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Hi everyone. Long time reader, etc. My name's Emma, I'm 35, I live on the east coast of Scotland. I'm married with two little girls. I have always loved tattoo art but only got my first tattoos last year; they're now one big tattoo that stretches from halfway down my upper arm to over my shoulder and to the base of my neck. They're European goldfinches and apple blossom, in a colour realism style. I'm getting my third tattoo tomorrow at the Scottish Tattoo Convention - a piece that will probably take up all of my left inner forearm. I'm a sort of queasy mixture of nervous and excited. I have seen the design (a rework of a reference I provided) and it's beautiful. A forearm piece is obviously a lot more visible than what I have: it feels like a much bigger commitment, but the placement feels right to me. I don't think it would be an issue if I lived somewhere a bit more cosmopolitan - I flew over to Portland, Oregon for my best friend's wedding last year and it seemed like every man and his dog was sleeved up - but in my little town I don't know anyone else with visible tattoos apart from faded, blurry green pin-ups on much older men, and the odd butterfly on a shoulderblade or bit of old tribal that makes an appearance on a rare sunny day. However! I am 35 years old, surely a proper grown up by now, and it's about time I stopped being so worried about what other people think. Though he himself has no tattoos my husband is enthusiastically supportive and that's all that matters, and for job interviews and family occasions and such there are always long sleeves. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

got this navy warship yesterday from kirk jones at good luck tattoo melbourne it was a piece of his flash and my grandad was in the royal marines so i thought it was fitting to put him in there i also had to pilfer this from his I.G ,couldn't get a good photo

I'm sure that a lot of you are already clued into this, but Nick Colella is putting up a bunch of really great old stuff on Instagram under the name "greatlakestattoo" so check that out if you aren't already. Instagram

Go to sleep. Try to wake up before your Hundahl appointment.

I took this pic of a tattoo on a work colleague of my wife , he's a London fire-fighter and he said he got it around 30 years ago from Jack Zeek in Hayes .Jack Zeek - DERMOGRAFIX TATTOOING Zeek Collection | Old Ink

I have now realized that you are not a spambot, just a new member. :) Your post has been approved, and I quite enjoyed the photo you linked to. Nice work, and welcome to LST!

It's almost a natural progression. Both good friends and business partners, excellent tattoo artists in the Japanese genre, and all around two of the nicest guys in the industry. Just makes sense. I'm just happy they both agreed on the back piece. Will have to see where the future leads me... :D

I have a few tattoo's that don't "match" the rest. I didn't get them because the style was hot at the time (it wasn't) I was just 20 and that's what I was into. Then what I was into when I was 30 was different. I think about getting them covered, but it's like why? It's a road map of my life (lame way to put it, I know, it only sounds cool if you're a Russian prisoner) and so it's just what I was into when I was that age. I get more OCD about colors matching than styles on a certain limb or part. I also prefer, for myself, patchwork style. A ton of random tattoos, vs. 1 big sleeve or piece. Except the back, that large slab of skin with no nipples was made for 1 big ass tattoo.

I just started my back piece last week and got the outline done in one session. One week in - who knew that a tattoo on your back would ITCH while healing????? :cool:

I have sensitive skin so I generally try to gravitate to something more mild. Also note that baby sunscreen generally is pretty mild with more natural ingredients and have high SPF ratings that block out UVA and UVB rays. I've done a bunch of personal research and there's concern among many circles (not just tattoo collectors) that certain chemicals in high SPF sunscreen may affect hormones after long term use.

Got a sweet pizza monster from George archer. Tony hundahl tomorrow Side note: haven't been to sleep since Tuesday

Snake and kewpie on my thigh from Christopher Ayalin at Liberty Tattoo in Seattle.

I'm with Shawn. I didn't initially set out to have "a suit." If I had, I would've approached things much differently. I have no regrets about my tattoos (but I do have a coverup!), and I love what Dan Higgs said in an old video that Shawn posted. It was something to the effect of, "Don't worry about whether or not something will go with what you already have--just put it there and it automatically goes together. You got Hot Stuff next to Jesus next to a clown." Take a look through my gallery and you'll see that I look like a yakuza from behind and a typical confused American from the front. :)

Just a quick introduction. I'm Georgie, 36, building up my tattoo collection. Started in December 2010 and haven't looked back since. I have a lovely regular artist who is as mad and random as me, so understands where I am coming from with my terrible sketches that I bring in!! I have started to branch out to other artists this year. Work to be completed by Ian MacIntosh and Phil Kyle in April and August all ready for Tabacco Docks in September. My tattoos and fun and quirky, in my opinion, so suit my personality. Am fascinated with all things related to tattoos and the general lifestyle that comes with them. Anything else you should know? I like JD and Chocolate!? Well they are the important bits anyway. Thanks for reading. :)

