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my latest tattoo is this one from luke jinks on my shin, but its still about six months ago haha just thought i could post anything as i spent very much time in this thread looking at all those great tattoos !

Had some more done on my front and started some on the side moob :)

Wow, great day today... I think this year's line-up lives up to the hype. Saw Ed Hardy just chilling but I didn't want to bother him. Freddy Corbin was floating around and tattooing, cool to see him in the flesh after loving the Vice episode on him. I got tattooed until evening by Tomo and made a bit more progress on my front. Next year will see it finished (kind of sad about that, the Yellow Blaze experience is kind of sweet, sad to call it a day in some ways). Most importantly I met @jade1955 and @Jade1959 ... Nice to shake hands and say 'hi'. And now I'm drinking a nice Brewdog 5AM Saint...

Horitoshi I! And anyone affiliated with the Horitoshi family for that matter. Those whites...

@Iwar the white pigment most of the horitoshi family uses is made by Dr.Claw (Matt) at Diamond Club. The company name is el Blanco ink. Junii and Bill are part of the family hence there access. You can almost always tell who is horitoshi family by their peonies

I'll let you all know how my rib experience goes next month. Excited and nervous about it! Also for the first time i have that "what the hell am I doing feeling"

Here are some of mine from Kurt Wiscombe!

This is an unofficial FAQ for Last Sparrow members who want to know more about laser tattoo removal. I've been doing this for 2 years now and feel I have some authority on the subject. I will not be giving industry specific information out but will do my best to answer your questions. I feel this is needed due to the total lack of real answers for people who collect tattoos. There are sites like realself.com but that demographic doesn't match everyone here. Furthermore, 80% of my clients are referrals from tattoo shops, due to the strong relationships I've been able to build over the last 2 years with them. As questions get asked and answered I'll update the this first post so new readers won't have to scroll through pages upon pages of content / risk the possibility of asking & answering the same questions over and over. So, fire away!

I've been planning on getting a mermaid tattoo for a while now. I'm definitely planning to have her boobs covered up...not because I think there's anything wrong with bare breasts in art or for any other reason, but because I can conceive of social situations (particularly involving extended family) where I would be self-conscious and uncomfortable about having them on my person and therefore potentially on display, and I'd rather just feel unreservedly awesome about my tattoos at all times. So...to me, it's not worth it. I imagine this is just a subjective thing.

Seems like shirts are banned at the convention. :)

@Lance, @OutOfIdeas - oh you guys.... you are so bad. SO bad! Yeah, I swore only a backpiece, and here I am on Horitomo's wait list. :rolleyes: At the very least, I've gotta do a major refill on the tattoo jar. This back piece cost a TAD bit more than I expected. Ooof.

I have appointments tomorrow with Bert Krak and Eli Quinters at the London Convention. Also booked in to get one of my thighs tattooed by Bradley Tompkins during his guest spot at Frith Street next month.

My wife has peonies from Junii, they are absolutely stunning and Deverson is one of my favorite all around flower guy. That being said, check out Kevin Marr's peonies and Chris Brand's they are some of my favorite out there

Hey! Finished my back piece by the great Marius Meyer last week. Take a look on this thread by @Iwar: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/5940-i-made-little-video.html#post102519 Enjoi! I will post healed pictures in a couple of weeks I think..

Yes, Brian Kaneko's peonies are what made me appreciate peonies! I love them. Stolen from his IG:

I feel that he posts on Instagram every so often saying that he has availabilites...just looking now there's a post from a couple of days ago saying that he's going to work some extra days over the next couple of weeks and wants to do some fun one session tattoos. I think there are very few tattooers who are really that difficult to get in with if you really want to get tattooed by them.

Booked in with El Monga and Alvaro Llorar for middle of october in Barcelona. Will be a fun trip and great tattoos! Going down to hang out with some Italian people that I know. Getting a mudra hand from Monga and a chrysanthemum from Llorar.

Favorite NYC tattooers at the moment (in no particular order): Bart Bingham, Mina Aoki, Regino, Santoro, Boltz, Krak, Eli, Albrigo, Virginia, GREZ

Do you follow any of the female artists at Saved? michelle-tarantelli stephanie-tamez virginia-elwood tamara-santibanez Or Rose Hardy at Kings Ave?

I don't blame you, that backpiece is out of this world.

My collection is pretty small so I'll just post ones I don't think have been mentioned yet. Don Ed Hardy, Rock of Ages Don Ed Hardy, Tattoo Flash Thomas Jeppe, Home Made Tattoos Rule Thomas Jeppe, Old Men's Tattoos Gerard Levy/Serge Bramly, Fleur de peau Jerome Pierrat/Eric Guillon, Mauvais Garçons BTW I see a new IG hashtag #tattoobookjousting

I wasn't planning on getting tattooed anytime soon, but I'm getting a little bit of time with Dave Regan during the Classic Electric 10 Year Anniversary in Frederick, Maryland.

You can always extend it down your legs. Then from a back piece to a bodysuit. Just think about it and let it settle into your head for a moment. Let's inject that idea and let it marinate. :-)

Where are all the awesome Mermaid tattoos?! Such a classic sailor design I love seeing. Here's mine....kinda. It's a spin on the Capricorn, but you get what I mean. Hillary Fisher-White is awesome.

I'm always interested to see what tattoo related books/items people have purchased. If you don't have any photos of what you've got, post a list of your books! If you've acquired anything tattoo related such as Japanese masks or something similar, I'd love to see those as well! Man I love tattoo books! :D EDIT: Oops, should've posted my picture to start this thing off! I just finished moving all my school and science related books to a different shelf to make room for a couple new tattoo books I've got coming in, which is what prompted me to start the thread. The only tattoo related book I've got that isn't on the shelf is Bloodworks: Bodies! The book is so massive it won't fit anywhere! The shoeboxes up top are filled with stickers and tattoo business cards!

by Nora Townsend, I'm getting a small peony like these next Friday from her!! I'll be sure to post pics, but I loooove her peonies.

