Who are your Inkmasters

[irezumi]

Is this just turning into 'my favorite artists' thread?

[Petri Aspvik]

Seems so. My favorite artist is the one doing my tattoos. But he isn't the most versatile. And I think that was the question?

[irezumi]

Haha no I meant like I would probably not go to Hardy or Stell for a portrait, I probably wouldnt see Jondix for something colorbomb, I wouldnt see Stoney for anything that wasnt supposed to be done with anything smaller than an 8 round, etc.

#notshittalk. I've just never seen a portrait that Stell has done, or the other things I mentioned.

[jinxproof1996]

Is this just turning into 'my favorite artists' thread?

seems like it. i know half of the artists mentioned personally and although they are top notch tattooers in the style of their choice, even they would say they aren't "masters" in every style. my list would be huge if i had thought this was a mention the great tattooers. but i thought it was referring to the most well rounded.

[kylegrey]

Haha no I meant like I would probably not go to Hardy or Stell for a portrait, I probably wouldnt see Jondix for something colorbomb, I wouldnt see Stoney for anything that wasnt supposed to be done with anything smaller than an 8 round, etc.

.

Thanks ,your post gave me another reason to leaf through my copy of Tattooing the Invisible Man,=no portrait tattoos .One question though were they a thing of his time ?

[Petri Aspvik]

Thanks ,your post gave me another reason to leaf through my copy of Tattooing the Invisible Man,=no portrait tattoos .One question though were they a thing of his time ?

Iwo Jima Eddie had a Marilyn portrait on his stomach. Eddie died in 1987/88, this is a pic from 1984

And here is a older pic from mister Collelas archive, where Eddie is younger

Tattooing by Nick Colella - Tatts with Iwo Jima Eddie looking on

Don't know when he got it but it could be in the 60's, or maybe even earlier? Maybe Nick knows.

[Joe Shit]

Ben Alvarez@ Done Rite Tattoos

Karel Mato@ Electric Church Tattoo Parlour: Spread the Gospel

Jason Eisenberg@ Holy City Tattoo

[David Flores]

My .02-I do think a tattooer should be well-rounded and technically capable in all styles, but with the sheer amount of great tattooers in each style, why would you need one guy to do all those styles? Why would you go to Tim Hendricks for anything but an incredible black and grey tattoo? Or Chris O'Donnell or Trevino for Japanese? There's just so many people tattooing today, I don't think the way to stay ahead is to spread yourself across every style, but to choose one and excel.

That may be a thread in itself, but I couldn't see going to one tattooer for every single idea I have.

I think you point is very valid and if you know who is the best at what you want then I certainly think you go there, but

With the exception of serious tattoo collectors and tattooers, most people really I meet and discuss tattoos with don't really understand how different each style is. Someone might see a traditional piece on me and ask me for the guys name who did it so they could get a portrait or some tribal, they don't know a tattooer by their name, they just know he did what they view as a good tattoo on someone and they want the same feeling. I guess why I wrote this thread is the times when I see a nice tattoo and ask someone who did it and it's a completely different style then what I am used to seeing by that tattooer. Also seeing so many people on the show blame their shortcomings on the tattoo not being their style, when there are plenty of great tattooers willing to tackle anything that walks in the door and give the customer a tattoo that they love and is technically sound at the same time. This thread has kind of become a favorite tattooers thread, but I think I am okay with that, because it's brought up a lot of names i haven't heard in awhile and some I have never heard of.

[slayer9019]

Two guys that I know that do killer tattoos regardless of style.

Stewart Robson

Regino GonzalezREGINO GONZALES - NYC - INK

[Avery Taylor]

Small Paul Stotller is a very versatile and talented tattooer. I don't ever remember seeing his name mentioned on this forum, but he is really good, and can work in pretty much every style.

[Duffa]

I have to admit that the guys I mentioned, when thinking about them initially I crossed off in my head styles such as - Traditional, Japanese, Lettering etc but the one thing I completely over looked was Portraits. Since this thread is about all rounders, I'm not sure where my suggestions now stand as I can't really think of ever seeing a portrait from any of them? Still all great tattooers though

[G.Uristti]

@irezumi or @G.Uristti - do either of you know if Owen is still traveling or if he's back home yet?

Edit: Searched the interwebs and apparently he is and has opened a new studio in Melbourne. This is his personal site Owen Williams

Also found this old interview with him which is pretty amusing Come back when you're serious, Owen Williams! - THE TATTOOED HEART

im not certain where he is now but hes told me hes looking to be in phoenix around june or july

[Shannon Shirley]

Off the subject a little....most of the non tattooers on here are business conscious, you know about it and will travel because you want it, the rest of the world ...doesnt care who the names are ....they cant even imagine paying more than 5 bucks for a poster...original art? what for?...they eat fried chicken and it fills thier bellies. good enough, they feel. You do understand that? They dont even want a new Cadillac, that 15 yr old bucket from korea runs just fine. If it wasn't for them, Me..Us...the mediocre..wouldnt stand a chance.

