Shaun1105

I'll post in the next couple of days about brunch arrangements.  I've had a super busy past few days and I haven't had a chance to make the reservation yet. 

I would say the "tattoo community" is a very real thing and has been around for as long as people have been getting tattooed :)
I've been lucky enough to meet a good handful of people from the forum and have tattooed a good number of them and I am totally happy and proud to call them my friends. LST has played a pretty big role in my career, although discreetly. The interviews are pure gold and have a lot of soul and much to learn from. 
I'm not as active here as I once was, but it has always been that oasis you speak of. ?

I'm definitely coming now!  A friend and I are coming up on Friday evening.  Count us in for brunch meetup, please!
Looking forward to the trip, even if I'm not likely to get a tattoo this time.

Getting a bunch of prints made to trade/gift to people at the con. Already set up a trade with Horitsuki Dust Wu. Very pumped.
Also made an appointment with Darryl Hart for a nurse on my calve right after I get off the plane on Saturday night. Then getting a huge piece by Dave the next morning, and after that I have about 4 hours to fuck around and look at booths. Might get a couple 1 hour bangers if I feel like it. 
Edit: so turns out he can get the nurse done in an hour and a half, because hes a madman, so we're going to put these eyeball hellspawn on my leg somewhere also. R8 stoked.
 

I'm definitely coming now!  A friend and I are coming up on Friday evening.  Count us in for brunch meetup, please!
Looking forward to the trip, even if I'm not likely to get a tattoo this time.

Its looking good for us - heading down the 401 to Montreal.

I'm in ! :)

I will be there Friday through Monday morning.  I'm going by myself so would be up for coffees and things like that.  Tattoo on Saturday night!

Made an appointment with Darryl Hart at the Montreal convention for saturday. Going to put this nurse on the lower half of my calve. Every tattoo Darryl does looks amazing healed so Im really stoked. Hes so fast and light handed too.

Not making a very strong case for yourself on here, friendo.
As for the tattoo, personally, I think words are lame. Pictures are symbols and they speak to people. Adding a "meaningful" quote to it just sucks all the mystery and flavour out from it. Its like getting a tattoo of a sick dragon and stamping a big "LUCKY" ontop of it. Also, every person I know who has gotten "kid font" tattoos or "my child's hand writting" tattoos have regretted it, and it just looks awful. The tattoo design itself should never take back seat to the "meaning". Keep that in mind. 
And dont get it upside down. 

I like the lettering - but make sure its not upside down!

I'm going to suggest a Saturday pre-convention brunch as an LST meetup if anybody is interested.  I have an appointment right when the convention opens at 11, and my kid has an appointment for a vaccination in the morning, so it will have to be early-ish, like 9-9:30 near my place, which is a quick metro ride away (about ten minutes) from the convention.  Let me know if you're interested and I'll make a group reservation.

We can always grab a drink or a coffee at the convention too.

Traditional enough for tattooing. If you want top notch work in a traditional style look no further than Blackheart tattoo! You cannot go wrong there!

I'm going, so is my husband.  Not going to get tattooed though - I filled my quota for the year back in January, and I'm trying to save $ to go back to school, so there's that too...  It's a great excuse to finally get up to Montreal, and to hang with some great people. 
 

Dave did a pretty big tiger on my ribs last fall. He's pretty quick and fairly gentle, but most importantly, he's awesome! You'll get an epic tattoo from a tattooer's   tattooer.

Hey all,
Today I started my back piece with Scott Rusnak out of Lucky Strike Tattoo in Edmonton, Alberta. We are doing something a little out of the traditional notion of Japanese tattooing--a large octopus with some of his rad lightning laid over top. This is only my third tattoo (the other's being only palm sized jammers) and after my four-hour linework sit today, I am humbled. All of the spots feel like bad spots, but now a couple hours after things are feeling good and I'm looking forward to the next sit where we will finish the linework and start some shading, hopefully. We're planning on bringing it down to the knees with some rocks and heikegani crabs. The bare patch near my left shoulder will also probably be filled with some more water and another crab. Ultimately, this first experience was intense but totally manageable and very rewarding.
 

First, check your SPAM folders to make sure you or your provider aren't blocking the replies, second send a back-up email, third check to see if they use Facebook Messenger or some other social media messaging by preference.
Oh, and there is also the telephone! Call the shop!

Bizarrely underrated strategy.  It's funny how quickly you can get answers by picking up a phone, even if sometimes the answer is to send an email.

My boyfriend and I are hoping to drive up at least one of the days from VT! Haven't booked with anyone yet, as I am waiting until my BF definitely has his passport (hate that they changed that law haha). But I keep seeing Jim Sylvia has time still... so tempting...
Anywho, if we do make it, would love to meet up with folks!

Flying in from New Brunswick for this one! Basically hopping a plane after work on Saturday afternoon, spending a night and flying back after the con is over. Already booked a hannya on my arm from Dave Cummings, waiting on an email from Stace Forand for an oni on my knee, and hopefully a banger from Lucas Ford or Ryan Halter if I have time left. Going to try and grab some japanese refference from Gomineko as well.

Nice tattoo!

I don't think there's a "better" here, only what you prefer more.  

If your next two planned tattoos are going to be in a similar style, I personally would go same arm, but again it's totally up to you. 

Nice tattoo!

I don't think there's a "better" here, only what you prefer more.  

If your next two planned tattoos are going to be in a similar style, I personally would go same arm, but again it's totally up to you. 

Steve put an eagle on my chest last year.  He's great, you don't need to be nervous at all!

Nice tattoo!

I don't think there's a "better" here, only what you prefer more.  

If your next two planned tattoos are going to be in a similar style, I personally would go same arm, but again it's totally up to you. 

Well...(deep breath) Steve Byrne in less than a month (Sept 1). I don't generally get nervous or "starstruck", but I've definitely got butterflies on this one. Who's been tattooed by Steve?