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@Graeme Your thread made me laugh and feel a little nostalgic at the same time. You see, I'm rapidly approaching my 49th birthday. February 13th (which also falls on a Friday the 13th for the first time in ages! WOOHOO!) will mark the 30th year since I got my first tattoo. The tattoo shop was inside of a biker bar in Waynesville, N.C. It was named J.B's Tattoo & Tavern. You could get anything you wanted... As long as you picked it from the flash on the wall. He used an acetate stencil, graphite powder and Speedstick deodorant to transfer the design, and I remember very clearly that he didn't use gloves (this was 1985 after all). I've been hooked ever since, and that tattoo is still there. There's also an appointment already scheduled to mark this little milestone.

Great thread, Carolyn. Here's my perspective as a non-tattooer: I used to live behind a street shop that's been around for a long time. I believe it opened in the early 80s, and it probably hasn't changed a lot since then. They don't take appointments at all, and it still runs by the old system where you come in, take a number, and you wait until you get called: you don't get to pick your artist, you get whoever is available next. They will kick you out for using your phone in the shop. The walls are totally covered in flash. There's some really cool stuff there. You can see Jack Rudy flash in the racks through the window, there's great Zulueta stuff on the walls, they have rad old Chris Garver flash, they have Greg Irons flash that the guy who owns the shop bought off Irons in person on the Queen Mary. They also have a load of Cherry Creek pinned up on the walls. Anyway, I became somewhat friendly with the tattooers there and I'd chat with them when I passed by while walking my dog, and what I'm going to say partly comes from conversations with them, partly from my own observations. One of the tattooers said to me at one point that in the four or five years he'd worked at that shop he'd only had one day that he didn't do a tattoo. The tattooers there have also lamented how business used to be a lot better before a million shops opened up. Once when I was there looking through the flash, one of the tattooers said that nobody who gets tattooed there--and their clientele is very much the "lower-income working class people" mentioned above--looks through the flash and wants things from it, they want stuff they've printed off the internet or have on their phones. I was getting tattooed a couple of weeks ago at another well-established shop, this one was one of the first custom shops in the city, and a woman came in wanting to get the bird silhouettes. They didn't have anybody available to do the tattoo at that moment, but they happily booked an appointment at a later date with her. The guy who runs this shop used to work at the shop mentioned above and even though he's well-booked out and does a lot of large custom work, he still has that real street shop demeanor and will do pretty much anything the client wants. He's not limiting himself to "his style". I've seen tattooers at a lot of fancy shops, including ones I've seen mentioned on here as having a particular style (this is what happens when you think that instagram is real life, kids) doing whatever walks through the door. I've seen shops really pushing to be more open to walk-ins, not only because it brings in money, but also because it makes tattooers more well-rounded and just better tattooers. Though, thinking about it, the walk-ins the more high end shops are getting, at least from what I've seen, are more of the script on the ribs type of tattoos. I guess when it comes down to it, there's a class issue at play here. From my observations, most shops still get walk-ins, but the people going to the fancier shops are better dressed.

This topic came up in the shop the other day, I'd like to get some perspectives from tattooed folks who live in other areas of the country and the world. It was Friday, I had just gotten to work and it was just me, Carlos, and Sean that day. Our 14th anniversary party was the following day and the shop had just painted 10 sheets of over 120 original designs for people to come in and pick from at the party. Between expressing our excitement about getting to tattoo fun designs all the next day, and mentioning how glad we were that it was so busy this January after a slow December, we got to wondering! How does a shop full of flash affect the flow of business? FTW is located at the very tip of North Oakland, just a couple of blocks south of the Berkeley border on Telegraph Avenue, which runs all the way down to Downtown Oakland. We are just across the bay from San Francisco, and in Alameda County alone there are over 200 shops. 200 tattoo shops! Is it a coincidence that the 3 busiest shops in Oakland, one of which is ours, is a street shop with flash, paintings, and classic tattoo iconography covering every inch of space? The bay area is undeniably changing. If you are looking for a place to live in the bay area, asking rent changes on a monthly basis and it's definitely not going down. With the sudden and dramatic influx of money to the area, it seems as though tattoo shops are gentrifying as well, becoming more like salons and art galleries, and less like street shops. With that being said, there is still a very large population of lower-income working class people who I would easily say are still the majority of folks here. Anyone who has worked in a street shop is familiar with what the "money makers" are as far as designs go. Usually, you will make a lot more money in a day if you tattoo several smaller designs over the course of the day versus the regular hourly for one or two longer pieces. Largely speaking, unless you are a known name in tattooing and booked steady, walk-ins pay your bills. So as tattooers do, we catch up with our friends in other shops from time to time, often inquiring about work and whatnot and it seems like most people are working by appointment these days. This was our theory: Are gallery shops losing walk-ins on account of image? Do the blue collar people of Oakland go into a tattoo gallery and feel intimidated by fine art on the walls and think that nobody working there wants to do their tribal armband or kids' names for them? Are street shops more relate-able and comfortable for people who aren't necessarily looking to get a sleeve done? I'm not saying that either way is right or wrong or even that my thoughts on this dynamic is totally correct. A lot of business comes from the internet for most tattooers here and now more than ever is it easier to be tattooing the subject matter and style that you're interested in doing, for that I am very grateful. Is this something that you have experienced or noticed? Looking forward to hearing other perspectives.