@HaydenRose @slayer9019 @OurEndlessDays NYC showing on April 4th. Needles and Sins Tattoo Blog

It is neat stuff-hooked-up with Nick to put on one of the old flash pieces here shortly. That arcade at 500 S. State is the first place I ever saw real tattooing done-neat stuff. Don't follow IG, so I don't know about his accounts, but I know that Nick got hassled my FaceBook for having too many followers because of the tattoo business, he had to start another "commercial" page for Great Lakes. Either way, it's good to see people appreciating Nick's work, the man is a trip.

I would walk around naked to show of your work...just saying...no homo

Welcome Emma! Being a little older just means you have to get tattooed at a little faster pace to catch up!

It was funny to read your last paragraph as I am 36 and only started getting tattooed a couple of years ago for the same reason - worrying about other people opinions, especially a dad who does not like tattoos! :)

Welcome, and make sure you check out the rules and guide lines here Last Sparrow Tattoo - Newbie Guidelines

they're grrrrreat!

Wtf are you going on about?

You won't be disappointed, that's for sure! :p. I have one more appointment in May then I break for the summer. I then have one appointment in November and one in December. I hoping to see Henning in October so he can catch up on the head start Rubendall got, haha. I'm definitely getting some time in 2014 with Rubendall, hopefully finish up the collaboration back piece and maybe start something new.

@spb420 thanks, i thought i read that somewhere but wasn't sure. now delete your post so no one else will know :)

Here's a pic of my chest/shoulders completed. I'm super stoked on the outcome :D Letters, which are a redo, by BJ Betts and the skulls are from Jeff Gogue...

Thomas Hooper finished my forearm

I have a lady head in the ditch of my right arm, and it's really well designed so that there is minimal distress in the hot spots.

The Turk

Welcome, Emma! There's a thread around here, Post-tattoo blues anyone, that discusses that sort of "queasy mixture of nervous and excited" you referenced, only the post is obvs referencing the feelings that come after you get a tattoo, but I think it might still be interesting for you! I live in Seattle where, like PDX, there are visible tattoos galore! I'm from Oklahoma, however, where tattooing has only been legal for a few years, so I can relate to that feeling of being the only one with visible tattoos every time I go back home! (to be fair, there are a lot more tattoos popping up now that it's legal in the state). Who's doing your tattoo at the convention?

Sounds like your plan is to have a Rubendall-Henning bodysuit.

haha the same for me! it might even be one of the reasons i live in gothenburg now!

mainly tigers are cool and pretty badass.

call june 1 for 2014

I'm thinking an oni/japanese demon head type thing, but I would be thrilled with almost anything from him. Part of me (the crazy financially impractical part) wants to try to get a bigger multiple session piece (maybe a thigh piece) if/when he opens his books up to new clients (in 2014?).

Well for me it's kind of the flip. I look very much like I do everything but don't touch anything. Not "Straight Edge" I hate that title, and I'm not against most, just not for me. I usually get a weird look when going out with my daughter because she's all in pink and crap and I'm all in black with metal shirts and tattoos. It's fun that way though. Luckily she looks like me so people don't think I kidnapped her. Anyway, another note about my dad, he respected me much more that I just went and did it and told him even if he was against it. He'd rather me have not lied. Another important thought for some.

Off to PDX tomorrow to get more work on my back from Jason Kundell. He is also going to start my wife's back piece. Then in June I start my front side with Horitomo. Excited and dreading that one...

Alex Knierer

Healing up nicely! Peony sleeve by Kurt Wiscombe, Skull sleeve (in progress) by Kore Flatmo!

This thread is making me need a backpiece, i need to finish my goddamn arm first! Stop posting pictures!!! :p

Im pretty sure i subliminally picked it up at BME many years ago

I'm a bit biased being an ongoing client, but I personally love Henning Jorgensen's tigers. I plan on getting one on my front right thigh soon as he finishes up my left thigh and the collaboration back piece he's working with Rubendall on. Check out the pics!

Capilli Tupou at Sacred Tattoo new zealand

never watch miami or la ink to get ideas or even to i don't know....just watch the interview vids on here instead....

Horitada Shige

I keep forgetting to ask what magazine this fashion shoot was in. "fine, funky tradition of needle-and-skin trade" hahaha

everything is sex. sex is the main motivator in everything we do. evolution.