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Finished my back on Friday night (well, Saturday at 5:30 am). It was a hell of a ride - it took almost exactly a year of sessions every 2-3 weeks. We'll do a final session after this heals to tie the bow on it. This tattoo was made by Sean Zee out of Brick, NJ from pictures I've taken while scuba diving. I gave him 50-some pictures and a wish list, and he selected about 15 shots to create this scene. These pics were taken on 4 continents from 1998 through 2013 using (mostly) a Nikonos V underwater camera with an SB-105 strobe, UW Nikkor 35mm, 28mm, and 15mm f2.8 fisheye lenses, Sea & Sea (no relation) macro kit and Nikonos closeup kit. Sean is a great guy, dedicated and amazingly creative. It boggles my mind how artists just "see" stuff like this and make it happen. He put up with a lot of questions and "what ifs" and "why nots" from this nearly virgin canvas (as he likes to say, "this woman only had lil kitty paw prints on her shoulder before this"), explaining to me all the ways this tattoo would NOT work, and ended up just putting it on the table that it really needed to be a full back if I wanted so many references. And to prove it, he designed the whole thing superimposed on a picture of my bare back and emailed it to me. I remember the moment I saw it for the first time and it shorted out my brain. I committed to the full back about 20 minutes after I got the email. (And I admit at the time I did not understand in the least what I was in for...) Kinda funny, thinking back on it, how all the chatter and uncertainty and 14 years of wanting some sort of tattoo with my eagle rays were completely silenced and resolved in a heart beat. Anyway... So, the critters making appearances, starting at the top right and going clockwise are: two moon jellyfish, two Moorish idols, two clownfish and anemone, a batwing coral crab and mustard tube sponges just behind him, a leopard moray eel, two squirrelfish hiding in red sea fans that cross my lower back, a sea snake in lettuce coral (very poisonous, which I didn't realize until after I'd crawled up in his face to take the picture and then been admonished by the divemaster after the picture was developed), a queen angelfish and a hammerhead shark. In the center are two spotted eagle rays and the broken mast of the Nippo Maru, a Japanese supply ship sunk during WWII by US forces in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia. When I look at this, I don't just see a tattoo of fish. It's a diary of my favorite diving experiences. Each part has such different memories of the location, the people I was with, and the experience on that dive. (Yeah, poisonous sea snake. Whoopsie on that one. And the clownfish was actually guarding a little ring of day-old eggs. And trying to photograph moon jellies in a surge without being hit is like playing a 3D video game. And that I really really wanted my spotted moray eels but Sean said the pattern wouldn't age well, so with resigned sadness, my handsome spotted moray had to morph into a leopard moray. Sniff Sniff.) All of this flooding my brain at the same time. And then I get this goofy grin on my face thinking about walking around with this huge awesome back piece that anyone I know would be shocked to learn I have. He put up a little video where you can see the ribs, too: Video of SeeSea's Back. Healed pics coming to an LST contest near you. I want a T-shirt, dammit :D

Whoa, with all the awesome tattoos posted in the Lowdown thread recently I'm surprised no one's posted here yet. I'll kick it off! Here's my thigh by Seth Wood, started at Temple and finished at Saved.

Above is a picture of me laying like a passed out pale seal on Iain Mullens table. Today was the second to last session on my back. Can't wait to see it finished. We're doing the last bit and touch ups with Rudy Fritsch at the Scottish Convention in the end of March. Going to be fun/hell. Todays session was nice except for a few bits. I can't believe how quick this piece has been. I got the idea to start my back in April last year, asked Iain about it and then we started in mid June. It really helps that both him and Rudy work super quick and make for good company + conversations during the sessions. Secret bit of knowledge exclusively for LST (I know people love that exclusiveness, I sure do): that ain't a dark red, but actually a light gray wash looking bloodied and irritated. Haven't got a piece of color on me, except for a few patches of gray and white.

