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Some pictures from a book I picked up not too long ago entitled A History of Japanese Body Suit Tattooing (I found out about the book thanks to a couple people on this site, so thank you for that, LST). Unfortunately, none of these pictures had credits for the tattooers. The third and fourth picture are both tattoos of Benkei (or Onikawamaru [Young Devil Child]) fighting a giant carp that devoured his mother at the Bishamon Waterfall.

agreed. maybe its best on both him AND the artist that he lives with what he has already, finished or not. 3 visits and the outline isnt finished for something as small as a forearm tattoo?? speaking from an artists point of view, i would be done with that client by now. tell him take what he has to the grave as is.

My new Eagle tattoo in honor of my daughter and son, done at the Seattle Tattoo Convention by Matt Howse, Spider Murphy's Tattoo. Done in a single session of 7 hours.

If you can't sit through 20 minutes of getting tattooed, you probably don't deserve to get tattooed. In my opinion, it's a good thing they hurt because it keeps people who shouldn't have them away...

It breaks my personal 10/10/10 rule. 10 feet away you know what it is 10 seconds you know what it is 10 years it will still look good

Horiyoshi III - flowers and water baby .

This is just the beginning... Of possibly my favorite back pieces ever completed. When this client came in asking for the design, i did have to ask if he was serious...for real, dead serious? Well, i drew the design seen here, and included those banners containing a quote from carlin when he addresses the city in the beginning of the movie. So this is my first picture posting, and again...just the beginning, and i will post more as the project does progress....

Big nurse head by Sid, this one always sticks in my mind and then this Black and White piece by Valerie Vargas is one of my favorites ever

I got this done yesterday at the Seattle expo by Josh Woods

As promised here are (finally) some shots of what I got from Matt Cunnington Westside Tattoo - Professional Services - Brisbane, QLD | Facebook about a month ago. I apologise for the crappy pics, but its a hard spot to take your own photos of. And the pics are off a phone so be nice lol. I missed out on the Flash day that they had and rang in on the right day at the right time and bypassed a long ass waiting list. Matt came in on his day off because he really wanted to do it and ended up completely redrawing the design fresh to fit my leg and add some ground to it. It was a really amazing experience and Matt is a gentleman and a scholar. I wish these photos did the tattoo justice so I'll upload better ones when I can (there's about 4 or 5 shades in the pattern on the little guys back)

Horizakura. So amazing. I have never seen scales done like that, almost used like a background element.

It's been awhile since we've done a get together for the Bay Area and I also know we have some people coming out this way on vacations plus it'll be LST's two year birthday on September 21 so time to start planning....... Who is down to get together? Who is coming out in September for vacation and what dates? We'll try and get something organized for everyone though as we all know it can be difficult with schedules overlapping. If the party doesn't lineup when we have LSTers out this way I would still like to try and meet up and grab coffee or something while you're out here...... Let the fun begin to take shape!

Looks like this guy was a Henry Rollins fan.

I saw that on his Instagram yesterday. It's fucking awesome, and you are a BEAST for sitting 7 hours on your goddamn chest.

First pic is tattooed by Horiyoshi I , second is both Horiyoshi I & II .

I picked this up yesterday at the Seattle Expo from Josh Woods.

Finally was able to get a healed picture of it.

You sure as hell can't trust them with a pack of Marlboros. ;)

Yes, this is an original Aaron Cain/GRIME Big"G" #108, purchased from Grime personally just before the turn of the century, HaHa. I started to get my sleeve/chest plate from Grime when he was on a huge guest tour, and we discussed the purchase of the machine during my appointment. I ordered and paid, then agreed to meet up at a convention for me to receive said machine. Of course I ran the machine, but at the time, I was REALLY INTO the machines I was using, and I've always been that way, so I never made any tattoos with this machine. This has been one of my modest amount of collectibles, ranging from an original Japanese edition 5 Lion VOLTRON in the un-opened box, to an original **pristine** Vision GATOR complete..never even rolled on concrete. I only listed these other examples of my particular choice of collectibles as marks on the timeline of my life. So, while this must seem like blasphemy to some that I am selling this machine, I have my reasons, they are deeply significant to me, and it DOES HURT to be rid of this machine. For this reason, and MANY others, some very obvious, I would like to get the absolute top dollar that I can for the machine. I have been offered enormous amounts in person at conventions and from many local tattooists, and they showed the cash to back it up...but at those times, I had no intention of selling it. But a recent epiphany changed my perspective on "material possessions", and "tools of my trade" that made me really feel ready to part with it, albeit for the largest cash offer someone makes in a reasonable time. THE CONDITIONS.... I will make sure to the best of my ability that the buyer is an experienced tattooist, with an appreciation for exactly what he is purchasing here, and how special it really is to many...not just other tattooists, but those who collect, covet and or simply love and appreciate the body of work of the 2 great artisans responsible for its creation. I would like to correspond with the buyer at length,(in a friendly way, I'm an ethical tattooist, not a Tattoo machine "Nazi"). I'd just like to get acquainted with said buyer, and inquire respectfully about your desire to own this machine...and maybe your favorite color.??? As well, the buyer will assume any and all shipping costs including insurance which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! If anyone has taken the time to completely read this post, you might understand how much this transfer of ownership means to me. That being said, I hope you will also understand my wanting TOP DOLLAR, HIGHEST OFFER for the machine, without judgement or prejudice. Thank you very much for your consideration. I also offer the option of more discreet, private communication via email after our first correspondence. Again, thank you, and God Bless.

