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Don't know if this comes under the mantle of "Black Work " but i guess it could .Mainly i liked it so freakin much i had to post it somewhere/anywhere !!New stuff by Jeff Zuck .

I don't care for industry either, there's nothing industrial about what I do. Anyone said body-mod? That word makes me want to slam my face into my desk. I guess thats more of a piercer thing... Come to think of it, I feel the same way about most piercers.

As of yesterday the total raised is $2,907.00. Thanks for your support and if you haven't ordered some please do before June 1st. Thanks!

good points, i'm just too lazy and post all my pics from my iphone these days, as my camera gathers dust. on a side note, i see a lot of hacks making laughable tattoos watermarking their photos, as if anyone would want to steal them! these are the same guys who write on their websites "DO NOT STEAL OR COPY!" hahaha...and they suck!

A few weeks back Conspiracy Inc. in Copenhagen tweeted a comment something along the lines of needing to watermark their tattoo pictures. So I responded how it is also nice when tattooers watermark tattoo pictures so as they travel the internet those of us who want to know can know who did the tattoos. I know I often am sent tattoo pictures with no tattooer or tattoo shop information which frustrates me. Or wandering the internet looking for tattoo pictures and see some amazing tattoos but have no way of knowing who did them and/or where. The reason I and I know others want to know who did the tattoos is so we can know who is doing good tattoos and give them the credit they deserve plus the of course enjoyment from looking at great tattoos. Also now with this tattoo forum we want to give the tattooers credit when we stumble across their work and post the photos on the site so others can know as well. We, LST, often look at other tattoo sites, forums, blogs, etc and see "too many" of them have some pretty bad tattoos posted which equates to, if these tattoos are the majority of what customers see the bar can not be set. Hence one of the reasons we started this tattoo forum so tattoo customers can see there is no need to settle for below par tattoos. This site is to try and give the tattooers credit who intrigue us and in return so they not only get more work but also so tattoo customers can get better tattoos. So with that tattoo ramble, we start the Tattoo Watermark thread for both tattooers and tattoo customers. To watermark or not? Stories? Etc...............

Here's a list of people that I find waaaaaaaaaaaaay under rated. Clay McCay Lizzie Renaud Mike Bruce Josh Mcalear and motherfucking Dan Troccio. I know he had a TAM interview a while back and he's in New York, but I just feel like he gets slept on. He's a real low key guy, but honestly one of the best out there IMO. Get tattooed by everyone on this list and make the world a better place.

"collector" is the name most tattoo artists give to us though Mario I guess because we are collection tattoos from specific artists! I really don't see myself as anything special because i "collect" for my own reasons......not to enter contests and win trophies or for the "ego" of having good work! I just feel blessed to have met the talented artists I have met, and to have their art on me! It's the tattoo artists that make a big deal out of it because 99% of most people being tattooed have no clue who all these artists are that have tattooed me nor do they care! I really don;t know many "collectors" so i guess really tell you how others act when they come into your shop....I just know I am not like that. I have no problem with someone who only wants to get a name or kanji, or whatever as they are the ones that are paying your bills! As long as it is good work that is! :)

i first saw peter lagergren's blog a few months ago, and i was blown away.....couldn't beleive i have never heard of someone that good until now. that backpiece on ben grillo looks crazy. i could mention a few people, one would be steve moore from vancouver, i know some west coasters already know about him, but out east anytime i show some my work from him, they have no idea who he is.....he keeps it low profile on the web and has only done a few articles. but if you get to check out his sketchbook and the photo book he carries around, it's insane. one of the best artists i have ever worked around, he did a few guest spots when aaron still worked with us. matt rinks and brady duncan are two other dudes who a lot of younger tattooers don't even realize that alot of shit they are copying are heavily influenced by stuff they were doing a whle ago. neither of them hae a while lot to do with computers, though. i used to work with this dude named jef mcgreevy a while back who could draw, paint, or tattoo almost anything, not even sure if he's still tattooing now. would have been really well known if he did a few more mag articles back then. he's been getting some press nowadays, but cory norris is a another artist that has been pushing it for a long time.

