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Just finished this yesterday. Artist: Katja Rameriz at Rock of Ages. Looks awesome. Now save some money and get a full Samurai sleeve. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My oldest daughter wanted to slam some bullshit passage down her rib panel. I said, sweetheart...I love you, but if you ruin prime real estate like that with shit text, I'll be forced to trade you for another daughter with more brains. She's 25 this year and has learned the sound advice given by her father.

my sociology teacher gave each student an egg. The idea was that we were to care for the egg over a week, in order to simulate the idea of caring for a real infant. I found my egg the other day. He is 26 years old. I suspect mine is the only one to survive this long.

Did the first session on my back yesterday with Dave Cummings. Really stoked on it.

I have a 'physical' copy of this magazine.. But just came across it for free online. Definitely worth a read. ISSUU - Folk Art (Summer 1994) by American Folk Art Museum

That is an amazing piece you have going and I sympathize with the agony of the heel. Those tender areas take a good 2 weeks to be 100% and back to normal. I do love when you are in the shop and everyone is talking about their back-piece experience. How they are so glad that it's behind them. They talk about how getting a back piece just sucked. I can't remember how many times I heard "man I'm glad that's over".......

Personally, my phone has become a repository for screen captures for all the tattoos I am in awe of. I've spent a few lunch breaks browsing on my phone taking note of the amazing tattoos, tattooers out there and subjects that inspire. It's no substitute for a good publication with high quality photos though. But it's lead me to learn about or see more work from artists who are not published as much and also find out about tattooers from other countries who have never been published, in my case, in a US publication for example "kojiichimaru" who until IG, I had never seen published anywhere and "gasentat2" who've I've only seen published in a Japanese publication on backpieces. BTW, I'm "lgoda" on IG.

Traveled from NY to SF this past weekend to skull and sword. Hungout with some of my favorite artists and what happened next is pure magic that only a stellar human by the name of Yutaro can provide. This is my Baku!

Now that this is (mostly) healed up, here is my latest from Grez. What do you do when you love Catholic imagery but haven't gone to church since you were a kid? You throw the best mascot in sports in a virgin Mary shroud. Grez is a big baseball fan, so he took the idea and ran with it, including adding the Liberty Bell in place of the sacred heart. Edit: he also did those cats last fall. They've settled in nicely.

Navarro has a lot of amazing tattoos, especially now. It's almost like exposure to and appreciation of good tattooing (i.e.- judges, not contestants) made a positive change in his tastes. Plus, we all know how amazing all tattoos celebrities and/or people in the late 80s/early 90s got. Like Oliver's left sleeve! Not saying he's not a douche, but the "his tattoos are bad thing" is getting old, and isn't necessarily that accurate. Besides, as the folks on the show have said a million times by now, he's just a host. Chris, Oliver, and the guest judge (if they're a tattooer) make the call. EDIT: I mean, how could Dave live with this backpiece? http://instagram.com/p/pzdSkWSMxJ/

I did a search to see if this was posted before. Here's a youtube video of the Yakuza and the relationship to tattooing. Some really nice bodysuits and stories.

Hello everyone! My name is Kim and I am 31 years old. i found this site and came here to ask some questions and get some advice. I currently have 5 tattoos, the biggest one being a japanese koi and lotus flower on my left back/shoulder. I am planning a half sleeve, to be cut off right below my elbow on my left arm, tying into my koi fish on my back. The koi was step one to my sleeve, as i can only afford to do the piece in stages. I am planning my second tattoo to add to this sleeve and my appointment is in October. I would like to stick to one theme, and would like to incorporate the standard things in a japanese piece, water, waves, flowers, etc. I like the idea of birds too and i love what they represent. When i seared for japanese birds i came across the asian pheonix as well as the bird of paradise... i like these both. but i am very drawn to swallows. I know that these usually appear in traditional tattoos, but have seen a few japanese style sleeves with swallows in there. Would it be possible to put 2 swallows into a japanese themed half sleeve? I am excited to be here and am open to all of your thoughts and advice! Thank you.

Dead Lift PR today 275#x5

I used a shower brush on mine, of course over my shirt. That felt great.

Number one killer around here is turning left in front of the bike. Really? Lights on, head on at you and you turn left across their path? I think it is actually intentional homicide, and should be charged as such. All the bright, florescent riding gear in the world just makes us a better target. Ride defensive!

Good to hear you're doing better @HaydenRose. Congratulations on the job!

Agree with your perspective on instagram. For me it's the methadone substitute to my addiction. Not as good as getting a tattoo, but viewing the work still stimulates me. The challenge for me has been following too many tattoo artist and get away from the "disposable" aspect that you stated. I follow and unfollow based on content. I've cut the list down considerably and challenge myself on seeing a tattoo and being able to pick the artist. By my memory I'm really good, but that's MY memory.

