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Here they are (stolen from her instagram)! By Nora Townsend of Magnetic North Tattoo in Burlington, VT. So blown away by the end result and love how big (and low :eek:!) we went. Nora is so amazing, and it was refreshing to talk candidly about the tattoo industry and all our favorite artists. She's apparently heavily influenced by Wendy Pham... kickass! I was so impressed how knowledgeable a small town shop in the middle of nowhere VT can be. One of the co-owners of the shop showed me an old in-progress O'Donnell piece, soo good. Made me miss being in NYC, but very relieved to have a solid shop down the street from me!

Got this one yesterday: It is done by Zooki at The Sailors Grave, Copenhagen. My best friend got a matching one. I recently moved to Copenhagen, which is 400 km away from where I lived before, and this weekend my best friend visited me for the first time since I moved here. We got these in celebration of his visit :)

I really agree with this, and I think there's certainly an extent to which, especially if you're fairly new to getting tattooed and want good tattoos but maybe lack the self-confidence to look at a portfolio and say, fuck yes, this is what I want, that there's a sort of reassurance and validation that comes from going to a tattooer with a well-known name. I don't mean this to denigrate anybody because I've been there and I'm sure most people here have experienced this to some degree or another. I mean, I got my first tattoo from Seth Wood, who needless to say is absolutely fucking incredible and who I really credit with setting me on the path to get tattooed how I do, but when I got tattooed by him I didn't know shit about tattoos, I didn't know he was a pretty big deal, and while I wanted to get tattooed by him because he was the person at the Montreal convention who's tattoos spoke most to me, I remember looking at stuff on the Internet about how to look at portfolios and how to look at linework and shading and what not (this was before I knew about LST) and I was checking that against what I'd seen of Seth's tattoos and to be honest, though everything seemed good, I had really no experience to tell good from bad. I also think that an important part of getting tattooed is that it's the sort of thing that you can only start to figure out by getting tattooed, so maybe the tattoos you got when you started getting tattooed wouldn't be the tattoos you would get when you have more experience getting tattooed, but that's the beauty of tattooing.

Done by Matt Cowell at House of Tattoo, Tacoma. A super cool guy that I am lucky to have got to know over the year process. Hours on end talking about our kids, our lives growing up, music, and our love for the regular show.

@mmikaoj - I have to say, for a thread in which people have pretty virulently disagreed with you, you have been such a good sport about engaging in people's criticisms and not taking it personally. Kudos for that; it can be hard on the internet to disagree without things escalating really quickly. That said, I also think it's worth remembering just how public this forum is; this is not just a private conversation the posters in this thread are having amongst themselves. I am careful about posting things about tattooers/that tattooers have said/etc. that, even if I don't mean them negatively, might be construed negatively. This is people's livelihoods! If someone is a scratcher or a terrible human being, that's different, but I am wary of making judgments about tattooers otherwise in what is such a public and permanent medium. That stuff is excellent fuel for LST meet-ups (over drinks, of course) instead. :)

Nothing better to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon than hang out in the park with this goof:

Hey @Iwar: @Wilhell just told me you'll be staying in my neighborhood! It's only a 7-minute walk from my place. Sorry, I don't know how far that is in metric. ;)

I've really enjoyed reading this thread so far. I think a few things are happening here: - If we're talking about people who take a collector's approach to getting tattooed (and I don't necessarily mean that in a negative way), maybe interest in big names could be seen as roughly similar to getting books or music that are fairly "correct" but express little about a person. I know I own a lot of music like this, but I don't regret having it because it's helped me seperate what I like from what I'm supposed to like (and may still appreciate somewhat, but that doesn't viscerally excite me like a favorite album or novel). I think this is a phase that many folks need to go through when they discover a new interest but haven't really begun to inhabit it yet. -Most of us who aren't tattooers always need to spend money on this hobby (or whatever word you want to use). We're not trading art. Maybe there's an anxiety that this isn't any different from purchasing other things, even though it's a lot more intimate. Are my tattoos ultimately just an expensive suit? Am I just buying my way into something? I think there's also a point at which "good taste" becomes suffocating. I hope this makes sense and that it isn't just rambling. A lot of this is overthinking and I try not to worry about it and to just get what excites me. I can't control how it comes across to others, and you can tie yourself in knots thinking about your own motivations.