Don't tell me that people walked into a shop or picked up a phone, talked to a human being, looked through a portfolio and then made up his or her mind and booked something (or not), because that's obviously crazy.

Not a street shop, per say, but last weekend I was in Kings Avenue getting tattooed, and Zac Scheinbaum was cranking out walk in after walk in while I was there. It was nice to see someone that you'd think of as kinda having a style and typically be booked in advance just doing names and script and Stars of David and treating it just as importantly as the bigger/custom one he was doing when I left.

I like this thought process Ms. Carolyn. It's something that actually affects me. I live in Virginia. For those of you less informed, it is does not qualify as the most "progressive" state in the Union. The tattoo shop I work at is in Salem, Virginia, which is the sister city to Roanoke, Virginia. I would describe this town as behind the times. I can count on two fingers the tattoo shops in the area that look like "tattoo shops." You know, flash wall to wall and on the ceiling too. I'm lucky to be in one of them. It's the type of shop I want to work at. But, like I mentioned, the area is a little behind the times and alot of clients are very enticed by the "studio" "custom-only" "leather couch and plasma TV" look. So, those shops are a little busier in the area, even though, they are still doing the money maker tattoos. In a lot of places, Virginia is not the only place, flash is being replaced by glowing smart phones and Google/Pinterest images. That's the new flash at these types of shops. My coworkers and I have joked that those shops should just mount iPads to the wall. But here is the exciting part. Clients who are discovering our shop, where the other three guys have been tattooing a combined 55 years, they walk in and say "Wow! This looks like a tattoo shop. This is so cool." I think, at it's root, tattoo shops that look like tattoo shops, will always be the common denominator. You can up the fixtures and the fanciness, but having those archetypical designs on the wall that speak to the human psyche, and the folders of black and white tribal, lettering, and even Tattoo Brand/Cherry Creek stuff will provide the best jumping off point for clients. Even Ed Hardy went back to having a "street shop" look after having Realistic. So all the shops who think they are breaking ground with a white-glove stark environment really are not. It comes and goes, as they say.

AMEN! - - - Updated - - - I will also add...tattoo shops that SOUND like tattoo shops. I once walked into a shop and was like "WTF is anybody working", well they all were with rotary machines dialed down. Too friggin quiet for a tattoo shop, let those coil machines roar ! IMO there is only a select few tattoo shops that look/sound/smell tattoo shop in my city. There is an oversaturation of shops however...maybe better to call them "tattoo studios" or "tattoo salons" by the look of these places, the look of the artists, the look of the fresh tattoos that leave. I think of them as boutique studios and are much more accessible, less intimidating to the average customer. Very sterile, fashionable artwork on the walls, each room has a big screen tv...I personally think it's kinda wack, missing out on part of the experience. But hey, everyone has there own reasons for booking appointments at any tattoo shop or studio,,, there is even a couple headshop-tattoostudio places around that popped up...lol...definately would recommend those if you want to get a hatchet man tattoo (jokes)! I like the open space, barbershop feel of the street shop. Bunch of tables crammed in the space, everyone is hanging in close quarters with shared misery and having a good time, bullshitting, dirty jokes, talking tattoos. Every square inch of the walls is covered in flash and artwork that looks tattoo-able. Tattoo shops that look like tattoo shops!

Has anybody been reading the rest of the americanatattoo takeovers? Loved the Rich Fie one and Robert Ryan's bright and bold was a classic,

A lot of times, many of these big shops we all admire and respect do tons of walk ins. They just don't post it on Instagram. Tattooers typically post stuff they want to do more of. Robert Ryan was telling me he does walk ins at Electric all the time.

