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You should totally buy a print and a shirt from Casey O, he's a great dude and a brilliant artist. @Shaun1105 Congrats on all of those things!!! Also I haven't announced it on LST or anything, but I moved shops about 6 weeks ago. Instead of working upstairs from a bar, I now work a few blocks from my house in one of the older shops in town, and among brilliant and passionate artists. Like... we have barbeque's and shit, it's great!! Couldn't ask for a more fun and inspiring work environment.

Here is a healed up pic of the mushrooms. I think they healed up pretty well.

Picked up the Tiger today. Belted 200k's on her straight up. Jesus, had more fun riding this today than the Harley. Dropped in to see Grand Ma on the way home also, think she too would have liked this old girl. Awesome.

Almost done. Just shading on the bottom and some work left on the sides. I've been at it for about 10 months, about 3 or so hours a month. It has been well worth the time, can't wait to be finished. By Tim McCarthy at Tsunami Tattoo.

It's been a couple weeks now, but I recently got a promotion at work (for a 6mo. contract). First time in 17 years that I won't be working shifts, or nights. Not that I ever really minded, actually, but working night shifts isn't actually very good for your health. Last week my wife and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. But even more exciting than either of those.... My oldest son has autism, and we've tried for years to teach him how to ride a bicycle. Of late we had kind of given up, because he's much too big for training wheels, and he refused to ride an adult tricycle. We enrolled him in a week long bike riding camp for kids with disabilities, and it was last week. It was an hour drive every day (plus the wait at the border as it was in Clarence, NY) but it was totally worth it. He can now ride a two wheel bike, all we need to do is keep him practicing and work on his starts. I've posted two videos on my instagram (@shaunsomers), one that I took on day one, and one that I took on day 5; those were the only days I was able to go. Actually I called in sick to work on Friday because I just had to be there!

Find good reference and use it a lot. Don't worry so much about creating something that is "yours" as reproducing quality imagery. Don't listen to the folks who praise you. If someone says something isn't good see if they will tell you why. Good luck.

Do not swim if it is not done peeling/flaking. It's not chlorine that's the issue. No soaking a new tattoo in any water. Treat it like an open wound. Any trauma to a healing tattoo can prolong the healing and cause it to scab heavier and loose color.

@MrToby give me a few days and I'm going to regret like hell saying this, but short tattoos almost seem like they would hurt more than long ones because the start of a tattoo always sucks before the endorphins kick in. The last tattoo I had was a small one on my calf, it took about an hour, and at the start of it I was like "why do I do this to myself, tattoos hurt!" because those first few lines are always awful. I am doubtlessly going to regret saying this because I start my back on Thursday. I visited the shop and saw the drawing for it today and it's amazing and I am super excited, but the plan for the first session seems pretty ambitious! It's going to be rad though, I'm super stoked on getting started and watching it come together. I'll post pictures after the first session.

wrapped my back up yesterday with max kuhn and it is a great feeling. 4 sessions total, around 13 hours.

Hey there, I'm Ashley! I'm 19, from MI and work with a ton of exotic animals! I May have a slight obsession with tattoos! Ha! I'm new to the tattoo world. Got my first one in the beginning of June. It's a wolf paw with a black/silver wolf with the night sky and a moon inside! I needed another..so I got another! I started a black and grey half sleeve of a snarling wolf stepping over another wolves' skull! My next appointment is in the beginning of August to do the background to finish the half sleeve! Now, I already set up another appointment in the end of August for another! Not sure what to do yet, either something my artist drew up, a snake and dagger, or an undead horse. Well, I don't mean to toot my horn, but I'm suppose to be getting a Raven tattoo by Bob Tyrell in September as well..fantastic, huh?!

I just remembered it's summer and I should give it a good hard thought if I want anything done on my legs this year due to the clothing sticking on tattoo problem. Made the mistake of getting my first leg tattoo in winter and then having to peel the clothing off my skin :( Or maybe I should just invest in some JNCO's and relive my early teen years. I mean, the 90s ARE ALIVE.

