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Gah, @keepcalm and all others, I certainly feel you in regards to parental disapproval! (although my mom did get a tattoo on her hip in an ill-advised attempt to bond and understand me and recently got it removed...and it was waiting for me in a tupperware container full of salt when I got home. She had a tummy tuck but asked the surgeon to save the skin for her. Creepy? Yes. Sweet? Yes. Fucking weird as hell? Don't even get me started)(ah, family). (y'all want pics?) (also this is my least fav tattoo, i am soooo glad to get it covered now! never would have done it unless she had agreed to also do the same tho) My parents have never liked tattoos. My dad didn't speak to me for months after he found out about the (little teeny tiny) flower on my back, and my mom just looked at me with sad, disappointed eyes. I really wanted more tattoos, and when I decided to go for a highly visible tattoo on my forearm at 23, I knew I was doing something that might cause my parents to literally never speak to me again. It was fucking tough!!! And then all the guilt for why I would do something that I knew would basically divorce me from my parents, what a bad kid, blah blah blah. Lots of guilt. But I still loved my tattoos. At some point before I got that first, highly visible tattoo, I showed my mom a picture of some cherry blossoms that stretched across a woman's entire body. I thought they were beautiful and I was sure my mom would feel the same way, even though they were tattoos --- NOPE!! And it was at that point that I realized that just because my mom didn't like something didn't mean it was not cool/right/good-looking/whatever - and that I could like something independent of her and that my opinion is still a valid one. As I collected more tattoos over the years, my parents began speaking more about what i would do at work, and what was I supposed to do at black tie events? At the time I was on the film festival circuit and attending opening galas pretty regularly, so it wasn't an out of nowhere question...but nowhere did I feel comfortable saying "I LIKE the way my tattoos look in dresses!". In fact I just felt humiliated and ashamed. Again, this feeling of guilt - how could I be so shortsighted and do this to myself? Do I not care about my future? Why would I have wasted all this education and this good job etc etc etc ad nauseam - it's really hard to get your parents' disapproving voices out of your head, even when you think they've been banished! Anyway - guess what - they can be covered up if you really want them to be. I attended a black tie event two weeks ago with my What Tattoos? look in full force. Long sleeves. Long gown or pants. NOT HARD TO DO. I did attend a few events this summer with tattoos out in full force. Surprisingly difficult for me to do because of those nasty voices in my head, but I got over it. (I'm 31 now) I personally gauge the event, the hosts, where I am (seattle is fine to show tattoos, oklahoma is decidedly UNWELCOMING). I make a point of looking spectacular to the normies so that not only are they embarrassed if they've trash talked tattooed people to me (more common than one might think) and later see my tattoos, but that maybe it gives 'em something to think about. In Oklahoma, when I am home visiting family, I keep mostly covered up. This keeps me from dealing with the huffs and puffs, stupid thick tension, and any assaults on my character or future. I used to feel very comfortable with this, because I'm not rebelling or trying to piss my parents off with tattoos (though they have certainly leveled those accusations before), so why poke the bear if it's not necessary? But now I feel kinda bummed that I can't be myself around them. Or like walk downstairs in a tank top. And I was just in OK for thanksgiving and I felt totally trashy and hated myself for getting tattoos. ?!?!! I LOVE TATTOOS so that was a weird feeling for me - I was just basically sucking up the disapproval in the air, I think! bc i adore my tattoos. I was just home recently and my mom had to use a fabric glue to stick the collar of my dress in a certain place - not to cover a tattoo, but so that the dress would fall right - and she moved the collar and saw some tattoo and made the worst noise...it made me feel bad, but whatever. It's okay if we all like different things! My mom gets hella plastic surgery, I'm not into that kind of body mod, so that's what I relate the tattoo thing to at the moment. I stopped expecting my parents to treat me nicely many years ago, @keepcalm. Eventually I ported it all into a "them" problem and have minimized my contact with them. I keep my tattoos covered up, though they are aware of them, and I choose to interact with them about different topics, and I refuse to be baited into an argument regarding tattoos. I guess what I'm trying to say is what many have said before me in this thread - wishing/hoping/waiting for parental approval that's never gonna happen is a dumb game that will make you feel bad. It's okay if they don't like tattoos - they don't have to - but they don't have to be jerks about it. If they are gonna be jerks about it, minimize your exposure and choose only to interact with them in neutral territory. If you're comfortable with it, cover up and just show your tattoos off to your friends who think they're cool as hell!

