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So we have finally started the shading on my back piece. It's a great feeling to be filling in all those lines. There's a long way to go but here is a picture of the first bit of shading we have done on the back of my leg.

Chipped away a few more hours on my back. I think we're pretty much done the black shading, I think there's some greys to do in the water still, we still have to figure out the scales or patterns on the snake, but we're making progress. All work, as always, by Dave Cummings of PSC Tattoo.

Cross posting from the latest tattoo thread, this is after session 1 of... i don't know how many... with Marius Meyer

Just got back to the hotel in Oslo after having Marius Meyer blast me for 4 hours or so. Shout out to @Iwar for being an awesome tour guide, host, driver... really the only way he could have made me more welcome is by offering some hand relief. Maybe on the next trip!

Finally started my back piece after what feels like forever. Getting it done by Scott Duncan. He rules. Got the majority of the outline from shoulders to a bit into my ass done. Totally sucked, especially around the sides/love handles. Back in January to hopefully finished lining the ass and things. The crew at the shop (sugar shack) are amazing so that helped. Just had my first shower after a bit ago. My boyfriend had the unfortunate pleasure of hearing my complaining while he cleaned it. I owe him an extra gift under the tree.

saw this on my IG feed and it immediately reminded me of this thread. Jimmy gets respect.

Sorry folks but heres the 6 monthly update on how my sleeve is holding up lol :) 2.5 years healed now and I still have not noticed any difference :)

Had a few hours on my back yesterday. Worked on background was a good session, everyone at Sugarahack is so friendly. I had a chance to listen to the first couple episodes of the serial podcast too, I'll admit , I'm hooked. Listened to a few more on the drive home. Back at it again end of January bring down the left side and hopefully move below the waist. See how it goes. I'll say it every time, the love handle area is killer.

It's done. It's actually done. The last session was the worst one I've had to endure. Major touch ups to the wind bars/clouds, double lining, basically every soft spot got hit in one day. By the end I was definitely spent, but so stoked. Dana was very pleased with how this came out, and that makes me happy too. He wants me to show up to the Baltimore or Philly conventions and do the back piece contest. This took a year and a half, and it was an amazing experience.

I bought this silk embroidery in Hong Kong about 15 years ago and it's been sitting in the original roll since then. FINALLY I am getting around to framing it and would like advice. It has a fabric mat it looks to be glued to and the mat has a subtle pattern. Should any part of that mat be shown? A different/additional mat? What kind of frame? Me, not being very artistically creative, would just put it in a black frame. Black? Matt or gloss finish? How thick should the frame be? Also, any idea about the artist, and what the characters mean? Does this design have any significance? I bought it simply because I loved it. The embroidery is so fine. Some of the pictures have glare or shadows from the plastic, which I didn't completely remove to take these pictures. Thanks!

I think the mat should be shown as much as possible, and have a spacer (mat board) between the fabric and the glass so the fabric has space to breathe. The mat between the glass and material (paper, fabric, etc) is vitally important otherwise you get that flocking/foxing and discoloration from having the glass pressed up against the material being framed because of the fluctuations in humidity. It is recommended that it be hard mounted (ie on a piece of veneer wood) prior to framing this way. If you were to get it soft-mounted you could have it prepared and then hang it like a scroll on the wall (vs having it in a frame.) These folks might be able to help you out: Framing, Matting & Mounting

You know the funny thing in my mind is that for as long as it has been around and for all the new fangled designer medication that's come out tailored to specific ailments, good ole Benedryl is still the go to in main circles to address allergic reactions. The only draw back is the sometimes drowsy effects, but nothing really beats it in terms of settling down a histamine reaction.

I loved getting tattoed by Ed Hardy! He is so knowledgeable, talented, and just all around cool guy! - - - Updated - - - Any piece I have seen has really stood the test of tome and still looks fantastic.

I think that may be heavy metal poisoning. Or a simple food allergy.

Interesting that the blue and red are holding as well as each other, and as the b&g. I'm sure it makes you happy! Such nice art. I think that tight control on pigment particle size is as important as artist depth control.

@El Dolmago Makes sense. The skin is already irritated and in shock from shaving/tattooing. Add another "itchy" layer on and it doesn't surprise me if a breakout occurs, especially someone with sensitive skin. I've had a few times after tattooing, mostly outside of the newly tattooed area. This last flare up was the first time it happened on that actual new ink but I'm basically running out of real estate on my body. No damage or issues with the new ink so far as I can see and that my girlfriend can see. Started lightly lotioning the area after treating with Benedryl for about a week looks to be on the mend.

My artist mentioned the worst contact dermatitis he has seen is post tattoo contact with wool - particularly wool sweaters and Uggs. He told me to stay away from all wool for at least a month.

Ok this made me look it up. @DeathB4Decaf that is one burly Canadian, great design!

Broken Bells - After the Disco.

