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Finally done after 16 hours. Rodrigo Melo out of Northstar Tattoo in NYC.

Time for a bunch of pinups buddy!

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!

Here is a little piece of mine :-) This dragon sleeve has been done last year by Bonel of Corazon Santo in The Netherlands, which is currently working on my other arm (and a Phoenix backpiece on my wife :-) )

This October me and a group of friends are going to be raising funds and running a 5k in support of the 2013 Philadelphia Aids Walk. In my life I've lost too many people to this horrible disease and while things are better than they've ever been with meds and hopes of vaccines and cures.. people are still dying. I'm not sure if a lot of folks here on LST know what I do for a living; I work in a gay bar in Center City Philly and every day I see people who's lives have been affected- directly or indirectly- by HIV/AIDS. My own mentor, Jack Yount, died of complications due to AIDS. It's something that hits very close to home with me and this year I've decided that instead of just donating money to the walk... we're going to run. I'm going to hit up some of my tattooer friends and see if we can't get a donation of artwork for an exclusive Occult Vibrations shirt design, something non-related to the event but available only to folks who donated, as well as whipping up special OV dvds of deleted footage that I can't show on the blog. Those of you who've seen the unedited ROYBOY tapes know how out of control they got... Here's the pitch: AIDS WALK 2013: 5k TEAM OV! | Sacred Debris

I'm not sure if this is a violation of the rules; I could easily see how solicitations could get out of hand, so if the moderators think that it's out of line, I'll remove it. Until then... This October me and a group of friends are going to be raising funds and running a 5k in support of the 2013 Philadelphia Aids Walk. In my life I've lost too many people to this horrible disease and while things are better than they've ever been with meds and hopes of vaccines and cures.. people are still dying. I'm not sure if a lot of folks here on LST know what I do for a living; I work in a gay bar in Center City Philly and every day I see people who's lives have been affected- directly or indirectly- by HIV/AIDS. My own mentor, Jack Yount, died of complications due to AIDS. It's something that hits very close to home with me and this year I've decided that instead of just donating money to the walk... we're going to run. I'm going to hit up some of my tattooer friends and see if we can't get a donation of artwork for an exclusive Occult Vibrations shirt design, something non-related to the event but available only to folks who donated, as well as whipping up special OV dvds of deleted footage that I can't show on the blog. Those of you who've seen the unedited ROYBOY tapes know how out of control they got... AIDS WALK 2013: 5k TEAM OV! | Sacred Debris is the pitch. Again, if this breaks the rules fell free to remove it. No hard feelings.

If this had been my first tattoo then my entire tattoos collection would consist of one line because for some reason he started on my love handle and when he hit that with the tattoo machine I didn't think I'd last 5 minutes. I somehow kept breathing and made it through the session, but that was brutal.

Yes... your artist! :)

As a kid I always had low self esteem and no self confidence. That has carried over into adult hood and it's a constant battle with myself. When I started getting tattoo's I always kept them hidden. For the first 8 years of my tattooed existence I could cover them all up by wearing a tank top. No one knew I really had any and always assumed I was the type of person who wouldn't have them. I often enjoyed letting them in on my little secret and watching their face change shapes. I had always wanted a full arm of tattoos but never could decide on something. I knew it had to have some sort of meaning and it had to encompass who I was. It was going to be my first full view piece. I was so scared of what people would think. What they would say. Would I be treated differently? How would I like myself with a large tattoo showing. Up until this point my tattoos were all hidden from the world. It was a HUGE deal for me. I kept envisioning this work of artwork on my arm and wishing for the day I could look in the mirror and gaze at it. I kept wishing for the courage to say "F you" to the world and just do what I wanted to do with my own body and not care. I have spent my whole life worrying and caring what other people thought about me. Letting their negativity shape the way I felt about myself. I came across a Jeff Gouge piece and instantly knew.... that was my reference piece. I finally found the look and feel I was going for. So I contacted my artist and we started tossing ideas around. I was sooo scared to take the plunge. October 13th 2012 I sat down in the chair and we chatted and drew out the whole image on my tiny arm. I looked at all the marker lines and smiled. I gave the go ahead and the line work started. I remember that feeling of the first line on my forearm. There was no going back. I was ecstatic. I remember looking in the mirror after the first line session. I remember thinking that it didn't look right on me. I didn't think I looked like it belonged. 10 months later and we have mostly completed 3/4 of it. We still need to do my inner bicep area and I have decided to continue down to my wrist (we stopped 3/4 originally). I now look in the mirror and see it as part of who makes me, ME. I take pride in my artwork and who it has helped me become. I am now much more confident with who I am. I am not concerned with other peoples thoughts anymore. I did something for me, and me only. I am proud of who I am becoming and how this tattoo has helped it happen.

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.

note to self go get boobie tattoos ASAP

December. Boom goes the dynamite.

If only these people would spend as much time LEARNING about their religion as they do TALKING about their religion.

