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My love handle. My poor poor love handle.

My latest is only a few hours old. Is this the first LST-themed tattoo? If it is, I also know who got the second (only moments after me): Courtesy of Mr. @Scott Sylvia himself. PS Like this or feel the ban hammer.

Thanks to @steve1461686340 for putting this dinner together, I want to apologize to the group for being so obliterated at the dinner. I very regretfully ate too many brain smashers through out the day and was just a mess by dinner time. Fortunately I got my shit together and the rest of the trip was a great time :D How fucking embarrassing, I look like a moron in those photos. Though I did get 4 hours of tattooing done on my butt cheeks and was super taxed, that's no excuse for being such a fucked up asshole so again, thanks for having me and my apologies for being such a zombie. All that aside, @Iwar and I had the most INSANE time in SF and I know he has some killer shit lined up in LA but since it's his trip, I'll let him share our agenda :D

Just finished healing! So stoked about it! Done by Jesper at The Sailors Grave in Copenhagen. Slightly modded SJ flash.

I think part of the appeal of a back piece is the required patience, discipline, and sacrifice.

Might as well work on the other areas of your body until "takes forever" stops being the worry and "I'm so excited, when can I start it" becomes the predominant feeling.

We often advise people here to not overthink the whole process of getting a tattoo. I am going to offer you the same advice, but about fucking. There is no "perfect body" and the sooner you can understand that there is beauty in imperfection, the better. Tattoos or not.

Jesse Gordon Jnr. Clipped from his Instagram. Nice guy, interesting to hear a little about the history of Inksmith & Rogers.

got a little rose on my neck from Adam Hays and.... a bit more on my back from Chad K

And from what I've observed and will experience in the not-too-distant future, "I'm so excited, when can I start it" is followed by "MY GOD WHY I AM SUCH AN IDIOT". That seems to go back to excitement though.

posted in the lastest tattoo thread but i figured i'd give it a shot in here as well. by Stuart Cripwell @ Spider Murphys this past thursday.

Well yes. Thanks @hogg for asking hahaha.... The pic I'll post is current. The whole thing was actually re-outlined and re-coloured by a different tattooer about 3 years later. At that time the birds were added along with some tiny alleged plant matter hahaha...and along with serations on the leaves, which was absent in the original. But, the original design is still in tact. I wrote a bit about the experience in another thread. It ain't bad for nearly 30 years old. I still like it. The bold has holded :cool: And I wrote about this in another thread as well but too lazy to find a link, sorry ;) I found this second pic I believe on Mike Wilson's Instagram. Pic of he and Tony Polito at Smith Street? This freaked me the F out. The flash sheet on the right behind Mr. Polito has my tattoo on it and I hadn't seen the original design anywhere since I picked it off the wall so many years ago. Middle left off the sheet. Has me very curious about its origins. Obviously age old subject matter but, who first drew that one? Oops...pics reversed. Cheers !

It is fairly easy to get there by Metro North. It is a $30 train ride from Grand Central, and then you can take a taxi to Beacon, or you can find a bus from Penn Station

The same is true for hair and makeup, yet plenty of people put time and effort into both on a daily basis. (Present bald company excluded.)

I've seen some bottom of the foot tattoos in person and to say that they don't hold up is an understatement. I also can't really see anybody worth getting tattooed by doing tattoos like that.

We're all winners to be able to see both of these amazing tattoos in the same thread. JoJo's crab is killer as well!

History of women's tattoos: From Native Americans to cancer victims' 'tatts' instead of breast reconstruction | Mail Online

Got this namakubi from Caio Pineiro today: Horrible horrible times but worth every second. He is a super nice guy too. On his first euro-trip now, normally works in his own shop in Sao Paolo, Brasil.

Well, for what it's worth, (blue) hydrangea is pretty much exactly halfway between sweet williams and forget-me-nots, visually (to me). Sweet candy tuft might be worth a look too:

I'm very jealous of this hole thread! I have been lurking and it looks like so much fun! Can't wait to see some photos of your back @ian and how it's turning out! And @Iwar I'm lucky enough to see in person in not too long! Exited :D The little bits and pieces I have seen so far looks ridiculously good! Again, very jealous! Hopefully some days in London at the tattoo convention will help :) hehe

Heading back to Berlin the first week of Oct. to (hopefully) finish off my rib-piece with Uncle Allan. Super stoked to see this thing come together! I was planning on taking a little hiatus for a few months, but my loving wife got me a b-day present in the form of an appointment with Herb Auerbach which is coming up in a couple of weeks. Haven't made my mind up design-wise; I'm thinking moth or lady head.

gonna enter this Rose by Adam Hays whilst he guested at Black garden, london UK.done on thursday

Why is @ian so grumpy looking? Did he just get his ass tattooed or something?

