Diehardonvhs

I have seen and actually have a policy of no free touch ups on foot tattoos, finger tattoos and palm tattoos, but yeah first touch up is free as long as you come in a reasonable time on most tattoos. Those spots are so problematic, and very easy to screw up the healing on the clients end, it's just easier to pose it that way, if anything it gets people to be more careful.

I only point this out because taken out of context one could say a shop wouldn't touch up my tattoo for free, when in reality it was just the exception.

Yeah, you are totally right, I have worked in studios where side of finger tattoos, side of the palm, inside lip, strange areas like that arent touched up for free, due to the large chance that they never heal well. We always told people that there is a high chance of drop out in these areas, and if they needed touching up they would need to pay, just generally made sure they agreed to everything before they expected free touch ups every month! It does absolutely make people take the aftercare more seriously, plus it made people think twice about getting dubious areas tattooed too!

No, 99% of artists will touch up their work for free, as long as the client didnt damage the tattoo themselves through poor aftercare or sun damage etc...only ever heard of one artist who, due to a high profile and very high demand, charges for every second of his time, regardless of what he is doing - designing and drawing at home, stencils, setting up machines, touch ups, everything!

In other words - If I'd have known in 1974 what I know now?

That's sort of impossible to answer, because the style of tattoo I'd be gravitating towards today didn't even exist until just a few years ago . . .

Just out of interest, what style are you talking about?

If I didn't get tattooed by the people I chose at the start, and the way it ended up happening, I wouldn't have some of the best friends I have today, so no, I wouldn't do anything differently. Im very happy with my tattoos as well, and I really wouldnt feel like I was me if they were different, if that makes any sense, they become a part of who you are!

So here is my two cents. There are bad tattoos everywhere you look. At least they look bad to me. Here is my idea of what a bad tattoo is...... Poorly executed (blurred lines, poor shading). The I have no imagination (another butterfly on an ankle, more hipster lettering) The other thing I hate is grosse and evil tattoos. A tattoo can be very dark but not offensive. Would you want a devil arm in your daughters wedding photos? How about zombies covered in blood and flesh front and center at a public family event? Don't get me wrong some of the evil and grose work out there is amazing I just wish people would place them in more appropriate places. I don't let me niece and nephews watch horror films at there ages and I should have to have them subject to those kind of images at the local super market either.

Most kids LOVE evil shit like that, I have met kids who dont give a monkeys about any of my tattoos except the skulls and the severed heads. Kids arent as delicate as you think!

I plan to get a small poem that can in no way whatsoever be described by images. I have been staring at this poem on my wall for years, I like the exact words, the sound, the old language

You should definitely get whatever you feel is right for you, but please first read through this article written by an artist with a lot of experience, on some of the negatives of large areas of text on the human body.

The Letter of the Law: Laws for Lettering and Tattoos | Occult Vibrations

2 full days? 8 hour full days? 16 hours? 57,600 minutes?

What's another day. DO IT!!! Ha ha!

That's a lot to sit through. Much respect, and we'll all pray for you here.

That's a crapload of minutes right there!

It is a shame that this place is so traditional centered that this awesome tattoo gets less than 10 likes.

Open your horizons guys

Why is it a shame? People like what they like. If everyone liked everything the same it wouldn't be a competition. Plus the tattoo in the lead currently is an amazing hooper sleeve, which isn't traditional.

No, I don't like any of them.

"Do your sleeves keep your arms warm?"

"Are they done with ink?"

"How long do they last?"

And the only one that annoyed me

"Why are you covered in tattoos if you can't change them?" (after I told this guy, who was looking to get tattooed, that you can't just remove them and replace them with a different design if you change your mind for any reason)

There is only one area I ever took REALLY seriously in terms of planning - and that was my back (and butt/thighs). To me, you only get one chance with a back tattoo, and one big cohesive design is the only thing that I could ever have done. Everything else I am more relaxed about, I will do the rest of my body at my own pace and just see how it goes, but the neck to knees area of the back? Non-negotiable for me.

I can't wait - Appointments with Jess Yen, Chriss Dettmer and Jee Sayalero. 3 artists is the way to do it :-)

The thing I hate about loads of text is when people are fairly covered with gorgeous tattoos and that block of text just breaks up the cohesiveness and looks like a gash between their other tattoos. If you're going to be covered, then forget the script and stick with solid imagery instead.

