piccalilli

I would be more concerned if it wouldn't stick to be honest. After my penultimate session I applied the stuff and it was the first time I had extensive machine shading AND a leak while using 'derm. A ludicrous amount of liquid matter was seeping out of my chest, shoulder and arm and it started escaping from the edges. So my opinion is, make sure it sticks and it is sealed. I used Tatuderm and they don't mention using a moisturiser before the second application so who knows... On the other hand, if the Saniderm manufacturer says you should moisturise it, though go ahead. They know their product better than some random bloke on the internet (me).

Thank you! I just saw your post. That backpiece you have in progress is quite something! Takashi's work is so powerful, I follow him on IG and marvel at the work he does.

We're done! The previous two day session didnt' go as well as the few before it had, I ended up having a pretty bad case of hitting the wall hard enough to lump my noggin. So I was concerned about the final session... but I did much better during those 5 or so hours a few days ago and here we are! Total I think ~35 hours, maybe deduct one or two total for breaks etc. That tengu has the exasperated smarmy expression I would expect it to have having had a teenage Yoshitsune (nee Ushiwakamaru) thwack it with a wooden sword. Horifuji's instagram has some clearer pictures from before we applied the film on it (as you can tell it was a bit ticked off and seepy by that point). (by Horifuji @ State of Grace, San Jose , CA, USA) Feels a bit weird plopping this on teh intertoobz but I am so pleased with my experience* that I wanted give him and the whole shop a shout-out. *minus the hurty being- poked-with-needles part.

Thank you everyone, although all I really did was (try to) sit there while he did his work . Err... yes, I did realise that I really should after he started on it. Just for symmetry, naturally, hah... I am planning on talking to him about ideas for the right side next time I am there. Hmm. I think I can now say that I see the whole "it can be addictive" thing.

Hello everyone! Decided to come out of lurking, partially because I am really surprised that I have not seen any references to Horifuji at State of Grace in San Jose here. He is a thoroughly lovely person and feel fortunate to have his work on me. Imho he should get even more exposure (even if that may mean it will be progressively even harder to get more appointments with him, heh). Anyway, it felt like the right time for me to finally get some work. I wanted something rather more on the traditional vein (whatever that means, exactly) and the craftsmanship of tebori really appealed to me (even if it won't necessarily look that different). I called State of Grace as I saw in the intertoobz that they had artists there that did tebori and I was referred to Horifuji. I asked him via email for a half-sleeve with chest panel with a karasu tengu - like the ones seen on woodblock prints sparring with Ushiwakamaru (later known as the general Yoshitsune) on Mount Kurama. So, a few days before my first appointment 3-4 months later, he sent me a concept drawing of what he felt would be best and I was floored. He recommended actually including Ushiwakamaru on the chest panel (hikae?), having just swung his bokuto (wooden practice blade) at a quite smartly dressed karasu tengu on the arm that is slipping off a rock ledge by the water, with autumn Japanese maple leaves falling around. The outline was done by machine in one session (photo of outline on Horifuji's Instagram here). Shading and the vast majority of the all colour done by tebori. Closer photo after starting on the colour here. A few small "flat" monochrome areas were done by machine shading, e.g. the brown on the bokuto that the tengu and Ushiwakamaru are holding. I deferred all decisions on colour and exact placement to him as he is the professional and I trust him completely . Will have my final appointment in a month or so. As I have to fly to San Jose for my appointments I have done six sessions, each between 4.5 and 5.5 hours two consecutive days at a time to save on my airline miles. So something around 30 hours, so far? Since this photo I have attached to his post was taken, I have had more work done. Only have a couple momiji to colour in and the eyes are left. I'll try to take a more current photo to place in a more appropriate thread on the forum. Sorry for the lengthy, possibly rather gushing, first post.