G.Uristti

I only know what a few of you look like. So maybe some sexy pics to help me out?

Are you saying that because it's always going to happen there's no point in having an opinion on it or passing judgement?

essentially i am. but of course you can have an opinion and in actuality we definitely should but, we should realize that its a point you cant hold onto too dearly. tattooing is based on copying and as the industry builds its almost essential to do so, so there is a sound foundation to build upon. its as f'ed up to copy and it is essential to do so all at the same time.

i dont like being copied but, in the end, if you copy me that just means i win. then of course you have to ask yourself about those who copy the men and women in this industry who are no longer with us. is it any better to copy the flash they left behind then it is to copy those that are alive?

every tattooer should know there is a difference between being an artist and a craftsmen. they should also recognize the fine line they walk between them. the non tattooers should stop putting people on a pedestal and carrying a cross for the justice they seek. no one has any copy rights on anything they tattoo. and things that are put on line are in the public domain unless otherwise stated. when do you think the last time any tattooer filled out the paper work on a tattoo they did. i would be shocked to find out that anyone files those papers(copyright) on their tattoos. oh and the fact that once you sell the design to the client by putting it on their skin, you essentially sold them the rights of the art, and if you dont state in the release that they cant use the art for anything else and you eventually do, they might actually have a sound case against you(the artist) for copyright infringement. does everyone see where this can all go if we start getting technical or am i alone on this.

so yes its f'ed up but at the end of the day is it something you really can do something about? can you tell a tattooer that sees themselves as a pure craftsmen that theyre wrong for copying? can you call the tattooer that fancies themselves the artist that they are dumb for not having a deeper contract? ahhh the never ending cycle of questions that this topic can bring :)

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^^^^^ kinda ranty and run on... so sorry

All discussion is a moot point. Should all discussion end?

if youre goning to be an absolutist then yes

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I disagree completely. Using inspiration from someones work is one thing but a direct replica is another.

i think youre missing my point. im not saying its right or wrong. im just saying it happens for many reasons and will always happen and has always happened. to judge upon it makes no sense

art is the emulation of what is what was and what will be. sometimes you wanna test yourself against what pre exists. sometimes you want to test yourself and create something new. sometiimes you wanna test yourself and try to leave a legacy. and sometimes you have to pay the bills.

name one artist that has never copied something in there life time. try naming someone that has never made money from what preexists during their career.

this thread = moot point

i can totally go off on this topic as @Perez knows. im choosing to keep my mouth shut as not to offend the masses. i will say this though, theres a lot more bad than then has been described in the opening of this thread

did this one recently

tattooerman.com

there was something in the ink that needs out of the body. if you had your regular tattooer go over the lines with a dry needle to open the skin and let what ever your body is disliking out. it will heal and should be fine. or its dutch-elm disease.

yup. until now i was optimistic about the changes happening to the tattoo industry and its community of fans.

but this is like that kid who shot himself in the face cause of judas priest. he didnt die at first, the festering hole that was his face eventually did.

Thanks for bringing this up @Shannon Shirley while we've never met, people who I think are awesome tell me that you're awesome. Everyone here should pay attention to what this guy says.

I still check the forums every day but I told myself I'd try to only get involved if I could be constructive in some way (even being a dick in a particular way can have a positive outcome).

Lately there hasn't been much 'new' information or discussion where I felt my opinion would make any difference. Often someone else gets to the point before I do. I don't want every post I make to be a verbose "Me too."

On the other hand... The more help or insight we give, the more help or insight we're asked for.

Everyone likes to say they "Did their research" for their tattoo but that often just means looking at pictures in a Google search or checking Instagram. But what about the kind of research where you follow an idea that someone mentioned and find out for yourself? Learning and discovery is fun. Information discovered is more cherished and valuable than information that's spoon fed.

Everyone wants a book or website recommendation where the mysteries of life and everything will be explained, with pictures.

Explorers will eventually tire of conversing with tourists and consumers but they may feel nourished conversing with other explorers. (I use these terms with their proper, non-insulting intention) If more people try to be explorers (intelectual, spiritual or physical) this site, and the world will be a better place.

well stated. i couldnt of said it better.

YEP! that scares me.

wtf was in his eye?

I had to join the site to thank you for this thread. I have been trying to decide for some time where & what size to get my first tattoo. I'm old, fat, & not especially attractive. I've been wanting a tattoo for a long time, and have known for a while what it is I want. But, the size and placement has held me back. I have been thinking of getting it small, worrying about what people would think. Which is really ridiculous. I don't worry about what people think of me, as Popeye would say, "I am what I am". Thanks for helping reinforce the decision that was in the back of my head the whole time.

let the tattooer help you make the decision on size and placement if youre worried about you old skin. go for it and enjoy!

i have to start by saying what should be the obvious. tattoos are a very personal thing. you also have to remember that the choices people make in general are very personal things. so when you advise people adversely to there initial feelings it will be met with disdain. people will certainly get insulted when you tell them the choice they made or are about to make is a bad one. cause they in fact see it as an attack. so if you offer your unsolicited opinion you should expect it to be met with minor hostilities.

this will also bring me to make this statement. ive been around for a good while so ive seen plenty cause im a good observer. there indeed is a huge amount of snobbery surrounding tattooing. ive seen great tattooers get overlooked cause the masses are obsessed with a few individuals. not that those few individuals dont deserve the recognition cause they certainly do but others certainly get over looked just because theyve never been heard of. and that dismissal is certainly due to snobbery, you can see it in the faces of the dismissers.

anyway like many other things ive commented on i can go on for days but il stop here for now.

