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Got this one from Simon Erl the other day and I am really happy with it. He didn't draw it as I had envisioned but made it much better. If you are in Stockholm make sure to swing by Swahili Bobs, he'll be there for another month or so.

Flights to Japan are booked for June (I literally booked them and came on here lol) 2 days with Horinao-san are booked to at least finish the Outline (Sujibori - I need to start practicing again) of my back ;) I'll see what else happens and might pick something else up. Dinner and gig plans are currently being hatched so hopefully I'll have some decent content for another Japan travel thread

Got this guy from Fergus Simms while he was at ThirdEye Tattoo in Melbourne, Australia for a few days. My sister has 'forever young' in script on her foot so I thought it would be cool to surprise her by getting sort've matching!

Met with Horitomo on Saturday to discuss my chest/rib piece. Looking like we are going to cover my whole front side with Fujin and a tiger. Hopefully will start around May!

I've got an appointment in March with Tim Pausinger at The Pearl in Toronto. He is putting a tiger head on my elbow and an eagle on my forearm. That's about all I'll have time for in that appointment. Back again in April. I'll probably sneak a walk-in or two to fill in a few spots in the meantime.

I can also post this, just saw that Knibbe Pallius @ Never Die Tattoo in Gothenburg had posted it on instagram when it was done like 2-3 months ago. Shame we'll have to redo the lines, they aren't black due to bad healing. Back of the knee = pain.

Not sure if this posted here, I haven't seen it. it's a really cool find my friend sent me. Things used to be very different... http://dangerousminds.net/comments/invasion_of_the_flesh_etchers_vintage_tv_report_of _minnesota_tattoo

We are back at Saved this week for another session on @Graeme's arm and my back. We were just there three weeks ago, which makes this whole tattoo travel business feel kind of over the top! This time we were bringing our dog to Brooklyn with us, though, which I am about as excited about as I am for the tattooing. - - - Updated - - - I remember watching some short video with him where he talked about how he really loves when people do this, so I would feel no hesitation about going in that direction.

the guadalupe was done by Jason Mcafee at Temple Tattoo

dunno what that dude was on but he should've got an eagle on his chest instead of wasting my time.

There are some truly awesome pieces here this month...but it's hard to beat this many snakes!!!

Decision reversed! Maker's Mark to restore alcohol content of whiskey - SFGate

Went to Stay Gold in Albuquerque yesterday for a little walk-in, got a little variation of the shaking hands design pieced together from some SJ flash. It's on my shin and wraps quite a bit so it's impossible to get a good picture, but here is the gist of it (it's fairly symmetrical):

This is why you are a moderator.

I am going to have to fact check your story by watching sons of anarchy, and this time the whole series not just the episode with Freddy Corbin. Dan, I think the assumptions people make about MC are the same ones they make about tattoo shops in general. I would be lying if I said I didn't know a few of each that deal in some shady business, but that can be said for most groups, clubs, occupations, gangs, or however anyone wants to categorize people. Bottom line is extortion, intimidation, hand breaking, burning down shops doesn't happen in the US anymore by anyone.

Read it through, and all I can say is from the perspective of someone who has ridden in a club, who has friends in a large, mainline club, and who rides. Fuck him and the horse he rode in on. Does this douche-nozzle stop for one fucking second to think about the ramifications of the spew he writes about how the entire industry is being extorted by M.C.'s?! Fuck no. Straight sensationalism. If he qualified it, and said "in this city...", or gave some type of back-up, "this is my friend who ran such and such a shop that was extorted...", but no, he just ssquirts it out there and runs.' Thought the rest of the article sucked too.

Mike Wilson @ inksmith and Rogers

Last session. We're all done. Mike Wilson @ ink smith and Rogers

Figured Id add another Greg Christian piece to this. Super nice guy and blazed this thing in like 45 mins.

Yes! Excellent life decision.

The only way to improve on a panther is to add a snake, and the only way to improve on that is to add several snakes. You did that, and then put a crown on it. If this doesn't win....

This guy knows as much as that CritInk triflin' chickenhead.

I don't think their is a right direction after you tattoo your whole face.

I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you want to accumulate a bunch of tattoos from different tattooers and plan on getting tattoos as long as you have blank space, then I wouldn't worry as you get more tattoos things will start to blend together. However if you are more concerned with all the tattoos on your arm looking the same and flowing together, then i would try to plan out the rest of your arm with one tattooer. The best tattooed arms i see are the ones that just have random tattoos here and there and enough blank skin so you can make out each individual tattoo.

There are a lot of shops run by/affiliated with various clubs. That doesn't mean that they are in any way operating illegally, or unethically. To assume that a M.C. is a criminal group is a typical candy-ass mistake.

Dude just really doesn't know what he is talking about, probably has been misinformed by people when he asks questions, and just uses that misinformation to form his own conclusions. His view of tattooing is one who has too much exposure to it on the internet and probably not enough time around actual tattooers. The fabricated facebook drama and stories of photo shop fraud that most people just ignore are the biggest problem with tattooing? I have a whole rant in my head about realistic tattooing, but I don't want to seem like I don't like it or respect it, but just don't think it's any fancier or more creative than any other style. In a genre where a lot of the work is exact reproduction of images(some of them copyrighted) it's hard for me to listen to someone complain about being copied. Of course your realistic color portrait of Michael Keaton as Batman looks the same as the next guy, you used the same image as reference, and if it didnt look the same, I would be worried. On the other hand, I caught someone in the traditional realm rant the other week about someone ripping off their commisioned tattoo drawing that they posted on every social media site out there weeks before they tattooed it, not to mention the image was of a very famous cartoon character. Meanwhile the best tattooers in the world keep putting out amazing work and don't have time to deal with such nonsense.