Got my first two from Stano at Tattoo Zone in the Daytona area circa 86/87, though he's been in business since 1980. One was covered a couple years ago, but it had held lines and colors like the month it was put on, for real. (The other looks sharp to this day too, but is flat black.) Have to admit, I kind of get a kick out of wearing tattoos older than the "kids" I regularly patronize today! - - - Updated - - - Judge Dredd tattoo on shoulder, now covered Marilyn flash on chest Both by Stano

Tattooed by a guy called Steve in Bath around 1970. Don't know what became of him. He gave me two great tattoos though. Got tattooed by Doc Price in Plymouth. He was 80 and has been tattooing since the 1940s, amazing guy and some great tales. I first saw one of his tattoos when I was in Approved School (Reform School) in the 1970s. It took 40 years but I got there. I've a great big framed picture of me and Doc that takes pride of place on the wall in my house. I've also got a Bristol Tattoo Club bat tattooed by Jimmie Skuse (Les Skuses grandson). Jimmie has been tattooing for a few years I'm not sure if Jimmie has been tattooing since 1985 but the family lineage dates back to the 1940s. Alex Binnie did his version of my first ever tattoo a couple of years ago. He is such an important person in British tattooing history. At the London tattoo convention I'm getting tattooed by Henning and in October, on my birthday, by Lal Hardy. George Bone is also on my list.

But added up over, say 60 or 70 years (not forgetting hair dressers, beauticians, eyebrow plucking, all that make up we buy that turns out to be just wrong, cleansers, etc.) it's quite a different picture, I'd think.

This is pretty interesting as well actually - not women - Russian Prison Tattoos - Imgur . Some of them are phenomenal.

I've made a little collection of photos of (mainly) tattooed circus ladies here: http://www.pinterest.com/FrankieFrankie/circus-tattoos-and-stuff/ while researching some stuff. Love 'em all. Beware: nakedness and visible breasts. Must say I was disappointed by Bodies of Subversion, but maybe my expectations were too high. - - - Updated - - - Oh, these are interesting too - plenty of photos INK Part 1: A History of the Tattooed Lady http://www.transversealchemy.com/2011/02/ink-part-1-history-of-tattooed-lady.html?zx=8e7d635280bb0d60 INK Part 2: The Sideshow Girls http://www.transversealchemy.com/2011/03/ink-part-2-sideshow-girls.html?zx=e1573d9c2aadafce

Good god, that is black, @Cork. Looks incredible!

I am sooo damn jealous, and I know I really gotta make time to head out to SF. Awesome tattoo!

Dont' waste your time with the convention, It's not run that great and there isn't hardly anyone there this year and all the big names are always booked out and crazy busy. Kundell doesn't attend the convention usually he just sends the other guys, but that is the booth I have hung out at last few years. I am not saying there isn't some people worth getting tattooed by, but it's out in the middle of nowhere, there is no food, beer is expensive and it really is not a good representation of Portland. It's not worth putting yourself behind schedule to see the convention, especially if you don't have time to get tattooed. Stop by Atlas, or AWR or Scapegoat and check out the real tattoo scene in Portland if you do stop, plus at least there are cool stores and restaurants by those shops. I am not saying this to be a curmudgeon, it's not the people that suck, it's the show. I really like a lot of people that tattoo here in Portland, but year after year less people do the convention and most that do show up, have their booths compd, or else they wouldn't be there.

Thanks @steve1461686340 for hosting and posting the photos. It was great to meet everyone and put faces to names. Hopefully I will see most of you this year at SOG!!!!

CA being awesome should inspire NY to get our shit together! We HAVE to do something like this. And btw, idk if it's just the California-glow but damn, LST is a good lookin bunch :)

lol of course - here they are! I appreciated the comedy factor. ;)

BOOM!

