How do I ask a question in general discussion?

[newbie321]

Hi,

I just signed up... First I want to say hello to everybody... Second, I have a question regarding tattoos that I would like to post in General Discussion.  However, I cannt seem to figure out how to post in the General Discussion forum.  
All of forums are disabled in 'Create' option except this one.  

Any advice?

Thanks,

[suburbanxcore]

Welcome. Feel free to ask your question here. Lots of new questions get answered in the initiation threads. You're not going to be able to start a new thread until you have at least ten replies to other threads. Let's be honest, the answer to your question is probably "Put a panther on it," "shove a dagger through it," or "go talk to your artist."

Check out the following guidelines for contributing.

https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/guidelines/

[Steve]

Welcome to LST - this is the perfect place to ask your question.

Cheers

[Devious6]

Welcome to the forum!! And, ask away!! 

[newbie321]

Hi, 
I want to get my first tattoo and get it right; hence this question (might be very simple question for many tattoo artists)

I have been seeing that some people have really well defined tattoos.  
 - the tattoos have borders that are sharp and not blurry, ie the boundary where skin begins and tattoo start is well defined.  However the tattoo is not some photographic image or anything like that.  
 - No ink color is overpowering the other and no color really bleeding into another.  
 - all features of an image in the tattoo are crips and well defined.
 - it almost looks real, but it is not a photo
 - and it is not image that has uses shades to create a 3D impression
 
 I called to bunch of tattoo shops and all are saying: yes sure we can do that.  However my hunch is they either do not understand what I describe (as I do not really know how to describe what I saw) or want the business or a little bit of both.  
 I live in Chicago (tons of people with tattoos here) and out of many tattoos I've only seen a few are what I am describing here.  
 
 I think it is some style/technique and of course the skill level of a tattoo artist.  
 
 Anyone knows what such style/technique is called that creates such crisp tattoos?  
 Thanks! 

[Oiocha]

Give us images to help us with what you are describing.  

[newbie321]

16 minutes ago, Oiocha said:

Give us images to help us with what you are describing.  

that is a great idea! 
I will look on the internet tonight for sample images and update my post either tonight or tomorrow morning.  

Thanks!  

[Tornado7]

Photorealism? Chicago?

Like this?

[newbie321]

22 hours ago, Oiocha said:

Give us images to help us with what you are describing.  

Sorry for a delay.  Attached are the sample photos of what I would call 'crisp tattoo' that I could find.   I actually found them from the Gallery on here so huge thank you goes to people that shared them here.   if you look at the flower tattoo, you will see that the resolution is very good, edges are sharp, no color is bleeding/mixing in am undesirable way..  overall it looks very appealing.  The color pallete is just right.  also same can be said about the other tattoo as well.   

Is this some HD tattoo technique art or some multiple needle art  or there is some new tattooing equipment that does this?

Thanks guys!!  

[suburbanxcore]

Nothing special about it, just the sign of a good artist that knows what they're doing.

For that second one, check out Great Lakes Tattoo. Not that they likely couldn't knock out something like that flower, but it's a whole stable of guys crushing bold, "crisp," traditional.

[newbie321]

2 minutes ago, suburbanxcore said:

Nothing special about it, just the sign of a good artist that knows what they're doing.

For that second one, check out Great Lakes Tattoo. Not that they likely couldn't knock out something like that flower, but it's a whole stable of guys crushing bold, "crisp," traditional.

so is there any name for this technique/style ?

is it called HD traditional style?  What do you recommend I say to an artist? 

[Hands On]

6 minutes ago, newbie321 said:

so is there any name for this technique/style ?

is it called HD traditional style?  What do you recommend I say to an artist? 

 

best thing to do is find an artist whose work achieves what you're looking to get, preferably in your area. then all they have to do is do what they do! bring in a reference picture of the style you want and tell them what you're looking to get.

where are you located?

[suburbanxcore]

@newbie321 check out some of the threads on traditional tattooing. Recently, this one has seen a little bit of play: 

 

I would find examples of what you like, whether that's subject matter or artist or both, and bring that to an artist or reputable shop. Tell them your idea and what you're looking for. Talk with them and explain that you like a strong solid outline, bold colors, and a crisp look to the overall tattoo. You should also be able to tell via their portfolio in the shop and their instagram if you're in the right place stylistically. 

[Tornado7]

Are you ever on luck! Seriously Chicago is full of people who can deliver big time with good clean tattoos.

