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Got this chola lady head from Paul Dobleman at Spider Murphy's in San Rafael, CA.

@Kahlan No lecture here, everyone else seems to have done a great job of that. Just some straight up info: At the shop I work in (Which may or may not have a reputation on being harsh to 'wannabes') we get at least one person each week asking for an apprenticeship. In the summer months we get AT LEAST two per week, often more. Aside from the fact than none of them can draw and most haven't been tattooed at our shop, - I'm not even sure if any of them know what kind of work we do (hint: almost everything) they certainly don't look through any of our folios while they are in the shop. - There is no way that our city can support 52 to 104 new tattooers each year. I've been there since 2007. That would be over 800 new tattooers. But really, shitty tattooers should stop taking apprentices and helping them become shitty tattooers. If a good tattooer won't teach you, tough shit. If a good tattooer does teach you, I hate you because I never got that chance and I did a whole bunch of shitty tattoos while I was 'learning'.

Where are all the awesome Mermaid tattoos?! Such a classic sailor design I love seeing. Here's mine....kinda. It's a spin on the Capricorn, but you get what I mean. Hillary Fisher-White is awesome.

Well,I've already voiced my opinion on this subject- but.... One thing nobody has mentioned is that there are still shops out there willing to take on an apprentice- for payment. In the 70s I knew of a few people that were charging thousands of dollars for the opportunity to learn and work at an established shop. ( Set up equipment usually went w the deal.)Today it would not be unrealistic to be asked to pay tens of thousands of dollars. Think of the money you would pay to attend a trade school or university. If a person is serious and committed, a financial obligation along with an agreed upon length of time/work commitment- isn't unreasonable. So find a shop that you love, get tattooed there and ask if they would be willing to take you on as an apprentice for 2-3 years, if you would be willing to pay them ( what ever amt) you agree upon, $10-$15,000 a year, let's say. Unless you just want them to give it to you, which seems to be what everybody wants.

I think the girl been booted in the ass about enough. She said she gets it, so leave us all lighten up a tad.

That letter was amazing. - - - Updated - - - This thread reminds me of when I occasionally eavesdrop on my kids from the next room. Sometimes if I don't get involved in their arguments, they figure out how to work it out themselves without me running in and yelling at everyone. I'm not saying that you're like children, I'm saying that I'm so proud of how LST has grown. You guys are awesome.

I tried taking a photo of my latest from Javi Rodriguez but unfortunately i have my right arm in a cast at the moment so it wasn't easy. I've settled for pilfering one from his instagram instead. Done at the fantastic frith street on Tuesday.

@Kev Congratulations on your big day!! We are there in spirit :)

Seems I just quit smoking. It's been weird for the last two days haven't touched one. Been a smoker since 13 years old. Anyone else ever quit?

I'm Stephany and like all of you here have a huge appreciation for good tattoos. It's my first time joining any forum, this one was just too awesome to pass up ! All of you have inspired me to chase good artists around for tattoos. I have an appointment booked with Paul Dobleman in April and will post pics when it is done ! I know I'll learn a lot and see a bunch of good work here :D

http://tattooroadtrip.com/blog/category/zeke-owen/ Here is a link to all of the letters that Zeke wrote for Skin and Ink. I thought I had posted this on the forum before, but maybe not.

I know you've said you're looking for an apprenticeship, so firstly -- and this is not coming from a pompous holier-than-thou attitude -- tread lightly here. One of the reasons we've lost solid contributing tattooers to LST is for this very reason. Every few months someone joins up and says, "Hey, I want an apprenticeship, what's the problem?!" The forum is here to help and to share -- but not when it comes to technical how-tos and certainly not when it comes to the ins-and-outs of getting your foot in the door. Second -- and this is coming from only a very slightly more life experience -- go get tattooed. I know you've got two tattoos.. But apprenticeship aside, if you want to learn about tattoos and that world, go. get. tatt.ooed. Make that your primary goal, put the apprenticeship out of your mind. How do you know that you want to commit your life to something when you've only got two tattoos? I bet things will be a little more clear after having spent more than a few hours in a tattoo shop. Tried being as nice as possible here and there's a good chance it's as nice a response as you may get.. It's not that it's a cult or that people are assholes. Take a step back. Listen to what people are saying. Godspeed.