Hi all, been slacking on my updating on here so heres some bits and pieces: Most recent thing I've had done was continuing this, was cool to chat to Brad Fink briefly prior: one session to go, hopefully soon although it will be hard not to get something else by Andre. Also got this from O'Donnell back in July: Both shameless instagram thefts.... As usual this thread has blown my mind with the awesomeness that LSTer's choose to get...

Can't believe I forgot to post this one! From Chris O'Donnell's LA trip a couple weeks ago. Left forearm. Blatantly stolen from Chris' Instagram ( codonnell_nyc )

Nearly finished the anemone and shading and side corals, and shadows along the bottom. The red is the huge bruise already starting. The clownfish were already there, and the crab first pass was from the last session. I am so amazed at how this is all turning out! Two more session until we're done!

I feel like this is an "US" problem. We KNOW we like our tattoos. We got them on purpose. PAID for someone to do it to us, in fact. So why let disapproval from flyover states or other-minded parents get to us so strongly?! While I was dealing with the horrible "i'm so trashy and disgusting" feeling, I also recognized that I didn't feel like that all of the time, and knew that I wouldn't likely feel like that in a few days...so even though it sucked, that is what I held on to - the impermanence of the situation. You know how you feel, and you know that it isn't all the time. Remember that! Best of luck! It sucks. But you're an adult and you like your tattoos - that is ALL THAT MATTERS!!!!

This may or may not prove useful / interesting, and it may or may not be too much information to share on the Internet, but below is an exact word-for-word copy and pasted conversation I had with my dad a few years ago about my tattoos. Needless to say, this is the last time tattoos have ever been an issue between us, and I'm happy to say that both my dad and stepmom are cool as hell about my tattoos now (even after seeing me with my hands and fingers covered in tattoos for the first time when I went back to visit them a few months ago). This whole ordeal started when I got a text message out-of-the-blue from my stepmom that said this: "I thought I would pass on to you my critique of tattoo art. It is one dimensional art done by mediocre art class dropouts whose work, if not embedded in skin, would eventually be sold at a garage sale for a dollar to some lady in pink shorts." Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated / upset, and ignored the message entirely and sent no response. A week later, I got this message from my dad: "Just read what Kel sent to you on the "tattoo" ... Unless its a picture of Libby [their dog], I agree" After becoming even more upset, and after stewing over these messages for about a week, I finally responded to my dad, and the following conversation took place... Me: "I want you to know that I'm pretty unimpressed with the messages you and Kelly sent me last week." Dad: "We didn't think that you would jump for joy. Just an exercise of concern on that line of expression and the view of 56 (28x2) years of experience... Didn't expect you to necessarily agree, but wanted you to know we are concerned about you... Its of course your choice, but we are allowed to voice concern... I think we are anyway, love does that kind of thing..." Me: "That's fine, but I want you to know how I feel about your approach. First of all, I don't appreciate the unprovoked, passive aggressive attack in the slightest. Secondly, I don't expect you to like tattoos or understand them but I do expect you to have some respect for me. If you take offence to a decision I've made, or something I've done, or an entire industry for that matter, I expect you to be adult about it and have a discussion as opposed to making misinformed, uneducated and insulting jabs about a topic you clearly no nothing about. That being said, you're entitled to your opinion and I respect that. I don't expect you to like it, but I do expect you to be a little more tactful and treat me like an adult if you have an issue. I love you guys and it really hurt me to be treated that way." Dad: "Sorry Mike, you know we had no intention in hurting you and respect is certainly not an issue as we respect you implicitly. Yes, we know that Tat's are a form of expression. We just want to make sure that as you add them that it is something you really want as we know so many people who a few years later are sorry they didn't think the choice through a little further..." Me: "I appreciate your concern, and I take no issue with you guys feeling that way. Like I said, the issue I had was with the way you guys chose to say it. The nature of our relationship seems to be that we don't speak very often (which is too bad, but for whatever reason that's how it's gone) so I cherish the times where we do talk so much. It hurt me that your comments came so out of the blue and seemed to take the place of us being able to catch up as people because everyone was so caught up in outward appearances. What I'm trying to say is that I love and miss you guys, and I was upset all week about the way that that situation went down." Firstly, I consider myself very lucky that he was so open to my point-of-view and was willing to discuss it, but I firmly believe that open and honest communication is the key to remedying these particular kinds of situations. Either way, good luck @keepcalm!