Some IG pictures of some new ones in the last week or two... plans for a biiiiiiiiig dragon coming soon.

Yes they are! I've been fortunate enough to be tattooed by him 3 times now: once at Aloha, once at Tattoo City SF and once at Spider Murphy's. This session we're just doing a little touch up work on a shin piece he did in March (you can see photos in the Squidpants thread). I've also got a little gap at the bottom of the calf that I might get him to put a little somethin-somethin...we'll see how much time we have.

I don't know, I once had a first grader using that phrase. Cracked me up. She must have been what they call "an old soul". [emoji1] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People like that that need to get acquainted with Mr. Baseball-bat for sure! Hope you can get him out of your life soon!

What’s In a Name? | TAM Blog Hope you like it

So I am now two sessions into my back piece. See the pictures on the other Full Back Piece Thread. Before we started the first one my artist said to me "Hold on to your hat." I thought he meant just for that start. Turns out that statement definitely applies to the whole process. In general it has been pretty good so far with 3 hour session once a month but certain moments my metaphorical hat has certainly been lost. That spot on the love handles... dear lord!!! Who decided that was a good part of the body to get tattooed? There have been some quite funny moments throughout the first couple of sessions. I was slightly amused by one of the other clients in the studio during my first session who was fretting over a 20 minute piece on the bottom of her neck between the shoulders. Now I know every tattoo hurts and I never want to put anyone down for being worried about it because I have had those worries and totally sympathise, but I was just lining up for the start of a back piece... the difference in the situations just made me chuckle. There was also the awkward moment when I was standing with a towel held over the key area and my artist was doing some drawing and the primary school over the road emptied out for the end of the day. I felt like there was something slightly awkward about parents picking up there 10 year old kids whilst I was standing in plain view with my ass on show. Again it made me chuckle because what else can you do.

Cool! We will come cheer you on with snacks.

Still waiting for Henning to confirm the day but I think it is going to be Friday or Saturday.

I wouldn't do it. Why risk it?

..or invite him to a blanket party. Those are always fun, depending on what side of the blanket you're on...

Welcome to LST, the forum has lots to offer. I'd suggest posting in this thread if you're looking for feedback: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/tattoo-designs-books-flash/185-how-about-art-show.html

Yup @DJDeepFried! As @hogg says, I'll be at JANM for Junii's talk so plan to meet with him before his appointment/Junii's presentation. You and @TrixieFaux should come over too!

We doing an L.A.-style LST meetup @Lance @TrixieFaux or what? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

After 28 years of being tattooed, I've never had any words tattooed on me, until about 4 weeks ago when I had an old time bird with my 2 kids names written in the two scrolls. Not because I disagree with names, but for me it's a matter of utilising to the max my real estate for punch in solid tattooing. Each to their own. Every mother fucker has an opinion on what ya shouldn't do. I like it when I'm told I shouldn't do something. That's a green light to go ahead and do it.

this is nuts, LST putting it down, I think I liked 99% of the tattoos on this thread and the 1% i didnt hit the like button on was just because its a contest

posted this in the backpiece thread but i'm gonna give it a shot in here as well. finished yesterday thanks to Max Kuhn.

Hi, Exume, I'm in the midst of getting bats and peonies down my back. Five bats, topmost one on my left shoulder, bottom-most on my right butt cheek. I think my artist wants to put in a rope cord winding through the flowers in the next session, too. Here's a shot from my first session.

exciting news! US dollar to Canadian dollar exchange rate is a little stronger than last year.

I recently bought a bike I love,it's a 1980 KZ1000 that I am restoring/modding. I have had 8 or 10 bikes over time,had a couple harley's,a few jap bikes,a triumph,

Excellent news indeed!

Lance will be at the JANM that day. Come on by, @DJDeepFried!

Slug Solos.

Making a delivery in the outskirts of Chicago tomorrow, but I got here around noon, so now I'm waiting on a train to take me into the city, so I can go check out Chicago Tattoo Company. I can't try a walk in as I've already got an appointment in a few weeks, but hopefully I'll pick up a shirt and see some rad old flash. Should be fun!

repost here,but I have waited a year and it's close now,08/16/14 to be exact ,a day with Phil Garcia !