Twin Peaks and Sons of Anarchy just dropped into my instant queue.

changing the genre, Me and You and Everyone we know is also on Netflix instant. if you like Little Miss Sunshine, you should watch this. Fuck it, you should watch it regardless, as Miranda July is a renaissance woman and an awesome artist. ))><((

I am working on upgrading the LST 'gallery' feature and one of the options is auto-watermarking if desired. I'm not sure if it could be individualized per forum member, probably just one 'Last Sparrow Tattoo' stamp, but at least that would tie it back to where it was originally posted. does that seem like something that people would like to see, or no?

I found Rhi Wallace via Facebook. and i really dig her style, and would love to get tattooed by her someday. Pennsylvanian has been added to the list of place i want to travel to for tattoo purposes. Login | Facebook

CUSTOMER RESPECT...OF COURSE IT EXISTS...WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT CUSTOMERS.... It is very varied...like someone said there are all kinds of people..so there are all kinds of tattooers....Most people when they first come in the shop think i am scowling at them...but i cannot see past 15 feet so I am trying to discern who it is.... I work in a street shop..I always have worked in a street shop...I like it.....I always liked Mikey perfettos(pronounciation..not spelling) way of running a shop...the dry erase board you put your name on...whether you want a back piece or a litlle kanji...you get your name on the board..you will get tattooed that day... he takes the board away at a certain point and you gotta come back tommorrow...Also his customers are fiercely loyal...people go there with sleeves or work from really great and well known artists and his customers will look at it and say.."those are nice...but look at the ones Mikey put on me" Tattooing has turned into a real whirlwind...more people today getting tattooed than ever...more tattooers tattooing than ever...more personalities....I promise i will not go into a "back in the day" rant.. I am not sure if it was better back then anymore but with the tattooer and tattooed population exploding that adds alot into what is happening...With all these people comes all these personalities and egos and behavior.... It is a imperative for a tattooer to remember that his customer may have worked 40 hours for the 200 bucks you are gonna get in an hour or two...and it is also hard to have 6 or 7 18 year old girls ask you'what place hurts the least on the body and i can hide it from my parents" naturally I think...if you want a tattoo you will get it where you want it regardless of the pain...it is a tightrope or have people coming at you all day asking"how much would you have charged for this?" rolling up their sleeve... but it is important for customers to remember that a tattoo machine is not a magic wand...(well Id swear it is in some peoples hands)Like all the young tattoo-ologists that come with their friend to get their first and you put the pattern on and they ask their friend rather than look in the mirror...or the facebook thing...tattooing with people trying to film it to put it on line with their phones...or when you go to dip your machine in ink they slip a camera in and take a shot of a pattern with one line....I mean it is alot.... then the memorial tattoo.... they are going thru the biggest changes in their life and you are poking holes in them...there is so much going on that people do not realize....and while all that is going on you may have had a fight with your significant other, or your kid or grandkid is sick....but you have to leave all that outside of what you are doing.. Then we have that all too ga-narly EGO...on both sides of the fence...Like in sobriety at the end of a 12 step meeting they say the lords prayer and I heard a guy say "deliver us from ego" rather than "deliver us from evil"...ego is a huge thing...more now than ever...Opinions(like mine i am typing out now) are a big factor too....what was it rollo said"alot of tattooers are building monuments to themselves rather than doing what the customer wants" people get tattooed for all kinds of reasons..and sometimes people think a tattoo is gonna change their life...its not...it is just them with a tattoo... Then the cool factor... right??? I had a guy tattooing for a couple of days at the shop who used to have a serious attitude...not anymore..and i asked him about it.and he said he learned it..like watching more 'experienced" tattooers act bothered by the customers...Its actually pretty funny when you think about it...but he realized that is what he thought he was suppose to act like...and you tattooers would laugh if you knew they guy he learned from...this guy was notorius like sitting behind a counter with his hands hidden smiling and talking to the customer while flipping them off with both hands Most Tattooers start hanging around shops very young...they are very impressionable...it is the old nature versus nurture arguement..and one day the nature wins over if they were nurtured liked the guy i just mentioned...unless they are naturally nitwits to begin with...but they may have learned that arrogant behavior....but usually they will lose it if it is in their nature.... Or how about they act like they think they are suppose to act because they heard some story about a big noise tattooer acted towards a customer...the story is completley blown out of proportion and when you get the real skinny on what happened it all made sense.... Tattooing is hard work...most people that spend an hour in a shop that you