hawk

Posterboy, there's nuthin stupid about what you posted, in fact I feel it is an area often overlooked by the first timers, they always want to know what to do at the time of getting a tattoo and never consider the before and not to mention that it's nearly impossible to reach those individuals prior to their first tattoo. The proof is in the pudding, prep and shave a dry area of skin and it will accept the tattooing with more difficultly and the skin itself will respond with more trauma than "conditioned" skin. Supple skin will ultimately heal easier from the conditioning due to the response of more active and healthy dermis. Now with this said there are areas that do not conform, such as the nape of the neck due to it's glandular oils and there are areas such as the neckside, underarm, nape of the knee, etc. that will generally be of the naturally conditioned. Other areas such as elbows, kneecaps and areas that will visually look abrasive prior to tattooing, as individuals differ and even gender and age will play a part as well as geographical areas with their respective seasons, i.g. Winter seasons lending to dry scaling skin. But you have hit a nail on the head when you insist that conditioning the hide helps for the acceptance of tattooing. As to the general query of what helps to maintain tattoos over long periods of time, all animals contain the proper amount of brain matter to tan their own hyde and embalming fluids work well also, ha! I have a full funeral paid in advance because I'm takin my tattoos with me, no crematorium for me but being an organ donor I can help a few people out and maybe even lend to having someone learn to play the piano withe the Hammond organ in the attic......

DOC Don Lucas Tattooing 3807 Airline Dr Metairie, LA 70001 (504) 833-0190 Don has a museum with lots of cool stuff and if ya call ahead he will answer as the phone rings into his house if he's not at the shop. Don was at Paul Rogers side when he passed so that should be enough to know that you will find "cool" and good mojo.

I just toasted a belated Happy Birthday to ya with a shot of brandy Avery, here's and cheers to you in paving what you've done and will accomplish in your time. The best we all can do is honor those before us in helping the tradition evolve another step better than the past.

I',m sorry but I neglected to get him anything..... Norman would have been 101 today so I figured I would post this in the tattooing 101 for LST mojo.

Welcome and WOW! What a great attitude, LST benifits from people like you joining up.

Beauty marks are a different story, cosmetic tattooing that nobody could tell for certain was tattooed. Don't know exactly where the thread will lead but the "taboo" of face and hands comes out of the era when "it had become taboo", evolution curves the way and want. For instance, the old wall chart that some here can remember or may still have dictated in color code what pricing variations of the area's to be tattooed, i.g. the hands, neck ect. and where we did not tattoo, so evolution takes place and when at one time we "generally" denied a foot tattoo, it became a "fad" so after the passage of time among the uninitiated to get their very first on the foot and they were done by us all due to the acceptability, demand and profit. This being said, when Dale Kellitt called from New Orleans after Lil' Wayne became successful telling me of the large amount of people from Waynes area of the Big Easy wanting designs on their eyelids, symbols that could get you into trouble in some areas, all kinds of stuff that the uninitiated wanted for their very first tattoo on the face was overwhelmingly in demand and became somewhat a everyday semantic argument of "what I do with my body" versus takin their money and shuttin up was a weird balancing act, it seemed everybody wanted to start "representing" their area whether they were gangsta's or not. It may be "fad" to get the face tattoo and it may also be in the "new tribalism" area of some locations of the planet as, we know how well a Moko Face would go over at the farm supply store in Billings Montana versus South Central, the former would be met with "hard luck" where the later would be "accepted". I honestly feel that most people can be discouraged with a "Yu don't want to do that hon" and can accept such advice but when someone wants anything within the shop standards of design understanding, such as not givin somebody at symbol that the operator knows they aren't qualified for or some racial standard violation of shop policy, then by all means have them fill out whatever and put that ice cream cone with sprinkles on their cheek and accept the money knowing ya did the best job ya could after a fair discussion about the repercussions. It's really in the same family of "mah girlfriends name" for the most part, we have all ran the rundown to the client about that kind of tattoo and there was never a soul who wanted one who wasn't convinced that "No, this gal is forever" but the reality is that we can choose to say that they will regret it and take the money or ask them to come back in 12 years and if they are still together we will do it for free, it's when the job turns into arriving at the studio every day to talk people out of getting the product you offer is when it gets as defeating as being forced to watch a whole season of 16 and pregnant. We can't cure stupid but we can profit from it, we can also choose to refuse stupidity from a shops moral standard which can be referred to a sign on the wall that reads "We have the right to refuse service to anyone", the operators choice. We all have stories of the people we turned down and the ones accepted, I walked into my shop years ago to find Celtic Ruins being drawn across a guys forehead, I asked "what the hell are you doing?" the question directed at my artist, I was met with "It's "I am the Lords (Isaiah)" in Celtic" by the artist. Long story short, I ran into the guy 2 years ago after he had worn it for 13 years and it was GONE. the client asked me if I noticed and I replied I had, then I ran down to him the entire situation from start to finish with "I remember walking in and asking what the hell you were doing and I knew you figured whatever the f&%k I want to cause it's my body" he replied with your absolutely right. I said "I figured you got tired of people asking if it was Satanic because the average person don't know the diff between Celtic and anything else and it was counter productive of what your intentions of showing the world how you felt or where you stood with Jesus" and he agreed with that also and then told me how he had it lasered off. All full circle a learning experience for artist who did his best to see his work removed and the Christian that figured out the hard way that he never had to place it across his forehead and could have ran the bumper sticker instead. Just watch, tomorrow somebody will walk in wanting "Wicken" across their forehead, it's their business but I will try my best to talk them out of it and when all else fails I know I would refuse, it's just the way I feel and if they can find somebody to fulfill their dreams I hope they can find a doctor who can be handy with the laser. Just my two cents, if the client can't pull it off like Mike Tyson and don't have much for any other tattoo I feel I myself would have to refuse the service.

