Deb Yarian

The Pearl has a deal on this April. They are offering $100 daffodil tattoos with %100 of the cash going to cancer research. That's a special I can get behind.

good luck

Genie of the West
I know it's discouraging to not be able to get what you want and have it look the way you want it to look but that's life. I love high fashion and would love to wear sleek clothes and high heels - but i'm short and fat. So, I can wear them -- but they just won't look so good.

good luck

Genie of the West--- You make the assumption that I don't eat properly or excercise. I'm 5'2 --- I'd like to be taller, that's not going to happen. I had my thyroid surgically removed because of thyroid cancer and I must take medicine, which keeps me in a hypothyroid state. I will never be thin.
That being said, we must work with what we have.
If you want your tattoos to be as outstanding as possible, working with your skin color and tone, Then I suggest a clear easy to read design, in black- whatever the genre. And I will wear clothing that best suits my figure!
Also, extreme as it may sound- on my husband's recent trip to a laser treatment practitioner,to remove a tattoo, they discussed the different settings necessary for light and dark skin tones. Laser treatments are available for evening out uneven skin, spots,blotches, vitiligo etc. perhaps laser treatments are a viable option for your darker areas, so that your tattoos will be more outstanding.

Remember the saying " It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand"?
i think that may be part of the issue in a mixed forum.
So, i'm going to use that metaphorically.
in a mixed forum, people can talk about cultural and political issues,personal musical and literary tastes and all contribute and all gain from the experience--- but as soon as one person starts talking about bigotry that they, as a black person- have encountered, or have a question about hair relaxer, a division occurs.
I think many non-tattooers , certainly can empathize with tattooers about an issue specific to them--- just like many tattooers can still relate to non- tattooers in matters of , let's say design,artist shop choice etc. But when you get to a certain point that division can occur.
Just my thought on what may be going on.

Ok, i'll give to proceeds of my next 5 book sales on here to Last Sparrow
Send me a photo/ screen shot whatever of your $ 20 or $25- donation to Last Sparrow along w your address and i'll send you a copy of this - non instructional, satirically humorous book.

I 'll donate the sales $ from the next 5 copies of ( my non- instructional satirically humorous book) " So you want to be a tattoo artist?" But I first have to figure out how and where to post a pic again

I 'll donate the sales $ from the next 5 copies of ( my non- instructional satirically humorous book) " So you want to be a tattoo artist?" But I first have to figure out how and where to post a pic again

Genie of the West--- You make the assumption that I don't eat properly or excercise. I'm 5'2 --- I'd like to be taller, that's not going to happen. I had my thyroid surgically removed because of thyroid cancer and I must take medicine, which keeps me in a hypothyroid state. I will never be thin.
That being said, we must work with what we have.
If you want your tattoos to be as outstanding as possible, working with your skin color and tone, Then I suggest a clear easy to read design, in black- whatever the genre. And I will wear clothing that best suits my figure!
Also, extreme as it may sound- on my husband's recent trip to a laser treatment practitioner,to remove a tattoo, they discussed the different settings necessary for light and dark skin tones. Laser treatments are available for evening out uneven skin, spots,blotches, vitiligo etc. perhaps laser treatments are a viable option for your darker areas, so that your tattoos will be more outstanding.

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

Genie of the West--- You make the assumption that I don't eat properly or excercise. I'm 5'2 --- I'd like to be taller, that's not going to happen. I had my thyroid surgically removed because of thyroid cancer and I must take medicine, which keeps me in a hypothyroid state. I will never be thin.
That being said, we must work with what we have.
If you want your tattoos to be as outstanding as possible, working with your skin color and tone, Then I suggest a clear easy to read design, in black- whatever the genre. And I will wear clothing that best suits my figure!
Also, extreme as it may sound- on my husband's recent trip to a laser treatment practitioner,to remove a tattoo, they discussed the different settings necessary for light and dark skin tones. Laser treatments are available for evening out uneven skin, spots,blotches, vitiligo etc. perhaps laser treatments are a viable option for your darker areas, so that your tattoos will be more outstanding.

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

Genie of the west-- You say that your tattoos raise up where your skin is the darkest, I think this may be because this is the part of your body that is exposed to the sun more often- perhaps? Over the years I have seen my own tattoos, as well as many of my clients tattoos raise up- could be the heat, the sun, irritation etc.
But there are specific concerns when tattooing very dark skin.So you are not being paranoid.
The tattoo does not lay on top of your skin, but below it- so the appearance of your tattoo is directly related to the color of your skin. Imagine any tattoo on a pale leg, then think of that tattoo with a tan stocking over it,coffee colored, brown and then finally black. It is the same with a tattoo, first applied and then when the skin grows over it.
Unfortunately some tattooers make the mistake of applying lighter pigments to darker skin tones. Very often when the tattoo heals it is barely visible. Also many darker skin tones, of all types, are prone to keloid scarring. The formation of raised excessive scarring.
My advice to anyone with very, very dark skin is to choose larger, more open, simplified designs with strong bold outlines vs. detailed, convoluted over shaded designs.
Good luck

