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Congrats, Bunny! I imagine finally getting that tattoo after seven years of waiting is a very satisfying feeling. Greg and I didn't get to two tattoos last night, since we got an unavoidable late start. We did go with the creepy Lo Pan hand holding a dragon that we were joking about the last time I was there. It's pretty much all a result of talking about Big Trouble in Little China with he and his coworker when I was the last one in the shop on my last appointment.

Really? A beautiful back and grey sleeve won this summer, and several of the most active posters here get mostly or exclusively black and grey tattoos, though not necessarily in the style of the Jun Cha sleeve above. There's a slant towards color traditional, but to say that the forum has "little appreciation for B&G" doesn't seem right - there are definitely folks on here who are knowledgeable about Chicano tattooing, among other styles. There is a huge repository of info. on different traditions here if you dig around! Not trying to pick a fight, just scratching my head a bit.

Little quacker from Clare Hampshire, pic stolen from her IG. Wraps around to outer forearm.

I thought it might be his way of showing a little jealousy and agreeing with @Lance that I need a second Horitomo, this time of Tomo with lightening bolts... I might be reading too much into this, but... if that's what he's saying, he has a point.

Maybe he thinks he is a tattooer too! :)

Well.....I went to Virginia Beach the Thursday night before the Richmond Tattoo show and woke up Friday morning to go to Ancient Art Tattoo (VaBch) to be tattooed by Scott Sterling! What was going to be a small banger to palm size tattoo.....turned into this........ Due to a lot of weight loss....I do have a roll on my side.....Scott used the fact that I have this and made it so the mouth opens and closes.....LMAO! Very fresh photos....sorry the photos isn't better!

@TrixieFaux, the only way to find out if you're reading too much into it, is to get a Tomo tattoo and see what he does next. Sound reasoning, right?

Yeah there are no scorecards here so let's just chill out and be nice to each other. Everyone is entitled to experience tattooing however they experience it.

You are definitely not reading too much into it.

This is the second time Tomo has "accidentally" scratched me on my Aurora-inspired monmon... Do you think he's trying to tell me something? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Read that yesterday; not sure what to make of it. I only started getting tattooed when I had some stability in my life (same job, home and relationship for a while now). I know lots of folks use tattoos to mark the end of a period of transition, though. Regarding this quote: A lot of the most fervent defining seems to be done by people looking at the tattoos, rather than the actual tattooed person. I find it interesting that text tattoos are so popular since they also have the most fixed meaning. I like that I can "redefine" my tattoos as I grow older.

Front of my El Monga leg. Done at Tattoo City in March. Pic is from today (healed). Entered the back of it a few months ago, figured the front needs to toss its hat in the ring.

got this beauty from nick oaks on his visit in toronto @ the okey doke beyond happy with the turn out

One more session to go and filling in the blank spot underneath.

So I decided to go with a hanya. I let the artist do what he wanted. My only input was having snake head come into my chest. He added a couple cool things like the skull ropes for the mask. This is after the first sit. Next sit will be some more details and lines and maybe background and then for some color. Have to decide on a color palette. I'm open to suggestions! Ps sorry for the sideways pics. Doing this on mobile and will fix it when i get a chance.

I'd love to see a pie chart of the different types of tattoos people have, to put all those infinity symbols, etc. in context. And it would be neat to see that every decade or so. Might be kind of surprising. Although, sadly, the pie slice of scratcher tattoos is probably pretty large.

Haven't read the article as of yet, but responding to the extract and replies. Just my 2d's worth: You can't lump everyone into one group, yes we are all tattooed and we have a love and appreciation for the art but that is where the similarities end. We're all from different age groups, different cultures and countries. And we all have different reasons for getting tattooed. The person who decides to get something tattooed because they like the design, that reason is no more or less valid than someone who spends years deciding. Likewise it makes no difference if there is a meaning behind the tattoo or not. It always bemuses me how people try to analyse the tattooed. I haven't heard of someone analysing why people buy (for arguments sake), Monet over Picasso. It's a little bug bear of mine. Yes, a lot of us get tattooed to mark an occasion but some people buy new clothes, shoes or a bag so what is the difference? None, in my opinion. Do these people get analysed? No, I'm sure they don't. As for idenity, it can be said that people's clothes and/or make up identify them. Sorry, this reply kind of turned into a rambling/mini rant.

