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I don't claim to know him Richard and @Jennifer Stell well, but I first met Richard in 1991 at Scorpion Studios in Houston. Our paths crossed again in 2010 when he tattooed me at the SFO Convention. Ask anyone in the industry or who has ever been tattooed by him: Richard is a badass with a sharp wit, endless jokes, and a wry smile that'll win you over ever time. And it doesn't hurt that his art is legendary; he has truly developed a style all his own. As many of you know have no doubt heard by now, Richard Stell suffered a heart attack a few days ago. He now needs open heart surgery, which is not a cheap procedure. If you're able to help out, even a little, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. To do so, you can PayPal [email protected]. Thanks in advance.

Back Progress: http://web.stagram.com/p/454663434010911458_5661303 My Wifes New shin eagle: http://web.stagram.com/p/454553257463014123_5661303 Congress st. tattoo trips are some of my favorite.

Stop drawing. Start getting tattooed. Then get tattooed some more. then get more tattoos. Then maybe someone will let you hang around long enough to think about letting you learn. But in all honesty, you'd be better off getting a real job. From what I can tell, nobody gets an apprenticeship at a great shop by walking in with a folio of watercolours and drawings. Getting tattooed is a better place to start. Expect it to take years, not months. like multiple years, not a couple.

Hard to get a good photo and lighting but here is a healed shot of my front, does need some touch up work on it but I am in no rush to get them done hurts to much! Artist, Tristan Bently

You know what they say, @eisen777: the couple that eagles together stays together.

Genitalia. For hours. Get so good at it that even when you are drawing something else, it will subconsciously creep in there like cover art for the little mermaid.

Read the guidelines for new posters:

I have probably said this before, and I may say it again, but thanks to you all for getting such rad tattoos. It's great checking on this thread and seeing so many tattoos that I would be super stoked to have on myself.

During my last few sessions with Mike Rubendall, I had the great pleasure of chatting up Chris O'Donnell. O'Donnell is like a repository for NYC tattoo history and knowledge and just a really nice guy to chat with. Chris and I are currently discussing sleeving my calf with a snake (I think his snakes set the bar for snake tattoos). I was looking over his Instagram and Blog and O'Donnell has some KILLER back pieces up. Here are some examples of images off his website: This last one is a collaboration between O'Donnell and Thomas Hooper! INSANE!!!

terrible photo and taken on the 3rd day of healing but here is my latest by Steve Byrne:

Ok, I'll play, though it is a tough month on this thread once again with lots of superb entries already. My sleeve has recently been finished and has nearly healed, the work was done by Mo Copoletta at The Family Business in London, it took seven three hour sessions which between December and May. I have already posted a few in progress shots but this is the finished product.

This thread and the interviews are by far the best parts of LST.

Your best advice has been given by @Stewart Robson.

^ this.

@eisen777 I know it's a different bird but your back has a Pontiac trans am vibe going on .

Got this little train today from Adrian Hing (photo clearly robbed from his instagram)

Sorry for the Gigantic pictures. These were from an annual charity motorcycle event we did last weekend in memory of a fallen firefighter. There were about 400 bikes gathered for a 50 mile ride through CT. Great day!

I finally got my ship + lion on Friday. I put this picture in my post about the design, but I will put it here too because it will probably be my last opportunity to contribute to this thread for a little while. I totally love these, but I am going to give myself some time to get used to having such plainly visible tattoos (compared to my other, well-hidden ones) before I start thinking about getting anything else. This was a big step for me, haha! Scott M (I can never remember how to spell his last name) at Tattoo Paradise in DC did these for me. He is great, and he did my elephant, too, so I was very sad when he told me he was moving to FL.

Got my belly filled up inna wild style by OllieXXX @ Lucky Strike Tattoo in Edmonton, AB Canada. En joy :)

Back piece thread too, but right now that's basically this thread but just backs.

everyone on this forum has probably figured out that i like eagles but...you know..thats a huge eagle! i kinda fell in love with it right now! (no, earlier when i saw it on IG)

Yea @Rob I That tattoo rules. I love when Chad comes to town. Hope he comes back soon.

Love these!!! I was at congress st last night with chad as well!! Will post pics of my chest piece when I get home. It's on his Instagram right now. Love it so much. Very painful! To be finished next time he comes back.

I watched a couple episodes of it when I was home sick one day. It was pretty much the worst thing I've ever seen on TV... Really, really bad...

congrats! soo awesome!

Got it done on Friday - very happy! Scott M at Tattoo Paradise in DC did it. He is moving to Florida, which makes me sad. He's great! He got these done faster than I anticipated, and the healing seems to be going well so far. Please forgive the lines from my sports bra in the picture - I'll be wearing racerbacks for a few more days, haha :p

Oh my ears!!!! Uncle!!!

i try to ignore that thread because i suffer from back piece envy and i get completely side tracked day dreaming about starting my own.

Nazi Dick March...preferably huge and pulsating

I purposely limit the "potential" to chicks with tattoos. I find both tattoos and not attractive, however, if I am looking for a relationship, I can't do it with someone that isn't involved in the things I am. That being...getting tattooed. I accept all people regardless of tattoos or race or color...but to be in MY life, a girl needs to be tattooed. No judging being done here...

Thank you! I love Toronto, it's my new stomping grounds ever 4-6 weeks, I get my laser treatments there.