@G.Uristti is right, if you are bummed about the color get it touched up. I did on one of my blues about 6 months after the original work. Additionally, I've heard of white yellowing, though this seems more of if sun hits it. I have white on one of mine that has stayed true for 18 years. It gets zero sun though so that is why I am sure it has maintained its color. Personally, I like the color it is going as it accentuates the yellows and greens in the stems. Doesn't look brown to me.

you made me think of the fact that its looks brownish next to the original photo. iv told clients in the past to "stop looking at your tatto from two inches away. were social creatures and tattoos are normally viewed at arms length... i.e. like when we look at eachother while talking"

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't really mind it, I was just surprised that it has already started changing so much within a few months. I'll wait a while to see if it continues to change then I'll prob get it touched up. I specifically told my artist to not use white ink because I heard it could turn brown but oh well lol

the problem isnt white neccesarily. there are many factors white being just one of them. going back over it will solve the problem. from the looks of your tattoo, whom ever tattooed you is a competent tattooer and it might be a bit insulting to tell him/her how to do there job. youre seemingly in good hands so let the tattooer sort it out,its his/her work as much as it is yours

Thank you, @G.Uristti, for offering your professional opinion. One of my favorite things about LST is that we have professional tattooers who offer their insights. It sets this community apart.

youre very welcome. i dont see the point at this day in age at keeping secrets. especially when it comes to settling a client at ease and maybe help out a fellow tattooer who might not have that insight on a topic

not a huge deal but if the blue was lightened with white it makes sense that that happened. if it really bothers you then have the person who did the tattoo go over it and use a truer blue with less white. and it will all work out

ill be there working. come by and say whats up :)

any of those days work for me at night

I think the industry viewpoint is subjective to each persons experience. To a tattooer that may feel as I do then the industry would likely be focused around other professionals who feel similar. To someone who has gained alot from media exposure, the industry would include people like them and everyone else. To someone involved with a supplier or some fringe company that makes money off tattooing, the industry includes about anyone who can make them money.

In the end, you are right. No matter how big tattooing and tattoos have gotten publicly, the community is still as small or as large as you choose to make it. And that is something I fail to consider when talking about this with other people.

Maybe I am not thinking clearly, but I fail to see the connection between Sailor Jerry's dislike of Lyle Tuttle and the "diltuion". When I mentioned dilution, it was intended to reference the amount of bullshit, misinformation and bad work that has been injected into the tattoo world via modern media outlets, tv, etc.

Also, you are absolutely correct when you mention the growth of an industry. In any industry that grows the way tattoing has, these things will happen. And I completely agree that it is up to the people that care and the people involved to keep it straight.

Sometimes I question whether the incredible growth of tattooing is even good at all. I know this may sound like a stretch, but, tattooing would have sustained itself without media help. Sure, all of the things that media brought to tattooing are great(more exposure, relaxed public opinion, more money, more opportunity), but are they a worthwhile trade for the incredible intimacy and power of what tattooing was(sometimes it still is). I am sure these questions all depend on who you are and how you have benefitted from tattooing...

And to answer your question, no, I do not tattoo. I am good friends with several tattooers that share the same viewpoint I do. My views are part of what helped me gain said friends.

So, keep in mind, that if you find what I am saying stupid, you could always just say "fuck this guy, he doesn't even tattoo". I think regardless of what your viewpoint is(tattooer or not), all of the things I am talking about are valid.

I would love to continue this conversation, but as this thread is specifically about Ink Masters and I am now pretty far off course...Is there somewhere we can move this discussion to?

you have good points and your correct this is about ink masters. so lets yell about that. i think the show in general is stupid mainly cause of who they have on it. i personally dont think even the judges could pull off a lot of the stuff they are asking the contestants to do but, i like watching it so i can yell at the tv. my rants are completely warranted for once. lol if you want to continue our other convo feel free to inbox me

@hogg thanks

i def color in the way i tattoo

just to throw this out there. i was talking to my daughter yesterday while she was drawing. and she told me that what she was drawing was a tattoo. so i said cool i didnt realize it was a tattoo and her was response was "of course daddy, it has black in it" i never told her that it was her own observation, needless to say i was extremely proud of her. so after all that could be said about what lasts or not i can say this. if a 5 year old can come to that conclusion on her own that its only makes sense to have black in tattoos then i conclude whether things stay or not it belongs there.

@Brock Varty so whats your take on the norman colins documentary? where his distaste for lyle tuttle is mentioned. technically if that documentary holds any water the dilution started way before tv.

the growth of an industry dictates that these types of things will happen. its up the people involved to keep the records straight. its not the involvement thats the problem its what they bring to the table while involved.

out of curiosity, do you tattoo?

im up in edmonton alberta right now doing a guest spot at urge. ive been coming here for the last four years. canada has a lot of great stuff going on as far as tattooing goes.

Being on this show basically ruins your chance of being respected by the real people in the industry.

what does that mean exactly? the real people in the tattoo industry?

ive been to plenty of conventions where the original cast of the show has also been tattooing. those guys and girls are working hard just like everyone else. theyre definitely not sitting around taking pics and showing off how cool they are. and i know from personal experience that they are getting respect cause they are showing that they are workers not jackassed reality tv personalities.

just get fat

too soon?