I think you point is very valid and if you know who is the best at what you want then I certainly think you go there, but

With the exception of serious tattoo collectors and tattooers, most people really I meet and discuss tattoos with don't really understand how different each style is. Someone might see a traditional piece on me and ask me for the guys name who did it so they could get a portrait or some tribal, they don't know a tattooer by their name, they just know he did what they view as a good tattoo on someone and they want the same feeling. I guess why I wrote this thread is the times when I see a nice tattoo and ask someone who did it and it's a completely different style then what I am used to seeing by that tattooer. Also seeing so many people on the show blame their shortcomings on the tattoo not being their style, when there are plenty of great tattooers willing to tackle anything that walks in the door and give the customer a tattoo that they love and is technically sound at the same time. This thread has kind of become a favorite tattooers thread, but I think I am okay with that, because it's brought up a lot of names i haven't heard in awhile and some I have never heard of.

[David Flores]

Off the subject a little....most of the non tattooers on here are business conscious, you know about it and will travel because you want it, the rest of the world ...doesnt care who the names are ....they cant even imagine paying more than 5 bucks for a poster...original art? what for?...they eat fried chicken and it fills thier bellies. good enough, they feel. You do understand that? They dont even want a new Cadillac, that 15 yr old bucket from korea runs just fine. If it wasn't for them, Me..Us...the mediocre..wouldnt stand a chance.

Or they buy the newest Ipad to show the tattoo guy all the cool custom tattoo ideas they stole off the internet. They make sure they go to every shop to find the absolute lowball price and the guy who will do it exactly how they want. Some people are just cheap when it comes to tattoos, they want them, but they don't need them so why spend money on them and traveling is completely out of the question.

But ultimately all those lettering tattoos add up to the bills being paid at the end of the month and most of the time these people get a better tattoo than they deserve, so goes another day at the street shop.

[irezumi]

But ultimately all those lettering tattoos add up to the bills being paid at the end of the month and most of the time these people get a better tattoo than they deserve, so goes another day at the street shop.

What I would've said if you hadn't already. Those people keep the lights on in my apartment.

[Shannon Shirley]

thank you guys...I used to go to some racing events,and even took part in amatuer roadracing..small ones big ones..motorcycles ...cars ..I didnt care, I just grew up around motorsports and i like it. I always rooted for the new guy,till he proved me wrong. the young kids,the underdogs ,For the sheer reason that the important ones get the support, nobody ever gives a damn about the guy/gal that might lose , because if they support the underdog and he doesnt win by proxy they might seem like a loser. It always seemed stupid and childish to me.I have known some great ones.but to act like everybody else in the game sucks is stupid.Instead of pretending your cool, cause you waited three months to get the next hip thing from the newest cool guy, go see Rick Walters ,Tenn dave, yeah where's Zeke,dont pretend to love the history and ignore those ol'bastards/bitches (didn't want to leave you out ladies) get a real historic tattoo. You'll be able to tell all your friends some shit they might not know. This business is rapidly losing its soul.....Help preserve the soul of tattooing....Im not telling you to get tattooed by any idiot with a ''gun''. Im just real suprised since Ive been on this sight at the knee jerk, bloodsucking wannabeism that are quick to judge whos cool cause they read it in a magazine or seen it on TV. Most of them old school cats never trusted magazines or TV. But nowaday's you see'm around in the media cause everyone has realized it's the only way to survive, what a shame. Shame on you ,Walmart shoppers.

What I would've said if you hadn't already. Those people keep the lights on in my apartment.

[David Flores]

My friend just got back from tattooing in NZ, he did the Auckland convention right before he came back to states. The shop he worked just had him and Merv O'Connor the oldest tattooer in Auckland. All the shops down the street would come up to the booth and pretend to Merv's ass and compliment my friends work and talk about how great it would be to get tattooed by Merv, but never seem to make that trek down the block to his shop to stop by say hi and maybe learn something.

[Shannon Shirley]

Thats how it been for a long ...like thier afraid thier friends will look at that tattoo and won't understand,If they actually let some shaky ol' bastard tattoo them...I got tattooed at Doc Webb's in San Diego @89' I believe Doc was Alredy dead , but it was still cool, I can't remember the tattooers name right now ,I'd hafta look at my ol notes, but either way ,No gloves, I felt like I was interupting his ''Soaps'', pretty funny.

My friend just got back from tattooing in NZ, he did the Auckland convention right before he came back to states. The shop he worked just had him and Merv O'Connor the oldest tattooer in Auckland. All the shops down the street would come up to the booth and pretend to Merv's ass and compliment my friends work and talk about how great it would be to get tattooed by Merv, but never seem to make that trek down the block to his shop to stop by say hi and maybe learn something.