Full Back Piece Thread

[Bethenny Scott]

Bethenny, if you really want your back done then do it. We all might whinge about how bad a backpiece can be while getting but i promise that all who have finished a backpiece would do it again. I myself am about 1/2 way through mine and although it sucks getting the work and healing it the satisfaction of seeing perhaps the biggest piece of art you can do on your body is awesome. I dont look forward to my fortnightly sessions but once they are done I cannot wait to get home and see the progress. The end result is well and truely worth it.

Its not the pain or time its whether or not I can get a tattoo and not break out into hives...because that would be a truly unforgivable sin; so I am putting some money aside to get a smaller piece done first.

[Shaggy]

@Shaggy That's looking amazing. Are you done with the black shading?

Second session on my back later today, pictures to follow.

@Graeme unfortunately no, 1 more session and we should be done with background. Well maybe 1/2 a session and we will be done. I have mentioned earlier i have had laser removal on 4 pieces but the last which is my 1st ever tattoo (eagle) has proven to be stubborn so we have had to extend the design on right thigh to cover it. So right side wont have the nice sharp edge line to it that left does. We did the outline of that on Thursday otherwise I would have been finished with the outline. Also still some more detail to go in the rocks which are the black and gray areas near warriors feet etc. So colour wont be too far away.

- - - Updated - - -

Bethenny lets hope for your sake you dont so you can do a back piece. Good luck with getting your 1st

[Raven]

Massive respect to you all getting full back/thigh pieces. I cannot begin to imagine what living with that work progress must be like. Your art is beautiful and I love reading this thread. It's not something I plan for myself (though I'm starting a large shoulder piece in November), but wow. Kudos to you mad, brave souls.

[Cork]

Great progress @Graeme. That's a good chunk.

[Graeme]

Great progress @Graeme. That's a good chunk.

We've had two really great sessions, but there's still SO much left to do. We need to line the rest of the background, put in the scales and patterns in the snake, colour the whole thing in...I knew that a backpiece was a huge commitment before I started it, but I'm only now really understanding what that means. It gives me a deeper appreciation of the tenacity and dedication it takes to wear a backpiece, and that there's a lot more to it than just a huge, beautiful tattoo.

[Cork]

@Graeme you deserve it buddy.

[joakim urma]

[...]I knew that a backpiece was a huge commitment before I started it, but I'm only now really understanding what that means. It gives me a deeper appreciation of the tenacity and dedication it takes to wear a backpiece, and that there's a lot more to it than just a huge, beautiful tattoo.

Feel exactly the same way now, on my second session too. Also the back is so damn rough. Much kudos to people with tramp stamps!

[SStu]

Session two on my back. Mercifully we stuck to lining and shading the background on my upper back. Next time I think we're hitting the lower back, ass, and thighs, which I'm sure is going to be a lot of fun. Can't wait.

I'm surprised he didn't mix it up a bit. Hit some upper and lower on each session.

[Diehardonvhs]

I'm surprised he didn't mix it up a bit. Hit some upper and lower on each session.

I find sticking to one area makes for tougher sessions but much easier healing!

[Graeme]

I find sticking to one area makes for tougher sessions but much easier healing!

People work they way they work, but what I like about focusing on one area is that you end up sending most of the time getting hit with a shader which is a lot more pleasant, relatively speaking, than four or so hours of lining.

[MrToby]

So not been on here for a while but I have finally had the 3rd session on my back after a short break... I went on holiday. It definitely felt like we hit quite a lot this time round but it might just be that we were moving a little bit all over. So to add to the conversation going on above I definitely prefer to gradually work from one area to another rather than jumping all around. Suddenly moving to a new spot really sucks. Anyway this is how the progress is looking.

[ironchef]

@MrToby EPIC dragon phalanges!!!

[hogg]

Is that Ian Flower's work, @MrToby? It's stellar!

[MrToby]

Thanks a lot @ironchef. @hogg it is indeed Ian's work. It's turning out to be so much more than I imagined at the start. He reckons that we've got just one more session on the outline which is great news. I can't wait to see it fully formed and start making it come to life.

[tatB]

If all goes well, I'll be having my back traced out today and hopefully starting a Kame-no-Koh Taira no Tomomori in early October.

So pumped, but scared shitless about the searing butt pain everyone mentions. Whatever.

Exciting! Who is doing it?

[Graeme]

So pumped, but scared shitless about the searing butt pain everyone mentions. Whatever.

Shitless is the way to go when getting your ass worked on anyway. I have a big ass/back of thigh session coming in a couple if weeks and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered abusing Immodium for the first couple of days of healing.

The ass itself I haven't found to be so awful so far, but I just have some lines there now. I'm sure you'll survive.

[SeeSea]

Quick appearance on the beach. Still a lot left to do and layers to add, but it's coming together. Back in the saddle on Friday.

Dude asked me, "Please don't tell me you did that all in one sitting." :rolleyes:

[marley mission]

Quick appearance on the beach. Still a lot left to do and layers to add, but it's coming together. Back in the saddle on Friday.

Dude asked me, "Please don't tell me you did that all in one sitting." :rolleyes:

wow - very nice

[misterJ]

@SeeSea

I love it, it's come so far and it's gonna be killer when done

Next session Saturday it's been ages since I've been in the chair. I have to admit I am

Anxious

[Shaggy]

Looking good both @MrToby and @SeeSea glad to see I am not the only one chipping away at backpiece sessions.

Had another 3 hour session on mine last week and we reached 2 seperate goals.

1. I think we have now finally finished background shading. A few tiny spots that need touching up but on the whole the background is done. I have worked out in the course of my job I do quite a bit of driving, the few spots that need touching up are basically where the seatbelt rubs. Who would have thought being safe in a car can be so bad. :)

2. The last of my original 4 (crappier) tattoos have now been covered with much better art. I know there are mixed feelings about covering previous work etc but 3 of the 4 were basically flash pieces off the wall and had no meaning to me at all. The 4th I wasn't happy covering but it was a decent sized piece in the way of doing my backpiece. It was sacrificed for the greater good :( . The 1st of these were done nearly 20 years ago and I like to think if forums such as LST and in general the www were around I would have probably made a more informed decision back then and probably not just picked flash off the wall.

Showing my age now but using Lynx and Gopher just wasn't quite the same experience back then as the internet is today. :)

[tatB]

Next session Saturday it's been ages since I've been in the chair. I have to admit I am

Anxious

Looking forward to seeing more progress. Do you think you will start color on Saturday?

[misterJ]

God I hope so, most likely finish background

[Rob I]

Not sure this qualifies as a "full" back piece, but here it is anyway. This is after my 3rd session with Chad Koeplinger and I'm pretty thrilled with it. I don't particularly enjoy sitting with Chad for super long sessions, or at least I don't think i'm capable to sit for very long sessions with him. With that factored in, he thinks we have about 3 more to go. Happy to break it up in small sessions, as that is more opportunities to spend time with Chad. I love that guy.

some insanely stunning pieces on this thread.

Rob

[Graeme]

@Rob I that qualifies as "full" to me! There's so much power there, Chad's tattoos are so fucking strong. I need to get tattooed by Chad again because the couple of hours I spent with him wasn't nearly enough. He's such a fun guy to get tattooed by.

[Rob I]

thanks @Graeme ! I've never found getting tattooed by him to be "fun", but he is a great dude to hang out with for sure!!!