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I have been tattooed by a lot of different people and so the only thing I'll say with any certainty about tattoos is that everybody works differently. I will also say that the only time I've seen a drawing in advance was with my backpiece, and I know that plenty of my tattoos were drawn the night before or the day of, some right there on the spot, because that's how those artists work. I have great tattoos. If he's going to draw for you on your appointment day, I am guessing that's how he normally structures his work flow and that all the tattoos you've seen by him that you've loved and made you want to get tattooed by this guy were done in the same way. As long as you trust the guy and you feel like you "clicked" I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Hey everyone, I recently had a tattoo covered up and wanted to get your thoughts on the cover up. The artist that did the cover up does very good work in my opinion. The original "USMC" tattoo was very crooked so I wanted to get it covered. I also went through 4 laser treatments before the cover up. Let me know your thoughts. I've attached a before and after image.

Hi, posting at you from northern europe, Finland, to say i really like the site! I've found out about a lot of great artists and got good advice from here in my time lurking. I've been meaning to register for over a year since i found the site but i've put it off for not having any good recent photos of my tattoos, and i thought if i just register maybe i'll finally put the effort into taking some. I got my first tattoo 6 years ago at 18 and ever since i've been steadily adding to it a few pieces a year more or less. I decided very early on im going for full coverage but im saving the hand and neck tattoos for when im 30 if i still feel like it. Anyway, i managed to dig up some pictures, most are from artists instagrams i think. In no particular order: by Hexa, used to own Precious Tattoo, not sure where he works from now. Hexa Hexa Hexa Oni by Javier Betancourt at Ocho Placas I think i heard of him from here, theres so many crappy shops in Miami it was a chore to find something worthwhile but man am i glad i found him. Crow by Gustav Fröberg, also did my lower left arm which i dont have any pics of upper left arm is JPWikman no better pictures yet sorry Demon granny is by Hexa again In the last picture you can see a peek of the rooster on my ribs started by Jonas Nyberg and im gonna get that one finished up at the Helsinki Ink Convention next weekend! I'll try to get better pictures of all of it or at least the ones i dont have any of and post after i get back from the convention. Hopefully with a rad cock! :D

- - - Updated - - - I take terrible photos. She looks much nicer in real life ;)

things that look good in that space: flowers spiderwebs girl head compass tudor rose mace on a chain going over the shoulders and through the neck butterfly spider scorpion snake beetle

Here's my hand by Rudy Fritsch, made at the London Tattoo Convention.

So my artist today approach me and ask me if I could go to the Galveston "Texas Ink and Art" Convention and he will finish my tattoo there and if I didn't mind to submit my tattoo for the back contest. He wanted me to think about it and go by the shop today at 9PM and talk to him about it. I am super excited... I think I am going to do it... Just not sure how this all works... I am a bit nervous about it.

that's cool. don't be nervous!

Right? I always expected my artist to have it drawn up before hand, but most times he gets a quick measurement of the area, then draws it up. Probably helps that my first four were around palm sized. The only time I've seen him pre draw was for my calf sleeve, and I think the fact that I came in just to chat with him about it a few weeks prior helped, as he took the approximate measurement of the area then, and knew exactly how much space he had.

I also have the same obsession with hand tattoos. Here are mine !

164 pounds of bouncin' hell. Must be all those purple dumbbells.

Taking a trip down to LA to get tattooed by Shon Lindauer at High Seas Tattoo Parlor in Hollywood. The trip will be April 18th - 20th. If anyone has recommendations for restaurants in the area, they're more than welcome. Also, if anyone wants to meet up in LA, shoot me a pm. Would be cool to meet some more LSTers for tacos or something. Heard a lot about LA's Mexican food.

@SeeSea, I remember during one past session, the Shop mentioned that people were no longer allowed to go into the work space unless they were being tattooed. It was a City ordenance rather than a shop rule. That said they may be cool if your mom popped her head in for a couple minutes. As for me? Yeah Monmon cats or cat heads in the arm pits. Actually it's the only space left. My torso down to my thighs is reserved. That leaves only my hands, neck, arm pits, and my lower left leg open. I'm kind of keen on leaving my neck and hands un-tattooed, and for whatever oddness, kind of like wanting to leave my lower leg open too. Hmm, I suppose I could get the lower part of my front done "gobu" style where inner thighs are open. I could then get him to do my inner thighs perhaps. But hey, if Beaux Brady can get his arm pit done by Horitomo and survive, I can hope to do so too! Ha ha!

@BrooklynDude spend some time looking at other styles of tattoos. When I first found LST I thought I would be relegated to some blackwork which I think can be awesome but got great advice and ended up lasering my back. Early on I thought all black and grey (which i still find very cool)but quickly saw that bold traditional or Japanese was great for longevity and really started appreciating it. Fast forward 4 1/2 yrs and I have all traditional style tattoos and I love em. I see tattoos everyday most just re affirm that I made good decisions thanks to the help here.

