Leaderboard

Today by Duncan X at Into You, London. Photo by Duncan, screenshot from instagram.

yesterday i got this kali from robert ryan while he is guest spotting at old soul. was awesome to get tattooed by one of my favorite tattooers in one of my favorite shops.

The tattoo is yours now...own it! and feel good about it, feel like the bad ass you did a few days ago. Looks like your tattoo still has some unfinished spots to fill in but overall looks ok. Once you fill in that hot fire it can change the contrast, change the way the tattoo looks overall and change the way you feel about it. What I'm trying to say...Don't stress! You're experiencing some post-tattoo anxiety. It's normal in the days after, after you crash from the excitement, endorphins, the rush of finally getting that tattoo you've been wanting to make happen. Right now you are so focused on that new tattoo. Get your head out of the details and let the tattoo just be, there is no such thing as the perfect tattoo, the imperfections is what makes a tattoo ours. If you really like tattoos and want to get into it, get a few more. You may be surprised how it changes your perception. Start a piece to balance out on the other arm or put a few small ones elsewhere. You are a blank canvas! Or if this experience really didn't do it for ya, maybe tattoos are not for you. And that's ok too. - - - Updated - - - You want to talk about post-tattoo anxiety!...check out the hot stuff tattoo in my gallery. It was spontaneous and was hilarious in the moment. Until I got home and took off the bandage and had that omg what have i done moment. My heart sank, I just felt awful about it, about how careless I was. My wife still hates it (lol). It is pretty ridiculous and kind of looks like a ding-dong...but after i let the tattoo "just be" for a few weeks a few months, I embraced it. It's just so silly and ugly and I just love it for that. It makes people cringe, like what the hell maan! It makes me laugh and reminds me that sometimes you need to embrace spontaneity and not give a shit! Embrace the imperfect. It wasn't a bad decision. It was just a decision that left a mark. And the essence of that makes Hot Stuff more important than some of my more carefully planned out works. In the end, a tattoo is just a tattoo. And that's what I love about this whole mess we've all gotten ourselves into ;)

Just got this done by Tony Nilsson(stole his Instagram pic)

@chrisnoluck Fuck yeah! Here is what I got from my friend Adde Ramstedt the other day. Felt so good to get the other foot done, never more (still need to do sides and toes...) Adde just moved down to Berlin and will be working at Lowbrow Tattoo Parlour for about 6 months. I encourage anyone to visit Berlin, hugely inspirational city with many things to experience and explore. While you're there, get tattooed by Adde too ;)

dude leave that screaming skull alone - its awesome personally i think one of the things that makes getting tattooed so cool is the 'commit' factor i think most of have stuff on us that we might no longer dig but dont be embarrassed to wear it as time goes on you'll get a better handle on what you like and dont like and you'll be picking pieces that you'll enjoy more anyway - i'm diggin that skull - hope you leave it and learn to love it

Just finished up my second session with THooper on Monday. Have some serious crankle action going on today. Next booked for 2 days in a row in early Feb. Wife also got her 1st tattoo started yesterday, with Joey Ortega. They'll also finish up this one in Feb:

Oni Head by Stewart Robson guesting at Blackheart tattoo before the SFO convention. This shot is from today, healed. BOOM in your face, @Cork you're not the only one with a massive Japanese tattoo this month, haha!

I think English may not be your first language, but could you stop saying 'jap dragon?' Jap is a racially derogatory term - and probably because I'm Asian, but that term skeevs me the fuck out, and might make others uncomfortable too.

had a 3.5 hour session tonight on my right ribs and love handle matt dunn @ rabbit's den in milltown nj awesome dude awesome place but... ouch - wow - i sat well but dang it hurt love handle actually hurt worse than the rib area anyway - i'll get a pic up once it calms a bit peace

I did a couple shitty stick and poke tattoos on myself when I was a dumb young punk rock teenager (all have since been covered). But I was 19 (the year 2001), walked into the shop in the town where I went to university, and gave a print out of the Rocket From The Crypt logo to this really nice fellow named Andrew Conner and he did it on the inside of my arm. I got a couple more tattoos from other folks, but then, four years later, I was reintroduced to this Andrew Conner fellow, and we became friends. He tattooed me a lot out of his private studio, and then he moved back to that same shop where I got my first tattoo. He opened my eyes to what good tattooing is, taught me how to paint using liquid acrylic/watercolor, taught me how to use an ink nib, and has become one of my biggest inspirations. My first good tattooer changed my life and is the reason I am even making tattoos now. He isn't my "teacher" but he has taught me so much and supports every step I take.

