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http://www.facebook.com/people/Matt-Arriola/100000490300185#!/photo.php?fbid=215221748504167&set=a.163120863714256.40718.100000490300185&type=1&theater Here is a link to my newly started backpiece. This photo is better than any that I have taken,and it is easier to upload. I used to be very hesitant to post any of my tattoos anywhere online, but my ideas on that have changed. This forum is about sharing tattoo related information, and since I do not make tattoos the only thing that I have to share is the tattoos that I have. Also I usually hate in progress photos, but I will try and update things as they go forward. I am almost four hours in at this point. Hopefully I will have this finished by the end of the summer. And I am sorry that everyone has to see my ass.

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.

Did story 3 involve some counciling as well? The possibilities of what you listed are endless and horrible.

I'm currently an apprentice. As far as the shop is concerned, I have it pretty easy. I have a full time job, so I only work nights and weekends. The guys don't treat me like absolute crap, but they are serious about me pulling my weight. I occasionally get shot with an air soft gun or assigned a horrible task to keep me in line, but that's how it goes so I don't mind those. What I consider my worst experiences come from the customers. story 1: We had a walk in one day when the wait was kinda long. She and her male friend decide to wait. The friend went back to use the shop restroom. He was in there a long time and he came out right as I was moving tubes to the back. I heard the door chime, and noticed they had left. This does not bode well. I head back to the restroom, and the toilet lid is down. I lift the lid to see a toilet full of paper. We're talking atleast a quarter of a roll. So I grab the plunger and discover that there is a full deposit waiting under the paper. 20 minute later I finally have the toliet unplugged. It was so bad that at one point I was afraid the plunger wouldn't be enough. And it smelled horrible. About 30 minutes after that they come back in, and they have a bag full of Krystals. I guess he had some room to fill. To top it off, when it's finally time for the chick to get tattooed, she says she's gonna run next door really quick to use the restroom, because her friend says "there's some kinda leak in ya'lls restroom." I was stunned. I said "oh no, our restroom is fine." The dude would not look at me. Story 2: We had a lady come in and decided to bring her 8yr old with her. Everythings going okay, then suddenly the kid pukes, right there at the artist 'sfeet. Then again in the hallway. Then in the restroom, all over the sink and toilet. It was on the mirror, the magazine rack and even the walls. Then she puked once more for good measure in the hallway. Lady stayed to finish her tattoo. I had to fight the urge to hand her the mop. Story 3: I don't even like to think about story 3. It involves a clogged toilet, a bent salad tong, a broken a/c in the shop and a lot of gagging. After the last, my teacher said "what is it with your apprenticeship and toilets? It will all be worth it one day, but damn! that's alot of gross!"

You can order thru Lucky's Supply in Tampa.... Yup it's the real deal good process, Angelo has got it down, I sold a bunch in Hollywood a few years back, and dropped it off at Spotlight for the boys... Richard is a big fan of the Red Velvet.

I'm with Shawn. I didn't initially set out to have "a suit." If I had, I would've approached things much differently. I have no regrets about my tattoos (but I do have a coverup!), and I love what Dan Higgs said in an old video that Shawn posted. It was something to the effect of, "Don't worry about whether or not something will go with what you already have--just put it there and it automatically goes together. You got Hot Stuff next to Jesus next to a clown." Take a look through my gallery and you'll see that I look like a yakuza from behind and a typical confused American from the front. :)

All I saying is I want more of them... maybe like a full sleeve, cinnamon roll, cup cake, french bread, mexican pan, dinner roll... ohh well maybe 2012.

My predictions for the top 3 tattoos for 2011 are as follows: 1) Sea creatures. 2) Script on the ribs (mostly for girls) 3) Usage of the bellybutton for an animal anus.

My grandmother was one of those stars, asshole! That's why it's super important that you put them on my ribs under the opening paragraph of my favorite Twilight novel.

Dude, cmon those stars represent my cousin's girlfriend's struggle with strength. And also honor.