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I'm about 3 months into my apprenticeship. Last week my mentor says "Set up a machine and draw up some small designs right now, I have someone coming in for you to tattoo in about 30 minutes." "Are you sure this is a good idea? Who is coming in?" I asked. "Just some big biker guy I know." I was shaking so bad that I could hardly get the machine set up. Hell I hadn't yet been taught how to use a machine. I wasn't sure if this was for real or a joke, but this is definitely the kind of thing he would line up just for the sake of fucking with me. I imagined some gnarly big dude he met at the local dive bar. I'm sitting at my station frantically drawing a spider and a skull and I hear the back door ring and my mentor say "Hey man come on in, he's just finishing up your drawing." I walk over to the station shaking and see a grapefruit sitting on the chair.

I saw Chad Koeplinger while he was in town the other day for rose #4. Done at Rock of Ages in Austin.

They get in that ass, larry. All the way in that ass! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEhk5N32Tec

good question! my tattooer designed the layout of my backpiece such that I can take off my shirt, leave the pants on and spectators can still tell what it is going on and then if I really want to give the whoa factor i can drop trou...we need to remember the average person thinks a butt tattoo is a joke, like a tweety bird or 'your name' heart on the cheek, and a lot aren't prepared for what they get when they ask a backpiece wearer "how far down does that go eh?" and then you get the really horrified/intrigued folks who want to know how deep the tattoo went in your ass crack...(?) really, it all depends on the context of the situation and your relationship to the person that is asking to see it. i've probably shown mine off on the phone screen more than in person...because people are dumb and ask to see our tattoos at the most inappropriate times...at a work meeting or at the grocery store...or like i'm having dinner in a restaurant, yeah you want me to stand up and show you my tattooed ass crack? sure, let me finish chewing first! lol in the tattoo shop though...anything goes! drop em and show em what ya got!

My wife's getting tattooed by Calle at King Carlos in June. I'm going to be around but no plans to get tattooed ... The shoe is on the other foot. Sebastian Murphy at Stockholm Classic impresses me.. Quite a personal style I think, traditional yet hint of Mad Magazine illustration or something.

Getting a little monster filler from Hector Fong tomorrow, weeeee! :)

I'm so glad I found this thread. Although I never screamed during my back piece, it was brutal at times. I literally saw stars during the session that we did her face and shoulder area. I did this in 2-3 hour sessions. By Matt Dinovo out of Black Squirrel Tattoo in Omaha, NE.

Welcome Brittany! I think both of those are good ideas. For placement for the anchor I think your ribs would be better than your thigh for the simple reason that thighs are a nice, big space and if you decide to get more tattoos later on, it's better to keep these big spaces for large tattoos. Ribs hurt, yes, but the pain is by no means unbearable and complaining later about how much it hurt is part of the process. Have you thought of an artist yet?

I'm happy to say I just finished my 30+ hours full backpiece. I alway get lost in my tattoos so this time I kept a diary of each visit. As I read through it, I realized most of it is pure whining.

Kings Ave put tickets for his speaking events up on their website today. Not sure if they're sold out or not, but worth looking into.

Just an FYI Deno posted potential travel plans. See attached thumbnail or check Instawhoop whoop. hahaha https://instagram.com/denotattoo/

Here goes. Head tattoo by Jesse Roberts. 3 sessions about 3-4 hours each, then one quick touchup session. Completed in about 2 months.

Here is my dome by Jesse Roberts - whether or not this is a face tattoo I don't know. I'm the farthest thing from hardcore and would say nothing has changed since getting it. No big deal! I really liked the cover of the finger wave book so that's why I went to Jesse, as he painted it. I fully endorse people getting their head and face tattooed.

Appropriately posting this one on Easter. I got this one from Matt Arriola a few weeks ago at Spotlight. Photo stolen from his IG: For reference, it's on the back of my thigh:

Ok @Iwar, si I'm your first contestant! Here's my thigh piece done by Mikael De Poissy last year (hard to take a photo of the whole piece)

After nearly 6hrs, I have a shiney new black /greywork tattoo. Wraps around rest of lower left leg. A H R Giger tribute will share pics over next few days, when get back home.