I'll add some personal experience to the conversation here which I'm thoroughly enjoying. Seriously, LST has some really smart and savvy members that don't come off as know it all douche-bags. Without naming any names, I spoke with one older more establish tattoo artist about Instagram as well as one younger tattoo artist. The older one said while Instagram is nice and great for seeing what other artist's are doing, it lends itself to be a medium where people can rip off your work. The younger artist loves Instagram and stated that they get most of their work request via their Instagram postings (about 90%). Separately names are names, some established and worth the hype, others maybe not so much. I personally just get what I like and what is appealing to my eye. In the end I'm the one who has to live with the tattoo and if I'm not happy with it even if it was a "big name artist" why did I bother to get it in the first place. I completely agree in that seeing an artist's work on the Internet or on Instagram is not the same as seeing examples in real life. Again the Internet and Instagram is great for researching out ideas and seeing what artists are out there but it is only a component in the many facets of deciding on what tattoo to get and what artist to go with. There is still value in visiting a shop and going to conventions or even holding meet-ups like some LST'ers do from time to time.

"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated, and well supported in logic and arguement than others" -Douglas Adams (in reference to some of the discussions of a few of the older generation) As for the collector idea being a positive or a negative, the same could be said for any other type of collection. We all knew that one guy who had $3,000 worth of guitars and amps, but couldn't play to save his life... or the guy with an original pressing of some band's album that he actually can't tell you a thing about. Some people get it and seek it for that reason. Some people seek it because they want to seem like they get it, and they're supposed to. For a personal story... my first two favorite tattooers (as in could see their work and know it was theirs' somehow) were Steve Byrne and Chris O'Donnell. Two years in a row I've gotten tattooed at the West Texas Convention. The first year, Steve Byrne stopped tattooing and asked myself and my coworker if we had any questions, and if we did to ask him, since Dreyfuss wasn't in yet. And he did the same for everyone that came by, including answering questions while tattooing. When I got my hand tattooed by him this year, he asked me various questions, asked how I enjoyed entering my second year as a tattooer after it came up, told me about why he has regular roses and not Tudor/geometric roses on his hands, made Gorilla Biscuits and CIV lyric jokes with me about my Civ appointment the next day ("I don't want him to mess up... I better stand still." "I bet you can't wait one minute more for it, huh?"), and was nicer than almost anyone I've met in any circumstance. He also easily took the stress of the convention, the poor lighting (Thomas Hooper broke his lamp the night before), and dealing with potential clients or box-set purchasers the whole time. And the next day, he saw me walking around, called out to me, and asked if I had a travel lightpad, before suggesting I get one since I didn't. And asked how my dad liked his new rose tattoo from Bobby Padron a little later. My right hand is absolutely my favorite tattoo, not just because of who did it and what it represents, but also all of those aspects about the experience. When I was looking at his booth when he wasn't there, Forrest Cavacco yelled from 50 feet away that, if I had questions, to come see him. Adam Hays had me check out the Lando tattoo he was doing when I bought prints from him, since he figured I liked Star Wars from what I was buying. Ben Cheese and Clayton James have been among the nicest people I've talked to as well, even when we couldn't afford to get tattooed and just grabbed prints from them. I plan on getting tattooed by Ben this February when we go. That being said, I stood at a few people's tables for almost 15 or 20 minutes, even when they were taking an Instagram break mid-tattoo, waiting to buy a shirt. After they had looked and made eye-contact me. And ignored everyone else that was there, even the person in their chair. I unfollowed a few very well known folks on IG and decided I'd take my business to others. At least a quick "Hey man, I'm kinda busy, can you give me X minutes" would have made all of the difference. I'd imagine there are lots of folks who would still throw money at them and get whatever would get the most likes on IG or Tumblr, but that's what separates the mindsets, as everyone here has already explained in was far less rambling, far more concise, and far less fanboy-ish. EDIT: Slight addendum... my hand has a few blow outs. One spot took over a month to fully heal. A few lines are a bit thin in places compared to the overall average. One line on a wave between my fingers has a 1/16" gap that doesn't connect. But it is absolutely my favorite tattoo.

