Leaderboard

Here is my submission for this months contest. My whole backpiece has been done in a 6-month period (just 31 hours in total) by Bonel from Corazon Santo, Arnhem, The Netherlands. I also have a full size picture available HERE

Never posted on this before but here is my barbershop quartet done by Steve Bryne at rock of ages Austin last July, it's not going to win but thought I'd share it with people

I got tattooed by Eli back in January. I dont think I ever posted it here.

Just so you know I'm still in the game. Ashley Howell did this piece on me a few weeks ago.

Haven't entered one of these in a while so thought i'd enter the ring with my parrot by Chad Koeplinger from the Amsterdam Convention earlier this year. Looking forward to seeing everyone elses entries!

I also saw Steve Byrne for the first time last week at Rock of Ages in Austin, TX and I doubt it'll be the last. Rose #2.

You don't really want to be attracting the kind of person that falls for this. If anyone does. I'm guessing that plenty of people on here, myself included, developed an interest in tattoos partly because of seeing them on cool people when we were young and impressionable (however you want to define cool) - but when the motivation for getting them is that transparent, it tends not to work. Take @Pleadco's advice... -Sincerely, a girl

Chris Brand does the best neo-Japanese in the L.A. area IMO Sung Song & Julian Zeff @ Unbreakable in Studio City also do nice work Horisuzu @ Dark Horse & Small Paul @ True Tattoo both do more traditional-style Japanese, and are excellent There's also Onizuka Tattoo in Little Tokyo, JoJo Ackermann, Robert Atkinson -- the list goes on... My koi sleeve was done by Kim Saigh @ Memoir. She can do anything.

It's like winning twice.

I prefer skin wizard, personally.

So this have finally come along, I've just landed in San Francisco and ill be here for a week if anyone wants to hang , I've also got an appoinent with Austin Maples on the 4th if anyone's gonna be at Idle Hand - - - Updated - - - Also apologies for my poor spelling , I'm extremely tired right now

If you're even partially seeking a tattoo to attract hotter girls...you've still got a lot of improving to do, kiddo. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For people who actually tattoo, I notice the terms alternating between different styles of tattooing. The more rendered, over the top styles seem to go with artist more, while the traditional/craftsmen minded guys seem to opt for tattooer. Clients almost across the board use tattoo artist, or occasionally tattooist. Some variations seem to occur based on era in which someone came from, as well. Similar to shops or tattooers now using the term "professional tattooing" to differentiate from scratchers/fly-by-night kind of guys, tattoo artist did seem to be a way to try to separate from those who aren't serious. Personally, I call myself and use the term tattooer. I find I work best thinking of what I do on skin as all craft, with art being on paper or canvas, and ending with my final line drawing for a stencil. However, like a potter, or someone who works in a bronze foundry casting people's sculptures, I understand there is an artistic component to the craft.

The winner of Tattoo of the Month August is @KBeee for this beautiful tattoo by Paul Anthony Dobleman. Congrats!! Please PM @steve1461686340 with your shirt info (size and male or female) along with your address. New contest will be up shortly!

You'll have to excuse the quality of the image here as a combination of operator error and poor equipment. Couldn't be happier with how this turned out, done by @cltattooing at FTW Tattoo Edit: sorry if the images are huge, I have no idea what I'm doing!

@cloudkicker Other than the suggestions mentioned, considering your area. Robert Atkinson at Dolorosa Tattoo.

Bill Canales

You should be going for the "ugly" girls anyway. They are more likely to become hot, than a hot girl is to develop a personality. Stereotyping is fun!

Hi Ryan, welcome to the forums. I will recommend that you hang out, soak in some art, and figure out what a good tattoo looks like. We can't tell you what to get, but we can point you to good shops one you decide what you want. Please peruse http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/misc.php?do=vsarules And http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/2396-what-makes-good-tattoo.html

Just went to my first ever yoga class. It was fun and felt good!

Got this started last Wednesday by Mike Stockings, he was guesting at Black Garden Tattoo in London. Few more sessions to go and other bits and pieces to add! Super happy with how it's started.

