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So today was my second session with Henning on my backpiece and it was a tough one. Started bright at early at 9:30am at Kings Avenue Long Island. This was probably the most painful and longest tattoo session I've ever had. We both under-estimated the time it would take for Henning to finish lining some additional feathers and to shade in the rest of the background. The first 5 hours were relatively low key. The last two hours were terrifying. I now know I will probably not entertain a torso piece anytime soon as the pain from the ribs was just brutal. This was the first time I considered tapping out but I was able to bare down and we managed to finish. Here are some pics. Color next year for the phoenix. Next session will be with Rubendall in December to put more color into the dragon. Big thanks to @Killercook76 who dropped by today for moral support and assisted in taking some pics. He showed off his Garver and Hendricks pieces which were AMAZING. Cheers bro! I love this guy but he "royally" kicked my ass today... Added some more feathers and filling in the top Background fully shaded Right side from Tuesday's session Left side from today

Here are some photos from my session on Thursday with Henning Jorgensen at Kings Avenue Long Island. Brutal 6.5 hour session. Filled with involuntary leg twitches/spasms, especially when Henning worked on the area above the tiger's ear/shoulder. Henning was a true professional and always told me I was doing great even when I thought I was sitting terribly. And @ironchef sent a few encouraging texts that helped me get through it. A full day session is no joke, the last hour was a huge challenge and I eventually had to tap out. A humbling experience. The plan is to finish it next fall with 1 session in Montreal and 1 session in NY. Also I plan on getting a hotel for all future sessions because 8 hours of round trip driving and 6.5 hours of tattooing is too much for one day. I felt like I had very serious hangover the following day.

I guess I will throw my in progress piece done by shige this monday at diamond club tattoo into the mix

Brutal 7+ hour session today with Henning Jorgensen at Kings Avenue Long Island. Full report in the Full Back Piece thread. I'm obliterated...goodnight.

showing progress on my back done by jess yen. i lost count but i think we are about 25hrs or so in.

So many killer tattoos so far, and I don't want to win, but just to make things fun, I'll throw this one in the ring: Done by Chad Koeplinger at the Montreal convention in September. Also because of this forum I have this impression that Scandinavia is full of super nice people with jaw-dropping tattoos.

Okey, this is my last try for a while. Done by Mike Rubendall in the end of September.

I will give this month a shot with my healed Fudo Myoo-girl done by Claudia De Sabe, at this years London tattoo convention! Yet another girl head in my collection and it's definately not the last! :eek:

Maybe all the winners for 2013 should battle it out in a side competition in January or end of December?! I like this idea.

In a faux reality world, anyone can be a judge. Its a tv show, the fact that everyone is talking about stuff like who should be a judge is proof that their brainwashing works. In actual reality, no one should be a judge. No one should be a "top tattooer" competing for tv producers ratings. - - - Updated - - - In a faux reality world, anyone can be a judge. Its a tv show, the fact that everyone is talking about stuff like who should be a judge is proof that their brainwashing works. In actual reality, no one should be a judge. No one should be a "top tattooer" competing for tv producers ratings. Kill your TV

i painted this shitcatbird yesterday. definitely was fun.

About 4 more hours on my back today with Max. I'm going to try to make another trip down to Richmond before the end of the year. Sorry if it's huge but I'm on my phone right now.

Never entered but this was too fun. Vince Leblanc did it from Animal Farm Tattoo in Chicago. Reptillian Mayor conspiracy action.

I believe @Gregor was referring to the human condition of personal responsibility. Just as @GrayCatLove was noting an extreme situation, so was he. I don't think this conversation needs to go any further.

Regardless of what you hear about a tattooer and how much you love their work, if you feel uncomfortable with them, then definitely do not get a big, multiple session piece with them. Not only will the actual sessions be stressful, but if you're anything like me, you will worry every day until your first appointment and in between each subsequent session if the tattoo will be what you want or if this guy will ease up and offer any artistic input. I had a similar situation, but in the US. We finished the outline and then started talking about colors. The artist had briefly talked about what colors would work before we got started. (Also important to mention, is that when I came in for my consult I said I wanted black and white, but he was adamant about doing it in color. Looking back, I think that was the guy at the desk's fault because he recommended this artist based on what I told him and the artists is heavy into bright colorful floral tattoos). So after the outline was finished, he literally opened his cabinet with his ink bottles and asked me to choose what I wanted. I said flat out, he should use his judgement since he was the tattooer. By then, we had already narrowed it down to red roses, so it was a matter of choosing the red and a highlight color, like pink. He had all different values of red and pink and greens and wanted ME to choose each one. I kept trying to refuse, but he really wanted me to decide. It was my first tattoo and I felt extremely uncomfortable and overwhelmed. Long story short, I left without getting the color and 6 years later still have an unfinished tattoo. In my opinion, with my experience it was more bad "service" to expect a newcomer to tattooing to know how to choose inks, because we did vibe very well at the consult and leading right up to the outline finishing. But I think you're situation was a combination of bad chemistry/bad service. If you ever feel uncomfortable, just run! Tattoos are a commitment, and to me, the experience is part of the package. If you have a negative experience with a tattoo, then you will have a reminder forever. I know I do.

anyone here into printmaking? i found photos of some work i did a year or so ago this was the biggest silk screen print i've ever done. its about 1 meter wide and 1 and a half tall from what i remember ive done a bunch of lino cuts, etchings and woodcuts as well. it's been a while, i'm craving the craft

Would be nice to see a "tattoo of the year" or "best of lst" thread.

