I finally understand

[Graeme]

I saw this on Instagram, it's on user tfjesse1046. Sailor Jerry put this on him in 1967. Readable and strong as fuck almost 50 years in.

[Synesthesia]

Shit. Too many good points.

https://youtu.be/gbIv7W7rhx4

Real talk...why are you being a dick? Either contribute to the conversation (dumb snarky videos aside) or go away. Some of us prefer traditional, you obviously don't, both are fine...this thread is supposed to be a celebration of traditional, so I don't know what you were expecting.

[Rad Kelham]

Hey, I was commenting on the whole thread. And the dude is classic good vibe material. You misinterpreted me. Sorry.

[Pugilist]

You misinterpreted me.

Actually, I don't think anyone has. You are shitting on a pretty important part of the tattoo world (and a tradition that yes, people on this board love, for good reason!) with little to no interest in understanding it, which does not bode well for your supposed future career as a tattooer. You have been doing this for weeks, including insulting people's actual tattoos on here. Your attitude is both misinformed and rude. It is not stimulating any kind of worthwhile critique. Please just try to add to the discussion like a civilized human being.

I am bummed that what was a positive and interesting thread turned into this shit show. I will say that when I first started getting tattooed, I didn't "get" traditional either. I didn't understand how beautiful its simplicity can be. Seeing the work of some amazing tattooers in person really opened my eyes (I had a real "a-ha!" moment the first time I saw Chad Koeplinger tattooing at the Montreal convention, when I still only had one tattoo). Now it's most of what I have. It is interesting how it takes a little bit of time and learning about tattoos to "get it", but I think the world of traditional is rich and diverse and like @cltattooing said, we are really lucky that there are some amazing folks out there right now doing cool things with this style.

[Rad Kelham]

My opinions are after studying it, not based in ignorance. I own the Amund Dietzel biography and multiple sailor jerry books which i have read and traced and painted cover to cover. I can tell you about Stoney St. Clair and of him being interviewed by Ed Hardy, and Ed Hardy working up in Vancouver Canada way back in the day. I can tell you what "flash" actually means, how it was created, tattooed, traded, and improved upon. I can point out intentional mistakes in Sailor Jerry flash where he tried to protect his work from being copied. I spend 5 days a week in a shop full of classic flash and have 15 years of obsessively reading everything about all styles of tattoos. I've got some friends who are excellent traditional tattooers (who know I don't really care for the style). So call me rude asshole but don't say I have no interest in understanding traditional. I'm well informed and perhaps even more educated on the topic than you (or maybe not). I even have some traditional tattoos and plans to get some more. I just refuse to be a fanboy to them while ignoring everything else. I also know excellent tattooers and other collectors who share the same opinion as me but are too polite to come out and say it. I'm not interested in making friends here, just having the real talk about tattoos.

[Graeme]

You've watched some widely available documentaries and read some recently published easy to obtain books, you must be really good at research.

[marley mission]

hate to see this type of thread action

listen - no one is trying to convince another to like this tattoo or that tattoo

so why should you guys continue to argue really

this very fact that we are all into different stuff is half the beauty of it

lets embrace that

and please people - how bout a new rule - if your post is gonna be a nagetive one you have to at least throw up a pic of a cool tattoo - more pics - less arguing

edit: i noticed i misspelled negative - but i'm gonna leave it as i think nagetive should be a word to describe when negativity and nagging have a baby - dont be that 'nagetive' guy!

[Rad Kelham]

You've watched some widely available documentaries and read some recently published easy to obtain books, you must be really good at research.

You're cute. I remember when I had been getting tattooed for 4 years and thought I was an expert. However you do have me beat for chatting about tattoos on the internet - must feel good to be such a heavy hitter here ;-)

[marley mission]

rad you broke the rule - where's the pic!

[Rad Kelham]

I like you @marley mission.

[CultExciter]

I have nothing important to contribute. I like all of you guys. Even when we don't get along.

[polliwog]

Given that there exists a multipage discussion (including polite disagreement!) of Eddy Deutsche's current vs. older work on this forum only a couple pages back, the detour that this conversation has taken is pretty absurd...

[Isotope]

Steve Lanier from Classic summed it up for me emotionally with his recent hashtag, #yourgrandpahadtoughtattoos. Yup.

