suburbanxcore

@HogriderRight? 🙂 I found this antibacterial, no rinse soap that they use in hospitals. It *should* work.

I have a gigantic portion of my body covered by Scott Sylvia, and I can't recommend him and the crew at Black Heart enough. He is a legend in the game for good reason - a hell of a tattooer for 30+ years, fast as they come, and a great guy. Plus he started this website. 
Idle Hand is a killer shop in SF as well. 
Temple Tattoo is a bay area institution and worth looking into the guys there. 
FTW in Oakland is a strong shop too. 
A lot of the Spider Murphy's folks have moved and opened Shangri La. Both of those shops are pumping out killer work.
Long story short, there are plenty of places to look in SF/Oakland/Bay Area, and that's just traditional.

If you REALLLLY want to get tattooed by an artist, the time and money will be worth the wait. Plenty of people on this site have waited for artists they love, myself included. That said, that's a long time to wait when you do have pretty strong options in both Sacramento (Britton at Royal Peacock does great work!) and a reasonable drive to SF/Oakland with plenty of killer artists doing traditional work. 
 

I have a gigantic portion of my body covered by Scott Sylvia, and I can't recommend him and the crew at Black Heart enough. He is a legend in the game for good reason - a hell of a tattooer for 30+ years, fast as they come, and a great guy. Plus he started this website. 
Idle Hand is a killer shop in SF as well. 
Temple Tattoo is a bay area institution and worth looking into the guys there. 
FTW in Oakland is a strong shop too. 
A lot of the Spider Murphy's folks have moved and opened Shangri La. Both of those shops are pumping out killer work.
Long story short, there are plenty of places to look in SF/Oakland/Bay Area, and that's just traditional.

I have a gigantic portion of my body covered by Scott Sylvia, and I can't recommend him and the crew at Black Heart enough. He is a legend in the game for good reason - a hell of a tattooer for 30+ years, fast as they come, and a great guy. Plus he started this website. 
Idle Hand is a killer shop in SF as well. 
Temple Tattoo is a bay area institution and worth looking into the guys there. 
FTW in Oakland is a strong shop too. 
A lot of the Spider Murphy's folks have moved and opened Shangri La. Both of those shops are pumping out killer work.
Long story short, there are plenty of places to look in SF/Oakland/Bay Area, and that's just traditional.

26 hours down with one session left! Spent the last session doing background shading and the whole branch. The lovehandle area had me almost tapping and *almost* in tears. A very special kind of searing pain 🌶

I'm two sessions in on a flora and fauna back piece by Virginia Elwood. The piece is covering up a somewhat ill-advised first tattoo that I got after surviving a very tough year at age 18, and I'm pushing 40 now, so it seemed like a good moment to move onwards and upwards.
I'm so in love with how it's coming out. Everyone is right about some of these spots being no joke though — 3-4 hours feels like PLENTY for one day. My next session is this week to add some more creatures in some of the spaces along the sides and hopefully start some shading. Should be "fun"!

Got my whole back and butt cheeks lined last weekend, and I was expecting the absolute worse. I will say that certain spots were awful (base of spine, love handles), but the stomach was definitely worse for me. The very first line that hit my stomach made my entire body flush and start sweating in a way that was disgusting and embarrassing. Haha.

And I'm back! Had my first session a few days ago, we went for about 7 and a half hours or so and got all the outline done. Was definitely a tough session, the kidneys, parts just below my neckline and the tailbone were all particularly unpleasant. I'm hoping the shading will go a little easier on me.
We're going to add some more at some point so that my ass is covered, probably flowers or some cool swirling wind bars. Next session is another day in about three weeks or so.
I couldn't be happier with how its looking currently, I just wish I didn't have the view intruded upon by the old pieces, still, they'll be gone soon enough! I can't wait to see how it all unfolds from here really. 

22 hours in! I’m in love. I know people think it’s weird a woman has a turkey vulture back piece but I’m stoked ❤️

Got my back outlined by Scott Sylvia last weekend. East meets west style mashup of a reaper and koi. As usual, he FLEW through it and crushed. Lined the whole back and butt cheeks in 3.5 hours. 
I go back for two more sessions in June, then we'll figure out the next steps after that. 
I'm not really posting full photos anywhere until it's done, but will circle back here if I decide to post any detail or close ups. I have sent to people on IG, so if we're friends and you're curious, hit me up.

Got my whole back and butt cheeks lined last weekend, and I was expecting the absolute worse. I will say that certain spots were awful (base of spine, love handles), but the stomach was definitely worse for me. The very first line that hit my stomach made my entire body flush and start sweating in a way that was disgusting and embarrassing. Haha.