This is a wonderful thread filled with great quotes and lots of things I can relate to. This is great advice. It's easy for us tattoo-lovin' freaks to sit here and think, "Who wouldn't love my tattoo? It's beautiful!" But what helps me is to try to understand someone else's perspective. Personally, I find scarification hideous. (No offense to anyone here who might be into that.) If my daughter, who is now 5, grew up to get good tattoos, I'd be happy. But if she went out and got huge scars, I'd be heartbroken. Does that make me a hypocrite? You're damned right, it does. It's no different from tattoos in that it's a form of personal expression wherein the canvas is one's body. So if I think of it that way, I can relate to your parents. Which brings me to another great quote from this thread: Or to my own parents, who--believe it or not--don't know that I'm tattooed. Let's just say that we're not very close. So I hope you can find some solace in the fact that your parents seem very awesome in comparison to mine, who are very judgmental (and old and uber Catholic and lifelong residents of a small town). In a thread filled with great quotes and stories, my favorite is from Deb: I spent many years vying for my parents' approval. I have it in certain areas--I'm married to a great woman, am raising a good kid, and I am successful in my professional life--but I'll never have it in others. And I'm cool with that. Einstein (allegedly) defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." It took years, but I finally stopped expecting my parents to accept certain things. And I'm happier as a result. Good luck to you.

Parents aside, my tattoos have sparked interesting discussion about them during lunch and breaks in work. Most people like them and want to see them and hear of new work I'm getting done and found out a few who have one or two tattoos. They're curious about it and my coverage and why I keep getting tattooed. A civil, calm discussion about it is fine, I like that but not this whole "tattoos are disgusting and you'll regret it and no more about it" closed minded view, I can't abide. Besides the amount of people I've had say to me that I've changed their opinion of tattooed people/heavily tattooed is amazing. Yes, as I've said, I keep mine hidden from family (apart from tops of feet), but it is for an easy life. Am I ashamed of them? No. I keep them covered for work (no visible tattoo rule). They're hidden a lot of time, and honestly have had people say to me that they didn't realise I had so much coverage! At the end of the day, they're an extension of me. People will either love them or hate them. As children we strive to get praise from our parents. When we're told by them that we are disgusting and ruining our bodies, yes it does hurt. It fucking hurts deep. But I can see it from their point of view, they still look out for us. I'll be 39 next month and am still considered "their baby girl". It's part of life, I just block their view out and don't tell them about my tattoos. Life is too short for hassle. I hope some of that made some sense!

Was lucky enough to get some work from Chris Conn last night. 1st session, halo and color next time. Ill try to post a better pic later. By the way.... one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

@beez That was great but HOLY SHIT about your mom keeping her tattoo for you.

@beez Thank you for that post. It sums your situation up and its certainly something many of us have to deal with. Shitty, but your perspective is great and very helpful.