Likewise, buddy! You're a part of that radness, for sure. It was great to finally put a face to your screen name (and awesome tattoos) and get to know you a bit. And @dcostello, I hope all's well, man. I was looking forward to seeing you, but you made the right choice. Here's a fast heal.

My girlfriend is still in the hospital in Oakland as of today due to back surgery complications. We were hoping to attend, but as of now I will be with her instead of at the dinner. I'll probably get yelled at for sitting at the hospital instead of doing this since she knows how much I dig meeting all of you... but i gotta do what I gotta do.

I booked my next flights to New York this morning. Third session on my back with Grez in a couple weeks. It was a nice coupla months off!

I'm visiting home in North Carolina for the first time in a couple of years next week. I have an appointment with Danny Reed at Hot Stuff Tattoo on the 19th. It's for a hot stuff devil/aloha monkey mash-up

i had this one done by Björn Liebner.

Phil Holt (and this was this guys first tattoo): - - - Updated - - - Also Phil Holt and this guy is actually the brother of the guy in the last photo:

Many thanks Ross. Can't wait! - - - Updated - - - Yeah see you there :-)

This is from Henning Jorgensen. done at Royal Tattoo. enjoy!

Yes I travel by car from the UK to all over Europe as I hate flying lol My trips are usually around the 4000 mile mark every 6 months. All my back to back sessions so far have been fine apart from this last one, which was just one off day I guess, no explanation for it. I have been told by nearly all the artists that worked on me that I have very good skin for tattooing, don't ask me what that means lol I also heal very quickly which I guess is another bonus. I have fallen asleep a few times while getting tattooed and missed it all lol From my expirience so far, for me personally my thighs are by far the worst pain and my shin was extremely painful also. I am told ribs are terrible, which I guess i will find out in 2 weeks time as Carlos Torres is doing my whole side. I have asked for him to try and complete the whole rib and half chest side in back to back sessions in 2-3 days as he isn't long in London but I am not sure I will handle that so I guess I will wait and see :)

Long live the tattoo nerds!! :D

@Hogrider I'm by no means an authority on this stuff, but I'm travelling along the same road you've just started... Part of the reason you can't find what you're looking for is because you're looking for literal or binary meanings. Most of the images you've seen tattooed are taken from Japanese and Chinese folk tales or religious stories. Imagine of you asked someone regarding western cultural art or tattoos: 1) "What does it mean when there's a guy hanging on cross with his arms outstretched?" 2) "What does it mean when there's a woman in blue holding a naked baby" 3) "What does it mean when the muscle-bound guy in the black mask overpowers the brightly dressed skinny man in the clown makeup. The answers depend on your level of interest/sympathy and how abstract or literal you want to be: 1a) It's Jesus. His father, God, sacrificed him to atone for the sins of the world. 1b) The wearer has faith in a religious power higher than himself and possibly feel kinship with or sympathy for the figure and character of Jesus Christ. 1c) The wearer wants to be forgiven for past wrongdoings. 2a) It's Mary, Jesus' mother. The baby is Jesus. 2b) She's a figure of worship because some people believe she should be revered because God chose her as the vessel for his earthly offspring. Her cloak is blue because traditionally goddesses were associated with the moon and night sky. Sometimes it has stars on it. Christianity adopted this symbol to make it easier for people who held older religious beliefs to adopt the new faith. 2c) The wearer may have sympathy or empathy with the concept of being the vessel for divine power or lineage. Also this symbol can have an added element of sadness because we know the eventual sadness and loss of a mother witnessing her only son be sacrificed for the good of mankind - possibly a greater sacrifice than Jesus, some might say. 3a) It's Batman, he's fighting the Joker. 3b) Batman is a symbol of vigilante justice. He works outside of recognised laws to bring justice to a world crippled by wrongdoing. 3c) This scene is a metaphor for the darkness of repressed homosexuality and it's power to overcome the sinister flamboyance of non-hetro feelings. etc, etc. In short, think about what you want your tattoo to 'mean' or 'say' - tell that to a tattooer who knows his stuff and let them find a story or theme that fits your idea. Or just pick one you like from a woodblock print. I try to tell people all the time that western traditional tattooing has just as much symbolism and poetry but nobody will listen. It's all sex, death and the struggles of humankind. Good luck.

Guy Le Tatooer