[sophistre]

I'm just gonna toss this out there and then fuck off to eat crap hotel food and ogle my new Gilsdorf tattoo:

I've seen plenty of people who don't like traditional best come here and express their opinions without getting everybody's hackles up. Nobody cares what other people like.

People get riled up when someone starts making condescending remarks about how the thing they love is in some way inferior - especially since that's a completely subjective opinion that has zero to do with fact. Everybody gets that you think trad is 'inferior' and 'for posers' (the latter of which is weird to me, because wtf, American tattooing was born on one-shot military pieces, but okay). They just don't want to constantly hear about it.

And it's kinda pass-agg to say things like 'true masters of tattooing,' insulting all of the other bitchin artists who are, yes, doing traditional work.

Tl;dr: nobody cares that you don't hold traditional in the same esteem as other styles. Just stop being a dick about it! Then we can all go back to just appreciating the stuff we DO like.

[Rad Kelham]

That's the whole point! I LIKE being a dick about it! Getting you guys all riled up while I'm riding the bus or making a sandwich or taking a crap! The subtle backhanded compliment. Making you angry and loving it! Bahahaha plebeians! I don't really care about any of this. I'll get a stick and poke tomorrow or a trad piece the following day. Muh ha ha ha ha. Tequilaaaaaaaaaaa bitchesssss!

[cltattooing]

@hogg @Iwar @gougetheeyes can we ban this embarassment yet? Sorry if I'm out of line for asking this but holy fuck

[jimstanley]

I'm not too invested in any of this but it's a bummer to see conversation get steamrolled. I'd rather let the bigger fish talk and look for scraps

I love traditional tattooing. I like a lot of stuff though. Had that deutsche sleeve up on my browser for a minute. I'm into it. I don't mean to say that it isn't going to last or that it isn't incredible because I don't have any authority. I think it looks awesome, but it doesn't resonate with me psychically like traditional tattooing does for whatever reason.

[RoryQ]

I actually would like to read more discussion on here of things like biomech, black and grey realistic etc

Biomech in particular - I'd never get it, but I've read some really interesting interviews with Cain and Aitchison where they're talking about it - ... why not?

Those threads aren't going to start themselves though.

If you're interested, Rad, why not start some? I get the feeling that you're not even particularly enjoying being the "attention whore of the month" on the forum, protestations to the contrary.

[beez]

@hogg @Iwar @gougetheeyes can we ban this embarassment yet? Sorry if I'm out of line for asking this but holy fuck

+1 on this.

rad is trolling us all - successfully - I'm over it.

- - - Updated - - -

Also! Guys! There is a way to "mute" people so you don't see their comments on the forum. I think it involves going to your account page? Not sure but if anyone remembers can point to the relevant thread, would be awesome. I'm on my phone now but will see what I can do when back on a computer.

[Graeme]

@beez He got his dumb, ignorant ass banned so no need to block him.

[xcom]

WoW... This thread went to shit quick... It even got one person banned... WTF. :(

I hope that y'all understand that I meant this to be a good thread. Positive.

[cltattooing]

@xcom I think most of us understood that you were trying to contribute something positive, I wouldn't worry.

Also @RoryQ have you checked out Jeff Crocci's work at 7th Son in SF?

[beez]

@Graeme ????❤️❤️❤️❤️??????

If that string of emoticons is unreadable, just know I sent a string of googly eyes, hearts, and party horns.

It's been a long time since I've been around someone that aggressive who really enjoys upsetting people so much. I've never understood that kind of behavior. I have a friend who one time tried to explain to me the art of the troll and why it was so much fun...and messing with your friends just a tiny bit is a fun and time honored tradition - but rad's trolling takes it to a different level. It's not funny? I dunno.

Thx for taking care of it mods!

[hfs40000]

People should argue some more about whether Myke Chambers is good or not. That sounds fun to read

[RoryQ]

@xcom I think most of us understood that you were trying to contribute something positive, I wouldn't worry.

Also @RoryQ have you checked out Jeff Crocci's work at 7th Son in SF?

Just did... Pretty cool- he mentions he gets a lot of international clients on his IG... Guess bio mech still has its adherents.

You see the odd sleeve of it here ever now and again, but it's uncommon.