Leaderboard

I got my third piece from Ron Wells Friday, and I LOVE HER: & if anyone wants the link to my Grez back piece progress, PM me. I don't want my butt all over the internet before its finished--after that, I of course give zero fucks.

Both of these are by Clamore Wolfmeyer at Amillion here in Austin. I didn't get a shot of the Higgs Druid, but here is my wife's pillowcase the next morning! Haha! Boldwillhold!

I was scheduled to have a 2 day appointment with Kore Flatmo next weekend. Due to work I had to reschedule until October. I was a little disappointed. Then, a couple weeks ago I emailed Chris O'Donnell about working on my back. I really didn't expect to get a response right away. Not only did he respond quickly, he said he liked the idea and asked if I wanted to start in a couple months. Needless to say, I'm a little excited.

I am topping this so that you guys who have been tattooed by him can tell me how stoked I should be that I just got a convention booking with him and how fucking awesome it's going to be.

Went to the State of Grace BBQ yesterday, where I met several people with super killer backs, torsos and suits by Horitomo, Horitaka and Drew Flores. And I took part in my first group "shirts off" pic: And here's my with Horitomo (top) and Horitaka (bottom). Super awesome dudes, and Drew makes a mean carne asada!

The last tattoo I got was super fun and easy but it only took something like 45 minutes so that doesn't count. The tattoo session before that was finishing up my sleeve and it was a long and brutal session and there were totally parts where I was laying there smelling the blood drying on my shoulder thinking that no rational, sane person should be getting tattooed. Thomas had also made some joke earlier that day about tattooers being like witch doctors being paid to literally bleed out the demons, and it was one of those revelatory moments about how despite everything that tattooing is these days that there's still a good bit of that primal sort of magic in it.

It's going to be a tiger vs snake battle done by Dave Cummings at PSC Tattoo. I am super psyched. @semele My only consolation here is that I'm getting tattooed locally this time so at least I can do short sessions...though maybe I want to do longer ones just to get it done and over with? Am I going to have another one of those moments where I am getting tattooed thinking that I picked something incredibly stupid to be into?

@ironchef - yeah, I chatted with him at the convention a few years ago and he was so personable and warm that I am really looking forward to the appointment beyond, you know, the thing where I'm going to get an amazing tattoo. You are very lucky to be getting so much work from him! I just confirmed my appointment and texted @Graeme to tell him when it was and he responded, and I quote: "you still psyched?" Dumbest question, haha. Anyway thank you guys for being so pumped for me! Helps me stoke the fires of my stokedness. I asked him for a Baku on my thigh.

Dude. Duuuuuuude. Ladydude, even. I am so stoked for you!

Just wanted to put out a friendly reminder that unless you are a tattooer, the best answer to all questions about healing, coverups, etc...is always "Go talk to a good tattooer". We can give as much advice and personal experience as can fit on a page, and it doesn't really mean much. Take personal experience and opinions as such and see a tattooer to get an actual answer.

I stutter sometimes, but more in languages other than English. It's gotten better over time. Why not get a Porky Pig? :)

I have a consult next weekend for my back. I will be able to commiserate with those of you who were stupid enough to get your asses tattooed in the not too distant future.

"I'm an artist so...." douchiest way to start a sentence?

2 more straight days in December on my back and after reading a few posts above, this shit isn't going to be pretty. (But fucking worth it!) Horinao said it'd be about 20 hours to complete the main motif and I'm wondering if I should just try and push through and get 3 days to complete it...

"When did you buy and eat fruity pebbles?" "What?" "There are fruity pebbles all over the couch!" "O those are just skin flakes from my healing tattoo." ps. fruity pebbles are a great cereal and i haven't eaten them for years.

Go to Inksmith and Rogers.

I'm just going to add my own narcissistic ramblings on here too.. As for being a "tattooed person", I don't think I want to be one all the time. In order to be a normal "respectable" person I think I will save neck up and hands (even though I really enjoy seeing good hand tattoos). I like do be able to go undercover and not always be percieved as tattooed. Over the past two years I've gotten 15+ tattoos all in all and just a few weeks ago I visited a public outdoor swiming pool, a rare event for me. I swear it felt like everybody was scrutinizing me (or I am just self centered..) and it was both enjoyable and not, at the same time. Some of you might know that I plan to only get black n gray work, and that I'm not into single needle stuff. So I think my tattoos will harmonize with eachother in a pleasant way (and that I will look awesome in the end, naturally). It has been mentioned that women of this thread tend to care more about balance and harmony when it comes to tattoo placement and shapes. If I would consider not covering my body I am sure I would be HUGE on harmony and balance. But now, since everything will get it's share of ink I just think of the time of imbalance as being a wrong that will be corrected. This autumn I'm getting the first tattoo on my left lower arm and also the back of my left knee, and I know I will feel a little better, in balance. I have both (man) breasts tattooed but I'm finding it hard to start something on the ribs, it will look so empty on the other side! I also think I will have to do both feet in a short time frame. Negative space is very important to me. I really don't like how some people get a bunch of (a bit too small) traditional designs on their arms and then proceed to fill all the empty space between them with tiny fillers, stars, dots and what not. It just looks cluttered. When I first set out to get my arms tattooed I got a pretty dense and detailed tattoo on my outer left upper arm, and then put in another tattoo on the inside which ties together. I think it looks too busy now and I learned my lesson. Some space in between is the way to go. While I do, more and more, begin to enjoy really large tattoos on other people, on me the only big ones will be my front piece (solar plexus down to pubic area) and back (neck to lower ass). Even if big scale japaneese stuff can look amazing it is more important for me to be able to get MANY tattoos. I want to be able to fit as many artists, styles, subjects and concepts as possible on my body. I like the whole story board feel, where each tattoo holds some kind of meaning/association/emotion that can change and vary both for me and whoever else sees my tattoos.

