Brock Varty

Thirded.

I second this thirded.

Looks to me like you have some bruising going on. The inside of the bicep tends to do that. If you are concerned at all, I emplore you to consult the person that did the tattoo. They will know how your tattoo and how their work heals the best. The person who did the tattoo will always be able to give you a better answer than any of us.

Got this today from Nick Colella at Great Lakes Tattoo

I can't say enough nice things about him!!

And I'm beyond stoked on my dragon! Completely smitten with the thing! :)

(slurped from Nick's instagram)

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

Coming out of LST hibernation to say "I approve of this tattoo".

Great minds and all.

I'm a fan of experimental film; guys like David Lynch and Stan Brakhage- but I think they're genuine whereas Korine seems incredibly planned in his looseness.

I agree with that. However, it still makes good viewing for me. I am able to put aside some of the more obvious things and he still impresses me.

To each his own though...

I hope when you complete that thought it isn't total nonsense like it is here. When I look at the lettering tattoos that people like Tim Hendricks, BJ Betts, Katie Sellergren, Anderson Luna, to just name a few, I don't think for a moment that lettering as a craft, or tattooing as a craft, is being degraded. That is melodramatic garbage and I don't think you care enough about non-tattoo forms and ways of lettering to even believe that yourself (and if you do, you're still wrong about it). Even getting away from people who have made their names doing lettering, there are so many more tattooers who work hard to improve their lettering maybe not because it's the area of tattooing that they're the most excited about but because people ask for lettering, and they want to give their clients the best tattoo they can. This isn't just a new thing...read George Burchett because he writes about doing huge amounts of text on his clients. Obviously a lot of text-based tattoos aren't done well, but that doesn't mean that text is bad as such.

Also, for the purposes of this forum and our attempt here to actively promote good tattooing, I think that completely dismissing text in tattoos as being bad is counterproductive.

I just don't think lettering belongs in tattoos. It ruins them. No one wants to read someone else. Script does not really flow with the body and compliment the figure. There are already people who dedicate their lives to lettering, and putting lettering that isn't meant for the body into a tattoo is degrading their work. If you use lettering that you made yourself then I see less of a problem.

You are entitled to have an opinion and I am as well. I know text is popular and it has been done forever, but that doesn't mean that I need to agree with it.

I don't think this thread could teach someone to tattoo, but if someone came in an requested to get tattooed by a rotary I would be besides myself that they thought they had a say in the matter. Why can't tattoo machines, be magical devices conjured up in secret lairs with parts unknown to modern man. I have been tattooed by a rotary machine and i guess at times it was less painful than a coil, but not rainbows and unicorns better, and after two hours it sucked just as bad. Tattoos hurt

I endorse this statement.

It's a combination of 'trying too hard to be weird' and this general air of hipster irony.

The "trying too hard thing" is something that the other people that hate him have brought up.

I have read this article before and I don't fully agree with it.

I still see it as a matter of taste and how well done a text tattoo is. I myself am not a fan of all over text, but I don't find it horrible either.

Guess in the end it still comes down to taste.

I studied Typography and Calligraphy in school and their place in past and modern art. Not only have they always been added to art on canvas to give it a certain edge but they are also used on curved and odd shapes.

I used to see museums from the inside every week, I have seen more than enough art ;).

I am open to a lot of types of art, modern and abstract too.

I don't think I am in the position to say "this is the only true form of art", because I prefer Boticelli over Picasso or whatever ;).

Artists have been argueing about this since the beginning of time and not gotten to a conclusion (heck, caveemen were probably even argueing about cave art lol).

So why would tattoo artists and fans of tattoo art want to claim that only certain types of tattoos are art and good?

I am just trying to look at the bigger picture here.

You make several good points. I think maybe it is time for me to re-evaluate my thoughts on lettering in tattoos. In the past, no matter how hard I think about it, text always feels wrong to me. I can't exactly pin why though. Even without thinking about any other reasons than my own, I still can't figure out why I don't like text. shits weird...

The only thing I have against script is that I think it is meant for signs, typographers, signmakers, etc. I feel like it degrades the craft of people who devote their life to letters.

The above isn't really a complete thought or argument; moreover, just a brief thought.

Edit: I came back to this post later and laughed at my half-assed disclaimer. lol

I think that text tattoos, like any other kind of tattoo, can be done well or it can be done poorly. I'm on my phone right now so I can't post a picture of it but a couple of days ago the Frith Street instagram posted a whole block of text that Stefano put on a guy's ribs and it looks great. Would it be cooler if the guy got some kind of image to represent those words instead? Probably, and I'm sure that possibility was talked about, but at the end of the day the guy wanted text and he got a tattoo that was clearly done with care and skill, and the dude who got it probably thinks it's the greatest thing in the world. That's good tattooing to me, whether or not it's something that I like or would personally get.

