Intro from Cincinnati

[Northsider]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Chris and I'm a 47-year old guy with a management job. The good thing about that is I'm lucky to have the means to do what I really want, and I don't care if this is perceived as my mid-life crisis. The bad thing is I'm going to be somewhat constrained on placement, at least in the sense that I'm reluctant to go below the elbows. I've been thinking for a while about getting a full-coverage piece on my upper arm. It could be a half-sleeve but may just be on the outside and perhaps extending onto the chest. We'll see.

This would be my second tattoo. My first one I got about 10 years ago, and it's kind of meh. It's on the shoulder and supposed to be a sundial but tends to read as a bow-and-arrow. It's also probably taking up too much space for what it is, as well. In hindsight, I was way too specific with the artist and I think if I had instead allowed her to do her own take on it I probably would have ended up with something better. Live and learn.

I'm researching ideas and artists and my thinking is for a Japanese style tattoo that will incorporate hummingbirds. (We have a group of them that return to our vicinity every year, and feeding them and watching them is a great source of pleasure). I'm not sure yet if I'll try to cover up the previous tattoo or go to the other arm.

Browsing this forum has been a great help already. I'm looking forward to participating on it.

Thanks,

Chris

[Graeme]

Welcome to LST and Mike Dorsey is your man.

[Pleadco]

I will second that Mike Dorsey vote. He is a factory that produces awesomeness by the buttload. http://i.instagram.com/mikedorseytattoo/

[SeeSea]

Welcome!

[Northsider]

Thanks for the welcome and the recommendation of Mike Dorsey. It's interesting to me that I live quite literally within walking distance of his studio, but with it being a private studio I'm not sure if I would have known about it without being here on LST.

[losParanoyas]

Welcome to LST! I've been going up to that area to get work from Kore Flatmo for the past few years. I would love to get something from Mike Dorsey one day. Also, Mason Williams does awesome work too, but Mike fits what you're describing better. If I lived in walking distance to that studio, I probably wouldn't go any place else. I ran into someone at Sidewinders Coffee shop wearing a Mike Dorsey shirt while I was up there. Not something I see everyday walking around the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Next time you have some time, you should watch Kore Flatmo's interview on here. It's pretty great.

Mason's site:

ArcLight Tattoo Studio, Ltd. | Mason Williams Tattooist | Cincinnati, OH

Kore's site:

PluraBella

[SStu]

Also close by in Colombus: Mike Moses the drown town

[Brandtson]

Kore or mike would knock it out of the park. Kore does do quite a bit of japanese inspired tattoos...he is doing my foo dog/peony piece.

[KBeee]

Hi Hi!

Welcome and good luck with your re-entry into tattoo-land. You are not the only one...I turn 41 in the Spring and I have gotten so many tattoos in the last two years. It's nuts! Maybe we're just late bloomers ;)!

All the best!

[Northsider]

Hi All,

I hope it's okay to revive this thread. Since I first introduced myself last September, I had a shoulder injury and surgery, followed by a good three months of healing, so I put off all of my tattoo plans. In any case, it's given me some time to think and reflect on what I really wanted for a sleeve. The good news is I've settled on a tattooer and design and we're ready to go. It's going to be a traditional Japanese dragon with cherry blossoms, seven-tenths length, and extending to a chest panel. My first appointment for outlining is this Thursday, and I'm a little apprehensive but mostly stoked about it. Even though I'm not much of a poster I've been reading the forum all the while and this group has really helped me refine my thinking and pointed me to some other resources. Thanks!

Chris

[el twe]

Sounds like a great plan. Who's the artist?

[Northsider]

The artist is Chris Sanders of Nightshade Ink in Cincinnati.

[Northsider]

I had my first session (outlining the sleeve) yesterday. I was sure that I had made a good choice with Chris and now I'm even more sure. Great guy, great work. I've only had one tattoo before and nothing at all like this size, so I was a little apprehensive but I thought it went well. Even the worst part for me, the elbow ditch, wasn't all that bad.

I also had a nice surprise. Several people on here suggested I have Mike Dorsey do the work. I didn't ignore that advice, but for various reasons it didn't work out. So I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in to the shop and who was there? Mike Dorsey. Very nice guy - he stuck around while the stencil was applied and everyone looked at the placement.

Anyway, here's the first result. Back in three weeks for shading.