I thought I'd throw up an old tattoo just go giggles, since I don't think I ever did in the contest. Regino Gonzales Invisible NYC

Just finished my Jason Reeder owl. :D My picture is awful because it's still shiny/swollen/red, plus I'm bent over upside down trying to get a good angle, it looks slightly distorted here but looks better in person. It's on the side of my leg and the wings wrap onto my shin slightly, so it's tough to get a pic of it all. Jason is awesome to work with and we've already discussed expanding on this piece and having a nocturnal theme around my lower leg. 2 sessions, about 5 hours.

@WideOcean, can't you just go back to the polite and serious plumber? I think humility and sensitivity go an awful long way. If your chinese is terrible, maybe he could speak with you in private instead of in front of other customers? I also expect my tattooers to know which elements will and won't work. My husband (who won't tattoo me 'cause I'm a pain in the ass) will be the first person to tell me if I'm "trying to shove 3 lb. of shit in a 2 lb. bag." Or he'll ask "How big do you think your arm is?" when I'm telling him my ideas. I'm sure the tattooer meant no harm, maybe it was a culture/language thing, maybe he misunderstood what you were asking about the added element? Either way, I'm not sure it matters if he's pompous or you're paranoid, you need to be comfortable. Customer service matters. I've never gotten a tattoo from someone I didn't like, enjoying someone's company and conversation make the time go faster. (Unless you're married, then dinner and a movie will go much better than a tattoo.) I say go back to the plumber or find another plumber. You don't need a souvenir of an unpleasant experience covering valuable real estate. That's like hanging a picture on your wall that you don't like from someone you don't like just in case they visit your house. How about just not letting them in? Go get the positive experience you deserve. - - - Updated - - - @HaydenRose, that color thing would've made me insane. Mr. Color Guy should know what looks good. I made a tattooer back out some lime green on something and replace it with pink, and you know what? The lime would've been cooler. If my dentist asked me to pick the shade on a fake tooth to match the others, I'd find another dentist. Of course I'll ask for certain colors/ color themes, but it's their job to know their stuff, my job is to shower, brush my teeth, and not jump around all over the place.

All tattoo artists I've met tended to be a tad flaky, it goes with the trade and you have to respect that. It may be that artist thing perhaps. I had one very good artist do some work on me years ago, he was weird but the work was good. I didn't have a rapport with him. The shop I use now, the ladies are great and I'm very much at home there. I get what I want but listen and heed most of their suggestions. So I will take the relationship over better work. I have also walked out of shops if the vibe was negative or I didn't feel it was the right place for me. Rob

That's what myself and many others are very afraid of. I've already spoke to many professionals in the UK who face this problem on a regular, cheap, unregulated lasers and improper technique are scarring people. There's such a violent price-war going on right now in the UK over laser removal that quality is taking a back seat. Old saying, Pick two of the following 3: * Cheap * Fast * Good but you can never have all 3

A little humility goes a long way. . . Sounds like a rough experience. The "vibe" an artist has essentially ends up in you, from just sitting and getting tattooed, the "experience" is important, it should be a comfortable, and pleasant one, "a good time", cause shit hurts... There are plenty of tattooers out there, it's hard finding good ones, just go with what your gut says, because it would suck to hate yourself, if the artwork is just as unpleasant as the artist.

I think this is your call in the end. I've had a one or two pieces done on me by tattooers that I didn't really like as persons and that came off as uninterested/rude/arrogant and to me that puts a bad layer over the tattoo and I think it is something I will always think of when I look at them. Hopefully it the bad memories will fade faster than the tattoos. If you think that you won't feel too uneasy about the memories, have been looking at his work for a long time and will love the art enough then just go for it. But as someone pointed out, maybe get a smaller piece first to "try him out". Maybe he eases up. It's quite a commitment to start something big with someone that you don't get that connection with. A tattooer I know told me about how he nowadays mainly get tattooed by friends, instead of seeking out the best tattooers. This guy is really a nerd and knows so many names. He got a visible spot done by one of the top names in the culture and this tattooer was apparently very unpleasant and kind of ruined my friends whole experience of getting the tattoo. I have a feeling that some tattooers, especially those who travel a lot, are older, go to the conventions, and are in high demand have a more "clinical" approach to new clients. They simply can't be bothered to become friends with all their clients, it takes a lot of energy. You will have to prove your self a bit in order to make it worth it for them. Sometimes having some good work by reputable tattooers can help. They can still make a wonderful tattoo which you will love, but that personal involvement might not be there. It can also be some cultural thing or you being too sensitive in this nervous setting ;) I wish you all the luck with your decision and the tattoo!

