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I spotted this gem this morning coming home from work. Right on Graham Ave. for all you NYC dudes! @jade1955 and @Iwar, I hope you've booked appointments for when you're here!

Squats, deadlifts and bench (add shoulder presses and rows too) rule for a reason. For me, there is no substitute for large compound exercises.

Specializing in flesh? Coming to me at my convenience? Perfected touch? That sweet tribal decor on poster? SATISFACTION GUARANTEED? These guys know a thing or two about marketing, that's for sure.

Awesome stuff, one tough bastard getting tickled by 3 awesome artists http://tattooartistmagazineblog.com/2012/05/07/chris-crooks-tattoos-tam-blog-tattoo-artist-magazine-three-tattooers-one-tattoo-video-belfast-northern-ireland-white-dragon/

I have Baphomet on my left hand. Big ol Baphomet head. And I have a Lamb of God on my right. Got the lamb first then the Goat. I didn't really think "oh, that might offend people". I thought man, Goat Gods are rad.

I'm w @irezumi here, no to the first, yes to the second. They're charging piles of money to give eager suckers just enough "information" to make a mess, harm people and pump up their egos as "qualified tattoo artists". Add to that misinforming eventual clients about the value of a piece of paper handed out after a few weeks playing "tattooist" vs a hard earned apprenticeship under a qualified mentor who is vetting people for the good of the industry. There is a tradition and a method in place because it works. These types of establishments do not serve tattooing and they do not serve the "student"...they do however tend to $erve the people running them.

My dad was a chef and golfer so I incorporated both into a memorial for him. This is done by Kaz at NY Adorned almost 10 years ago (the photo is obviously from when it was fresh)

Not before me you won't! ;)

bit more photoshopped celebs, actually just one celeb...:NICOLAS CAGE CAN PLAY EVERYONE

So in response to recent inquiries about Chicago and its place in tattoo history and to try to up the ante here at The Last Sparrow Tattoo Forum I will try to breakdown what I know and have acquired about tattooing in Chicago from early on up until present day. All of this will revolve around the history of Chicago Tattoo because honestly I don’t know or care to know about any other present day shops in the city. This of course will give a broad range of information at first because most of the photographic history was lost to the trash or to the flea markets at the time. The stories of South State Street are very few, 99% of the tattooers that dominated that street in its hey day are long gone. There are a few still left and their stories are amazing, some look upon those times fondly as the last truly honky tonk time in tattooing other look upon South State as Chicago’s tattoo demise. The 4-block area of South State Street in Chicago from the early 1900s to the mid 1960s was considered the worst red-light district that ever existed in this country to date. It consisted of skid row flophouses, porn theatres, liquor stores, wino bars, shooting galleries, arcades, and of course in every corner of every arcade were the tattoo shops. Chicago was supposedly home to hundreds of tattooers through out the early years. All making tattoos cutting their chops and making their bones on the abundance of fresh sailors from Great Lakes Naval Base just north of Chicago, and the working class folks looking to let loose on South State Street. These first photos show the very early days of south state notice in one of the photos the Armed Services recruiting center, this later became and Army Navy Surplus store. This is one of the main reason I believe that attracted the tattooers to South State they had a fresh abundance of young men signing up to serve their country and at that time service men especially sailors and tattoos went hand in hand. These other three photos show the burlesque barkers looking to get customers in to see the show Thanks for your interest, more to come later

I haven't seen any mention of this on LST... Lungfish "A.C.R. 1999" CD/LP/MP3 to be Released May 14th Six early versions of songs from Necrophones and four unreleased tracks. Yowzas.

Nice ride, Cult. Car's nice, too.

I've been bitten by the spraypaint bug- a bunch of Montana Black and White cans, various tips, and an 8'x4' panel.:)

Just a quick intro. I'm a tattooer/shop co-owner, in Texas. Before I was a tattooer, I was a sign painter for about 15 years, and pinstriped for about 5 years, too. Anything else I should add?

@CultExciter - A-Fucking-Men!

I'm an American quirk. I'm a socialist, Nietzsche-ian, liberal, piece of pinko scum. I believe people should have certain benefits as a birth-right and that people should be taxed according to what they make. I'm a quirk in a country where the lower-middle-class believe that their hard work yet lack of compensation is ok, because the political machine and GOD-almighty will give them what they deserve, then they die. Oh fuck it. PS...we don't have the Quirke surname here in the States...

Somebody prank this phone number and post the audio.

http://http://instagr.am/p/KVtOoMQUWl/ http://twitter.com/#!/davidbruehl think ink norman oklahoma soon to be redletter1 in Tampa Bay FLorida

no no no. That is the best time for message boards. :D

i will call and ask if they ever travel and let them know I have lots of boyz ready to get freshly tatted by a real Newyorker.

No and Yes

Picked up my ride on Saturday in Charlottesville, VA. There is my girl modeling in front of it (I'm only showing her, just to prove that someone with an ugly mug like myself can get a babe!). Thanks for the advice guys, definitely helped me get the deal I wanted.

I must admit, I thought that the mainstream popularity of MMA would result in the rapid fading away of pro-wrestling. It baffles me why people would watch larger-than-life characters having 'worked' fights when they could watch larger-than-life characters having real, unscripted fights. When I read this thread the only thing that really comes to mind is that in every country I have visited I have met people I liked and people I disliked, and usually met a fair number of people who break the national stereotype. I've met warm, funny germans. Ugly swedish women. Tee-total Irish people. Scots who were generous with their money*. Informal, spontaneous Japanese people... etc. Clearly there are movements or trends of some sort within various countries (like, the German public do appear to favour austerity as a response to the economic crisis more than those of other European countries), but if there are exceptions to every rule, then how useful are the stereotypes in our dealings with people day-to-day? *Actually, this is a lie, sorry Gregor. Although if it's any consolation my older brother is even cheaper. He's like the queen of england, he never carries money.

