Brock Varty

We need to get Grant into Frith St.

Me and a friend(who is also starting a full back with Kore) are driving in 10 hours away and renting a car/booking hotel etc. I would really like to see what he has planned before I actually make travel arrangements. My buddy is a tattooer so it is harder for him to find the time off...he is really the one who wants to see his study.
Thanks for the pro tips. I will have to make sure I eat throughout. I always make sure I have plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluid so hopefully all goes well on that second day.

I'm doing the same when I go to see him in February! I'm getting a sleeve done though, so it shouldn't be too too bad, save for the ditch and elbow. Good luck!

I have sat for 6+ hours a couple times and will be doing 6 hours two days in a row when I start with Mr. Flatmo. I gotta say...at about 4 hours the pain makes every second agony, but, if the tattooer is fast and constantly works the skin, and doesnt take little 30 second pauses, then it goes way better. If the needle stays in the skin as much as possible I feel like my tolerance for pain blocks it out much better.
Same goes for breaks. I prefer to take no breaks unless absolutely necessary. It just hurts tenfold when that needle hits skin again.
I can't even imagine how my two day session with Kore is going to go. I know he is super fast but sitting 6+ hours and then doing it again the next day with a raw back and ass....whew. I am going to be fucking hurting.

I have sat for 6+ hours a couple times and will be doing 6 hours two days in a row when I start with Mr. Flatmo. I gotta say...at about 4 hours the pain makes every second agony, but, if the tattooer is fast and constantly works the skin, and doesnt take little 30 second pauses, then it goes way better. If the needle stays in the skin as much as possible I feel like my tolerance for pain blocks it out much better.
Same goes for breaks. I prefer to take no breaks unless absolutely necessary. It just hurts tenfold when that needle hits skin again.
I can't even imagine how my two day session with Kore is going to go. I know he is super fast but sitting 6+ hours and then doing it again the next day with a raw back and ass....whew. I am going to be fucking hurting.

I can't say that I have ever seen this type of attitude from any other forum. Nay, I haven't seen an attitude like this is 99% of people. I am so thankful to be part of what happens on LST. The sincerity of Deb's apology and the sincerity of the comments that follow are incredible. Thanks so much you guys.

I made a lightbox :D
Woodwork is not something I've really done before, but I thought I'd give it a go. Buying a lightbox is pretty bloody expensive, so I decided to make my own from recycled materials. The top is an old cupboard door that I got from a seconds warehouse ($18) and I used second-hand timber. The cost of buying a drill and other odds and ends probably meant that this ended up almost as expensive as just buying a lightbox, but now I have a drill AND a place to draw so win-win. Still thinking about whether I'll line the inside of the top to disperse the light more evenly.
I should point out that I didn't make the desk (just assembled it from a flatpack :P ), only the frame at the top.

It's a German style of lager that should be malty, reasonably bitter, but not aromatic. According to the handy beer and food pairing guide I have on my desk here, it goes very nicely with pear fritters.
Here's one set of commonly-recognised style guidelines if you want to learn more about different beer styles: BJCP Style Guidelines

Word Brotha! Couldn't agree more...

@Graeme so you're saying that because it happens with everything on the internet, it's ok?
I have no problem with people trying to do 'fresh' things. In my opinion, this style is still fresh, therefore how can anyone else do something new with it? Maybe it's different because I've been fortunate enough to see the seeds of this style develop from other things in a natural and gradual way that I feel uncomfortable when someone else hops on the wagon when the bumps have been ironed out.
Yes it does happen, I know I can't stop it and I'm not trying to. The reason I take the time to post here is because Last Sparrow is different. It's better than that. This place is the real deal and I care about it. It may be just another forum to chat about whatever is on your mind to pass the time, for most here, but for the collectors and tattooers who post here there hasn't been anything this positive about good tattoos and tattooing on the internet, ever.
There's been a machine forum that was good for a while and some kinda-sorta fringe industry sites and forums that were good for a while but there's never been somewhere online for just tattoos where quality matters and people who are respected in the real world are respected in the forums. Too often a post/blog count matters more than the quality of submissions and real-world experience. It's different here. Last Sparrow is having a real-world effect and I think it's up to us all to realise the responsibility we have and to try a little harder to be thoughtful and intelligent in our actions online and offline.
While I wouldn't wear tattoos in the style Amanda Wachob does, I can see how they would appeal to some. I'm not even sure it appeals to 'tattoo people'. It's not really a new tattoo style either. It's based on a style of painting (wich was once new - over 70 years ago) Ed Hardy did some similar stuff in the 80's too.
@TrixieFaux some of the people you mentioned do visit SF.
I'm not trying to tell anyone who they should get tattooed by or whatever and I'm not knocking anyone specific. I'm sure 'new' guys give props or shout-outs to Hooper, Jondix, et al. But it still stands that without the guys who developed the style none of us would even want to get it tattooed.

