Juan Pardo

well...this is bound to turn into a huge mess. but, here's my take. i think we all "appropriate" things, especially those of us who follow "traditional" tattooing. by its nature, traditional or classic tattooing follows a certain code, look, and rules. we follow a lineage. most of the designs have been passed on to us through that lineage and visual heritage, and their origins are long lost, or if there was an originator, he is long dead.
now, if a LIVING tattooer does something unique and original, and it's his/her own idea, and overnight, thanks to facebook, it's being copied all over the world and internet, i think that's wrong. that guy came up with something cool and new, maybe his whole own style or niche, and he's still alive, making a living. we should respect that.

el monga, slaughtering shit.

I got my first tattoo machine tattooed on my hand by Hugo Tatuajes who apprenticed me... there goes the picture..

got this a few weeks back from Heather Bailey @ Spider Murphys.
sorry for the crappy ass photo.

I just joined this site, I love lady heads and after browsing the member pictures I'd like to add Stefan Johnson's name to this conversation. I really love his style of girls and not even sure how it would be categorized (help?). I plan on getting a gypsy head in the near future but I prefer the more neo-trad, softer designs like this rather than the pure traditional styles which most artists seem to do. Here's a few examples of Stefan's style which I like and if anyone can suggest a traveling artist or one in the northeastern US who does similar work I'd greatly appreciate it. If I was closer to Stefan's shop in CA I'd be booking an appt. tomorrow. Thanks.

A nice one by Peter Lagergren at Malmö Classic Tattooing - Sweden.

Seth Wood through the neck.

i did this a few months ago

I did this one last week on the owner of the tattoo studio where I work, love skulls and daggers!

I got my first tattoo machine tattooed on my hand by Hugo Tatuajes who apprenticed me... there goes the picture..