Mr. Smith

might as well throw up my own snake. I fuckin love it! (Yes thats fully healed)

You can milk a cow all day long, it doesn't mean you're getting any... A time limit shows you can either get it done, or you can't...
Please read further back into the post, as most of the new topics that come up in this thread have already been addressed...
Most of the "canvases" aren't coming back for a second sitting... And who knows if they would even want to? Seriously?
And, when at a convention, and someone walks up asking for a piece, I know what is possible to accomplish, as opposed to some unrealistic opinion of how amazing Richard is, I know what can be done, and what will need more then one sitting. It's one of those don't bite off more then you can chew things...
Knowing one's limitations is a good thing.

Howdy- I guess I should finally get around to my introduction. My name is Doug Hardy. I tattoo at my father's shop, Tattoo City, in San Francisco. I was apprenticed under Michael 'Rollo' Malone at China Sea Tattoo in Honolulu from 1992-1996, then moved to Minneapolis where I worked at Northside Tattoo, The Ink Lab, Uptown Tattoo and finally The Aloha Monkey. After almost 12 years in the Frozen North, I moved back to my hometown to help run Tattoo City and be my father's right hand man after his retirement. I also help with Hardy Marks Publications and try to stay connected with other artists when I'm not wrangling my goddamned cats.

Buying tattoo designs online is a scam. Do what everyone else here has said and find someone who makes Japanese tattoos that you really like and describe what you liked about that design to them. You'll end up with a way better tattoo than if you brought in a design that you're married to (which may not make a good tattoo at all) because you paid for it. Don't be afraid to make a long trip...I routinely drive 8+ hours round trip to get my back worked on, and have driven a lot more than that and crossed borders to get tattooed by people I dig. Tattoo road trips are a blast.

I have 2 appointments next month, one with Tomas Garcia and one with Matt Bivetto, I'm taking Oct off haha

I agree, I'm REALLY into this season. Also, that scene last night with the horror maze house and dude in the viking helmet or whatever it was was (while a bit ridiculous) definitely the most terrifying scene of the series so far.

I'm wildly in love with you right now.
Found last years thread... My buddies and I were the 1% and waltzed around downtown Oakland for a few hours hammered.

got this outlined yesterday by max kuhn. looking forward to finishing it.

Just got a nice surprise today in my inbox. Looks like sometime next year I might be getting tattooed by Thomas Hooper!

My first trip to Dallas was in 1998 and I worked right near Richard's shop. The owner of the shop said, "come on, I'll introduce you to Richard Stell". We walked over there and they were filming Walker Texas Ranger, Richard was tattooing. I got to meet Richard Stell, Mike Wilson AND Chuck Norris all within 5 minutes of each other. It was the coolest day ever for me. Richard wouldn't stop tattooing for them to film and told them to deal with it and film around him, it was rad. I told Richard that story recently from my perspective and he chuckled. I am very excited to see him on Ink Master.

Regardless of your opinion on the whole "can it/should it be reclaimed?" conversation, this is a pretty ignorant viewpoint to hold in the tattoo community. I can think of at least 3 tattooers that I know with swastika tattoos who are most definitely not white supremacists.

This.
I'm still pretty new to getting tattooed and I've already gone from thinking that everything about tattoos is the coolest thing in the world to thinking that tattoos are still the coolest thing in the world, it's just sort of unfortunate about the getting them and healing them part, and as I'm planning on starting some big work in the next year I expect that my opinions will change again, and that I will lament ever getting involved in this thing that involves me getting repeatedly stabbed with needles in my ass crack.
That said, I really like what was said above about the experience of getting tattooed and getting to meet people who really excel at what they do and really getting something from that energy. I love the way that when I look at my tattoos that I can remember the experiences around them and getting them (for example, around a year ago I was in NYC on that freakishly really snowy day at the end of October and because the weather was so miserable and people were cancelling their tattoo appointments I managed to get a walk-in at Smith Street and got that classic wolf head with its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth from Eli Quinters and when I look at that tattoo I remember that day really sharply, though I probably would have otherwise forgotten about it) and I want to continue having those experiences as long as possible because they've been some of the best and most important experiences I've had in my life.
Which isn't to say that getting a cohesive bodysuit wouldn't be this really amazing, transformative experience, because I'm sure that it absolutely is.

Yup... Richard and I were in NYC last for this and the Smith Street Guest Spot...
It was interesting, but painful... Next week, is the Traditional Round. Richard is the Guest Judge... And, he ripped into everyone, and even snapped at Navarro, but in the end. They signed up to be judged, and so they were.

I apologize if anyone has posted about her on here before and all of that, but I just stumbled onto her art through an Instagram hole. She makes woodcuts based on tattoo imagery, and HOLY FUCK, I'm blown away. As soon as I have some extra cash, I definitely want one (really, all of them) for my collection.
Bryn Perrott
Edit: Son of a bitch. I misspelled her name in the thread title.

I apologize if anyone has posted about her on here before and all of that, but I just stumbled onto her art through an Instagram hole. She makes woodcuts based on tattoo imagery, and HOLY FUCK, I'm blown away. As soon as I have some extra cash, I definitely want one (really, all of them) for my collection.
Bryn Perrott
Edit: Son of a bitch. I misspelled her name in the thread title.

Was talking to a buddy the other day who got tattooed by him a few weeks back and it sounded like an awesome experience. And you're exactly right.. for those that want it, go get it! For those that don't, you have nothing to worry about.

When you erase your internet activity because of the amount of forum post so your spouse doesn't know you wasted the whole day on the internet.
When you have line drawings of filler tattoos in your wallet just in case you find yourself in a situation to get tattooed.

--when plainskins have no idea who/what you are talking about. ever.

yeah I've followed her on instagram for a while, and seen several of her pieces that one of my friends has, they look even better in person

@Dhopper
I got tattooed by Chris back in June. When he announced his comeback he also mentioned that his hourly rate would be $500. Do you think Chris would appreciate that I openly named the price of my tattoo and how long it took to finish on a public internet forum?
This is what I wrote in another thread after my visit with Conn:
“I won't elaborate much on my stay there, but it was probably the most memorable tattoo experience I've had. I left LA with much more than just a new tattoo, and I'll remember that visit the rest of my life. If someone still is on the fence because of his price, don't be. You'll get your moneys worth, and a whole lot more. That's my opinion anyways.”

Yup. This pretty much sums up most of my feelings.

I just re-watched the Kore Flatmo interview the other day. I like what he said about magazine features, and awards and such not being validation. He also says some interesting stuff about how mediocre shit(I'm not saying the show is or isn't) doesn't really affect the top notch stuff at the end of the day. It's just a tv show. People's reasons for doing it aren't really any of my business. I'm going to watch it because it's interesting to watch...train wreck or not.

I've been waiting to get tattooed by Xam for a long time now, pretty sure I'm getting towards the top of his list - excited about getting a skull and snake from him.

BHR snakes:

Regardless of your opinion on the whole "can it/should it be reclaimed?" conversation, this is a pretty ignorant viewpoint to hold in the tattoo community. I can think of at least 3 tattooers that I know with swastika tattoos who are most definitely not white supremacists.