Lochlan

@SailorClaire welcome and think you just got your Community Research 101 course on going into a community todo research without doing research ahead of time and how that can backfire therefore excluding you from being able todo actual research. Consider it a gift very few grad schools could teach their students. A researcher needs to be more humble. The only thing we know is nothing and we are always students. There is no master!
Unfortunately this hierarchical thought process that grad schools give their students who are accepted and/or graduate is historically how many researchers have tried todo research and it is almost like colonialism thus leaving a bad after taste on the community long after the researcher has left the community...i.e. what did the community actually gain from partaking? Or, how factual is this researchers work if they didn't actually enter the community? Amongst many other things, any good person questioning your thesis would ask then leaving your research irrelevant. Or even worse drawing a BS (yes that is a clinical term, haha) research study that influences others who care not to actually learn about a topic or community, i.e. mainstream news or books. These are thoughts to help you better defend your thesis when the time comes.
As a professional who does lots of work in communities and research internationally your pitch to do the research is what I fight not to do. May I suggest a book for you? Research Methods for Community Change; A Project-Based Approach by Randy Stoecker. I am just one of many people who work with many exploited populations so I write this as a polite offering.
Lastly, as was suggested by many LSTers take a look around the site and I think you will find lots of good pre-research to your research....consider it a Lit Review. I had one of my old staff actually join the site for her thesis on Tattooed Professional Women in Social Work and she got some impressive results from LSTers. So check out that search feature and put it to use and maybe reintroduce yourself and maybe the community will re-welcome you.
LSTers, thank you for voicing your concerns politely and offering constructive criticism so this site is not exploited!!! As well as an opportunity to teach the ones who unfortunately get into positions to teach about others when they are not a part of the other and/or truly know about the other(s)
EDIT: oh yeah as one of the site owners you may want to contact us first or if you're trying this on other forums as well the mods.....

@SailorClaire welcome and think you just got your Community Research 101 course on going into a community todo research without doing research ahead of time and how that can backfire therefore excluding you from being able todo actual research. Consider it a gift very few grad schools could teach their students. A researcher needs to be more humble. The only thing we know is nothing and we are always students. There is no master!
Unfortunately this hierarchical thought process that grad schools give their students who are accepted and/or graduate is historically how many researchers have tried todo research and it is almost like colonialism thus leaving a bad after taste on the community long after the researcher has left the community...i.e. what did the community actually gain from partaking? Or, how factual is this researchers work if they didn't actually enter the community? Amongst many other things, any good person questioning your thesis would ask then leaving your research irrelevant. Or even worse drawing a BS (yes that is a clinical term, haha) research study that influences others who care not to actually learn about a topic or community, i.e. mainstream news or books. These are thoughts to help you better defend your thesis when the time comes.
As a professional who does lots of work in communities and research internationally your pitch to do the research is what I fight not to do. May I suggest a book for you? Research Methods for Community Change; A Project-Based Approach by Randy Stoecker. I am just one of many people who work with many exploited populations so I write this as a polite offering.
Lastly, as was suggested by many LSTers take a look around the site and I think you will find lots of good pre-research to your research....consider it a Lit Review. I had one of my old staff actually join the site for her thesis on Tattooed Professional Women in Social Work and she got some impressive results from LSTers. So check out that search feature and put it to use and maybe reintroduce yourself and maybe the community will re-welcome you.
LSTers, thank you for voicing your concerns politely and offering constructive criticism so this site is not exploited!!! As well as an opportunity to teach the ones who unfortunately get into positions to teach about others when they are not a part of the other and/or truly know about the other(s)
EDIT: oh yeah as one of the site owners you may want to contact us first or if you're trying this on other forums as well the mods.....

My last two english profs agree will agree with you Pat. hahahaha.
I first typed @Lochlan's name in here. I goin' crazy.

Tipping (money or gifts) is a great idea though we try not to talk specifics on this site.
Many tattooers have asked us not to talk numbers and we hold that line..sorry can't be of more specific help.

