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Progress on my skinny ass. Been a long break since last time due to the tattoo studio moving premises - Back to regular sessions now so hopefully some more updates coming! Looking to finish the whole thing by summer. The sessions never get any easier... By Mark Armstrong, Sacred Art tattoo studio, Manchester UK.

Here are the results of the first session with Rubendall at the Kings Ave Manhattan shop: I have a few more pictures to share but I want to organize my thoughts and write a little blog entry to post along with those photos.

good idea! i forgot about the dm feature. edit: i can't fit it all in the little instagram square so here it is for all the internet

My Kings Ave NYC experience was similar to @suburbanxcore and @CultExciter . A few artists were accommodating walk-ins between appointments. The 21 year old girls getting wrist initials and rib feathers had the pleasure of seeing me get my ass tattooed.

My latest and greatest tattoo on my left knee, Had a very personal battle getting this one almost tapped a couple of times. Artist is WT Norbert so stoked to have him working just down the road from my place

Last week I started on my second sleeve. I wanted a octopus mixed with anemones. It still needs colouring. I'm pretty happy with it but wouldn't mind some more tentacles, even one over its mouth. Some people say it kinda looks like an alien. Let me know what you think guys.

I too had a tattoo nightmare...last night in fact. Myself and a crew of tattooed motherfuckers from LST were chopping heads off zombies (we've been watching a lot of Walking Dead lately...). I haven't met any of you in person so I only recognized your tattoos. @Graeme and @Pugilist had this particularly deadly tag team strategy with battle axes lol

I would start a thread about it.

When me and @Pugilist went to Electric it was on one of their walk-in Saturdays, and they do everything. It's rad. I got a vajra sword from Tom Yak, the next tattoo he did was a sergeant's chevrons. We lined up before the shop opened to make sure we could get a spot, and it was really cool because the shop gets all kind of people wanting all kinds of stuff, from people who were specifically going to Robert Ryan to get his stuff, to names, flowers, standard walk-in tattoos. I was talking with Tom about it while I was getting tattooed and he was super into tattooing like that and just giving people good tattoos. I got the impression that even though some of the tattooers there are pretty well-known and that people (like us!) will travel to go there, that it's the good local shop and it's just where you go to get tattooed if you live in the area. Instagram really skews things. I've been tattooed at some really fancy big-name shops and even there very few of the tattooers there exclusively do "their style". I've read on here about tattooers who are super hard to book and will only work in their particular style, and then I've seen these same tattooers in the shop doing simple script on the ribs and that kind of stuff. The internet isn't real life.

Getting my back done in a couple of months by Chris Garver .. trying to figure out exactly what i want.. Kinda difficult only because this may be my last one. Also because I have most of the tattoos I like already like.

I have been lurking this place for a bit, and finally registered to post in this thread. My boyfriend of 4 years has no tattoos, and absolutely no interest in getting any. I am currently working on a full sleeve and have a few other tattoos, and have a goal of pretty heavy coverage. He likes my tattoos, and appreciates good ones, and has no issues whatsoever with me going so far as to having a full suit. This isn't really much of a problem, since we are already somewhat opposites in a lot of ways. He is an accountant, i'm a designer and am taking classes for animation. I am the daring one, he is the cautious one. i think tattoos just fall onto my side of the relationship. with us, it works. that being said, I HATE IT sometimes. I can talk for hours and hours about a certain artist, or an idea I have, or just a love for a certain style, and he has nothing to say back. I save pennies for large work while he saves up for a house. He is understanding about the art/tattoo world, but he just doesn't get it. Just like when I draw something, he appreciates it, but it just doesn't feel like we are connected when I am creating art, or getting tattooed. I wouldn't want him to ever be there with me getting tattooed, and he does not ever want to be either. It would be a waste of time. It is incredibly frustrating not being able to really share my passion and feel like he understands my passions. this is not his fault by any means, it is just the way it is. and is probably the reason i look to things like online forums about tattoos ..... I am also very attracted to heavily tattooed guys, which he knows, but its not necessary for me. I do wonder that as I get more and more into the community and get more and more tattoos, that we may drift apart. But i doubt it. we don't share all of the same passions but I guess that is not mandatory to be in a happy and healthy long term relationship. I kind of like being the heavily tattooed one. phew. nice to get that off my chest. thanks.

Are you sure it was a dream?

