Ex-Lurker joining the tattooed family soon

[Swifty]

Hey everyone,

Obviously a newbie, figured I'd finally introduce myself.

I'm originally from Quebec, Canada. Met my American wife back in 08, got married in 09 and have been in New Hampshire since 2010. She's always had tattoos and I always thought she looked amazing with them and finally decided to take the plunge about a year and a half ago when I began doing research for shops, artists that fit what I wanted to do. Been lurking on this forum and absorbing as much information as possible since then...

Found the perfect artist a year ago and got on his waiting list, been sketching and saving reference pictures and ideas ever since... finally received the call a few weeks back and I'm finally booked for October 10th for the first session and a 2nd session on November 7th. I'm going all out, starting out as a 30 year old fresh canvas, I'm getting my entire left arm sleeved. The plan is to get the 2nd arm done pretty much as soon as the 1st one is all finished and healed up. Money's already saved up and ready to go, I don't think I've ever been this excited to hurt for anything else in my life. :D

[tatB]

Welcome! Who is the artist?

[Swifty]

Thanks, the artist is Jesse Rix, in Keene, NH. Relatively close but he makes amazing realistic & color work. This tiger is probably my favorite of his work, I tried searching for him on the forums and it doesn't look like anyone really knows him aside from maybe around here... but he's really good and he's booked solid. I guess tattooing in the boonies in New Hampshire doesn't exactly lend itself to tons of publicity haha.

[Swifty]

Well, I'm officially inked. :o

This thing took 9 hours to bang out, I couldn't be happier. Jesse is so damn talented.

Already got the next 3 appointments booked, going back in on November 7th to hopefully finish the top half of this sleeve so we can start working on the bottom half in December.

[Mark Bee]

Congratulations! It always starts with one...

[Pleadco]

Looks awesome bud, grats :)

[OnyxRose]

That's breathtaking.

[Swifty]

That's breathtaking.

Thank you, that was my reaction as well... if he keeps this level of detail for the entire sleeve(and I have no reason to doubt that), it's going to be such an amazing piece... god I can't wait to go back in. Thanks for all the compliments guys, I'll make sure to pass the feedback on to Jesse!

[OnyxRose]

You're welcome. He did a great job. It honestly looks like the lion could turn his head and look at you; he's almost 3D with the angle of that photo.

[pidjones]

Very nice. Heal well!

Thru the ether from my LP2

[marley mission]

echoing whats been said - totally dig that lion

[sighthound]

very nice. What do you have planned for the rest of the arm, if you don't mind me asking?

[Swifty]

For the top half of the arm, there's going to be an african sunset behind the lion(red/orange sky with clouds) and a bright yellow sun, it'll wrap around to the back of my arm where he has a black outline of a tree, similar to these kinds of pictures: http://tiny.cc/04wrnx. The way he has it designed, the contrast of the deep reds, oranges and clouds/shadows really makes the lion pop even more than it currently does without any kind of background work done.

For the bottom half, there's a lioness walking across the forearm and 2 cubs playing in brush.

I've always wanted lions(I'm a leo) and wanted the whole arm done in warm colors to counteract the right arm which will end up being sleeved in cool/dark colors. I wanted each sleeve to balance one another in the end. (Blue vs Orange)

Honestly the entire design he put together is incredible and like I said, if he can keep this level of detail for the rest of the lions and everything, it's going to be mind blowing.

So damn excited to go back in and keep working. 4 appointments booked in total, going out to the end of January, hopefully he can knock out the whole thing by then... especially if I can keep sitting 9 hours at a time :D

- - - Updated - - -

You're welcome. He did a great job. It honestly looks like the lion could turn his head and look at you; he's almost 3D with the angle of that photo.

That's too funny, I keep getting the same feedback from everyone IRL. The nose and everything just pops, it really looks like it's coming off the arm haha, so awesome

[Swifty]

2nd Appointment done. This one was freaking brutal, he worked the back of the arm for a solid 4 hours and I was completely tapped out on any kind of pain management my body could muster... we spent another 3 and a half hours on the background/sky and I gave up... the shame. I just couldn't keep going, the back of the arm and the top of the shoulder is some serious, serious business. I'll provide better shots once its healed, of the back showing the finished mane and hopefully a better shot of the sky, although it's no where close to finished.

Going back in on December 1st, can't wait!

[Patrick Bateman]

It's addicting isn't it @Swifty?!?!?

Got my first in May, getting number 5 on Monday.

[Swifty]

Yeah it's pretty crazy, I really wanna finish this thing. 3 or 4 more sessions to go

[Swifty]

3rd session over, that one felt even more brutal than the last.

Completely finished the top of the shoulder and under part of the arm all the way to the armpit of doom(fuck my life that shit hurts).

Top half of the sleeve nearly finished, this is the only pic I have for now, will have to post more once it's healed.

[purplelace]

Fuck! That is gorgeous, stunning piece.

[Swifty]

I forgot to add an update after the last appointment, so here's the quick video of the half sleeve all healed up, that was another killer 8 hours:

Instagram

I also got more work done yesterday on the bottom half of the sleeve, lioness is about 70% finished(7:30 hours):

Instagram

Next appointment will consist of finishing up the lioness and hopefully get both of the cubs done on the inner forearm.

Once that's done there should be one or two final appointments to go back over everything. So pumped, Jesse is fucking amazing.

Really happy with the progress

[xcom]

OMFG!

Amazing.

Awesome piece!

[herewego]

Wow that is a stunning sleeve! This was your first tattoo experience?

[Swifty]

Thank you! The artist is amazing and that is correct, always wanted sleeves or nothing, this is my first. I mean I guess it's multiple tattoos in the end but yes, just started this year with the whole lion sleeve.

[Swifty]

Well Friday we added the cubs, it took a grueling 8.5 hours of gritting my teeth through this one.

That is one sensitive tenderloin, that inner forearm... Holy balls of awesome.

Jesse is so fucking amazing, I can't even.

I wish the picture captured the image better as the top cub is kind of chewing on the bottom cub's ear, it looks amazing in person.

This thing needs to heal well and fast, going back in 3 weeks to finish the entire sleeve. We'll be filling in all the gaps and blasting over everything that he hadn't quite had a chance to finish just yet. We'll be adding more highlights, more darks and just give the overall piece a better feeling of fitting all together the way it was meant to be from the start.

So pumped with the way the sleeve is turning out, it was a great decision to wait as long as I did to be absolutely certain of the choice I was making both with the subject and the artist.

Jesse has captured everything I had in mind and blew it out of the water with this piece, I can't stress enough how talented he is. The only downside is everybody giving me side glances to peek at it when out and about or asking me questions/wanting to see it, but hey, comes with the territory, plus it looks amazing so I'm glad to show it off when asked... just a strange new interaction I wasn't dealing with before lol.

For those of you who might be curious, he's Jesse Rix, you can find him easily enough through google.

[xcom]

Sick.

So awesome!