Leaderboard

I guess I'll pop this threads cherry :D Done by Jeff Gogue, Off the Map Tattoo in Grants Pass, OR. Done at SFO Convention... Done by Jondix of Barcelona, Spain at SFO COnvention...

the comments there are priceless. User44468 User44699 Wiccan420

took this picture yesterday 4th day of healing already peeled Scott sylvia blackheart tattoo SF SF trip was better than i could have ever expected or deserved. found LST(pic 1) got great advice (pic 2) listened to said advice !(pic 3)

@YOMONEY What you're asking isn't as uncommon as you'd expect. That is if you want a black arm and a Japanese arm. It's a common misconception that heavy black is the solution for covering unwanted tattoos. I'm ny opinion, Japanese style tattoos can be way more effective in covering-up tattoos. If the tattoos you have a raised, or scarred, even slightly, that will certainly show through the black. Also in my experience, if the unwanted tattoos have colours that were mixed with white pigment (bright green, some yellows, light blue, some oranges etc) then that white-based pigment can be very difficult to cover with solid black. Colour Japanese will cover it much better if you go to the right tattooer. While I'm spouting my opinions, here's another: It's easier to find a decent japanese style tattooer than one who can fill solid fields of smooth black these days. Regarding the awesome black/japanese combo by Ian Flower, above: Nobody said it was japanese before it was covered. It's testament to Ian's design and tattoo skill that it looks that way. The peony on the guy's chest was also tattooed by Ian. Laser is not a magic wand for removing tattoos. But the line we always use at Frith Street regarding black for coverups: "Once you go black, you don't go back" There are also other ways to use heavy black in cover up tattoos but there's a difference between being helpful and giving away all my secrets. @YOMONEY there's a thread somewhere here about coverup tattoos.

The sad part is- I dont think most people think they got a shitty tattoo. They get to be on tv AND get some wicked tatz.

I use arches cold press and I love it. I've also recently started using Waverly liquid acrylics (previously I used FW exclusively) and I really enjoy them. I've been doing a ton of marker stuff lately but this thread is making me itch to get back to my liquid acrylics. When I transfer the image to the arches, I use a super fine nibbed pen, and after doing all the shading and color I go over all of the lines with a brush, and that's honestly my favorite part of the whole process. I'm not perfect at it but it's a fulfilling challenge I suppose. Here are a couple I did earlier in the year with Waverly liquid acrylics. Sorry if the images are huge >.<

That Tattoo Artist United, looks like amateur hour. Nobody likes a scratcher, but usually the people who form groups like this, do about the same quality of work and are competing for business with scratchers. Obviously most tattooers wouldn't recommend get tattooed out of someone's house, but most are too busy making a living to worry about what the kid tattooing out of his house is doing. Not to mention they understand it's not a problem that can be solved. It would be like a Michelin star restaurant starting a campaign against McDonalds. I am not saying that it's not a good idea to educate people about good tattoos, but I think forums like the one we are on do a much better job because they focus on good tattooing and try to minimize bad tattooing. It's really all about distancing yourself. Posting pictures of shitty work on facebook doesn't make the health department do their job any better What kind of group about quality tattooing can't even come up with a decent logo. This leads me to believe the group isn't even run by tattooers.

Did it! Got Highland Park 12 , (65.00), not too bad. 2 special glasses (10.00) did not know i needed those but the lady said it was a must.... Paid for the tattoo 350.00....yikes. But his smile? Priceless.... Between grunts while the outline is bring done!!!! Thanks to everyone for your help. I pulled it off! And i am broke until next pay day......

i hate tattoo activism

valerie vargas frith st SFO

@ian you're winning at life.

Nick CTC

Got this outlined Sunday. It's off a Dan Higgs original painting that hangs in the shop. Healing this has been such a pain in the ass for me. It's only been a couple of days and I've probably lost 4+ hours a sleep a night. Does anybody else get that weird goosebump/chills/itch combination thing, or is that just me? It's very strange. Aaron Francione, Rumi Tattoo.

I agree, I have never not seen a "best" tattoo not win yet. I hit like on every tattoo I actually like, which usually mimics my behaviour on Instagram (like, like, like like) Sadly I have another 6 months before my tattoo is near finished so no posting for me!

Just got back from a day trip to Amsterdam. Got my inner bicep tattooed by Guen Douglas at Salon Serpent. It hit parts of the armpit and ditch and it hurt like hell. And now my arm is massive. But so worth it! Probably a little girly for some of y'all's taste.

stuart cripwell spider murphys sfo

Or kids just want the cheapest, fastest coverage. Like buying an outfit....

