semele

Usually we require two weeks notice in writing as well as a doctor's note.

I'm speculating here, but I don't think that the sweat gland damage is significant. Here is my train of thought... The main function of the sweat gland is to keep you cool. According to the Wiki, the sweat glands in your armpits don't have that function. So if anything, people should be more concerned about sweat gland damage on every other portion of your body. Speaking from experience, I still sweat all over. And I know that my tattooed skin sweat glands still work, because during healing, if I were to break out in a sweat, the fresh tattoo would burn with the sweat.
@mmikaoj any pics of your pit?
Also I may say that it's a great spot for shunga, but I don't think I have the balls for it. Ironically I was considering a tanuki.

Oh what the hell. Might as well post my finished back piece. A year long process has come to an end and I can't wait to start another piece!
Done by Stacey Martin-Smith at Golden Age in Austin, TX.

Eagle battling a snake by none other than Chad Koeplinger, finished in 3 sessions, outline in Denver, shading and color in Austin. Sorry about the glare in the photo, my apartment has the worst lighting of all time.

I LOVE this back piece. It is so insane!!! It's coming out so great and I look forward to following the progress on it.

Session 3 done, backpiece done (although we have already talked about adding background - my bank account and body both screamed in unison). Such a cool experience, i've met some awesome people, had some great times and i've come out of it with a tattoo that i have to keep reminding myself is actually mine. To think that 6 months ago there was nothing, it's crazy!

Already posted in the latest tattoo thread but i had to bring it to my chums in the backpiece thread! I now looking forward to sitting back and seeing what the rest of you guys are getting, bring em on!

This was the funniest thing that ever happened to me last night when I was drunk. It is still good now.

I doubt anyone will beat that tiger/cobra but Zuck it.

I'm personally grateful for the built-in filter that my tattoos provide; I have enough now that the guys who don't like 'em mostly don't bother to approach me. Narrowing the dating pool a little isn't necessarily a bad thing--a whole category of "not good for me" I don't have to worry about!
My current boyfriend has no tattoos but has seen me through about half of my collection, and has been pretty supportive of it.

Forgive the lengthy post, but I went through the whole thread and wanted to add a few things to the conversation:
That is an excellent type.
This! Women have to contend with so much douchery while dating, anything that reduces it is great. The problem I consistently run into is that men are “intimidated” by me (I’ve been told this over and over for years, by girlfriends and guys alike). I wear too much black, I look too stern, tattoos make me unapproachable, my job is off-putting — my opinion is that if a man (or woman) is so insecure and frightened by my outward appearance, I want nothing to do with them.
I’ve only had one serious, long-term relationship (6 years) which sunk for reasons far more serious than my tattoos. But, as I started getting work done towards the end of it, he very clearly expressed his dislike. I’ve had other flings with plainskin guys, but they didn’t seem to feel strongly either way about it.
I have quite a bit more work now and I plan to become heavily tattooed, and I can’t see myself with someone who doesn’t support it. I think it would be cool to share ideas and discover artists, and have someone who gets exactly what it means when I say “don’t touch it, it’s fresh”, haha. With that said, I wouldn’t want to get tattooed together. Getting tattooed is something I very much enjoy doing solo and I’d like to keep it that way, whether my SO is tattooed or not.
Girl, I feel you. Putting your phone in front of someone’s face and going “isn’t this the most amazing tattoo you’ve ever SEEN!?!?” to hear a nonchalant “it’s okay” just crushes your enthusiasm.
At first, I got side-eyed by friends and guilt-tripped by my mom all the time (she was a single mom; as a rule, how I spend my money gravely concerns). And yeah, when you add up all those hours of tattooing together, it looks like a lot, but it’s spread out over a long time, with carefully chosen artists whose work I love and find extremely beautiful. People outside of tattooing only see the number, they don’t understand the attachment you have to your own work. That shit is priceless.

I'm personally grateful for the built-in filter that my tattoos provide; I have enough now that the guys who don't like 'em mostly don't bother to approach me. Narrowing the dating pool a little isn't necessarily a bad thing--a whole category of "not good for me" I don't have to worry about!
My current boyfriend has no tattoos but has seen me through about half of my collection, and has been pretty supportive of it.

I stumbled across this article this morning, about a photojournalist documenting a dying tattoo tradition in Syria. The photos are beautiful and I love learning about traditional tattoo practices in different cultures (I had no idea that there was a Kurdish tattoo culture!). I thought some of you nerds might find it interesting too!
The Last Tattooed Women of Kobane | PROOF

Just came back to this thread so many nice legs. think we should have all have a update soon

Are we counting wind bars? I have way too many wind bars.

Been trying to keep busy painting lots of things, having a slow start to the year but slowly turning that around. Here are a few of my latest efforts.

I had a tattoo healing nightmare the night after the first session on my back piece. I was being chased by a really slow-moving mob, but I couldn't run because every few steps my shirt would adhere to my back and I'd have to stop and very very gently pry it off before I could run again. Even in my sleep my priorities are fucked.

Here's my progress so far by Diego Azaldegui. Got another session in a few weeks which should hopefully finish it off.

Session five yesterday, lining and shading background on the ribs and love handles. Goddamn the love handles are a shitty fucking spot. Next session we'll shade the background on my other cheek and thigh so we'll be going into the new year with a substantial chunk of the background done. I love how it's coming together.

As promised I have now managed to get some pictures of my fully outlined back. I never imagined it would be so many lines when I started but after 5 sessions and 15 hours in total we have completed the first stage. Very happy with it and can't find enough mirrors to look at all the detail.

First pass at a label. I think I am going to go with Horibrew or I just thought of Irebrewmi.

UPDATE:
Two days of brutality on my back with Henning. This go around we started coloring in the phoenix at Kings Avenue Tattoo. 7 hours on Friday in Long Island, then 6 more hours on Saturday in Manhattan. Henning thinks we need one more full session to complete everything. I think probably 2 more including any touch ups.
By the way...I really really hate ribs...and spine....THE WORST. Enjoy the pics.

@Fala - you went to Tamarind?? Respect! You are putting this hobbyist to shame.
That said, I am down with litho tattoos.

We did indeed meet at litho school, Tamarind to be exact. @semele - is that the school you were thinking of, and do you go to Kent U? Tamarind is a GREAT school/program. They are in a fancy new building, can't go wrong with that!
If you are getting stones now, get a leather roller, it's totally worth it! I just sold mine because it was sitting on a shelf being neglected, and I thought it would be better to have it used than to sit on a shelf being sad.

@Fala You guys met at lithography school?! I'm thinking of going to litho school in a couple years, and have started collecting stones. @Pugilist We should all get printmaking tattoos.

@Fala You guys met at lithography school?! I'm thinking of going to litho school in a couple years, and have started collecting stones. @Pugilist We should all get printmaking tattoos.