Welcome! My vote is to keep it simple and get a traditional yin yang. Just find an artist that makes cleans lines. Nothing wrong with a simple tattoo.

wait and don't get a yin yang.

Thanks! The Oni came out great and my only regret is that its not in a more visible spot. Took some photos today but they all came out a bit yellow. Ehh, best i could do. Top part JP Wikman, bottom Gustav Fröberg Hexa a yellow and badly focused pic of the Oni by Javier Betancourt its still much the same, the white highlights have faded to look more smooth but thats about it

yesterday's session...

I have this hand holding a snake by El Monga. This is his picture from when it was fresh (September 2013), but it's better than any picture I've managed to get of it. Not sure if I've ever posted this on LST, actually.

I told my teacher a funny story that had to do with a gardening experiment and the law. One of his clients canceled the night after so he tattooed this design on me. :cool:

Thanks everyone. You are so kind and loving. It really got me through the last few days. My artist and the others in the shop were truly professional and no one made fun of my curves and rolls. I am now looking forward to going back and perfecting this giant tattoo!

@bongsau - oh suck it up. Seriously, you must be overreacting. Haven't you learned to hover yet? Amateur.

Right on! I got this fun little Geisha that he had pre drawn from some old Hardy flash. I was even representing LST whilst getting it, haha!

Now that's what I'm talking about @beez! - - - Updated - - - I'm not to proud to say I lived in bikini tops and going braless while home while healing my back. I've only had line work done, but damn, healing it wasn't all that fun. I wear multiple layers at work daily (including thick coveralls) so healing blew. But bikini tops- I love you. Oh, and ladies, I haven't posted a photo here. But here's the start to my shoulders to knees backpiece. Weee. Next sit in three weeks to finish lining my butt and thighs.

Ok, I'm gonna just drop this and run. The pain goes down noticeably in the middle of a hot flash.

Hey dudes, maybe listen to women when they say they find something insulting, instead of telling them how they should take it. It's an infantilizing, objectifying and therefore misogynist thing to say, even if you "mean it" as a compliment. And I agree with @SnowyPlover, it's a nice reminder of why being a woman into tattoos can kind of suck.

I am disappointed to see the barbie comment. I think this is a big reason why I don't post pictures of myself here - lame comments. Sad really, because most of the people here are super cool and thoughtful. I too (I saw this is a different thread) think it would be great to see women with tattoos who are not doing the sexy lion pose in a g-string or have to deal with the "show us your tits" mentality. Maybe one day there could be a "locked" area only certain, proven people could see, aways from all the public and trolly stuff.

Hitting that "10 thoughtful posts" at a record pace!

Yes I have..........and it's a group that is totally unnecessary!!! I have been a tattooed woman (I prefer to say "person" though) for 30 years now and the one thing I have learned is that if you want people to accept you then just be yourself and do the same things you would do if you weren't tattooed! If you want to be treated the same as everyone else then why would you walk around with a banner saying that you aren't like everyone else??? And then on top of it discriminate against people who are like you by putting a limit on the number of mods they need to have??? All these groups popped up right about the time the tattoo shows hit the air! Some to try to capitalize financially off of the "new tattoo craze"......some just so people could stroke their own egos in the name of "doing good" for animals, etc! The best way to show the world that you are no different is to go out in the world and live a day to day boring existence of a life and show the world that you didn't get tattooed to try to be different and draw attention to you! I am not saying that some good may not be getting done by these groups BUT in my opinion it does as much harm to the mod community by sectioning yourselves off and claiming you are different....and it cancels out any good that is being done!

