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Thanks. As you may or may not be able to tell from the photo I am black, so that provides an extra bit of a challenge to the artist, but as you can see things worked out well. I'm probably around Chris Brown's complexion but A) I have better tattoos and B) I'm not a total douchebag. I thought it was worth mentioning since the issue of how tattoos come out on darker skin seems to come up on the internet a lot. Maybe I should dig up that older thread on here that I saw about the topic. This is awesome. The last year of looking at tons of tattoos has really given me an appreciation of traditional work that I didn't have before.

Another day, another trip to The Pearl. I'm working on filling in my right arm at the moment. Today Tim Pausinger added a couple of smaller tattoos. First, a very traditional "lucky" with four aces above it, and second, a sailor girl head that I've wanted for a long time now. I also had a couple of touch ups done, so I'm sitting here with both arms taped up tightly wondering how I am going to get a fork up to my mouth. /searches for a feed-bag

chewing gum helps me actually ... I don't pop bubbles.. just better than grinding my teeth.. Most tattooers don't want to hear why you are getting a particular piece.. This is not Miami ink.. haha

Chris Garver Invisible NYC - - - Updated - - - not sure how to add a lager pic..

Knives & Needles: Tattooer Deb Yarian... Nice, @Deb Yarian! This a great interview with great pictures! Family + food + a dash of tattoo - what more could you want? Thanks for the meatball recipe! :)

my favorite knuckles ever. so witty, so fancy, super clean.

The article says "Rihanna opted for an Egyptian-inspired ribcage tattoo as one of the many that she and Bang Bang have collaborated on." BUT, that tattoo was done by Valerie Vargas: Frith Street Tattoo | Rihanna Tattooed by Valerie at Frith Street If isn't just sloppy so-called journalism and that this punk is taking credit for other people's work...

This is an original that I bought from Mark last year. I really want to get it tattooed, but that dude is hard to get time with when he travels.

Just got this lady put on me this afternoon by Mina Aoki at Fun City. Now I just need to figure out what to cap my shoulder with and I can start filling in the smaller spots. Three hours out and already planning the next steps....

Got this Rock of Ages from Joe Ellis while he was guesting at Lab Monkey Tattoo:

@CultExciter thankyou :P just finished this one

I find comments at the bottom of "news" articles to be a combination of sad, scary, and entertaining.

Todd Noble Tom of Finland heads:

My first two are pretty bad. First, we have just about every cliche about what a bad tattoo is wrapped up in one image: "Quod scripsi scripsi." Yup. It's upside down (because it's "for me"...). Latin ("what I have written I have written" so as to be as pretentious as possible). In my own handwriting (see the translation in the previous parenthetical). With poorly rendered solid black bands going around my forearm. I seriously planned on getting another band for any significant life event. Happily I didn't get too far along with that particular project. Second, this questionable execution of classic tattoo subject matter: I still have a soft spot for it, and intend to have someone try and save it if at all possible, but it is a mess. I've since been getting much better tattoos. That said, I'm kind of reticent to cover any of them up (aside from reworking the bird). There is a part of me that almost loves them for being really dumb/bad.

Here is cell phone photo of my latest by Jeff Srsic at Redletter 1 in Tampa:

Having another tattooer add to it = fine. Bringing it down into a "sleeve" also = fine. Saying fuck it and just getting other un-related tattoos that aren't tied into it = totally fine! I'd just go with your gut and get whatever you want and try not to worry about labeling anything.

PLEASE we don't need to resurrect old Bubbleberry threads.

haha! its going to be a log while before my boss lets me start tattooing :) you can buy a flash set and get a local artist to do it :D - - - Updated - - - got all these for sale as well!

Whats up errybody? Im a tattoo artist from Akron Ohio. I like long walks on the beach and stuff. QUALITY TATTOOS are pretty important to me as well. Thats about for now.......C/S

What you do with your tattoo is up to you, but I think that tattoos look cool with age.

I will always appreciate a Donaldson tattoo. SCI-FI GEEKS 4 LYFE.

Also, Mike Dorsey. A tattooers' tattooer. Mike Dorsey

Entertainment is entertainment, and nobody can knock ya for that. But just recognize it as such and don't base your personal tattoo decisions on what people in suits think makes good television. I think the best advice that I can give you in terms of getting good tattoos is to spend your time with and take your advice from people who are successful tattooers and collectors. People who really spend a good chunk of their lives around tattooing, those are the people who can give you the best advice. Not TV, not magazines, not your mom's friend's cousin in law. And I'm really not trying to rag on you dude. I just think you might have a lot of really popularized ideas about what quality tattooing is, and I think a lot of it has to do with the rock star edge that pop culture has spun onto tattooers and the way that tattooing is represented to the masses.

I'll give this a shot. Done this past April. Jamie Macpherson Unity Tattoo in Vancouver.

