taaarro

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

was in sf last week got this from jeff rassier. super happy about it
reaper1
reaper2

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

This isn't now but these were taken during my last session with Horitoshi I. The last pic was my view of the ceiling while getting tattooed.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

Yeah, I've seen some rad bodysuits with dudes and beer guts for sure. I think I'm more mindful not to put a lady head on there so her face doesn't get fat too, haha.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting.
The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing.
The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.)
I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them.
Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

The main thing I got really into because of tattooing is the art of sign painting. I don't paint signs myself (yet), but it's so fascinating to me to see Gary Martin in ATX and Ken Davis here in the Bay Area perfect their craft.
Also, like others have said, I want to start eating healthier and work out harder because of tattooing. I don't have any tattoos on my belly (yet), but when I get to that point I want to make sure I'm in good shape. The stomach is the only part of my body that could go through some drastic changes throughout my life. I've thought about what designs would work on a giant beer gut, even though I hope to not get to that level.
I've also grown to appreciate low-rider oldies, because it gets played often at Temple.

That tacos are the best food for discussing tattoos.

I feel like it's good to have a super posi thread every now and then!
@Graeme and I talk about this a lot - that being into tattoos has not only gotten us, you know, some amazing tattoos, but that it has also broadened our horizons in about a million different ways. This is thanks to the fantastic people we are privileged to interact with and the amazing knowledge and insight that they've shared with us. I had no interest at all in Japanese/Chinese/Tibetan/etc. art before we started hanging out in tattoo shops, for example, and now it feels like an amazing world of art has been opened up to me. Tattoos have also led me to learn more about Buddhist practices and indirectly influenced both of us to learn how to meditate. Basically it's turned us into goddamn hippies, which I am super down with.
I'd be curious to hear about ways that getting tattooed has led you to learn and experience new things, beyond the joy of a needle in your ass crack. In the age of Inkmaster, I think it's worth talking about how rich tattoo culture is, and how connected it is to other amazing cultural, artistic, spiritual, etc., movements and practices.

This thread really makes me only want to get tattooed by people older than me like Bob Roberts and Eddy Deutsche. I realize it wasn't your original point (I too am wary of the star culture in tattooing) but your misinformed dismissals ('there are limits'!) are so offensive to me that I can't get over it. In the end I realize it comes down to different sensibilities and what I'm looking for in tattoos is obviously very different from yours. BUT, if I can add my 2 cents as a person who's been tattooed by both Eddy Deutsche and Bob Roberts, Eddy is the most 'PMA' guy ever (if that's what you're after). If you're looking for an 'experience' or stories, Eddy and Bob have plenty. The flash at Spotlight has bullet holes. (The fact that the stencil is made from the original flash push pinned on the wall alone makes it almost worth getting the tattoo to be a part of the history.) Nothing 'soft' or 'squiggly' about my Bob Roberts tattoo. There's no question about Eddy's technical ability. I think every respectable tattooer would disagree with you on this point. I think people with 'perfect' tattoos look uptight--not what I'm going for (not interested in putting computer graphics on my body either). Any imperfections will add to its beauty.

This isn't now but these were taken during my last session with Horitoshi I. The last pic was my view of the ceiling while getting tattooed.

This isn't now but these were taken during my last session with Horitoshi I. The last pic was my view of the ceiling while getting tattooed.

This isn't now but these were taken during my last session with Horitoshi I. The last pic was my view of the ceiling while getting tattooed.

I just had my first tebori session (shading in the hair). I found it hurt less than electric tattooing and it was nice to not hear the buzzing of the tattoo machine. Pleasantly surprised!