ironchef

For my session with Horimitsu, I gave him a small bottle of single malt scotch (emphasis on small so that he could stow it easily in his check-in bag) and I also tipped him after the session. While being respectful, I say just go with your gut.

I generally prefer giving gifts over tipping. Has more personal meaning. However in other instances, cash is always king.

@Graeme and @Pugilist We need to up the LST ante and make a west coast trip, get monmon cats from Horitomo and peonies from Kaneko! What say youz???

Welcome! Where abouts in western, NY? Buffalo? Rochester?

@Graeme @BrianH

@BrianH Welcome to the "Two Days of Tattooing with Henning Club"....technically it'll be 1 1/2 days for me this go around. From what it sounds like, same for you as well.

@Cork @misterJ Every time Andre Malcolm posts anything with a buttcrack or boobs, someone flags it and ruins it for everyone else. He is putting out some amazing work and I too want to see an update of that shunga back piece!

That works for me and Sunday is a good day. I'm down with meeting up wherever.

The peony tattoo on my inner thigh that I got from Wendy Pham a couple of weeks ago is healing amazingly fast and well.

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/15-latest-tattoo-lowdown-page659.html

I've never had a tattoo heal this fast, no scabbing and barely any flaking. Only the slightest of itching with little to no color loss. It's so smooth I'm completely baffled as to if it was Wendy's light touch or how the inner thigh skin is naturally smooth or a combo of both. I think a few more days and it'll be completely healed! Crazy!

FYI, the tattoo was finished at night about 7PM and wrapped in saran wrap. I slept with the wrap overnight per my usual regiment. Woke up in the morning, lightly peeled off the wrap and showered. Washed the tattoo lightly with antibacterial soap. Light Aquaphor for two days, twice a day then switch to lotion. Again, all usual to my routine.

I'll add some personal experience to the conversation here which I'm thoroughly enjoying. Seriously, LST has some really smart and savvy members that don't come off as know it all douche-bags.

Without naming any names, I spoke with one older more establish tattoo artist about Instagram as well as one younger tattoo artist. The older one said while Instagram is nice and great for seeing what other artist's are doing, it lends itself to be a medium where people can rip off your work. The younger artist loves Instagram and stated that they get most of their work request via their Instagram postings (about 90%).

Separately names are names, some established and worth the hype, others maybe not so much. I personally just get what I like and what is appealing to my eye. In the end I'm the one who has to live with the tattoo and if I'm not happy with it even if it was a "big name artist" why did I bother to get it in the first place. I completely agree in that seeing an artist's work on the Internet or on Instagram is not the same as seeing examples in real life. Again the Internet and Instagram is great for researching out ideas and seeing what artists are out there but it is only a component in the many facets of deciding on what tattoo to get and what artist to go with. There is still value in visiting a shop and going to conventions or even holding meet-ups like some LST'ers do from time to time.

@Tim Burke BEAUTIFUL! Colors are INTENSE!

@CultExciter @CABS If you two roll into town, I'll take you kids to dim sum and also cheap dumpling joints. 'nuff said!

For fun, my peony by Wendy Pham done as guest spot at Red Rocket Tattoo in NYC

@CShaw Lovely peonies

You mean like these?

Horimitsu

Mike Rubendall

Henning Jorgensen

Seems like shirts are banned at the convention. :)

SHOW YOUR....TATS!!! :eek:

@Dennis The Shige copy I have is a softcover. The Horitoshi book is awesome. I would try to find a copy below $100 if you can. I got my directly from Horimitsu when he tattooed me for I think $75. It's in English as well as Italian and comes with a DVD. I haven't watched the DVD yet and will let you know in the future about that. Its a great book with stunning work and pics of the entire Horitoshi family.

What's the Tattoo in Japan book and how's the Horimasa sketch book? So many more books I would love to get but I end up saving money for tattoos, hahaha.

Just starting my book collection:

Wabori

Wanzakure

Fingerwave Book

Shige

Immovable

Monmon Cats

Kingdom of Wenramen

JBxH3

Horitoshi

Perseverance

Ed Hardy's Wear Your Dreams

Someone tagged me on Facebook with this link and video. Interesting.

Amazing: Watch someone get a tattoo in slow motion - Salon.com

@Joe Shit Can you believe Wendy is just 28??? So talented and really down to earth too. Definitely a rising star in the tattoo world and I plan on getting more work from her in the future.

@Dennis Beautiful work!

@BrianH I think something that large and depending on the details, might take more than 2 hours for Henning to outline. Just to give you a sense with the phoenix on my back, granted there's a lot of feather details, etc, took him about 4-5 hours to line that. If you can squeeze it in, I'd say go for it bro!

@BrianH Yeah, I think heard of him ;)

Man that's not just ribs, but also the chest too I'm assuming. So like a partial muneware??? I'm personally cringing at the thought. You are braver than I am bro. No torso tattoos for me.

So it sounds like getting my ribs outline would be a good way to mentally prepare for brutal backpiece sessions?

Curious, who are you getting to do your ribs and what will the piece be of? Size?

@bongsau Let's see some pics of those awesome Pee-knees!!!

- - - Updated - - -

@Fala So delicate and beautiful!

Only a few posts in and I already have an idea stewing for a leg sleeve full of peonies....keep them coming!