Got my whole back and butt cheeks lined last weekend, and I was expecting the absolute worse. I will say that certain spots were awful (base of spine, love handles), but the stomach was definitely worse for me. The very first line that hit my stomach made my entire body flush and start sweating in a way that was disgusting and embarrassing. Haha.

Got my whole back and butt cheeks lined last weekend, and I was expecting the absolute worse. I will say that certain spots were awful (base of spine, love handles), but the stomach was definitely worse for me. The very first line that hit my stomach made my entire body flush and start sweating in a way that was disgusting and embarrassing. Haha.

Got my back outlined by Scott Sylvia last weekend. East meets west style mashup of a reaper and koi. As usual, he FLEW through it and crushed. Lined the whole back and butt cheeks in 3.5 hours. 
I go back for two more sessions in June, then we'll figure out the next steps after that. 
I'm not really posting full photos anywhere until it's done, but will circle back here if I decide to post any detail or close ups. I have sent to people on IG, so if we're friends and you're curious, hit me up.

Got my whole back and butt cheeks lined last weekend, and I was expecting the absolute worse. I will say that certain spots were awful (base of spine, love handles), but the stomach was definitely worse for me. The very first line that hit my stomach made my entire body flush and start sweating in a way that was disgusting and embarrassing. Haha.

4 more hours down, 16 so far. The yellow stained lots of the black and will mellow out once it peels/heals. The wings are mostly black/brown. Here's how my sessions go
Hour 1: this isn't as bad as I remembered it 
Hour 2: uh oh, this is worse than I remembered
Hour 3: Ok maybe we should stop this looks fine unfinished 
Hour 4: I am dying and need to stop immediately (said in my head every minute until he tells me we're done) 
 

I've got four sessions lined up with Scott Sylvia through the spring and summer to finally start my backpiece. We'll see if and when I'll be able to travel and SF tattoo shops open up though... Some of those appts may have to be moved back.

I've got four sessions lined up with Scott Sylvia through the spring and summer to finally start my backpiece. We'll see if and when I'll be able to travel and SF tattoo shops open up though... Some of those appts may have to be moved back.

I've got four sessions lined up with Scott Sylvia through the spring and summer to finally start my backpiece. We'll see if and when I'll be able to travel and SF tattoo shops open up though... Some of those appts may have to be moved back.

At the moment, it's probably my Scott Sylvia Pharoah's cats.
Although, it changes pretty regularly.

I've got four sessions lined up with Scott Sylvia through the spring and summer to finally start my backpiece. We'll see if and when I'll be able to travel and SF tattoo shops open up though... Some of those appts may have to be moved back.

No wrong answer here, only personal preference. I have predominantly mid-sized (hand or slightly larger) tattoos and love how they've sorta puzzle pieced together over the years, but there are always times I look at huge bodysuits and wish I'd gone that way too. But it always goes back and forth!

No wrong answer here, only personal preference. I have predominantly mid-sized (hand or slightly larger) tattoos and love how they've sorta puzzle pieced together over the years, but there are always times I look at huge bodysuits and wish I'd gone that way too. But it always goes back and forth!

i have a few large, multi-session tattoos and plenty of one shot tattoos, so i know and love the feelings of each. i've also thought about this in the past after starting and completing the multi-session pieces.
one shot tattoos get you that instant gratification. they can be sign posts thru life or little things to remember. they work better for collectors who want to get tattooed by many different tattooers and have different experiences or vibes. they can fill the itch quickly, with little to no thought.
large, multi-sessions tattoos are a whole other experience.  It takes planning, commitment and dedication which increases the level of gratification.  Each step along the way gets you closer to the finished product and furthers the anticipation. Schedule a consult. Consult. First session line work. Shading. Color. Details. The final wipe down. BEING DONE. There are times when you dread going in for that one part that's gonna hurt like a motherfucker. There's the joy when you see that part done and you know that a tattoo needle never has to touch that part again, for the rest of this lifetime. You build up a relationship and familiarity with your artist.
You can still get some of those same feelings with smaller tattoos. You can get a body suit of one shot pieces by the same artist. You can plan how all those pieces are gonna fit together and get the gratification of getting each spot done.
here are a couple examples by Paul Dobleman and you gotta love both! It's really just the aesthetic and experience that each individual is seeking, and that journey is as different as can be. (by the way, @Nadams1024, the mermaids are facing outwards and it's still right).
 
i guess this is just a long-winded way of saying that it's all good, to each his own, just keep getting tattooed!!