@CultExciter awwww shit gurl :o So I know the Horiyoshi III thing had been dropped, but I've been blessed enough to see 3 of his tattoos in person and they are OUT OF FUCKING CONTROL. One of them is a peony on the forearm, want to know what sort of stencil he used? A square. Drawn on with a sharpie. Let's not forget that the man is in his 70s. Ahem, anyway Tim Lehi is a great example of a very loose tattooer who delivers with power every time. And also, to touch on the statement that Stuart Cripwell has gone the more wonky route when he could have been cleaner, I'll just say this. After a certain period of experience in tattooing, your style reflects your natural drawing. Your early years are largely about learning how to put the tattoo in, and then once you kinda figure that out, you can bend the rules of tattooing to suit the sort of art that you want to make. So to me it seems kinda silly to say "oh he could have done this but instead he chose to do this," when I think most of us are just trying to make tattoos that we think are awesome.

Finally back at it. This one from Xam at Seven Doors, taken from Instagram:

Hey all! My names Ryan. I'm joining these forums just so I have better knowledge if what tattoos I'd want. I'm excited to join. I recently got the attached tattoo, my first, and have mixed feelings on it. I feel like I could have picked a better design. I'm now considering getting a sleeve to help integrate the tattoo and make it look better.

This thread has been great so far with many interesting opinions and insight, I think we can all learn from it. Thanks people! I probably should have specified what I meant by "it" when I wrote that Eddy had "lost it". The it is for me in this case something that would make me feel strongly that I want work from him. Lacking it does not make him a bad tattooer, I didn't mean to say that. For me, compared to his older work (that I have seen in photos only, a problem in it's own as we've discussed in this thread) the newer stuff is just not as nice. This might have to do with that the old work that I've seen could have been very selected over years and also well made photographs, where as now: he is more likely to post instagram photos of a bigger portion of his work, and also worse photographic renditions of the tattoos. Tattooing is special in that way that it's mostly commisioned pieces, and in most cases it's hard to see how much of the tattoo comes from the tattooer and how much was brought in by the client. That's another thing to factor in when trying to judge someones work. (Some very orginal tattooers might be blessed by having very original clients with interesting ideas. It doesn't have to result in the most mind blowing tattoos and I still think some of the best ones are just slightly new renditions of the classic panther dagger rose-reportoir. But the client base is still one of the materials that are used in making tattoos. ) And also, some of the things that Deutsche is doing now doesn't resonate with me at all and I have a hard time grasping why he, as a veteran in the industry, would tattoo that way. (Maybe I will learn to like these things too, as time passes.) Of course it's impossible to tell that this is what I meant, by just reading the he "lost it"... Sorry about the confusion. The example with Eddy Deutsche was just something used to for illustration of what I wanted to discuss. I think this side-track was interesting to talk about, but I am happy that other topics are ventilated in this thread as well. Keep 'em comming!

It's only a 3 1/2 minute walk in metric!

The peony tattoo on my inner thigh that I got from Wendy Pham a couple of weeks ago is healing amazingly fast and well. http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/15-latest-tattoo-lowdown-page659.html I've never had a tattoo heal this fast, no scabbing and barely any flaking. Only the slightest of itching with little to no color loss. It's so smooth I'm completely baffled as to if it was Wendy's light touch or how the inner thigh skin is naturally smooth or a combo of both. I think a few more days and it'll be completely healed! Crazy! FYI, the tattoo was finished at night about 7PM and wrapped in saran wrap. I slept with the wrap overnight per my usual regiment. Woke up in the morning, lightly peeled off the wrap and showered. Washed the tattoo lightly with antibacterial soap. Light Aquaphor for two days, twice a day then switch to lotion. Again, all usual to my routine.