Funky choices? Lets not b.s. We've all seen a guy with tattoos and piercing wearing designer clothes, fucking around on Ipods and buying their groceries with a food stamp card. Why do these parasites have tattoos, MP3 players, 50 dollar shirts, hundred dollar jeans, 200 dollar shoes, fancy purses and wallets, piercings and tattoos, hair cut from a hair salon, manicures and all this garbage if they're using FOOD STAMPS? My money goes to losers who buy their groceries so they can spend the other money they get on pure frivolity and creature comforts. Everybody using a food stamp card drove a nicer car to the grocery store than I did. I feel like a dupe every time I go shopping.

All I said was "We hate poor folks here". I think you proved my point wonderfully.

Apparently I don't know how to insert images haha. If someone could delete my post #4 I'd appreciate it. Josh Damnit Classic Tattoo, Upland, CA (In Progress) Session 5 Session 4 (for full view)

Mike Volkakis from Artwork Rebels Portland.

Here's a few of Richards that I am fond of...

Oliver Macintosh at Frith Street does some very nice skulls Oliver «

Oh you know, Timothy Hoyer, no big deal. :) Just one of the most influential modern tattooers still working today...

I never enjoyed the idea of being covered in excel spreadsheet or code tattoos....maybe a powerpoint slideshow tattoo?

Here is a how an Australian bakery owner found a possum who had sneaked in and eaten so many jam tarts it couldn't move:

As promised a couple more from Rachi Brains BLACK THRONE TATTOO Should maybe also take this moment to mention the also amazingly talented Ms. Alison Manners who is also tattooing out of Black Throne these days. Also check Manners Tattoo.com

I'm about to sign up to get Regino Gonzalez at Invisible to get a lady head on my bicep.

i really like these two from bjorn leibner.

Lina Stigsson from Admiraal Tattoo Amsterdam does gorgeous work

Part Two Chicago’s Tattooing past is as deep and influential as both the Bowery and The Pike and South State Street was the spot for all of these tattooers to come through. Like I stated before hundreds of tattooers came through to work on South State Street, from the early 1900s through until the demolition of the area in 1967. Here are a few of the oldest photos I have found of unidentified tattooers tattooing on South State Street, if anyone knows who they are I would be stoked to hear it. These photos looked very staged, but it looks like the typical arcade style tattooing, just a small little corner or spot underneath some stairs where these arcade owners could house a tattooer as well. These photos where found in an online archive of old Chicago pictures from a local paper that no longer exists. A lot of the tattooers where complete winos and would tattoo for the Mob owned arcades just long enough to get some drink, then would disappear until they needed to work again. Other like the ones I will mention below made South State their homes if not only for a short while. Most notable tattooers that worked on South State are but not limited to. Ed Thornton Bill Moore (Chicago Tattoo Supply House) not affiliated with Chicago Tattoo Co Paul Hansen Bill Killingworth Jerry Pope Ned Resinol Ernie Sutton Randy Webb Mickey Kellet William Grimshaw Owen Jensen Bert Grimm Philadelphia Eddie Don Nolan Oakland Jake Stoney St. Clair Amund Dietzel Phil Sparrow Buddy McFall Cliff Raven Ingram Sailor Jerry Collins Ralph Johnstone Tatts Thomas So there are 22 of the heaviest hitters to ever hold a tattoo machine and they all came through Chicago at one time or another and the history is relatively unknown or not talked about. To me this makes Chicago’s history even more intriguing. When people talk about tattooing they either mention The Bowery or The Pike, but Chicago was home to some pretty amazing tattooers that helped shape not only the look of what tattooers today call traditional designs but they where also trying to improve their tools and techniques. Out of the list you have a few stand outs that are obvious you have of course Sailor Jerry, he was said to be introduced to electric tattooing by Tatts Thomas, here is the only card in existence that shows Sailor Jerry was tattooing on South State Street in Chicago. This card was in China Sea when Rollo bought it after Jerrys death, Kandi Everett had it in her possession for the last 20 something years and passed it on to me recently. Bill Moore had the Chicago Tattoo Supply House and worked closely with Tatts Thomas over the years, Tatts and Bill moved shops a bunch of times during Bills stay on South State Street. Bill used to run ads in Popular Mechanics at the time touting his “Tattoo Outfit” so there you have tattooers selling to the general public way before Spaulding ever graced the back cover of Tattoo magazine. Bill Moores earliest ad was found in Billboard magazine in 1932, where he is listed at 434 South State the same address that Sailor Jerry used to work at. This was the Burton Arcade, which a lot of other tattooers had worked at as well. Bill Moore died in Chicago in 1944. Ralph Johnstone to me is one of the most under rated tattooers of this time. Not only was he one of the most amazing circus banner painters but he also was an amazing tattooer that by all accounts was extremely kind and never had a bad word to say about any other tattooer. Ralphs business cards used to say he would work off of photographs, which meant photo realistic portraits in the 1950s. Ralph and Tatts Thomas worked side-by-side for Ralphs entire State Street Career which lasted I believe until everyone left in 1963. Johnstone also painted flash for Milton Zeis who at the time had a supply business and tattoo correspondence class out of Rockford Illinois. These business cards below show some of the address that Tatts and Johnstone worked at. The cards where also drawn by Ralph himself, as you can see he was light years ahead of his time in the way he approached illustration and tattooing for that matter. Here you have a couple of Ralph Johnstone’s clients with full chest pieces, and the third pic is of 3 backpieces with Johnstone in the front the center was done by Tatts Thomas it is on Sailor Bill Killingsworth the other 2 where done by Johnstone. Thanks for your interest more to follow on some of the other tattooers that shaped South State Street.