Interesting thread :) I have OCD, so I have to be balanced. I got the angel on outside of lower left leg to balance the demon on the right. Even though they have separate meanings, still have to be balanced. In relation to planning tattoos, yes, all mine are planned and the placement. At the moment, I'm working on getting legs finished. Planning on half sleeves though I think we (me and my tattooist) both know it will eventually be full sleeve, back will be Giger, left ribs will be another memory tattoo to balance the one on right ribs. I know what I want done on stomach and bit under bra, know what I want on top of boobs (bit that can be seen while wearing bra), some of my dresses/tops are low cut so why not? Also have idea of what want done under bra strap on shoulder down. And then all filled. No plans for neck or hands, as work wouldn't allow, but wouldn't rule it out. When I first started getting tattooed 15 years ago, I didn't think I'd have as much coverage that I do do. I've also had more people say that I've changed their views of heavily tattooed people and I've inspired a few to start their tattoo journey :)

Totally agree on both counts. I wonder how "identity" is defined in the studies referred to in this article. I'm not sure that there's a super strong correlation between age and a solid sense of identity, either - maybe you shed some anxiety about it as you get older. I tried to swear off reading op-eds about millenials a while ago, but righteous indignation's sort of addictive.

Thank you :D - - - Updated - - - And from this year... Right lower leg, below the knee. Demon and Girl Japanese Mask with Snowflakes and Spiderwebs How he merged the Mask with the Demon and existing ankle tattoo And finally Angel Tyrael from Diablo... Angel Tyrael is unfinished, I'm going back next week to get it finished :)

Touche. (I am still not listening to that song.)

Great tattoo for an awesome movie.

Just got a purrdy bird from Brent McKenzie, picture stolen from his instagram About 7-ish hours divided on two sessions. So happy but damn the thigh hurted like hell, I was a complete baby about it.

Interesting article - thanks for posting, @keepcalm. I like this line - a lot of angst tied up in that. "In either case, modernity compels us to declare our identity with conviction, whether we’ve found it yet or not."

To be fair, we did end up going out for drinks after we split up with you guys, which is I think what tipped the scales.

I love that little scorpion, @hogg and @cltattooing ! Chill dude. I feel like you have all already seen this on the 'ole Instagram, but I had the great pleasure of getting a couple of peonies from Brian Kaneko this weekend. It was a great experience to get zapped by such a nice, funny and talented person, and it was also our first time at Adorned, which was also very fun! What a lovely space. Can't wait to go back there, and will definitely be getting more work from Brian! You can peep the tattoos on his IG here: @truenaturetattoo I am of course in love with the peonies, which I've been wanting forever! It's such a treat to look down and see them there. They are healing like a dream so far. I have to say, I love this finally tattooing my arms business - soooo much more pleasant than all that back/thighs crap I started with.

It's funny because while it seems a lot of people worry about looking balanced, I've always been more attracted to an asymmetrical look. For example, maybe having a 3/4 sleeve on one arm and a full or half on the other, with the opposite side ribs done on the short sleeve side, etc etc. I'm still early on in my tattoo experience but the more time goes by and the more I take in the culture, the less and less I care about uniformity and the more it's just fun to get tattooed.

I keep coming back to this one. It's such a rad way of filling an awkward spot and I feel like I've never really seen anything before like it. I'm going to keep this tattoo in mind for a long time especially as I get more and more awkward gaps.

Jun Cha. Unfinished, ran out of time and had to run to the airport. 16 hour session. Reh, edited with better size & lost the likes.

just ordered two 3 packs i love the smell of the shop so having my car smell like that should be awesome though i worry if it will increase my already increasing obsession with getting more tattoos uh-oh

Tim Lehi oneshot

When it comes to pain and tolerance I think it's important for you to find your sweet spot. The longest I've ever been tattooed was roughly 5.5 hours and I realized right afterwards that I never wanted to go through that again. It wasn't bad but unless your getting tattooed by an artist that isn't local or traveling great distances there is no need for it. For me I've learned that 3-4 hour sessions are the sweet spot depending on location of the piece. It isn't too short and it isn't too long.

I Did this one on a Coworker at a convention this year, its on her thigh. took about 6 hours i think? anyways, Enjoy! i may repost if i can find the healed pic she sent me it healed immaculately. Open to input but try not to be an a-hole haha so yea, done by me (Marcus Hardy) at Planet Ink Tattoos in Hiram GA

Last minute appointment at Kingsave NYC with Chris O'Donnell

This dingleberry I went to high school with came to me for a lion. Told him I don't do realistic but I can stylize it with heavy linework and dot work (this was about two years ago) said he was all in. Tight. Then asked how much. When I told him 150, which is a fucking steal, he got upset and said his cousin said he'll tattoo it for a 12 pack of beer. Nothing good can come after this. A few days later this is whats up on facebook with the caption, "Can't tame the beast in me." Let the laughs begin.