sighthound

If I'm honest, I think the only kind of "collecting" that I really struggle with is the kind that implies that there are maybe a couple people who do The Best [tigers, lady heads, insert your subject and style of choice here] and that you are somehow falling short if you don't make the time, effort or money to get to those people.  While I understand that there are highly specialized tattooers who are justifiably sought after...my hourly wage is modest, most of them will be out of my reach forever, and I still want to get tattooed.  And more than once every five years.  It's also possible I'm creating a straw man. But it does seem like a social media -fuelled thing. On the other hand, it really doesn't matter what anyone else does.

I've been busy recently! First up I got this really cute cat and umbrella from Wendy Pham at Brighton Tattoo convention. I've been after this piece of flash for years so happy he's now mine! 
Next up (and also at Brighton), I got the side of my knee done by  Jody Dawber. This was the most painful tattoo I have ever got. I was whimpering like a baby (and I usually never make a fuss). I had to dig deep to get through it! Thank god she's fast.  
And last but not least, my latest addition (again on the side of the knee) from my super talented co-worker Lucy O Connell. Had my eye on this babe for well over a year, so happy to finally give her a home. 

Go for it. The way I see it, if the way your tattoo looks is your biggest problem once you get to that age, then you'll have lived a good life.

Here is some full frontal nudity from my Lived In Tattoos - Sunday takeover, wanted to share on LST though...

Falcon - Bobby Tripp 2009
Escher Dragon - Steve Batt 2005
Polkadot Dragon - Scott Rusnak 2012
Psych Tiger - OllieXXX 2012
Dragon Eyes - OllieXXX 2013
Collar Snake - Shawn O'Connor 2013
...this illustrates how it looks when tattoos from multiple artists blend together. also what happens when you tattoo your ribs first and then the front after (i.e. space squeeze) - 2 questions that have been asked on this forum in the past.

I somewhat disagree about the usefulness of Instagram for evaluating tattoos.  It's a tool, and like all tools, you need to know how to use it.  I had a tattooer tell me once when I was getting tattooed by him that it's not a tattoo until it's healed and settled in, and I agree with him.  Pictures of fresh tattoos don't tell you that much.  I'd go so far as to say that pictures are of pretty limited use in general: the mark of a good tattoo is how it actually looks in the skin and how it ages with you.  It's not about that fresh photo, it's about how it looks five, ten, forty years down the line.
 
I also understand that for someone just getting into tattoos that you maybe don't have the exposure to seeing nice, lived-in tattoos that comes from hanging around tattoo shops, conventions, with other tattooed people.  Instagram is an easy access point, but it isn't everything.
 
To the OP, I'd say that tattoos are a process of figuring out what you like and what you want out of tattoos.  If there's a tattooer whose work you really like aesthetically, by all means get tattooed by her!   Do your research, of course, but there gets to be a point where you just have to jump in and do it.  Maybe your tastes will change, maybe what you thought was good work isn't--maybe not though!--but that's all a part of getting tattooed.  Don't stress out about it, and have fun getting tattoos that make you excited.

you are far more patient than I am, guess it comes with the territory being a mom and all. Enjoy your travels and tattoos, it'll be a blast. And welcome!

Hello All!
I've been reading this site for some time to get information, and it has been really valuable in that way, so I decided to join and share.
I'm a 60 something married male, an architect by profession, who got a very small, very hidden tattoo in the early 1970s, added a little to it several years later...and then stopped. However I became totally enamored with the art of tattooing, but couldn't bring myself to get what I really wanted until only the last few years. So, I'm about to embark on a full Japanese back piece, extending to my upper thighs, and quarter or half sleeves, extending partially onto my chest.
How I got to this point is a long story, wrought with the angst of doubt, fear, and perhaps way too much self-analysis. But I love to write (even though I am a bit long-winded), so I started a blog. You can read my tattoo story here.
This is a huge step for me. I exist in a world where I have no tattooed friends or colleagues – Zero (Well, actually one friend, a lady with two tiny tattoos on her wrists). But basically no one around me except my wife has any interest in tattoos, and generally everyone around me views tattooing negatively. I feel pretty alone in this interest.
I'm hoping that here I can find a community, support, and some "tattoo friends" with whom I can share my love of the art.
I view tattooing with great reverence. I think that the ability to transform your skin into a work of art that will be part of you forever is a pretty powerful concept. I could never say that to my friends without them thinking I'm insane, but I hope there are people here who feel similarly.
Looking forward to communing with you all!

After 20 years without a new tattoo due to being a single broke mom, both kids are heading to college and I'm starting permanent travel right as I turn 40. So what's a gal to do? Tattoos of course! So hi, I've always loved tattoo's and planned to get a full back and sleeves once I could devote the finances to it. I had my sleeve started on Friday. I was going to just do the forearm and have other artists do it in pieces, but omg, I love it too much! I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and add to my list of artists to visit as I travel.

Snake sleeve in progress by Yoni Zilber @ NY Adorned

Received my first tattoo "Saint Christopher" on this day 13 years ago from the one-and-only Steve Batt (Edmonton, AB).
"Look kid, I'm not going to draw the Last Supper. You want a tattoo today or not?"