spend your whole life in probably get the perception it is easy....IT IS VERY DRAINING.....I mean ass kicking as hard as running a jack hammer or ditch digging(I guess i still am kinda)ass kicking... but the customers are the real reward...that is why it gets good...and I have a alot of friends that agree...However the customer also makes it the biggest struggle... what is that saying..'people only ask how your doing so they don't let on how little they care"...Ok a customer books an appointment(thats why i like walk ins..I tell them i will get em tattooed if they can wait...for the people in front of them or the hours it takes to draw the picture they showed you on their phone...)is every single customers printer always out of ink... But lets go with an appointment..Ok the guy works all week and he has an appointment at 5 on friday...he is running a little late but figures it is his time anyway so what is 15 minutes...at the same time at the shop the artist has a guy there with the cash that wants a small one...well is the appointment coming?...if i tell the guy at the shop no and the customer does not show up i am out both tattoos and cannot pay my starbucks debit card(yeah right...somethin important like that)...whatever...so you take the guy there and then the appt. shows up... he flies right up to your station and you tell him.."i got this one infront of you and then i will get to you..."he is pissed...pacing...but he will get over it....He shoulda been on time..I am a nut about being on time....it is all about the individuals personality... Ok or you are working on a tattoo that some guy worked all week for the $ and another customer comes up and wants to ask you how you can add on to a tattoo..and you try politely to tell them.."hey i gotta do this right now when i get to you you will have my undivided attention" in which the customer replies.."do you think cherry blossoms will work?" like you did not say anything....usually we are guarded until we see where they are coming from... there is a whole lot going on before you walk in the shop.... The customers are usually intimidated to begin with...they think their questions will be dumb...but i always ask them what they do...lets say they cut hair..i do not know anything about that..like they do not know anything about tattooing...of course they have questions....fire away....but when you get the customer that wants you to give them the answer THEY WANT..not the truth...tattooing is so overrun now they will find someone who will give them the answer they want...maybe not the tattoo but the answer.... People love their tattoos....I was told that very young by a great tattooer....remember people love thier tattoos...I have seen a perfectly good reaper done on a customer by someone and had a tattooer look at it and say 'who did that reaper?...they shaded it backwards..." (actually it is that cliff raven reaper..it is not shaded backwards it is like that on the flash) so a week later i get a call from the customer"shane can you fix my reaper?"...Why? whats wrong with it? it is because that guy told you it was shaded wrong? it was fine and you loved it for 2 years until some nitiwt says something about it...you loved it when you picked it....that is so sad... Anyway....It is a fine line......but there are all kinds of tattooers..like there are all kinds of customers... Another older tattooer told me when i was young that it is the experience...the whole of it...someone who bumps into a world famous guy tattooing them may do a beautiful eagle but they like the one that we, as tattooers, may not think is the best technically because they dug the experience people get tattooed for all knids of reasons and art is relative...... My longest friendships are with tattooers...in spite of us being tattooers..some i may not see everyday or every year but when i do it is like not a day has passed....and in every tattooer there is a customer...WE ARE CUSTOMERS...all of us....and regardless of what they may portray they all put there pants on one leg at a time...noone truly shits beige.... I do not take breaks....not rest breaks anyway..i may have to pour some color..but I usually do not stop to smoke or coffee or eat...I barely do that between tattoos...and i know i am not as good as my peers...but i have been around it and done it since i was a little kid and i know part of the reason i am so swamped every single day is customer relations...THANK GOD I AM SO SWAMPED.... gratitude...being grateful that we have the best job in the world...in spite of the bad backs,neck extra 20 pounds the lack of privacy,the hurt hands and wrists,bad eyes,the judgements,bad diet,the intra industry personality wars, who knows who, thousands of people chasing the same nickel....the cant get to sleep because i crossed that line on the eagle feather...,is my dick too small( where did that one come from) the IRS,state laws,the internet etc...etc.etc...it is still the best job in the world.... The customer is the most important part of all of this....no question....it is a two way street and keeping your side clean is the best thing you can do.... PS i did an article/ interview with Big bad Jack Rudy that is coming out in TAM #25...check it out....

It doesn't make me cringe but I don't like the term - leg sleeve

Anything a person says about somebody with celebrity status, is often perceived as envy or jealousy. But unfortunately for the person who seeks fame---- like those discussed on a different thread( Jonathan Shaw, Gil, Roy Boy, Crazy Ace, Kat etc -- open discussion, judgement and criticism comes with the territory.