For me, part of getting increasingly heavily tattooed is understanding and accepting that not everybody likes tattoos. It's tough when that negativity comes from your own family, but that's all part of what you take on by getting tattooed. For my part, my family has been more or less fine with it. I know my dad doesn't like my tattoos but we don't have a super close relationship so we've never talked about it. My mom always wants me to say that my latest tattoo is my last one, though I don't really see how it even matters at this point. She's coming more and more to accept that getting tattooed is just something that I do, but there are tough moments for sure. My parents were staying with us but were away visiting NYC during the Montreal convention a couple of years ago and they got back to the apartment just at the moment I got out of the shower the day after having my shin destroyed by Chad. My leg was super beat up and swollen and my mom saw it and immediately burst into tears about it. I guess a large part of that had to do with what @bongsau said earlier in this thread about our parents not wanting to see us in pain. At the same time, though this has never been said to my face, I know that some of my extended family has been pretty hostile about my tattoos. One of my uncles, a retired former career air force officer, a really straight-laced type, asked my mom flat-out why I look like a "goddamned biker" and have so many tattoos. I couldn't have asked for a better response from my mom. She told this uncle that I have so many tattoos because I like them. So yeah, she doesn't like that I have tattoos, and she has asked me what she did wrong as a mother to make me do something like this to myself, but when it comes down to it, she doesn't think I'm a bad person for it and has stuck up for me. And that's great with me. My in-laws don't know that either me or @Pugilist have tattoos at all. We see them in general a couple of times a month. It's all long-sleeved shirts and pants around them even during the hottest part of the summer, or hiding if they stop by unexpectedly. We say that they need to find out eventually, but if they do find out it's going to be a huge fight so it's best to just keep them covered. I think even when they do find out we're both tattooed, we'll still both keep them covered around them out of respect.

I was in a favorite blues club this week while away on business, and later in the evening, this dude comes up to me at the bar and points to the blue edges of my tattoo sticking out from the left arm of my sleeveless shirt. "So I see you have a tattoo there, so what's is about? Can I take a peek?" as he's leaning in to me. Sigh. So I turned around and showed him the edge of the tattoo sticking out from the right side and said, "It's the other side of this tattoo." The bartender (with visible tattoos) just laughed and told me she loved my response. It was completely spontaneous but I'm saving this one too for future cretins.

I only recently figured out that waiting for my mom's approval or appreciation of my tattoos is fruitless. I've been waiting for over thirty years & it's not ever going to happen. My mother hates my tattoos, she thinks tattoos are ugly and thinks that they look dirty!!! I realize that when she sees any tattoo- it's as if a veil comes down and she doesn't see content. All tattoos are the same to her. Well you know what was very freeing??? It was my realization that my expecting my mom to accept my tattoos is as unreasonable as her expectation that I would not like them or want to get them. It's her opinion and she is entitled to it. I also have an otherwise close relationship with my mom. Another thing that has changed is that at one time in my life I would dress to cover my tattoos while visiting my mom- now I do not. - - - Updated - - - Keep in mind that up until only recently - the last 10 years or so- tattoos for the most part were only popular with certain subcultures of the population- especially getting heavily tattooed. Bikers, people in jail, the military and sideshow freaks. No others !

You have all probably seen this all ready but here is the session on my back piece from a week ago when I was visiting Rudy Fritsch at his shop Original Classic in Trieste, Italy. Had a super good stay in the city and the shop is truly amazing, I could be there for hours just looking at all of the originals on the walls from some of the best in the culture and also from Rudy himself. We had lunch the day after the session and he sure is a very interesting and inspiring person too. Beyond happy with how this is progressing! Next session with Iain Mullen, who is the other part of this collaboration, will be in Stockholm quite soon and then the three of us converge during the Scottish Tattoo Convention in Edinburgh early next year to put the finishing touches on this project. I am a lucky guy :)