Good write and it sounds like good times Shane. Just got off the phone with LeDan to let him know about the post and he's callin Jennie to have her check it out. The pic's are great and Scott is lookin better than ever, time has been good to him. Just to correct a couple things though, the shop Jennie is workin from is Allegiance Ink Tattoo and not alliance and the old shop location was occupied just 4 months short of 50 years instead of 40. The interview will be great! So much history! Tex, Ann and the kids were everywhere, shops(plural) in Portsmouth, even a time in Chicago when the likes of Sparrow and Thomas were there, just an amazing history. When I hit my 30th anniversary with Hawk's Tattoos it was the Peace Families 75th in 2009 so I celebrated by flyin down to Georgia to see and visit as my own reward, gotta show respect to the Gods of tattooing and it was bountiful. Thanks for the pic's and can't wait to read the interview, guaranteed to be a good one.

Very Profound, every word well put and full of truth

"Skilled tradesmen and women" might be the better term as we are that. Plumbers, carpenters, roofers, masons, they all have to be skilled but we know for certain that there are far more "not so skilled tradesmen and women" out there takin money but the ones who do good the name and honor the field have the rep and staying power. Keep on makin that home brew Cork, hope to have some someday!

There are a ton of fantastic artists and operators out there these days, overwhelming. 30 years ago the general public didn't want to know and for the most part shunned the cultures/lifestyles of tattoos, bike builders, dumpster divers, bug exterminators, hog hunters, truckers, pawn brokers, storage container buyers, bounty hunters,and most of what "reality TV" and their marketing expertize has generated into "good TV consumer ratings" that generates BIG BUCKS logically or they wouldn't have pursued such. These things all come from evolution and these things will evolve to a degree that overpopulates these areas, because now a person who searched storage containers can't show up without being outbid buy dozens whom figured they could do the same and profit, same goes for truckers, more people taking CDL tests now than ever before, the home grown bike builders are everywhere, much of these areas have grown to insane proportions like everybody and their step nephew being "professional tattoo artists". It is much more complicated now with todays technology, the "Tattoo Directory" went the way of the phone book and if ya can't find it on the net it doesn't exist attitude is overwhelming. As to the "niche shop" from yer designated area of your home? Why not? Coney Island Freddy Grossman did better after they banned NYC tattooing and going into his gated community tattooing underground, was it legitimate? not so, did he get away with it for many years? Yep, but Freddy really didn't have a choice in his location and we do. Also in some ways with the shops popping up everywhere you can expect that tattooing's rep may get burnt by the shortcomings of the "fly by night" shops and drag us back to 1975. But the parallel I want to draw to the question posed is this; The consuming public knows that McDonalds food is garbage but there are many more Mickey D's around than the Mom & Pop restaurants that buy select cut meat and farm fresh vegetables yet the public will continue to feed on the trash while the smart seek the better meal. Both business's come and go but the truly good eateries build a more lasting clientele and reputation for good cuisine. Now to think you can sit in the front yard and attract drive by patrons for a slab of ribs off the smoke from your grill or set up a more eloquent dinning area in a large home will not lend much for any lasting legitimate business