ibradley

Great reply Patrick! About the "borrowing". It's funny. For me it is also about the fact that the designs are so simplistic that I am actually more able to be myself (this is in thinking and in thought) when the design just IS. I don't have to think about the deeper connection (like the Rory and Leo backpieces represent whales tale and that has a meaning. If I remember correctly) because it just enhances my body. It's the same reason I want to get the Ensō circle tattooed on me, because it represents nothing but the moment. Breathing in, breathing out. And here is the kicker. At the same time I sort of CREATE my own deep tribal desing, or what ever you want to call it. I give the tattooing life. As did all the old tribes and such.
Modern Primitives

I'll say when it's booked, no point in talking in public about tatfantasies.

Have a great session! @suburbanxcore I'm team torso all the way!

Awesome topic!! 
Many of the images we consider traditional are rooted in military tradition. Before the days of cyberspace and social media, having a military client base meant that your tattoos would be traveling the globe and reaching a much larger audience than if you just serviced a local clientele. Good examples would be artists such as Sailor Jerry and Ernie Sutton.
As far as style goes, the old saying, "bold will hold," kind of sums up the qualities that give a tattoo that traditional look. Older tattooers had a limited palette also, so there are some colors that don't quite look right in a traditional tattoo.
@briankelly puts out some awesome flash along those lines... perhaps he can add a thing or two to the discussion?

If you're trying to do traditional style flash, I think you need to start using way thicker lines. Also limiting your color range a bit. Pick something classic, like skulls, devils, roses, snakes, banners etc, and do about four to six variations on it, while keeping in the same artistic style (i.e. all traditional, all japanese). Sticking to a theme makes it easier to get your art across I think. Also, not an artist myself, just throwing out what I've seen on parlor walls.

Clearly, to best participate in this thread, since you are a tattooer, is to go get some fruit!

I made a tattoo but never tattooed grapefruit until this summer. This fruit - bad client :) I did not like to work with him))

It was made not for high quality but fo fun skydivers=)

I got a tattoo from this kid named Bahn (sp?) at St. Martin's Tattoo on Khao Sahn Road in BKK. Magical, magical place.. It's a skeleton key and the perfect souvenir to remember the trip by.

I got a tattoo from this kid named Bahn (sp?) at St. Martin's Tattoo on Khao Sahn Road in BKK. Magical, magical place.. It's a skeleton key and the perfect souvenir to remember the trip by.

Make sure your nose is clean! It's easy to become self-conscious when someone is staring up your nose.

Some acrylic action on canvas.. No particular reason, but very happy with the way it turned out.

I got a tattoo from this kid named Bahn (sp?) at St. Martin's Tattoo on Khao Sahn Road in BKK. Magical, magical place.. It's a skeleton key and the perfect souvenir to remember the trip by.

mario said it best. well better yet rollo did. but technically we are always wearing our uniforms. if we werent, then how come that nice meth head at wal mart at 3 in the mornin asks if we do tats??

Here you go!!!

Here you go!!!

Here you go!!!

i have a uniform for work. it's whatever is clean in my house haha! i'm a slouchy person so most of my clothes are slouchy, i wish i could care more about the way i dress but i can't seem to. being comfortable is important to me, physically and psychologically, i simply feel like a dork if i try to match an outfit together. i live in jeans and plain tshirts.
on the shop uniform thing though, i couldnt imagine working in such an environment. to me it speaks of the shop's ethos.
at frith street the emphasis is on the tattoos that come out of our shop, not the way we appear to the client. we dont turn up smelling of booze or wear offensive slogans/tshirts, we're a tidy bunch, but we try to let our work speak for itself instead.

Just saw this tattoo video of Henk Schiffmacher and figured others on here would enjoy it.....

I got a tattoo from this kid named Bahn (sp?) at St. Martin's Tattoo on Khao Sahn Road in BKK. Magical, magical place.. It's a skeleton key and the perfect souvenir to remember the trip by.

IMO it's nice to have and appreciate different styles as it is in other arts.it's part of being open minded and not having limits and boundries

that flier is pretty epic.

Make sure your nose is clean! It's easy to become self-conscious when someone is staring up your nose.