I will agree with that. I would call that good tattooing as well.

Don't get me wrong I've done it twice before for my sleeve, and the outline for my back was 10 hours over 2 days consecutively, but thankfully it was just the outline and not colour lol. Couldn't agree more, second day is hell hence why I'm hesitant to go 3... but it could be worth it to finish

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Ps best signature ever

I don't do painkillers. I will take Advil before a long appointment. When I was in London back in March I made the mistake of taking ibuprofen with codine and that really messed me up. I find if you get a good nights sleep and eat right and don't drink too many beers you'll be good to go and beers taste better afterwards!!!! What also helped was the numbing spray. That makes the long multi-sessions much more manageable.

I like to use a lot of Dr. Numb and then just got my hands on some 10% lidocane spray. So that will be rad.... Also, last time I got work on my back, I took some Valium and drank a beer before starting each day. And that really helped out.

Afterthought: Any Canadian LSTers willing to send me some 50%or higher lidocane stuff? I buy, you ship to me?

I had never broken it down like that... well bugger me! In saying that a full day seems to be around 6 hours worth of tattooing not including breaks, which is still a loooooong time lol. Hence why I'm thinking 3 days would be a lot closer to the finish line. And I'll probably need all the prayers I can get, so cheers!!

Might need some advice - @Reyeslv you've done three days straight before haven't you? Any tips?

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That was the area we started at so I had a fair idea what was to come, well, at least I thought I did lol.

I have done two days in a row twice before. First day is easy, second day is hell.

I'm in the 'hate him' camp.

May I inquire as to why?

Valerie Vargas

Stewart Robson

Oliver Macintosh

Tomas Tomas

Duncan X

Alex Rienke(Horikitsune)

Chris Crooks

Several rad tattooer also travel to Frith St. on the regular:

Chad Koeplinger

Beau Brady(spell check?)

Mario Desa

Todd Noble

Oliver Peck

If you are willing to travel to mainland Europe:

Robert Hernandez

Filip Leu

Greg Orie

Jondix

the list could go forever...

If you let us know what kind of imagery you like, we can point you in the direction you need to travel.

Just wanted to put out a friendly reminder that unless you are a tattooer, the best answer to all questions about healing, coverups, etc...is always "Go talk to a good tattooer". We can give as much advice and personal experience as can fit on a page, and it doesn't really mean much. Take personal experience and opinions as such and see a tattooer to get an actual answer.

Just watched Spring Breakers. Loved it. Definitely up there with Kids in the Harmony Korine pantheon.

I loved Spring Breakers. Was one of my favorite movies of the year so far. After really getting into that movie, I found out a lot of people hate on Harmony Korine...I can't figure out why.

Who are the 5 best rappers of all time?

O'Donnell, O'Donnell, O'Donnell, O'Donnell, O'Donnell

He spits hot fire.

Sig'd

I have done home made beer before. Also, original paintings and hard to find books always go over well. Thinking about giving an original Salvador Dali etching to Mr. Flatmo next time I go down.

Dragon Koi are rad...but, it needs to be executed properly. It isn't something easily done as both the koi and the dragon need to retain enough of their own structure to know what you are looking at. Also, if you are serious about making sure your tattoo fits the context of folklore then there are certain "rules" or properties that must be depicted or followed in your tattoo.

I would go with the koi/dragon personally. I have a zealous appetite for Japanese tattooing and images though.

I second what @Iwar said...

I had to google what a Minecraft pig was. I knew the game, but not the pig part of it.

@Kimber Maietta can I ask you a question? In all seriousness. Did the guy that did that tattoo try to talk you out of it or did he immediately jump on it and just do it? I'm just asking, and I hope I don't insult you, but that image, IMHO, doesn't translate well into a tattoo. I already picked it apart, and thought, if I was handed this as an idea, and there was no way to talk you out of it, would I try to make it tattooable or would I send you on your way and wish you Good Luck.

Maybe, it is just what I've been taught and/or how I look at things (or I am just too green), I don't know, but I feel like tattoos have to have black. The images I have seen of the minecraft pig, have no black except the pupils. I like to think I would do it, but there would have to be changes.

I pretty much echo the quoted sentiments.

I like yoga pants...

Kuniyoshi

Hokusai

Kunisada

etc...

I just started completely dry healing. I am constantly healing something and just don't want to deal with lotion and shit. As long as you are careful, dry heal work really well.

Heck of a Frith St. turnout...you all better take advantage of that shit!!!

Perfect excuse to buy that book, thanks. :)

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O

TWO WEEKS!!???

Better just go ahead and drop that hammer, then.

Ok...ok...that is a bit short. Lets just say that you are now obligated!