reputation. The point being is this; We have come a very long way in becoming "recognized" as an art form, "legitimized" by all forms of media and to expect that going "underground" might lend to the area that has come to be considered part of that which will burn the rep., operating costs today in tattooing is greatly increased from 30 years ago and it's difficult to compete in the consumer market against all the people who settle for lesser for cheaper but I say hang in there, keep the lights on, give the public a place to drop into and keep your work to the best of your abilities and the highest standards and you will survive. When times are at their worst you can pick up work in other ways in the way of art or a second job, I know that sounds difficult but it's what it may take and others did it before us. Take Walter Cleveland for example, went to work at a lumber yard to keep his doors open and cut cost's by sharing the same location of a surplus shop and non the less he is today still revered as "Walter Cleveland, Master Tattoo Artist, innovator and Legend" and he's been dead since the 60's, check it; The Cleveland's Whatever direction ya choose, just keep a good rep and do the rep and public justice. If ya have to take it home and State and local regulations are met and that is what it takes for you to survive then do it and have no shame in it as it's been done before in the history of the tough times in tattooing. As for myself, I am on third generations of Families that are devout and maintain steady work enough to keep me evolving as a business of over 32+ years on paper and legit and I will be there till I drop out of my chair chucking up a tube and needle. Don't mean to sound so serious but when I started I knew that I NEEDED to get legit with a shop and a shingle to start changing up the rep of tattooing as it was then, now it has come so far that a chump with a 50 dollah tattoo kit has come between me and feeding my family and I don't want to give up on the image/rep that I helped build by allowing myself to be compared in my home to the guy scratching "live laugh love" on a chick in his back bedroom as the general public won't see or distinguish the difference between the ones that do it right and professionally. Customers are going to become a harder and harder sell when there are soo many out there but reputation, word of mouth and most importantly the quality and customer treatment will be what builds a lifelong customer base, Bert Grimm knew that and he had three shops runnin at one time but Bert Grimm was "The Name" and his main shop was the legacy that cranked out many more legendary tattooers.

Thanks to Dave Flores for reminding, it's 120 years ago today, what nice even number. Happy Birthday to the "machine"! That magical tool, So use something cool out of the drawer today just to make the Gods smile.

Very nice! Love that lighting your running too.

Happy Thanksgiving! 2 Ducks on the menu today with dressing and pumpkin pie, already did the giblets in the skillet for a taste but to slow roast in the dutch oven those ducks will take about 4 hours but all dark meat and crispy skin is the shizznit! Ha! that reminds me of an old girlfriend.....

Years ago there was a guy named Richard Speck who became USA's 1st televised mass murderer and the coverage and articles always ended with "and he had Born to Raise Hell tattooed on his arm", like it made him do it or he had some pre disposed destiny due to the tattoo. Even up into the 80's I was always shocked by articles written by "Top Psychologists" that were quoted to say that if you had a tattoo you were destined for prison.... I have a werewolf tattooed on me but I'm not a big Twilight fan,ha!

There was a LATSCO in that short shot of a line up on the counter too. (Los Angles Tattoo Supply Co)

