Stewart Robson

Just because you got something stabbing through your head doesn't mean that you're having a bad time

Check out Duncan X Thomas Hooper has done some similar stuff too, although often with finer detail and some grey shading.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Another frustrating part is trying to finish work in time for the photo shoots!
I'm SO FUCKING STOKED to have been asked to be part of this.
The exhibition will be amazing but the catalog will be on a different level.
So much of what most modern Western tattooers and customers know about Japanese tattooing is because of Taki (Shodai Horitaka) - He has published invaluable books at affordable prices that we (Japanese tattoo lovers) have all benefitted from. He has also published books about other styles of tattooing that were awesome. If that isn't enough, he was also responsible for most of my favourite interviews in Tattoo Life magazine with some of my favourite American tattooers.
Many of his books form key parts of a tattooer's library. They stand well on their own but also are perfect as jumping-off points to delve deeper into the subjects if you're that way inclined. I think the Perseverance catalog will do the same.

I have a friend who for the past week has been crying on his FB about mean girls and the last one that dissed him and how she could've been great blah blah
Get over it and go meet some new women. Bitching about something that didn't go your way is just pissing into the wind.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

Holy Moly!
I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist.

You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com
Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work!
Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

@asradin you outed yourself! Also, thanks.

If there's one LST newcomer poster that I hate, it's the one who pontificates about tattooing while never reading any of the most important threads and posts. That guy is a dick, and I really think they just don't give a shit about keeping this forum true to its original intent, which is discussion of, as @Graeme put it, getting good tattoos. It's fucking simple, people.

A few years ago I tattooed someone who had a lot of experience with decorative tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, makeup and cosmetic surgery in general. After telling me in great detail how he was unhappy with his tattooed eyebrows he did give me a great piece of advice. He said that trying to get the exact colour wasn't important as foundation as other makeup would be applied anyway.
He wanted his eyebrows re-tattooed with black or mid-grey as an accurate guide to draw them on every day. That was something I had never thought of.
He also told me that your eyebrows should be one or two shades lighter than your hair! I thought that was an odd thing to tell me until I realised I could apply that pinups and girl head tattoos.

This is sadly very true.
The day we are forced to use pigments that have passed a safety test is the same day we tattoo with food dye.
Six months later, your tattoo will look like shit.
Maybe it will seem to someone that this is a good idea - just pay for regular touch-ups, but it isn't. keep tattooing the same patch regularly and it will be an inflexible scar in a couple of years or so. It hurt enough the first time too, thanks.
The reason tattoos are permanent is because the ink is NOT safe for the body. The skin protects the body (organs, muscles etc) by holding the ink/pigment where it entered.
Yeah, we don't want to use pigment that corrodes the skin and we don't want to use ink that's contaminated. But I like my tattoos to look good. I know they are not 'safe', I paid someone to break my skin and draw skulls, tits, devils, dragons an' shit.
Sadly, in mainland Europe Shawn's scenario has began to be real. Certain brands of ink are blacklisted and approved brand's bottles must have batch numbers and expiry dates etc. An un-announced visit by the health board that discovers blacklisted ink can result in your shop being shut down.
The brands are not blacklisted because they make shitty tattoos, nor because they are dangerous. Almost anyone reading this will have some of that ink in their skin.
Personally, as a tattooer, I like the idea of a craftsman using tools and materials that are the result of another craftsman's passion, experience and expertise.
Some of the highest quality materials in tattooing (ink, machines, grips, pens, power supplies etc.) are made by individuals or at least 'cottage industries'.
I love being able to speak to the guy who made my equipment and buy it directly from him. Giving him/her feedback about it improves the product too.
Demanding that your tattooer use government approved equipment will harm the end result. Not to mention inflate the price drastically.
Lets not even get into the discussion of working across different states, countries or continents with 'approved' equipment.
Jeez. I need to lighten up and post more one-liners.

If this is a real post and not some elaborate keyword troll, I don't think that's the kind of information anyone might readily share (nor should they be asked, in my opinion) either in the tattoo shop or online. Aside from being very personal, it has very little bearing on the solution to the problem.
In this (or similar situation) my advice would always be to cover it with a great looking, high quality tattoo. Japanese style tattoos work very well for that.

If this is a real post and not some elaborate keyword troll, I don't think that's the kind of information anyone might readily share (nor should they be asked, in my opinion) either in the tattoo shop or online. Aside from being very personal, it has very little bearing on the solution to the problem.
In this (or similar situation) my advice would always be to cover it with a great looking, high quality tattoo. Japanese style tattoos work very well for that.