Jeff Gogue: Pretty damned spectacular.

Hi there I'm Ashleigh, 22 from the UK. Just found this forum the other day whilst browsing and its fab. Lots of great advice. I did have a quick question. I currently have no tattoos and am finding it hard to chose something in particular. I mean there's just so much beautiful artwork out there that I am struggling. How did you guys decide on your first tattoos. Also I'm not one for putting meaning into something, when i get a tattoo it will be because i like it not because my dog died =)

I have my first back piece appointment in about 540 days....

I took a more dry heal approach with the last piece I got and my arm is all cornflakes and barnacles. I feel like Pig Pen from Peanuts but it's not dirt, just scabs flying off me wherever I go.

Yesss, but if you are anything like me, that is EVERY tattoo. I'm traveling so I was offered full-day sessions, but I only took half-days, and four hours is about as much as I have in me these days. I envy your local-ness, can't want to see it!

Sorry to hear what your family is going through, tough business.. Personally I dig traditional style, don't get me wrong realism is cool too.. This with a dagger would be way cool IMO, you mentioning a dagger makes me think traditional as well.

For you guys:

My aunts man once asked me how much I paid for my elbow/lower arm tattoo. I told him and he was speechless for a while. Then he informed me that I could have gotten a moped for that price. I was 26 years old at the time.

@hogg displaying beautiful "asian squat" or Ass to grass technique in the 2nd pic

Done by Neil England. 8.5 hours at the Seattle tattoo expo. He was a machine!

If you are having trouble thinking of something, I would encourage you to think beyond literal imagery, and think about what could convey how living with your stutter has made you feel/what role it has in your life/or how you have coped with it. People around here can be very resistant to tattoos with big meanings behind them, not because tattoos should not be meaningful, but because when we go for very literal imagery to convey something it can look stilted and forced. So try to "think outside the box". For example, this past year I defended my PhD, and wanted a tattoo to mark that for me. I ended up getting a torch, which is obviously not something that "obviously" represents the meaning I was going for, but it was perfect. To me the torch just felt like it captured that moment and how it felt for me perfectly. It evoked the medieval feel of the university where I studied, it made me think of something you'd carry through its underground books stacks, it was at once something dark (reminding me of how difficult my process was), and the fire of a torch also evoked light, and having survived the process! So totally non-literal, but really based on the image feeling like it could capture what I needed it to capture. So think about what your stuttering tattoo is about. Is it about marking something that has affected your life negatively, or is it about your overcoming an obstacle? Is getting a tattoo about it your way of marking its role in your life, or giving yourself some strength in dealing with it, or marking that you've moved past it? I realize that I sound like a big hippie here, but once you figure out what the tattoo's meaning is in a deeper way, it liberates you in terms of imagery a bit. If it's about overcoming an obstacle, then think about what tattoo imagery makes you feel like "fuck yeah! I am tough!" or whatever. Doesn't have to be something that literally signifies your stutter, but rather something that evokes its role in your life. That may end up being like, a dragon or a dagger or something.

I think I saw your bandage when I searched #grez on IG. Curious what you got!

Why is it a shame? People like what they like. If everyone liked everything the same it wouldn't be a competition. Plus the tattoo in the lead currently is an amazing hooper sleeve, which isn't traditional.