#1) Everything REALLY DOES look better with GOOD tattoos. (Even douchebags wearing Ed Hardy shirts...:rolleyes:). Whatever you're self conscious about ain't no thang when you've got a bad ass tattoo. Why would it be? You're too busy being stoked about the awesome tattoo. IMHO. #2) Keep watching, @growltiger, because it's not anywhere near finished yet! :) And if you wanna talk backpiece stuff feel free to PM me for anything! #3) It really is. Like I said, I've spent a lot of time (years) changing scripts in my head and weeding out the shaming stuff - btw totally get rid of anything that has advertising and/or commercials in it...anyway - I visited a friend who I had not seen for 3 years recently, and some of the first words out of her mouth were about how heavy she was and her weight - in response to a question that had nothing to do with anything at all about her or her weight! Because I don't have that particular shame-script running through my head any longer I was sort of shocked and surprised - and then really sad, because it sucks to have that awful, shameful, guilty, not-good-enough feeling running through your entire being at all times, and a lot of PEOPLE (all of us, regardless of gender) have that subconsciously ruling our lives. Just behind all of our other thoughts. And I felt sad for my incredibly talented and awesome friend who after three years, it was the one of the first things she wanted to communicate to me :(. FWIW, when I was younger, I realized that when I saw a woman who was clearly confident and also fat or somehow unattractive, my thoughts went along the lines of "who does she think she is? she's fat! she can't do/wear/say that!". I became afraid to go into public for awhile, because if *I* was thinking that then what were people thinking about ME? Literally would not go in public unless I had to for work or groceries. I began to wonder why I had such a sharp reaction, and such a negative one, at that? And what kind of asshole thinks that!! So I actively reversed my initial instinct and began admiring confidence in all who had it. (Why am I writing all of this? This is embarrassing/painful to admit, geez ) I think that there was something in me that was jealous of them for having confidence when I couldn't - if that makes sense? Like how could you be confident if I am not? (How dare you!) I think society gets mad when people go off script. I didn't like the way those thoughts made me feel, the way that negativity would sort of take over and poison me. A quick aside: Can I be honest, in the middle of this writing, and say that I am feeling a little bit of shame at ever having had such poisonous feelings...and feeling very grateful that I was able to literally change my mind....but wow, how petty and shortsighted and young. Life is a work in progress, always. Anyway - I traced a lot of my anxiety, guilt, fear, shame, and poisonous negativity to some of those thoughts I was describing (and of course many other thoughts and patterns in my life) - and I realized that I didn't have to accept my part of the deal. Just because society or some jerk or my mom or WHOEVER offered me this deal (i.e. be 'fat'! = feel shame, you're worthless!) didn't mean I had to participate. My thoughts are kind of falling apart here, but I think I'm trying to say - remove yourself from the equation. It takes some time to shed what we've been fed our entire lives, and you have to actively identify what is making you feel bad and then actively change it. Listen to your body. Do you feel bad? Knots in your stomach? Headaches? Active guilt/shame? Identify what triggers those feelings...dig deep if you have to...and then remove yourself from the thoughts/people/environments that are causing it. Ugh, word vomit, in the end just go get a big, awesome tattoo. I think that encapsulates what I'm trying to say...

A few months ago, I approached an artist about doing a re-work to an older existing tattoo. He seemed ok with it at first, but later sent me an email explaining that he knew I was a collector and would be happy to tattoo me, but wanted to do something new and not re-work someone else's work. He explained that since I was a collector he wanted to put his best foot first and do something new and original on me. I didn't take it negatively. I thought it was refreshing honesty and made me even more eager to get work done by him.

Off topic, but this blog/article has the best line ever: "I don’t like stepping in dog shit but I wouldn’t go around demanding that all dogs have their assholes sewn shut."

Purely out of curiosity, I just watched the first two episodes of this season. The thing that bugs me the most about it is that they give the winners of the "Flash Challenges" the ability to assign all of the "Human Canvases" to each tattooer. What this means is that they are purposely trying to make their competitors put on bad tattoos that they know they can't pull off so that they can further themselves in the competition. They're actively trying to get the clients bad tattoos. I mean, I understand that it's a competition and money is at stake, but these are tattoos. People have to live with these for the rest of their lives and I think it's a total dick move to completely neglect to think about the client's happiness and their right to get a good tattoo. Like it was said earlier, this is just a TV show. There is good and bad associated with it's impact, of course, but ultimately it's aired for entertainment purposes and not for promoting artistic integrity. That's their prerogative and that's fine, but I think it's incredibly irresponsible to participate in fostering a culture where people get shitty tattoos on purpose. That's never cool, and that's where I take most issue with this show.

I'll be watching that, but only because I'm a copywriter at an agency. Correction: I am a beautiful copywriter.

That's because your old mate makes his opinions based on the internet and tv shows, not the real world. He obviously has never seen Oliver take walk-ins all day and totally nail every single tattoo drawing, regardless of style in less than 15 minutes. Then execute every tattoo, regardless of style, cleanly, quickly and accurately without rock star attitude. Just to make this clear, Oliver manages to give walk-in customers what they want and make a great tattoo that he can be happy with and other tattooers will appreciate. Think about that for a minute... walk-in customers who don't give a shit who he is... and just want a tattoo they can like.... great tattoos... It's a rare talent among tattooers and even more rare among 'artists' who make tattoos. Making great tattoos, making customers happy and having a great time while being so fucking cool to everyone else in the room and helping tattooers less experienced than him, yeah, fuck that guy. I'd hate for the guy who does my awesome tattoo to have a toothpick, like ewwww, gross, totally not cool.

Dr. Pogue sounds like a very big deal. Im guessing he has many leather bound books and his office smells of rich mahogany.