I haven't posted in forever, and I guess I never entered this one from Steve Byrne that I got over the summer in Austin. This is still the best photo I have of it, but it healed nicely. Arm is just about done other than very small gap fillers. Based on this World War I German propaganda poster about the dangers of Bolshevism that I saw earlier that day in a World War I exhibit in town.

haha thx @marley i've only uploaded my smaller goofy ones that are tucked in the hidden realms of my illustrated world. only the best for my LST posse haha - - - Updated - - - It's a flaming skull dude! It had better look too evil rather than Martha Stewart cute! If you're worried about being too evil, balance out the evil-ness with a happy go-lucky design for the other side Like a smilin' dragon or a cheeky panther ;) Remember it's not a race, ideas can take time to blossom, you can learn a lot about patience from tattoo.

Thanks all, appreciate it. Trying to get an appointment with Paul O'Rourke Love Hate here in Cork before Christmas so could have a double whammy in the next couple of months! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks guys your making me feel a little better so I'll take some time to see what I wanna do. Do you think it's to evil looking? And yes it is unfinished, I got it so I can start a half sleeve all the way around to inside of my bicep. Think if I finish the whole arm it might look better?

I know a dude who covered a Nikko Hurtado tattoo with a panther. My friend makes good decisions.

She does real nice work..That shop in Clinton is real nice too...And everybody in that shop does good work.My cousin has been going to baby John at the Flemington shop,and his work is real good too.

If you need to "refresh" a tattoo six months to a year after the tattoo is finished, you got a crappy tattoo.

this is how it starts jonesy!

Booked for the 27th with Kris Ford @ Studio617 in Maryville, TN. I've been following his work for months and have been very impressed. Planning to get a faked line on my right forearm from wrist to elbow. I'm not a collector, and this may be my 3rd and last. Or.... Thru the ether from my LP2

I started getting tattooed when I was 32, and I went to all of the shops that I was interested in to check out the books of the artists and get a feel for the vibe of the shop. For whatever reason, I hadn't found LST yet, but I did enough homework that my first tattoo came out really nice.

Hi @DragonFanSa! Welcome to Last Sparrow! I regret to hear that your tattoo experience has hit some bumps. With time, patience and the right artist it will all work out in the end. :) When something doesn't work out it is really easy to get into a space where you want to pursue corrections quickly. Sometimes, though difficult, it's good to just stop and take a breather. It will give you some mental and creative space to: 1) Get clear on what you want to change and how to best express that 2) Research some new artists, styles and ideas that will take you closer to your desired end result I got a tattoo once that wasn't terrible but sort of made me crazy from the moment it was finished and I waited, literally, years to change it. I got it re-worked into a larger piece that I am completely mad-crazy in love with. Living with it for a while allowed the emotional dust to settle and some objectivity to enter the picture in what I really wanted changed/didn't like about it. Also, don't be afraid to walk away from even a talented tattoo artist if there is no point of connection in your communication. It's not just about finding a good tattooer but the RIGHT, good tattooer for you. Trust yourself. If you need to see a drawing to feel more comfortable with what is going on, then find someone who will do that for you (as long as you are not micro-managing/controlling the process, of course. I know, I know...it's all about balance, right?:D ). I promise you, its is worth the wait, time, attention and money to find the right person with right skills who will facilitate good communication with you. All the best and good luck!

Not sure if I posted this, but I'm getting tattooed by Linsdey Carmichael during the holiday. Stoked! I have no idea what to get.

I would consider getting that whole sleeve lightened and starting over.The work looks real bad. Some tradional tattooers to check out... Instagram Shaun & Ryan Instagram Instagram Instagram Instagram

Here is some M.C. Escher Chris Dingwell did on my forearm in 2002. It's held up well over the last twelve years.