Sam welcome to the site! Upload some of your tattoos so we can take a look......also enjoy the site.
@rocketfish344 Why don't you start your own intro rather then jumping on others intros as we'd love to learn more about you as it appears you have lots of questions and ambivalence about getting a tattoo.

Tipping (money or gifts) is a great idea though we try not to talk specifics on this site.
Many tattooers have asked us not to talk numbers and we hold that line..sorry can't be of more specific help.

Here is a nice one from Jim Sylvia

I seriously covet this women's chest piece, by Michael Bennett.

That would be an infection. Let breath, but when in public place a sterile gauze pad over the tattoo. Also, If you have medical insurance and can get some anti-biotics, I highly recommend doing that as soon as possible as well. Will help kick the infection out before you get MRSA.

Tipping (money or gifts) is a great idea though we try not to talk specifics on this site.
Many tattooers have asked us not to talk numbers and we hold that line..sorry can't be of more specific help.

SOA licks sack, I'd say go with the walk-in.

I say go get a quick walk-in tattoo at your local tattoo shop.

No rush buddy, invest that time into finding a good artist that'll do a good job tattooing what you're looking for :D

There are a lot of folks from the UK here. They will show up eventually. Lets see that cover up.

LMAO you guys are crackin me up but at least you are makin me feel more at home here............i'm like a fish outta water browsing this forum and don't know what to say to anyone!!!!!
I've just had a cover up done thats not very flattering and its lead to finding you guys. Am hoping to make some new friends that are into the same sort of things as me but it seems that you are all overseas :(.............is there no-one in the UK ????
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Better than 'How do you solve a problem like.........' :)

@Petri Aspvik it doesn't spell 'Jesus' s such. It spells 2 initials of the Roman/Latin title of Jesus.
I think it's the same symbol as the reverse of this coin:

I can't find the exact source online but it was explained in detail in a recent BBC documentary on the history of christian art.
Maybe it was the full version of this show: BBC Four - The Dark Ages: An Age of Light, The Clash of the Gods
Sorry to derail this thread but anyone interested in history, art or symbolism should check out the BBC Four documentaries on BBC iPlayer.
To keep this on-topic, in the apple itunes store there are many lectures and short docs on Japanese art in the iTunesU section - For FREE!

@DJDeepFried Everybody enjoys aspects of 'exotic' cultures. One man's mundane is another's exotic, and vice-versa.
'Traditional' Japanese tattooing has regional and time-specific styles too. Yokohama style isn't necessarily the same as Hiroshima style. 1930's style isn't the same as 1990's style etc.
I haven't heard of a 'rule' that states you can't get a koi on your arm, unless of course if you have a koi with waves on your upper arm and an eagle with clouds on your forearm.
Positions of figure's legs (especially in relation to lotus flowers) often tell us things about their spiritual state in Buddhist art too.
Jesus spells out his (latin) name, gang-style, in many paintings from the middle-ages onward.

I love the contest when it is only two days in and the quality of tattoos are that which we love and seek! Keep them coming!!!...!....!....

I love the contest when it is only two days in and the quality of tattoos are that which we love and seek! Keep them coming!!!...!....!....

I love the contest when it is only two days in and the quality of tattoos are that which we love and seek! Keep them coming!!!...!....!....

I love the contest when it is only two days in and the quality of tattoos are that which we love and seek! Keep them coming!!!...!....!....

Some weak shit this month...
not

That would be the beginning of what is to tell, yeah. Still the most elusive tattooer as far as internet info, which I think is what he would've wanted anyway.
Tux did almost all of my tattoos in the first 3 or 4 years of getting tattooed starting at 18. His influence on me still continues to this day. Everything I learned about Real Tattooing started with him.
His shop was amazing. If you see pics of DeVita's house, that would give you the idea how Tux's shop & house were as well.
The lineage from DeVita>Tux>Higgs is easily noticable in each of their artwork.

yeah I assumed someone would post that before long. i can picture him burning through 5 cigarettes while doing that interview haha
Old sticker made into fridge magnet.

Bad photo of my Easter Tattoo from a couple of years ago.
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Your mom is like Jesus, everyone gets a turn. #yomamajokes