I'm not judging anyone, but a massive reason why I do submit to heavy tattooing is the pain factor. Not because I like pain, on the contrary...I'm a fuckin sook my wife says (can't even pick up a hot cup of tea without having a faaarkin whinge whinge)...but pain, it's the predominant force, it dictates everything in life, it determines our way forward. Master, or learn how to channel pain, we can learn how to channel any emotion. That's my take on it anyway.

off to see Grime on Friday for another session on my back. It's really coming along and while I'd rather not put it on the interwebz, if you see me at the SFO convention I'd have no problem showing it...

1 shot Zeis Tiger/Snake by Jason Phillips at FTW in Oakland, CA. Jason slays both Japanese and American traditional. If you're ever in the Bay Area, you should definitely book an appointment with him. So happy with how this turned out. So glad I don't ever have to tattoo my chest ever again.

yep. can't wait to see what my guys face will look like when i say that to him. skin guru also has a nice ring to it.

@Shaun1105 I thought of this thread when I saw those on IG this morning, thanks for adding them here

Seriously, what is it about tattoos that turns people into idiots? Just because there's ink in your bleeding, scabbing, painful, open injury, now that suddenly makes it okay to go into a swimming pool.

Yeah, I figure you like the second one - thanks, I really do like the first one best! Appreciate your finding them.

Tattooer.

Check out Jess Yen @ My Tattoo

When I was at the Joel Long show at Atak Gallery, they had shirts for sale that said: Tattoo(er) "A Real Artist Doesn't Need Validation" or something along those lines. I generally use the term tattooer, but I think there are certain people in the business who make more artful tattoos than others. Not to say craft tattoos are any worse or better.

This by Robert Ryan

I hope so ;-)

I can't actually answer your question, but I can tell you that I found my shin to be amazingly easier than I thought it would be. As in, one of the easiest spot so far

Because the last thread was locked... This is for you @Pugilist:

Does anyone know the breakdown of how much fish actually goes to this sea lion? Like what percent does sea world get and what percent does he get? As specific as possible would be best!

Thread locked! We do not discuss finances, tips, or green soap budget for that matter here @anomaly1964. Read the newbie guidelines, and please try to read between the lines instead of looking for loopholes. I'm sure you had an idea of how a question like that would be welcomed here. If you don't respect our guidelines you are more than welcome to leave.

If a tattooer charges $X per hour, he usually takes home $Y after paying a Z% shop cut. It's simple algebra, I'm sure you can extrapolate from there.

Yeah, the worst part is already done. The rest is way more tolerable. Here's my new tattoo by Unmon at LTW (Barcelona). Line by machine, shading using tebori (holy shit is it slow!) A classical samurai and oni fighting. One session out of 3. Next one will be on september 9th

First session, the next one we are going to salvage the owl if possible. Kemer at Superfly Tattoo, Leon Mexico.

skip to 28:15 to hear Tony talk about tiger tattoos; also watch the whole thing cuz it's rad

Second session today with my buddy Iain Mullen on his collaboration with Rudy Fritsch. Beyond happy with how this is progressing. We did the lines with two machines almost 2 months ago and I had gotten used to seeing it that way. Now with some of the black in I am amazed by seeing it come to new life again.

Booked in with Bert Krak and Eli Quinters on the Saturday! Mad excited about it, just gonna see what i like the look of on the day.

i remember the feeling i had on my first session of my back when the machine started up and then cut into me for the first couple of lines. i thought, this is completely retarded. i'm never even going to see this thing..

When my wife got her foot done, she was laughing at a friend who had said how shitty it was. She thought he was referring to the actual pain while getting tattooed. She realized the next day how crappy the healing was. She wishes she'd done both at once (like her best friend did) to just get all of the healing/swelling/limping done at once. Of course, she is glad she has her other foot free for a Monmon cat. Follow the tips from everyone above and you'll be fine. Hell, I had a foot injury for the better part of the last year, and I'm regretting not getting mine tattooed while I wasn't running six days a week. I may actually get them done a few days after my next marathon. I figure I'll be limping anyway, so why not?

Spotlight Tattoo in LA is worth a stop just to see all the hand painted Bob Roberts flash

Google maps tells me that your route should take you through Phoenix, AZ. If that's correct, I highly suggest checking out Immaculate Tattoo in Mesa. Anyone there will give you a great tattoo.

This sounds great. You should do a little blog or video series of this trip ala True Love.

Ribs and knee cap. Both suck