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Now here's the right thigh, work by @Stewart Robson

just emailed marius meyer planning a trip to norway. BOOM so naturally i will be contacting you @Iwar for advice, tips, etc

Damn, wish I knew we were practically family! I would've come gotten a close up look at your butt! - - - Updated - - - It looks like SFO is the new Xmas.

Here's the latest from @Stewart Robson from yesterday at Black Heart. Left thigh yesterday and right thigh today. That is a really nice pice from Grez @dari snuck a peek when you were showing Stewart.....

Got in a session with Henning yesterday at Kings Avenue Manhattan. Haven't seen him in a year and naturally he had a lot of catching up to do on the back piece in comparison to the head start Rubendall has had, haha. It was another 6+ hour session and it was pretty brutal. Side ribs and spine are no fun as you'll see in the pictures and I found myself constantly questioning..."Why am I doing to this myself???" Probably the worst pain I have felt so far getting tattooed. We managed to line and shade the background on my right side and also part of my lower back. I will see Henning again this Friday to line some more feathers and shade in the left side background and maybe finish coloring my koi thigh piece. Strangely ironic that this is marathon week in NYC (The ING NYC Marathon to be exact) because that is what these crammed in LONG sessions feel like. But totally worth it in the end. Enjoy the pics folks. Doing some drawing to get a feel of what left side will be like come Friday Laying down the background and connecting it to Rubendall's work A little more close up with a different angle Masters watching masters at work: Chris O'donnell and Richard Pinch observing and lending advice to Henning. I was in awe! Can't see much from this pic but we got a lot done and I was totally spent. More to come this Friday

Here is a terrible photo of what I got from Tony Nilsson while at NY Adorned over the weekend. Great dude and a really humble young tattooer. I'm stoked I went and got something from him while he was here in the states. Being that I really don't post all that much I've gotten a little behind, but I have some new stuff from Grez, Steve Boltz, and Bob Roberts that I'll try and get some photos of as well. It's funny because I am not a fan of forums or posting pictures of tattoos online in the slightest, but there is something so enjoyable about this site that I find myself always coming back and wanting to share. The tattoos that have been getting posted all over this forum are really mind blowing. There's too many people to mention, but I've been real jealous lately browsing around. Hopefully, whatever I throw up someone enjoys 1/100th the amount of how I feel about the O'Donnell or Rubendall (just to name a few) pieces that I get to see on here.

Having seen the completed* piece in person on Saturday, I have to interject that photos do it no justice at all. It's a truly stunning tattoo, rife with detail, and I'm lucky I got to see it up close. *Of course, nothing stays "completed" for long on @Reyeslv!

I spent a long time looking at the pictures on IG of that one today, it is so unbelievably good. It's so bold and powerful yet there's this really remarkable subtlety there like with that almost spectral Sri Yantra in the middle of his chest. It's easy sometimes to get down about all the negative things happening in tattooing at the moment, but then you see something like that and that tattoos like that are being made right now and you realise that we're in a really incredible time for tattooing.

Here is my Backpiece from @Stewart Robson started in London at FST November 2011. Did sessions in New York at Saved, SOG 2012, FST again in March and July 2013 and complete this past weekend at SOG. So between 2 continents, 3 cities and 60 isn hours this part of the journey is over. The piece is in the process of extending down the thighs and that will be completed at the end of November. Then we begin the front, have the subject picked out and stewart will be taking traces of me today.

I think you'll find professional tattooers are pretty stand-up people and will be more than helpful giving you the tattoo and experience you strive for. Everything you just said you should say to a prospective tattooer. Just be honest and they will work with you. If you're worried about giving off the wrong vibe while planning a tattoo, maybe reach out to them via email, so you can take the time to articulate what you want to say. As for working around your ticks and stimms, the tattooer will be able to brainstorm options better. My suggestion that comes to mind would be to request a private tattoo session to block out the sensory overload of a busy shop. Some artists that do big japanese scale works have private studios to accomodate the client's privacy and the long sessions. As for the reference material, just show them what you have and what you want. If they're into it, they will work with you to get you the best tattoo possible. Where are you located? Perhaps we can suggest some artists. Or do you already have an artist in mind?