Hi all, well, i want to show you guys my Laserprojects. i hope you guys understand me, because my englishgrammar is not the best (i never had english in school ;) here are the pictures of my Lowerleg. Before and during the laserprocess. I started it in March 2011. we started to cover it in December 2011. The First Testlasering ! This was on the Inside Outside and start of the first Treatment And finally, it's almost finished! :) And Here is my Current Project i started in november 2011. it goes to the end... it was a full sleeve! almost 10 Years old... not really happy with it at all... Current Status Enjoy :)

A question for the tattooers: I live around the corner from a street shop. This shop has been around a long time by Montreal's standards...when there were only three tattoo shops in town, this was one of them. It's a first come, first serve, pick something off the wall, take a number and wait your turn kind of place, walls completely covered in flash, and they keep pretty busy there. I was talking with one of the tattooers there when I was out walking my dog the other day and he was saying that even though the winters are always slow for them that it's rare that there's a day when they aren't each doing at least one tattoo. Then he was saying that there are a lot of shops around where the tattooers can go days or even weeks without doing a single tattoo. They'll be at the shop drawing but they aren't making any money. There simply doesn't seem to be enough people getting tattooed to sustain the number of tattoo artists in this city. Stewart said that if Frith Street gave a chance to every person who walked in the door asking for an apprenticeship that London would have around 800 new tattooers right now. That is obviously not sustainable. Seth Ciferri posted something on instagram a couple of months ago about somebody in his area offering a groupon deal for tattoos with the comment that new tattooers would have to take second jobs if they wanted to make a living. So my question for tattooers is how is the saturation of tattooers affected you and your business? How has it changed over the course of your career?

Capilli Tupou at Sacred Tattoo new zealand

I've got a mermaid that frames a ship on my arm. I'm too tired to take a pic now, but I'll post it tomorrow. It was inspired by some of the tattoos done in the Bowery in the 1920s.

BJ Betts tomorrow, can't wait! I'm going to have to though, my appt isn't till 9 PM :(

The same reason why Dave Navarro is a judge on Ink Masters...

Nathan Kostechko

We really need more Zeke Owenses.

"If you don't want me tattooing in my home then teach me." That sounds like blackmail. I try not to hurl insults on the internet, but after reading your posts on this subject I am a little annoyed. I don't have an opinion one way or the other about people getting apprenticeships. Every individual circumstance is different. I do however have a problem with people thinking they deserve something just because they want it. I am not sure why you think you are owed an apprenticeship, but until you get over that entitled attitude then I am certain you do not deserve one.

New signature.

Really? So you would happily give something that you've spent your whole life (or large part of) striving to perfect, your means of providing for your family and whatever else to any random person that asked for it? If yes, good luck to you. You know what my answer would be? Go fuck yourself. I don't tattoo, or have any desire to tattoo but if someone came up and asked for my life on a plate I'd be a lot less civilised and nice than most people, especially if that person was a complete stranger.

I don't know, Richard Stell is so badass, he might live forever.

