MikeL

@Cork looking nice! Congrats on the progress brother! Your almost there and the rest should be cake for now on.

Did about 2 hours of touch ups this past weekend and now I am officially done for a while before I start the front. I am sure everyone says that.

Mike

@ironchef @Reyeslv @Cork @Fala thanks guys! Truly humbling experience.

Mike

Last session in last night, minus an upcoming touch up session.

Mike

@Wilhell congrats brother!

Mike

@misterJ thanks man! Looking forward to seeing progress with you back piece. Go to the thighs and don't look back. By the way...thought the area around the love handle area hummed a little more than the area you are worried about. Just make sure he uses a rotary so you don't hear it coming :)

@suburbanxcore thank you brother! Some of my progress shots are in the thread but not all of them.

Rodrigo Melo of Northstar Tattoo NYC is doing the work.

@Cork next round of green should put it on point...can't wait! Kept the patterns to the minimum, colors as few as possible, and strong.

Mike

Not sure if I should be bothered by this more than the fact that people are "liking" it. You got me.

Ha ok, maybe just a banana hammock if you're more comfortable in that.

Maybe we can see which shows will be in the fall...we both should be finished by then.

Mike

About one session left to go...almost there.

Have some more areas to hit & onto the touch ups.

Mike

@DevilMan almost there brother! Looks dope.

Mike

@Cork as you know back is looking strong as hell! Won't hear no but jokes from me because I am in the same boat. I will say that you will enjoy when Dana colors in those flames...right of passage we all have to go through :)

Really...still mandatory! Might hit a few conventions in the fall. I will post a pick up here later.

Mike

@Cork good luck brother... Be strong! Pulled another session on Sunday and only 1 session to go.

Mike

I can see the end, possibly one sitting left. As you may see in the dragons belly, my body doesn´t like the the powder blue pigment Marius used in it, so his going to blast over with the same blue color that he used in the sword.

Looks dope as hell! Your sessions went by quick. Had the same issue with the first red we used on my maple leaves before we switched over to the Old Gold.

Mike

@Cork that blue is looking insane! Congrats. Got a call on Friday from the shop and Rodrigo had a cancellation on Sunday...so I jumped on it. This was my first true session of color since my arms, chest, and background we have only used black or red. Today was mostly red & old olive green. Wife grab a few pics when she took off the bandages...kind of beat up & bloody though. Try to get some up pics up in a few days.

Mike

@Cork amazing progress...just the blue & red already looks sick!

@ian as you know...tough as hell brother. Thanks as always for the invite over here on LST.

Mike

Another session down...last session of black and finished up the maple leaves.

Mike

@DevilMan great progress!!!

Mike

@Cork no worries...plenty patient...as long as the project is completed this year :) Just hate having to knock out back sessions during the peak of summer.

@Dennis thank you very much!!!

Mike

@Cork thanks brother! Never enough black...one more session to go to finish tail. Should be able to knock out the tail and all the maple leaves on the 18th. After that I am not able to go to the end of June...too many family events in May and beginning of June...but only a few left to go. When is your next session with Dana?

Mike

Just got back in from another session...knocked off the top section of the koi, Oniwakamaru's hair, and a few maple leaves. Next session in two weeks on the 18th.

Mike

Trying to set that pace but now it's going to be 6 weeks until another update. Even Dana was lamenting that he might go through Kongo Yasha withdrawal.

Nice, looking forward to that update. Any idea on colors? I still think the one on the front page that is all black, by Marius Meyer, looks so badass. I'm sure you'll want something brighter though to contrast with the background?

@Cork Maple leaves in the background to be solid red like the chest & arms. Koi is going to be black with red in the fins. For Oniwakamaru, we have talked since the beginning about keeping it very basic old Japanese color palette.

Mike

@Cork dope ness brother! Saw it on Dana's gram...great progress! Not if for a session with Rodrigo until the 4th, hopefully knock out most of the koi.

Mike

Wow, line down the block just to get in ? Is Friday less crowded ?

Last year when I went on Friday (it was in May), got there a half hour before doors open and there were like 50 or so people ahead of me. Now Friday is ok day to go, check out your favorite artists, not as crowded and bs. Saturday is a better night and more entertaining but always crowded as all hell.

Mike

Looks great Peter!

Ugh anxiety. I have my next appointment in a couple hours. I'm always afraid I'll tap out after 45 minutes, haha.

UPDATE

From Dana's Instagram and then a closeup from my wife's personal collection. ;)

Dope progress!

Horimitsu, I'm getting a nine tailed fox.

Best of luck! As for advice...plan your arrival time to the convention so there is no issue with your scheduled session time with Horimitsu. Line on Saturday can get real long, like down the block but you will get in eventually.

Be on time, be respectful, and take care of your artist ;)

Mike