So I bought some fundoshi's off of eBay a while back, thinking I might use them when I start my backpiece. In hindsight I should have known that only japanese men with bodysuits can pull those off. Pale norwegian guys, not so much. Had to cherish the moment with a picture though. I hope you all feel privileged! :cool: - - - Updated - - - Only thing I made my mind up about pretty early on was that I wanted to go big on my front and back. Other than that I'm just randomly filling it in with different styles of work from different tattooers I dig. I guess my thighs and feet match each other, but other than that I just pack'em in there. I absolutely love the look of japanese bodysuites though, but that's not for me. I like too much from both worlds. Now let's see the rest of you in your fundoshis! If you don't have any laying around, all you need is an old bedsheet and a pair of scissors, and voila.

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

Ehhh...but most of us are taking pictures of our tattoos with cameraphones and it's not like those are good pictures to begin with.

Shawn, I don't see how this could be breaking any rules and I certainly wouldn't want to take this down. You could always start your own thread in "Random Crap," but this is definitely more important than "Random Crap," and I hope everyone sees this. You're doing a great thing and I will donate tomorrow morning when it's not 4AM and when I'm slightly more lucid and when I haven't worked a shift. Best to you dude, I'm sure you'll beat the $500 mark. - - - Updated - - - Also, I love that @hogg is the one with the MOST SERIOUS POSTURE OF ALL TIME in these photos. Aside from the red Vans. #notoliverpecker

Going to be flying down with my 24 year old nephew on the Friday (dang I feel old) just to have a good time and to expand our horizons. Looking at the artist lineup made me giggle like a school girl and it will be cool to share the experience with family. Good times!

I made the mistake of thinking the back was going to be manageable because my arms and thighs were. No big deal right? WRONG. When Henning lined the phoenix on my back, it was just insanely painful and nothing like I've ever felt before. When Rubendall lined the dragon, it almost as unbearable but with each progressive session, things did get better. I honestly don't know why the CIA bother with truth serums or waterboarding. Stick a tattoo in me at the worst spot and I'd be squealing like a pig and begging for mercy all day. :D

@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.

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

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!

Hello! I am asking this because I had a couple of rough experiences in other (German) forums and want to ask this before getting very engaged in a community. There I did not even get the chance to post a picture, I was judged by what I said that I had done and planned for the future. Maybe my tattoos are "mainstream" or were more popular at some point, but I really never gave that much thought because frankly I don't care. I just get what makes me happy, not others. (My tattoos are up to ten years old and I still like them.) So to said Forums, the mere thought of a butterfly must have signalized "blasphemy" to them. I understand some designs aren't the best combination, or not tattoed the best way, but I would not go so far to insult the wearer, quote: "with mainstream designs like that you are already setting yourself up for a fail, it is boring and if I was a tattoo artist I would refuse to tattoo boring bullshit like that." It is not like it was constructive and polite criticism either. The whole forum shared that opinion, aside from a few that asked to be deleted because of the bullys. The designs talked about: a butterfly in only black and white with bold lines, a kanji (part of my name), a dead tree (also b&w), part of a rune poem in font, my son's name in gaelic font with a small design, a swallow, small birds, a deer, various flowers (not all together, but spread over parts of my body) Few of these I already have, some are planned soon and some I like for the future. All of these have been planned for years and are part of a story. I have overcome great illness the past 10 years and every design is part of a continuing theme. I was told font and poems, kanji and butterflies (or stars, symbols, flowers, tribals etc.) are a "no go", names of children frowned upon, and that the black and white and simpler designs I like are plain boring and unoriginal? (But what I don't understand is how it is original to try so hard to be original and unique because others with tats will judge you? That would lead to a whole other form of mainstream imho.) I have trouble finding a good tattoo artist because of the prejudice. Long story short, I am wondering if it is the same everywhere, or if it is maybe just a German tattoo community thing. I would love to learn more about tattoos and share future plans to receive some advice. But if I am frowned upon because of my tattoo design choice, then I'd rather just do my own thing because it just would not be enjoyable. Some more about me: I am 31, mom to a two year old, usually work as a bilingual Administrative Assistant but am still doing my 3 year maternity leave while working from home a bit. In my free time I knit, sew clothing, participate in medieval events and reenactment and bow shooting (mongolian recurve) or meet other moms and babies. We are planning to have baby number two in the near future and I hope to get some ink done before that because I will have to take a long break when pregnant and after. Best, Suiren

Well I would say everybody is different? Some like to have a lot of meaning to it, some don't care at all. I like a mix of meaning and designs I like from the looks. Many people might be quite sensitive about their "sob stories", so I won't question or ridicule them. Afterall, I usually won't know what truly is behind these stories. I think fonts can look great, but they are harder to adjust to the body's shape. Placement is key and of course clean lines. As to why a lot of people like them - well, why do people like different things than you? Different music, movies, clothing...it is all just a matter of taste. I listen to Black Metal, my friends like Pop. I won't think too hard about why they like pop or critisize their choice ;). Text can also be a smaller, more subtle or minimalistic option for people who are concerned about work or just like something minimalistic. There are many forms of art and minimalism and typography/ calligraphy are some of them. I plan to get a small poem that can in no way whatsoever be described by images. I have been staring at this poem on my wall for years, I like the exact words, the sound, the old language

