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drove down to frederick, maryland and got tattooed by alex boyko today.

Why not ask some of the more experienced tattooers at the shop you work at for drawing tips and advice?

People staring at my tattoos doesn't bother me in the slightest. I've had them for a long time. But I agree, the uninvited touching is beyond aggravating. Along with having tattoos, I have long, thick, curly red hair (at the risk of sound arrogant - it is beautiful). A few years ago I was standing in line at the market. It was just one of those days and I wasn't in the nicest of moods. The woman in front of me turned around and started stroking my hair telling me how beautiful it was and asked if it was natural. I smiled, reached out and put my hand on her boob, as I started to squeeze I said, "Gosh, thanks so much. Your tits are beautiful too. Are they real?" She was so shocked and looked like she was going to cry as she quickly walked away to get in another line. I just laughed. It was extremely satisfying.

I'd take moped and flip flops guy. Rolex and wanky suit guy sounds... well... wanky. :p Ryan, you have the benefit here of many "hot girls" who are into tattoos responding to your post (at least I imagine everyone who posts on LST to be a beautiful person. Right?) Getting a tattoo is not going to make a difference. Your personality and confidence will. By all means get an awesome tattoo, but do it for yourself. That is way cooler than getting a tattoo that you perceive will make you cool in the eyes of someone else. Girls can sniff that crap out really easily, and it is a huge turn off. No-one likes a try hard. Being true to yourself and being comfortable in your own skin is attractive. Anyway, in response to what you actually asked... phoenix? Classic subject, awesome to look at, carries the sentiment of the quote without being a quote...

Update: I filled in the inside of my right knee a month ago, and on Sunday, I'm having Ben Grillo fill in the outside.

I am having a similar experience. I started out with a lot of planning and it finally got to be unfun. So I took a break, picked a spot, gave a couple of different thoughts but mainly went with what my artist was into or most excited about. Somewhere in there I crossed some kind of line and accepted that I am well on my way to full coverage which carries with it it's own innate symmetry/harmony of balance. It's been freeing for me to just enjoy the spontaneity and surprise of how things turn out. In the face of the long game, spaces and asymmetry really don't bug me as much anymore because they are temporary.

Bahahaaaaa, I do keep my machines in a gun case however.

Today!

steve bryne ROA real cool guy awesome shop atmosphere

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

Finally finished my left knee ditch, drawn on. Right knee ditch healed, from the Black Heart line book on Walk-In Sundays. Both done by Jeff Rassier at Black Heart in San Francisco, CA.

I don't know what you guys are talking about, dude says he gives good tattoos.

Can't.Stop.Laughing!

@Graeme I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE. We all know homey doesn't work in a shop.

Not to be mistaken with the "hole of glory. "

Just found this thread. Awesome @motsimus ! Safe travels ! Jealous but, in a happy 'Fuck, yeah dude !' kind of way ;) Your route looks great. It's a beautiful and intriguing country. And, it's got the best hat ever @Mark Bee ;)

Hah, welcome to the forums. Friday is scrabble and bingo night. On Saturday mornings someone usually ends up dressed like Thor with game pieces stuck to their butt cheeks. May the All Father smile upon you.

Top part is the author. Title is "On That Side of the Law." And secondary title is "Encyclopedia of the Criminal World."

Here's a tattoo that's still in progress. So far, I've had two sessions (11 hours) in two days.

I prefer skin wizard, personally.

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.

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

I think this and some of the other amazing back pieces on LST are deserving of their own category. Perhaps an annual contest to honor the insane dedication, time, and art. The winner gets a used, signed fundoshi. Just a thought.

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.

@DJDeepFried, looks like they posted the Q&A on YouTube.

Thanks, all! Such a privilege to be tattooed by awesome people and to get to hang with y'all! All the best and everyone enjoy their Friday!:D

Looking forward to hanging with you nerds.

Seriously man having the best ever , thanks for the good night out and thank you also @guitguy

Forgot to add, clearly the best is Tat Zapper. Of course, meaning you work at Ye Olde Tat Zappery.

Like a flying bird? Or a bird driving a vehicle? Check out Harley's buy swap and sell FB page mate. You come across the odd dude who's realistic and selling some older shovels at a decent price.

I'm totally going to call Tim this the next time I see him.

It's like winning twice.

Congrats @KBeee!

Hi all, I'm a self confessed tattoo virgin currently planning my first tattoo down here is sunny NZ. I've wanted a tattoo for a while but to be honest I've found the whole journey a little intimidating, I feel I hit on what I really wanted about 12 months ago and I've spent that that time NOT getting that tattoo in order to make sure it's something I really want. In the meanwhile, I was inspired by reading Magpie Hall (and NZ novel about tattoos) and Bodies of Subversion (a fantastic non fiction book about women and tattoos)... I'm a librarian, can you tell? Anyhow, I've found it quite hard to find quality advice around tattoos, not being part of the typical tattoo crowd (though I'm starting to learn there's no such thing). Looking forward to tapping into the gold mine of info on LST!

Can I be the first to suggest a panther? I've been really digging panthers.

I would like to see this tattoo! To answer the initial question, this link may be helpful.

Really appreciate that, getting Norbert to do a Bear head on the other knee soon. Thanks again.

Can we get your niece on here to give people advice about what tattoos to get? These are all killer.

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.