I remember saying that but probably in a slightly different context. I pretty sure I didn't mean that because I chose not to part of 'normal' society that I feel any kinship with others who choose, at a cursory glance, a similar path. I choose my associates by different criteria than if we 'modify' our appearance or not. My enemy's enemy isn't necessarily my friend. When somebody decides to become heavily tattooed, I WILL judge them on their tattoos and overall appearance as I expect to be judged on mine. This does not mean that my judgement is always correct but I can make an educated guess that, for example; if someone has 99% crappy tattoos of whatever/every fad and movie-star tattoo of the last two decades that we won't be discussing the symbolism of Kafka and the spirit of Burroughs. Conversely, just because someone has mostly buddhist or various theological themes that we will have an enriching and enlightening discussion. Appearances can be deceptive but serve as an indicator or advertisement of our intent. I feel justified on reading the signals presented and making a judgement call to allow this or that person to take up space and time in my life. I'm sometimes wrong and enjoy the surprise but it happens so rarely that it won't make me re-consider. Kinda reminds me of being a teenager and meeting people with obscure tastes in extreme metal, only to be disappointed when that was the only interest we shared. Or that they liked it for different reasons. Sorry to derail the flow of a TV based thread. I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not a crusader for acceptance. Actually, I'm all for elitism and critical thinking (especially with regards to quality) when it comes to tattoos. The being able to 'back up' tattoos thing - I don't really care, it's not my argument but... I know I'm a tourist with regards to Japanese tattooing. I wear it, I do it, I'm not Japanese etc, etc. I love it but I'm still another foreigner dazzled by the 'exotic' nature of tattooing. I guess most of us are, just some of us spend a lot more time thinking up retroactive excuses for authenticity. I haven't seen any Ink Master since the first episodes of season one but I'm glad it exists. Friends, colleagues and customers of mine get to goof off and air their opinions on TV while still showing that they care about tattooing. One of them said to me that Ink Master isn't for 'us'. It's for people who want to watch reality TV. At least the judges, guest judges and host give a shit about good tattoos. They get to represent 'us' to the people who watch reality TV. I'm cool with Oliver, Dave, Seth Ciferri, Forrest, Jack Rudy etc etc representing 'us'.

1 Shot Rib Tattoo (5.5 Hours) by Tim Hendricks at Gold Rush Tattoo .

arriving in SF on the 19th of september around noon. immediately renting a car and driving to spider murphys to get tattooed. no plans all that night, the next day we're driving back from SF to san rafael to get tattooed again at lucky drive and then no plans again after that. 21st we'll be there all day with nothing to do and then we leave the next day around noon.

I'm in for the SF meet up if it goes down. @chrisnoluck mentioned that he was going to be in SF starting on the 19th as well.

Yes... your artist! :)

Those are two completely unrelated posts, pal.

FYI I'm back in the chair with Rubendall starting October through the end of the year and a few appointments into the beginning of 2014.

Nice contributions everyone, makes me feel all warm inside. @hogg Porky Pig would be great!!!! But nobody can tell you what to get dude.. Just go with your gut!

pretty much... gross. Like unless that opening is followed by "I buy a lot of paint"

I loved Spring Breakers. Was one of my favorite movies of the year so far. After really getting into that movie, I found out a lot of people hate on Harmony Korine...I can't figure out why.

And @Duffa FTW too!!! :)

Just booked my flights to Japan for the first week of December. No idea how I'm going to pay for everything, but I'll work that part out later.

Hahaha I know, right? I still kind of can't believe I am getting tattooed by the dude in less than a month. We rewatched his Tattoo Age last night and I am so excited it's not even funny.

An update: Im dating a really rad girl that I've had a crush on for three years. I told her that I always try to get the people I date to agree to move to North Carolina with me. She said "where in North Carolina?" instead of no. "Asheville" I replied. "Oh. You mean where my parents live? Where I plan to move in a few years?" Little cartoon hearts erupted over my head.

Finally started my front piece with Horitomo last week. Fuck the sternum is no fun. Next session a week from Sunday.

Speaking of Mr. O'Donnell, I start the full back piece experience with him in 2015. I remember at one point in time I thought people were nuts for getting their whole backs done. As time went on though it slowly became something that I admired and dreamed about doing. With that being said it's time to start saving!

Ah what, the hell, I'll give this a try this month. This was done by Thomas Hooper in five sessions between October 2012 and June 2013, mostly at Saved but with one session at the Rochester Convention:

This monster of a kirin is a oneshot from Marius Meyer.

Welcome to LST! So my apprenticeship experience was not too different from what it sounds like you're about to get yourself into. Solid advice: jump ship now, get like 10-20 more tattoos, paint your ass off, and try a better shop. Ideally, a street shop with walk-ins, tons of flash, and artists versed in several styles who do large and small work on a regular basis. I understand that this is rough advice to hear, but I can guarantee that you will have a much easier and much more fun time in your tattoo journey if you take that advice. I fully get what it's like to be young and hungry for it(still am), but you will benefit tenfold throughout the rest of your life if you start out the right way with the right information at your foundations. Or you can do what I did, which is apprentice at the first shop that will take you, start tattooing right away, fuck a lot of people up, not learn shit about your craft, leave half way through your apprenticeship, and then get another job at whatever shop will take you as you figure out how you're going to get good information and further yourself on your own. In the end, whatever you choose to do, it is all going to be difficult. What it mostly comes down to is are you willing to spend the time right now to learn the right way, or do you want to spend the next 5-10 years unlearning what you've been taught and figuring out what's what. Having someone tell you that they will teach you how to tattoo is the most exciting thing in the world! The fact remains that the time spent in a shop for 2 tattoos is not enough time to let you know if it's really something you're ready to be a part of for the rest of your life. Anyway.. sorry for being so preachy. You will decide what's best for you and your life. I wish you the best of luck on this incredible journey that is tattooing and getting tattooed.

Looks like it's official. Starting a black metal band with a good friend. Finally!