Multiple Session

[JoKno]

I saw this video recently of the 3-day sleeve. I was just trying to imagine how hard it is to sit for that long, and get tattooed so much in such a short amount of time. Does anybody here have any stories of a marathon session like this?

http://vimeo.com/18984844

[luca]

saw a guy at milan tattoo convention few years back that goy the back tattooed in 1 session by filip leu and another guy whose name i don't remember.

he was shaking from the pain.

honestly i don't think i would be able to do such a thing,unless i would use lidocaine cream

[CaptCanada]

Although I have not gone for back to back days for any tattoos I post some storys.

A tv show called "tattoo wars" that was mentioned here before has a episode of Guy Aitchison and Aaron Cain doing a sleeve each on the same guy in I think 5 days. You should he able to find the video somewhere online.

Tebori style:

On a blog that I've read, someone traveling here to japan and wanting to make the most of his trip asked his tattooist how long he thinks it will take to finish a 1/2 sleeve with a chest piece and was told maybe about 25-30 hours. Then he asked if he could get 2 days for 12 hours and a few other days with less time all the same week. He ended up doing two days of 12 hours, one day 4 hours, and another for three hours. Or something like that, read this a while ago so its not fresh in my head, but I do know the tattooer was Ryugen. (I'll look for the blog when I get home.)

The guy doing my tattoo has people coming in from overseas that will come for a week but will only do two or three hours each day. It's not as extream as the blog post from above and takes multiple trips to japan, but is both easier on the body and the wallet.

[Stewart Robson]

I'm sorry, but I don't get it.

What's the rush? Who needs a large tattoo that quickly anyway?

Is regular (shorter) sessions too much trouble? Even if you are traveling, I see no need to do 3 full consecutive days.

I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say that every sleeve that I've seen (in person) completed in marathon sessions or super-close consecutive sessions heals pretty rough. I'd love someone to prove me wrong and i hope someone can but I don't see how you can heal a full arm while maintaining some sort of normal life (which includes moving your limbs, going to the toilet, moving food to your face etc.) without having some colour drop-out or whatever. I find healing larger tattoos to be miserable at the best of times, particularly around the ditch, elbow, armpit etc. For me, marathon consecutive sessions means another trip for touch ups, which negates the need to finish in a short space of time anyway.

It usually takes just a little more thought from the tattooer to finish smaller sections of the tattoo with a mind to extending it later if the client doesn't want to live with an un-finished looking tattoo, or the manner CaptCanada described at the end of his post above. This can still be tough to heal, but is a more efficient use of time, particularly for people who travel long distances. But I guess you don't get so many bragging rights, just a solid, awesome tattoo.

Please bear in mind that I have occasionally and begrudgingly, tattooed the same person on 2 consecutive days to finish a large tattoo before they leave the country/go to prison or whatever, so that probably discounts my opinion.

[WeRnDoG]

I just did back to back days with Shige. I think two days is fine, three is crazy.

[CaptCanada]

Well I tried and failed to find the blog... Not sure about all the numbers and time.

Stewart Robson your right, there really is no point in rushing to get a tattoo finished under normal conditions. Yeah, traveling far distances and needing to pay for airline, hotel, food, and tattoo in addition if you do anything else besides get tattooed when you travel.... Well it happens, and its sorta like a catch 22, you get a new tattoo (hopefully an awesome one) but you are paying for more then just a tattoo so that leaves less money for getting tattooed. You are saving a maybe a couple thousand, depending on how large the tattoo is (or country you are going to), but what your missing out on is taking your time and relaxing which is a major plus when traveling to foreign land. If you are just going down the street or to the next city to finish a tattoo as quick as possible. I just think thats retarded, but of course everyone is different and has different goals in life. Some just want tattoos as quick as possible, some take their time and know that the a tattoo isn't going to jump outa your skin and run off just cause you didn't finish it.

[Julio Avila]

russ is way sexier lookin that i thought he would be

[mario desa]

i hate sleeves that go onto the hand. looks awful, ruins the whole thing.

[dman0808]

I hate to bring back such an old thread but I had a question and can't make new threads yet.

I'm thinking about traveling to get a tattoo and the artist said we can do it (1/2 sleeve) on 3 consecutive days.

the first day is drawing/outline for appx 5 hours. then the second day would be appx 4 and then 3 on the third. Are there issues with this? issues with how the tattoo will come out?

Thanks in advanced

[hgiles]

I had a chest panel and half sleeve completed in two sittings (16+ hours) and the tattoo healed very well. Sitting for a half sleeve wasnt toobad for me.

James Vaughn does half sleeves in 6 hours. But your estimate seems within th realm of normalcy.