Johan Finne' of Evil Twins is an amazing artist. I follow him. Unfortunately he is way to far from me. I did have a tattoo inspired (not copied) from his work.

Matt Dinovo-Black Squirrel Tattoo

I can't believe he didn't trade Hamels or Pabelbon before the season started. I'm biased but the Red Sox should be interesting to watch this year. Lots of high potential young guys on the team.

Yeah, I don't think I'm doing the lectures either for a few reasons, but I'm getting tattooed that Saturday at 12:30 with Grez anyway. I'll definitely be checking out the art stuff and book signings or whatever.

My ass shall never see the light of day, so biker back is it for me.

Thanks man! And yeah his stuff is insanely good. His crawling cats are some of the best in the game. But everything he does is great. Plus he is a really cool dude.

Hands down the most painful place to get tattooed is the fingertips and finger joints on the palm side. Armpits, feet, ankles, ribs, head...are all nothing compared to the palm. The feeling of getting your finger tendons tattooed is bat shit crazy. Like legitimate torture. And I say tendons because to make it stick you have to drill right into the innards of the palm/fingers.

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." -Voltaire

I've been on both sides of this fence; tattooed as a very large person and tattooed at what "society" deems an average weight. Over the last five years I dropped about 100lbs. Not because I cared what people thought, being visibly tattooed and covered in skulls got me used to being judged. I got bad news and a stern warning from the doc that my single handed quest to keep the local microbrew industry profitable would result in my early departure from this planet. I was 275 at 5'10; not a result of lifting weights or the like but from drive thrus and numerous beers. And I thouroghly enjoyed every minute of it. The media tells us what we should look like, especially for women. The pressure on young girls is sickening. Society sees us at face value only; very few go beyond the initial observation, but true friends and family will know the person not the packaging. Get tattooed no matter what size you are. Wear them proud and own it. Being comfortable with yourself and not caring how those who don't know you look at you is one of the most freeing feelings there is.

Ah yes the good ole, "How far did he get in there?!"

The entry here is the knee demon done by Franz Stefanik at The Okey Doke in Toronto. This is the best pic I have of it, so please filter out the surrounding work.

Next week I have Derek Noble working on my t-rex leg sleeve. The areas to do are the ass crack and inside the inner thigh (sigh). And this week my mentor Dave Richmond is working on a Hanya mask on my knee.

Ohhhhh, be very careful saying such a thing out loud! TWICE I thought the work was done in some areas, but NOOOO there had to be more detail grinded (ground?) in over previous layers. Just let that little hope of a single pass remain a little secret wish in your heart. - - - Updated - - - @mmikaoj - wow, just wow. It has been amazing to watch your backpiece evolve and when you got the flames around the sides, thinking that you were lying to us that you truly hadn't gone off the black&grey wagon. Surely looked a very nice red/grey that would have looked great with the rest of it! :D I love your piece - it's up on the top 10 of all my favorite backpieces. Just amazing in the precision, and the flow on your body.

Welcome Ryan! Now let's see that Valerie Vargas tattoo!

Here is my latest work on my back:

Tried again and gotta email again in June. Good thing is I still have my income tax money saved so my patience is way easier to handle than it is to spend my money. hahaha @Swifty that is dope. Kudos!!!

I suck at taking brakes from getting tattoos! Booked in with Bradley Tompkings at Frith St in the end of the month!

Nothing wrong with a back piece that you can see from the next block :)

Good luck in the contest. Not sure how you'll place because there is so much random shit that shows up. Some dude with a crazy traditional Japanese deity back could come in and bump you from the rankings, ain't that right @SeeSea? :P

If you like straight up bold traditional with a bit of a folk art/psychedelic twist then check out Jonas Nyberg, I'm getting a rib piece rooster finished up by him tomorrow.

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

Horitomo September 23rd! Woohoo!!! :: happy dance ::

Can't go wrong with a Lehi tiger.

It's not on me but I love this (by Grez) Have only got the lining of the central piece of my belly down at the moment, we'll finish it next session (all being well). I don't think I've got any photos though. Shall rummage.

Thanks for looking. In progress neo-traditionalish Japanese sleeve. Done by Shawn VanOven at the Shamens Den Binghampton NY.

Welcome to LST and Mike Dorsey is your man.