Greetings from the Wet Coast...

[PhilB]

Unfortunately, I'm not a cool artist like most of you. I can't draw. At all. Fortunately, I do have a great artist.

However, I am an...er..."enthusiast". I got my first piece of flash almost 20 years ago (a wolf howling at the moon. I felt not-so-cool almost a year later when I saw someone with the exact same piece on his arm...If I knew then what I know now...)

This past June, I decided to work on a proper piece. Turns out my missus grew up with an artist who got into tattooing several years ago. He was an established artist before that (lots of murals, sign painting, fine arts studies, etc). She went down to his shop to get a piece by him, and I knew as soon as I saw what he drew that I needed to talk to him. He's since become "family" to me.

I started talking about a memorial piece for my mom (ironically, she hated tattoos). I originally wanted just a drawing of Nefertiti on the outside of my lower leg (and also to cover up two tiny old pieces on my leg). We quickly got to talking and evolved that into a sock.

The sock got done in a few months..and I liked it so much that...well...Maybe I should just show you:

Ink Gallery

This started in June. We got 71 hours in in 13 sessions and ended it in October or so. The shortest session was around 4 hours, the longest over 7 (a few of those). My artist has never laid down so much work in so little time on anyone, period. Since then, we've also covered up my original piece of flash on my chest with a larger, Fenrir-inspired wolf. I also have an idea for an arm sleeve in the near future...

I'm hoping to hopefully hit the West Coast Tattoo show here this spring (near Vancouver, BC) and the Seattle show in the summer. I would really like to get my artist some awards for all his hard work and for the shop where he works (I love when people say "nice work". I always tell them "Thanks, but it's not my work. I'm just the guy paying and gritting my teeth.")

I haven't read enough to know if it's OK to plug an artist here, so I'll wait to hear the yay or nay on this.

Thanks a lot for a great site.

Phil

[Scott R]

welcome phil, I am an enthusiast aswell, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I dont think your squidpants will win any awards. In the end that doesnt really matter does it? I am glad you unlurked and hope you learn alot on LST

[Lochlan]

Phil thanks for signing up on LST and writing the intro.

If you goto these conventions you should check out other tattooers as well.....thats part of the fun, getting good tattoos from tattooers from all over that you may never be able to get tattooed by again....or at least for some of us.

Hope you'll enjoy your stay with LST and stick around....

[PhilB]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I dont think your squidpants will win angy awards. In the end that doesnt really matter does it?

First of all, thanks for the welcome. Now, "squidpants"? I have no idea what that means.

Also, I'd be curious to hear why you think it wouldn't win any awards. Don't think the work is good enough? I looked at some of the work that won at the Seattle show (online), and some of the work is...not that great, at least, technically (uneven lines, etc). The art part is subjective, of course.

The award thing is really something I think would be nice for my artist.

Phil

[PhilB]

If you goto these conventions you should check out other tattooers as well.....thats part of the fun, getting good tattoos from tattooers from all over that you may never be able to get tattooed by again....or at least for some of us.

I'm kinda curious as to how that works. I presume you email back and forth with the artist to get an idea of your design, set up an appointment, etc?

Also, kinda torn on the whole loyalty thing...I should see if there ever was a thread on artist loyalty...

Phil

[Scott R]

@PhilB squidpants is a term one of our more stable members termed for leg sleeve.

I personally dont think your work is knock your socks off, which is what I think when I think award

here is something that keeps me looking

stefanos alacantara

[PhilB]

Ah, thanks for the explanation, @Scott R. That is fantastic work, who did it?

Phil

[Lochlan]

@PhilB

Each tattooer is different, some take appointments before conventions and some do walk ups only. So if there is a tattooer you are dying to get tattooed by who will be at a convention you are going to email them and see what they prefer. Or just take a gamble and walk up to their table and see. I've heard the first day can often times to be the best day to do walk ups but that's hearsay.

For me I just like to give a tattooer a vague idea and let them work their magic. If I am going to them because I love their tattoos then chances are I will be stoked on what they come up with.

[PhilB]

For me I just like to give a tattooer a vague idea and let them work their magic. If I am going to them because I love their tattoos then chances are I will be stoked on what they come up with.

Makes sense. That's basically how I deal with my current artist, which makes me one of his favourite customers! I usually give him an idea, book the appointment, then show up and say "What did you draw up?", look at it, and say "Yep, let's do it!"

Phil