@Valerie Vargas thank you so much

From when I talked to people who scratch or have some scratcher stuff on them, they seem to be the type that wouldn't have gotten a tattoo from a good artist anyway. Price is almost 100% of the reason for getting it anyway. It's like me and home décor, I could give a shit for the most part as long as it works and is cheap, but the big difference is I don't have to wear my shitty couch on my body forever.

@Pugilist Thanks so much - - - Updated - - - Here is the tattoo my wife had done at the same time I was getting mine. By Brenda Flatmo Plurabella Studio Cincinnati, Ohio

Well here is my first tattoo. Done by Kore Flatmo at Plurabella Studio in Cincinnati. WE got around four hours done yesterday. I will be back right around thanksgiving to finish it. It was a great experience KOre was great to work with, he is a true gentleman, and a credit to his profession.

That Jondix piece, going to be a tough one to beat.

Goddamn that's tough ian

Let's see the final pictures here so the thread can be complete! Loved watching this unfold!!!

I usually get the "How much do you charge for a sleeve?" My responses vary from "depends on if you want it super sized or not" to "a few thousand". If anything hearing the same thing over and over again gives you the chance to use different Jedi magic and see if you can convince people to just get a nice tattoo. The thing most people walking off the street don't understand is how much a commitment a sleeve is both to the customers and tattooer. Spending twelve hours drawing something and then having them flake on it is not fun, and the deposit hardly covers the time lost. I can't recall a time when someone came in looking to get a sleeve and actually got one, but plenty of people that just came in to get a tattoo ended up with a sleeve eventually.

Would you rather someone talk too much or not at all?

This new friend came to live with me today. Siamese pirate 'Werm'. Totally kickass.

Nope, I've watched every episode. It's like a train wreck. I can't stop watching. That being said I haven't liked a single tattoo on the show. I feel really bad for the "canvases."

If you have favourite artist then you will like there work, hence that's why they are your favourite artist. I'm no artist but i am a draughtsman so i know how to draw, you can put the best artist's tattoo in front of me and if the lines are shakey and its not technically perfect then i wont like it, its all about personal taste. Anyway this monthly vote is just a bit of light hearted fun. - - - Updated - - - Well done Dumpleton looks like you pipped me at the post, last time i looked a week ago we was both the same. Nice front piece and a deserved winner.

I had my first session on my first tattoo with Kore Flatmo this Friday. I went in with a weird combination of being very excited and very nervous at the same time. Needless to say everyone was great and it was a great experience. I have to go back for another session to finish in November. Even though I'm not done with my first tattoo, I have caught myself thinking through what I would like to do for my other chest panel. I am worried this is going to get expensive. I am blaming all of you for this.

pumpkins...carved!

well actually I got a back piece done aswell

I'll forever hate that sound.

I've been really impressed with Tiny Miss Becca's tattoos for a while. I think the way that she designs tattoos is really clever because they're on the one hand really nicely rendered, but so efficiently designed.

I fared ok in South Philly. No power outages/broken windows/flooding. Last night I got stir crazy and took a bike ride. In the Hurricane. To the protests of my friends, family and loved ones. I wore a helmet and goggles at least. The wind was incredible. Discovered that it took out the IKEA sign a few blocks away. Crazy.

Valerie Vargas frith st tattoo done at SFO super happy!

What an absolutely INSANE weekend! Got to chat with @hogg, meet @Reyeslv and watch @Stewart Robson work on his AMAZING back piece, got to meet @Scott R and see his insane 11 hour back piece as well as watch @Valerie Vargas work on his thigh pieces, chat with Valerie while getting tattooed with Jondix, Hang with @Tim Hendricks while he tattooed my Wife and much more! Here are some highlights... My Wife and I with Jeff Gogue, such a mellow down to earth guy! the tattoo he made on me Jeff drawing it on Jeff tattooing my Wife the finished piece pic from Jeff's Instagram Tim drawing on my Wife's foot, another super down to earth guy and a blast to hang with... Freddy Corbin also hung out for half the tattoo... needless to say, a memorable experience :D Tim with my Wife and the finished piece Pic of the tattoo from Tim's Instagram - - - Updated - - - My Wife and I with Jondix, the coolest most humble guy I'll ever meet and an absolute pleasure to be in his presence... his AMAZING banner The stencil for my stomach lined out and after 6 hours of tattooing, the finished product of which a photo does NO justice here's the tattoo he made on my Wife Jondix shared his booth with Deno and I took this pic for a friend but I'll post it for you guys, this was some original artwork that he was selling words can't describe how amazing this weekend was but hopefully these pictures attempt to paint a picture :D

