Mr. Smith

It's fine. Not great, but fine. Talk to your tattooer, express your concerns, and let him/her do whatever they think is best. If you don't trust them enough to do that, find someone you do. Though honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about it and would just make my next tattoo twice as rad.

It's fine. Not great, but fine. Talk to your tattooer, express your concerns, and let him/her do whatever they think is best. If you don't trust them enough to do that, find someone you do. Though honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about it and would just make my next tattoo twice as rad.

It sounds like you are building a really nice portfolio for yourself. Please show us pictures. I would love to get something done by you. PM me the pictures and I promise I wont share them with the rest of the board.

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.

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I love this thread. My girls:
This is Daisy. She's a retired racing greyhound and is the sweetest, laziest dog ever. We adopted her from a greyhound rescue about a year and a half ago and watching her go from being this dog that had never lived in a home before to being this sweet little girl who just wants cuddles from everybody she sees (except for children, she is afraid of them) has been one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced in my life.
http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/a5b74d08dff811e1a2ce22000a1c86dc_7.jpg
And this is Susan (grey one) and Willa (orange one). They're sisters. We adopted them from friends of friends who took in a pregnant stray off the street. She gave birth to four kittens. We couldn't decide which one we wanted so we got two. The guys who took in their mother from the street read somewhere that the best way to socialise kittens is to hold and touch them from birth so they have none of the usual cat aloofness and you can pick them up and cuddle them and rub their bellies and basically do whatever you want with them. Willa regularly shits outside of the litter box because she's an asshole.

http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/ee70b336e26911e1bb6a1231381f737d_7.jpg

Hello everyone,
I have been lurking on LST for a while but have never introduced myself and said hello. Hello! I'm Adam, 27 from London and I'm a tattoo collector. There, I've admitted it.
So far I've had the pleasure of being tattooed by the following;
Steve Boltz
Dan Santoro
Jordan Teear
Sarah Schor
Chad Koeplinger
Stewart Robson
and Valerie Vargas.
All my tattoo's where done at Frith Street Tattoo in London.
That's it. Cheers.
Adam.

I'm about the total opposite of PC, but here's what I started the thread with...
"...I hear fuck this, fuck that, fuck the next thing, I got cigarette smoke blown in my face, and ya know, the guy never even asked if I was interested in getting a tattoo."
As far as the homophobic/racist type stuff, I've never heard any, but I guess it takes all kinds. Hell, take your friend to CTC, they have a whole section of flash dedicated to the hardcore scene..."Prime Meat" and such-I doubt you'll hear any jokes!

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I agree. Also, if I could afford (or when I can) to make it to California, booking an appointment with Chris Conn would be at the top of the agenda.
To get back on the topic of pet peeves...for me, the only big one I've encountered from a customer's perspective is having to listen to stupid, offensive shit. I realize that a lot of people would consider me to be overly PC, which is fine (I disagree to a large extent with what most people consider to be "political correctness" and see it more as "not being an asshole", but whatever), but it definitely turns me off to hear racist or homophobic shit when I'm getting tattooed. On one trip to a pretty well-known shop, my buddy that I was staying with (who is gay) decided that he wanted a tattoo too and came with and got tattooed. He was super stoked on it and really liked the dude that we both got tattooed by, but during his tattoo a couple of the other tattooers hanging out made a few gay jokes (unrelated to my friend), and it was pretty awkward and uncomfortable for both of us for a minute. Consequently, I probably won't ever get tattooed by those dudes, despite them making rad tattoos. With a finite amount of skin and a Want list longer than I'll ever be able to get through, I want to enjoy my tattoo experience as much as possible, so I'm gonna go with the tattooer I don't worry about having to endure hearing go off on some "faggot" shit during my session.

I think this is probably the wrong place to bitch about a tattooer being overpriced. Especially when that price is $100/hour. Maybe check out the thread on Chris Conn for a little bit of perspective?

I think this is probably the wrong place to bitch about a tattooer being overpriced. Especially when that price is $100/hour. Maybe check out the thread on Chris Conn for a little bit of perspective?

