Leaderboard

I haven't been lurking around here as much over the last month or so, so I have a ton of backlog that I'm looking forward to reading and seeing...but it has been a pretty awesome week. Got this lady from Bert Krak on Thursday: And then adopted this lady from the shelter on Sunday: Both are mending well.

Let's be honest to the fellow...that sigil in the center isn't going to hold up anyhow.

I guess my question would be, why ask a question if you have no intent of listening to the answers anyway?

People have given their answers to your question, and it seems you are ignoring them. This really is fine but I don't understand the point of asking the question. Most posters at LST genuinely try to give the best advice. In the end it is your body and your tattoo, so if you'd like to risk it, that is fine. As far as live and let live, then come back in for a touch, you might hit some friction there. I know anyone who has tattooed me has no problem doing free touchups IF you follow their directions for aftercare.. If you disregard their professional opinion, I'm sure they will touch it up, but at a price. As far as my one personal experience with this, I can say. I've modified the last 3 summers to no pools, direct sun, oceans, beachers, etc because I invested some serious cash, time, pain and my artist's time into my tattoos, and until I'm done healing them all, I will keep doing that. Yea it can suck but I also don't want a wrecked tattoo.

What the hell...my entry is from Russ Abbott done at Off the Map in Mass. It's a Clipper Ship with "finger waves" to add a newer element to a classic design.

If you don't belong, don't be long.

BOOM, we have lift off!! Looks like it's live now :)

8 weeks after my 4th session: Dropped by Eye Candy just over a week ago and Randy Muller seems quite happy with the results and advises we're easily to a fade level that will give him good options for a cover. He took a couple of pictures and we'll consult again in a couple of weeks. Hoping to be starting on my back piece in September.

welp heres a few filler pieces i got yesterday from lowercase j.. i had no idea what i wanted to do when i got there i just showed him the spot and we went through some books of smaller flash and made some shit work. sorry if the pictures are big. my girlfriend is way tougher than i and got this big fuckin eagle on her chest by timmy tatts. took about 2 hours.

Welcome, Janessa. Be sure to post that Dave Gibson tattoo!

Im sure your "tatted up" buddy has better knowledge than the person who tattooed you right? He would probably know more about how a tattoo heals than someone who actually tattoos. Seriously guy, the person with the answers you needed gave you the correct answer and because you didn't like the answer, you ignored it. When you only listen to the things you want to hear, you miss the things you need to hear.

I'd choose Iain Mullen. He's working @ Imperial Tattoo, in Stockholm where I live. He is super versatile and can pull off any style really, yet you can still see that it comes from his own hands and brain. Very funny and nice man to chat with and as far as I can tell we share some ideas about what makes a great tattoo. Also he cares about art in general, not just tattoo art. When I got my elbow done by him he first told me how happy and stoked he was about the sketch, then set up the machine and went out for a cigarette. Came back just 2 minutes later with the words "To excited, man, I can't smoke! Let's do this!". For someone who's has been tattooing for more then 12 years, this is the level of involvement I like too see still.

robert ryan posted a cool one today:

KABOOM!

Hi everyone, just a quick post to introduce myself. My names Neil, I live in the UK and I'm currently being tattooed by Stewart Robson from Frith Street Tattoo. Been browsing LST for a while now, so i thought i should join the ranks! Thanks a lot!

!!!!

Yesssss, gonna spend my day off digesting this

Check Alex Reinke's IG he just finished a backpiece on Iain Mullen also, it's some 5th floor shit .

Oh yeah, this will be happeneing.

Keet D'Arms Southern Star Tattoo - Artists

Hooper hurts way too damned much to have him be the only person to tattoo you.

sick tat bro

@ian and I will be hanging out in SF September 18-22, and we both have appointments with Grime. Ian's doing another session on his back the 19th, and I will be starting mine with two back to back appointments the 20th and 21st. Holler at us if you want to grab a beer or something!

Welcome. You should seek out JoJo Ackermann. He's not far from you (Santa Clarita) and well worth driving any distance for: JoJo Ackermann - American Made Tattoo

Welcome to LST. I have a nautilus tattooed on my forearm so I like the idea, but that one does nothing for me. It looks like something pulled off of Google Image Search and just looks kind of cheap. To give you a couple of ideas of what you can do with a nautilus, here's a picture of my forearm, which was tattooed by Thomas Hooper (it's kind of hard to get a good picture of it because it wraps around my arm): And here's a picture of one Seth Wood did that I also think is super cool:

