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I have a mini aussie,19 pnds,14" at the shoulder,she is 7 now. . . . . . spay,neuter,rescue.......

Definitely went a little excessive with framing a $20 print, but these were our honeymoon purchase and Horitomo was gracious enough to sign them. The wife and I are very happy with how they turned out.

Got these bonji from Horimitsu today! They were done by machine, too small for him to tebori. Still awesome and very pleased. Please forgive the pic, they are still fresh and only a few hours old. They represent the Buddhist's Bosatsu for protection from evil.

Good one while tattooing a girl's arm today, from one of her friends. "I mean, I know you have to have a steady hand, but tattooing doesn't look that hard." Told him it was the hardest thing I've ever done, with each day being both easier and harder than the day before, a really quick list of about twenty things you have to think about the whole time, and ended it after 10 seconds of awkward silence with "If tattooing were easy, there wouldn't be so many bad tattoos out there," followed by a laugh to make it obvious I wasn't mad at him or anything. He just didn't know. Still... wow.

Hi I'm Piers from the UK, I'm new to the last sparrow forum but have been following the web videos for years. I've been collecting tattoos for about 6/7 years now, I am a regular at Frith Street tattoo. Here's a picture of my back by Valerie Vargas.

Unicorn tears and the souls of dead cats

@Lance I asked for the specific ones in red. Fugen is my birth year and guardian deity. I was born in the year of the dragon and I have a dragon 3/4 sleeve by Henning on my right arm. Made sense to highlight the Fugen on my right arm. For the left arm I chose Fudo Myoo to highlight in red. Being the immovable one and I also I like the flow and look of the written character a lot. The 8 Bosatsu together is a representation of all 12 Asian zodiac animals as well, a circle of life if you will and is basically protection from evil. I've always been superstitious (but not religious) so this all worked out. I know most collectors who get bonji, especially capping sleeves, get them in black. I went in with the traditional mindset but wanted something a little unique and different. I also chose red because I've seen large bonji characters shaded in red with a red outline and it always looked outstanding to me. Only thing I was bummed about is that I was looking forward to having these done in tebori but being that I have skinny arms and the characters stenciled out on the smaller side, he felt it best to do it by machine. I'm still happy with the results and experience and will definitely be getting future work from Mitsu sensei.

Not sure of the specific Bosatsu but I know the characters are the eight variants of Buddha (Fugen, Fudo, Monju, Kokuzo, Senju Kannon, Dainichi Nyorai, Seishi, and Amida Nyorai). If I have room or think of the right place for it I will eventually get the bonji for the Komyo Shingon (mantra of light).

Hi guys I'm back. Just wanted to say thanks for all the recommendations when I first posted. I have now got my tattoo. Here it is Done by Jen at no regrets in Cheltenham. Love it.

I'm feeling a little ill these days.., it could definitely be yellow poisoning, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Might call in sick tomorrow and do some more research on the internet.

Probably caused by the mercury. Thats why the Mad Hatter was crazy.

Should have headbutted him

The prevailing opinion, which is correct in my view, is that said knowledge must be earned the hard way. I know I appreciate what little I do know and thirst to know more because that info wasn't just given to me.

hopefully that worked. This is my black lab, Ella. We've had her mother for 6-7 years, she's now 3 or 4. She was the runt of the litter, we hadn't planned on keeping any, but we just couldn't let her go. She's mostly very mellow, affectionate, and a bit awkward. She also looks funny in this picture, cause she tends to slumped against the couch like that, she's a bit weird. This is probably what I miss most after leaving my hometown, although she's my dog she lives at my parent's house, where she has her mother and two others to play with.

Sounds about right!

"I want a tree, to me that represents life" very rarely translates to a tree that looks alive and full of foliage. Everyone wants the dead tree and never recognizes the oxymoron

Last session for a while now. Drove on as long as we could before shop closing time. Fire, robe designs, more hair, details on the faces.... lots of little thin lines for fun! Dana Helmuth Read Street Tattoo From his Instagram @danahelmuth

This is going to sound snobbish but does anyone else have a really difficult time having an enjoyable conversation about tattoos with a non-tattooed person? It seems like they always push the conversation towards: laser removal, their super meaningful/personal tattoo design idea and the long story behind it, reality tv, infection/disease, or other similar non-sense.

Talk to me or @Graeme in person for 5 minutes and you'll see how boring and uncool tattooed people are. You won't want to get tattooed to avoid growing up to be like us. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

Welcome! That backpiece makes for quite the entrance. Excellent work!

Also seen pictures, and it's great! Welcome to Last Sparrow!

