Full Back Piece Thread

[MrToby]

So... not been on to post anything in a little while. I had to miss a session last month for medical reasons. I would absolutely have preferred being tattooed for 3 hours compared to going to the doctors. Anyway I made up for the missed session yesterday. We did the blue on the back of the left leg and then started to put some green in the leaves around the blossoms. I have another session in a couple of weeks time which will complete the scales. We talked about maybe slowly fading the blue towards the tail so that it ends up super pale, almost white, which I think could look amazing. We are then definitely going to be on the home stretch. After 45 hours it is really coming to life and I am incredibly happy with it.

[SeeSea]

@MrToby - this is amazing - the blue is so piercing and the fade to white is a great idea. Your back is really shaping up. I'm enjoying following your progress.

[Isotope]

[sourpussoctopus]

This thread ruins my life. So much excellent work.

[Piha]

Last session all done at around 23 hours all up...stoked this is finished !

[SeeSea]

Cool @Piha, great to see it done! Wow - full back in 23 hours. I am retrospectively jealous! The Octo is great and I like how you can see part of the tentacle through the wind bar at the bottom. Sea life rules!

[Piha]

Cool @Piha, great to see it done! Wow - full back in 23 hours. I am retrospectively jealous! The Octo is great and I like how you can see part of the tentacle through the wind bar at the bottom. Sea life rules!

Thanks @SeeSea we did bang it out pretty quick, and I'm thankful for that ! Not sure I could handle some of the crazy hours some of you guys have endured..

[ludlow]

Something like this I saw only at movies.. fully of respect!

[MrToby]

Second session this month. Scales are now all done and every little thing we do is just making the whole thing pop a little bit more. Super happy.

[Shaggy]

Looking good @MrToby

It is always cool the closer you get to finishing how every session makes a difference.

[Cork]

@MrToby The finish line is in sight!!

[soraya]

I hope you guys can help me. I hope this is an appropriate place to ask this. If not, please let me know if there is a better place…

I’m in the early planning (and money saving) stages of a back piece. I was really thinking traditional Japanese style, but in searching for artists, came across some other styles that are now attracting me.

Here is an image of a tattoo in a style that I am now becoming attracted to. I think it is stunningly beautiful, and I like the idea that every square millimeter of skin is colored. But my question is this: Id like to get feedback from some of you who are artists, or long-time tattooed folks, or anybody who knows, on how you think this tattoo will hold up over time?

The elements of my current tattoos so far all are outlined in black. But I see that this one depends of shading of colors and contrasts between colors for the beautiful color effects, but has very little black line work in most areas. I have heard some say that this sort of treatment will not hold up well over time.

I know tattoos fade, and I need to keep out of the sun, etc., etc. I’m in my 50s, so I’m thinking a 20-25 year time frame.

Please don’t say that if I’m worried about how tattoos will look when I get old, that I shouldn’t get them. I want my tattoos to look good for as long as possible, even if I get old and wrinkly.

[Pete tattoo freak]

that's a cool tattoo. from what I've seen tattoo's with skin breaks tend to hold up better than tattoo's with wall to wall color.

[SeeSea]

that's a cool tattoo. from what I've seen tattoo's with skin breaks tend to hold up better than tattoo's with wall to wall color.

I don't understand - what you do mean by this - "hold up better"?

[Pete tattoo freak]

I don't understand - what you do mean by this - "hold up better"?

imo that tattoo will be hard to read in lets say 20 years. the colors will fade into each other without a hard outline. having skin breaks allows the tattoo to "breathe" and imo ages better and will be easier to read.

[SeeSea]

imo that tattoo will be hard to read in lets say 20 years. the colors will fade into each other without a hard outline. having skin breaks allows the tattoo to "breathe" and imo ages better and will be easier to read.

You said skin breaks. You didn't say hard outline. That's a different story.

[soraya]

I don't understand - what you do mean by this - "hold up better"?

@SeeSea - In my original question I might have been a little vague. By "hold up," I meant "how well will it age?" I was noticing two things in the tattoo example: minimal outlining, and continuous color without skin showing through. I love the look, but just wonder how it will look 20 years down the line and whether it will loose definition to the point that it won't look like anything except a bunch of colors faded together. I really want to like this, but I'm thinking long term.

[SeeSea]

@soraya

Yeah, I know what you mean. I was confused at the previous comment about skin breaks versus wall-to-wall color. Mine is wall-to-wall with no skin breaks and it makes no sense to me why a skin break would make things "hold up" better.

I think the example you showed is beautiful, but I haven't seen examples like that that have aged. I'd be curious to see that.

[soraya]

@SeeSea - your back piece is quite beautiful too. I like the density of it.

I really like the "idea" of wall-to-wall color. I like the idea that every bit of skin is totally changed in the area of the tattoo, especially in a large piece like a back piece. The transformation thing is big for me.

[ironchef]

Well it's been a year since I've had my back worked on and per our usual fall schedule, Henning was in town and this time we FINISHED my back! Some of you might have seen the updates via Instagram. So happy with this collaboration between Henning and Rubendall being completed! WARNING, PIC HEAVY!!! Put your browser on FULL SCREEN!

The master himself, Henning Jorgensen. Such a great artist and humble man.

Filling in the phoenix...tail feathers, breast, head and a few touch ups here and there.

Such a pleasure watching Henning work. I was so stoked with the zebra/tiger striped pattern he chose for the remaining tail feathers.

Touch up on a tender spot...the spare tire.

Slowly getting there.

Details details details...

Close-up of the phoenix...beautiful!

Full view from my right side. There was poor lighting inside since it was dark out, so they propped me up on a table and surrounded me with lights.

A quick reminder of the work Mike Rubendall did on the lower half of this collaboration. LOVE his water!

Another angle of my lower half.

Here's the finished top half.

Finished full back in all it's glory. My back is a sea of colors! Hope everyone enjoyed my show and tell! (don't mind the feet on the left or right, hahaha)

[Cork]

@ironchef really happy for you man. I hope I have the pleasure of seeing it in person some day.

[Fala]

Amazing work @ironchef! Congratulations, kudos, high fives and cheers!!!!

[polliwog]

Holy shit. That's ridiculously beautiful and vibrant; I can't begin to imagine how it looks in person.

[omeletta]

Looking absolutely fantastic! Would also love to see it in person, but as that's unlikely to happen, how about a little video at least....? ? And I agree, Mike Rubendall's waves are superb! I bought finger wave prints from him at the London convention the other day coz I love waves and I think they are among the best!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[ironchef]

@omeletta I'll post up a video after I'm done healing. I also picked up Rubendall's fingerwave prints! I have them framed and hanging in my bedroom!