bongsau

Wow your first paragraph - you nailed it. That’s exactly what I’m worried about, that I’m setting everyone involved up for failure. I’m trying to find the balance between finding the right thing and being totally sure and at peace, and having unrealistic expectations. Thanks for the very clear, specific advice!

That’s what it’s all about for me now. And it’s hard for people to understand. Sometimes you feel like you have no choice. They make you feel like you don’t. But you do. Everyone does. Just took me a little longer to figure that out. Like for example. I’m in a town called McCall right now. Nice camping and fishing. My wife is half black. My baby is a quarter. Her dad knows about my past. Knows about the ink. But tomorrow while going swimming I will wear a jersey or something. Because even though they all say it’s okay. I don’t feel comfortable. And I know what everyone’s thinking. A half black wife? I’m not racist. And I’m not a hypocrite. Prison is a different beast. Your white. Your white. That’s another story. Anyway. Thanks a lot for the help. 

having an ideal for a perfect design is going to set yourself up for disappointment. i've seen it happen often for first-timers, they carry this idea of the perfect tattoo for years and years and try to incorporate every single idea/detail that jumps in their head into the perfect tattoo to give it some idealistic meaning, to justify the tattoo to themself and others. that sets the artist up for failure if they try to cram all these dumb details into an undersized tattoo. And it will leave you disappointed because it will not match the idea of the perfect tattoo in your head.
there is a degree of trust you need to have in the tattooer, so choose well and choose wisely - trust that this tattooer will design and make you a nice tattoo, with nice layout that fits your body, a good composition, proper execution and (also very important) a positive, exciting experience for you to remember how you popped your tattoo cherry.
my advice -
keep it simple and you should be able to articulate what you want in a couple words.
be flexible and open to the tattooers interpretation of your concept.
 

i'm not going to pretend i understand post-prison or gang life...but i wish you luck so you can take your kid to the public pool one day and enjoy a normal life. cheers

i'm not going to pretend i understand post-prison or gang life...but i wish you luck so you can take your kid to the public pool one day and enjoy a normal life. cheers

this is what i mean by black and oversized.
don't be intimidated by the size (ie go big) with respect to your wallet...big hits of chunky black like that go really fast with the right tattooist.

you could pick some traditional americana type imagery with heavy black emphasis and blast over the past. something like a reaper or eagle or panther head...layout like an oversized belly rocker. it's gonna have to be really big. might need to hit it with laser once or twice to lighten it up. idk dude.  good luck. 

i'm not going to pretend i understand post-prison or gang life...but i wish you luck so you can take your kid to the public pool one day and enjoy a normal life. cheers

If you don't know what you want, it's probably not a good idea to get a tattoo. You'll be posting on here after you get it about not being happy with it and pissed at the artist for not knowing what you wanted.
I don't think it's a good idea to swing for the fence on your first tattoo. For your first, get something small and generic. Learn that process and see if this artist is really all you think they are. If all goes well, then start planning the "one you've always wanted." Jumping before you're really ready is just going to result in you coming on here and asking about lasers and cover ups.

This^. And keep in mind that tattooists are just like other artists. Most are not good in all styles. We don't know about your friend, but look at it like this = as talented as they are, you probably wouldn't hire AC/DC to do a wedding gig. 

That's what a good tattoo artist does. 😉
Find someone that is good in the style you are looking for. Why on earth do you want to go to someone for something outside their "normal stuff?" The whole point of choosing an artist is to pick someone that is good at what you want.

To get it done well, you are going to have to pay someone good money. It won't be good done on the cheap.

Looks fine.

hey that's great. communication solved your problem. 
 
 

ok, am i missing something? i don't see any initials...just some random letters all over which i just assumed was part of the trash polka tattoo "style".
 

BTW, Zanctuary is a site of temporary tattoos. Most cost $14.00. My advice - research real tattoos and plan to spend a lot more than $14.00.

Well, it looks blurry and unreadable on that guy's arm already. I'd go for something with more open skin. But it'll be up to the artist.

hey that's great. communication solved your problem. 
 
 

hey that's great. communication solved your problem. 
 
 

ok, am i missing something? i don't see any initials...just some random letters all over which i just assumed was part of the trash polka tattoo "style".
 

Finished up my sleeve this past weekend at Pagoda by Grez. Here's a little peek...

I got this Filipino tribal collar/chest from Melissa Manuel at Humble Beginnings in San Jose, CA.

 
I feel so much more complete! This is how it was lookin'  before, after the two chest pieces from Walter McDonald.

Scythe action from today...
please also note the nineties tribal from a bygone age when things were different...
I like it and I've heard it's coming back into vogue at some point or other.
... 
 

My tattoo addition from yesterday at the Veterans benefit at Broad Wing Tattoo in Bowling Green, OH.  Great participating in such a meaningful event.  They posted today on IG that they raised about $7300 for Vietnam Veterans of America.
3 more nails in the coffin.

I schedule my next tattoo.