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I just got this from my friend Matt Brotka at Salvation Tattoo in Richmond, Virginia. However his full time gig is at Left Hand Black in sunny San Diego. Pic pilfered from his instagram .

I pretty much disagree entirely with this. First, it presumes that you understand the reasons why people get the tattoos they get. I read recently, it was either on here or on IG, a tattooer (I think for some reason that it was David Bruehl, but I'm not certain about that) talking about how there was a point in their career where they were tattooing a lot of yin yangs. The tattooer asked those clients what religion or philosophical belief that the yin and yang belonged to and none of them could give an even close to accurate answer, but that regardless of this, they were seeking to achieve a kind of balance in their lives. Horiyoshi III says in an interview in the book JBxH3 that a lot of people who get tattoos of Buddhist deities don't even know what they mean. They like the appearance or the name of the god, and maybe they learn more about it after. So even within what you describe as a "culture" people are getting tattoos that are outside of their realm of familiarity. Second, it's useless to talk about culture as this monolithic thing. If you want to talk narrowly about western traditional tattoos, a lot of those are sailor tattoos or military tattoos, or are deeply rooted in those cultures and traditions, and if you want to talk about people "staying within their own culture" a lot of us wouldn't have the tattoos we have. Third, at this point in time there are very few tattoo traditions that are "untouched" so to speak and aren't influenced by tattoo traditions from elsewhere, and I don't see this as in any way a bad thing. Shit, this isn't even a new thing. I read or heard somewhere...maybe it was from an interview with Horiyoshi III again?...that Japanese tattooing and this whole body compositions were originally influenced by Polynesian tattoos. You look at classic Western tattoos and you'll see all kinds of Asian influence there with dragons and what not--George Burchett went to Japan and observed the masters at work--not to mention that way that Sailor Jerry took that Japanese influence and brought it into Western tattooing with those incredible backpieces he did which have been so influential on the way we get tattooed now. What about Ed Hardy, who synthesised so many things into his tattooing? What about Thomas Hooper who does very European tattoos but is very open about how much he's influenced by Polynesian tattoos? I'm going to say that most of the exciting things that have happened in tattooing have happened precisely because people didn't "stay within their own culture".

I've done it and I think one of the super fun things about tattooing is walking into a shop not really knowing what you want and getting something that feels right at the moment. I'm thinking of trying to get a walk-in somewhere next week when I'm visiting my parents. Spontaneous tattoos rule.

I've done this before. Frankly, I find it a great deal of fun to pop in and get something done.

Tomas Tomas just got on Instagram: Instagram I really hate that Dotwork Damian tattoo posted above. It looks like a grandmother's lace doily.

^^^I agree. People get what they like, love, or otherwise identify with regardless of it being "within their own culture" or not. One world.

Miah Thomas at Sri Yantra in Oakland Instagram

All-time favorite is on a friend of mine, mostly because of how silly it is. What do gorillas think about? Bananas, duh. By Drew Rash. Additionally, here are three I've seen on Instagram recently that I've loved. Another Tim Hendricks. Squeezing a readable ROA on there blows my mind. Grez. Does it get better than classic roses on a hand? Grime. And to totally tweak out the classic rose, a rose skull morph.

Here is my latest. Done on Tuesday by Aaron Coleman (Immaculate Tattoo, Mesa AZ). I asked for a crawling panther plus "whatever, as long as it's fairly traditional". Got a sword and some roses and I am extremely pleased of course. Done in only 2.25 hours as I mentioned in the 'fastest tattooers' thread.

Horitomo cat from a few months ago ... sorry for the dark picture

New one from Chris O'Donnell. Flaming traditional dragon head.

The *original* NYC Tattoo Convention - NYC Tattoo - Home Its on for 3/7 to 3/9 in NYC at the Roseland Ballroom. My artist, Studio 69 Tattoo, will be working and I have plans to take a couple of hours of chair time one of the 3 days. It would be nice to see some people from here show up too. Rob

I felt kinda like a crazy risk taker before, but it's good to know I'm a bit more normal.

@Graeme @JAllen If you dig that retroey psychey proggey sound , check out Wolf People.

Howdy all! I found this forum yesterday and subscribed today. Got my first tattoo on my 18th birthday and have been adding to my collection ever since. I've been looking at gettin' a chest piece done, but I'm still looking for my inspiration. Lots of really good artists on here and I'm looking forward to contributing to the community.

This is a style of tattoo that I really like. Obviously there are those who do it phenomenally well and those who seem to jump on the band wagon. For those who are looking into the style for the first time and don't know where to start then the artists mentioned in previous posts are really good but also the Black Tattoo Art books by Marisa Kakoulas and published by Edition Reuss are fantastic. Looking through them I found a lot of really interesting artists and ultimately went and got a calf piece done by Patrick Huttlinger who is now based in Germany. There's a picture of the piece in my gallery or below just here:

That wretch! She was supposed to let me know that she was on her way so I could take her place!

Somebody should correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a Jerry design that he took from an advertisement for ammunition. If you want the flash, don't ask for it here, go to a shop and ask because if they can't find that particular piece of flash they shouldn't be doing the tattoo anyway.

@hogg Oliver Macintosh is too good , this is one of the toughest tattoos ever

Hawk wrapped around my forearm by Timothy Hoyer

By Scott Sylvia last month at Blackheart.

Knee hurts like fuck! 5 hours on this by Piotr Deadle :)

Second session just finished on my thigh. 6 and a half hours in. Swollen, bloody and inky but here is a pic. Tried to get some details in on the right side pics.