I can relate, I feel ya My parents reaction to my first tattoo was OMG why why why...it's so big...why did you do that to your body... Then I got some bigger hidden pieces. I never disclosed because they clearly were not interested in acknowledging the big pink (well, purple, blue, battleship grey, etc) elephant in the room Then I got both arms done. And some legs. I wore long sleeves and pants to family dinners for years after the fact...then eventually my parents said, look, we don't really like or understand tattoos but we know they are obviously important to you. And we don't want you to feel uncomfortable when you come visit the family, you are loved and accepted. So please know you can wear a short sleeve shirt and shorts when it is summertime and be comfortable with us. You are our son and we love you, regardless. What I'm trying to say...your parents love you. And hopefully they come around. Change in perception can take time. And mom and dad did come around...after 10 years. I came home from a trip with a screaming eagle on my neck. They weren't that shocked which actually was super-weird! But then we finally had a conversation where they gave me an opportunity to open up briefly...about why and what tattoos give to my life, what it means in my heart, the confidence in my body Why your neck?! Well, easy mom n dad! because there is no space anywhere else! But until they do...remember your tattoos they are about YOU and they are to worn with your CONFIDENCE. Own it! So don't waste your energy trying to convince your parents, family, whichever people that aren't genuinely interested. That's their friggin' problem, not yours. Good luck :) about your Mom...Moms don't like seeing their kids in pain, which is all my mom could see in my tattoos. Pain. Until I talked to her. Open from the heart. Then my mom saw them as colourful and beautiful. The pictures on our skin are a reflection of what's inside us and where we have been. So talk to your Mom openly. Tell her all the positive things the tattoos have given you. And in time, let's hope your mom/family can drop the negativity and have an open-mind, to accept you and accept the things that are important to you. In the meantime, remember - your tattooed skin is thick and colourful now. don't let the negative vibes stick to you. Tattoos are temporary...and so is life :)

I got my first-ever hand-poked tattoo last night from our own @cltattooing: It's also my first scorpion. Let's be honest: I needed one.

Round 2 with Chad yesterday. Sorry about the sideways picture I can't fix it on my phone

Just managed to sit through my first tattoo, finally, yay! Done by Anthony Cole at Silver Needles in Southend. Very happy with my choice. Thanks so much to everyone on this forum for helping to create such a great resource, I learnt a lot here.

Hey all, I'm pretty sure this topic has been discussed to death around here, but I'm hoping this thread can maybe focus on some helpful, active solutions for a problem I just can't seem to get over. I'm sure other people have encountered this, too. (P.S. -- there's a "too long; didn't read" summary at the end!) I'm 29 and have been living a life independent of my parents since I graduated college 7 years ago (read: I'm my own person; I do what I want.), but I can't shake the insecurity I feel because of my family's perceptions of my tattoos, and tattoos in general. My mom ABHORS my tattoos (she gives me the silent treatment for a few days each time she finds out about a new one, when I am visiting them), and I swear it seems to physically affect her. She has said as much: "It makes me sick." In these moments, it feels like she hates me, and I have to endure a few days of THICK tension on what should be a nice and enjoyable visit with my folks. I doubt my dad is thrilled about them, but he acts like a normal person, treats me the same, and has even expressed a tiny bit of interest in a few ("Oh, that is a cool design."). I am close with my extended family, and though I'm not the only one of us to have tattoos (some of my cousins have a few, too), the general consensus among my aunts, uncles, and grandparents is that tattoos are kind of trashy, and we're all just kinda going to pretend like the ones my cousins and I have don't exist. Because of all of this, I feel uncomfortable showing my tattoos around my family, and this has leaked over into my decisions on what tattoos to get and where to put them. But I'm tired of it! I want to get what I want to get, and put it wherever I want it, and not feel guilty or ashamed of it! I'm especially upset by my mom's reactions. We have a perfectly acceptable mother-daughter relationship -- except when the topic of tattoos comes up. I am tired of my personal decisions affecting my relationships with family, but maybe that's something I just have to accept if I want to continue getting tattooed? TL;DR: What can I do to "get over" this insecurity? Should I talk to my family? Tell them how I feel? What could I say that would help them understand why I get tattoos? Would it make a difference?