Just go to Into You in London. I think they can cover that. Although there are sooooo many good shops.

drove down to portland to get this. underrated tattooer.

hey friends! Short little session on Saturday with Scott at Sugar shack, I was feeling quite sick so we only did a bit, background down the left side and gave the tiger some stripes. Really wished I could have gone longer. Since finishing I havent been able eat much without puking. Its been a shitty couple days. Really hope to have a good long session next time, hopefully finish background down the ass and thighs.

Finally get to post in this thread!! Screen capped right off Instagram. Karl Lark/Bert Grimm? lady head flip by Jason Phillips at FTW in Oakland, CA. Ribs are brutal. But I'm stoked on the end result. Felix by Adrian Sanchez at FTW in Oakland, CA for their 14 Year Anniversary Party. I've always wanted a Felix tattoo. It fit perfectly in the spot.

In roughly 2 weeks my kung fu school is performing at a big Chinese New Year celebration. The organizers said "we hope the guy with the full body tattoos will be there, the Chinese community love him!" haha. Well this year I've got a Shaolin monk on my back while I run the dragon ball, as I lead around a 9-person dragon team so its going to be mega-awesome :) The day after I'm going to relax from all the CNY training and festivities. The day after the day after I got another sit on my back scheduled with TheGangOfOne and then the week after yet another backpiece sesh. I'm about 8hrs/2sessions in at the moment. I'll let my body heal and then I'm working towards a 2-day sit a few weeks later. Felt pretty strong after my last back sitting and my kung fu training is really helping me relax when I sit and improves the way my body heals. By the end of February I will be hitting a tattoo milestone for myself...the 200hr mark after 12 years of steady progress :)

What about jondix deffinatly covers black and grey patterns

I would agree with Into You. Specifically Tomas Tomas, by the sounds of it. Also Maxime at Sang Bleu. Curly at Lionel's in Oxford. Instagram - tomastomas108 curlytattoo mxmttt

Here's a pertinent thread: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/506-feminism-tattoos.html I've tried and failed to write a post about my own relationship to gender and how it affects my choice of tattoos...but it's safe to say that for me they're a blessed opportunity to dispense with masculine/feminine. I mean even the lotion aisle at CVS needs to remind me that I can't make ungendered choices. I think I got my first tattoo with the half-baked idea that it was an appropriate choice for a woman, but since then it hasn't really been such a big deal. I realise that a lot of tattoo traditions are very tied to gender, though.

@kelzu That bums me out! It would depend on circumstance, obviously, but I would probably not want to get tattooed at a place that did that.

Tattoos were invented sometime in the early 2000s. 2003 I think. There was no tattooing prior to that.

Today I capped my other knee with a demon head by Franz Stefanik at The Okey Doke in Toronto. Its always a great experience with Franz. Interesting conversations with a great guy who also does amazing work. I'll have to update my legs in the Squidpants thread soon. I'm really looking to forward to getting some filler work around some of the larger pieces on my right leg now.

It seems to me like there'll probably always be both, now that both types exist. There are people who will always be more comfortable on one side of that fence than the other...people who feel uneasy about upscale interiors and courtesy salon fruit-infused water, and people who are intimidated as hell by tattoo shops full of tough guys, or who've managed to make mental divides for themselves over different kinds of tattoos, who may be interested in getting a tattoo 'but not that kind' of tattoo. For some people, that's probably part of the experience they're shopping for, in both directions -- the salon feeling, or the classic grit. This is additional speculation on my part, totally based on my own anecdotal observations, but there also seem to be weird overlaps between people who don't like the idea of getting something from flash and want something 'custom' instead, and people who want the upscale experience (and people who got their tattoo concept off of Pinterest, which is totally ironic). I read here all the time about how there's been a huge upswing in the number of tattoo shops out there -- shops that come and go with excess apprentices and artists that don't last long, people trying to reinvent the wheel, this whole glut of shops in any given place -- and I suppose catering to this demographic probably provides them with a whole lot of business. Trends seeking trends, or something. But, if I had to wager a guess, I'd say that the street-shop mentality you guys were talking about -- artists with a style who can still turn out solid walk-in work, who are willing to do that, who are dedicated to the craft/labor of tattooing as well as the art of it -- will probably always be more successful in the long-term. Places like that will endure. And maybe there are lots of high-end salon-style shops that employ this ethic, too; hell if I know. I think it's probably the at the heart of what's most important, beyond interior design. ...I listened a lot of lectures growing up about artists who forget that art is not just art, but also a business. Haha.