Here's a cool one by Virginia Elwood

Me and @Pugilist are moving in a month but before we do that we're going to stop in at the shop around the corner and pick something rad off the wall. We're considering what @JeffK did with his lady and choose something for each other but I'm not sure there's enough trust in our marriage for that.

one i finished the other day

I saw a midget piercer with "Bite Size"

Or fathers/father figures need to teach boys how to be men; this stuff starts early. Just my .02

I watched one of those reality shows. Once. That was plenty.

So everyone in this thead is talking about Ed Hardy or Ami James. Tv Vs. Ed Hardy. The thing is Ya Ed Hardy took tattooing to another level by being one of the first Americans to do Traditional Japanese, but what about everyone else around that time that helped make tattooing what it is? Sailor Jerry was the first to bring purple pigment into tattooing, Sailor Jerry took Ed Hardy under his wing. I highly recommend everyone on this board to watch Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry. The full movie is on youtube. But other that Jerry, Lyle Tuttle, Bert Grim, Philadelphia Eddie (Crazy Eddie), Mike Malone, Stony Sin Clair, Gil Montie, all these guys helped take tattooing to a whole different level. The reality TV crap helped to bring tattoos to the main stream and be more "acceptable." But really is that what the world of tattooing wanted? I think if tattooing was meant to be in the main stream and acceptable it would have been a long time ago. Lyle Tuttle says it best " Tattoos arent meant for everybody and they're too goddamn good for some people." I believe in that statement very much. Being a Tattooer myself, I dont do this for the money or to be famous. I do it for the love of the art. A lot of the TV personalities want to get rich and famous, There are a few that do it because of the art. Tim Hendricks, Megan Massacre, and Cory Miller are some of the few that I can name that do it because of the art not for the money. Kat Von D does very good work, but i think now shes in it for the celebrity and money. Otherwise why would she be writing so many books, having a clothing line, doing a make up line etc. Dont get me wrong I am a fan of her but thats just my observation. So to some up my rambling I think that Ed Hardy, Sailor Jerry, Lyle Tuttle, Bert Grimm, Crazy Eddie, Gil Montie, Mike Malone, and Stoney Sinclair all had more influence than the Reality TV shows.

I'm 27 years old from London, UK. Have worked in advertising for a couple of years, started getting my first piece done at the start of May. I'm getting two neo warriors, one on each calf; 6 hours done in total and my left calf is complete! Other's getting started 6th July which I'm pretty excited about! Getting the work done by Dalmiro working out of The Family Business, Exmouth Market. Found this site whilst searching out info/advice on tattoos, found it really useful so thought I may as well join in! Cheers R

Wouldn't cover either, especially if you like them. Our (lesser)tattoos remind us of mistakes we've made and things we've done, hopefully so we don't repeat them or forget them.

Yeah. He's also really tough to get ahold of. But, what he does is brilliant. He's the Mike Roper of the Midwest.

Now is the time for hugging.

I have to agree with you guys. There is some excellent work coming out of the Okey Doke. Franz Stefanik's work is top-notch. I know what you mean, Shaun, about his style compared to Tim's. I think anyone would be proud to sport his work on their skin.

I do have to say I did show this to people at my BBQ today. I really like it. (Yea they did call me a tattoo nerd for sitting on my phone on LST).

Done by Darcy Nutt while she was guesting at Providence Tattoo :)

Congrats @Eilin! So honored and humbled to be able to share this with you. Thanks to all the LSTer's for voting and much appreciation and admiration for all the mods on running such a great forum. To all the other participants, love all the pictures of your tattoos. Keep them coming as I'm enjoying every bit of it. Cheers!

For me, it isn't the tattoo, it's the begging for comments and attention. Sure, it's really nice to get flattering comments or a whole bunch of "likes" on instagram or whatever, but that shouldn't be what it's about.

Can these men just stop being assholes? Is that too much to ask? On the side I work as an advocate for rape victims and at my day job work with homeless DV victims. Seeing this shit all the time gets old. Men need to start teaching other men to CUT IT OUT! Seriously.

There's a fat guy bartender who works at a barbecue joint in town who has KING SIZE tattooed across his. I like that one a lot.

I like my pinups chubby. Here's a nice one from Ashley Love: And a weird one from The Gus:

I need to stop getting tattooed in Brooklyn where you have no idea what vegan/gluten-free/paleo/whatever dietary preferences are in the shop.

I didnt sell out, I bought in!!!!!!!!!! haha actually my wife finally got a decent job since she finally got out of the poor life choice known as grad school.

This is sweet too! Same Artist different dragon!

I've been a big fan of all Valerie Vargas's pin-ups/women for a while now. She did one on my wife that I absolutely love. I'm sure you guys have seen most of her work but for those who want to see more Tattoos @ Valerie Vargas

And on my second set I have "Snake oil Salesman" vertically.