I was watching a tattoo doco ages ago and the interviewer was talking to this suited dude outside a convention about his choice of design. Old mate says, in the beginning a lot of thought went into design, placement and meaning...now it's just all about the coverage man. I was really able to pick up what he was putting down with that statement. I know what I like, but long gone are the days where I'd think too much about it. I have been with some pieces, but like when we were looking for a large feature to punch in the inner right thigh, tattooer says, how about an evil looking monkey playing a banjo swinging a whiskey bottle from his tail sound? Whiskey swilling monkey it is. I always knew as a young boy that a heavy suit was designed for me. For me it's not quite the design, it's going heavy. In saying that but, when I see the most awesome work through these threads on fellow LST members, the work just blows me away and constantly think how I'd love to be able to start all over again. ...hold on, nah fuck that! It hurts too much :)

You're screwed. I see at least one or two people die a week at the shop. See ya on the other side.

I think there is a certain nuance that gets lost in discussions about cultural appropriation. There's a difference between cultural exchange (e.g. Western people getting Japanese-style tattoos) and cultural appropriation. There's more to it than just, "did this design come from another culture?" That alone isn't offensive. Does this design have specific spiritual / cultural significance that is lost on outsiders (the Maori Tā moko)? Is this tattoo inaccurate in a significant way that shows a lack of respect for the culture (Native American women in a headdress)? Is the subject of the tattoo from a cultural group that is subjected to oppression or violence today in a manner depicted in the tattoo (gypsy head tattoos [beheading], Native American pin-up girls [sexual assault])? From what I understand, dreamcatcher tattoos generally aren't offensive because they don't have a specific spiritual meaning and have been given to outsiders for decades. Whereas a sexualized woman in a headdress is offensive because the headdress had specific cultural meaning and because Native American women are subjected to sexual assault at an incredibly high rate. Deciding what tattoos you're comfortable getting is a very personal choice... I would not judge anyone here or speak badly about anyone's tattoos. I am only critical about what I would get on my own body. Even if I don't fully understand why a tattoo is offensive to members of a culture, I prefer to err on the side of respect (even if it's "over-PC") than offense. Sorry this got so long, and sorry in advance if I offended anyone. This is something I have thought a lot about.

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.

Suppose I should include the chest piece

Allow me to reintroduce myself.... I have always strived for balance in my tattoos. In fact, it's bothering me right now that I have both sides of my right knee open. Then again, as I start to run low on real estate, I notice every single blank spot. And I'm with Diehardonvhs: you get one back, your biggest uninterrupted canvas. If you want a ton of coverage, you'd be a fool not to give serious thought and planning to placement.

I don't think about balance at all. When i get an idea, i think about where it would work best and look good, within my own limitations of available space (im not getting hands, feet, neck, head tattooed) That's about it. Right now, i've got a bunch on my right leg and none on my left. Just the way its worked out. I don't lean to one side either. :p

A Native American client put it in perspective the other day. She was looking around the shop and stopped at a sheet with some Pacific Northwest Native Designs. I asked her if she was interested in getting that type of tattoo, because I have a lot more reference in the back of that stuff. She replied "Anyone who takes a look at me can tell I'm Indian, I don't need a tattoo to say it, I want to get a Unicorn or a Pegasus, do you have any of those?" I told her we could draw one for her and she said "I've never been in a tattoo shop that didn't have a Pegasus or a unicorn on the wall." Fast forward, she leaves stoked with her bitching new tattoo. First of all I want to know what shops she's been hanging out at, cause I want to see some awesome unicorn flash. Two I guess it makes sense, while lots of people get tattoos to represent their family cultures and background, others are looking to differentiate themselves and possibly even rebel against the common perceptions. I can see how some people could be sensitive towards stuff from their culture, but with all due respect if we all got tattoos based upon exactly who we are, we would all have the same tattoos (or else we would all have to join the navy or somehow turn Japanese). Look at most tattoo designs. So many animals tattoos are loosely based upon what they would look like in the wild, but very few would be a spot on accurate representation of the species nor is it really intended to be, plus I don't think they wear funny hats or smoke cigarettes either. It's tweaking old ideas that generate new ideas and keep old ideas fresh and new.

I do like the traditional american Native style tattoos, like a Sailor Jerry Native lookin' lady head. I purposefully have gotten nothing that could be taken as Native American for a reason though. The reason is specific to me though. Basically, my father's wife is native and I don't want anything to do with him or her. I don't want to answer questions to people who know he lives on a native reserve to be all "OMGGGG did you get that tatt cause of your dad" ugh. As far as other people having them, well I don't give a fuck. It's like getting tribal tattoos that have nothing to do with Maori culture. If you get a tribal design that means something like you are a fertile woman ready to wed, and you're a guy well then you're the one who looks like a fucking tool. I guess that's like what was mentioned earlier about getting a lady head wearing war bonnet even though it's a man's accessory. And yeah Gouge, the pendleton style, or southwestern or Navajo, whatever you wanna call it, has made a huge comeback for clothing last season and for spring 2012. You can get almost anything you can think of with a Pendleton or Native design on it right now. Wearing a pendleton coat or bag is totally different to me than being one of those asshole hipsters wearing a war bonnet to a fucking indie rock band show. That shit is lame. I guess it all comes down to know what something means before permanently marking it onto yourself... or don't 'cause it's not like the general population knows anything about art or culture and the specifics of Native American symbology.