Leaderboard

Scuba skull by Dan Trocchio. Have to take a picture with better lighting and color. For you scuba divers, I know it's not accurate. A rebreather doesn't create bubbles, but for my tattoo, looking cool took priority over accuracy.

So my japanese arm piece has been shaded today by the talented Dan Innes at the Pearl Harbor Gift Shop in TO - I don't have a good photo of the whole thing yet here's a detail of my Hokusai Mt Fuji :)

I love this piece by Horimomo. Outline with a machine and shaded by tebori

I got this one finished today. I was told that the green in the buoy will settle down in a day or so. The artist is Papa Joe in Boise, ID.

I agree with @Zillah and think that you should wait and think about it. It looks like there's plenty of work to do as it is, so sit on it for a bit, talk with your tattoo artist about it when you're getting tattooed and figure it out from there. Like @BrianH said, everybody should have a skull tattoo, but you don't need it on the inside of your arm right now.

I hate to admit it, guys, but I definitely bought one of these new fangled tattoo machines they're making these days over the weekend. It even has some crazy hinge mechanism in part of it. Hope you guys can forgive me... http://saltwatertattoosupply.3dcartstores.com/assets/images/wlkr-rssa-1.jpg Also, what percentage of good tattooers know how to use the equivalent of CAD? Because that seems like what you'd effectively need to do. Whether it became a plan to supplant tattooers, or something just for the sake of art, it's a bad idea. If integrity, heart, and someone who cares about what they're doing for a living doesn't matter to the average client, that doesn't mean that status quo is good. It means people need to show that they care and do their best to do a good job, whether it's a skull/rose or five birds on the wrist. There's no guarantee of anything being perfect, ever. Which is better, a crap tattoo (inevitably, based on craft aspects of tattooing) done by a robot, or an at least competent tattoo by someone who is nice?

Finally bought a skateboard after years of wanting to do it but feeling like I was too old to start skating again.

I shouldn't have even posted in this thread at all to begin with. The whole idea of this is ludicrous. And robot surgery comparison can kiss my ass. You missed the point completely.

I don't want to make tattooing out to be more than it is, and I don't want to assume the reasons why people get tattoos, but isn't the case--even now with tattoos being mainstream--that there's some rejection of mass culture and the status quo involved in getting tattooed? That even though our homes may be filled with cheap disposable consumer goods made on the other side of the world by workers getting paid pennies per hour, that at least our tattoos are made by hand by skilled craftspeople that we actually get to spend time with and interact with? The thought that some people would see getting rid of the human aspect of tattooing as a positive thing IN ANY WAY really bums me out.

I like the idea of a skull. Fits into the heaven/hell/death theme. Everyone should have at least 1 skull tattoo :)

My sensible head says wait until after. I have a mehndi type thing up my side, and where it stretched it has blown right out. I'll try to add a photo in a minute. That isn't even on my stomach, it is directly underneath my armpit, level with my bellybutton. It doesn't matter for mine, because it is a tiny line in a big tattoo, but it would be a shame to trash a lovely new one :-) I didn't get any stretch marks (though my belly button piercing hole looks like a wind tunnel!) so it might not be a problem anyway. You might only get a few to none. Much better to wait and see, then incorporate them if necessary, I'd say. Your body changes in weird (and wonderful? Hmmm...) ways when you are pregnant. I had an emergency c-section, and my stomach is now slightly wonky plus I had that thing where your muscles split so I have a strange flat line up the middle of it. It stores fat in a completely different way to how it did before as well. I'm painting a really attractive picture of myself here :D On the plus side, my arms have NEVER been in this good shape. With all that said... I don't know how old you are, but if you are young and babies are way off in the future, then part of me thinks why not get your stomach done now when you can enjoy it. Tbh, I wouldn't show my stomach off now anyway, whereas I did loads in my youth, so having a trashed tattoo on it wouldn't really matter to anyone but my husband and I (and he's not fussy). So, in summary, I don't know! But my experience is that they will stretch. Basically, you can't predict what your body will do during pregnancy (especially if you have multiple). I'd say do some more research from real tattooists who can tell you their views/experience on tattooing over stretch marks versus touching up a tattoo that has been stretched. I hope that is some help, sorry for waffle (I'm off work sick, brain is not engaged).

Neat! Don't worry - you're cool. It's a semiclosed-circuit rebreather. They vent bubbles. ;-)

I'm just starting the calorie counting too. Long walks and lots of being hungry. It will get easier in time.

