Rob I

That woman is an entitled brat and has no understanding of the tattoo world. I think it's great he stuck to his morals rather thank take the $$

Don't think i've ever posted in this thread, but....

Boy was my mom PISSED when she first found out. I had just had my wisdom teeth pulled at age 19 and we were in the drug store picking up some meds. I was completely loopy from the surgery and was a bit too open. I first suggested we go home and smoke some weed, and explained that she might have to pick some up because I was out..... She was a wonderful and tolerant lady so she just kinda let that one go. Then we walked by something, I don't know what, and I said "mom! that looks just like my tattoo!!". (This was back in 1992 and tattoos were only beginning to become mainstream at the time. Most guys I knew had their first ones put on their hip or some other very concealable area. I had a tattoo on each hip at that point.) She replied, "you don't have a tattoo, do you?" to which i said "I HAVE TWO!" and basically pulled my pants down in the drug store. She said "that's not real is it?!" and at about that point, I started to realize the size of the cat i had just let out of the bag, and back tracked and tried to say they were fake, but then ultimately admitting that they weren't. She was pissed. But she didn't yell at me, because i was all drugged up. So she went home and yelled at my brother for not telling her. She became progressively less pissed with each new tattoo, and ultimately not pissed at all... She was super smart though and realized the stupid tribal designs I was having applied back then was gonna go out of style, and fast. I think she would be a bit peeved at my coverage now, but appreciate the work and the subject matter. I would like to think so anyway. I miss her a ton.

I like the idea. Koi are always getting a free pass in the tattoo world so I think it is great that someone is willing to put them in their place by putting an arrow through one :)

One thing you might want to think about is placement. By putting a medium/large sized piece on each shoulder you are limiting your options for a potential future cohesive full back piece. Maybe think about getting this koi as a rib piece or half sleeve. Or go huge with it and have a koi back piece surrounded by animal skulls.

dying laughing right now!!! Stupid fish are always getting off easy.

Second session with Chad Koeplinger! Done at the Grim Reaper Tattoo Shop in Roma! Great Shop, great guys!

I LOVE this back piece. It is so insane!!! It's coming out so great and I look forward to following the progress on it.

@Flo Ania epic man! I love it. So fucking good!!!!

He drew mine on as well and that was a lot more pleasant than the tattooing!

thanks @SeeSea , the swords were definitely a good idea!

also

I love @mmikaoj 's back piece!!

Thanks @Patrick Bateman!

thanks! @jen7 and @Flo Ania

Had my 4th session on my back with Chad K this past friday at Congress St Tattoo in Portsmouth, NH. I'm sure several have seen these pics already, but I love this thread and wanted to join the fun even if it's not a "full" back piece.

Could not be more thrilled with it. I love Chad and I love this tattoo. He thinks only 2 more sessions till we're done!

I think it helps that I'm a small guy. Less to color :)

Lying down pic was taken by Chad night of, and the standing up pic was taken by my wife the next morning after that dreaded first shower. Lighting is terrible in the second pic, but you get the idea.

It's so freaking bull shit that the pics always post sideways. trying to attach link to gallery photo which I think i was able to fix

I'm no tattooer, but I think that ying yang in the right eye would be hard to pull off without making the wolf look like he has a lazy eye. That wasn't the question though. While I really have no idea, if I were planning on getting that, I would be expecting it to take at least 2-3hrs on the chest. Maybe more? I would highly doubt less. But again, what takes someone 3 hrs, could take someone else one, and another five.

I just had my 4th session on my back. A shit ton of progress was made and it took the tattooer 1 hr and 15 minutes. I would expect at least double from anyone else. Everyone is different.

So, go ask the tattooer you want to do this and you'll get a better answer.

I echo that sentiment!

