Anton Chigurh

Mine took about 90. And in retrospect, it really didn't seem like it took that long.

Yes, mine is sitting at 48 hours with an estimated 3-4 more sittings (24-30 hours) left.

10 hours to finish a backpeice sounds pretty ideal, lol.

@clttattooing congratulations on starting your back piece! I would also like to see the progress if possible. My instagram is @robieva

A few here know that I had my fifth session with Chad Koeplinger on my back last Saturday at Congress St tattoo in NH. This past session he shaded and colored all of my lower back. Whew! I am glad to get that part over with! There are blood drips in the tattoo, and one of them is mighty close to my butt crack. That spot felt like FIRE. I can't IMAGINE the horror of getting the full butt tattooed. I salute ALL of you with your full back tattoos!!!!

@BrianH I read your comment about your tattoo being finished faster and cheaper if you were shorter. I am so happy I am short for this endeavor!!! I've never particularly been bummed about being short or anything, but in this case, it's a super advantage.

I am super pumped with what Chad has given me and he thinks one more session, maybe 2 small ones.

Total time so far, tallying up these sessions is about 10 hrs and that is rounding UP. It's probably closer to 8.5-9 hrs, but i'll call it an even 10. IN the end it will probably total 12 hrs.

It has been an absolutely awesome journey. I love Chad like a brother and cherish the time spent with him. I am sad to think we are winding down, so I will probably have him tattoo something else on me soon enough (not my ribs. I told him never my ribs). Also the time spent hanging out with Jason Scott and Jebb Riley during these sessions have been awesome. I feel very at home at Jason's amazing shop. He employs only the best people. They are all great tattooers, but even more, amazing and awesome people. He's clearly got a good "douchbag radar" and hires accordingly.

Next session is in August, and will possibly be my last, but I am certainly not putting pressure on it to be so.

Checked out the work on insta, I can't believe that was all done in only 8-9 hours total...that's awesome!

Just out of curiosity, those on here that have completed a full backpiece (or are in the process), what timeframes did it take? I have seen everywhere from 15 hours - 60 hours

Round 1 of my eagle/dragon.

Tattoo By Chris Garver (thanks fairgreen) at Invisible NYC

Very cool...it's like a phoenix, but not. The wing placement is brilliant...what's on your right shoulder? Seems like all the feather work will compliment each other well.

hilarious! and original! no one has ever made that joke before!

Actually, just an honest light hearted comment. Thanks though, for being so awesome.

I started my back last Thursday with Alex Binnie at Into You in London. The snakes head, and the maple leaves were stencils, and the snakes body was drawn on. The outline will continue onto my backside, and will be done next time. The time tattooing was roughly between 3 1/2 - 4 hours.

Maple leaves...? Those look like they're going to be beautiful marijuana leaves to me...

Ah, happy to announce I've joined the dedicated crew here...started by backpiece yesterday! Lined in from shoulders to back of knee. Some long line pulls and wow the bottom of the ass cheek wow that is advanced level tattoo.

Thank you to the LST crew here for sharing your backpiece experiences, I felt it helped me be prepared for this important session. Sat for 3~4 hours and it was one of the most comfortable tattoo sessions I've ever had. My feet were totally relaxed the whole time. Very cool to reconnect with my tattooer. He did my first in 2003, a rib dragon in 2005 and my crane arm in 2007. Full circle, especially when this back tattoo connects to his older work.

Tattoo is being made by Steve Batt (TheGangOfOne) in Edmonton, AB.

We are doing a Shaolin kung fu monk with rocks, waterfall, cloud swirls.

(You'll have to forgive me, I'm not quite ready to post up pics for the general public, and i don't want my tattooed ass to "break the internet".)

This tattoo is the missing puzzle piece...all my tattoos neck to ankle are now connected! :) Feels great, my back is tie-ing everything together, and I've reached the bodysuit zone after 11 years, like I'm walking around wearing armour. But really this is just the start...gonna get going on black and colour in the new year and see what kind of rapid progress we can make.

That's awesome, I wish that I had been able to find a local guy that could do what I was looking for (I am also in Edmonton), but ended up in a situation where I've been flying back and forth between here and Toronto. I've got 4 sessions done so far this year with hopefully another 4-5 next year to complete.

Your tatt concept sounds pretty cool, reconsider your stance on not posting pics!

What's a CBD pill?, anyone.

Mick, exume is very wrong. You will feel zero heavy, drowsy "couch lock" stuff. In fact you will feel completely, 100% the same as usual.

The only difference is that you will have a significantly easier time staying relaxed, and pain free when the needle hits your skin.

The only thing that exume is right about, is that it is not THC (that's why it doesn't give you any sensation of being high at all).

Try looking it up on google for further clarity, of if you feel you still aren't quite confident with what I am saying here.

I believe it is a fantastic option for those that don't want to get high, or addicted to anything. Besides, you're not going to be able to find it anyways, unless you have access to a professional medical dispensary (i.e. in Vancouver).

Could be total hearsay, but I have heard that colour tattoos can be problematic when getting an MRI.

A lot of colour contains metals (i.e. I think red has nickel in it), and I guess the magnet can pull at it a little bit and cause skin reactions.

Can anyone confirm / deny this?

I got a full shoulder piece when I was 18, and now 14 years later I have just started a full back / shoulder panel. So far, I've put in 3 straight days at 4 hrs / 4 hrs / 3 hrs respectively. It's itchier than hell, but I love it!

Well, I spent about 2 years finding my artist, and then had to wait another 1.5 years to get in for my first series of sittings (had to cancel my original appointment because of work stuff).

My first series of sittings went down last week, and went Wed/Thurs/Fri with a planned 4 hours of needle to skin time per day.

Day 1 was spent with a lot of stencil placing etc (took about 2 hours to get fully set up), and then the 4 hours of blasting went down. Got most of the outline done (upper/mid back).

Day 2 we completed the outline on the lower back and shaded in some of the upper back over the span of another 4 hours.

Day 3 we started on the shoulder extension I requested, finished that outline, and then continued shading various areas (whatever wasn't too raw), but ran out of time 3 hours in because I had to catch my plane home.

Ribs were intense, vertebrae as well...otherwise it all went really well.

I blazed on day 1, took a CBD pill on day 2, and handled day 3 sober. I would say that the CBD pill was extremely effective at allowing me to relax through the process, and brought my anxiety level way down despite my pain levels being more or less the same...I highly recommend you try this, if you have access.

Came home after day 3, left plastic wrap on for about 5 hours, removed it, rinsed back without soap, and then went to bed.

Now, 3 more days later, scabbing is drying up, so I am applying a little bit of unscented cream to get it through the day, but allowing it to just be exposed/dry at night after showering and cleaning gently with anti-bacterial soap.

I am now about 30-40% done, and couldn't be happier. I continue on with more sessions hopefully in 5 months (I am on cancellation list), otherwise won't be back in until July 2015 for another 3 day stint.

If anyone would like to see it, add me on IG (Instagram), and i'll post pictures up as it heals. My username is THECHIU