got my elbow tattooed yesterday by Lowercase J

I think I've read these articles 276 times already :D

not really "wtf", but i love hearing about people like this.. Cover-Up Artist Removes Tattoos of Ex-Gang Members for Free - Yahoo! News Second chances can be hard to come by, but Chris Baker, 42, a tattoo artist in Oswego, Ill., gives them away for free. Since 2011, Baker, who's also a youth pastor, has created more than 500 free tattoos for former gang members and victims of human trafficking eager to remove or cover up the visible evidence of their past. Big city human trafficking networks are often run by gang members, who tattoo their victims with barcodes, pimps' names or gang symbols to track them and make it almost impossible for them to escape. "It's my way of giving back to the community that's given me so much," Baker told ABCNews.com, in explaining his service. "I just decided to do something positive, and to show people that people can change." Baker founded INK 180, a nonprofit organization that he funds with money he earns from his regular tattooing business, and through donations. The name symbolizes the degree of change he hopes for in the lives of those he tattoos. Baker has worked with former members of the Latin Kings, Black Disciples and Aryan Nation, explaining that the tattoos are like a rite of passage for initiated gang members. It was during one of his youth group meetings that Baker realized he wanted to help these people, whose efforts to change and progress were often halted by the markings of their past. Once a warehouse manager, Baker said that many of his employees had belonged to gangs, and they often compared their tattoos to Baker's religious ones. "They would say, 'I wish I could get rid of my tattoos. I'm tired of getting judged,'" Baker recalled. "And I decided, 'That's my calling.'" PHOTOS: Chris Baker: Tattoo Artist For two years, Baker has worked with local, state and federal authorities to offer his services to former gang members who had difficulty finding jobs, or who were living in secrecy from gangs they'd left. A member of his church who works with the Department of Homeland Security brought Baker's attention to victims of human trafficking - pointing out that by covering up or removing their tattoos, Baker could make it much harder for their captors find them. The gang members who come on their own, or the women who have escaped sex trafficking rings and arrive with law enforcement protection, open up to Baker as he listens to them describe what they've done and what they want to do. "These guys will say, 'Yeah, it hurts,' but it's almost like penance for them. It's representative of the pain they caused others, and they don't want to cause anymore," Baker said. Baker leaves the type of tattoo up to his customers. "No matter the design, I just love being able to take away the visible reminders of their past and give them something beautiful to remind them of their future," said Baker. "There was one guy from Kansas City who had gotten out of prison," Baker recalled. "We did a cover-up of a tattoo for him and found out he was an artist. He's now working as an artist for a greeting card company." The Oswego village board recently approved Baker's special use permit, and in a few weeks, he will have a more permanent home for INK 180, after previously renting spaces. It'll be one of the few tattoo shops in the United States with a prayer wall and an information center for other nonprofit ministries in the area. "People always ask me why I do this for free," Baker said. "The stories I hear make it worth it."

Was going to comment early on in the thread but wanted to know where it would go, my question is why are non-tattooers trying to respond to this tread?

Because I don't tattoo I don't really have a right to comment on this thread...BUT that Zeke Owen thing is so fucking rad.

Too many chiefs and not enough indians, as we used to say back in the pre-PC days. Far too many tattooers have simply put a few pieces on their legs, rented a shop, and look ma, I'm a tattooer.

There are plenty of tattooers out there, that is for sure. The world needs more quality tattooers and less of the garbage that is currently parading around as "professional" tattooers.

I have a very similar story, did them myself, and have the same views you do about it now =P Id never get these covered (at this point in time), they are above short line so i dont care too much and they have some meaning to me now.that and they are nowhere near as bad as some I've seen. most id do is have someone touch em up.

I saw this on his IG it's awesome congrats.

I shouldn't be allowed outside without a chaperone. My girlfriend and I went out for lunch this afternoon. Since we were right around the corner from The Pearl in Toronto I decided to stop in and say hello. Just a few moments before we got there Tim Pausinger had a couple of last minutes cancellations. Perfect timing! I had a few ideas on my phone and after brief discussion Tim drew up a design and got to work. I had a tattoo done last week that was healing nicely and so I figured what the hell. Let's do it. I've got another appointment on Friday, another on the 18th and two in April. I think I'll take a wee break at that point before beginning the work on my chest.

New one from Chad Koeplinger done at Frith Street Tattoo

New little one I picked up from Mil Martinez at the Tattoo Tea Party in Manchester. He works out of 13 Diamonds in London. Super cool guy. Sorry about the crappy picture, i'll get a better one soon!

Greg Christian at Love Hate Social Club London. Such an ace time this afternoon, sounds like he has a fair amount of free spots while he's there... edit: My smartphone is bust, so I robbed this from Greg's Instagram http://instagram.com/gregchristian4130/

I think Tony Nilsson at Blue Arms Tattoo here in Oslo needs to be in this thread

Cheyenne Sawyer from Atlas tattoo in Portland Oregon. Not only is he one of the most unique human beings I have ever been friends and co workers with, he has the ability to make ANY idea look amazing. big or small. The man taught me how to be a real "professional" and I was his boss, lol! Cheyenne Sawyer :: Atlas Tattoo :: Portland, Oregon

Thanks. This was my only tattoo for seven or eight years, so it actually has a weird sentimental value to me now.

Aaron Bell Carlos Torres

You see my snake tidbits on my squidpants? (idk lol ftw)

so, this thread rocks.

William Yoneyama knows how to lay down a snake or two.

One of my favorite big skulls from Kore Flatmo. In my opinion, he does the perfect skull. His stuff is so good, whether it is more realistic or more stylized...it doesn't matter.

Dalmiro Dalmont The guy is talented.

Absolute Art in Richmond.

Crikey!! this is from Trevor McStay, he is dope.

This one by Chad Coeplinger is one of my favourite tigers