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I'm kind of new here too, so I'm not too sure how it used to be in the past. But I have been tattooing for over 18 years, and find this site to be very interesting and educational on many levels. As some said already, I try and only post things that might be of interest to other people, and constructive. Every social media or forum will always have lurkers, however this site is definitely much more serious then others, and as I recommend this to other artists too, we can only hope it will remain professional and constructive, at least the majority of it. things such as the artists interviews will definitely keep this place a more artist friendly site, I can't see too many people enjoy those kind of things, or discussions much, unless they are truly a part of the family, or fellow artists. Either way, at least in my opinion, if we can keep ignoring useless posts, and stick to what's more important, constructive, educational, or just plain ol' good tattoo or shop talk...etc. then I believe the other will die out on it's own with time...after all, they have much better forums as such to go to, if that's what they are looking for.

Here's a pic of my tubby ass getting a surprise tattoo from Scott Wiecek at @acmetim 's 1 year celebration of Acme Tattoo Staunton. A good time was had. I also was able to hang with @jayessebee all day. Which was awesome as always. It was super fun to get a tattoo and not know what it was until it was over.

Here's the latest shot of my progress. Enjoy.

I got my Bristol Tattoo Club bat courtesy of Paul Roe.....

I finally get to compete! :) Hops done by Dutch Cooke of Immortal Ink, in Clinton, NJ. Click the pix for full size. -Joe

Got these two from Oliver Christenson at East Brunswick Tattoo today, sorry for the poor photos.

To day I had my final touch up session for my sleeve, and after many hours we were finally done with my sleeve :cool: The artist is Noi Siamese III at 1969 tattoo in Oslo (I tried to show some pictures earlier in this thread, but something went wrong, hope its ok that I try again, and sorry about the large images..)

That's a great problem to have!

I'm heading down to Temple to get tattooed by Freddy again in July. Beyond excited.

Actually, very few of the actual "signifying" tattoos are worn by anyone but an "in-law" in Russia. There are some heavy possibilities for someone who hasn't earned them. Same here, if someone was to put on so-called "gang" symbols, things could get hairy right chop-chop. Sandman, you should credit the article you posted. http://createvisualculture.wordpress.com/cruciformity/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopedia/180948251928150?sk=info http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_tattoo Same lame shit is regurgitated all over the web.

Morten Transeth at Blue Arms tattoo in Oslo did this on my shoulder on saturday. Super happy with it!

Just blurred out actual identifiers. A few of those Brothers are dead, a few are in the joint, at least two are on the street, and I don't want to casue anyone problems.

Dude, dang. I don't know how you'd classify this but all that solid black looks super heavy -- in the good way of course. And @Bunny Switchblade haha awesome! Did the join up thing a few months back, fun little piece!

tell your coach that you will be training, not just the moments of action where you might be slashed over your forearm. cardio training go! run up a hill or two! :)

suddenly, i feel like having a good beer!

HAHA YES Thanks to @acmetim for hosting such a fun event and for a super awesome tattoo! Me and Kevin were very lucky to get pulled out of the hat haha

Remember the saying " It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand"? i think that may be part of the issue in a mixed forum. So, i'm going to use that metaphorically. in a mixed forum, people can talk about cultural and political issues,personal musical and literary tastes and all contribute and all gain from the experience--- but as soon as one person starts talking about bigotry that they, as a black person- have encountered, or have a question about hair relaxer, a division occurs. I think many non-tattooers , certainly can empathize with tattooers about an issue specific to them--- just like many tattooers can still relate to non- tattooers in matters of , let's say design,artist shop choice etc. But when you get to a certain point that division can occur. Just my thought on what may be going on.

Don't overthink it.

hi everyone. i found this site while looking through some anti tattoo articles online. thought i'd sign up as there seems to be some cool stuff here, and i havent been a member of a forum for a while. i love the tattoo culture and going to conventions, so it seemed natural to sign up here. my favourite styles are old school, neo traditional and chicano style black/grey, and i have around 30 hours worth of work from various artists throughout the uk, including lee hadfield, polish dan, and frank carter. anyways, looking forward to chatting to you all.

That's a little reassuring. I posted this on reddit and got a similar answer to yours as well. Now that I'm already planning my second sleeve I must be getting paranoid!