If someone posts a picture of tattoo on LST that you don't like, please don't shit all over it. Even if someone ask for critique, try to be gentle with your feedback, and educate rather than simply state how shitty you think it is.

the very reason I signed up for this forum! It's a breath of fresh air compared to several others, and the folks here are super nice. DBAA. Don't be an asshole.

i think this tattoo looks awesome. @2bacanvas you need to STOP overanalyzing it immediately. You are going to drive yourself nuts. It's kinda like body dysmorphic syndrome going on right now. You are seeing problems that aren't there. It is an excellent tattoo. Stop getting hung up silly little trivial issues. Imagine what you'd be going through if you actually got a bad tattoo! This one is great! Stop worrying and don't even think about lasering some and having someone else finish it. I've made the mistake of having someone else touch up an another artists work. It ruined what was a very nicely done tattoo. I had to wear that crap for almost 20 years before I finally covered it (with a bad ass panther).

Be happy with the great tattoo that you recieved.

the rule of thumb i use is 2 weeks, or when all of the initial peel is done. Sometimes that means a bit less than 2 weeks, and sometimes a bit more.

I will work out during the second dry skin peel, but I do prefer to wait until the initial peel is done before I start working out again.

There is only one "gentle jay" and he wasn't ever on inkmaster!

Back with Chad K at Congress St Tattoo on feb 27th for my 4th session on my back!!!!!

This one he is calling a "power session", which honestly just sounds terrifying!! He is finishing the lines and hoping to also finish all of the black shading!! Should be "fun"!!!

Seriously though, I'm super excited!

Have you had your back done? If so, how do they compare pain-wise?

My back is in progress actually. Also being done by Chad. I think they are both challenging to have tattooed. It's a tough call. I think the line work sucks on both the back and chest, but the shading seems a bit easier on the back. Everyone's different.

Your back piece is sick. If you can sit through all of that you'll do just fine on your chest.

@exume I love that piece. It's absolutely bad ass!!

Here is my contribution. Also by Chad. Finished about a year and a half ago. I went a bit smaller.

One heck of an experience. Some very rough moments for sure!!! Chad is the best though!

2 sessions.

here is my finished panther and roses tattoo by Jebb Riley, done at Congress St Tattoo in Portsmouth, NH. (finished last friday)

I keep forgetting this is actually a coverup. The butt / thigh covers up an originally well done celtic knot that was touched up HORRIFICALLY by another artist after I moved from miami to NY in 1995. Lived with it for almost 20 yrs before covering. Not sad to see it go.

Very difficult to photograph as it wraps around my arm and starts at the top of my shoulder, ending below the ditch in my elbow. Jebb did a nice pic stitch so I stole this from his instagram. Still, with the glare, and the bleeding, this pic doesn't even come close to doing justice to it.

Started in July of 2013. Panther outlined right before my second and last session on my chest with Chad Koeplinger (he was running late, so why not?). Sessions were spaced very widely apart due to me starting my backpiece with Chad last year. Jebb has been very understanding. Total time on this is about 9.5 hours.

Jebb Riley is a super great tattooer and and even nicer dude.

Super stoked with how this all came together.

So many great tattoos!! Haven't been on in a while, so it was pretty awesome to go through a whole bunch of pages on this thread and see so much amazing shit going down!!!!

@mmikaoj OMG!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? Jaw dropping...just stunning man.

I just finished my big arm panther and roses with Jebb Riley. I'll post pics soon. Super happy with it.

@Pugilist Thanks!! Total fact!

@pidjones I am sorry. I should have just gotten the car logo.

My wife has zero tattoos and no plans on getting any in the future. That said, she appreciates them, and has no issues with them at all. She loves mine, or at least that what she tells me. She did ask me not to get my stomach tattooed, and was leery when I was going to have Chad tattoo my chest... though her first words upon seeing the outline were "fucking awesome!!"....

Side note- she actually drove me to and from the tattoo shop when I was 18 yrs old getting my first tattoo (an infiniti sign on my hip to hide from my parents...and it wasn't played out or cliche in 1992... The tattoo artist actually asked me if i meant the sideways 8 or the car logo.......I started a massive and terrible fad!!! LOL)

We all have our things. If we hate the things our significant other is into, then it can be a problem I guess. Luckily for me, my wife is extraordinarily tolerant of all of my weird interests, hobbies, and collections.