I had the pleasure of hanging around while Taki checked the exhibition yesterday and did his press conference.
I don't normally get involved in gallery shows and museums because they usually focus on the paintings tattooers produce which doesn't interest me as much as tattoos but this is and incredible thing for me to be part of. Mostly because of the other tattooers involved.
It's a small-ish exhibit as far as museums go but there's a hell of a lot to see. I'm not going to review it, I'll leave that to others, I just wanted to share a few of the photos I took yesterday. I checked with Taki and he's ok with me posting them here but most of all: Photography is encouraged at this exhibition. If you post the shots to instagram, twitter etc. Please hashtag them #JANMtattooshow
Enjoy.

You're willing to drive close to 15 hrs?
... How about as long as 16.5 hours? (Houston to Tempe AZ.... )
It's well worth it.
Home to someone doing hands down the most amazing Japanese tattoos in the US.
Anybody that knows, knows.
Anyone that knows would agree without thinking twice.

Total bullshit but sounds like Sri Lanka's got a proven record of bullshit.. and if you're gonna travel there, you may wanna read up on said record and invest in a long sleeve t-shirt or ace bandage.

There was a story going around not too long ago about a guy denied entry into Sri Lanka
due to his buddha tattoo.
The Man with the Buddha Tattoo - Robbie Bulloch
I say, if you're a visitor to that country, you need to do a little research and respect their culture, full stop.

Jaycel, I got the tone of your post and the intention. Although the intention was sincere enough, It's great that you realised, or have started to realise that the principles of most other crafts can seem to be applied but don't translate well to tattooing. Mostly because tattooing is a permanent mark that somebody has to live with and carry with them every day of their life - There is a responsibility that comes with that, although I'm reluctant to discuss it (and other subtleties of tattooing) with non-tattooers as it's easily misunderstood and mis-used by laymen.
The reason any discussion of this type is met with hostility from tattooers is firstly because of the responsibility I mentioned and unlike other crafts, tattooing has magnetic attraction for people who wouldn't involve themselves with any other craft-based endeavour. Many of these people are not prepared to undertake the work necessary to create good tattoos. They are only prepared to do the steps they think are necessary to make sick tats.
Here's the bit that may get me some shit.
Getting an apprenticeship isn't the holy grail. An apprenticeship from a shitty tattooer is worse than no apprenticeship at all.
What's that you say? No good tattooers are prepared to teach you? Well there's a reason for that. That doesn't mean you should let an incompetent fool enable you to become a more inexperienced incompetent fool. This is the part non-tattooers ignore when they spout on and on about 'sticking it out and finding an apprenticeship, doing it the right way' It's not right if you are taught wrongly.
Many many shitty, inexperienced tattooers have an apprentice. Some of those apprentices have a lofty sense of self-worth and think they are 'real' tattooers because they cleaned the toilet of a shitty tattooer for months. Eventually the work you create and the way you conduct your affairs becomes more important then the way you got there.
Mel, I seriously doubt that your dad could make a shitty machine better. Maybe better looking or better constructed, but without knowing how to tattoo, or having a great tattooer teach you. It isn't possible to make a tattoo machine work well.
If someone came to me asking for an apprenticeship with pretend tattoos drawn on a mannequin, I wouldn't take them seriously at all. An apprenticeship isn't an art school mixed media project. There are a million smaller things to learn before you get to that point.
If any budding tattooers/apprentices read this, the important thing to remember is - Never take advice from someone who isn't a tattooer. Even better, don't take advice from someone who isn't teaching you.

It's not Breaking Bad ;)
Meaning; it's not serialised. There isn't a story. It's in four parts because each part focuses on a different aspect of being part of FST (or being part of tattooing as a whole)
Part One is the close knit family aspect.
Part Two is the global 'community' and FST's position in it.
Part Three is the people, roads and attitudes that led us to be where we are (wherever that is) and
Part Four is focuses on what it is to dedicate your life to something.
Each part was designed to stand on it's own. Each one has a slightly different feel. Already the people who've seen the rough cuts of them all have a favourite.
Thanks to everyone for the interest. Special thanks to those who bought or rented it. I really appreciate it. The response has been way more positive than I thought.
I feel I should say: it's probably not what you expect. It's not a moving gallery of tattoos and it's not an advertisement for tattooing or for FST.

@asradin touché!
A pile of reference, thumbnails sketches and red wine later, I haven't ruled out that possibility. I'm stoked though.