When I think about people I actually know in real life with bad tattoos, a lot of them want their tattoos to be "meaningful" or "representative" of something above all else and they basically don't care about the art, history, or culture of tattooing. They have somebody they go to, they're happy with what they get, and they go back to that person. I don't really talk tattoos with them because I think that even though we're both into tattoos, that we're both after very different things. You can't make people care about art. It doesn't make them bad or stupid people.

Ok back to report, my nephew Jordan was born at 5:45 this morning. He's adorable and big. Havent been able to hold him yet but I will get to when we go back to the hospital

been in labor and delivery for the last 9 hours. my nephew is on his way. came home to sleep for a few hours, but super stoked

My grim reaper done by Dusty Neal at Black Anvil Tattoo in Fort Wayne, IN

So I kinda consider myself Queen of geek tattoos. I'm a pretty big book nerd. The deer and lady head-horse are influenced by Harry Potter and Earth's Children respectively. The middle lady head is my history geekness coming through, and is inspired by Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife. Also, the lady head-horse is a coverup of some [badly done] elvish script, and I've another elvish script piece across my shoulders which is also to be covered up when I begin my back piece next year. And that is being covered up with a dragon, which is influenced by Smaug. :cool:

Just got confirmation of my appointment with Steve Byrne at the London Tattoo Convention. Getting a great big eagle...roll on September!

@Graeme I hope it was one of these. I miss these.

The first tattoo I did on myself was the glyph from Shadow of the Colossus... lolol it looks like shit.

Hippie dippy alert (that comes partly from not yet having had a kid!): I kind of like the idea of my tattoos changing due to childbirth and other significant life events. They won't be perfect forever, and they shouldn't be, and so I will be happy for their transformation to be tied to my own.

@Graeme Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Let me rephrase, then. Perhaps my early morning reading comprehension is poor. Also, isn't one of the main points of robotic surgery that it's still directly, 100% controlled by a human being, often times one who, due to their location, wouldn't be able to perform the surgery, and who may be one of only a few people on the planet who can do it? Because that's way, way different than sticking someone on a table, pressing B-7 (the appendectomy button, of course), then going back to reading the Sports section.

Thank you, how is it that nobody else mentioned this? Way way too many variables like this make actual tattooing with a robot impractical at best. Did you just seriously compare writing a new computer program with doing a physically invasive procedure like getting a tattoo? Are you fucking kidding me?

Here are some of my picks for tattoo comfort: Thighs/legs - Women's - Shorts - Side String Shorts - Shakti Activewear They are super cute, comfy, secure through the lady bits, don't stain from ink and offer some coverage adjustability. They run around $50 on the Shakti website but you can probably find them for a little less. Comfort bras - Shop || Welcome to The Coobie Bra Store || The World's Most Comfortable Bra They also offer a bandeau (one with and one without pads) Shop || Welcome to The Coobie Bra Store || The World's Most Comfortable Bra They are very soft and comfortable. The straps can be adjusted to racerback. Google "coobie coupon" before you order as they are pretty good about offering discounts on the reg. Chest tattoos: When I got mine done at the SFO convention, I wore a peasanty, off-the-shoulder top (the kind with the elastic!) over a bandeau. This allowed for maximum adjustability while still providing coverage. I have attached an example. Luckily, they are all the rage right now so fairly easy to find. Or, google "off the shoulder tops". Rib/Stomach tattoos: I haven't gotten work here yet but this is my plan....fashion tape and a hand towel. When I see my message therapist and she works my abdomen (Lymphatic drainage from so many tattoooos this last year!:eek: ), she uses a hand towel across my chest to preserve my modesty and keep me warm. I figure a big ole strip of fashion tape across the chest above the ladies would keep that bad boy in place while allowing for adjustment. MY BIG QUESTION FOR YOU LADEEEZ IS...abdomen tattoos now, or after I have a baby? Does anyone have experience with what happens to a tattoo during/after pregnancy? I asked my most recent artist and he said that tattooing on stretch marks doesn't take so well so that has me worried about waiting until after. Thoughts...? And thanks so much for this thread!!! I LOVE it!!:o

Aaaah the ole "tattoo hiatus"... I am attempting that one as well but just got buddy tattoos while in the Netherlands. I say, if it takes less than an hour or an hour and a half it doesn't count.

I liked this Princess Mononoke tattoo by Melissa Baker. I've seen a lot of really illustrative Miyazaki tattoos that don't do much for me, so this is a little different.

Love. This.

TL , DR , I read something about human aliens and thought she could have got a cool alien with a badass lazor gun instead of some shite in ancient italian

I'm catching up on an assignment I left until the last minute, and I've been counting calories so I'm hungry a lot. Also trying to get a real job and generally have a life that doesn't suck.