Chemistry is important , if you don't feel it straight away it might develop are you willing to take that risk 8 hours into the piece ? It's a tough one. If you love his work too. The way you describe It he sounds very arrogant.

I am insanely jealous!!! That's already one amazing back piece from pretty much my two favourite tattoo artists. Love it.

I love this thread too both my kids have severe Autism . I think you will be cool if you break the sessions down , get some headphones on to watch a film or listen to some music and keep your focus. Don't take any mad meds without speaking to your doc first !

Get some sleep you deserve it!!!!

Besides the health issues, I feel that the main problem with this thing is that the UV light necessary to see that part of a tattoo is a highly artificial, technological element, that pulls tattooing too far away from its prehistoric, tribal, ritual, spiritual core. On a more modern and social level, I just can't imagine how to pull off having a blacklight tattoo without looking like a complete douchebag, I just can't.

I usually get 2 tattoos each year, that's because of my budget and the artist that I go to isn't cheap. He's usually booked out 3-4 months so it gives me time to save up. Family and bills always the priority obviously, but I love getting tattooed. Being new to tattooing I love to learn from tattooers I'm inspired by so I get tattooed by them. I'm saving my large canvas for the tattooers that I want to tattoo them. I have fun getting somewhat larger pieces on my arms and legs and that's what I will do for a while. Until I have the funds for my chest/stomach and back piece. I want to be able to get tattooed up until I'm gone, who knows if that will happen. I'm just not sure how I'd like feeling about not having any space left to tattoo (face is off limits).

Good times!! Killer tattoo!!

Anything that responds to ultraviolet light that's inside your body has the potential to be carcinogenic. Not saying it is, but I wouldn't rush out to get one based on that fact alone. I've read little informal snips about poor healing, soreness, tenderness, etc.

painted today

So I think i'll start this one off, looking at past winners though it's a bit bloody intimidating!! Here's my humble offering, done by Gre Hale at Rain City, Manchester, UK as part of an on-going sleeve: I'm so stoked with it :cool: Thanks for looking and i'd appreciate any votes!

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

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

There was a lot of discussion about not talking about finances on LST in the early days, can we consider this thread respectfully semi-closed? Every shop/city/local tax board has different customs, you can always ask helpers if unclear.

This thread is weird.

The biggest side effect from it I think is that it gives people the impression that tattooing is just a hobby. Ordering kits for other professions wouldn't pass for most folks, I mean you can't order dental kits from the sears and robuck catalog anymore. "Yeah, come over to my house. I'll do that root canal for free man!" "Don't worry, I sprayed everything with alcohol"

Deno!

Putting UV responsive pigment into your skin is dangerous and largely unresearched. Pass.

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

This thread contains pictures of German SS Officers tattooed by Christian Warlich . I think we are all sensible enough thats there's no need to address the Nazi equation , after all if I didn't mention it ,its not apparent . Anyway thanks to kind permission by Bill Loika heres a rare glimpse of some great old pics.

@ironchef looking strong as hell! 6 hours straight in that location...tough. Going to be hitting my lower half on the 26th. All work being done by Rodrigo Melo at Northstar NYC Mike

Okay folks, quick update after yesterday's session. Great experience as usual over at Kings Avenue Manhattan. As I stated in my previous post, I took the summer off from tattooing and just jumped right back into it with a 6+ hour session with Mike Rubendall on my back piece. To get the real effect of this, check out the first two pics. Started off during the day and ended well into the evening. Needless to say I'm very happy with how things are turning out so far. LOVE the colors. Will be seeing Henning at the end of this month for upper back portion of this collaboration. Enjoy the pics and my goofy commentary: The man himself laying it into me...noon time shot Almost end of the session...about 7pm or so You want to talk about a shop with heavy hitters? Rubendall, Grez and way in the back....O'Donnell. And each one of them super down to earth and funny as well. Can't really ask for anything more. Messy and yes...painful Full on progress shot, what we managed to get done Left cheek and right inner thigh Right cheek

so he tattoos in mines? what kind of mines? coalmines? maybe a goldmine?? can he grab some gold for me? could he please enter ink master? it's about time that show got a cool, good tattooer!

Words tattoos 25 to the power of. Damn good deal.

Had my elbow and arm ditch tattooed today and neither was as bad as the back of thigh !!!

Oh yeah....that's what im talkin bout....another star is born. We've got oil embargos , howzabout tattoo kit embargos. You ever look at "Lucky Supply's'' tattoo kits? ya gotta love it.