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My lady and I just got a pet bird, he's a fancy green cheeked conure and he's just about 12 weeks old. Since we're both tattoo nerds and because puns are irresistible, his name is Oliver Peck. Haha. Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

@hogg That sounds okay, but I think I have you beat because I made this guy:

Got this wicked draw-on zen spider from Jonny Murdoch from Government Street Tattoo (Victoria) who is in Edmonton for the week. Also this smug lil bumble bee too: the idea of which came to me in a dream 3 nights in a row...then i googled "angry bumble bee" and bam! clipart reference on the first hit. These toonie sized tatts are so much fun. Hooray for "recreational tattooing" lol. Jonny's hanging at Champion Tattoo, Shawn Hedley's new shop in town. Super dope shop, nice hospitality, guess they got a bunch of ringers guest spotting in the future...better leave some space ;) Great tattoo talk yesterday and I got to see a backpiece Filip Leu and Kurt Wiscombe tag teamed up close. Amazzzzzzzing

@hogg I think in these circumstances I am allowed to show off. @SStu Who are we kidding, by the time this kid is old enough to get tattoos they're going to be horribly out of fashion and he's going to be embarrassed by his dad who was tacky enough to get a large portion of his body covered in them. Until that point, however, I hope he views me as some kind of walking and talking story book.

Clever bird name! :D A year ago, I was out in the back yard with the dogs when I see a green parakeet land on the porch. The seed feeder was empty and he was looking for food. I managed to keep the dogs back when the chihuahua walks right up to it and the bird didn't fly off. I do the same and reach down. It hops on my hand! Obviously a hand fed pet that was released or escaped and will die outside, being so tame. I think the word has gotten out among animals that our house is a sanctuary (we have 5 adopted dogs and 3 cats). We bought him a female to keep him from getting lonely. He moved in on her right away, preening her face and playing Barry White records. Sadly, he no longer jumps on our hands and instead protects his woman.

This is what I was able to sit for today with Dave Cummings at PSC tattoo. About 3 hours, and not nearly as intense as my 1 1/2 with Chad on my other side, thank goodness! We stopped there because the next step was colour for the tiger, and I didn't have it in me. Next session next week, healing permitting. So stoked on this!

@Graeme: Now you're just showing off. ;) @Hands On: If you're asking if I bought anything, I did not. But the temptation was great.

Just saw the drawing of my Molly Monmon. And then cried. Horitomo knocked it way out of the park. Can't wait to get started!!!

Thanks for paving the way. I can't believe I waited this long. A great tattoo experience.

Last night, I got to tour Ed Hardy's art studio. I saw countless pieces spanning five decades--everything from porcelain to flash to massive painted scrolls and more. I'm still trying to process everything; it was a truly incredible experience. So yeah. That's an awesome thing I did recently.

Hey guys, long time no post. I just realized I never posted my two latest because I wanted to wait until they were both healed. Not the best pics, but you get the idea. Cobra by Scott Sylvia done at Pagoda City Convention. Drawn on in 15 minutes, outlined in about an hour. Scott is the absolute best. We had originally talked about him doing all of the black in Reading then the color in the fall, but he had the time so we just powered through. It was another great experience being tattooed by him, and I can't say enough great things. Death's head moth by Oliver Peck while guesting in Philadelphia at Kadillac Mt. Airy. Another pleasure. Oliver was so down to earth and easy to talk to, just like you'd expect. He only did three or four tattoos that day, and I was lucky it happened to be the last week before school started and I could squeeze in after cross country practice (the only heavily tattooed coach in the world, I think). He checked out a ton of my tattoos and even took his shirt off to show me his stomach from Scott, his side from Rassier, and his back from Trevino. So awesome. Not the best photos, but it's what I have. Also, I was not expecting to have nearly this much pink on my legs, particularly from Scott and Oliver, but here we are.

Maggie's body is covered in tattoos, and her parents have no idea. So we made a video for Maggie to show her parents the tattoos she's been hiding. Made by Bianca Giaever and This American Life.

the latest term that is being used way too freely ..."Gap Filler" Dear tweeners on Instagram: I'm sorry if you can fit a palm sized tattoo in between 2 other palm sized tattoos it is not a "gap filler". It's a tattoo. It's just a tattoo in between some other tattoos. /endrant

@Graeme = now there's a baby picture the young fella won't be too embarrassed to show to some young girl a couple of decades from now . . .