Wait, I thought I was perfect...?

Yes, I agree. WTF but also cool but also WTF?! Not sure which side I've landed on yet, but THANKS MOM FOR THE WRITING MATERIAL!

There is no one perfect artist. If you want to limit your search to women, then do that. There are tons. If finding what you define as "the perfect artist" is more important, then look at work without regard to the sex of the artist. Not much to think about there!

I had a similar in-person conversation as @rozone did with my parents. I forewarned them that I had gotten a tattoo, and showed them the next time we got together. It was only a matter of time anyway as we spend a lot of time together in the summer. My mother is more open-minded than my father, and said "wow, it is so big! I am so glad that you can cover that up at work". My father said he appreciated the craft and quality of it and joked that I could always get it removed if I decided I didn't like it in a few years. He too talked about how he knows people who regretted their tattoo choices, and was concerned that "you'll want another new one when that one gets old". I have a family member that has some, er, not so awesome tattoos and my parents have been saying "please don't turn out like so and so", thus I've been able to use that as an opportunity to talk about good tattoos, how to make tattoo choices, and that it isn't a "light" decision for me. It's been slow going but I appreciate them trying and not freaking out the way I expected them to. My sister responded admirably by saying that she was surprised it took me so long. My mother-in-law has no idea about my tattoos, and I plan on keeping it that way because I know it would not go well. @keepcalm - I recommend a letter in a situation such as this. I've utilized that method in the past with a very difficult situation and it was just was we all needed.

Be confident, embrace who you are and show love no matter how anyone treats you.

I'm sure her general reaction towards your tattoos comes from a place of love and her not quite being open to "getting it". Parents sure can be funny sometimes and it's interesting how much their approval means to their seemingly smart adult children. I use to be jealous of my friends who's parents yelled at them for coming home with Black Flag bars or whatever tattooed on them. I think it just means they give a shit. Getting tattoos on your body just probably doesn't follow the bogus script they've had in their head for what you'd be like as an adult. Doesn't mean they are not proud of all your other accomplishments. Maybe have the talk to end all talks about them, an open and honest conversation from both ends. Then the topics off the table. Don't let your parents opinions on something so simple as tattooed skin cause strain on your relationship with your mom. My parents were never surprised by my getting tattoos. I came home when I was 14 with a kitchen scratcher tattoo by my friends older brother. Who, not all that surprisingly, was not a tattooer. I showed my mom it with pride right away. Her response was along the lines of, "well that wasn't the smartest way to go about getting a tattoo". That was it. A few days later she pointed out that poor people, especially women, already have enough things stacked against them, no point in making myself look like a criminal and killing my potential. (Thankfully I moved far away from kitchen tattoos well over a decade ago.) My mom may not win any mother of the year awards, but she has a good heart and I know now that she meant well with her bleak commentary. She's just always been blunt and said it how she saw it, no matter how misguided it may be. Parents have their faults. She had known since I was 10-11 that I loved tattoos. I'd always check out all the tattoos on the bikers and scumbags that hung around. I sat in awe across the kitchen table from my mom when she got one (a terrible blue rose on her chest) when I was 8 or 9. I'd get paid to babysit with tattoo magazines. We moved regularly and always being on the go meant I had few belongings, but my mom would occasionally find a new tattoo or music magazine in a gas station somewhere that would keep me distracted. I can go home with a new tattoo and my mom will usually ask to take a peak. I'd say the real shocker and bone of contention was just my decision to grow up independent and sober, build some financial stability, and earning myself a comfortable middle class life. I'd say that causes more waves and tension. But, you know, different strokes. TL;DR: Just hug your mom. Tell her how you feel, have an open conversation, and actually listen to her response. She'll get over it, they always do. Then hug her again.