Genie of the West--- You make the assumption that I don't eat properly or excercise. I'm 5'2 --- I'd like to be taller, that's not going to happen. I had my thyroid surgically removed because of thyroid cancer and I must take medicine, which keeps me in a hypothyroid state. I will never be thin.
That being said, we must work with what we have.
If you want your tattoos to be as outstanding as possible, working with your skin color and tone, Then I suggest a clear easy to read design, in black- whatever the genre. And I will wear clothing that best suits my figure!
Also, extreme as it may sound- on my husband's recent trip to a laser treatment practitioner,to remove a tattoo, they discussed the different settings necessary for light and dark skin tones. Laser treatments are available for evening out uneven skin, spots,blotches, vitiligo etc. perhaps laser treatments are a viable option for your darker areas, so that your tattoos will be more outstanding.

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

Genie of the West--- You make the assumption that I don't eat properly or excercise. I'm 5'2 --- I'd like to be taller, that's not going to happen. I had my thyroid surgically removed because of thyroid cancer and I must take medicine, which keeps me in a hypothyroid state. I will never be thin.
That being said, we must work with what we have.
If you want your tattoos to be as outstanding as possible, working with your skin color and tone, Then I suggest a clear easy to read design, in black- whatever the genre. And I will wear clothing that best suits my figure!
Also, extreme as it may sound- on my husband's recent trip to a laser treatment practitioner,to remove a tattoo, they discussed the different settings necessary for light and dark skin tones. Laser treatments are available for evening out uneven skin, spots,blotches, vitiligo etc. perhaps laser treatments are a viable option for your darker areas, so that your tattoos will be more outstanding.

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

I'm@debyarian and @eaglerivertattoo on instagram. See you there

Genie of the West
I know it's discouraging to not be able to get what you want and have it look the way you want it to look but that's life. I love high fashion and would love to wear sleek clothes and high heels - but i'm short and fat. So, I can wear them -- but they just won't look so good.

Yes Genie of the West, completely avoid black and gray fine line tattoos with lots of little details. Yes, just go for larger, distinctly shaped designs.
If on the scale of white to black ,white being 1 and black being 10, your skin color is 8 and above--- I would not get any gray-just black.
If your skin on different areas of your body is lighter, say a 6 - 7- then a brighter red might work or a blue. But that depends on what undertones your skin has--- reddish would tend to then cancel out the red etc.

Genie of the west-- You say that your tattoos raise up where your skin is the darkest, I think this may be because this is the part of your body that is exposed to the sun more often- perhaps? Over the years I have seen my own tattoos, as well as many of my clients tattoos raise up- could be the heat, the sun, irritation etc.
But there are specific concerns when tattooing very dark skin.So you are not being paranoid.
The tattoo does not lay on top of your skin, but below it- so the appearance of your tattoo is directly related to the color of your skin. Imagine any tattoo on a pale leg, then think of that tattoo with a tan stocking over it,coffee colored, brown and then finally black. It is the same with a tattoo, first applied and then when the skin grows over it.
Unfortunately some tattooers make the mistake of applying lighter pigments to darker skin tones. Very often when the tattoo heals it is barely visible. Also many darker skin tones, of all types, are prone to keloid scarring. The formation of raised excessive scarring.
My advice to anyone with very, very dark skin is to choose larger, more open, simplified designs with strong bold outlines vs. detailed, convoluted over shaded designs.
Good luck

Genie of the west-- You say that your tattoos raise up where your skin is the darkest, I think this may be because this is the part of your body that is exposed to the sun more often- perhaps? Over the years I have seen my own tattoos, as well as many of my clients tattoos raise up- could be the heat, the sun, irritation etc.
But there are specific concerns when tattooing very dark skin.So you are not being paranoid.
The tattoo does not lay on top of your skin, but below it- so the appearance of your tattoo is directly related to the color of your skin. Imagine any tattoo on a pale leg, then think of that tattoo with a tan stocking over it,coffee colored, brown and then finally black. It is the same with a tattoo, first applied and then when the skin grows over it.
Unfortunately some tattooers make the mistake of applying lighter pigments to darker skin tones. Very often when the tattoo heals it is barely visible. Also many darker skin tones, of all types, are prone to keloid scarring. The formation of raised excessive scarring.
My advice to anyone with very, very dark skin is to choose larger, more open, simplified designs with strong bold outlines vs. detailed, convoluted over shaded designs.
Good luck

My husband, Don, was in the army for 20 years. From 82-2002. He retired as an E-8 First Sergeant ( only one rank below E-9, the highest rank one can achieve as an enlisted man). By the early 90s he was fully sleeved, had his back, one side and numerous tattoos on his legs. He also began tattooing less than 1/2 way through his military career and worked both jobs, when able, till he retired from the service and only tattoos now. To my knowledge, he never had any issues and it didn't prevent him from rising in the ranks. I know that during the war in Iraq, the army relaxed it's standards to allow hand and neck tattoos, but has since reversed that. Much of our tattoo business is either army or air force- it hasn't changed much since I started tattooing, years ago.