for that to sound harsh. I just mean that some people have their minds made up and nothing I could say would change that.

Welcome Josh. Really nice work.

Took the words right outta my mouth.

i do it out of habit, not addiction.

"I can stop any time!"

Jorogumo is one of my favourite images. Can't wait to see it.

I was thinking about Jorogumo earlier today. I'll jump on the "can't wait to see it" train.

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And @HettyKet, your arm looks great! It's a good example of some non-traditional tattoo imagery executed with traditional tattoo sensibilities. And it totally works. I love the layout, too.

I could only imagine what tattoos I would have gotten as an 18 year old me.

Probably, like, Wu Tang and wrestling tattoos.

Welcome, @stevenh. Listen to @OutOfIdeas--he is giving you very solid advice.

Welcome to LST!

I've definitely seen some websites that say there's a time minimum and a price minimum. Maybe that's not the norm then. I just dont want an artist to laugh in my face because what I need is nowhere near what they usually do. Im in Oklahoma and have been thinking about OKC or the Dallas area.

If you're anywhere near Tulsa, go to Richard Stell. Welcome to Richard Stell Tattoos.com

DAMN, but that is a nice peony, @ironchef! I love how she connected the pieces, right down to nailing the background continuity.

And what a cute picture of the two of you. Love your jammies!

That's funny, @hogg, cos I've only met you once and I can name at least three of your tattoos and who did them -- not including your backpiece that I've only seen in a book.

Ha! The sign of a true initiate (with a very nice dragon half sleeve on your arm).

Matt Howse just did these two awesome travel-themed tattoos:

I would think the quality of the tattoos counts for something as well as the subject matter. A flower or a mandala is bound to be seen differently than a shrieking zombie dripping with blood and gore -- especially for a schoolteacher. Don't want to scare the kids.

I respectfully disagree. To non-initiates, a tattoo's a tattoo. They just see that someone is tattooed--not what they have. I have to remind myself of that from time to time. I once asked a non-tattooed coworker to describe 3 of my tattoos. This was a job where I wore T-shirts every day, and he and I were friends. He remembered my kid's name, but admitted that he was stumped beyond that.

Oh man @hogg who did that GYM REAPER sheet?!

It was by Matt Staydohar, but I think he deaded his Instagram. Too bad, because that sheet ruled!

That's so beautiful, @keepcalm! Congrats.

My latest was so much fun I had to write my first LST blog post about it.

I guarantee you that I'm the only other Vybz fan on LST. :) Is he out of prison? And damn, he bleached the shit out of his skin. Shouts to Nardo Ranks.

What a cool experience, @motsimus. Was Big Jonny working that day? He's a buddy of mine (and another great dude).

Welcome to LST!

Unbelievable, @RoryQ!

You know you wanna fill in the navel, though. ;)

In the States he has tattooed at Diamond Club in San Fran. He probably has the lightest hand of anyone that has tattooed me yet! Very pleased.

Did you get that at Roses and Panthers? And I agree with you about his hand. He tattooed a collar rocker on my at Diamond Club years ago. I was a little nervous beforehand, but he said, "I'm angel soft." I thought he was being a smartass, but it was true!

Henning is a master. That is perfect, @BrianH. Congrats!

My tattoo peeled normally with a few scabs over the first week, and now appears to be rather smooth and slightly tender. Today is day 8 since it was done. It looks like it is going to peel a second time, this time just small white colored flakes. Is a secondary peeling normal?

Perfectly normal. And on the topic of imperfect tattoos, I like what Thom DeVita says. Something like "any imperfections only add to its beauty." It's a human-applied art form. Consider those human touches. And welcome to LST!

I love that, @cookietruck. So rad that you got an Irons design from Bob, too.

I got this from Ben Grillo yesterday:

He applied it with a single needle and a shoehorn. The photo does it no justice; this is far and away my most detailed tattoo. I can wait to see it healed.

Damn, I thought I was special.

You're as special as @Hogrider, @Cork, @KBeee, and @someotherguy.

Weird that someone signed up just to spam via PMs, but they have received a death blow from the banhammer.