@Graeme Thanks, I love it. And your Dave Cummings work is incredible. He's on my short list to get work by.

it was song in the air, still looking for false cathedrals. I suppose it wasn't actually an early one. Haha. It was a lot different from us songs. Still good but not what I expected.

ok well it has occurred to me the best way to forget about your rough healing itchy scratchy hazy mess of your healing tattoo is... ...getting a new tattoo while the other is still healing totally diverts the attention away from your healing tattoo before you know it your other tattoo is all good but then of course you're back in the process of healing another tattoo oh the tangled web...

welp just got another appointment with robert ryan for january 2nd but down at electric in NJ this time. getting my hand tattooed 4 days later by max kuhn. starting the year off right, i'd say ;)

You're just jealous, homie. Today was okay except for when he did some extra lines around my crack. Goddamn I hate lining. There was a bunch of involuntary twerking as well, that was interesting. Thanks @Iwar!

Get a haircut, hippy! It's blocking my view. Looks like today was a brutal session, but damn, it's already great.

People get the tattoos they deserve.

The way I see it, his original post was neither. He simply pointed out that he found that term offensive, in which you replied by telling him to grow up. You've continued to throw fuel at this fire since, and derailed your own thread. Please get back on topic! If the personal attacks continue we will be forced to lock this thread, which is something we very seldom have to do here on LST. Treat each other with respect, and give each other the benefit of the doubt. This is a community, not the comment section of some shitty tabloid news site.

I'm sure everything will be fine, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, just in case!

@Fala Much better but its a bit crusty. Thanks for asking. Will continue the regime of Benedryl through the weekend then switch back to lotion it a bit to smooth things out. Don't think anything happened to the tattoo itself which is good. Hopefully will have a good idea in a couple more weeks.

@ironchef get a doctor's note that says it is medically necessary for you to work in a fundoshi all day. your employer should be fine with that.

Re: latex allergies - SOMETIMES people are allergic to the chemicals that are used to preserve the latex and not the latex itself. So, you can be allergic to latex and not have any of the cross-reactive fruit allergies. I used to have a fantastic document on this aspect of latex allergies, but lost it in a computer crash :( @ironchef - how are you doing today?

I'm pretty excited to check out the stuff I don't recognize in this thread. I'm also pretty sure, based on what's in this thread already, that nobody on the forum is going to dig the stuff I contribute, lol. Oh well. The perils of having a really broad musical palate. The , earwormed the hell out of me this fall. On first listen I wouldn't have expected that at all. Downtempo trip-hoppy goodness. Two Weeks and Lights On were stuck in my head for weeks.TV On the Radio, Seeds. I think two of their earlier albums, Dear Science and Nine Types of Light, are two of my favorite albums these days, full stop. I feel like everything these guys do is made of gold. Pelican released Arktika this year (instrumental metal/postrock/etc. is the sorta niche end of the metal pool I usually hang out in). It's a Russian live show album. Has some older stuff on it, but I like it. Because Mogwai.The Black Keys, Turn Blue. Because The Black Keys. This probably shouldn't count because it's a compilation and not a new album, but, , the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy, is fucking great. Judge me! I don't care! I chair-dance to this while I'm working!There's a bunch of other stuff I wouldn't mind mentioning, but I dunno if I'd call it 'favorite.' Aphex Twin released an album this year after 13 years, Syro. Jurassic 5 got back together again. Sia's 1000 Forms of Fear, maybe? The Jezabels' album The Brink? (I discovered them when was going around. You should check it out if you haven't. That kid is an animal.) Or Broods, Evergreen? Heck, MC Frontalot (of internet fame, for fans of...um, Zork) put out an album this year too, for especially nerdy nerds like me. It is called Question Bedtime.

I love anything by Filip. Mr. Rubendall just posted this bad boy on instagram. Color scheme is pretty amazing. The different shades of blue and green are contrasted perfectly by the pink. http://instagram.com/p/wT602sGx6E/?modal=true

I've always loved this dragon by Filip Leu. The scales are so delicate, smooth, and flawless. I wish I could find another picture of it!

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.

Finished another session tonight. Just banged out the stripes. I am so psyched with how the face is coming out. Have black in the tail up top then color hallelujah ! Cork man you should be beyond proud of that thing it's awesome. Edit: sorry about the sideways pics

Not mine, but great to see Kore Flatmo posting again, it's been close to a year!

I should prefer a shrubbery.

Done by Ed in 1979! GOD DAMN!!!!!!!

Working on my second sleeve. Both were started on bare arms so I could have a cohesive theme. Both are Japanese style and my back piece flows into both of them.

Since we are posting Hardy backs, this one is from the panther tattoo thread:

That's Fred. And Higgs, also by Hardy.

Opie G. Ortiz posted this 20 year old Hardy backpiece on instagram a few days ago

Can't remember who initially posted these, but I've had them on my phone at least a couple-three years. Not sure when they were done, but they're old, and by the man himself.