I think that text tattoos, like any other kind of tattoo, can be done well or it can be done poorly. I'm on my phone right now so I can't post a picture of it but a couple of days ago the Frith Street instagram posted a whole block of text that Stefano put on a guy's ribs and it looks great. Would it be cooler if the guy got some kind of image to represent those words instead? Probably, and I'm sure that possibility was talked about, but at the end of the day the guy wanted text and he got a tattoo that was clearly done with care and skill, and the dude who got it probably thinks it's the greatest thing in the world. That's good tattooing to me, whether or not it's something that I like or would personally get.

Welcome! I still need to get the Black Flag bars myself.

A coworker once asked me: "aren't you afraid of what will happen in hell?" I asked for some clarification on this and he said " I was taught that what you have tattooed on you will be what you're tortured by in hell". At the time I had only an anchor and a flaming lantern, which I guess you could come up with some pretty inventive torture ideas with. I know some Christians are quite against tattoos, but that's some superstitious craziness right there (and I'm a christian!).

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

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

That's a crapload of minutes right there!

2 full days? 8 hour full days? 16 hours? 57,600 minutes? What's another day. DO IT!!! Ha ha! That's a lot to sit through. Much respect, and we'll all pray for you here.

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.

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.

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

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:

What's up LST?! After a few weeks of being urged to join from a forum friend Ian, I finally got on. I currently reside in the suburbs of the dirty D, Detroit Michigan. At 14 years old, I took my fake ID, skipped swim practice and went and got my first tattoo at a flea market. I purchased a piece of flash from the $40 board that at the time took up my entire shoulder. Now 20 years later its a four leaf clover the size of a quarter! I tell people the guy gave me a magical shrinking tattoo and deny gaining 90lbs. But hay, that was freshman year of high school! Anyway, I've been hooked on tattoos ever since. Being indecisive and picky as hell it took me another 15 years until that needle pierced my skin again! Five years ago I got a half sleeve with my pec done. One year ago I did the other side. Currently working on extending the one sleeve down from half to full, with just one more session to go. I then plan to extend the other side to the wrist as well. My only regret so far is that I didn't do it from the start. Anyway, that's me.....short story mode. Currently hunting for a new Japanese style artist. Spending nearly every night for the past 6 months wide awake in bed searching the net. Looking for an artist to help bring my visions to life. Looking to do a full back piece next neck to cheeks. Anyone have any recommendations near Detroit? Maybe in Chicago etc. Thanks for having me.

Yes it is pretty great. You can decide to go back earlier of course ,but if you want to focus on raising your children first you can do that. It gives me the chance to expand my creative home business. I will take any good and friendly advice of course, and a reputable shop is a must! My first tattoo was done by an apprentice of a supposedly good shop and he really did not do a good job. That is why I want to learn more here and possibly get an opinion on artists.

Got this moth done yesterday by Josh Damnit at Donovan's Autumn Moon.

välkommen and yes, the bars!

Hello and welcome. I'd like to think that LST is a friendly and welcoming place so please feel free to explore the forums, watch the tattoo artist interview videos, go through all the pictures that people have posted, and so on. People who speculate on what they wouldn't or wouldn't do if they were tattoo artists are morons. I was watching that Vice video interview with Mike Brown (RIP) a couple of weeks ago and he was talking about mostly tattooing hibiscus flowers on tourists...because that's what tattooing is. That you're happy with your tattoos is ultimately the most important thing.

This is becoming something of a habit for me to say, but.......... Here is something a bit different to what you regularly see on this site. I know it isn't going to be to everyone's taste, in fact the artist has a bit of a love/hate style. The only tattoo that means something to me as it represents my working life. (most of my tattoos are simply because I like them). The artist is Gray Silva who is based in Nottingham UK. This was my second tattoo, after a crappy Taz that I picked off the wall when I was 16. Took around 50ish hours in sessions between 3-7 hours and around 18 months to complete due to financial restrictions and various other reasons.

Instagram filters will be the downfall of society.... or at least good tattoo photography.

Rodrigo does such gorgeous work!

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

New Uncle Acid

Mods...if @SStu doesn't post a picture of something from Born Weird in the next couple weeks...BAN HIS ASS.

I think next time I go to Chicago, I will just drop in and whoever has time available is who I will get tattooed by. How could I not like this shop, some of the best guys in the business are resident tattooers there, and a steady stream of who's who as guest artists, not to mention same day service available.

We will have to meet up again. My wife has another appt and we will be there all weekend.