Doc Price (early 80s): Old Ink | A pictorial archive of tattoos and artwork from the past

Im a 44 year old male from the north of norway, not far from Narvik. i have been wonning to tattoo sins my early 20s, but haven't gotten to it before last year because of family and work. In my younger days i loved to draw, but that happen lesser and lesser. No i have invested some money into this, and i love it. a little studio has evolved in my basement, and people are given me thumbs up and are comming back for more. i have just done 60 or 70 tattoos sins i started, and i struggle some with lining, im a little shaky some times. i think its unusually work positions that creates the shake . i hope to meet some new friends here, and maby some of my tattoos can be posted here for comments. im old,and im late,but im here

I'm doing a dragon emerging from water on my upper arm, over my shoulder and onto my chest. Black and grey background, with the dragon in color.

It's Buddy Christ, from the movie Dogma.

Thanks for the suggestions! I have increased the attachment max size to 1200x1200 - let me know if you think it should be more. I will look into adding scrollbars to the embedded images later this week to make those easier to navigate on smaller screens as well. Keep the ideas coming!

Biggest & baddest? Next visit, have the whole team and gang waiting for him. See if his whining stops with a full audience.

From what it sounds like he is just an attention grabber (biggest, baddest, etc). Make him go by himself and give no attention to the tattoo.

Funny you mention this guy is a huge football player. I've heard tattoo artists say that they're always the ones who can't handle the pain! I'm surprised this works as a prophylactic. Just seems logical to me that a painkiller would only work on existing pain?

Never underestimate shame as a motivator. Seriously though, if it's just a forearm tattoo, one application of Dr. Numb (or whatever magic soap your artist prefers) should be enough to finish it. Xanax or something like that can be really helpful too (from what I'm told)...it doesn't ease the pain, but makes it easier to deal with. And like CG said, if it's an anxiety thing that might help with that.

Wow that thing is insane. I gotta say, though, that one little tentacle crossing the middle of his torso is driving me nuts!

That seems like a lot of people to keep track of and certainly too many to bring into a tattoo shop on one day. The Brady Bunch only had 8 people and I can't imagine them trying to decide on a tattoo. I would just let everyone do their own thing, make it something everyone needs to do before a scheduled meet up. The designs will be different but the same in a lot of ways and it will be interesting to see everyone's styles.

My mother told me after i turned 18 that if i ever came home with a tattoo, i wouldn't have a home to come home to. well when i turned 18 i went into the navy and to her "surprise", i returned home after doing so with of course my first tattoos. she was pissed for a while then she became more pissed when i decided to make it my career, and now guess what. Years later after seeing the work i do and how more common tattoos have become, shes thinking of getting one now. moms are goofy, and a lot of times hypocritical, but they'll eventually realize, and i can't speak for all mas, that their kids aren't kids anymore.

damn, Australia is growing on LST rapidly.....welcome

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The night is dark and full of terrors.

Most stories of a mom's displeasure with a tattoo that I have heard usually include a bunch of yelling and a slap upside the head and then we move on. The new passive aggressive mom internalizes everything, and uses her blog as her outlet before she plays the I brought you into this world card. Who knows if this story is real, but hanging out at the playground it sounds about right for how some parents would treat their 21 year old.

My left sleeve is a Kitsune done by Grime. I would post photos but he specifically asked me not to put it on the internet :/ if you message me I can send you a couple if you'd like.

I really love the Latina-style girl heads that Marie Sena has been drawing and tattooing.

Dave Lum keeping Austin weird.

Ask @hgiles to show you the one Brian Bruno blasted on his ribs. You will be impressed.

Uh oh- battle of the backs for August @TravisGarcia and @Ryan - post those to the August Best Tattoo of the Month thread

I think people have made this remark/complaint about every subculture ever. It's a variation on: "If goths/punks/insert subculture here all want to be different, why do they all look the same?" It is a really tired and angry teenager debate to me. Industries try and capitalize on trends. That's life. And I think the impulse and passion for getting tattoos cannot be reduced to being about "being yourself/expressing yourself being an individual". People participate in tattoo subculture for a million different reasons, and even the notion of "being yourself" or "expressing your individualism" doesn't mean one specific thing to anyone who feels it. I also think that many people who get heavily into tattoos are like me in that they don't do it entirely for some intellectually thought out identity reason; they just feel it in their gut that this is something that is right to them. And feelings in your gut are very hard to articulate in words, and sometimes come out as "to express myself as an individual" or whatever, but that is really not a true reflection of that instinct. Moral of the story: I really wish people would stop always assuming that some kind of rebellious individualism is the driving force in getting tattooed. I think that is reductive and misses the point.

This is my back. Can't believe its all done.

Truth:

I've been trying to remember since this thread first started, and just can't. Where I grew up, seemed like every other guy had at least one tattoo. Remember, I grew up in the late fifties/early sixties, so most of the grown-up males around me had been off to war at least once. Between old Airborne tattoos on my uncles, Outlaws M.C. tattoos on my neighbors, and various and sundry others, I guess I'd have to say there never was a time when I wasn't aware of tattoos around me. Probably the first one that sticks out is my Uncle Bunks Airborne tattoo, and another Uncle's "bloodmark" tattoo.

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." - Mahatma Gandhi

I say, be punk rock about it. Don't let the "man" hold you down. If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for. Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

Damn straight. I'd feel a lot safer if they let civvies everywhere all over the world carry weapons and disarmed the governments!

AWESOME- I just found a scratcher version of a painting I did a year ago. Yea internets!