I can only speak for myself,but I like a street shop that also does custom work,and is filled with good flash.I'be been getting tattooed for 24yrs.and back then you just walked into a shop and got tattooed that day.I think 90% of the tattoos I have were done on a walk-in basis.I did just check out a shop in the city that had no flash on the wall,and the artists portfolios were on an iPad.It just didn't feel right to me.It was almost to futuristic looking inside.But I also like the mostly custom shops they have in the city like Kings Ave, Invisible,& NY Adorned,where they have their elaborate drawings hanging up at their station.I personally don't like to wait months to get an appointment with an artist,but I know for bigger pieces,and backpieces it's inevitable.I think since your working in a blue collar city,that your shop will be fine.I'm from Trenton,and the shops in the city do mostly walk-in traffic,and are doing fine.I like the fact that you can still walk-in to a shop and get a good tattoo that day.Tattooers like Mike P. Who did my koi,and has been tattooing since 1976 on a walk-in basis are the dying breed,but he's still going strong,and has a website now.. Designs by Michael Angelo - Home

Not mine (my arms are blank as of yet ;-)), but gorgeous: by Andrea Ottlewski, Slave to the Needle

Beautiful lady arms! Here's mine, along with some unasked for lady back and butt (in progress). All of mine are done by the same tattooer, Gemma Pariente at Full Circle. I don't think sleeves are masculine on a woman, get what you wish, epic tattoos are for everyone.

I think @Tornado6 means Art Deco ornamentation? Check out some of Lars Uwe's work, @Tornado6, see if that gives you some ideas of how bold and feminine Deco/Nouveau-ish stuff can look: ETA: Since I see a lot of people posting their own tattoos, I just want to make sure it's clear the above image is not me. :)

@bongsau That looks like a heavy session! Those blacks and greys are so smooth, they're going to look really nice when the red fades out of them and they settle in a bit. You're in for a real delight with the lower back and ass cheeks though, really glad that we're done with the black in there on mine. I'm taking January off working on my back and I find that I actually miss getting tattooed. I got a little one on my leg in the meantime and that was super fun, but nothing quite compares to the feeling you get after a heavy back session. There's something deeply satisfying about enduring the session even when your body is all FUCK NO for those first few minutes. The back is such a trip, it's a whole different world of tattooing compared to everything I'd had done before.

Session #2 - Did a 4 hour blast pounding the black into the perimeter of my Shaolin back yesterday! First half of the session was lying down, second half was getting tattooed sitting upright which I really enjoy, makes the tattooing feel alive. Heavy black in all the clouds, full across the shoulderblades and down to the love handle on the left hand side with a needle that looked like a metal paint brush. Machine was roaring like a tractor, the way I like getting tattooed! Unfortunately I got a little beating on the ribs/lower armpit to border my existing dragon. Zouch. It is a gnarly amount mileage for a session and I'm feeling like I took a bat across the back, a little loopy today. Built up the borders around existing tattoos on both arms, necks, and ribs tattoos. Pretty cool actually having Steve connect to the tattoos he did on my in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Despite sweating through my long johns, felt pretty strong when we called time yesterday, this morning however I woke up with a red hot back, had to shower to unglue the shirt from my back and wrecked my wife's nice towel (LOL). Once again a great experience from one and only TheGangOfOne (Steve Batt) in Edmonton, AB. I'm going to heal this up for a few weeks such that I can participate in Chinese New Year demonstrations with my kung fu school, then will setup the next rounds on the lower back and ass cheeks for February. May the Buddha be with me.

My mum came over to stay for christmas and I'm not good a keeping secrets from her (and there barely is a reason anyway). I didn't want her to 'accidently' find out about my first tattoo, so I thought it better to tell her about it. After having read about so many rather negative reactions on here, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was sure she wouldn't be super angry with me, but major disappointment would have been a possibility. So, the two of us had an evening out and the conversation went something like this: Me: Mum, I actually bought something with the money you gave me for my birthday. Her: Oh good, what is it, something nice? Me: Well, I do think so, but I'm not sure you'll like it... Her: It's your money and you can do with it whatever you like. What is it then? ...[her being really curious now and trying to guess]...a gun?!? [We're German, so this would have been very unusual and rather unpopular. And yet, I found it rather odd that this was the first thing that came to her mind.] Me : Hell no! Her: [Comes up with another totally weird guess which I can't even remember] Me: No, nothing like that....I got tattooed.... Her: Ah...I see...what is it? And where? Can I see it? Me: I got a lynx head and some flowers on my thigh. [And no, I couldn't show it as we were in a public space.] Her: Does it have a special meaning? Me: Not really, I just fancied it. Her: So it's more like decoration? Me: Yes! Her: Fair enough....Are you gonna wear hot pants in summer? Me: Err....what? No, I wasn't planning to. I'm not a teenager anymore... Her: What about a swimsuit, will it be visible then? Me: Well, it would be, but you know I don't really go swimming very often. Her: So it's pretty much always hidden?!? Can I see it later? ... At the end the of the day, the hardest thing to understand for her seemed to be, that I wasn't planning to show off the tattoo as such. Phew. Could have been worse. When I later mentioned that I was indeed thinking about getting another tattoo, this seemed to stretch it somewhat though. I guess little bits of information from time to time will be a better approach in this case... ;-)