I can still smell the speedstick scent he used to apply the stencil.
And in an ironic twist of fate, with the fresh tattoo of the patron saint of travel on a swollen arm, we got in a car accident 5 minutes after leaving the shop.
The tattoo is as rich, bright and colourful as it was the day it was made. In fact it keeps looking better each year as it ages.
Dropped in this afternoon to see Sensei Steve and thanked him for 13 years of capital "Q" quality tattoos he has made for me.
cheers everyone !

Got my first just a little over a month ago - but at 61, retired Army officer and current college president I'm not in the usual group of folks most people think of getting a tattoo. Mine is not visible unless I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt. As people have learned about my first foray, they've been very positive. I get some of the "why would you do that?" One colleague asked if I was going to start drinking shots of whiskey again/ My response? I never stopped.

My appointment for Koeplinger's 50 state tour finally came!
I cannot say enough good things about Chad and my experience. He was open to my ideas and excited to make some changes to his original drawing to give me exactly what I wanted.  We talked about all sorts of things (from our travels in the Middle East to vintage TV shows) and time just flew by.
And he is ridiculously fast!!  This 8x10" piece on my thigh took 1 1/2 hours from stencil to finish.
I would definitely get another tattoo from him and will be watching his schedule to see when he is next near me.
Wildcat
 
 
 

had a great time today Tattoo Paradise with Chad
lots of driving though - I'm beat
don't know how Chad does with all that travel
also got to meet @21stNow
who stopped in and brought food for myself and the shop
thank you so much - very sweet of you
sorry we didn't have longer to chat
but it was great meeting you
- - - Updated - - -
had a great time today Tattoo Paradise with Chad
lots of driving though - I'm beat
don't know how Chad does with all that travel
also got to meet @21stNow
who stopped in and brought food for myself and the shop
thank you so much - very sweet of you
sorry we didn't have longer to chat
but it was great meeting you

^ I feel the same way. I don't know where the term came from but it doesn't bother me - it's just another label. The more I go to new shops, meet new artists/people, the more exciting it is to repeat that process.  
I'm a relatively skinny guy, so my real estate is used up pretty fast even when I get a medium-ish size piece. 

A Haida style wolf. Done last Fall by Justin Delong at Deep Roots in Lynnwood, WA.

i think i've gone into collector mode little bit
nothing wrong with it
love meeting new people
checking out new shops
having a good time with it all
all good imo

First session on this ROA tattoo done by Grez at King's Ave in NYC, still red and swollen. More pics next month after it's finished.
 

oh hell yeah
got a little ROA action coming in a couple weeks

Just finished Jack and i couldn't be happier with it! So excited!
 
Done by Zaed from Radical Ink in Bucharest.

there is nothing to do here
first - he probably charged you 'for the piece'
and - it is what it is right
moving forward
if you feel he is too pricey for you then move along
and collect from other artists
or make sure he knows your budget
I have had work done where the artist charges you first
for the piece
then they tattoo you - time is an irrelevant factor
so know and articulate your budget
and stop watching the clock
and enjoy getting tattooed

Finished this 3/4 sleeve a couple of weeks ago. Right before my artist moved out of state :(
I give him a lot of credit for not killing me for being picky about the details. He'd never seen an M-16 or any kind of tank up close in person, but he was willing to tweak the drawings until I was happy.
I won't even repeat the words he said when he realized how small the lettering on the dog tags would be!  He was able to get back at me when we got to my elbow though...not so fun, but thankfully quick.
The words behind the Soldier's Cross are the Army Values (that part is on the underside of my arm). The "tank" is an M113 that I drove in Iraq for a year...my baby :)
I am extremely happy with how it came out!
Wildcat

Haven't posted any recent tattoos, so here it goes. The Pumpkin is obviously from last halloween. The eagle is from last december. It's hard to take a good picture of it since it wraps around my upper arm. The halloween painstain was done by Jeroen Gardenier at The Blue Blood studio in Amsterdam. The eagle and lady head are both done by Jan Willem (@janwillemtattoo on IG) in his private studio. The lady head is 2,5 years old. Edit: Pictures are massive, sorry about that one

I posted this elsewhere, but I'll post again here ... getting tattooed by Richard Stell at the oklahomatattooshow in a couple of weeks time. Finishing off my right half-sleeve with Joshua Henderson at Brainstorm Tattoo in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in May. Those are my two scheduled tattoos at the moment.

I popped in to see my artist Josh last night, and I got this. I've loved Prince since I was a kid, so it seemed appropriate. #musicnerd

Last Saturday I got tattooed by Jill Bonny. No photos as we started background shading on the Warrior Monk piece I started last October, but here's a pic of the outline from then. I don't think I ever posted this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/9nIkHlpDV8/
Sunday I also got tattooed by Horitomo. All machine work this time. Finally, I have a skull tattoo and a praying hands tattoo. It's part of a pair but I was a bit under the weather and after lack of sleep, flying, and being tattooed the day before, I could barely lay through the sitting to finish 1 side.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEUlGU-sVLv/