Rodney Raines posted this yesterday. It's a good example. Not the oldest tattoo in the world (17 years), but it shows what is going to hold everything together.

A fucking tattoo... Like, shunga?

Having a tattoo that looks like a fucking tattoo.

I'll be the first to admit that I fell victim to the internet/myspace era of tattoo portfolios. I saw a few "realistic color portraits" and thought they were the best tattoos I had ever laid eyes on. I went out and got myself a real expensive one from an artist held in high regard within that style of tattooing. To this day it was my least memorable tattoo experience. I didn't feel like I was in a tattoo shop, I had to deal with huge egos, there was little to no respect or care for other tattooers in the industry, and in retrospect I was paying a lot of money for a "temporary" tattoo. The internet falsely represented good and humble tattooing to me and I ate it up. It's much like what I believe the internet has done to music on both the artist and fan side of things. People no longer physically go out and buy records to find music. They download music (usually not even full albums), claim they found an awesome band that they believe to be talented via a computer screen, then when they go to see that band live it's a bunch of pre programmed auto tuned bullshit that lacks any skill in playing an instrument or understanding proper song writing. Hopefully they leave feeling disappointed, stop buying into it, and mark it as a lesson learned. Much like how I felt after I got my "realistic portrait". Bands no longer have to tour non stop in a van for months on end under shit conditions before they become successful. They are now fueled by internet hype and are playing sold out shows before ever even touring. I feel that this draws a perfect parallel to this new generation of tattoo artists that have no idea how to lay down a proper outline, shade with black, paint flash, etc yet they have kids flocking to them and are booked out months before ever paying their dues at a shop. The consumer is the only one that can stop all the garbage that happens because of the internet. If we put in a little effort into going to a tattoo shop and talking to someone about why a color portrait with no black won't make for a good tattoo as opposed to reading a blog about it we will make for a much more educated consumer and hopefully end up with quality tattoos. Fuck, I really wish I had done that and not depended on what I saw on a screen. It wasn't until I physically walked into shops like Spotlight, Classic, or Gold Rush that I truly understood what I wanted out of a tattoo. And that's the end of my rant...

i like it when people think there is a special "technique" to making this type of tattooing last. tattooing is poking holes in people with needles dipped in ink. thats the technique. it has always been that and always will be. each new generation learns the hard way.

During my 10 years in the business I have found that any tattoo which is properly saturated with proven pigments in a manner that anticipates the aging of the piece will last. There needs to be black to maintain contrast. (in my humble opinion too much black is almost enough) A heavily saturated section of color will last as long as the pigment permits, though it will only look it's best when dark black is placed near it... One problem is application. Many of these new realism tricks are achieved through a process that will not last, though with the right design, pigment choice, and application color should last... it just won't pop without black. I see examples of realism, both on the web and in person, which were obviously tattooed by someone who is uneducated in the tattoo process. These cannot be admitted into the longevity debate, as a "traditional tattoo" by the same artist would surely disappoint equally. I would love to delve into my perception of the difference in process further, but will stop here so that technique doesn't become public discussion. Another problem is pigment. Many flesh tones, browns, and pastel colors just end up losing out to time and sun. This being said, I have yellow on me that is almost 12 years old that is brighter than fresh tattoos I see from competitors. This yellow in my arm looks virtually the same as the yellow a friend of mine has in his tattoos, which were applied by the same artist 10 years prior to my own! I also have purple which was mixed down with white to fade into my skin tone in the same tattoo and after 12 years the main purple is solid and bright, and the transition to skin is flawless. This in my opinion is due to quality lightfast pigments which were applied in a manner which saturated the skin with the aging process thought of well in advance. This is just the way I've interpreted my observations over the years.