Another one down, 6th session.

I've been wanting to get tattooed by Robert Ryan for a couple years now but have no idea what to get. I think I'm gonna do a walk-in and just ask to see his recent flash and pick on the spot. Does anyone have any experience with things like this? I mean I love everything about the dude's art so I trust that it will go well.

2nd session on my hannya masks & japanese maple leaves sleeve with chris o'donnell on friday. i think the plan is to finish the background and maybe start a little color, haven't posted a picture yet but maybe i will after this session...

Portraits? Na these dudes do a lot of whispy line stuff w/no outlines and infinity symbols... lots of infinity symbols!

Never heard of any of those guys. Do the specialize in portraits?

A place to post pictures of yours or ones that you drool over. There are few things better than a well thought out and executed full back piece. So much potential as it's the largest solid flat plane on your body. I'll start with this one that Thomas Hooper just posted on his blog as in progress. So awesome! For those who aren't familiar with Hooper he works at the great shop New York Adorned

7 hours today, 7 hours tomorrow and 7 hours on Friday.... we are going to break the back on this back piece and I just do not want to suffer anymore. Just want it over and done with.... my artist is talking to me about a set of sleeves to go with the back piece but I told him today, give me a year or so off, as my kidney area and lower bum is going to need that time to recover after today's pain....

Hey - Let me just say how awesome Glennie and Tim are. I've spent the last couple of years getting work done exclusively at The Pearl. Glennie did a great schooner for me a few weeks ago and Tim is doing my forearm. Its a great shop, awesome staff, and crazy-talented tattooers. Not only that, the Market is a great place to whittle away a sunny afternoon. Good luck with your tattooing. But yeah, check out The Pearl.

New & Improved! Better than hologram form!

I couldn't get past the writing to be able to attend to the content... gave up after the 2nd paragraph.

Boom goes the dynamite!! Nice find @TrixieFaux !! And you can always change your avatar back ;) hehehe @CaptCanada has started quite the trend lol - - - Updated - - - Yeah, I think you have a winner winner chicken dinner there Capt'n

Realistic tattoos aren't my favorite style, so I don't exactly have my finger on the pulse of that genre. I don't know anything about tattooers fighting about their tattoos being photoshopped before being posted on social media sites to gain business, but I'm not shopping online for tattooers, either. I guess this guy would consider me an old fart and a dying breed myself, I'm okay with that. But to answer the question, is it an interesting read? Not so much. Not for me. All the threads on LST have much more interesting content, IMO.

They give you a good, hard bitch slapping. Don't worry, no one ever moves again :-)

Here's mine (slurped off of Steve Byrne's instagram) The knee was way less painful than I expected it to be... there were a couple spots that really made me wince but otherwise it was pretty easy.

It's is my newbie on my neck, done in London. Hope you like, jack

I've only got the one tattoo so far, but I must have changed my mind 300 times. I was looking at a ton of pics and artwork for inspiration and every time I'd decide on something, I'd see something else I like better. Also, because I was new, for a while I fell into the trap of coming up with something that has real meaning. After reading the boards here more I realized that it's more important to get something that you really want and would like instead of needing a deep seeded meaning. For the next tattoo though, I'm already looking at Kuniyoshi for inspiration as I've bought the book "101 Great Samurai Prints" Wait, is that a cat over there? That would make a cool tattoo.

I'm starting my back. Panther and snake!

Use the 2nd guy and with the money you save buy a few pounds of weed.

Might as well. Greg Christian @ Handcrafted Miami More pix in the latest tattoo lowdown. It's hard to shoot photos of your arm yourself, haha.

Who does your tattoo work? I want to stress that I am saying this with the most possible respect to you and your ideas/body/etc. as possible...I would take a look around this site and find out some more about what quality tattoos look like. There are tattooers and tattoos out there that would far surpass what you thought is possible. Most of these people could probably also articulate your ideas better than what looks like the drawing for your planned half sleeve. Take a look around, ask some questions, and find a good tattooer that does clean work.

In 1999 I got a snowflake on my leg probably close to 1.5 inches in diameter, didn't really think to much about it just knew I wanted it and why, walked in asked for a snowflake the artist says ok she suggested I put it on my leg so there it is. Considered getting it covered or used in a different design, at one point it was going to be an eye in a sugar skull. Then it was going to be a part of a tall ship design, now it is a snowflake on my leg and will stay that way until it finishes turning into a black blob on my leg.

Here's my Koeplinger rib piece for those who missed it. ;-)

They're not mine to charge for, Pete. I'm just glad they're getting seen. I've had people send me stuff in trade; drawings, books, etc- but I wouldn't feel comfortable making money from them. Speaking of- Cliff Raven. 1974. This video features Cliff tattooing in New York & Florida. And generally not wearing pants. There was no audio originally, so I decided to leave it silent for now. Enjoy-

heres a few more..these where all done by Dale Grande at Chicago Tattoo. The dragon is from the mid 70s , the butterfly and the lion are from the late 70s early 80s and the skull is from the mid 80s..