Yep definitely could be worse thats for sure, don't think I have been this weight since I was 16 years old, I am 38 now. Stoked

Oooh!! That DOES sound like fun!! Maybe I'll get to try it sometime!!

BANNED

The most awesome thing I've done in a long time:D

Was hoping to have something for this month, but I wasn't able to finish my chest up at my last session. I'll be coming for yall next month!

My mind is blown. good job Sir. I have that combo as my left and right sleeves. It's times like this though when I wish cloning oneself was possible so I could get multiple back pieces each with a new subject inspired by art, stories or what I see here.

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

- - - Updated - - -

I just want you all to know that I love you very much.

Worked some more on my back yesterday with Mike Rubendall And then a new one today from Thomas Hooper

Lost my LST shirt so maybe my tiger can help out. Tony Hundahl - Rock of Ages Austin, Texas - one shot

I'll put my newest up there, from Mike Fite:

I guess I'll go first, but I already have a feeling that I'll be going up against some really tough competition this month. Nick Colella formerly of Chicago Tattoo Co., currently going rogue until he makes an announcement about whatever he has in the works:

I'm really stoked on getting my legs done first. I wish I would've just started there to begin with at Least the bad tattoos wouldn't be obvious. But after seeing all these badass tattoos on my leg, I just can't stop looking at em. Ill get my right leg completely finished then finish my torso then save back for last, in hopes of being closer to someone I can commit multiple sessions to. My arms more than likely will be last of all because I love the appeal of not telling I have a lot of tattoos.

I really dig the variations I've seen of the Russian prison epaulette tattoo handled in a more traditional manner . This one is by Rudy Fritsch who does great tattoos in a very distinctive style . Rudy Fritsch Original Classic Tattoo

Yeah.....I've been around the BTC while...and am honored to have permission to have the bat tattooed on me! I'm super stoked! :D

Kanji, 1989 or 1990... um.. fuck. My cousin was graduating from Boot Camp, so... Georgia maybe? Columbus county?

@a1steaks AMAZING! Love the color choices!

Super cool!

I'd like a Dan S blog with stories and pictures and rants on here.

Nick's not really going rogue, he's in the midst of setting-up his new shop...but you for-real got a hella souvenir of CTC there! REally something to brag about, Heathenist!

ok mine is frome Chad Koeplinger! done at invictus /Oslo a few days ago!

My first tattoo from my mentor...took advantage of a cancellation!

7th session. 7 hours of snake scales

I can't imagine having that many tattoos at age 22. I had no money when I was that age for one and I spent from 25-33 getting tattooed very regularly and have not run out of room, nor have i tattooed my face, hands, or neck. My prediction he will go the route of the reformed white supremacist and have it all removed by let's say age 28. Modeling career can only last so long and the popularity of tattoos fluctuates between generations, so I can imagine being a former tattoo model with no marketable skills be a very lucrative future. On the other hand I can't give the ladies a pass either. I think every third girl in Portland is a tattoo model or in beauty school, or a tattooed model in beauty school that does roller derby on the side. I don't know what the future brings for them either.

The only blues I go through is waiting to get the next one. It's hard to get tattooed during the holidays due to spending your tattoo money on Christmas gifts..

Man, I have posted this elsewhere, but I work as a professor and I keep my tattoos covered at all times at work (and have not gone onto visible spots like forearms, calves, etc. yet so that it's easy to cover up). As a woman who looks pretty young for her age, it is already really difficult to have my students and colleagues take me seriously as an "authority" in what I do, and so I am very careful to make sure my appearance makes me fit in and look as "professorial" as I can. I always joke that once I have the requisite grey hair required to make me look more like a professor, maybe I'll start flashing my tattoos in class :) That said, I noticed this morning that one of my grad students got a little tattoo on her thumb! I assumed it was fake and chatted her up about it, and it turns out it's real, which got us into a conversation about tattoo geekery, which led to my confessing my own obsession with tattoos. Obviously the students that took part in this conversation were kind of wowed by this sudden admission that their straight-laced prof spends her downtime in tattoo shops, but I am regretting the interaction a bit now! I feel like I just opened some floodgates. Eep.

I just want to say god bless sluts in tank tops