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Marcus Kuhn got into town late last night, he's slowly made his way over from Maine over the last few months. Over breakfast he told me all about the upcoming Gypsy Gentleman episodes, the next installment should be up sometime the first week of January and features Steve Byrne and Tony Hundall and was filmed at different places around Austin. The line up and the premise of the third episode should be really good, there's a great line up of tattooers and it's going to be filmed in San Francisco next month. I'm really excited about that one ;) Next Thursday he'll start to dial in my sleeve that was started in May with some colors, super stoked!! Pix for sure :D

These Fucking perfect! And I'm sure everyone here knows they're by Tim Lehi (and on our very own LST admin @hogg )

I'm flattered! I'll also jump on the bandwagon and go with my tigers. All credit goes to Mr. Lehi. I just had to lie there and take it, and he was kind enough to complete the whole affair in 7.5 hours. And no, I did not get them in one sitting. He actually broke it up over 4, so it wasn't that bad. Who am I kidding? It was the worst, but at least he's fast. Really, though, there are so many jawdroppingly good tattoos that I see almost daily--often from our very own @Valerie Vargas and @Stewart Robson, but also from local shops like Blackheart and Spider Murphy's--that I can't pick a favorite on someone else. There's just too much good stuff out there.

This is my favorite completed tattoo this year. I've received many compliments from tattooers and collectors. @Stewart Robson completed on July 1st at FST.

Some of the stories and half-truths are pretty amusing and they serve a purpose to protect or obscure some things that should remain at least a little esoteric. What bugs me more than fables and tall-tales are when someone has half a useful piece of information and it swirls around in their busy little mind until they think they are a fountain of knowledge. They then spout that 'knowledge' to their friends or to people who are desperate for crumbs of information on the internet. But that's a different thing I guess. I'm not of the opinion that everything should be laid out and explained to any yahoo that comes into a shop or internet forum. So I don't want to burst too many bubbles. But... In may towns and cities in the north of England, many people believe if you get an 'X' tattooed on the sole of your foot you get it for free. Variations even extend to: If you get the bottom of your foot tattooed totally black, you get any other tattooing free, for life, from any other tattooer, in the world. As if more than 5 tattooers can agree on anything, never mind every tattooer in the world adhering to some secret code. Visitors or customers in those shops were all totally bummed out when I told them that's not true. At least not the way I work. Fucking nuts.

i've seen a good amount of guy aitchison stuff around here, from his many years in chicago. it looks like shit. a blurry mess.

honestly if it's his wife that is getting the sleeve she is probably going through mags and interweb stuff telling him I want this and that. He is probably stoked because he is putting them in his portfolio. It's like a shitty bonnie and clyde scenario. I have had girlfriends in the past hang out at the shop looking at magazines and saying I want this and I want that. It boils down to they see something cool that's already been tattooed and now know it's tattooable. It's a combination of no imagination and lack of trust. I want it just like this because if you put your spin on it, it will not be as awesome. Not understanding that original artist will dust the other guy in technical and everything else. And secondly, lack of education. Everything is so right click save in a folder. From the privacy of your house where no one will give you the finger wave head shake and mom look. Just have to not give up on people and start educating them. Let them know low class people steal shit and there is a huge moral with tattooing. At least the tattooers that will stick around, the rest will be back to building houses in no time

When Jill Bonny was tattooing the dots in the part of my snake that wraps around my left butt cheek, I tried to distract myself by counting the dots. I stopped after 300.

You added 2+2 and made 7. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory but it won't make a difference to the texture of your skin under normal circumstances. It's good for: • Reducing swelling on areas prone to swelling during the healing process, particularly near joints. (note, hands and feet often swell more than other areas but consider the number of joints in those areas. Apply 'reefer' jokes to taste) • For particularly painful areas I use it before getting tattooed. I didn't notice any difference on my arms, thighs or stomach etc. But did notice it helped me avoid the panic, allowing me to relax more during getting the sides of my ribcage tattooed. Still, nothing helps pain management more than relaxation and breathing techniques. Seriously. Before getting tattooed, eat a light-ish meal (sandwich or something), the night before try to get a good amount of sleep, drink plenty of water, relax, sit still, shut up and get tattooed. It's pretty easy. Because I'm a pussy I have a glucose drink with me, taking sips every 30-60 minutes or so. Any stuff you've heard or read about people taking this-or-that concoction of pills, or drinks or whatever. They are usually heavily tattooed people who are totally bored of getting hurt and sitting through the boring bit of getting tattooed. So they'll try anything. Once you get over 100 hours of tattooing on your body, a little of the exotic shine and excitement kinda wears off the experience. They get tattooed for the end result, not the experience. If you still have 50-80% of your body free from tattoos, you can be considered fairly tattooed but there's a good chance you'll be stoked to be in the tattoo chair/bench/whatever. It's interesting to look around the shop and check stuff out, to watch a little of the process and to be privy to the whole atmosphere that makes a tattoo shop one of the coolest places in the world, to be part of it and contribute by getting a tattoo. So sit still, shut up and enjoy it.

Over the years like with anything stories are created, recreated, recreated (fish tales) and with those stories come people who believe them as fact. They go unquestioned and feed lies to people so lets here peoples tattoo myths you know are busted.......

We all know one or two of these types... To call them out or not to call them out? That is my burning question... Porn Stars, Models, wanna be's.... If it's not your full time job/passion/obsession should you really be doing it?

or this...

Matt Arriola's Photos | Facebook I don't know if it is my favourite, but it is definitely the top two or three. Matt Arriola.