This is my buddy, Goku the ferret from work and my baby girl, Fiori.

I'm only on Page 2, but I had to chime in. I just saw some Derrick Snodgrass tattoos walk in, and they look sooooo good. The orange fell out in the flowers, but I'm still into it. It's got that "soul" that everyone's talking about. I actually can't wait for my tattoos to age and and look old. I'm a weirdo.

Interesting thread. I've been drinking a bit and now the wife is blasting some Nick Cave so take anything I write from that starting point. I'm not as deep into tattoo culture as some of you. That means nothing one way or the other but seems worth pointing out here. I started later in life but do like my tattoos. I have limited space, even less if I decide to stick to not having visible tattoos work wise (undecided but still an option). For me it's important that I have a good experience and get a good tattoo. Please note that I did not say great tattoo. Perfection, for me at least, is overrated in most things. Of course I don't want a bad tattoo but I also don't want a great tattoo with a story of frustration and disappointment to match it. It's a balance right? The thing I think about is how much space do I want to save for new artists and how much do I want to "give" to the artist who has already put most of my tattoos on me? With that artist I know I am going to have fun and I know I am going to get a quality tattoo but will it be unique? Maybe not for me since I already have many by him. It's a balance like I said. Anyway, something is next right. What ever it is I promise I will consider these factors- will I have fun and do I trust that the artist is capable of putting down something I can feel good about. There are many artists out there who can meet these two simple requirements. The biggest question is who will I eventually trust with my left shoulder/arm which is still blank? The plan at this point is to wait until I have the time and money to go for an all encompassing plan but what that will end up being is wide open. It could be a few years. In the mean time I have an idea for a few filler roses and something original that I think my usual artist would enjoy drawing up. There are so many good ways to do everything. That's what makes this whole life thing fun.

I had a poetry prof in university a million years ago who said something on the first day of class that I think applies to so many other things in life, and maybe it's relevant here, I dunno. He was addressing the perception of many freshmen that learning how to scan poetry, learning the rules of it, didn't matter, when so many of them took a shine to poetry after discovering e.e. cummings or Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock -- in the case of the latter, mistakenly believing that it was free verse, which it actually isn't. But that mistake underlined his point, which is this: until you're familiar with the rules of a thing, until you understand the hows and whys of that thing, which often entails becoming familiar with its major players through history...you can't really meaningfully deviate from those rules. He said that he thinks it's important to break rules, but it's even more important to understand why you're breaking them when you do it. You start with the foundations, and then your choices have context and meaning, whatever choices you make afterward. Maybe this doesn't apply to tattooing, I don't know; I'm still learning...but I find that most people with knowledge of a subject will assume that a new person discarding the fundamentals of any given thing are doing themselves or the thing a disservice, for lack of having the knowledge to know any better. Maybe that's not always true; maybe a new person can just intuit those things and make excellent choices blindly. It does seem rather more unlikely, though.

I want to get tattooed by people who do tattoos that I can feel in my gut, which is to say that when I see an artist's tattoos, or look through their portfolio or on their instagram or whatever (though more and more for me I want to see the tattoos, and not just pictures of them) I want to have a deeper reaction than just thinking that it's a good looking tattoo, and I want to have a good time getting those tattoos. I've been tattooed by some "big names" and I've travelled a fair bit to get tattooed, and to be honest, I feel a little self-conscious about it because--and maybe this is only in my head--I fear coming across as somebody who buys into that kind of almost celebrity culture that sometimes goes along with tattoo collecting that I think @Pugilist articulated very well. Because for me it's not about that and it was never about that. I just want to get rad tattoos.