got this one from mark cross last weekend

My back piece experience so far. Hmmm, where to begin... Both empowering and humbling is my best description. Empowering, because despite after always admiring the full back pieces I'd see in tattoo magazines in the 80's and 90's, then, especially here on LST, I never in a million years thought I'd ever be able to do it. But, this year, at age 46 I started mine on June 30th. I had it built up in my head that it would be the most painful experience of my life, and was so worried that I'd have to quit halfway through, but then I saw the stencil on my back and I was like "It's so awesome. Cool, so what if it wraps around my ribs and goes collar to waist, I can do this." Well, I did do it. It wasn't easy, but I made it through the outline (Shit tons of lines, but he got it on me in 3hrs 40mins.) Yeah, it was painful as Hell. I knew going in what I was about to put myself through, and went in with my head in the game. All of the shading and coloring has been painful as hell as well, but I always see progress, and it keeps me stoked for the next time. I'm about halfway done now at the 17.5 hour mark, taking it in 3 hour or so chunks, plus random tattoo of opportunity times. Humbling, because all the other tattooers and clientele at the tattoo shop doing my back, and other people that have seen my back piece are now like so reverential of it (think "Whoa, Dude, how the Hell did you do that?") I feel like all I did was just lay there and take it because I REALLY, REALLY wanted a ROA back piece. Once it's finished I'll get get to wear this motherfucker till they put me in the ground and I'm worm dirt.

You know when you see cars with bumper stickers from past election campaigns? Imagine that's your face instead.

Anyone living in or coming to Melbourne, Australia should really get amongst Fergus Simms tattoos. He has dozens of amazing tattoos from the guys at Smith St. and you can really see their influence in his tattoos.

By Chad Koeplinger at the London convention a few weeks back

I tattoo a fair number of police men & women. Most of them with large-scale work (read: bigger than half-sleeve) All if them are sensible enough to know not to get visible tattoos. They also understand that tattoos are for outcasts and outcast tendencies are best hidden from the powers that be. If you wanna be an outlaw, don't be a lawman.

Here's that cover up from Aaron Coleman, it used to just be a really poorly done hourglass, and he reworked it and added a reaper.

..for a nervous and bizarre dude.

I'll post some pictures when I'm back in Montreal because I don't know if I can do it on my phone but I got tattooed by Seth Wood and Thomas Hooper yesterday. Seth put some illustrations into a book he otherwise finished a year ago and now I have the world's smallest Baphomet tattoo. I also started on a raven sleeve with Thomas Hooper and it's shaping up great so far.

I apologize for the double post just thought id share this jem, i got the amazing honor of working a convention for Eric Inksmith and in return he tattooed me for all the help, with this inksmith special, at the end of the tattoo he asked me "you want to know why i used purple?" i responded "yessir" and he said "it was paul rogers favorite color." i am so excited to have worked with him and to have heard the wild and crazy stories of all the guys i look up to that he was willing to share. this is a couple of months healed.

got about 3 hours of work done on my whole front by an amazing artist in North Carolina named Brandon Munday, dude kills it reminds me alot of tony hundahl super awesome tattoos check his instagram out and spread the love @mundaytattoo

I moved to SF from Austin in 1997. Leading up to my move, I was finishing a piece with Chris Trevino, and every time I saw him, he'd tell me that I had to get tattooed by Eddy when I got to SF. He'd also tell me stories about his guest slots at 222 and how it was the nicest shop he'd ever set foot in. By the time I actually got to SF, I was broke. I stayed that way for a few years, but when I finally got a decent bonus in 1999, I went straight to 222 on my lunch break. Rassier was the only guy there that day, and he told me that Eddy's wait was 6 months. (It's funny to look back on that chat with Rassier, as my wife and I both have a few tattoos from him now.) The 6 months finally went by and I got my half-sleeve from Eddy, which he knocked out in no time at all. Right before he started, I said, "So, are you as heavy as Chris?" He laughed and said, "No one's as heavy as Chris, dude." We talked a lot about martial arts, other tattoo artists and the usual stuff, but the funniest thing is that he lit up a cigarette and my girlfriend asked if she could have one. He said, "Yeah, but you gotta smoke it outside." She thought he was joking, but he was dead serious! "It's my shop--I'm the only one who can smoke in here." So she declined, haha.