It's our job as tattooist to be knowledgable about what will hold up over a longer period of time. When someone comes into the shop to get tattooed it's not for today or tomorrow or next year. IT'S FOR THIER LIFE... If I saw a tattoo 5 yrs down the road that looked like shit because I put way to much detail in and it didn't hold up. I would be disapointed with myself and change the way I look at what I've been doing. Both articals make very good points, and Dan feels like that for a reason. It's cuz hes seen his tats 8 yrs down the road and hes not happy with the outcome. We need to learn from others experiences to elevate the industry as a whole

TAM issue with Gogue interview has an intersting little blurb about this... 5 year tats bro. he says himself that he knows some of his work wont last too long. he says he has a guilty conscience because he knows that some of it just falls apart in a few years. he knows that people are just wowed by the little tricks that make it look neat. for a few years. i could get a new sleeve every 5 or 10 yers!!

While I can relate to being pissed off about general rudeness, I feel some things tattooists need to lighten up on. Basically being unknowledgable about tattoos in general, asking questions we have heard a million times before, bringing references on phones, wanting stuff that is too detailed or won't work. A gentle approach goes a long way. The way I look at it, I patronize a lot of business where I don't know jack, and I don't appreciate being treated like an idiot for not being in the know. A good example is when I went back to my local print shop. I was asking why I couldn't open a certain file which was a flash sheet I had scanned to a tiff file. The print shop guy snapped at me "ITS A MULTI PAGE TIFF FILE!! YOU CAN'T OPEN IT UNLESS YOU HAVE PHOTOSHOP!!" I am like ok, can you change it to a file that I can open? Again snappage "I CAN'T DO THAT! YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL IMAGE!" I am like "ok, I have that, could you please scan it again?". I also had them saved as PDFs for easy printing. So he was like "I am just going to change these PDFs into JPEGS". I said I would prefer to have both, as the PDFs print original size and all. Even more snappage " UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO PRINT THEM OUT, THERE IS NO USE". I calmly explain to him that they are commercial art, of course I am going to print them out. Then I ask if I have the jpegs and alter them, they can be saved into PDFs again, right? More snappage "ONLY IF YOU HAVE PHOTOSHOP!" The guy was literally yelling at me. Needless to say, I won't be doing business there again. Think about that the next time a customer says asks about things that seem readily apparent to you. A lot of times people are not trying to be difficult. You are the expert, not them. Try and take this into consideration.

julio, i read a story about a tattooer on south state street, chicago in the 50's who also hated that. so he would wear a big sombrero while he worked so the dude couldn't look down! the brim was between him and the tattoo!!

People who's spouse, significant other, or loud tattooed friend does all the talking for them. "Oh, he want's it like this, not like this.", "we would like something that goes on her wrist. so she can read it. because, you know, this one is for her...." The fuck outta here with that shit.

1. People bringing their kids to the shop. Nothing pisses me off more. 2. People canceling the day of the appointment OR them "forgetting" they had an appointment. Thanks for the deposit and wasting my time. 3. Asking how much "a rose" is or how much "some letters" are or a how much a "medium tattoo" costs. Fucker, how much is a new car or a bag of groceries? I don't know! 4. Trying to get me to price match with other shops like Im Walmart. 5. Parents that bring their kids in to get tattooed, even though they dont approve, and act shitty to me when I do the tattoo. 6. When a client's friend is with them while getting tattooed and they tell their friend, "its almost done"... um... did i say it was? no... it isnt. 7. Clients who talk with their hands or keep moving their head fast when Im tattooing them. 8. Clients I dont know on a certain level that think Im their therapist. 9. People who think I love L.A. Ink. and "have to get a tattoo from Kat Von D before they die". 10. Clients that put their friend's opinion before their own. I was bitter towards people before becoming a tattooer from working retail... it only got worse. I could go on all day. Im really not an asshole.

I hate the dude that wants Dollar signs and references to Big Money and Ballin' tattooed all over. Then the jagoff haggles with you and is broke as fuck. I'm like oh I thought you was Ballin' playah. You better go play at the Flea Market Tattoo Stand. Maybe get come coins instead of paper tatted on you.

i hate it when the client rings up on the day of his appt and says " sorry i can't come in , i got called into work" really motherfucker so did i , two months ago when you booked in

Have you ever drawn up a picture of them holding the image up to you on their phone? Just say this is what you showed me? Could get some good laughs?????? Thanks for sharing.