Here's a photo of my winged lion by Valerie Vargas, its quite big so a little distorted and wraps a lot, it's only a start but I love it was such a great experience and a lovely shop and atmosphere, plus it's like the first tattoo I've had in six years that's needed more than one sitting, looks like il be visiting home again sooner rather than later

I feel like I've been talking about it forever, but I guess I booked pretty far out. I had my "official" consult with Grez at King's Avenue for my left arm that will start in two weeks. I'm doing a 3/4 sleeve, and we decided on an eagle fighting a dragon. I knew I wanted an eagle, so then we kinda worked through some options. I'm mostly letting him run with it, as everything I've had him do for me so far has been perfect. Haha. I can't wait.

less than 30 days until appointment #1. time to start planning the travel logistics.

got this ganesh yesterday thanks to robert ryan @ electric tattoo in asbury park, nj

It's done. We're done. Except for a touch-up and tweaking session after this heals. Did the left ribs from love handle to arm pit (none of which you can see here), detailed the 3 fish on the left, finished up the eagle rays, ship wreck mast and the blue. Right now it's 29 hours after we finished and I'm still trashed. Healing this one is going to be special. But of course, since it didn't show up on his Instagram, all I am left to share is an in-progress pic he posted about 7 hours in! (Which coincidentally was the same time I was complaining over on the "Thread to post while getting tattooed" thread that I was running on fumes.) This is just before the final push to finish the eagle rays, ship wreck mast, blues and highlights in the middle. (Funny enough, at the time, I didn't realize it was also the final push to finish THE WHOLE TATTOO!) We're taking healed shots in a few weeks and I'll post the final results. For now, I'm just gonna curl up on the couch and nurse my tattoo flu.

Here's an update on my back piece - love it :-) xccx

Well I was waiting to post a healed pic of my finished Seth Wood thigh, but since I can't seem to take a decent pic of my own leg, here's when it was half-fresh: http://s16.postimg.org/lelsgz5qt/Untitled_1.jpg I started it at Temple in Oakland in June and finished at Saved in NYC in December. I live in North Carolina so both locations meant a trip for me. Really awesome experience getting to see two different shops and travel all across the country to get this done, made some awesome memories, hung out with friends new and old, and just overall had an adventure. Seth is an awesome dude as well and I hope I can get something else from him in the future. (posted this in the contest thread too, hope it's okay to post it twice!)

Was hoping to go to Belfast this weekend to book next one, but now looks like won't be until end of month. Will be getting a Giger tribute on lower left leg, beside the angel. After that have lots planned, will decide on order when time comes. Have a gap at back of lower right leg that needs filled. Working on a tattoo idea to honour my ancestors in general, I have a commissioned piece I want done. Working on filler ideas. Some more Giger work, would like some Escher done. A memory tattoo, my left ribs, need my other hip done, stomach, top half of boobs, arms finished off to half sleeve at the moment, eventually full sleeve. Of course my back. Eventually would like the ones on legs merged with ones on feet and ankles all done...

Part two of my Simpsons in Space leg sleeve! Keep in mind that there will eventually be a black space background so the helmets do not look right yet. For example the circles will be stars. I posted part one here a while ago but here it is if you missed it. and here is part two on the other side. Work is being done by Rev. J.R. out of Vicious Ink in Rochester Hills MI. Next up, Mr Burns and Smithers! - - - Updated - - - whoops, those are way bigger than I intended, sorry about that.

Welcome! I'm going to suggest that you get your arms done before you even think about hands and fingers because there are few things in life more ridiculous than people with hand tattoos and nothing on their arms.

So stoked for you @BrianH !

Congratulations @Cork !

Welcome! I have paw prints from my little girl who passed, too.

Grats @SeeSea. You've earned it.

I'm giving over the stomach to Franz. My chest is already done (by Tim Pausinger at The Pearl) and my back is outlined (also by Tim). So I guess I am going full torso. lol

I went on a cruise alone the week of Christmas. I ate like shit most of the trip but I managed to go to the gym 3 times on the ship. Had a blast on the Quantum of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) Came back and been hitting the gym really hard and watching what I eat. Not a new years resolution just trying to add to my massive weight loss. I'm feeling great the last week!!!