Here ya go, rough is pretty mild for these two. The back piece owner is very happy so why would I critique? Because I have spent my entire adult life trying to lend credit to the trade and art of tattooing and am qualified to do so but ultimately the meth head who owns this is very happy which illustrates that "tattoos can be as unique as the individual". And this abomination was done by a graduate of the "Tattoo School" in NY that charged more with their 2 weeks experience than I would have with my 32 years of constant study and dedication, and somehow I "needed" to see and comment with "what I thought?" when this guy bounced in to "show and tell", WTF?! The second abomination is on the upper thigh of a lady who was happy with the tattoo but wanted the guns fixed, the skull fixed, the hat fixed, the rose fixed and wanted the lettering to be more legible in the hat....This is to say that the lady was happy with the tattoo but wanted the tattoo totally "redone but better", so the psychology is that the lady didn't want to admit to herself that the tattoo was jacked up, admit she had made a bad decision nor did she wish to divulge who the "tattoo artist" was. Now lets consider that she went to get the brakes fixed on her car and when she left after the payment for the services rendered the brakes didn't work, wouldn't it be proper to warn her friends of the brake shop that did the work? But the accepted norm today seems that people are compelled to defend their actions even if they are wrong and then there are those who live in the bliss of ignorance. This is nothing new, so many times we encounter people asking "what we think" of something that doesn't require much more than a six year old to tell them that it's not "good", in fact a "pleasant reply" would be "If ya have to ask then I don't need to tell ya". So often we see these designs coming to our shops but now they are strolling in from shops that proclaim to be professional and I have to call 'em as I see em' . Often I apologize to them as I feel somewhat sorry for them, short changed by some scammer that is working harder at burning down the overall rep of the trade and art of tattooing. Ultimately, if they are happy with crap then let them sport crap but the general pop needs to get more educated that good tattoos can't be found on craigslist. I know that with some here I'm preaching to the choir but in this day and age when every 29 seconds a kid in a trailer court becomes a tattoo artist and the garden variety customer of theirs is giving referrals to the masses creating the illusion that underground unlicensed tattooing is "better" and that learned professionals tattooing above ground are the scammers is like peddling bad smack on a playground. So to recap, those people who don't see any diff, let them eat cake, and for those who seek honest answers need the advice and opinion of a professional and sometimes blood tests. After 32 years of tattooing I could go on forever with all the stories I could tell of people coming in from shops above ground that were told the redness and granulomas of what was a staph infection "was normal" indicating the tattoo hut was either uneducated or didn't give a dam, this effects the reputation of tattoos and the realm of the professionals whom ultimately become the whipping post's of/for their actions. Sorry for the rant but when the scratchers outnumber the professionals 20 to 1 they can and do create a false representation of true professional tattooing. We all witness daily the faces of those who don't and may never understand anything more of what we are discussing than what they have to pay for "believe" in tiny letters scribbled on their wrist and the truth is in the fact that this will never change and there will always be those whom are very proud to have a Taz waving the rebel flag holding a can of beer with a misspelled name tattooed on their chest at their trailer park bar-b-que. Sorry again for the rant but this thread made me feel like posting.

Greetings! And Welcome!

What a treat! Thanks for the post & pic's.

'Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye'- Shakespeare 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.'- Miss Piggy 'Long, short, thin, heavy, 12 fingers, 3 legs, rough or smooth, I shall drink it all and belch what I don't desire till my lifes experience end.'- Hawk BigAl my friend, we here on the LST are the people bred out of the uncommon perception of what is beauty and beautify ourselves and others in some cases to balance any of our personal short comings. That Lady in the posted pic appears a very happy and a beautiful person full of life, that is what my eye beholds and I'm certain the thread was never intended to insult and if this is anybody's perception then let me be the first to apologize.

I'd much rather tattoo the crazies, fatties, etc. and be able talk about killing zombies than inking the over tanned uptown julie browns exhibiting their zanax prescription. Case in point; I like to derail some people when they are the first timer questioning me to be serious about how much pain is involved minutes before I start, it don't matter what I reply with as they will soon know so sometimes I just say "I compare it to the first time ya have anal sex, that shid hurts!" and it totally derails them and they generally don't reply or the replies will vary between males and females to something so "off the wall". But one time after I was underway after the "no reply/response" this lady stated "You lied! I'd much rather have anal sex than this!" I had to laugh. As to the variety of "earthy and real people" we get, I once had a lady in the chair getting a bird of paradise on her should, her back to me, and this guy stopped by needing to talk about some deep marital stuff he was going through and how his Wife left him for ANOTHER WOMAN. I told him that I had once pondered as to "who would know better than another woman how and where to please another woman", now the lady in the chair hadn't said a word since we had began and was not part of this discussion but at that point she turned her head towards us and spoke up "That's a crock of szhit, this beotch was eating my pussy last Saturday and she didn't know what the f*%k she was doing" at which point I couldn't help but burst into laughter. I love my job.

Goddammit that looked like a good time, a Sir Mixalot song comes to mind..........Jane Fonda ain't got no anaconda in the back of her honda.

Gooble Gobble Gooble Gobble, he's one of us!(From the movie "Freaks") This is great Mojo Lochlan, good call and goodonya all.

That 3 part is pretty cool and well done, construct conceptual art of art in variable form........Good post Jaycel, makes me feel good about hangin out on LST, people like you make LST an amazing place to peruse. Thanks!