Couldnt agree more, a big block of edwardian script in the surrounded by good work is SUCH a shame.

Amazing episode. I have met Shige a few times, he is an absolutely lovely bloke, very humble and quiet. Seems so strange meeting him that someone fairly small and quiet could be such a powerful force! I dont know, he is just a such a huge figure in my mind, seeing him in person reminds me is still human like the rest of us!

Am I the only one who cringes when someone uses the word tat?

And also "tatted up" or "sleeved up". I also heard "I want to get proper sleevified" once. I swear to god.

are people wanting the exact pictures they're bringing in, or using them as inspiration, making some tweaks? or are you guys talking about the feathers exploding into birds and infinity/word ones?

I've got tons of stuff pinned, for placement or color ideas etc, lots of traditional flowers.

Trust me, if you want to show them to any tattoo artists, print them out on paper to show them - I can you tell, after working the desk in a busy studio, it is truly obnoxious of someone to make you wait for two minutes while they fiddle with their phone trying to find the right reference, plus you then cant leave anything physical with the shop or the artist, or you have to then email over every little thing to the shop, who then have to print it out for the artist, and if you want to show the artist that reference they will have to squint at the tiny screen. We like pictures on paper. A lot.

Its always good to remember that even the absolute best artists are still human, and will make mistakes. Customers who want millimetre perfect tattoos need to be reminded they are put on by hand, not by a laser etching robot, small imperfections don't make it a bad tattoo. I am glad you appreciate that as well!

Awesome question...my first thought was to pick one of the big names, like Shige, or Filip Leu...But I think I would genuinely have to go with the artist who I have the most work from, the person who taught me more about tattooing than anyone else I have ever met - Mark Armstrong, Sacred Art, Manchester. I have full sleeves and full chest done by him, and we just started a full Japanese backpiece (neck to knees). He is not a big internet name, but I couldn't give a monkeys, I count him as a great friend and a great artist, he knows a lot about the history of tattooing too. He used to work at Herbert Hoffmans, he apprenticed Tomas Tomas and Matt Black as well! I also worked for him for a couple of years. I have been to other artists, for smaller tattoos, but I always seem to come back to Mark for the really big stuff!

Not really no, you are probably going to damage it. It's not worth the risk (damaging a tattoo you will wear to the grave) with the reward (getting the tattoo a few weeks earlier so you have it for your holiday). Have patience.

Absolutely awesome!!! I only got the latest 4 - I would also LOVE to get a cat from him someday, I am saving space especially :-)

Patton Oswalt | A CLOSED LETTER TO MYSELF ABOUT THIEVERY, HECKLING AND RAPE JOKES

I think that this sums up my feelings on this subject. Comedy, tattoos, music, houses, or what the fuck ever you are trying to create.

Directly from that article -

- "the simple fact that an uncreative person took a creative person’s work, signed their name to it, and passed it off as their own for their personal glorification, monetary benefit and career advancement. There’s no wiggle room there. Even the thieves know that, better than the dullards who are rationalizing and defending them."

Absolutely perfect. That article is brilliant.

Wow, you are right, they are identical as far as I can tell. I can't believe a studio with a reputation like The Family Business would employ artists who rip-off other peoples work, especially since Tomas Tomas works in the same city! I wonder what Mo Copolletta would say...

I've always loved the look of a single, cohesively themed back piece. There are some truly amazing pieces in this thread.

I agree. I have never seen two tattoos look good on a back.

Insisting on having a tattoo upside-down is like insisting on having a tattoo spelled wrong - of course the artist will be opinionated on the matter, as it will reflect badly on them as an artist, even if the client is adamant they want it that way.

That's pretty much what I'm looking for. I feel like spending weeks trying to figure out my exact design would piss the artist off? No? Do they not mind making sure every detail is exactly what I want? What kind of lenience do they have?

Giving an artist a really solid idea of what you want is great, but trying to micromanage every detail is a REALLY bad idea, you will probably annoy the hell out of your artist, and lets face it, you are paying someone for their experience as well as for the actual execution of the tattoo, so they probably know much better than you what will work and what will not. Trust them to do what they do best, they may do something that is even better than what you could come up with if you were in charge of every detail.