Too fast? ...tattooing isn't a race Going too fast is when you have a bunch of tattoos lined but none are actually finish. I'm surprised how many people I see and know that don't finish what they start (and not just in tattoos, but in the ins and outs of life). If your arm is only lined in, why are you getting hand and neck tattoos? The ADD generation of tattooing. Focus, commit and get the project done. Take your time to enjoy the experiences and the tattoos. Enjoy watching the tattoos heal and age. But most importantly take the time to enjoy the other things in life aside from tattooing. Balance. I'll pass on the 'too fast' and stick with the tried and true method of the tortoise, 'slow n steady'. That's how I achieved my coverage over a dozen years thus far, the way I've made my pictures and my stories. I like what was said before about "the journey" and about "the larger experience". cheers :)

You should know that I got a text from @Graeme in the middle of teaching the other day, and I looked down at my phone to see a photo of your butt. (PS holy hell that is a great start!)

Mine is @graybones, nothing too exciting but follow if you want! I recently started following @yellowbeakpress, they post a lot of interesting vintage or vintage-style tattoo photos and flash. Completely unrelated to tattoos, but my all-time favorite IG account is @usinterior. It's the US Department of the Interior's official account and they regularly post gorgeous photos of US national parks. If you like nature stuff and aren't following them you're messing up!!

I appreciate that you asked me if it was okay before texting me an ass pic. You are a gentleman.

I once pointed out a flaw in one of my tattoos. The artist seemed cool at the time, but during the next session he tattooed a 4 foot penis on my back...that sonofabitch. Now every time I go back to that artist, I just keep my mouth shut. ...I embellished a few small details, but you get the gist.

sounds like a pretty tough situation to be in. NOT! (in borat voice). I'm sure you'll come up with something amazing. might even be worth letting Garver run a few backpiece ideas that he wants to do and see if you dig any of 'em. sounds like it's definitely a good problem to have.

my next tattoo is going to be a rose / snake situation, from steve boltz

I don't post anything to Instagram but I follow a shit ton of tattooers. Lately, @BrightandBold and @Americanatattoos have been hosting the most awesome 'takeovers' by some veteran tattoo artists that have shared some fascinating history and insight. I'm not a tattooer, just an enthusiast. I would highly recommend following these pages if you are into tattoo history. I've also been introduced to some amazing artists I would never have heard of otherwise. Check them out.

Had my first session with Rob yesterday. Probably the nicest tattooer I have met. Everyone at the shop was a blast, and even as beat up as I felt for a relatively short (4.5 hours) session, I can't wait to go back. We started off with the general wolf that I had wanted for years. Then after looking at some of the awesome norse pieces he had done recently we started spit balling ideas with Fenrir and a skull from one of the deer eating from Yggdrasil. There is a sizeable cover up at the top, and we start down towards the back of legs in the next session probably :)

Had a pretty hilarious "tattoo nightmare" last night. Don't feel obligated to wade through my subconscious insecurities here, but I bet I'm not alone here and I'm sure you tattooers have work nightmares. Anyone wanna share? (C'mon @Perez, you can't tell me those loft murals didn't invade your dreams..) So here's the dream: Went to a reputable shop to get two small tattoos and asked for the line drawing because it was my wife's birthday and the tattooer wrote Happy Birthday on it for whatever reason. He said he wasn't sure I would treat it right and I promised I would frame it and give it to her as a birthday gift. One of the tattoos was on my leg so I simply detached my legs from my torso ("I can't believe I never thought of this sooner!") so I could sit and watch without feeling a thing. Everything seemed cool, and then I went to pay and it was super crowded. The counter guy was talking really quietly and I finally got close enough to hear him say, "Ninety fifty." Huh? "Nine thousand fifty dollars." I tried to explain I just got two smallish tattoos, and only brought about a thousand bucks with me, which I figured would be more than enough. He said the tattooer was concerned because I was disrespectful and had some really "questionable work." The other people behind the counter (there were like a dozen and they were all dudes.. true nightmare..) were all just kind of talking and the one dude said, "Listen, they're all arguing about it now and it's gonna be a few weeks before they decide on a price." Right then, I realized I'd scheduled an appointment with a dude doing a guest spot for that day.. though apparently I decided to just get em done earlier? And then the dude came in the door and I decided I needed to get the fuck outta there. So I booked.