This thread really makes me only want to get tattooed by people older than me like Bob Roberts and Eddy Deutsche. I realize it wasn't your original point (I too am wary of the star culture in tattooing) but your misinformed dismissals ('there are limits'!) are so offensive to me that I can't get over it. In the end I realize it comes down to different sensibilities and what I'm looking for in tattoos is obviously very different from yours. BUT, if I can add my 2 cents as a person who's been tattooed by both Eddy Deutsche and Bob Roberts, Eddy is the most 'PMA' guy ever (if that's what you're after). If you're looking for an 'experience' or stories, Eddy and Bob have plenty. The flash at Spotlight has bullet holes. (The fact that the stencil is made from the original flash push pinned on the wall alone makes it almost worth getting the tattoo to be a part of the history.) Nothing 'soft' or 'squiggly' about my Bob Roberts tattoo. There's no question about Eddy's technical ability. I think every respectable tattooer would disagree with you on this point. I think people with 'perfect' tattoos look uptight--not what I'm going for (not interested in putting computer graphics on my body either). Any imperfections will add to its beauty.

Got this chest eagle off Steve Byrne last week Don't think I posted these either Fudo of Stewart Robson Leopard off Valerie Vargas Scorpion off Valerie too And this mad skull off Andrea Furci

We've been blaming it on that reeeaalllly smart squirrel who spends hours practicing his gymnastic skills at the bird feeder. But no... "

sounds like a perfect day to me ! we had a good day too,we spent the day here today :) Placer SPCA: Barktoberfest 2014

@cvportagee Cool!! I look forward to meeting you. What did you get from Horitomo, and what are you getting from Jill? Ha, I just heard the news @hogg! Norwegians gonna be all up in your hood soon. Post 1000 ya'll!

Thank you very much Brian! - - - Updated - - - Very nice of you to say! Thank you. And always nice to hear the books have been enjoyed.

@HaydenRose, I think those peonies just singlehandedly sold me on asking for a big fat floral something on my arm next. I was waffling on which idea to run with first, but...those are just gorgeous.

Great thread, btw. Forrest Cavacco... that dude is the man. I wasn't even supposed to get tattooed by him. Right place, right time. He provided one of the best tattoo experiences ever. He wouldn't even let me tip him. It's probably one of my most basic tattoos ever (Jensen sailor lady head, from a guy that's typically more known for his Japanese), but it's also one of my most favorite tattoos ever. At the time, I thought I was getting too many lady heads, but my weird self-imposed "tattoo rule book" has been thrown out the window. I actually got yet another lady head last week. Is he a name? Some would say yes. Some may not even know who he is. But that's all irrelevant. All that matters to me is that the tattoo looks great and the experience was top notch. Totally agree with this. Knowing what I know now, if I could do it all over again, I would have gotten all black and grey traditional. But I'm still stoked on my color tattoos. As of right now, I have zero plans to cover anything up. I have some stuff that's not technically sound, and it used to bother me. Nowadays @taaarro mentioned this quote that totally resonates with me, "Any imperfections will add to its beauty." It's been said countless times in tattooing (I first heard it from Tomas Garcia), and it totally works for me. Going back to the OP, Eddy Deutsche still crushes it, IMO. Granted, I don't have older Eddy work to compare it to in person, and this is the only Eddy tattoo I have. But I've seen other Eddy pieces done in person recently, and it's still pretty amazing. I'm now curious to hear what everyone's criteria is for choosing their next tattooer. Maybe that should be for another thread.

I use tinypic.com and it gives you options to resize when you upload. I always use "message board" for here, and it gives you the code to embed it and everything.

i tryed to post a picture i think it went to the gallery or mine lol thanks for the feed back. ive looked at a few things but i think as the tattoo is so big 46cm 50cm on my back and its black out line colour is green then ive been told i need laser treatment first before a cover up could be done well. - - - Updated - - -