I've watched that show and when they show the completed coverup my first thought is "okay now show me how you are going to coverup the coverup"

I personally dont like to watch those shows and dont agree with them. Tattooing shouldnt be a competition in the aspect of a tv show and time limits and to win a cover shot on a tattoo magizine. Competitive tattooing is fine, but in the right way. Taking your time to create the best piece you can and going to a convention and entering it the contests there. One tattoo reality show that I do personally think is worth watching is Megan Massacres show Tattoo Nightmare. They do some amazing cover ups on that show! A lot of people speak badly about the amazing artists that are the judges of those shows like Oliver Peck, Chris Nunez, etc, but at least they have great tattooers judging the work! I will say that I do like that aspect of the show. Not to mention some of the artists on the show are really good but I dont agree with the premisise of the show.

Here you go buddy. Always makes me feel better after watching.

I was going to call it quits and postpone tattoos until after summer, but today James McKenna posted up on instagram that he is visiting Stockholm on the 8:th - 10:th of june. So now I am getting an androgynous african shaman with some kind of predator cowl, head only and perhaps a hand, on the inside/front of my thigh. So amazingly stoked that this is happening, one of my absolute favorite tattooers who usually works on the other side of the earth.

Draw anything and everything. From normal to ridiculous. Whatever you want to draw, draw it.

there was something in the ink that needs out of the body. if you had your regular tattooer go over the lines with a dry needle to open the skin and let what ever your body is disliking out. it will heal and should be fine. or its dutch-elm disease.

LIfe goes on and we just got an mri on a healthy baby! Due in September sorry for big size I am not internet savvy BOY!

Only thing worse than people using the word 'industry' is when people make up words like 'skindustry'

You want a skull in that spot. You're welcome.

Ah ok so the fine line is also called single needle. I didn't know the lingo. It might not have been as bad if it weren't the last thing he did on me after already laying there for 5.5 hours, ha. And here is a cool pic of the face that I (my wife) took so you can see it more clearly.

Next session done on my Dragon/Audrey Kawasaki piece. Wolf had 3 laser sessions and will be ready to cover in a couple of months. Im loving my first bit of colour in the phoenix which goes down my thigh and across my stomach. i'm thinking of a big colourful flower over the wolf what do you reckon ? Or maybe something from my left bum cheek up ? (Didnt want to put you off your tea so airbrushed my crack)

You should get a cat with a hawk tattoo on it.

When a shop has a sign that says "No Kids" it's because people don't use common sense on when to bring kids to a tattoo shop. If your kid is old enough to get what is going on and behave themselves i don't think most people would have a problem. That sign is not for them. It's for the people who bring their two year olds with them to get tattooed and they scream for an hour because there is nothing for them to do in a tattoo shop and I won't let them use the artists portfolio as a coloring book, then I spend the next three hours trying make the place not smell like piss and cheetos. That would be too wordy. Most people get it bring your kids in set up an appointment and leave them at home for the tattoo or maybe bring them and let them watch for a little bit if they want and have other parent take em out for ice cream before they start to get bored. I bring my son to the tattoo shop at least once a week, but not on the days I am trying to get work done, it would be too hard to concentrate. Needless to say we don't have one of those signs in the shop, but i get why people do.

My first tattoo was some kanji. Yes, I can admit it lol. It would have been 12 years ago and I got this in a local biker shop near where I grew up. The place was a classic walk in shop. Flash covering the walls (not the best flash but everything they needed for their clientele) The guys in there where rough as guts, but to their credit the shop was pretty clean... even if they where smoking up a storm in there. I had got it thinking it meant "Good Luck" or "Good Fortune"... I was wrong... (kinda) As most kids are, I was stoked with it and went around showing my friends and all was going well until I showed my chinese friend Alex. He asked "What's that say?" to which I replied "Good fortune", to which he simply replied "No it isn't." and starts laughing until he's almost in tears. I asked him what it meant and he refused to tell me. He said "if you went and got a tattoo without doing the research then you can live with it". Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu At the time I worked night shift in a internet cafe/online gaming centre which was rarely busy, so for the next 3 nights straight all I did was try and find out want it meant. That and trying to convince Alex to tell me. Third night, it's 4am and I am loosing my shit. I could find one or the other character but not the two together. (I admit I probably wasn't looking on the best sites but eh). Anyway, its 4am and this cafe was below a few English language schools in the Brisbane CBD. There weren't may people in there but I noticed that there was one asian guy sitting playing Counter Strike so I walked up, tapped him on the shoulder and just said "excuse me, are you chinese?". Poor dude shit himself (not literally) and cautiously answered "y...yes". "Awesome!", I pulled out the chair next to him, sat down and said "whats this say?" He breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and tried to figure out how to explain it to me. My heart was in my throat thinking the worst all I could think was this is going to be bad - Alex was laughing so hard its going to be really really bad... The young chinese guy looked up and said "it means 'Better Life'... its a really good symbol. we say it at new year and for luck". My response was "so its a good symbol? its ok??" he smiled and nodded. I was cheering to say the least. I gave him his time for free on the machines, and then went upstairs to see Alex who was working in another shop. And told him what I'd just been told. He looked at me and said "I know. I just wanted you to shit yourself for a little while until you learnt your lesson" So kids what have we learnt? Your chinese friends can be real assholes sometimes ;)

OK, this is my first tattoo, done by myself during a party at my house while the parents were out of town. Was a little loopy and like 14 years old at the time? (1984). It started out good, the F and U came out nice; but the C and K are horrible. India ink and a sewing needle. Part of it got burned off on a motorcycle tail pipe later (and that doesn't seem to make it any worse haha).

First tattoo was "RISE ABOVE" on my ankles. It was done by a Sureño who worked in the Applebee's kitchen while I was a host. Its obviously a Black Flag tattoo. I was also wearing a Black Flag shirt. I was 17 and stupid. Oh, it was in his studio apartment and he smoked the biggest fucking joint I have ever seen outside of the Pantera Videos before he started as well. I mean, if you are going to get a Black Flag tattoo... thats how it should be done.