Just figured out what this spring is going to be like, travel-wise. In somewhat chronological order, four trips 1. 9 days: Istanbul with my girlfriend. 2. 3-4 weeks: Copenhagen and Bruxelles to visit one some of my best friends who just moved -> Toulouse for a tattoo -> Barcelona for a tattoo (->Paris/Amsterdam?) -> London and or Cornwall -> Edinburgh for the tattoo convention and finish my backpiece with Rudy and Iain 3. 1 week: Very north of Sweden, with my parents and brother (and maybe two dear friends), to visit relatives and do wild life shit 4. 3-4 weeks: Berlin to visit friends -> Krakow -> Lviv to visit old study buddy -> Kiev for my cousins wedding -> St. Petersburg to visit a new friend (-> Moscow?) Actually, I haven't done this recently.. what I did do was to make a decision to work less and enjoy life a bit in the near future. Bye bye all my hard earn cash. Bring on the fun times, adventures and inspiration!

I've been in a relationship with one woman who had a single tattoo (quite big skull wearing a crown, and snake or dagger, on her lower leg) and I've been with some women who really liked my tattoos a lot (fascination, more or less of sexual nature) and wanted to talk about them and about how they percieved me because of them, that it was a turn of for them and so on. Honestly, I don't care for being some object of fetishism for a person that I care about and who knows me well (for a one night stand it can be a fun game to play though) And I don't really like talking at length about (my) tattoos with people without their own, and with little understanding, taste and knowledge of the art (usually goes hand in hand) My girlfriend as of a few months back has a really good approach to it, which makes me feel very comfortable. In the meantime I've been chipping away on my backpiece and gotten four other tattoos. It took a long time before we said anything more about my tattoos than the fact that they are all over my body. She knows that tattoos are important for me (and as with anything I'm passioned about she is encouraging) but since it's not an interest we have in common we seldom speak about it. She is mildly positive towards tattoos, but has none herself (she was going to get the logo of her punk band tattooed but it's been postponed indefinitely) She likes my tattoos and she doesn't think it's a big deal whenever I talk about the next one. I can show her tattoos on instagram and I can feel that she is starting to "get it" more and more, but she is not doing it to please me, she's honest. She is also very well rounded when it comes to taste in culture in general and appriciates different art forms, I think it helps. I don't know if this was such a good explination of how tattoos sits in our relationship, but for a plainskin I must say she has an amazing attitude. As for myself, I'm turning more and more into a snob when it comes to tattoos and I would much rather be with someone with no tattoos than someone with bad tattoos. It's not often that I come across a woman with really great tattoos and a lot of coverage, but when I do see someone like that : god damn, it's hot!

Great tattoos this month, I'm glad there weren't a lot of entries. I was hoping the holiday would work in my favor, haha. I've wanted a shirt for a long time now, thanks for voting for me!!

This is a piece by Justin Weatherholtz at Kings Avenue. I saw it in person. Basically, this client had an acne issue and went to a dermatologist for an acne treatment shot. Problem was he turned out to be allergic to the medication and it scarred up the acne pretty badly. Justin tattooed in the scars and used the texture of the scarred skin to create an almost 3D effect. The blacks/greys in the water....that's scar dimpling and cavities that got filled in.

I'm actually jealous of the potential of a Japenese coverup from a Norwegian artist. Marius why are you so far away and never travel?! Why?!?!?!

*Kostia Maestro | PiercingForAll Blog. Here is the rose cuff I was thinking about earlier but could not find. I've wondered about 'passing' tattoos this way.

Agreed with @Hands On here. If you were to think of, say, Japanese sleeves I'd imagine that you would have a lot of options for a coverup. Chrysanthemums and wind bars, for example, could be really nice, and the coverup would be part of a much larger tattoo, it wouldn't draw attention to the coverup in the same way that stand alone roses would.

although the first thing you want to do is cover up your old tattoos, you also mentioned that you want to get more tattoos. (just what we LSTers love to hear!) how much coverage are you planning to go for?! if you're thinking sleeves, you might want to think of the bigger picture and how these cover ups will work with the rest of your arm. if you go big from the get go, it could potentially open up a world of options for your artist to cover the existing pieces.

i'll put this up here, not all healed up yet but whatevs Untitled by misomad, on Flickr

For those heavy flow back pieces.

I just went with a plain white sheet fabric. Now it looks like a rainbow though. Mostly red.

According to an overly excited drunk fellow who was admiring flash in the shop, "tattoos invented skulls"