I think if I was to start over knowing what I know know and was tougher than I actually am (or at least wanted to give that impression) I would get a Curly body suit. Hands down the toughest look in tattoos. I love that heavy British tribal thing.

thank you! i would like tell more but i don't speak english very well! Naples is beautiful, you should see the underground of the city! I went 2 years ago with my girlfriend and over there there is a mysterious world! In the matter of my tattoo, i made it ten years ago when i was only a "child" and now i would like a cover up with Alien.. The very and only Alien.. :) i need help because i want a tribal-alien! Sorry for my bad english Thank you!

Simon Erl would be who I would go to if I was in England.

It's tough for me to articulate as well. I will say, though, some of my favorite tattoos I've seen on women are ones that accentuate their female form with placement/flow/lines/etc. I think tattoos can be one of the coolest ways to be more feminine. Roxx at 2Spirit in SF does this really well with linework.

This is a good thread. My initial post-tattoo emotions are euphoric, typically with a side of hunger. But after that wears off (a day or two, often), the depression creeps in. I imagine it's for the same reasons already listed here: I just changed a part of myself and I have to live with and see it forever. So far, this feeling also fades... But I think part of this has to do with our modern culture, and touches on what @xcom just mentioned. We're all after the absolute best of whatever we can get. With the internet, we now have the ability to research every single decision we make to ensure that it's the absolute best one. I have a hard time purchasing anything over $20 without first reading some anonymous reviews likely written by jackasses. Louis CK does a great bit about this problem of over-research and DVD players: why the fuck do you need the best DVD player? What is that knowledge actually going to get you?! TLDR - don't worry about the tattoo blues, just keep getting good tattoos!

Ha! I remember the first step in clearing a shop (for friends or what not) use to be the smell. Perfection Tattoo had a certain smell (looking back, I think it may have been Green Soap?) and if a shop did not have that certain smell I would tell my friends "Noooo WAAAY! Don't go there" :p ...But really, there is a "good tattoo shop" version of the hospital smell and it indicates rightness. I don't know how to explain it...anyone? Also, I remember the good old days of xeroxing reference material at the university libraries to take with me to my consultation. Two copies...one for my folder and one for the tattooer's :D

The crazy thing is how people traveled to get tattooed w/o the Internet. Big yellow phone books, handwritten correspondence, etc. Rubendall getting tattooed by Leu immediately comes to mind.

@Graeme, it bummed me out too. I heard such great things and felt kinda sad to miss out, but it made me not want to pursue getting tattooed there. Edited to add: it lead me to find another tattooer whose work I love, so it all worked out [emoji1]

its a well known fact that al gore performed the first tattoo...only just a short time ago edit: well - at least thats what i read on the internet

I'm so glad you did this buddy!

Nice! Love that lady head flip!

Got some more work done on my Bakeneko by Josh Damnit at Classic Tattoo Upland, CA

Got this lil lady from Shawn VanOven! Thanks for lookinh

here is some from my trip to the states in September that i haven't posted yet , titty grabber by Hilary Fisher white , Cherub by Jason Ochoa and the witch by Dan Santoro. Ive haven't been on Last Sparrow that often lately but its good to see you guys and girls are still getting sick tattoos. also sorry for the sideways flicks

I've been really enjoying getting lots of little fillers done recently, as I work on my left leg. This weekend I went to The Okey Doke to see Franz Stefanik. He did the mace, the tooth, and the chain link around the bulldog that he did for me in the summer.

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.

Third session on my back today, with my friend Iain Mullen. Rudy Fritsch does the next one at the London Convention, mid day on the 27:th. Come say hello.

Yeah, I think mine is going to have to be a spiderweb for the same reasons. I've finished having children but, well bodies change. (Idea stolen from Elizabeth Weinzirl - it looks to have served her well)

Love Chris Brand's work so much .