Staple a swatch of low-pile carpet to a corner of a wall. Heaven.

I've been thinking about this. Personally, while I like instagram and the access to so many pictures of great tattoos, word of mouth recommendations are key for me, and I think a tattooer would have to be doing something really special for me to want to get tattooed by them solely on the basis of their instagram account. I also realise that I've been getting tattooed for long enough, regularly enough, and geographically broadly enough that the pool of tattooers who I've either seen tattoos from, or heard good things about, or had the chance to meet at a shop or a convention is pretty large, and that this isn't everybody's situation. I think what I like least about instagram is that the volume and nature of it makes tattoos kind of disposable. I think it's pretty much useless for large tattoos because you can't get any meaningful sense of a back or a sleeve on a tiny picture. You can't capture the detail of a large tattoo on a picture that fits on a phone screen, and you can't really get an idea of how the tattoo fits and flows with the body. Small tattoos seem more suited to instagram in this way. The volume though...like what does it mean when you can see dozens (if not more!) really great tattoos every day? Do we get a better appreciation for the tattoos, or is it just that we glance at them for a couple of seconds, hit "like" or not, and then scroll down to the next one? There have been so many times that I've seen something really cool on instagram and I'll think of it days or weeks later and I can't remember who did it and I can't find it again. Whereas there are tattoos in tattoo magazines I have that I remember even though I maybe haven't looked through the magazine in a couple of years. So basically, instagram is a really great tool in a lot of ways, but like everything with the internet, it tells us a lot less than it maybe appears at first.

@Shaggy - pretty much agree with everything you've said. I've had many WTF's. This has certainly been eye-opening for me. I had no idea what a back piece entailed, and I think I'm happy I didn't know when I started. But, it is truly an awesome thing and will be so worth it!

Hi there @Kinglambert and welcome. I am indeed getting my back piece done by Ian Flower. He is seriously talented and quite understated. In my opinion one of the absolute best Japanese style artists in the country. A lot of his larger work is predominantly drawn straight on with only the major elements stenciled. I've included a picture of my back below that I also posted in the Full Back Piece thread. We are only about 5 or 6 hours in now and the only bit that was stenciled was the major features of the head. If you have a look at my gallery as well I've got a couple of thigh pieces by Ade at Nine Tattoo in Brighton. He is a super friendly and talented guy. Though Brighton would be a long way for you to travel. None the less check out his work here: ade tatu | ade tatu Good luck in your search my friend.

Today I got my kneecap done by Franz Stefanik at The Okey Doke. 1 down.

The conversation went something like this: Monday- Me: Hey mum, I really want a tattoo. I know I'm underage but I REALLY want one. My mum: Hmm, I'm not sure. Let me look into it. I'll make enquiries at the shop where you-know-who went. It's a big decision, blah blah. You're only sixteen, blah blah blah. Me: Okay, I wasn't expecting that. She's just pacifying me. She'll never go for it. Tuesday- My grandmother: Hey grandaughter, look at this cool tattoo I just got. Me: That must be fake. Me: Rubs tattoo - not a transfer. WTF? Grandmother: Your mum got one too. Me: Okay, now I REALLY REALLY need one. My grandmother: We had to beat you to it. Me: Gutted. Friday- My mum takes me for my first tattoo. (My grandmother was in a biker gang in the fifties so I should have figured she'd continue to be a rebel with her first tattoo at 60)

@deadsp0t @Mark Bee @Rob I @BrianH Thanks dudes! It went really well, I totally psyched myself out going into the session thinking that it would be so bad I would die but while it didn't feel nice, and some parts really didn't feel nice (hello where the ass meets the thigh! Hello love handles! Hello tailbone!), when it comes down to it you grit you teeth and get through it because it's all getting done sooner or later. Subsequent sessions will be the ones that kill me. Feeling pretty tender this morning, glad I wear overalls at work instead of pants.

It is great to hear that I am not the only one who questions WTF did I start a backpiece. Only today I have finished a 3 hour background shading session on my left ass cheek and upper thigh. I now can look forward to 4-5 days of hovering over toilets when needing to take a sh*t and general discomfort of sitting anywhere. :) Doing a backpiece at the start seems such a great idea at the time but it can be a long hard slog. I am now into mine for about 40 hours and we haven't even started colour. For me it has been a great eye opener for people that are heavily tattooed. I used to always see large scale work in pictures and loved the look of it etc, but it is only now that I can appreciate the long hours of not only tattooing but the healing and day to day discomfort that the healing brings. I always thought the actual tattooing sessions were the worst but I am now appreciating that the week after each session can suck just as much. Not trying to put anyone off a backpiece as once done the results can be spectacular, I am just saying it can be a long road. :)

Oh yes, love handles, now that was a memorable experience which I'm glad I'll never have to re encounter. The arm pits were a funny one, cause around them was fucked, but when we were drilling the centres, I found them to be almost enjoyable.