Well this has been a very interesting read so far. What I can say on the topic is that when I hear a lot of hype about someone I want to check out their work and form my own opinion. I know what styles of tattoo I prefer so when it comes to getting tattooed by big names then I know there are certain people I will never get tattooed by just because the style doesn't match what I want. For the big names that do work in a style that I would get tattooed then the thing I look for is that gut feeling that this is an exciting body work or a particularly impressive artist. It could be just seeing one piece up close and personal puts into context what they are capable of or actually meeting them gives me an insight into their philosophies and the way they work. Normally it comes down to that wide eyed moment that leaves me slightly breathless when I see a powerful tattoo for the first time. And at the end of the day it doesn't have to be a big name. If I get that feeling from the work their doing then I'm on board. When it comes to other people getting tattooed by the big name tattooers my feeling is that I really have no place to comment. At the end of the day everyone has their own motivations for getting a tattoo. Some of them I may view as a good idea or a bad idea, but really that is neither here nor there as long as the person getting the tattoo is happy with the end result and remains so, then I don't feel I have much of a place to comment. At the end of the day if you have a good honest reason for getting a tattoo at all, whether it be by a big name or relatively unkown, and you are happy with the style and quality then all power to you.

@mmikaoj - thanks for kicking off a good thread, with a lot going on in it. I would think most of us can get behind the OP's premise that sometimes big name culture can be a poor guide to who to get tattooed by. If the reason someone is chosen as an artist is because they HAVE that big name, not because of what earned it for them, then that's, as @Pugilist said, something like starfucking. It's not even the same as people who get tattooed by Ami James because he's on TV... It's actually different because it's masquerading as something more like connoisseurship, even though it isn't. I've been in a couple of shops where I think, objectively speaking (if such s thing is possible) the newer tattooers that were being brought along were clearly going to outstrip their teachers eventually. Jondix and Horiyoshi III must have been rookies and then journeymen too at some stage. There must have been a tipping point somewhere where people getting work from them knew that they were lucky to be in the seat at that time. Where this thread falls into controversy is when Eddie and Horiyoshi III were somewhat roughly evaluated. I don't agree that Eddie Deutsche has even remotely lost it, FWIW, and in the case of Horiyoshi III I don't know enough to comment. I concluded a while back that his instagram photos were not a good guide, full stop, but a tattooer whose opinion I trust told me he thought that health problems were taking their toll on his tattooing. I would get tattooed by him because of who he is, but I wouldn't go in there expecting it to be like a tattoo done in his prime. On the whole taking offence / smack talking thing... I don't think anything in this thread has crossed that line yet. So far all I see are honestly held opinions, misguided or subjective perhaps, but no full-blown smack-talking. I DO want to know where the local shop with tattooers as good as Shige, Horiyoshi III etc is... I'm guessing Rock of Ages or something [emoji12]

You absolutely ARE allowed to be unimpressed. But your opinions would be given better consideration if you shared your thoughts and reasoning behind your conclusions. This isn't a forum where you drop the body and run. We'd like you to tidy up the grave, plant some grass and leave a nice floral arrangement. A better tack might be to ask why someone else is impressed by said giants. So much great stuff is hidden in the back story. I'm pretty new as well. I recognize many of the names in this thread, but I had to look up a few. I admit for some, I don't know what I'm looking at beyond the basics. Some of the styles/artists really grab me, and other "big names" don't do much for me. But I'm very interested in conversations like this where people with a lot more experience than I have share the history that I know I'll never get from just surfing the internet and scrolling through Instagram. I thought all bodysuits looked about the same. And why are all these white dudes getting Japanese suits? Then I read some of the threads that talked about the meaning, and I found myself surfing some of the recommended sites. And the stories are so unfamiliar to me, but I like that I can "read" more of the tattoo when I see which way a koi swims or if maple leaves or cherry blossoms are present. And damn I love the kitunes (thank you @Tesseracts for that awesome education with yours!)! I was never interested in anything Japanese, but when I read Horitomo's Monmon Cat's book and learned the history of cats and rats and tattoos, and I saw the depth of his work in these smaller tattoos and I'm much more "moved" and "impressed" than before. It sounds trite, but I have a much better appreciation for his work (both Monmons and not) and that has made it more desirable to me. Perhaps I wasn't "unimpressed" before but just "uninterested." Of course anyone can disagree. But it's like flaunting ignorance not to have a meaningful conversation why you feel that way. $0.02

@Mick Weder yr posts are the best

Hmm... In another thread you recently wrote that you're new to tattoos, so posting a bold statement like that is kind of odd. I'm not saying you don't have great local tattooers, I just thought that was a really weird thing to write.