I had a friend who would wear all black to the shop everyday and touch up any color pigment stains with a sharpie. - - - Updated - - - Probably doesn't work on Gwar blood.

Ha! I always called it a "bedspread" when I was a kid, but at some point it seems everyone just started calling them comforters. Which is a weird, weird term. I also take issue with "hoodie" and "beanie" but none of this has anything to do with what this thread is about..

a new one from Hooper:

x2 .....I'm a lazy fuck, and you said it so perfectly. Seriously though, these last pages has been something else. I think we're in the golden age of the "Latest Tattoo Lowdown" thread.

The Tim Lehi tiger wraps around the front of my shin and the tail goes up the front of my thigh. I love Tim's tiger's so much, they make me angry. Grez did that Durga on me earlier today, I'm waiting for the swelling to hit. He's real light handed, so I'm sure tomorrow will be worse than getting tattooed. I know pic isn't amazing, I took it myself with iPad, heels touching, and toes turned out. If I just stood straight on, they could see each other, but we couldn't see them. That picture really does a disservice to the tiger, you can't see the awesomeness of the colors of the face or how it flows, but it's probably better that way. I know it would only make @hogg angry.

Hey now don't go dissing MoistTowelette like that.

Comforter.

@gougetheeyes At first I thought it was tattoo slang for some kind of japanese underwear, the thong type, that you would wear to the studio as to feel more comfortable while getting your ass tattooed.

Can we all just step back for two seconds here? Oh, just getting rad tattoos from Grez, Henning, McStay, Stewart.. @dari good to see you posting again! @Reyeslv nice blackbutt, @slayer longest knee of all time! That devil's got a Spider Murphy's feel to it.. @xmowglix she is purty. @Deb Yarian saw your updates from SF looks like you had a blast! And @everyone you guys are all my heroes.

Trevor McStay is one of the best anywhere.

This thread made me learn what a "comforter" is!

One of my favorite pieces that I have. By Darl Gnau of Charmed Life Tattoo & Gallery in Baltimore.

After my tattoo bonanza recently at the London Convention I was really worried about two tattoos I'd gotten. They're both around my right knee so when the second tattoo was done the tattooer creamed in both the new tattoo and the tattoo from yesterday and wrapped it in cling film. I've heard you shouldn't use any cream when you do re-wraps so I was a bit worried there all ready. When I got home that evening the cling film had fallen off, leaving my two tattoos rubbing against my unwashed and well used 5 month old jeans. I jumped into the shower and got cleaned as thoroughly as I could, no soap, no hot water. I didn't have any additional cling film so I slept in the bed without (usually always keep the wrap on until the next morning) and then got cleaned again. Proceeded with my usual after care method: bephanten and cold water cleaning 4-5 times a day. For the coming 10 days these two tattoos looked like SHIT. The first 5 days I had been eating aspirin as to not get an infection or something that would make it worse. Yet I had super thick scabs, lines underneath that seemed to be blurred, the solid black was all spotty with grays. I said to myself that I will need severe touch ups on these two. Even a week after these first 10 days my skin was so dry and scaly it felt like I was becoming a lizard. But they both came out nice. Might have to do a small touch up on one of them, but nothing major. And I thought they were both f.u.c.k.e.d. Moral to the story: keep it simple, hygiene routine above everything, don't panic, don't get tricked into buying some Tatz Magick Kream 2000, eat well, sleep well, don't get sick. I think there is a lot more contributing to how well/fast you heal than if your cream has this and that in it. If your tattooer made a solid tattoo, it's going to stick. Just think of it as an open wound for the first 4 days, add some bephanten and you're safe. Some times the process takes longer, don't sweat it. /healing guru with only black n gray tattoos, signing out :cool:

You've got NOTHING to be self-conscious about bro with the amazing work that you have. And it ain't easy keeping this girlish figure, pwahahahaha

Also @ironchef, please get some love handles so I'm not so self-conscious when I post pics!

