cvportagee

It was a great convention this year. I had no plans on getting tattooed yet got a piece from Stewart Robson and Miyazo. (I will post pics when healed.) It was great hanging out and going to a amazing dinner with @Lance and @CABS. Although we didn't really meet except for a brief second it was nice seeing all the stellar work @MoistTowelette has in person.

Well since Stewart posted it on his instgram.....I will repost it here. Mine is top left. I will post a bigger pic when it heals.

@Lance That sounds good to me. I may be solo because our child care fell through. My wife is ok with it because she got tattooed by Valerie yesterday and I picked up a little something from Stewart as well. I will show you at the convention. I cannot wait.

My wife and I will be at Blackheart tomorrow and the convention on Saturday. If anyone is planning on meeting up on Saturday let me know because we are down to go to dinner or whatever. Also I will just be watching my wife getting tattooed tomorrow so if anyone is in the area I would be down to meet up.

@cvportagee Cool!! I look forward to meeting you. What did you get from Horitomo, and what are you getting from Jill?

I am in the process of two 3/4 dragon sleeves from Horitomo and a Kumonryu back piece from Jill.

Thanks for the tips dude. Since we depart on the 22nd I doubt we'll have time to meet up then. I'm still waiting to hear from Molly regarding the time of my Horitomo appointment, but I'll hopefully get that info soon. It would be awesome if we crossed paths there. When will you be there, and for how long? Are you getting tattooed or just stopping by? [/Quote]

I will be getting my back worked on with Jill starting at 2 and we usually go for about 4-5 hours. The earliest appointments are at 11 (as I write this I am at State of Grace waiting for my appointment with Horitomo) so we should cross paths.

@Iwar I also suggest California Academy of Sciences. My son is 3 and a half and loves that place. We live about 2 hours away from SF, but he always asks to go there and the SF zoo. I actually will be at State of Grace on the 18th (what time will you be there?) also my wife and I will be at Blackheart on the 22nd and I would be down to meet up and hang out for a while why my wife gets tattooed.

My wife and I will be there for at least one day and possibly more. I think we need to get another dinner together or something like that. I do not have any appointments, but my wife is getting tattooed by Valerie prior to the start of the convention.

off to see Grime on Friday for another session on my back. It's really coming along and while I'd rather not put it on the interwebz, if you see me at the SFO convention I'd have no problem showing it...

Enjoy @ian. If you stop by State of Grace after I will not be there this time. I had to move my Saturday appointment. Your back looks awesome and I can't wait to see when more is done.

@SeeSea - The coffee shop @TrixieFaux is referring to is Roy's and it is very good. Right across the street from SOG is a really good Hawaiian place called Hukilau. If you like Korean food there is a excellent place up the street from there called SJ Omogari. Japantown also has a number of sushi restaurants, snow cone places, and a really good mocha shop.

Mochi not mocha

I wonder if he'd be down to do other monmon pets or if the Frenchie is a special something for someone special. I know the SOG team is Frenchie crazy. Definitely looking forward to seeing that one completed.

All I know is that the Frenchie monmon tattoo was not for a person at state of grace, but it was for another tattooer. Having spent time with Horitomo, I would bet he would not be opposed to other monmon pets. That being said I must admit I definitely don't know either way though.

- - - Updated - - -

Yup, @cvportgee is correct! Horitomo shaded the monmon cats on my feet by hand. He outlined and shaded the black by machine. @SeedSea, I wouldn't worry about timing at all. Horitomo completed both tattoos in about 4 hours-ish w/ breaks. Thanks for the info too regarding how to book with him and about forthcoming prints. I need to start saving pennies again and get back into that shop.

Not sure they were going to end up as prints or tattoos.

He will do tebori if you ask or, I am pretty sure, if the piece requires. You can ask @Lance because I believe do to the large amounts of white in the monmon cats on his feet it was done by tebori, but he may have also requested it. I am having both arms done by him and we are doing certain parts by tebori. If you wanted a monmon cat I am sure you could have it done by tebori and complete it in one sitting. Just call Molly at State of Grace (Taki's wife and the only one who manages Tomo's schedule) and she can answer all your questions. By the way, last week when I was getting work done there were some awesome upcoming monmon cat tattoo (and one monmon Frenchie) drawings. I definitely had some tattoo envy.

After a month off back with Horitomo on Saturday and Jill the following Saturday.

Thank you @Cork @a1steaks @Iwar!

@Cork your back is also looking great!

Nice meeting you Greg. I am sure we will cross paths again. I can't wait to see your front when its done because it is looking killer right now.

More progress on my back piece this weekend. Artist: Jill Bonny - State of Grace (The bird and side piece were already there)

I thought that was you. Congratulations on the progress thus far. They look absolutely amazing! I hope to see them in person next Convention. Have you begun tying in your back piece background with it yet?

Thank you! Yeah it's already tied in except for about a square inch part at the bottom of the armpit. Unless I see you earlier, I will show you at the convention. Hopefully by that time I will also have my back almost complete.

Since Horitomo posted my arms on Instagram I thought I should share them here. All shading is done. Next session color begins!

Gorgeous! Is that a Savannah cat?

Yes, he is a Savannah.

My cat does the same thing....the main difference being that it does actually almost weigh 40 lbs. (Last time at vet it was 37lbs.)

And your back too? Have you posted pics in this thread?

I posted a pic a while ago (because Jill posted it on her instagram), but I am trying to wait until finished to post it. It is in the perseverance book (page 104 I think if you have it) although in the book it is just Kumonryu without the background.

This thread is so fucking awesome! Just got a couple hours done with Grime on friday and Saturday on my way home I stopped by State of Grace and ran into @cvportagee mid back piece session with Jill Bonny. Nice to see you bud!

It was nice to see you again as well. If not sooner I will see you again at the bay area convention. I also have to say your back is amazing and I can't wait to see it when its finished.

After a month off I am back at it this weekend with a session on my arms with Horitomo and next weekend my back with Jill.

Did you eat anywhere near State of Grace? I'm getting tattooed there in May, would like some recommendations since there are a lot of restaurants nearby and I've only been to one!

September isn't toooo far away! What a great start! Can't wait to see it finished!

If you like Hawaiian food go directly across the street to Hukilau and there is a good Korean place down the street called SJ Omogari Korean Restaurant .

@cvportagee, sorry to hear you won't be able to make it. it would have been cool to meet up. Also it would have been cool to spy your latest and greatest too. I will definitely give a full reporting to everyone when I go. :-)

- - - Updated - - -

If I go on the 8th, we'll likely cross paths. It'd be cool to meet others too.

I would definitely be there if I wasn't in a wedding. I was looking forward to seeing you and other LST members there. Next time we meet up I will have a lot of progress to show you due to the fact that I have had two appointments with Jill and two with Horitomo over the last 5 weeks and another with Horitomo this weekend. I am not posting any of it until either Jill or Horitomo post it first or it is completely finished. Have a great time at the opening and I can't wait to see your monmon cats in person.

I am jealous of those who are attending on the 7th. I just got the invite in the mail the other day and it hurts a bit that I cannot go. I request a full report @Lance.