Saint Christopher is considered the patron saint of travellers. My grandfather had a Saint Christopher medallion which he wore throughout WWII (including getting shot down and parachuting out of a flaming lancaster and evading the gestapo with the help of the Danish underground, but that is another story.). The medallion got passed down to me which I wore instinctively at all times and felt safe or protected by it. My other grandfather and my parents always had a Saint Christopher statuette on the dash of their vehicles. They all believed that it protected them from the dangers of the road because the one time the statuette was not in the car was the one and only time each of them ended up in severe car accidents. My first tattoo was of Saint Christopher. May 6, 2003 to be exact. Hours later I am leaving the tattoo shop all bandaged up. A friend of a friend picks us up. 2 blocks from the tattoo shop, some dude runs a stop sign and T-bones the car on the passenger side. Nobody was injured thankfully but the car was a write-off. To this day I can't settle on whether that post-first-tattoo car accident was either a) God punishing me for getting the tattoo of a religious icon OR b) Saint Christopher protecting me from serious injury. It still haunts me. But at least I got some fodder for the story of my first tattoo :)

I have a dragon, so I must be safe!

Haha maybe I should have clarified. I'm on the opposite side of the country in Salem, Oregon!

Well since a lot of you have seen me on IG and in person, and not only do I look dashing in this picture (RARE!), but my arm and shoulder tattoos are visible... enjoy!

I know it's not 2013, but tying into the idea of old classics... I saw an Operation Ivy cover band last night that was probably the best punk set I saw in 2013. Guys from a bunch of local classic hardcore bands (including Paint it Black) just killing it.

There's this kid I stumbled upon on Instagram from the UK that does AWESOME looking work. He goes by the name Akuma Shugi but not sure if that is just a anime/cosplay moniker or his real name. https://www.facebook.com/akuma.shugi AKUMA SHUGI Instagram

I love flowers on the hands and I also really like this ... Jondix Gerhard Wiesbeck

Full time position available. Shop has been open 20+ years. Located just north of Monterey. Within an hours drive to SF. Busy all year round. Great for someone looking to relocate. Must provide portfolio and references. You can call the shop to chat, ask questions, or give your info. Professionals only, no apprenticeships. This is my Dads studio. I am biased but he's an awesome guy to work with. His name is James McDermott Staircase Tattoo & Body Piercing - Santa Cruz, California 831.425.7644

I know Dave Lum used to do the whole "I'm gonna tattoo you for free, but you don't get to see what it is until I'm done" on April Fools Day. I can get behind that. I've never done the Halloween/Friday The 13th thing.

Here in the VA Beach area I've been tattooed by Dave Voegeli at JD Crowe's Ancient Art, he's done my entire lower leg and just did my knee this past Saturday, my buddy Nicolas Fox at Classic Tattoo in Richmond, and Rempe at Hold It Down in Richmond. Nic is starting a big fudo myoo on my back at the beginning of the year, but other than I can't get a lot of visible ink due to being in the navy, so that sucks. I also plan on getting some stuff from Scott Sterling in the near future since he works at Crowe's shop, he is one of my biggest inspirations and an awesome guy to talk to.

By Robert Ryan at Electric Tattoo, Bradley Beach, NJ http://robertryanofjudah.tumblr.com/image/70126340846

Will Sheldon at Saved is great too. Good things always going on at that shop.

Outer thigh finished. A bit bloody.

After 15 months of no ink, I'm back in the saddle and strapped in for a long ride. Randy Muller at Eye Candy in New Orleans finally started my back (partial cover-up) this past Tuesday night. We got 90% of the line-work done. Skull and dragon. He's asked for no internet pictures until we're close to finishing - so I've got to respect that. Obviously will be posting a series of photos some time (hopefully) later in 2014.

i entered the top part last month now i am entering the bottom part. done by jeff gogue. sorry for the blurry pic and this pic was taken the day after so it wasnt "fresh"

got this today from justin hyde my cousin got this one from him

Just finished my first session with Tomo from Yellow Blaze. Super sweet dude with a magic touch. Plus the place itself is incredible - located just up the road from Yokohama's Victorian-era studios where all the Euro(-trash) royalty got inked in the 1800s. Got a few weeks for the ink to settle and then back for the colour...

Really love the cowgirl! I got some roses off Rich Hardy last weekend whilst he was back in the UK.

lady head by Valerie Vargas skull drawn on by Stuart Robson

You're telling me! I'm hoping to once I knock off some new tattoos that I cannot wait to get :)

^^"a few whiskeys... and booze" :D

What a nosey douchebag! Are you guys both adults? Sounds like a 5 year old tattling on someone in the sandbox. As for me and superstition, I used to be a Muslim and of course when I converted to Islam my tattoos were all sins. The ones I got before I converted could be excused but any future ones were sins. Also there was a stigma about getting living creatures because there are some super traditional hadith verses about it being an insult to God to draw a living creature because only God can live life. Humans can only make imitations and cannot give life. So after I converted I was very guilty about my tattoos (though I still got them) and would not get living things. Also I would pray everyday for forgiveness for my ink. No offense to the religious here but goddamn the organized religions really have a way of making people think they're s*** bags who need forgiveness. I would wake up every morning and ask God to forgive me for being me. Glad I'm past that and can get tattoos with reckless abandon.

New overalls. - - - Updated - - - I almost went with this one, but that's more the fitness thread :D

my apologies, i was in a bit of a hurry and just did a quick google search. David Chaston did that tattoo.