Great Lakes Tattoo (Near West Side on Grand) is having a big big event with some of the best tattooers in the world visiting on St. Patrick's day weekend. The Chicago Tattoo Convention is the same weekend.

I just posted a list of notable shops in Chicago here - check Instagram or shop websites for any of these: Speakeasy, Deluxe, Brown Bros., Revolution, Taylor Street, Timeless

[newbie321]

38 minutes ago, Hands On said:

best thing to do is find an artist whose work achieves what you're looking to get, preferably in your area. then all they have to do is do what they do! bring in a reference picture of the style you want and tell them what you're looking to get.

where are you located?

I am in Chicago.

[newbie321]

11 minutes ago, Tornado7 said:

Are you ever on luck! Seriously Chicago is full of people who can deliver big time with good clean tattoos.

Great Lakes Tattoo (Near West Side on Grand) is having a big big event with some of the best tattooers in the world visiting on St. Patrick's day weekend. The Chicago Tattoo Convention is the same weekend.

I just posted a list of notable shops in Chicago here - check Instagram or shop websites for any of these: Speakeasy, Deluxe, Brown Bros., Revolution, Taylor Street, Timeless

I am just curious why you did not mention Insight Studios?  

[Tornado7]

7 minutes ago, newbie321 said:

I am just curious why you did not mention Insight Studios?  

I don't know that I know any of the artists there? Chicago has so many people making great tattoos, and I don't know them all. I am confident that all of the places I did list can give you a very nice traditional tattoo. I'm certain there are many more!

Stop by GLT on the weekend of their event, seriously. It will be such an education to see what's going on.

[suburbanxcore]

That Great Lakes walk up event is going to be so awesome. I'm jealous that I don't live in Chicago!

[littlefox1970]

17 minutes ago, suburbanxcore said:

That Great Lakes walk up event is going to be so awesome. I'm jealous that I don't live in Chicago!

I feel ya!  Wish I could attend also ....

I have to wait until September for the Montreal Tattoo convention to come around ... which seems like a VERY long time right now~

Hope all you lucky people enjoy it! :) 

[newbie321]

2 hours ago, suburbanxcore said:

@newbie321 check out some of the threads on traditional tattooing. Recently, this one has seen a little bit of play: 

 

I would find examples of what you like, whether that's subject matter or artist or both, and bring that to an artist or reputable shop. Tell them your idea and what you're looking for. Talk with them and explain that you like a strong solid outline, bold colors, and a crisp look to the overall tattoo. You should also be able to tell via their portfolio in the shop and their instagram if you're in the right place stylistically. 

Thanks for the suggesting on what key words to use!  Yeah, here in Chicago we have tons of tattoo shops and tattoo artists, I already looked through bunch of portfolios (that are on the web).  Ironically, most of the images in the portfolios that I have seen are all done with darker themes and they tend to fill with ink every single inch of the area.  It is not my intention to offend anyone and it is just an opinion of a newbie, but I sort of get the feeling that most of the tattoos in Chicago are done through   two steps :
1) cover entire area with ink (as a background)  
2) work with that background and create some images out of it.  
so the result is: many tattoos  appear as a huge splatter of paint, dull, and  all 'grey-scaled to a single major color' and then you have to spend 10 minutes trying to figure what the actual art on it is.  

this is definitely not the case here - you see details right away and everything is in focus etc
 

Edited February 15, 2017 by newbie321

[Tornado7]

A lot of very large and time-intensive tattoos are highlighted in portfolios. Something like a composed Japanese sleeve is going to have a background in a foreground and they can sometimes be busy.

That's one thing about Instagram. Artists may post tattoos that they wouldn't put in their portfolio. Smaller one shot and walk in tattoos.

Long story short, if you see someone's work that speaks to you go speak to him. He may already have a design book ready to go, or he may draw your idea on the spot.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Tornado7

[Youngjason]

Same issue.. 

[newbie321]

On 2/15/2017 at 5:03 PM, Tornado7 said:

Long story short, if you see someone's work that speaks to you go speak to him. He may already have a design book ready to go, or he may draw your idea on the spot.

I agree - very good point.  plus @suburbanxcore suggested some good keywords/terms to use - I seriously did know what to say and how to describe if I were to go to the shop and thought I'd do my homework beforehand.  

Thanks again, guys!!

[oboogie]

Tattoos will look different on different skin, and it will change in appearace over time. If you are worried about how it will look long term (i.e., forever), then don't get one. Seriously.