Need advice for next tattoo...

[CultExciter]

The newb doesn't know what he wants aaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaa. WE ARE SO FUCKING LOCAL Y'ALL.

[anomaly1964]

The newb doesn't know what he wants aaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaa. WE ARE SO FUCKING LOCAL Y'ALL.

Feel bigger now? :)

[CultExciter]

These just jokes homey. Bottom line is this. No one here can create the idea for you or tell you what you need to get. The main words of wisdom I can convey is "let go." Tattoos are made by other human beings. They are rarely ever perfect and rarely ever exactly what you thought they would be. But VERY often, they are even better. Just find a tattooer who makes really nice tattoos, in a style you really like, convey some of your thoughts, and trust that they will give you something you're proud of.

[polliwog]

You're looking for something that all of us look for when thinking about tattoos we're going to get in the future: we all want that moment when we stumble across some reference or come across an idea that transcends being something just cool to look at and becomes something that we want on our skin forever.

I really like this comment, and if this hasn't happened for you yet, don't worry and keep looking, whether it's at tattoos, other types of art or whatever reference moves you. And then let your artist take it from there. There really is no rush. I think I might know how you're feeling in that some spots might bother you more than others (even if, like me, you are largely blank) - for instance, I feel a little weird with the back of only one calf done. Sometimes I feel a pressure to work on that area next. But I'm going to sit on it for a while and get other tattoos elsewhere.

[Pleadco]

Each person's journey towards getting a tattoo is different. Some people may get a piece of flash on a whim, some are serious collectors, others go for a whole body suit from one artist, etc etc.

Like what others have said, we can't tell you what to tattoo on yourself. You will learn that through self discovery and exposing yourself to different types of art (most importantly, tattoo art). Education of the different styles (American/Japanese traditional, new school, neo traditional, etc) is important if you want to be more than just a tattoo spectator.

It's not essential; you don't have to know how your car works or what the parts are called to take it to a Mechanic.

You will just run more of a risk of getting ripped off or getting something you didn't want.

What we CAN do, is point you in the direction of some awesome shops/artists.

[polliwog]

Also, if you're thinking of getting something Star Wars themed one day, I hope you've checked out this thread. Tattooers designed these; they look better than some vaguely tattooable picture you could find through Google and it takes the pressure off of you to find the perfect image, though you could bring in printed references. Hope this helps.

[Hospitelli]

Something that Morpheus said to Neo and can easily be applied here, "But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it."

[misterJ]

Something that Morpheus said to Neo and can easily be applied here, "But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it."

My fave was always "you think that's air you're breathing now?"

Excellent film I haven't seen in ages gotta revisit it soon

[guitguy]

This has been a really interesting thread to scroll through. Great comments by both haters and lovers. `LST...where the haters are lovers too` ;)

anomaly1964...best wishes. You have good advice to ponder. Dig in.

[smiling.politely]

Of course you may need to pay a deposit for someone to work on an image for you... would you work for hours for free (researching/thinking, drawing, re-drawing, starting over when you realize the drawing could be better, etc.), only for the potential business relationship to fall through, or for them to never come back, or for them to take the image you e-mail them or they photograph on their phone to "show their friend/husband/whomever," then go get it done from someone else?

As far as what will work well as a tattoo, pick your favorite element of said piece of culture, whether it's Batman, the Matrix, etc. Do you like the idea of the duality of choice between uninformed ignorance and enlightened truth? Get the red pill and the blue pill in some context, shape, or form. Maybe not as part of an image of Morpheus, since the pills are the real meaningful part of that scene, not Laurence Fishburne. Highlight what is important symbolically, and you'll have a stronger tattoo.

Then, figure out what style you like... traditional, realism, new school, some combination thereof, etc. etc. etc. Like traditional style? Find the nearest Inksmith & Rogers to where you are in Florida, and go there. Like a more refined and rendered style, but with still enough of a solid foundation of good tattooing to last well in your skin until you're 80? Go to Redletter and get tattooed by literally anyone there. I'm not as educated in new-school or full on realism, but I'm sure you could find plenty of folks that do those styles.

Don't go cheap or quick, go for quality. That being said, sometimes great tattooers may be able to get you in within a few days, sometimes you may have to wait. Patience can be key.

There is a lot of work to be done to learn about getting tattooed (not as much as actually tattoing), but the burden of deciding what you want and how to go about getting it is on you, not strangers on the internet. Don't listen to non-tattooers giving uninformed advice. Take advice from tattooers giving informed advice, absorb it, but don't take it as the only way. Maybe Phil Holt or Jesse Gordon would have a different approach to the same idea than I do, or one another, or their co-workers. Like I said earlier in another thread, and a lot of other folks have said here and other places over the last few years, real life beats the internet everyday.

Remember: all I'm offering is truth, nothing more.

-Morpheus

[anomaly1964]

Of course you may need to pay a deposit for someone to work on an image for you... would you work for hours for free (researching/thinking, drawing, re-drawing, starting over when you realize the drawing could be better, etc.), only for the potential business relationship to fall through, or for them to never come back, or for them to take the image you e-mail them or they photograph on their phone to "show their friend/husband/whomever," then go get it done from someone else?