[Bunny Switchblade]

I don't think my experience is quite what you mean but I was tattooed

8 times in 3 days last year at the Philly convention!

2 times on Friday....total of 4 hours

4 times on saturday.....total of 5.5 hours

2 times on Sunday......total of 3 hours

I looked like the walking wounded and it did take a lot out of me but it wasn't what i would

consider a marathon session since i had an hour or two in between several of the tattoos!

I have seen people though that have had 8 hour sittings one day and come back the next

day for a 5 or 6 hour sitting (straight sittings) and I don't think i could do something like that!

I wouldn't want anything that big on me personally.

[dman0808]

appreciate the replies. 8 times in 3 days sounds insane. But by the hours it seems it'll be close to what I'll have to do (and I do expect it to take a lot out of me). But yeah, slightly different as it should those were 8 separate pieces. All I'm worried about is healing and quality. Really though, I should trust him and his knowledge. I don't think he'd do it if he thought it wouldn't look right.

[irezumi]

I've seen a 3 day sleeve done with pefect healing. No holidays or drop-out whatsoever. Not that I've seen others in person, just speaking of that particular one.

[Bunny Switchblade]

appreciate the replies. 8 times in 3 days sounds insane. But by the hours it seems it'll be close to what I'll have to do (and I do expect it to take a lot out of me). But yeah, slightly different as it should those were 8 separate pieces. All I'm worried about is healing and quality. Really though, I should trust him and his knowledge. I don't think he'd do it if he thought it wouldn't look right.

It did take a lot out of me and I have found the older I get the more it takes out of me too.....but there was a little "recovery time" (if you wanna call it that....lol) in between each of the tattoos! Eat right....keep fluids in you....and get sleep! I am adding smaller (baseball sized) tattoos to my collection....although some artists want to take more than that it seems....lol......so it's not quite the same comparison as yours sounds like one huge piece!

[dman0808]

I've seen a 3 day sleeve done with pefect healing. No holidays or drop-out whatsoever. Not that I've seen others in person, just speaking of that particular one.

thanks, puts me at east a bit.

[peterpoose]

I just did 70 hours in 8 days straight, to be honest it wasn't bad for me for the actual tattooing. My arse hurt more from sitting lol

[ShaneRealz]

I get tattooed almost weekly at the moment, but not on the same piece. I usually give a tattoo 2-3 weeks to heal before getting more work done on it.

I imagine it would fucking caine to tattoo over a fresh tattoo?

[Dan S]

Got my right arm done around a few existing pieces, and covering up a few others. Layout and outline took 6.5 hours, and then did 2 more 6 hour sessions and one of about 3.5 hours. Lots and lots of shading and changing color gradients. I took maybe two weeks in-between sessions to let everything cool off and settle in. I believe for a really large piece you're better off at least letting the outline heal before doing the color, but that's just me.

[posterboy7596]

That's some excellent looking stuff. Think you might be able to post some healed pictures once it's all healed?

[tattooedjuliet]

We did 2 sessions in 2 days on my chestpiece, about 10 hours each day. It really sucked, but was worth it. If traveling I think it an be worthwhile if you know your bodies limits. I know 2 days is good for me. I have been tattooed 3 days at a convention a few times but the third day is always awful.

[Scott R]

I just did 70 hours in 8 days straight, to be honest it wasn't bad for me for the actual tattooing. My arse hurt more from sitting lol

Even high on bath salts I would say thats a good feat. Your artist also but in fucking work hope you tipped that dude a vacation

[magnusvinum]

I know this thread is sort of old but I'm flying to Berlin soon (again - 3rd time in just under 2 years) and am finally finishing a full back over 2 days with the very talented Sara Rosenbaum. I want 2 smallish (not too small obviously) forearm pieces at AKA studio and decided to go on the 3rd day in Berlin to get both pieces at once. Crazy? Perhaps. Coming home a happy boy? Definitely. Will report on the pain, the results, and if it was a ridiculous idea! Below my unfinished back...

 

Edited May 12, 2016 by magnusvinum

[briruddick]

hi would it matter if you are tattooed 2 days for 6 hrs each but on diff body parts  

[Dan]

4 hours ago, briruddick said:

hi would it matter if you are tattooed 2 days for 6 hrs each but on diff body parts  

no,as long as you are up to it,

like you feel good,eat well,sleep well,pre-hydrate,etc,etc  the day & night before & day of.

most important is to mentally prepare.

Edited November 2, 2019 by Dan

[cyoonit123]

I did 3 days in a row 6-8 hours each day all on my arm. It healed fine and i'm very happy with the result but jesus christ do I never recommend that for anyone lol. I was so drained by the third day that I didn't feel like speaking and just wanted the tattoo to be done.