SHOW YOUR....TATS!!! :eek:

That's what I've got can't go wrong at all, great choices

Great Initiative Mike! We're really fortunate to have you in our community, and to give expert advice and insight on laser removal. Thank you for all your contributions!

Definitely! I'll be instagramming it up - username is @ Chambers.

a neighbor behind my house got evicted and then the property owner got foreclosed on,and the asshole renter abandoned their dog in the back yard,we had been trying to give it food & water, I called the county animal control,and they came out and rescued the dog within 4 hours of me calling ! awesome service from them,the dog is better now and should be up for adoption soon.

I'll be taking a few pictures i'm sure, instagram is the same as my username here. Seeing some good shots pop up already from @jade1955

Welcome to the forum! I must ask though, why are you designing your own tattoos? There are so many great tattooers in your area, so why not leave that part to a professional? And why do you want it on your neck of all places?

You can't go wrong with Valerie... She's amazing. I'll be around for most of the day - would be happy to meet up. My company bailed on me, so I'm rolling solo anyway.

Looking great @Cork. I love when people do it all traditional style and start with the back. I wish I had been a little more patient when I was 18...

I was on Horitomo's wait list so long I forgot about it.

This is true. My mate, it's now been 6 years. We have become such close friends that we have acknowledged it will never end. I only have a little fill to complete back of neck (this w end), some colour fill on the butt cheek & upper thigh. Now only the feet to design and fill. Our regular visits will continue, our Sunday morning cider and beer tasting sessions, the presence of like minded people going through the same experience of suiting out...and by going on your advice @SeeSea, we can still enjoy doing some relining, punching some more black over black for good times. For me, it's not the end, just a new chapter in a lifelong friendship.

Started this last night. Done by Mat Welch

Done by Rev. J.R. out of Vicious Ink in Rochester Hills, MI.

Shinji's peonies

Yeah, this is my 5th(ish) tattoo, and I've healed it differently than all the others. Aquaphor for the first couple days, then nothing for a couple days, then a light layer of lotion for a few days, and on and off whenever it looks/feels like it needs it. I have to say, other than the swelling, it has been the nicest healing process by far. It barely itches!

Here's mine in list form if you can't make them out in the picture! Horimasa (signed) Organica Bunshin II The Japanese Tattoo Suits Made to Fit Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo Tattoo History: A Source Book The Eye of Atrocity Demons from the Haunted World Outlaw Swords of Death Samurai Ghosts and Monster Wars Night Parade of Dead Souls Shawn Barber's Memoir Escaping the Gallows Japanese Ghost Stories Japanese Mythical Creatures The Extraordinary Drawings of Laurie Lipton (somewhat related as reference material) Jef Bertels (signed) Backpiece Tattoo 1-3 Ed Hardy's Tattoo Time Ozuma Kaname's Shienrenjo Tokyo Tattoo 1970 Wabori The Art of the Leu Family (signed) Underway is the Only Way Smilin' Buddha (signed) Myths, Gods and Legends Studying Horiyoshi III Rodrigo Melo's Japanese Style Tattoo Art Perseverance Ed Hardy's Wear Your Dreams JBxH3 Japanese Demon Lore: Oni Shunga: Japanese Erotic Art Cosmic Mook Tattoo 1-4 The Mammoth Book of Tattoos Full Coverage Chris Trevino's Gods and Warriors In a World of Compromise...I Don't (signed by Bob Roberts) Leu Family's Family Iron Tattoo in Japan Hiroshige: Sixty Nine Stations of Kisokaido The Fingerwave Book Bloodworks: Bodies Some knock off books of Horimouja sketches and Filip Leu's dragon books. Given to me as a gift, they meant well! Hahah Currently waiting for the "Black & Grey Tattoo 1-3: From Street Art to Fine Art" box set to come in!

Here is the list that I think would get you going without breaking the bank: Stoney Knows How Sailor Jerry: American Tattoo Master Bushido: Legacies of The Japanese Tattoo New York City Tattoo Ed Hardy's Tattoo Time

Shige, Horitoshi and Wanzakure are on my to get list for sure! How is the Horitoshi book? Is the Shige one of the first pressing hardcover copies?

Picked this up from Ethan Franklin at James River Tattoo in Lynchburg, VA while I was up there yesterday (picture stolen from the James River IG page).

Got this rose from Holly Ellis at Idle Hand's Get What You Want/Get on Saturday. I was hoping to end up with her and I'm glad I did because it was a LONG day.

"Tattoos are not an addiction; they are a collection. A tattoo collector is just like a conventional art collector who buys a painting, hangs it on the wall, and then moves on to acquire the next, unique piece. Tattoo collecting is a spiritual pursuit, while addiction is a physiological need. Addicts repeatedly take the same drug over and over without limit. A tattoo collection has variety, and it has an end. Once you collect the whole set, you're done. As you complete your tattoo collection, you yourself become art." -Horiyoshi III

says the guy who can't attend a tattoo convention without getting tattooed.

Third session on my back today, with my friend Iain Mullen. Rudy Fritsch does the next one at the London Convention, mid day on the 27:th. Come say hello.

Thank you for the feedback. We did try dry healing this time. First one since the aquaphor nightmare. We have tried many different methods. Next on the list will be to keep it wrapped. I'll bring up your suggestion as well. I feel terrible because it's as though his beautiful work goes south and the tattoo ends up looking very aged. This is a pic of the rose I took this morning (had it done last Saturday). I love my tattoos but would really like to find a better healing method that preserves them. Thanks again.