@ironchef, your work is becoming more mindblowing by the day. Also, you have great hair.

That is amazing. Thanks for sharing all the photos. And your coverage makes your naked ass look clothed so I can look at it at work! - - - Updated - - - Love that Kuniyoshi print, love that back piece.

Alrighty, finally got time to take some flicks of my arm. Here it is, still got the belly eyes, horns, hair, mouth, and spine left and voila! - - - Updated - - - The lettering is designed by my crew mate and mentor, Mr. Totem and tattooed by my sensei Horitoyo from Kofu Yamanashi Japan.

@jayessebee sure does drive fast though! John, you know, I even relate to levels of social anxiety, but you always come off as polite and genuine, and to me, that makes for a good friend. I enjoy the different idiosyncracies individuals hold. I mean, most people who encounter me assume I'm just a jolly bald guy (which doesn't always play well in tattoo shops, but that is how I personally deal with discomfort), but I've got some sass when need be. Thanks for always being rad.

The rock skull in that location makes me think of the phrase "a hard head makes a soft ass."

From the same people who did this great interview with Mike The Athens, here's one with Tas who currently tattoos at Into You in London: Tas Danazoglou | heartbeatink.gr

Welcome to LST. If you want ultra-realistic ocean creatures you need to get in touch with Deano Cook.

Stealing that for my signature.

This is good.

I remember leaving a perfect Sailor Jerry butterfly on the sheets in a hotel in Chicago, with no idea whether they would come out and worried I'd be charged for sheets. So I balled the sheets up to try to hide the stains hahaha.

@Fermin, please do not use citronella on your skin. Don't use it on your dog, either, some dogs can have a very bad reaction. There are many, many, many essential oils that can be used neat, but most would be too harsh for a fresh tattoo. The only oil to ever put on a tattoo is lavender, and that's mixed with a carrier oil. And do make sure it's actually lavender, from a reputable company like Oshadii or Simplers or Young Living. There's 70% more products on the market that say "lavender oil" than there is lavender grown in the world. I have used this to heal a tattoo, but dryer always seems to be better for me. There's a reason everyone hates the word "moist."

While the garment is dry, try pouring a bit of hydrogen peroxide on the inked area. It should loosen it, and lift it off the material. This also works great on removing blood from clothing and carpet. You know, in case you damage someone, and need to clean-up. LOL

Nice stuff from Claudia Desabe

That is correct, I changed my mind. Actually I changed my wife's mind. She was hoping we wouldn't have to do all this travel for tattoos. fortunately she's awesome and let me have my way......

6+ hours yesterday with Henning Jorgensen at Kings Avenue Manhattan. Check the full back piece thread for full report!

Here's the progress so far on my knee tattoo from Matt at invisible nyc

from the convention ;p

One time I was tattooing this girl's ankle and she meowed her way through the whole tattoo as her 'pain management.' It was a trial.

You are my role model. Badassery in full effect! Times like this make me wish I went with only one tattoo artist. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming Stewart is the only artist?

Best intro heading, too. Welcome!

Honestly, I'm starting to feel the same.. After having trouble finding a spot for a palm sized tattoo when I was in SF it really hit me. Since January 1st I have been tattooed 10 times (and got tattooed 2 days before new years this year). I also am getting tattooed on Friday and then again on December 4th. So that will make it 13 before New Years again. Last year I got tattooed around 15 times. As much as I say I want to slow down a bit, I love traveling and I love tattoos and getting them. I'm already planning to go to the Philly convention in February and then getting tattooed by Rob Ryan the day before the convention.. Also planning a trip to Ann Arbor in April to get tattooed by Jeff Zuck & Cole Dunn.. maybe after then I will take a little break :rolleyes:

I found this on Reddit. And it made my day.

part of my back piece skull action.