My parents are surprisingly neutral about it. My Dad even tried to justify it by saying, "You know, I see teachers get tattoos nowadays." If anything, I try not to advertise any new tattoos I've gotten or will be getting. But as I type that, why am I hiding the fact that I'm getting more tattoos? I'm not going to shove it down their throats, but if they happen to ask I will tell them. Side note: I do tend to get shy around any kind of parental figure aka other people's parents. I think I just assume all parents hate tattoos, even though my parents seem to be neutral about it, and not all parents are the same. I just have a tendency to cover up when around parents. But if anything, my parents know what kind of person I am, and that I have not changed. Maybe if your parents saw that, their opinions on tattoos would be different. On the bright side, you don't live with them. So you only have to deal with it when you visit them. In my case, I only see them twice a year.

My mom used to be the same. The worst moment for me was after I had mostly completed my sleeve. I had my arm up behind my head watching TV, and looked over, catching my mom staring at my arm with a disgusted look. I asked "what?" probably too defensively, and she told me I had ruined my arm. Things were a bit tense for a while. For us, the answer was for me to explain how hurtful those kind of reactions were (and I totally got the "it hurts me when you get more tattoos" response) and try to show how important they were to me. I think my mom genuinely saw them as a phase that I would grow out of and regret. Once she realized that wasn't the case, and I continue to get more coverage, she's accepted it and usually comments positively when she sees my new tattoos. I guess I recommend trying to sit her down, and convey how much both tattoos mean to you and how hurtful her actions are.

I finally get to give this a shot! Dana Helmuth, 95% completed at Read Street Tattoo in Baltimore, the rest done in his private studio.

Hahaha - the first rule of the Peony Club is that you don't talk about the Peony Club.

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.

Bearded lady from George Archer at the RVA convention yesterday (picture courtesy of George's IG).

I've got some work in progress by Badj at Black Eyes Tattoo. Some pictures that were taken after my last session. Thought dinosaurs would be a fun addition to my collection.

I am working on a sleeve. And it would not be complete without "Mom". Work by Billy Hill (Envy Skin Gallery, Columbus) on 11-15-14.

Went to see Steve Wimmer on Monday in Delaware. Took a little over 6 hours, my longest sitting. Thought I was gonna tap out but I champed it. Not gonna lie, the last hour was rough on me though. (Cell phone pic)

Colour! Pic pinched from Clare's instagram as I am sore, having a beer and don't have anyone at home to help me take pics yet. Have another appointment in two weeks to add on. We are doing a peony on inner bicep (couldn't resist with all the peony envy going on right now) which will wrap around and fix up the gap in her arm, mallard duck and fox with fruithat. Unsure if we will add on piece by piece or use the next session to get everything else lined.

first session - tiger on ribs... finished 2nd session with Scott Sylvia tying in new & old...super happy!!! :)

Got this from Timothy Hoyer last month. Really stoked about getting a tattoo from one of my absolute favorite tattooers.

My recommendation is to stop looking at your tattoo with a flashlight. That shit is just weird.

In my neighborhood, having a money tree is called "robbing drug dealers" but somehow @Pugilist thinks this is a really bad idea. I don't get it, it's not like they're going to go to the cops to report being robbed.

was in sf last week got this from jeff rassier. super happy about it reaper1 reaper2

Just got this guy at the yellow rose tattoo club by johnny tugboat! SENT FROM MY LG G FLEX ON THE NOW NETWORK FROM SPRINT!?✌

Torso progress. 3 days back to back at the Bay Area Convention of the Tattoo Arts this past weekend. Sorry for the harsh convention lighting. Will get better pics once healed. Thanks for looking.

The people who said they didn't think the elbow was too bad are all insane. Or they have magical elbows. More fun stuff on the arm with Greg. Took the photo from his instagram. Feels weird to include something this little this week when there's so much crazy stuff on my instagram from the Bay Area convention, but oh well! The trend of 'never actually doing what we previously planned on' continues. At this point I kinda hope it always does. And now I am done until the end of November!

Fun times in New York with my newly immigrated fiancée. Bug is on her by Bert Krak, torch and rose are on me by Eli Quinters and Beau Brady, respectively.