As far as what will work well as a tattoo, pick your favorite element of said piece of culture, whether it's Batman, the Matrix, etc. Do you like the idea of the duality of choice between uninformed ignorance and enlightened truth? Get the red pill and the blue pill in some context, shape, or form. Maybe not as part of an image of Morpheus, since the pills are the real meaningful part of that scene, not Laurence Fishburne. Highlight what is important symbolically, and you'll have a stronger tattoo.

Then, figure out what style you like... traditional, realism, new school, some combination thereof, etc. etc. etc. Like traditional style? Find the nearest Inksmith & Rogers to where you are in Florida, and go there. Like a more refined and rendered style, but with still enough of a solid foundation of good tattooing to last well in your skin until you're 80? Go to Redletter and get tattooed by literally anyone there. I'm not as educated in new-school or full on realism, but I'm sure you could find plenty of folks that do those styles.

Don't go cheap or quick, go for quality. That being said, sometimes great tattooers may be able to get you in within a few days, sometimes you may have to wait. Patience can be key.

There is a lot of work to be done to learn about getting tattooed (not as much as actually tattoing), but the burden of deciding what you want and how to go about getting it is on you, not strangers on the internet. Don't listen to non-tattooers giving uninformed advice. Take advice from tattooers giving informed advice, absorb it, but don't take it as the only way. Maybe Phil Holt or Jesse Gordon would have a different approach to the same idea than I do, or one another, or their co-workers. Like I said earlier in another thread, and a lot of other folks have said here and other places over the last few years, real life beats the internet everyday.

Remember: all I'm offering is truth, nothing more.

-Morpheus

Smiling...thanks so much for such an insightful reply, I truly do appreciate it...

Bonus points for the Morpheus quote!

My next question is this. I left a $50 deposit for the guy who did the tattoo in this thread to start on a concept design for me with some Star Wars symbols, the guy did a great job on my first tattoo and the shop is reputable, Las Vegas Tattoo in Ybor City (Tampa) Florida. It's been about 7 days now and I have not heard back from him, how much longer do I give him before I contact him and ask how he is progressing...?

Thanks again.

[CultExciter]

Did you set the appointment? Or did you leave a deposit just for the drawing?

[smiling.politely]

It would depend on how that tattooer works. Personally, if I have an appointment booked, I try my best to get it ready, with or without a deposit (although after lots of no shows, I recently began requiring it for folks I don't know). That being said, contact them sometime this week, ask if there's any progress, and whether or not there is, go ahead and book an appointment. Most tattooers seem to work better with some kind of deadline, even if it means they prep it the day before or day of, rather than getting lost in the stack of other drawings and/or outside projects they may have.

[anomaly1964]

Did you set the appointment? Or did you leave a deposit just for the drawing?

Just left the deposit so far, but I did tell them I would be setting appointment no more than 2 weeks out (my birthday)...

[CultExciter]

Just left the deposit so far, but I did tell them I would be setting appointment no more than 2 weeks out (my birthday)...

@smiling.politely is on point. Tattooers can be pretty busy people (I don't know the person you are going to, but, for the sake of argument). A lot of the time they are not able to draw up your design until a day or two, or even the day of. Again, echoing what I said earlier, you might need to let go a tad. I'm very early in my career but I still typically don't work on a drawing until its time to do it, because its hard to spread energy around.

[anomaly1964]

@smiling.politely is on point. Tattooers can be pretty busy people (I don't know the person you are going to, but, for the sake of argument). A lot of the time they are not able to draw up your design until a day or two, or even the day of. Again, echoing what I said earlier, you might need to let go a tad. I'm very early in my career but I still typically don't work on a drawing until its time to do it, because its hard to spread energy around.

Thanks Cult...

[anomaly1964]

I know this is ROUGH, but how does some variation of this image work, where the yellow part of the cape would come around probably to the edge of the other tattoo...?

[CultExciter]

Go talk to a tattooer about it.

[anomaly1964]

Go talk to a tattooer about it.

Gotcha...

[tatB]

would you be happy with a tattoo that isn't actually Batman? what if it was just a bat that did not resemble anything from actual Batman inspired artwork?

[anomaly1964]

would you be happy with a tattoo that isn't actually Batman? what if it was just a bat that did not resemble anything from actual Batman inspired artwork?

Hmmm, if the art was cool...yeah.

My family is saying since I have a Batman tattoo on my arm already, go Matrix or Star Wars. They also seem to want me to stay away from full figures or faces, so something SYMBOLIC would work...

[smiling.politely]

Heavy, dark, black and grey bat would be a good one. May seem a bit obvious, but it would be a great way to go.

[misterJ]

Do you have like a favorite batman frame or cover? Or a favorite batman artist? Something that really exemplifies that character for you?

[anomaly1964]

Do you have like a favorite batman frame or cover? Or a favorite batman artist? Something that really exemplifies that character for you?

I really like this picture ALOT...

[misterJ]

Can I ask what about that 1 image is the most impressive to you? So I can get a better perspective.

EDIT: Personally, I lean towards the Frank Miller/ Alex Ross batman art. I am an enormous batman geek as per my name lol. I look forward to seeing what you do pick and end up with. Batman is the only hero I think I would get a tattoo of... not sure maybe Hellboy or punisher?