What @Iwar said! I think what this is coming down to is a difference in what one is looking for in a tattoo. I am not sure you are 100% getting what I'm trying to say, @mmikaoj . The reason I am bringing instagram into this is because: 1) that tiny format where you are zoomed in on the tattoo and so don't see how it sits on the body, how it looks in natural light, how it moves, how it heals, etc., means that ALL you see is any technical imperfections, which leads to people overvaluing the 'cleanliness' of a tattoo and undervaluing its, well, soul, to keep using that word. The most perfect tattoo is not the most beautiful one. 2) I have been tattooed by several people who tattoo in a "looser" style. This is definitely a matter of taste. What I LOVE about that style is how natural it looks on the skin, like it's always been there, like I was born with it. It feels powerful because of how it moves, how dynamic it is, etc. Social media CANNOT CAPTURE THAT. So all we talk about is shit that's "clean". Whatever. There is a reason why some really technically proficient tattooers choose to loosen up their styles, and that's because of how the tattoos will sit, move, age, etc., on the actual person, not on instagram. That was my point about how we judge people. I am lucky enough to know a tattooer that got a beautiful Horiyoshi III tattoo in the past 2-3 years. When I look at her arm, I do not see any squiggly lines or jacked up shading. His work is so powerful, I just see this amazing tattoo that looks like it was meant to be on her skin. It's bold, elegant and stunning. You don't get the whole story when you look at instagram, and I sure as fuck don't get tattoos so that people can analyze their technical merits on social media.

Getting prepared to depart to the shop... Hoping I have enough time to grab dog food and gatorade before my right arm becomes useless :eek: Also celebrating with a friend that just landed a job later, so post-tattoo cake is in my future. Awwww yeeeeah. I won't be able to post whilst getting tattooed, but I'm just happy to get a tattoo where I don't have to lie down or awkwardly sit and be fidgety.

got my knee done by matthew houston in amsterdam yesterday: took that instagram picture, can't make my own cause its swollen like a watermelon at the moment. :D

Regino Gonzales of Invisible NYC. He's a cool dude.

Finally got some color in yesterday :)

Had such a great time at the London Convention on Saturday, didn't get a chance to see much of it but I ended up getting tattooed by Greg Christian on top of my appointments with Bert Krak and Eli Quinters. The frog and fly are from Eli and the eagle and snake from Greg (picture from his instagram). I dont have a picture of the Ed Hardy Butterfly I got from Bert but i'll post one when I do.

My cat was judging my beverage of choice the other night. (A good many of you have already seen this.)

Ok, I know it's not happening now and @ironchef just put everyone to shame but found this one of @Scott Sylvia getting all in my side-knee from a few years back. Got a few more I can probably find! Also @Mick Weder your day sounds incredible. And @Bunny Switchblade we may need a whole new thread dedicated to only your photos!

if i fits...i sits

I Had 3 hours of FUN today !! Previous sitting ! This was the first sitting, now I had 3, all about 3 hours at a time.

Filler fun c/o Nick Oaks (from yesterday).

I got a thing today. Hard to believe it too me almost 33 years to finally start. A fun Percy Waters bird from Greggletron/Greg Whitehead at Scapegoat Tattoo. I stole the picture from his instagram. Side note: I really appreciate this forum. I went to my appointment totally prepared and actually knowing more than the average bear (which is still only a very little, admittedly), and he kept asking me 'are you sure this is your first tattoo?' He kept talking about how pumped he was to work on somebody who'd give him creative license, who knew about Good Tattoos and what makes them good, and...yeah. It made me feel really good. I'm pretty sure I learned all of that here. He would probably thank the forum too if he could. Haha. Booked my next appointment for October. IT BEGINS.