ironchef

It hasn't even been a year yet for me here on LST and low and behold I'm being nostalgic and waxing poetic already, hahaha. Needless to say it has been an amazing experience getting tattooed and sharing with kindred spirits here on LST and Instagram. All of this would not be possible if it not for some really awesome people here on LST. So without further delay, here's my way of giving back to LST and paying it forward.

Some of you may know that a couple of months back I won a contest on Instagram via the killer staff at Tattoo Culture Magazine and Tattoo Artist Magazine. Received three fantastic prints from three stellar artists. I was super stoked when I got them but then realized with the limited space I have in my place (small NYC apartment and my lady just moved in with me too!) that I would not be able to enjoy these as much as someone else. I want these to go to someone who truly appreciates tattoos and are amazingly cool people.

@hogg @slayer9019 @gougetheeyes @Iwar As mods, you have made everyone on LST feel so welcomed and it is a thankless job that all of you have for making LST such a cool spot to chill and share our experiences. I want to send each of you a print of my choice (yes I won three, but I have a fourth sitting around). A small token to say "thank you". Please PM me your shipping info (promise this isn't a scam, hahaha).

@slayer9019 and @gougetheeyes since you two are local to NYC, happy to meet up and pass you the print. Cheers to the LST crew!

awesome! i want a thigh tiger from henning sooo bad.

Soon...very soon

@Rebushido Looks GREAT! Can't wait to get mine going. Still deciding whether I want it facing down like yours or facing up with the head in upper thigh/abs area...

I'm very happy with what I have done previously, the artists I'm working with and the time in my life with which I started everything. If I hit the reset button... might have given more considerations of getting full sleeves versus the 3/4 sleeves I have now. If I wasn't as superstitious, probably a Kannon (Quan Yin) on my back.

I'm with @BrianH regarding the healing process. Definitely would have done some things differently knowing what I know now. C'est la vie...

So, we did the BB&B frames and mounting tape just as @ironchef suggested and here are our 3 prints:

Looks great! I'm patiently waiting for more and I have a bunch of other prints I want to hang up!

Stopping at the butt, but leaving it somewhat open-ended (no pun intended) in case I want to continue it in the future.

If you have Mike extend it in the future, have him put more water. Some of the BEST finger waves in the business!

I saw that! So cool. Not quite ready for a skull tattoo myself though, haha.

Get @Graeme to do it on his noggin! hahaha!

@Pugilist

FYI Rubendall just did this on Beau Brady's head....AMAZING!!!

No way!? Could it be possible that we have another Guyver fan on the board other then myself? I love the anime and the movies! I mull over the idea of getting a guyver head done on the top of my foot every now and then again. I think it would be cool as hell just don't have a clue on who'd I want to do it.

I have all the anime downloaded, including the reboot from several years ago. Also have copies of Hobby Japan which contained all the plastic figure models. I remember building several of the soft vinyl models back in high school. Great stuff.

Really like this back piece from Matt Mooney. The skull is very Grime I think but he definitely has his own thing going on which is dope.

I like the Guyver painting on the left...oh the memories

If this had been my first tattoo then my entire tattoos collection would consist of one line because for some reason he started on my love handle and when he hit that with the tattoo machine I didn't think I'd last 5 minutes. I somehow kept breathing and made it through the session, but that was brutal.

I made the mistake of thinking the back was going to be manageable because my arms and thighs were. No big deal right? WRONG. When Henning lined the phoenix on my back, it was just insanely painful and nothing like I've ever felt before. When Rubendall lined the dragon, it almost as unbearable but with each progressive session, things did get better.

I honestly don't know why the CIA bother with truth serums or waterboarding. Stick a tattoo in me at the worst spot and I'd be squealing like a pig and begging for mercy all day. :D

This thread has been too quiet lately with regards to personal progress. Anyone have something coming up? I'm not due until September 2nd.

No back update for me till October. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far.

FYI I'm back in the chair with Rubendall starting October through the end of the year and a few appointments into the beginning of 2014.

YES!!!! You are going to be sooooooooooooooo happy to get something from Rubendall. Super nice guy and extremely talented!!! What are you planning on getting???

Red looks great on my skin tone (I'm Asian) but personally, it's the one color that does take its time to heal on my skin. Much longer so than other colors that I've noticed. Pink seems to be the one color my skin doesn't agree with and it always heals to a funny dull look unless its been applied very lightly so I try to shy away from it but its not easy given the Japanese motifs that I like so much. I've read online that someone people have developed allergies later in life to red and a perfectly healed and fine tattoo from years ago starts to either itch or sometimes bleed or gets infected. Very far and few, plus odd too.

I think all the backlash and reporting has gotten it taken down. Cheers for the SOG crew!

I'm with @Cork in that balance was a huge consideration. Started with a half sleeve which then was made into a 3/4 sleeve on my left arm. In my mind, had to 3/4 sleeve my right arm as well and from there went below the waist to my left thigh, then began a shoulder to back of knees back piece. Eventually will get a piece on the right thigh to balance out the left. Hadn't planned on anything for my chest/stomach area and chatting with an artist about a calf sleeve but it's just a thought for the moment. My motif is Japanese, strictly animals/creatures and florals. As much as I love them, won't consider any gods or demons for superstitious reason in which I addressed in a separate thread on the forum. Placement was a big consideration for the subject matter.

Some gorilla references in this:

Dan Smith: Sketch to Completion | TAM Blog

And this one is from a print I won on Instagram:

Shige's family is amazing as well. It was his wife, Chisato, that got the calf piece from Marcus in the video clip. I noticed earlier in the year, she got a piece from Jeff Gogue on her other calf when Gogue was visiting Yellow Blaze.

The Fudo chest piece is INSANE! And the outlined and rooster and snake thigh piece is intense!!!

Gonna watch it first thing after I get home from work tonight!