Plenty of people are concerned about tattoo ink ingredients. The government for one. My ex worked for the FDA, and was about to test a supply of tattoo ink, from an unnamed company, for heavy metals before we broke up. Now, I don't think that there's any danger in tattoo ink, especially good tattoo ink, which is used by most good tattooers, but suffice to say that you're not an idiot for being concerned about what's going into your body; however, it is a little irrational to assume that the yellow ink that's already in your leg wouldn't have caused a reaction already.

I recognise that one! Great work...

Good thread, I have a little more to add but not so much time so quickly: @TrixieFaux I've cut up opaque black stockings and slipped them on my forearms so that they cover what 3/4 sleeves etc don't - super quick fix when you're in a jam, and bc they are form fitting you don't really worry about them slipping off or being bulky. Edit: I cut them to just above the elbow - don't know about the staying power from the shoulder down. Although it just occurred to me: boob tape? Well, dress tape rather. You ladies know what I'm talking about? Sticky stuff that keeps your dress on when it is sleeveless? So maybe your sleeves can tape or something?

@ironchef, I love it when sleeves are capped by bonji. Very nice. I've been debating getting that done myself, but I've little room between the end of my sleeve and hand. Especially at the wrist bone. Kokuzo Bosatsu being my birth Patron though. Can I ask you the significance of, if I'm right, Fugen Bosatsu and Fudo Myo-o being red vs. black? Was it Horimitsu's choice or did you ask for it?

pre columbian Coastline Tattoo - Provincetown, Cape Cod - Custom Tattooing & Art Studio - pre columbian backpiece, aztec sundial

Good luck to her Gurby!

Who in his right mind gets his chest tattooed by Chad and knows how it feels then decides that he's then going to get his back done by him?!?! Hahaha

She saw a Dermatologist for the second time today and she is scheduled for surgery on the 8th, They are talking skin grafts of the entire area of the UV crap. It's not tattoo ink and they're seriously worried about her liver and kidneys due to the prolonged exposure.

@beez You know when you see something that makes you hold your breath because you want it so badly? Your tattoo just did that to me. That is so beautiful! Very inspiring. If I lived in seattle... Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

Two of our tortoiseshells, Clementine Isabelle is the stretchy kitty and Goose Mirabelle is the one w/more orange on her face. Both shelter kitties. Our first cat before we got married was a tortoiseshell, a stray who used a barn on the property where my husband used to live to hide from the coyotes. I used to feed her, and JD said if she could get along w/the dogs he'd let her be in the house. He came home from hunting the next day to find me curled up on the couch w/his three pit bulls and his new cat, by then named Bella Jo. She was amazing, and we had her until a few years ago. She was about 11 when she died, and left such a hole in my heart I went and got Clem, and then Goose. Their middle names are a nod to my Bella. We have a third tortie, Britta Rose, who we got from my parents after we got married-she's a crotchety 12 years old now. We also have a grey and white named Opilio Jo. I love kitties.

It is a fun thread. Sorry, it's like chips...hard to post just one. I have an up-to-the-minute shot. I was lying on the couch and she came over to lick my hand while I had my phone in my other hand, so I had to take this pic...

This is my homey after his first ever kill...not sure why I find this awesome. I'm a vegetarian.

Took me longer than I thought to get in for my first session but here it is. Still need to add color. I wish I could stare at it but it is on my back so that is not comfortable to do. :(

he's got all kinds of nicknames, depending on his mood. we've called him chuckleberry when he's got the goofy, tongue out smile. others include stuckleberry (when he won't leave my wife any breathing room), snuggleberry (when my wife won't leave him any breathing room), hucklescaredy (4th of july and such), huck, huckabee, huckle, HB, Hbeezy, huckybooboo (my wife hates that one). needless to say, he'll answer to anything. as far as play date goes, we've since moved down to The Bay area, so he prolly won't be going to Marymoor anytime soon, sadly. love that place! anyone know good off leash areas in CA? I frequent the Fremont park, near Lake Elizabeth.

@SerenityViolet Absolute Art -- Richmond Studio Evolve -- Va Beach Loose Screw -- Richmond Ancient Art -- Va Beach/Norfolk I also just saw a very nice tattoo done on a friend by Charles Berger from Heroes and Ghosts Tattoo in Richmond...... Look at portfolios at these shops and talk to artists! These are the ones I know and would think about getting work from myself.... Hope it helps narrow it down for you - - - Updated - - - My first tattoo was a butterfly.......and it started an obsession that has lasted 30 years and counting! I was also very lucky because I started out with a very solid and talented tattoo artist to do my first tattoo and didn't even realize it! :)

I'm a little self conscious about posting this here bc I am super naked and super swollen - but to be fair, she DID buy me dinner before taking these pics...I'm nothing if not consistent ;). I will post better pics after the healing is done. Taken from Junii's instagram. Blue peony is on the front of thigh next to the karajishi, everything else is down the leg. Next session is at the end of April to finish connecting the waterfall and adding color to the kingyo. I was expecting only to do my thigh, adding some more rocks and peonies, and had come specifically dressed so that I would not have to reveal my lazily hairy legs (TMI? Sorry folks.) but ended up, as usual, prancing around the back of the shop naked from the waist down. Oy vey. I'll get it right one of these days ;). http://instagram.com/p/lfLoCUBbQM/ Edit: BAH, how do I get the picture inline????