I've lost and gained a bunch of weight with tattoos. Shit doesn't change as much as you think. I mean your skin is going to change throughout your life anyway, and the tattoos will never stay perfect and fresh. I have not found weight loss or gain to accelerate that process very much.

Had franz stefanik put me through some pain yesterday, he was really fast and just a really nice bloke to get tattooed by, very happy with it and it dosnt look out of place next to my Santoro gorilla, he also did a butterfly on my girlfriends leg which I got her as a birthday present, which is always a win win I get a girlfriend with tattoos n she gets a new tattoo Obviously stolen from his Instagram, we all know how hard knee pics are to take

Got this from Steve Byrne yesterday, super excited about it: Based on this World War I German propaganda poster about the dangers of Bolshevism that I saw earlier that day in a World War I exhibit in town.

Thanks Iwar, Kian Forreal owner of Authentink in Surry Hills Sydney is doing the work. Love his work and a great guy to boot. Unfortunately on my back he has had to work around 3 previous tattoos which I have had laser removal on. Already without it being finished and colour added I struggle to see 2 of the pieces and the 3rd is being covered next session. :)

Welcome to the forum!

There needs to be a separate rate thread for Valerie Vargas backs.

Sweet advice all around here already. Again, don't be too concerned with a little blow out here and there. I'm with @Graeme on this, I actually like my little imperfections, makes them look real. Like with my hands, some places I've had a little drop out, I love it. It makes them look how tattoos kinda should look on the hands.

Whoa, I did it and booked an appointment for my first tattoo! It's not until early November, but the inevitable 'what have I done' feeling is setting in already...I'll probably scrutinize instagram hourly to make sure I've made the right decision. I wished it wasn't soooo long!!

You have tons of options. Including covering it up with a bad ass panther.

In terms of rules and such, Charlie Cartwright tattooed both of my dad's hands in the early '80s, when he only had a few pork chops on each arm, and some work on his chest (that I'm not sure was finished). He was 23 or 24 at the time. Just as an example, the "rules" that we all think of weren't as set in stone as we may think, especially before some of the mainstream exposure began to come along in the late '60s and '70s, bringing more regular people in, asking for outlandish things to ruin their lives. Much like my dad, I'd imagine a lot of people got their hands done because it was outside enough that tattooers recognized that the people back then weren't going to get hands blasted, then go try to get a job as a lawyer. Unlike now, when someone asks about getting a hand done while they work as a receptionist or some low level office position. I personally got one and my knuckles done by Dennis McPhail while still in college, and the other hand recently from Steve Byrne. Back and thighs are completely bare still... but, just like with my dad, Dennis knew me well enough to know I wanted to tattoo (before I did), and was willing to be a janitor or welder with two college degrees if tattooing didn't work out. Thankfully, it has so far (provided my hands don't befall some unfortunate fate), and I'm not looking back now. That all being said, I'm all for not doing any sort of visible work on someone who doesn't fully understand the ramifications, and try to talk young kids out of it all the time. Half may listen, most seem to go get it somewhere else to someone that will just stick them in the chair. If someone has a sack of crap (literal or figurative) on their hand, though, I support covering it up or blasting over, if possible. If their life is going to be ruined, it might as well be ruined by something that looks semi-decent.

I won $100 through their IG contest today! Now to decide who to get tattooed by...

The price is the price, whatever it is. It all depends on how bad you want to get tattooed by someone. Just for the record, Chris Garver over Gogue all day every day in my world. I can respect what Gogue does and his artistic ability, but not the kind of tattoos I would want to wear, but again just personal taste. I think the best Gogue tattoos I have seen are on Nikki Kasper from TAM. she wears them well. What can I say I am a sucker for tattoos that look like tattoos.

My recently married in aunt is Russian (lived there through the Soviet Union, until the 2000s). She gave me her look of disapproval. Although I find it funny for her to judge me on my tattoos since she has at least 1 gold tooth.