I'm sharing this so you can get a grasp of how quick the procedure is, for those who are wondering, and to showcase some of my skills. This client is heavily modified and has decided to change their look in order to facilitate further modifications. This is the first pace on half of their face, we treated both sides during the same visit. Most full removals will require 10-12 treatments over a one and a half to 2 year period. The white "frosting" that appears immediately after the the laser is water vapor, a byproduct of the laser tattoo removal treatment. Within 10 minutes, this fades and is not a burn or blister. In the left hand of this video is a hose, it's a cryo-chiller, a device that blows extremely cold air onto the skin before and during a treatment to help reduce any short-term swelling, a common side effect. It is not a vacuum. What you see here was filmed in real time, showing just how fast tattoo removal treatments are.

I haven't been able to post here in far too long. Getting tattooed in a couple weeks by Kevin Collins at Van Ness & Fellows in Raleigh. Taking my kneecap for a plunge. <shudder>

Thanks [emoji2]. Aye, Rob is at Black and Blue with Bobby Tripp, who is another artist out of there I wouldn't mind getting tattooed by :). @Graeme, When I came back across the border I told them that I had been "visiting friends" per your suggestion. I got way less crap, hah. Lesson learned. P.S. I still have to take my wife's foot long hunting knife out from under the seat before the next trip.

I've been to one convention - in Knoxville, so not that big. I found 95% of the artists were very personable and willing to converse if they weren't busy working. Booth people (non-artists) were knowledgeable and outgoing. I found the whole area full of people enjoying their passion. I went on a Friday night, so people were fresh and in good spirits. Don't think I'd ever go on Sunday or late Saturday.

All true statements. When I was getting tattooed by Dobleman, Bryan Randolph did some yin yang symbol walk ins on two younger girls no problem at all. No complaints. He even said "that was fun" in a non-sarcastic tone.

Installed!

What a hell of a start, @BrianH. That looks incredible. So envious you are getting work by him. Can't wait to see it progress.

some spots were okay, some were bad, and some were really bad.

I remember when I first started thinking about my first tattoo, almost everybody would warn against "just getting something they have there" and I still hear it today. It wasn't until I actually started learning about tattoos that I discovered the history and concept behind flash. Lack of knowledge/ignorance like that is probably a factor as well.

Awesome. PM sent :)

I like it. Looks awesome. I do have a question regarding the app. Can I PM you? Regards.

You never mow another man's lawn.

@Killercook76 Grez is doing it. Just sent you something on 'gram.

First 8.5 hr session done! Got the deaths head moth done. Still have color to do on the girl and skull.

Finally, after a handful of attempts over the past four years, managed to book in with Guy Le Tatooer. Going down to Toulouse, and his (by then) newly opened studio, in the end of march to get my lower belly tattoo. Very happy!

I always give a courtesy shave. I come in ready to rock.

I'm only 22, so I still feel like a baby most the time. I did ask my dad to explain more about 401ks and how they work the other day (none of my past jobs offered one). Felt like the beginning of the end.

Thanks for all the work you put into this site to keep it running, @steve1461686340.

@Dumpleton looks like you nailed placement on it too - love it

V Found myself in your blog lol!

Agreed completely with this, especially about how placement is often the difference between good tattoos and GREAT ones. I think not only is it a hard thing to explain here, other than that it's one of those things where you'll know it when you see it, but it's something that really requires seeing tattoos in person because photos don't give a very good sense of placement, or of the movement of tattoos. Placement is something that is kind of irrespective of genre too. If you've seen Filip Leu's tattoos, I mean in real life, not in pictures, they way they sit is incredible. They look like they were meant to be there and that they were always there. My wife @Pugilist had her back done in a folky Americana style by Stephanie Tamez and it's the same, even though the style is totally different than Filip's. What was neat about seeing that tattoo come together was how immediately it looked like the tattoo belonged there.

There's the occasional joke or reference on here to your "happy place" and that you need to go there to forget the pain. I don't know how serious others are about it, but I do actually have a happy place that I visualize in tough times getting tattooed. Its a beautiful stretch of coastline, sand beach with a rocky point that the surf crashes on in South Africa (traveled a bit after high school). When I need to distract myself I picture that place; as the surf comes in I breathe in, as the surf goes out i breath out. It keeps my breathing regular, and relaxes me. Sorry if that sounds rediculous or doesn't make sense, but that's how I het through the really bad parts.

My strategy is to play dead, like I'm being mauled by a tiny bear. So far it's working.

I'm not sure if I ever posted a picture of my back when it was finished. Anyway, here it is. (found a better picture)