If he were tattooing a bear, PETA would be all over him. A gay bear, and he's probably just going to get tipped well and possibly hit on. Story of my life.

i think this is somewhat of a "slippery slope", if tattooing is to be considered "fine art" and copying should not occur it creates this paradox that makes me wonder how its ok to copy norman rockwell's version of rosie the riveter or some other piece of fine art as a tattoo. other mediums don't get the same time of respect that is expected within tattooing when it comes to reproduction. obviously it's easier to identify when these reproductions occur within the same medium because it will be viewed by the same audience more often than not. even if you create an image for one individual it is always possible that the image will resonate with other people who might see it, they might not attach the same level of attraction to it as say a movie character or a cartoon character that they would want reproduced as a tattoo but there is obviously a resonance that the image carried for them to want it. i guess i think of it like going to see a bar band play covers, at the end of each song i'm not going to yell and say hey that was a (insert band name here) song. i know i'm not seeing the real deal performing. now with all of that said, i think its funny that the guy who did valerie copy put his name and a big copyright on the pic of his tattoo. but that is also the same amusement i find when i see another piece of art from another medium copied and then the tattoo "artist" puts their copyright on it.

If Stell is not working for you how about this guy? Austin is only a little bit further. Tony Hundahl's Photos | Facebook

You can learn a lot more from doing 200 thoughtful (but quick) sketches, than you can from 20 amateurish (but clean) drawings. It's rarely the goal in the beginning to be able to tattoo what you produce. It seems sensible to blame the lack of a formal apprenticeship but there's no excuse for verbatim copies of custom tattoos. In my non-existent apprenticeship I learned to not copy whole compositions, but to try to understand the way design and layout problems were solved by my favourite tattooers. It's crazy because there's so much great tattooable flash that's cool to tattoo.

the problem is in my opinion is that just because there are more and more tattooers everyday the ratio of hard working creative and original ones are falling off.. part of self promotion is you have to make yourself and your work public. if not no one outside your town would really get to know your work. its obvious valerie is an amazing tattooer, with that comes all the no tallent as clowns who rip everyones shit off. i think its sad that people arent just willing to sit down and learn to draw a girl head with an animal head of their choice. instead to rip it off. then there is the part of a customer wants the exact thing. fine . try to steer them away but if they are persistant dont fucking publish it on the internet.... i love how people are called out on it...

Yes but only if he/she has a bad headache. ;)

There are SO many reasons presented in this video why you should avoid being this person. Whoa.

I use this shit Available at most branches of Wickes or B&Q.

Richard Stell is working in Dallas right now. Send an email. Drive down there. Get tattooed by Richard. Post a photo on this forum. Get lots of compliments. That is about all you need to do.

Darcy Nutt at Chalice in Boise Eric Payne at Ink Vision in Boise Matt Arriola is from Boise and does guest spots at Ink vision sometimes I did a guest spot in Boise at darcy's place a little while ago. It's a great little town in my opinion.

Just relax, keep your breathing regular and stop moving.

Just avoid being this person....

I usually think its best to get your tattooer to source great reference material. Most of us (tattooers) spend a great deal of time/money/effort collecting source material or information for our tattoos. Some of us even do it away from the internet. But in the interests of not poo-pah-ing a discussion: Try searching the internet for reference material that ISNT a tattoo. Adding the term 'tattoo' to a google search is like initiating a shit-filter where it only delivers the worst possible images. Good luck.

You need to move into a better tattoo town...Your in the middle of nowhere. Jon@ Devotion Tattoo Check out their Facebook for updated pics of their work. Chalice Tattoo Studio - Boise Idaho Custom Tattoos Ink Vision | Boise ID Electric Company (1896 Electric Co.) on Myspace This shop is in Logan,UT

LST Yoda Big Joe will have some leads on good artists in boise. Sorry to put the pressure on you Joe but youve not failed yet. what style are you looking for?

ok so what is instagram and does it help me get kick ass tattoos?

thanks for all the great feed back on the show, and thank you loch for posting it...i hope everyone can make it, its a great time and yes we have some of the best tattooers in the business working the show so come out and get tattooed.... thanks.

You should get a consultation with a few different tattooers do bounce ideas off of,and to decide which one you click with. Hope Gallery Tattoo - New Haven, CT Murray,Jae,& T.C.@ Flying Tiger Tattoo David Page tattoos tattoo artist Newington, Connecticut portraits neumas custom Nautilus Tattoo Tracy@ Lucky Soul Tattoo Off the Map Tattoo : - Massachusetts Tattoo Studio colors art space

1) I do enjoy freedom when designing a tattoo, but I have learned over the years to pry into the clients thoughts as deep as possible before putting pencil to paper. It's easy to spot a client who is willing to give me total freedom, but if I see an ounce of "control freak" in a client I spend the time consulting their ideas until I feel like we are on the same page.(even a walk-in) 2) I would redraw a design as many times as took to please the client. I have had many clients that simply wasn't happy until the design looks like a they drew it them self in 8th grade. Once it reaches this point I respectfully decline to do the tattoo. I will add this. My rule is, I will do anything to please the client, but I draw the line when I have to send something out the door I'm not proud of.

My cover up went from this: to this: Because the original tattoo had a lot of black in it, and colours all over the place, I honestly had no idea if it would work out but figured I'd ask anyway. I am pretty farkin happy to say the least!!! (and yes that is Venom lol)

Art Forms in Nature « Hoopers Electric – Meditations in Atrament Here's a set of photos of my just-about-finished sleeve from Thomas Hooper.

@asradin touché! A pile of reference, thumbnails sketches and red wine later, I haven't ruled out that possibility. I'm stoked though.

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!

from what i'm seeing around facebook, it looks like girlheads with a wolf, panther, tiger, goat etc head on top.

nothing related to my son. he has yet to prove himself. he could turn out to be the next hitler. ya never know...