jitterbug

Hannya by Horimasa Tosui / Harpy by Chris Garver
Pretty much healed up...

got this little grimm-tiger back in march from jelle nelemans

After five months or so of getting tattooed at a more or less sane pace, this month I seem to be returning to full-on insanity. Filled in the gaps on my chest with a pair of butterflies yesterday by Robert Ryan--I really love my tattoos from him, and I love going out to Electric, even if it means braving New Jersey transit.

Greetings! I lack the ability to draw a straight line, nor could I tell you what differentiates decent art from garbage half the time. In the past I could have given a damn less, as the repercussions of this just resulted in tacky art on the walls and getting my ass beat in pictionary. When it comes to tattoos and looking for good artists though, this lack of education can perhaps result in some poor choices.
To remedy this, I have been going through the threads here (http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/2396-what-makes-good-tattoo.html ), and making baby attempts at drawing (seriously, it's like a t-rex trying to type or do pushups). I have come upon a couple of youtube sites and books that have been helpful. I'm sure this will be baby stuff for the real artists in here, but hopefully for the layman who has time on their hands it will help identify the good from the bad, give them something productive to do, and also appreciate the work that goes into the process.
Proko - YouTube
5-Pencil Method
and for books
The Big Book of Drawing: András Szunyoghy: 9783848002498: Amazon.com: Books
If anyone has any other suggestions on books, videos, etc for the uber green horn, I would love to see them!

I was waiting to post this until it was healed up and haired over.
Chris O'Donnell. Completed at Saved Tattoo, Kings Avenue, and Chris' private studio.

I got to do my first dragon yesterday!!! So much fun, I really can't wait to do the color. I'm pretty sure we're gonna turn it into a half sleeve, so that's exciting as well. There are no words to quantify how difficult traditional Japanese tattoos are, hahaha.

I, personally, would steer clear of options 2 and 3 of the links you posted. Nothing in those facebook galleries looks very good.
I have a couple of really shitty tattoos that I got from shops like those before I knew any better.
There is some nice stuff in the portfolios at Golden Spiral, so that seems the safest bet of those three.
Good luck, man.

I feel like you are trolling (or being sarcastic) but I have to ask... What did tattoo tv shows teach you about good tattoos?

What I was trying to get at earlier in this thread is that you need to be able to develop the skills to look through those pictures and be able to tell yourself what is or isn't good tattooing.
Guen Douglas wrote a great guide on how to assess a portfolio for the Tattoo Artist Magazine blog, read it: Guen Douglas: How to Properly Examine a Tattoo Portfolio | TAM Blog
Read the thread here about http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/2396-what-makes-good-tattoo.html
Look at the tattoos posted here in the Latest Tattoo Lowdown, in the monthly contests, and compare and contrast them with the work those shops are putting out.

My knowledge of art is as limited as my knowledge of what keeps a plane in the air. Regardless, I can still identify the smoldering wreck of a crash and tell you that something went terribly wrong.

Based upon their Facebook pics, I would personally steer clear of that shop.

another 2Days and 12 Hours of Tattooing :)

Just got this lady put on me this afternoon by Mina Aoki at Fun City.
Now I just need to figure out what to cap my shoulder with and I can start filling in the smaller spots. Three hours out and already planning the next steps....

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

hahahaha ohhh I never thought about trying to hobble around after doing the knees-I think we should video tape ourselves after having parts of the legs done and then laugh at each other. I made all kinds of silly noises after my feet, a lot of oooo and ho ho ho when I'd try to step.
After our son was born I had surgery to fix my umbilical hernia so wasn't walking very well. Every time I'd try to walk around my husband would whistle this

and say "the man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed". We could get some good after tattoo videos w/sound effects based upon personal research haha.

Pandora opening her box would be cool... I just keep picturing a red head atalanta with the golden apples wearing a bear skin. gotta love her. Or arachne half woman and half spider. it would be the height of irony to put her on the same leg as athena lol. Either way I love your ideas, grew up reading the greek myths, the ones with the girls were my favorite. Especially Eros and Psyche, and Echo and Narcissus.

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

Thanks everyone! Very early days yet but I'm so excited! Ill have tattoo envy though haha
Love those ideas Delicious. Have thought about incorporating a greek temple into the Medusa tat and other Greek myths like Pandora's box but will have to shelve these for a while

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

I was planning a girl faun tattoo with panpipes on either shoulder/arm or inner calf but I've just found out I'm pregnant! Guess I'll be waiting a while before I can have any more done.

I like cake and unicorns.

More tattoos please !!
I should not have digressed
Its backwards to me to actually join last october not seek any information or help
go get a tattoo then question your own decision with complete strangers all over the internet on various platforms.
Not meaning to come off as a tattoo elitist bullshit guy I genuinely want @Mike Clayton to be happy with his tattoos.