Ho Lee Schitt. I saw that on Instagram and freaked out over it. So beautiful! And Yutaro is a stellar human, indeed. Congrats.

I agree sometimes the pain is random, although love handles and near the arm pit get a special stars for consistency. I'm finding that the pain goes up significantly any time he's working away on a spot that's directly over a knot in my back - generally the knots between my shoulder blades. Then the pain becomes exquisite. I lightly pulled a muscle in my back yesterday trail running, and I'm praying that's not where he decides to work tomorrow. Sigh.

My new filler from Johnny Domus done on his guest spot at Dublin Ink today

I've been working on this painting for the past couple of months, and I think I'm finally calling this layer done and now I'll let it dry a bit and then glaze it. I'm really happy with this one, I feel it's the first painting I've done where I've felt like I'm starting to get a feel for oils and how they work and that I'm actually beginning to paint instead of drawing with paint, if that makes any sense. It isn't a great photo because of glare, etc., I'll try to take better ones when it's finished. It's 12" x 36" on canvas.

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.

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

Maybe we were all out getting tattooed that day.

I'm just seeing this for the first time too. Great intro!

I never saw this before now, either!

How did I miss this rad intro? Please forgive the long overdue welcome, but you seem to have made yourself at home around here.

Laying on the floor on my stomach 2 days after a back session. So why must the cat insist on tearing around the corner and leaping, repeatedly, right on to the center of my back?!?

I thought it was about time I signed up to LST rather than just lurking in the shadows. I have visited LST on and off for a few years now and always found it to be most helpful and some of the members work is stunning. Enough of the small talk I am Jason, 39yr old from Australia. My 1st tattoo I had done over 20 years ago. In the next 10 years I had another 3 pieces done of various sizes and quality. I'd class 2 of them as decent pieces and 2 of them as pieces I had no time for. Fast forward to 3 years ago and I decided that it was time to ditch the bad quality work and get something decent. So in the last 2 years I have had all 4 old pieces laser lightened/removed which has allowed me to complete 2 x 3/4 sleeves with chest panels and in Feb 2014 started a full back piece, neck to knees. Needless to say the last 2 years I have seen my fair share of ruined bedsheets/clothing and a huge amount of time nursing healing tattoos and laser treatments. Just makes me wish that 20 years ago there was a better internet experience than the 1200bps text dial up I used and maybe a few forums around like LST. :) If there was maybe I wouldn't have started with the dodgy tattoos and started with something better. Anyway I look forward to further postings and hopefully providing some others with some helpful information. Cheers Jason.

I will try and update regulary. I usually have a 3 hour session every 2 weeks which has it moving along nicely, however in the next 2 weeks I have 3 x 3 hour sessions booked. Not going to be sleeping much in the next 2 weeks. :) But at least it will be great progress.

Mick, good to see another Aussie. Thanks for the comments, I had initially thought of a dragon as the main back theme, but then came across that pic and thought it would work well. Once the background started I knew it was the right move. I always thought the back would be it, but already have started discussions with artist on doing ribs and front. I already have chest panels so would be stupid not to continue on front. :) Then once that is done how can you not do the legs? Cheers Jason.

What do you call an Australian with a bottle of champagne in his hand? A waiter.

Zillah, There are so many things I could say about you kiwis but some things I am too sheepish to talk about. Sorry I couldn't help myself. :) Cork, Both of my sleeves and back are in his instagram feed. But as far as your question goes I am the snake and warrior back piece guy. The backpiece was designed based on a Utagawa Kuniyoshi drawing which I will try and attache. BrianH, Still trying to sort out pics etc but I have attached the last session Instragram photo as posted by Kian. Doesn't show the whole back the best as the last session was just outline on upper right leg and right ass. On right thigh you can still see the last of my 4 original tattoos still being removed. That was my 1st and is proving to be the toughest to remove. If you look closely you maybe able to see the last remains of 2 decent sized pieces on shoulder blades.

Thanks for the welcome. I can't promise I wont hold it against you being a kiwi. Only time will tell. All my new work has been done by Kian Forreal at Authentink in Surry Hills (Sydney) I spent alot of time researching my new artist and his work was the one that really worked for me. Was on his wait list for just over 18 months but has been well worth it. He is a great artist and a great guy to boot. I am now in for about 33 hours on my backpiece, loving and despising the process at the same time. Not sure what is next after the back, but I doubt it will stop there. :) Jason.