The only time I might even remotely judge someone is when they approach me and try to compare. Sometimes I am shown things that blow me away and I'm like, shit, I need to go get tattooed by that person. Other times I feel a bit baffled that the person doesn't see the difference between some of my tattoos and theirs (not all my tattoos are great, but I learned early on enough who to seek out). So, I suppose it isn't as much judging as it is trying to understand that persons level of cognitive comparison. That said, a lot of my friends are tattooers, and I cherish the tattoos I have from them even if they aren't great (and I will probably get more). The other day when my friend Chris tattooed a small dagger on me, he also thanked me for letting him tattoo me during his first year of tattooing. He knows I've covered up one of the ones he did, but I'll forever keep the black Viking from Malone flash. It looks spotty, but it's as much a portal to his past as it is mine.

Yes to some degree, but also worth noting is that there were far fewer than there is now so the amount of crap out there is significantly greater. I think that there was also less 'ambitious' types of tattooing going on, meaning that most scratchers were doing plain traditional tats and maybe tribal at best. I'm talking about home scratching with a machine not jailhouse guitar string style.

Completely ignoring most mainstream media publications on topics of pop culture has saved me a lot of frustration as a general rule. Reading that article helped remind me why I do that. [/snob]

Nice! We ditched cable a few months ago and its great. I'm finding I read more and have more time for video games. We still have Netflix, but I don't use it more to compensate. I also gave up Facebook about two months ago and its THE best decision I've ever made. I think you start focusing on what you truly want to fill your life with and stop worrying about how you will be perceived. I always knew I was an introvert, and enjoy spending quiet time at home > going out and adventuring, but now I'm more content and worry less about fitting my life into the Facebook mold.

clearly we aren't the target audience.

I've been on a tattoo hiatus which was supposed to last until October, but this weekend I kinda sorta fell off the wagon... By Nico, Blue Arms Tattoo (photo stolen from his instagram)

BART friendly meet up preferably. :cool:

He will be there this year! I'm booked in for a monmon cat, I can't wait!

9 tailed fox by Horimitsu at NYC tattoo convention.

This thread always has the sickest work! Here's mine, just finished a few weeks ago:

I got this gnarly thing from Jason Kelly here in Atlanta. I love it.

Yes!

I've never played any of the Castlevania series, everyone is always telling me about them! I also don't have much time for video games these days :(

Honestly, based on appearance and how some of these artists conduct themselves on the show, I'd probably not consider getting anything done by 90% of them. Sausage has done some real nice work on the shows I saw of this season, but I agree...get a real name. Rob

Welcome Jon! You should just shave your head if your losing hair.Or get a bad ass panther or tiger on your head. Maybe we can recommend a good artist to do your cover up.Where do you live.

The life of parents :( Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

Hahaaha this thread. I've been drinking too much (..forever) and now seriously toying with sobriety. Thank god my wife was there as my handler this weekend at a friend's wedding and got me back to our hotel before I could fight the entire place because my sunglasses went missing. I'm a gem sometimes.

Because of LST, I find myself looking at tattoos and thinking, "Needs MORE BLACK!"

Happy to oblige! My first tattoo was a long time coming. I'd been watching my friends get tattooed in the 1980s and was fascinated by them. Unfortunately, this was an era when everything (around my crowd, anyway) was wizards and vikings. Black and gray. Never really appealed to me, though the artistry and talent was clear. I kept thinking about getting one, but kept failing to find a design that really appealed to me. I kept visiting shops (there were not nearly so many back then) and I finally just said "fuck it" I'm getting one. I walked into a shop that recently opened near my home and pointed at a tribal armband and said "I'll have that one." I didn't look at his portfolio, I didn't know what questions to ask either. I knew even then I wasn't getting exactly what I wanted in terms of design, but more important to me was the act of getting tattooed. I never covered the tribal up. I simply got lots of tattoos surrounding it. Its dated, but the artist did a good job and its held up very nicely.

My parents were anti-Tattoo to the Max. My folks would have flipped out and ruined my Teen life more than they already did if they knew I had tattoos. I started getting tattoos at 15 years old and wore a t-shirt from the shower to my room, while I was at my parents home (even after I had moved out and just visiting lol), until I was 19 or so. Just made life easier for everybody. Being in your parents face about your tattoos is not always the best approach, especially when they are hostile to the idea. Everyone's situation is different I guess and we each have to make that call commensurate to the situation we are in. Supportive parents get to know what is going in their children's lives, draconian parents are left in the dark and their own illusions, lol.