No offense meant, and no offense meant when I say there WEREN'T three "top shops" in Chi twenty years ago. As far as pricing, a 6-inch square tattoo for $150??? Not in any decent shop-and there were only one, maybe two at the time-that I knew of.
I'm not tryina be a dick, (just comes naturally) but there was really only CTC back then that was really what you would call a "top shop". There were what, maybe three or four other shops that opened and closed regularly in different parts of the city. AFAIK, the only one that has stuck was Fat Joe's place.
I hear what you're saying about butterflies and stars, but it all depends on how big they are and how detailed they are-how much work went into them. I agree that some tattoo shops are overpriced for what they offer, just as some mechanics are overpriced.

I spent my Saturday afternoon with Jeff Zuck, finishing up the black in my backpiece. It was a fantastic experience as always. Jeff is one of the nicest, raddest dudes I've had the pleasure of meeting in or out of the tattoo world. With the exception of a few spots, shading the butt wasn't as bad as I had psyched myself up for. A close friend of mine got a really awesome fox/owl totem from Jen Munford at the same time (it's up on her IG @threejenbirdmun). Needless to say, my (very pregnant) fiancee spent the afternoon being real jealous.

I spent my Saturday afternoon with Jeff Zuck, finishing up the black in my backpiece. It was a fantastic experience as always. Jeff is one of the nicest, raddest dudes I've had the pleasure of meeting in or out of the tattoo world. With the exception of a few spots, shading the butt wasn't as bad as I had psyched myself up for. A close friend of mine got a really awesome fox/owl totem from Jen Munford at the same time (it's up on her IG @threejenbirdmun). Needless to say, my (very pregnant) fiancee spent the afternoon being real jealous.

I love Freddy Corbin to death, but his instagram feed drives me up the wall sometimes. I want to see awesome tattoos, not pictures of Obama dressed like hitler.

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 spent my Saturday afternoon with Jeff Zuck, finishing up the black in my backpiece. It was a fantastic experience as always. Jeff is one of the nicest, raddest dudes I've had the pleasure of meeting in or out of the tattoo world. With the exception of a few spots, shading the butt wasn't as bad as I had psyched myself up for. A close friend of mine got a really awesome fox/owl totem from Jen Munford at the same time (it's up on her IG @threejenbirdmun). Needless to say, my (very pregnant) fiancee spent the afternoon being real jealous.

I second what @David Flores said. Send him to Frith St.

All the bull shit and my soft spots for liberal policies and civil rights aside, the biggest concern for me if Mitt Romney were elected would be his "tax cuts". I might get a slightly lower tax rate but not by much, but It has been implied that the mortgage interest tax write off is the first on the chopping block of "loopholes" to close. The only reason it makes sense for me financially to buy a house would be because the tax credits help make up the extra cost of owning and up keeping your own property. I don't think closing this incentive will help the housing market for buyers or sellers or the economy for that matter. But honestly I don't know if any of this is true because he won't talk about it. I guess I am not convinced that his tax cuts aren't really just going to benefit the rich.

i hate romney, but i think he won. i was shocked with how well romney did in being articulate and sounding like he knew what he was talking about.
the douche bag was just tossing bullshit out of his ass to make himself sound great. obama kept calling him out on it, but romney did well in controlling the debate. he was stronging arming obama most of the time.
the scary thing to me is that people will listen to the bullshit that romney said and say "yeah. fuck obama. i don't want obama care telling me what treatments i need, or making me lose my insurance," which is clearly does not do, as obama specifically stated.
also, i find it fucking laughable that romney kept saying "i want to create jobs," but he made a point of mentioned that he will cut pbs if elected, as if pbs is some fucking evil, money sucking, blackhole, and consolidate government agencies.
i don't like either obama or romney, but obama is really the lesser of two evils. he has continued every horrible aspect of bush's foreign, defense (offensive) strategy, and surveillance, but has implemented some good domestic policies. however, romney wants to eliminate dodd-frank-as much as this act does, it still needs more added to it to curb wall street-he states he wants to get rid of obamacare, which is fucking the exact same thing as he created in Mass, has stated he'd want to curb women’s reproductive rights-while his running mate is a fucking nazi in this regard-and he also is vehemently against taxing the wealthy. Fuck this dude.
sorry for the long rant.

I've stopped "subscribing" to certain old tattooers on FB because of their political rants.. I don't know about making it a hard-and-fast rule on LST about "no politics" but it's not a bad idea..?