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Go big or go home!

still waiting for a few repaints to show up. everyone is really throwing down. don't want to give too much away but its going to be good.

I can replicate this, the morning after, by ordering a takeaway phal curry from my local Indian restaurant.

I agree with Stewart. I check out this kid's blog, and I enjoy it, but this tattoo really bugs me. I will say that since the kid that has this has a face full of tattoos, the tiresome explanation of tattoos is already a big part of his life.

Thanks. Although I'm a little embarrassed that my mane came up with the whole forcefields thing, I'm on Mario's side of the fence with this one. I stole that from the old photos of Bob Shaw by Bert Grimm. It's pretty much the only way to cap an arm with web and not fuck up the silhouette. Those legs by Cripwell are an amazing example of how great well-placed traditional tattoos can look. Great design choices, placement and rhythm of negative space. A lesson to us all (especially me!) I like some of Simon Erl's work, but the photo above has to be the ultimate hipster tattoo. Avoiding criticism through irony while embracing the thing you are being ironic about. It's the finger-moustache of the tattoo bloggers. He could have got a "pigs is pigs" tattoo in that space instead. that would have been funny for the rest of his life, without a tiresome explanation of an internet trend.

After going big, I go home; I prefer to shower there.

no respect.

I personally do not respect tattooers as much that have no tattoos either. Now maybe I'm being closeminded but fuck it. I wanna know that a tattooer is devoted to his trade; mentally, emotionally, financially and most of all physically. I'm not talking about being heavily tattooed but at least a forearm shot or two. If you're a tattooer and have not one single tattoo or maybe just one... You're just a tourist in our business, go back to selling real estate, there's more of that 'glory' stuff you're lookin' for.

The original post was. Tattooers with little or no tattoos. I AM SPEAKING FROM A TATTOOER'S STANDPOINT ONLY. If someone was unable to get tattoos because of a medical condition - of course I would not have less "respect" for them as a tattooer . But, from a tattooer point of view, CHOOSING not to get tattooed - is what I would question. What acceptable answer could their be when posed with the question, " Why as a tattooer have you chosen not to get tattooed?" I can't make up my mind, my girlfriend won't let me, I might regret it in the future. Certainly choosing to wait, planning out work, saving money etc. Are all perfectly acceptable answers, in my opinion. And again, not having tattoos does not make a person any less capable of doing amazing tattoos.

I think I'd have to look at the tattooer on a 'case by case basis' for this, to be honest. There are some people I know who are covered and don't really put out work that's great, and I know some who aren't that visibly covered who rock. The guy down the street might have no tattoos for a good reason (like, I dunno.. haemophilia?) but is incredible at what he does. All I know for sure is that I'd respect a great tattooer with no tattoos of their own a lot more than someone who's shit, who has loads of tattoos to try to prove a point.

Chrome are you a tattooer or a collector? To answer your question as to whether I would "respect" Grime,Shige or Horyoshi as much if they weren't tattooed. No, I personally do not and would not "respect" a tattooer who chose not to experience what I consider the transformative experience of being tattooed- As much as one who did. I would still " respect" their artistic abilities , just question their motives.

I don't have any cover-ups on my body but I tattoo a hell of a lot of them. Most of the larger work that I do (bigger than 1/2 sleeve) usually incorporates some kind of cover-up. I started to make a point of NOT taking a 'before' picture. Sometimes I do, but I found that the cover-up requests got bigger and bigger the more cover-ups I showed. Covering a half sleeve sized tattoo with a full sleeve compromises the end product but I sometimes enjoy the challenge and the problem-solving aspect of it. This is one of the more tricky ones from last year or so, when I used to take 'before' photos: I got an email today asking if I could cover a full sleeve - with a sleeve.

Thanks for checking out the shots, glad you liked them. If you ever need any advice hit me up. I hear you on the bad shows, I haven't shot a show in a few years... People keep trying to hire me to shoot festivals but I hate standing around in a hot parking lot all day.

Totally different imo. But, if given the choice,and all else being equal- I would be more comfortable having elective surgery performed by a surgeon who had also chosen to have elective surgery than one who would not. " It's just a tattoo, I don't think there's too much to empathize" --- That's definitely not how I feel as a tattooer and I really hope the people i choose to get tattooed by feel the way I do---not the way you do.

caffeine is your friend.

I saw a guy with a brass knuckle tattoo below his eye. To me this said "Punch me here, and don't forgot your brass knuckles"

Hey there, I'm late to the party! Most slang terms and phrases irritate me. I think since I write about tattoos I might notice it more, which is a bit pap. People who say a tattoo is "sick as fuck" are my current pet peeve- if you look at any tattoo on the Tattooist Art facebook page, you will see over 100 "sick as fuck!"s. One thing which really made me laugh though- I got a little unwell last year and had to stop working for about a week. A good friend of mine who doesn't really know much about tattoos kept an eye on my site while I was away, and someone posted up a message asking where in Newcastle was great for some "ink". She told him to have a look in Newcastle Arts Centre and Amazon, and to ask a tattoo artist if they're looking for tattoo ink, having no idea the guy actually meant to say "tattoo". He was a bit pissed off and thought she was being sarcastic, but it really shows how stupid that word is for a tattoo. If it was just ink, we'd all be walking around with sharpie marks on our arms which we'd have to get re-done every day!

There is nothing in my career i have learned more from than GETTING tattooed. Period. Vegan chefs make shitty steaks, If you don't have tattoos you shouldn't tattoo.

I knew a kid in florida who made an appt with Eddie Deustche for "one of them elephant headed buddhas" back in the day. I wish I could have been there when he asked for that.

Yes, that book has been a great resource for info. This book would not have been possible without Chuck Eldridge and Dana Brunson. So many people have been very helpful in piecing together everything. Right now I think we are close to having all the material needed for the book but we are still trying to track down any photographs of Zeis (they are hard to come by). One thing we really need is an original copy of a Zeis supply catalog. The one I have is a copy and I want to scan a few things off the OG catalog. If anyone has one you would be willing to loan me for use in the book please contact me. Here is a small list of artists (not all, still working out the details) that are contributing paintings of commercial flash sold by Zeis. Scott Sylvia Theo Mindell Scott Harrison Chad Koeplinger Jason Brooks Robert Ryan Timothy Hoyer Mike Wilson Tim Lehi Nick Colella Valerie Vargas Stewart Robson Bryan Burk Steve Byrne Tony Hundahl Nick Rodin Jay Chastain Danny Reed Shag Cory Lenherr Aaron Coleman Jay Chastain Thomas Morgan Charlie Roberts and a bunch more... Again its humbling how many people have been willing to help with this project. Zeis's influence on the tattoo world is much greater than I had expected. I hope we can do him justice and preserve his legacy for others.

Ugh, I tried to watch the whole thing, but now I just wish I had my original three minutes and fifty two seconds back. Gross- get it off of me. And why does a stencil need to dry for at leat 20 minutes?

well that was atrocious.

shit! im gonna steal that move!!!!!!!!!!!!

ive always thought the best way to do a tattoo show was to do it "Taxi Cab Confessions" style set up some hidden cameras in a busy ass street shop and let the hilarity ensue. i dont give a fuck why a person gets tattooed. and if all i had to do were memorial tattoos all day long where the client cries throught out the tattoo while explaining to me how they miss their dog, id fucking kill myself. and im not really a hugger unless you got really big boobs. so they aint necessary after i do spiritual paw print tattoo. i DO watch the shows. wish theyd do miami ink again. i'd look over garvers shoulder all day long while hes drawing/tattooing.