El Carlo Aloha Tattoo Spain

Nobody in the world cares about my tattoos. But I really like them. I've got a bird friend on my shoulder who will be with me always. Poor little Squeaky, the real bird, died when I was away. I never got to say good-bye and now I don't have to because Squeaky is always there on my shoulder. I've got a story of hiking a long trail on my leg. If I ever get Alzheimer's I will probably at least remember that experience since it's right there on my leg to remind me of all that I saw and did out there. I've got big blue roses. Lots of color. I was hated and criticized mercilessly all my life for being ugly but now I have pretty colors on my skin to make me happy. And finally, my butterfly. First time I went to a tattoo shop the artist there told me of giving an old lady a tattoo of a butterfly on her arm because she had always wanted one. There are so many things in life I've always wanted to do and it took me a while to realize that someday never comes. Do it now. And even though a barely-graduated apprentice did my butterfly, he cleverly mirrored the motif of the leaves of my roses and tied it all together. I feel like I carry a flower garden and a little bit of spring around with me wherever I go. I claimed my body from those who had prior claims, defined it my own way, not theirs, and made it my own. Nobody cares about my tattoos, some people probably scorn me for them, and for that I even feel more grateful because against their disapproval, here I am, taking up space with my garden and my memories, just being me.

Lessons From Ink Smith & Rogers: Week 2 | TAM Blog Week 2 of my son Nick's month long stay with Inksmith and Roger's On tattooartistmagazine blog? - - - Updated - - - http://wp.me/p14cQJ-52c

Just finished it. In case there was any question, this proved that Shige is the Hanya master! Someone pointed out Marcus' quasi-accent in the Paris episode and we see a little bit of it here again, I think he's just so well traveled and versed in so many different cultures that he can just slip into an almost local identity in all of these places. His humility and respect shown here is incredibly Japanese (especially towards Horiyoshi III and his wife). Marcus truly is a gentleman and finds ways to assimilate very well into other cultures.

Hey Man, Ive been getting Rajin and Fujin on my thighs Ive just uploaded the photos to my profile, if they don't show up on here. Thanks for the welcome!

YES!!!!

I do! :)

Are you any one of these people?

Kelly Edwards does super nice tigers

might want to rethink your plans

Welcome to LST! If you are interested in Japanese style dragons and pheonix's I recommend checking out these Boston area artists: Erick Lynch at Redemption in Cambridge, MA Mike Shea at Redemption in Cambridge, MA Forrest Cavaco at Cobra Custom in Plymouth, MA Jason Loui at Iron Works in Portsmouth, NH also don't be afraid to expand your search to New York, its a short trip that I've done numerous times. Places to check out in NY for Japanese work include: http://www.kingsavenuetattoo.com/ http://invisiblenyc.com/ http://www.nyadorned.com/

These one need a secion of color Tomorrow ill be getting a tattoo from Dave Gibson!

I'm getting tattooed by him tomorrow! Ii'm so excited. the first person to tattoo me besides me besides my uncle and hes a legend. find him in Stockton, Ca! Quarter Horse Tattoo - Stockton, CA

Just came across this interview with Rico which I thought was pretty cool. He's a great artist who specialises in traditional Japanese tattooing. Check out his and his wife Shion's work here DARUMA GOYA TATTOO, Japan

well If im going to get it on my back there's no reason not to go big. :)

Bubbleberry .

I just got this clipper ship and "finger waves" from Russ Abbott. He had an idea and I let him run with it to put a different spin on a classic design. What do you think?

welcome and good luck!

Mike Shea Mike Shea Mike Shea!

Hi and welcome to LST. If you aren't ready to commit to the permanence of a tattoo, you shouldn't get tattooed. Period. Sit on it and think about it for a while...there's no reason to rush into getting tattooed. Stick around though, watch the artist interviews, look at the tattoos people here are getting, and maybe it will help you to decide one way or the other.

I just heard from Dave about a week or so ago and he said a friend just opened a shop in Stockton about 45 minutes from him...and they were treating him very well there! I am guessing this is the shop you saw him at! Who is Dave Gibson huh??? I had to chuckle a little but I can understand how some people might not know who he is now! Dave gave me a list about 8 years ago.....I asked him for a list of tattoo artists that had 40+ years in the craft that did solid work and he gave me a list of world class artists! I have been chipping away at that list ever since adding as many of these people's work to my body as I can! I owe Dave.....he really is partially responsible for a lot of the wonderful tattoo artists I have met over the last 8 years! Debra Yarian and Debbie Lenz were on that list and I was tattooed by both of those ladies two weeks ago during my trip to Ohio..... Yeah.....you met a legend in the craft! He seemed like he was going to retire and stop tattooing.....I've been on him about not stopping....and I was stoked when he said he was working a day a week again in that shop! Definitely go get something from him while it is still an option! And please tell him I said hello if you would! :) Here are a couple acetates Dave sent me a while back!

I'd avoid an asshole, largely because I don't like giving my hard-earned cash to douche-bags. I've been tattooed by all kinds of types. Some are super friendly and talkative and others are the silent types - and a range in between. All are totally cool with me. Just don't be a dick! I've noticed a really unpleasant trend on instagram recently - some artists have taken to posting pics of their clients, mocking them for being fat or ugly, or generally dissing their choice of tattoos. That's fine, I guess, but I sure wouldn't go to their shop. It strikes me as an odd way to do business, but hey, its their choice.

this tattoo is so damn awesome, and i felt the need to let you know that.