Colored Guy

@Colored Guy Civ is publishing a book of flash from S&W in February. Could be worth checking out. Here's the Instagram for it:

Instagram

Whoa... very far out. Some of the flash looks familiar too. I'll be following this.

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Great story, @Colored Guy, and cool idea for a thread, @cltattooing.

I love the feel of a shop crushed with flash. I've been in a few shops that have next to no flash on the walls, and it always feels very odd to me--even elitist at times. Plus, there's something about seeing artists deal with walk-ins that I really like. The negotiation, the hustle (on both sides of the dummy rail), and the end result.

That was the game back in the day and further back. Walk in, ask how much, they say $40, you say $25 and either they counter or say, get the fuck out.

The whole walk in thing was to be in and out in a 1/2 hour, door to door. And the next guy or gal sits in a chair that's still warm. To have someone sit for an hour was virtually unheard of.

My first tattoo was done in the consummate walk-in shop, S&W Tattooing in Amityville, NY. Flash all over the walls and you ordered it by letter and number. That "hot stuff" devil may have been an "A7" for all I know and they blew them out probably at least one a day for $25 each. The place jumped on a Friday and Saturday night, people lined up out the door waiting. Once you were in, you were on your way in 20 minutes. I don't recall them doing any bigger work, although the flash was there. We were in awe that a tattoo may cost over $100 and more than 1 session to complete it was unheard of.

I like to see shops with flash, it gives the impulsive customer something to look at and they make a decision quickly. For me it brings me back to the shops of 1975. I also like flash to give me ideas on what I like.

Some shops do have a dedicated walk-in day, which is cool. No appointment just stroll in and sit in the chair once something is picked out. Again, it takes me back a few decades. People were different then, most would dig up the $30-40 for one tattoo and get it done. Some stopped right there, some became festooned with postage-stamp sized tattoos. Why save up and get one good $200 tattoo when you can get 5 little ones, 1 every pay day?

Hand 2 days ago. Black/grey and it is still swollen and the grey wash is still reddish. Went to get a haircut tonight and they thought the tattoo was purple lol ....been icing and taking ibuprofen. The swelling has gone down though. Before the haircut i didnt move from the house for 2 days. Just been sitting around. No way i screw this up because i really dont feel like going back for touch ups

I had one tattoo session on my upper arm, I was black and blue within a day or so from the artist's grip. I've had odd areas also swell up and stay red for a few days, all part of the ritual.

Holy crap. The initial interview went great. It would be a bit of a pay cut but how often do you get a chance to move to St. Kitts?

Fuck.

Another Skype type interview next week.

Woo Hoo

Shit.... I'd work for free if they fed me...

I really don't see it as that cartoonish. It definitely has an old school look to it, I like it a bunch.

A google search turns up a lot of good information very quickly. I've done it myself, just to get ideas. Some artists will copy anything, line for line. I just like them for reference and I always have something bookmarked in one of my many tattoo and art books.

I'm on LI and there's some good shops around. My son just had some work done at Lotus in Sayville, looks great. I've been between Studio 69 in Ronkonkoma and South Shore Tattoo in Amityville in the past year.

I've been doing a little bit better now that the putrid holidays are done with. I have a couple of tattoo appointments coming up, working on my 1959 Ford, hanging out with our cat Chloe more and taking better care of myself. My BP is down to acceptable levels, just saw my lung doctor and got all my asthma stuff squared away. Drinking waaaayyy less as well and back in the gym 3X a week.

My wife cannot stand my tattoos. She likes tattoos just not on me but i am heavily tattooed. She has none and doesn't want any. Thing is, she doesn't resent me for them, loves me for who i am and won't stop me from getting them. In the past i would get chewed out but eventually she just stopped doing that and would act like there was nothing there. I personally don't feel bad about it because a) it's my body b) she knew who she was marrying.

She's gained a good amount of weight since we got married 8 years ago and i never mention a thing even though at 39 i am in the best shape of my life. I think that weight gain will affect her health more than tattoos will affect mine in the future.

My wife only had issues on where I got the $$ for my tattoo work. I wheel & deal car parts, do machine shop on the side so I always have my own money, most of which went into the household.

My wife gained a lot of weight over the years, I never said a peep either since she was still beautiful and all her physicals said she was in otherwise good health. It was only after she died that I learned of the link between pancreatic cancer and obesity.

I take prescription painkillers every day, so they're part of my daily routine. I usually save up a few extra just for tattoo work. I take one when I walk in the door and one at the 1/2 way point and I'm fine.

I talk to the artist and people that walk in, but I run out of things to say after a while. I also have little tolerance for music that is too loud as my pain level goes up. We actually had some classical music on one time and it was relaxing.

I'd like to be able to pass gas and have everyone in the room fall over.... wait.. I have been doing that for years!

It just spells "management material"....

I used to see tons of good reaper flash back in the day, not so much any more. Definitely one of those limitless subjects I like to see more of.

What has been seen cannot be unseen.... what the hell.. she looks doable...

3/4 of a 1/2 sleeve.. the math alone is fucking with my head... coverups are a big source of revenue for most tattoo shops.

I have one foot tattoo from 2005 that healed badly and wound up being infected. I had to wait for it heal to get it touched up. But it didn't really hurt that much. I need the other one done.

I do get a pedicure now and then, feels great. If I go to the foot doctor for an ingrown toenail, the co-pay is $40. Pedicure at the local nail salon is $18 with the tip, do the math and my feet look great.

Years ago my cat had that.. a one-way ticket to the vet.. sorry man....

Got 2 appointments with Tori Ohman at Studio 69 (Ronkonkoma, NY) lined up for late this month and early February. Having some existing oriental style work added to.

I don't know if this helps any, but the guy that invented the wheel is still getting fucked.. every day.

My first tattoo at age 22 was technically very good, great outline & color, etc. It was 2 hearts and a banner with mine & my future ex-wife's name. Now that is buried 2-coverups deep, never to be seen again.

The important thing for me is to have a set routine that puts my head in the right place and surely not derail the appointment before I get there.

I posted earlier about a possible brush with food poisoning on tattoo day. That would be a show stopper. I'll also drive very carefully and I'm amazed at the people that will cut me off on the way, like some evil ant-ink force field.

I would definitely show her when you think the time is right. Everyone likes to hear something nice about their departed spouse, believe me, I know first hand. I still have people coming up to me with cool Barbara stories I've never heard.

Dragons have been cool as fuck like forever

I think everyone should have at least 2 dragons on them. And a dragon should be your first tattoo, period.

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This is the one on my chest from 2010.

There are 2 ladies in the shop I go to. I'm going to have my next work done by the artist I haven't tried yet. She did a lot of work on my son and it looks great. So I'm going to split up my next few pieces between them.

If you have ever seen "An Officer and a Gentleman", look at the fake eagle tattoo on Gere's upper arm. They slapped it on facing backwards, definitely an example where the critter is facing the wrong way.