lape

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

I sit here, sore, swollen, in a daze... but I have to share my story. I am an apprentice tattooer and have been in my apprenticeship since September of 2014. I have always had a deep respect for tattooing, but it has now been solidified even deeper. Last year at the Lady Luck Tattoo Convention, my teacher was asked to receive a traditional Samoan tatau by Sulu'ape Si'i Liufau of A-Town Tattoo. My teacher has known Si'i for about 10 years through the convention circle. We were sharing a booth with A-Town, so I was preparing for a pretty close view of the event. As they were preparing, Si'i came to me and told me that he only had his apprentice, Genesis, available to stretch skin for the tatau and they would need my help. I have a previous post describing the experience, so I won't elaborate further on it here, but it became one of the biggest honors of my life to be involved in that tatau on my teacher.
Fast forward to this past weekend: We were working the Lady Luck Convention again and had a pretty slow schedule of clients. My teacher intentionally did so, because he wanted to hopefully help stretch on a tatau. It is a huge honor to receive a tatau, but it is an equal honor to assist in one. Saturday night, we are all in the bar, relaxing and having a good time. It was a group of about 20 tattooers from all over the country. Talk of the process of tatau began and I took the opportunity to interject and publicly thank Si'i for asking me to assist on my teacher's tatau. I told him it was one of the biggest honors of my life and I would never forget it. He nodded to me and said, "What are you doing tomorrow?" I said, "No tattoos, just working our booth." He said, "I should give you tatau tomorrow." Without hesitation, I stuck my hand out and said yes. We shook on it and he went over to discuss it with his apprentice. They were making gestures around the lower thigh area and kinda laughing a little. I jokingly said, "You guys are laughing too much! You gonna fuck me up tomorrow?!" Si'i responded, "We're gonna try something new on you, Nate. You're not gonna like it... but you're gonna like it."
The next morning, I went over to the A-Town booth and Si'i had me remove my shoes and put on a sarong. Without discussion, he started shaving my knee area, all the way around. He drew on a couple reference lines, where he then called over my teacher and told him he would be assisting his apprentice with stretching of the skin. I've already written a lot, so I will skip along. It took 3 hours of, by far, hands down, the most painful tattooing I've ever received. Almost my entire knee, and all the way around back, through the ditch. At the end, I was congratulated. I didn't move. I didn't squirm. I made no sounds. Inside my head, it felt as though they were cutting my leg off, but I knew I had to show my respect and gratitude by being silent. It was incredible. To be a part of my teacher's tatau and for him to be a part of mine has bonded us even closer. We are both so humbled and blown away by it all. As he did a final cleaning of my leg, I asked Sulu'ape Si'i what I needed to pay him for this (I was actually kind of worried, because I'm a broke apprentice). He said, "Meaalofa. It's a gift for you. You earned my respect when you sat for hours and stretched for your teacher last year." He also said, "Now Nate, this tatau has the ending placement of a traditional Pe'a, so when a Samoan sees it coming out of your shorts, they are going to question you. When they do, you tell them it was a gift from Sulu'ape and if they have any more questions, they can come talk to me." I'm still in awe. I look at my leg now and it is so much more than a tattoo. It is history. It is honor. It is respect. I just wanted to share my story. Thanks to all that read it. Here are some pictures of the whole thing.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

damn... taking a cheese grater to your face in an attempt to remove a tattoo...

I've been lazy as all hell and haven't posted any new bangers in a while.......

Right BUTT cheek - Alex Boyko - December

MOM Cover up on the wrist AND LEMMY tribute- Jon Larson - January

©Ankle - Jon Larson - February

Wrist banger - Jon Larson - March

Left SWELLbow - Chad Koeplinger - March

I got this done today by Dan Climan, real stoked on it!

I'm pretty sure it's based off a Owen Jensen design but I haven't found the original yet. I'd love to see it if anyone knows where to find it.

Another one by Jeff Zuck. This is the tattoo that immediately popped into my mind when I read the premise of the thread. I remember when I first saw this tattoo I stared at the picture for, like, an hour because I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

BAM

Session 3.
Steve really put on a lot of ink this time. I was shaking a bit during the first hour and not doing well with the pain, but Steve said to relax my entire body and left the pain "flow through my body". When I did this, the experience completely changed. Obviously, it still hurt, but I was able to breathe through it and find some calmness. I'm very happy with the progress so far and Steven is pumped too!

Close up

Gotten a few fun ones over the last six months or so:
Steve Byrne at Temple before the Bay Area Convention of the Arts:

Healed

Robert Ryan at the Convention:

Crappy healed photo:

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Got a couple from Miguel Montgomery aka Uzi to start the year


Healed


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And most recent is a little one shot by Alex Petty based off of some old Milton Zeis flash
Flash

Piece (still healing)

Just got a wee elbow banger from Franz Stefanik

Having started 21 months ago I am unbelievably happy to say that my back is done. It took 59 hours, at least a dozen tubes of bepanthen, lots of cups of coffee and bacon sandwiches, and at least one ruined set of bed sheets. Thank you very much Mr Ian Flower.

bunch of traditional tattoos is a great choice

A little twist on a classic. Picked from the incredibly twisted, but amazing, sketch book of Matt Kerley.

I got this done today by Dan Climan, real stoked on it!

I'm pretty sure it's based off a Owen Jensen design but I haven't found the original yet. I'd love to see it if anyone knows where to find it.

I think a dagger through the neck could cover that nicely.

I got this done today by Dan Climan, real stoked on it!

I'm pretty sure it's based off a Owen Jensen design but I haven't found the original yet. I'd love to see it if anyone knows where to find it.

My $0.02
A G-rated tattoo shop...jesus haven't tattoos been watered down enough? A play area for kids...its a TATTOO shop not a dermatologist office...lots of swearing, war stories, casual nudity, dirty and taboo humour, mystery, intimidation and no bullshit. That to me is what belongs in a tattoo shop. Not a friggin ball room to keep the kids occupied for a couple hours. Its a tattoo shop not a McDonalds or Ikea. Get a babysitter. Sit down, shut up and don't move...that's what a tattoo shop is to me. And I don't think that sounds very fun for a kid.
I got tattooed in shop and a tattoo enthusiast popped in with her kids to visit and say hello. It ended with mom spinning her brat around in one of the empty chairs and the kid bumping into the table while I was getting tattooed. I don't want to see your kids when I get tattooed. It's distracting. Tattoo time is my time. And you probably don't want your kids to see my balls hanging out on the table when I get my belt line tattooed. Get your ass-crack tattooed and then reevaluate your business venture.
Keep tattoo shops R-Rated and 18+ (fake IDs accepted).

Just got this and prisoner of love by Tyson Arndt at Stockholm Classic. It was cool to hang out and talk to Tyson. Super happy!
https://instagram.com/p/BCYCSHiR5PP/
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Just got this and prisoner of love by Tyson Arndt at Stockholm Classic. It was cool to hang out and talk to Tyson. Super happy!

Nomi Chi is in Vancouver if you're allowed into Canada..
https://www.instagram.com/nomi_chi/

Check out Mike Moses in Columbus, OH. He's very illustrative, but not exactly like the above style. There are plenty of sketchy tattooers in the US however, they usually do full sleeves for a pack of smokes and dimebag.

I unfortunately don't have anything to add about the design history, but just thought I would say that Dan is a cool guy who seems to still have a low profile. Cool to see more collectors with his work.