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I've never tattooed at a convention and the last time I tattooed at someone else's shop (as a visitor) was 20 years ago , I was working in Georgia and traveled to Jacksonville to work at Inksmith and Rogers. Well I'm en route to Inksmith and Rogers ,again ,to sit in and visit with Mike Wilson and Angelo Miller--- and also the rest of the crew. I'm a little neurotic and anxious--- but I'm flattered that they'll have me. I'm not even comfortable working in a different station in my own shop so this is definitely out of my comfort zone. I'm considering this my 20-30 yr refresher course! Wish me luck

lay of the chrome virgin mary woman...it was the 90s and eddy did it.

While I was at Frith Street my beautiful squeeze had her second session. A really stunning Day of the Dead Girl, tattooed by Stewart Robson.

Heres my latest, done yesterday by Jordan at Frith Street Tattoo, London. Eagle on my wrist and a couple of flower fillers. [/img]

I've never been tattooed by anyone that wasn't almost completely covered, and I can't think of any tattooer I know that isn't mostly all covered. Its like the analogy of hanging out in a barbershop, you're eventually gonna get a haircut. If you love tattooing, and you're around good artists, how could you not end up covered in them? If anything, I'd be weary of a tattooer who only had new and perfect tattoos. From what I've seen, a lot of amazing tattooers who've been tattooing for a long time are covered in kinda crappy tattoos (sorry, no offense), because they've been around tattooing for so long. Or they're under there somewhere, 2 or 3 layers down. Chrome bio-mechanical Virgin Mary, anyone? Of course, I'd never fault someone for being young, (or rich or thin or beautiful, for that matter), so young tattooers are exempt from this generalization, but I can't think of any 20 yr. olds I'd let tattoo me, either.

i take it he's a tabby wishin' he was a tiger?

My head tattoo done by my own personal scratcher. No tattoos but he does have some lovely stripes.

your an ass to give it away and a bigger ass thinking you deserve it, stewert is right we are just borrowing it. and that painting sucks, as it should its your second one. by the 250th one you will have somthing to hold up for public opinion. not trying to be dick just love where this thread has gone.

if i went to get a hair cut and the stylist was wearing a hat or if i was hiring an interior designer and i met at their place and they had no furniture or if i was in a boy band and i needed a stylist and upon meeting them the were weaing sweat pants i'd have to wonder.

I agree with Mario (again) but I'm trying to ignore most of the back-and-forth boring shit about encouraging beginners like it was some kindergarten project and just say: Price is dictated by demand. That's it. If people want your stuff they will pay whatever you ask. Regardless of quality. But you did lay out your work before some of the best in the world (I don't mean me, btw) and expect it to be well received. Even after you declared it your first attempt. Sell something when you've learned to do it properly, not the first few clunky attempts. I went to art school and worked as a professional designer/illustrator/etc for almost a decade. I don't think it helped my tattooing too much. I learned how to take a brief from a client as a professional. I learned a bit of art history at university. Those were plus points. For me the worst influence art school has on potential tattooers is the sense of entitlement that it fosters. Art school 'kids' are taught that they have a special vision or gift. Taught that hey have a duty to broadcast their vision to the world and the world should think itself lucky to feel the rays of brilliance from a living genius. Tattooing and drawing tattoo designs teaches you (if you are lucky) that you are the current incarnation of an artistic lineage and that you are borrowing everything, attempting to take care of it for a while, to pass it on to a later generation. It also teaches you humility and the value of hard work, in spades. If smiling.politely had wanted advice, they would have asked how to improve the drawing before painting it. Instead they chose to seek acceptance and a confirmation of the 'special vision' probably with the hope of an offer of a tattoo apprenticeship. Genuinely, I wish you good luck with all those things but if you expect people to pay you money for something, it better be the best you can do. Especially in a saturated market. Be that tattoo style 'art' or whatever you choose to pursue.

There are sometimes exceptions to any rule and I agree with Tim but I would go much further and use the term parasite. They are feeding off something and giving nothing back. I fail to see how any tattooer can understand what they are doing to people if they have no tattoos. Yeah there's the pain side. Mostly it's not that bad, but if you're tattooing ribs, chests, backs etc you should at least have empathy with your customer. But more than the sensation of being tattooed, there's the mental and emotional side to being a tattooed person. The way it feels to have made a deliberate choice to get a tattoo, placed a certain amount of trust in a stranger (usually) and to have the results with you every moment of your existence. To know what it's like to live with a tattoo, to see it age with your body etc. Not forgetting the social side, the way other people interact with you, either positive or negative. All these things cannot be understood without having tattoos. Being heavily tattooed is certainly no indicator of the quality of a tattooers work, but I have zero respect for tattooers with no tattoos.