I wish this style didn't have a name. As soon as a style is given a name, it seems to give others the impression they can do it too.
The reason I don't do this stuff is because I like Hooper, Jondix and Albrigo as people and friends.
They each seem to take direct influence from each other while still retaining some individuality and nuances of design and layout that make it possible to identify which one of them did it. The same goes for Binnie, Xed, Tomas Tomas, Mike from Athens and Curly. I love the work of each of those guys.
I can't say the same for anyone else doing these styles. It seems to be a "Me too" attitude. They let the first few guys take all the risks and learn what works and find select clients who want to trust in something new. Then they make technically clean but hollow facsimile of something that was interesting.
Maybe thats a bit strong coming from someone who doesn't have a style of his own, but I try to work in existing, classic tattoo styles and sometimes have a little fun with them. The reason I don't do this pattern/skull/mandala/pointilist stuff is the same reason I don't do Biomech, Pacheco painterly colour or straight-up cholo tattoos: They are styles that were developed by people with a specific set of interests and inspirations that managed to filter them into a style of design and execution. Also those pioneers are still alive and working.
Maybe I've opened a nasty can of worms... How soon is 'too soon' so imitate an iconic style? Do we have to wait for the pioneers to die before crotchety fucks stop complaining? To be honest, I'm not interested in the answer. I just notice that every week the internet spits out a new guy who sticks a skull over or under a doily and it's held in the same regard as work by Mike, Jondix and Hooper.
The same as we distinguish between Aaron Cain or Guy Aitchison Biomech, we shouldn't try to coin new phrases and just refer to Thomas Hooper, Jondix or Tomas Tomas Blackwork, dotwork or whatever.
Use the name of the guys that made it what it is. We at least owe them that if we're gonna encourage other people to try it and get it tattooed from the rest of the pack.
note: I'm certainly not anti-new styles and I'd like to say that I'm eagerly awaiting the second generation of artists influenced by these guys who take it somewhere new, now that there's a body of work by a group of artists. That could be exciting!

Mike Dorsey! The guy is slept on.
Mike Dorsey's Facebook

I actually am a non-standard forum goer here as well. My bag of potato chips is Japanese traditional and black and grey.

My back is going to be one huge Tibetan skull. Start with Mr. Flatmo in January.

I actually am a non-standard forum goer here as well. My bag of potato chips is Japanese traditional and black and grey.

I can dig Gunnar's stuff and this piece looks great. Not my style....BUT I can see how cool this is. Nice piece man. I think I saw hime posting drawings of this on Instagram.

WHO: Gunnar (Gaylord)
WHAT: A caricature of me listening to heavy metal music that comes to life
WHEN: Oct 22 2012
WHERE: RedTree Tattoo Gallery in Columbus OH
WHY: I drew pictures on the sides of cassette cases 30 years ago while I would listen to a late night heavy metal radio show. For a long time (in recent memory) I wanted a tattoo that was conceptually what I was drawing. Finally took the time to get it done.

My latest, finished a few months ago by Matt Brotka at Salvation Gallery in Richmond.
(he didn't do the pumpkin on my ass haha)

Looks really good. Welcome.
Look through the threads...there is multiple for posting your own work. I am sure that people would love to see your stuff.

A few friends of mine and I are working on an art zine. It will be completely DIY, no computers or photoshop layouts or anything like that. We would like to put out a new one each month and include a limited print/hand screened covers/whatever other cool and random things we decide to do.
In order to make this cool for everybody to view, as well as for us to put together, we need art. We aren't going in any general direction with this so we are open to any styles/mediums to publish.
If anyone is interested in being apart of this you can e-mail me and i'll give you more info on how to submit.
[email protected]
-chris

Not sure if this is where I'm supposed to introduce myself or if I'm blind!
Anyway I'm Luke I'm from the UK, I'm 22 currently working on a full sleeve of traditional bits and bobs, here a couple of pieces I've had done for those interested.

Hannya Mask, Chest Panel as part of a sleeve. Did the outline about two months ago, color yesterday. Done by Jesse Tseronis at Sakura Tattoo in Winchester, VA. We've been working on the sleeve since February. One more session!

I guess I'll pop this threads cherry :D
Done by Jeff Gogue, Off the Map Tattoo in Grants Pass, OR. Done at SFO Convention...

Done by Jondix of Barcelona, Spain at SFO COnvention...

Would you rather someone talk too much or not at all?

Well here is my first tattoo. Done by Kore Flatmo at Plurabella Studio in Cincinnati. WE got around four hours done yesterday. I will be back right around thanksgiving to finish it. It was a great experience KOre was great to work with, he is a true gentleman, and a credit to his profession.