Kudos on the die tattoo! ... Try taking a picture of behind your own ear. I think I spent 20 minutes trying that one.

Here's part of a Troll sleeve Trond Kjørkleiv is working on. Norwegian mythology, folklore and fairytales are crammed with trolls, so they're kind of a big deal over here.

In my opinion a troll is somebody who upsets people on purpose. Some of the people here seem to lack the social skills to avoid accidentally insulting people. However the outcome is the same either way: people are upset. I have to say this forum is probably the only forum I've been on that feels this strongly about women's rights without actually being a feminist forum, and that's pretty cool.

My philosophy as of today: collect from Bay Area tattooers and guest spotters working in the Bay Area. I used to love traveling to collect. But then it hit me... instead of paying for hotel and airfare, why not use that money for more tattoos? I have more than a handful of amazing tattooers that are pretty close by. Even though some of my favorite artists are in NYC (Grez, Regino, Boltz, Santoro, Albrigo), the plan is to try to catch them if/when they guest spot in The Bay. If I was working on a Japanese body suit, more than likely I'd stick to the same artist. That Cripwell bodysuit is still amazing to me. I wish that's how I started... I do want Jason Phillips to work on my front. But I would love it patchwork style with a chest, stomach and filler pieces all done by the same artist.

I curse spending all my damned money on tattoos so that I can't spend it on travelling to see exhibitions on tattoos.

So i've been getting a couple of pieces removed with laser and wondered what other laser technicians have said is good aftercare for customers. Ive been using Aloe-99 cold processed aloe vera gel as soon as i get home. by then the treated area is beginning to swell and is red hot. I'll wash the area with some dr bronners liquid soap (i use it at home and the tattoo shop) and apply the aloe vera gel straight away. i will repeat almost as soon as the last batch was absorbed and do this as many times as i can before bed, then i have recently discovered that if i wrap up my leg (thats where the offending tattoos are) with lots of the gel for the first day following treatment (and change the dressing a few times during the day), the swelling is minimized and the discomfort is minimal without clothes rubbing on it all day. i'm on day 3 since my last treatment (ive had 3 on one and 4 on the other) and bruising has def taken over and the mad itching begins. no one told me how insanely itchy lasered skin gets, holy shit! it's primal, you cant stop yourself, ill even wake myself up in the middle of the night full on scratching with all my nails. also it goes without saying that laser treatment needs the patience of a saint and shouldnt be taken lightly, for a start it hurts WAY more than the original tattoo ever did, it's not a quick way to remove or lighten any tattoos, it's expensive over time. i know people whove been trying to laser off medium sized plain black tattoos for a couple of years and they are only beginning to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. your lasered tattoo WILL look like shit for the whole period of time you are treating it ( i reckon it looks a bit like mouldy bread), i'm lucky cos mine are on my legs and i got so many tattoos around them you almost don't notice somethings amiss unless you know what youre looking at. i only recommend laser to my customers if they want a cover up anyway and it's gonna help lighten the original tattoo. ive seen that laser just aint the magic cure to completely get rid of tattoos. ps. once it's all over and it's time for the cover ups i will post before and after pics, but really, it's not gonna be for a frickin long while!

If this is a real post and not some elaborate keyword troll, I don't think that's the kind of information anyone might readily share (nor should they be asked, in my opinion) either in the tattoo shop or online. Aside from being very personal, it has very little bearing on the solution to the problem. In this (or similar situation) my advice would always be to cover it with a great looking, high quality tattoo. Japanese style tattoos work very well for that.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily. Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it. Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations. The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal: Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard' Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second. Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them. Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen. Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not. OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important. Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market. Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment. Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings. Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.' As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation. When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

Since we are posting Hardy backs, this one is from the panther tattoo thread:

That's a good point, I'm sure that's where the "1 year" idea comes from. People feel that if they follow the right rules, or make their tattoo sentimental enough, they can be certain to avoid regretting their decision. I bet a lot of people who end up getting (what we would consider) silly tattoos as their first probably go on to get awesome work later once they get that mental hurdle out of the way. I think that's part of what makes tattoos so great though... the commitment, the permanence, the trust in your artist. Because of these things, every tattoo is inherently meaningful just for the process itself. Overthinking it or trying too hard to take the risk aspect away from that tattoo would, ironically, somewhat diminish the sentiment of it for me. I'm rambling now, though... :)

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.