Then offer the painting to your kind friends for auction. Highest bidder wins. Problem solved. Then you can paint another for the second-highest bidder. Everybody wins. Maybe art school didn't curse you with a sense of entitlement. If not, you were lucky, It took me years to try and shake it. but TV shows sure made you think that sentiment and romance make sub-standard work justifiable. I'm afraid that once you paint tattoo imagery and show it to professionals you are held to the same standards as professionals. So one of the hardest things about tattooing is learning to take advice without offering excuses and reasons. It's difficult and it hurts but you need to take it on the chin and learn from it. I'm sure any tattooer worth their salt would agree.

Ok, not wanting to be an ass, but what do you mean by "3 hours to draw it". You arrived at the shop he spent three hours drawing either on your leg or on paper, then your total tattooing time was 3 hours? Does this tattooist have a website?

Much love for Billy Idol. That dude rules at everything.

How many hours was that?

no tattoos.....no love.......fuck you in the face for thinking you can tattoo and not be tattooed, the trade involves a commitment a dedication to the craft. if you dont respect it or like it enough to get the product you produce on you then you are a parasite.....''robbing from the host." i think that would be the definition. as for boris i have no interest in what he has to offer. has anyone seen how many ink caps that guy uses. how many fucking shades of skin tone can you need? or does that weird rotary you take the tips of not blend a color. christ!!!!!!!

i can tell you that most tattooers i know HATE emails regarding scheduling appointments. the best way to set an appt. up is to call the shop. but thats only if you have to travel to see the artist. if you live in the same city, pay them a visit. ive traveled 2000 miles to get tattooed several times. it bugs the shit outta me when somebody emails and thinks they dont have the time to come in for a visit cuz they live 20 minutes away. if you are too lazy to visit for consultation, im too lazy to tattoo you.

absolutely judge a book by it's cover... that's what it's there for

Saw Slapstick, Alkaline Trio, and The Lawrence Arms last week. Stoked. I wish I could go to the Riverboat Gamblers / Off With Their Heads / Dead To Me / Underground Railroad To Candyland / Big Kids show in SF next week...

Well when the book is related to illustration I think that quote goes out the window.

And as a client I like to think that my tattooer is so committed to my project that they carry it around in a special brief case hand cuffed to their wrist till my tattoo appt------ but as a tattooer I find it interesting that clients assume that as soon as they make their appointment- i'll be working on their tattoo non stop - till they're in my chair- This isn't directed at anyone who posted--- just a side note.

just show up and if the drawing sucks don't get it tattooed on you...

I've shown up to appointments when an artist hasn't drawn anything yet and yes I had to wait longer but I still ended up with some killer tattoos. Think about how many people/tattoos he/she has to deal with on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. I'm sure one or two clients are bound to slip through the cracks. If he forgets again on the day of just pretend you're a walk in- in which case you'd have to wait for him to draw it up anyways. I would be more concerned with your seeming lack of confidence in your artist's skill level more than his forgetting what you wanted tattooed.... The majority of your leg is a big chunk to give to someone you don't really trust is going to deliver you something you'll be happy with.

Nobody who tattoos simply to make a living, to put food on the table becomes 'great'. Maybe it's starts that way, but somewhere along the line something will change. Anybody who became 'great' at anything sacrificed a lot to get there. That's where the respect comes in. Tattooing isn't just another artform to 'express' yourself. It's something very different that has similarities to other crafts and arts but it's something that stands alone. You can draw similarities with other fields (and it can be fun to dream them up) but in the end nothing else has the same mix of craft, decoration, artistry, service and an emotional connection. The respect doesn't come from the amount of tattoos someone has. The lack of respect comes from the hypocrisy to dare to do to others what you cannot allow to be done to yourself. A subtle but very definite distinction. I would like to add that ANY craft is sacred. The time and energy spent perfecting any craft is akin to spiritual devotion. Anybody who fully understands their craft deserves respect. It's impossible to fully understand tattooing without having tattoos. One or two small ones doesn't count. I understand that visible tattoos are not for everybody, but that's not what's being discussed here. Anybody who buys supplies, attends conventions, buys magazines etc, serves the 'industry'. Those who get heavily tattooed and take their shirt off for a photo shoot, serve the 'industry'. - I never mentioned them, or the industry, as they are a different argument that I have no interest in. Tattooers who aim for quality and get tattooed serve the CRAFT. They also HAVE respect for the craft, so they deserve nothing but respect in that regard. Being 'cool' has nothing to do with it.

I would never get tattooed by someone who had no tattoos--or even just a couple--but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Horiyoshi II (Tamotsu Kuronuma--no relation by blood or lineage to Yokohoma Horiyoshi III) had no tattoos himself. The story, or at least the story I've heard, is that he learned the trade from his heavily tattooed father, who taught him on the condition that he would not get tattooed himself due to the severe prejudice in Japan against tattooed people. He is the one exception I can think of. Based on the work he put out, and the extenuating circumstances behind his lack of tattoos, he gets a pass. (Not that the late great Horiyoshi II gives a shit about what some gaijin thinks of him.)

______________________ Perfect quote! You're just a tourist........ And everybody hates a tourist.