Had to cancel our trip to the montreal convention pretty last minute due to a number of reasons and was pretty bummed to miss out this year. I didn't have any appts lined up but was hoping to score a quick walk up. To make sure the weekend wasn't a total bust, my wife and I spent Friday night in portsmouth, nh (one of my favorite places in new england). I was able to get a walk in with Billy Rocha, at one of Jason Scott's fabulous shops, Hobo's. I was hoping to get either a cross or dagger in the weird spot between my snake and dragon on my left arm. We found a cool piece of higgs flash that was both. Billy added a bit to it and made it really cool. Had a great time getting a nice little small tattoo and Billy is an excellent tattooer and a great dude. I hope to get another from him. First time being tattooed at hobo's which is pretty funny since I've been tattooed at their sister shop, Congress St Tattoo, soooooooooo many times now. They are literally 3 blocks away from each other on the same street. this tattoo covers a really nasty scar, so if the skin looks a bit weird in certain areas in the pic, that is why.

Been getting my shit back together :) Back training just about everyday, eating clean. Fuck all drinking whiskey etc. Dropped close to 15kg. Oh, and motorcycles. Riding motorcycles of course :)

Well, I finally quit my job of 9 1/2 years. Some may say that is stupid but the stress level was taking a toll on me. The last year was hell and not getting a raise in 4 years was eating away at me. Still living with my grandparents who have raised me, I have to take care of them. But when i'd get home, I wouldn't "de-stress" and would still be in a shitty mood, which isn't fair or nice to them. I made plans to quit and had tons of back-up plans set up. Two of my back up plans actually worked. I got a full scholarship to grad school which I applied for back in March. So Now I work on campus 18 hours a week and get a small hourly wage but my tuition is 100% paid. Also, my friend purchased a business and immediately had me work with her. We deliver drinks like soda or snapple in NYC twice a week. Starting out, I told her to pay me very very little just to get the ball moving in her court. After about 8 months, is when I'm going to start making some decent money. all in all, I am working less hours. Making more money (in 8 months). Tuition is getting paid. Thursdays and weekends off. stress level is at zero. Started going to the gym more. I am emotionally on cloud 9.

Howdy folks. My name is Rachael :rolleyes: I've only been tattooing since last year of June. I now work at Spectrum tattoos on E. Dakota St. Bay view WI If anyone is interested in making an appointment with me email me or call at [email protected] 414-800-5019 Facebook I also do digital art

Getting my Monmon today and looking for something for mom to do around the area while she waits, and also looking for some ideas for tomorrow. Day trip or local activities. I want to limit the walking, but the tourist info I read doesn't look promising. Thinking of Winchester House at some point. Advice?

Great idea - thanks! I have a ziplock. I didn't get economy but did get a window seat.

Everyone spends and lives at their own desired pace. I go to a college basketball game maybe once every five years, I rarely see a theater movie and it has been decades since I've bought concert tickets. I don't have an expensive car, and have over 98k miles on my '06 motorcycle (admittedly a fairly expensive one). All of my computers still run XP because they can't handle anything newer. Our house was paid off in the '90s and our kids are grown. I don't have any expensive hobbies and we have not traveled extensively except for work and missions. We are two years from retirement. Yes, I consider my tattoos a luxury, but they bring me pleasure both getting and having them. Something that will not fail as fast as the rest of me at this stage in life!

Good for you Patrick! I quit my job of 7.5 years last December, took three months off of work to recuperate after being severely burned out for the last 2 years of the job, and am so much better off now at my new job. I make more money now which is a huge deal!!! Yay to quitting shitty stress filled jobs that leave you depleted!

I'm totally with you! When I had the side of my thigh tattooed it took only three hours but I had to ask for breaks a couple of times because my lower back was killing me. I've had lower back problems in the past, so I just did a some quick stretching/mobility exercises that I'd learnt and it got better for a short while. The tattooer did organise some paper towel piles to put under the leg as a cushion but it wasn't enough really. I took a mental note at the time to bring a decent cushion next time. As it happens, I will actually get the other thigh done next weekend, so thanks for reminding me ;-) I guess I'm going to feel somewhat awkward to run around at a convention with a massive pillow under my arm but I'm glad to hear that there are others with similar problems...

You are certainly not a wus! I would bring 2 bags of things when I was getting my back done. I felt a little funny, but after I'd gotten a rhythm, I could really sit good. But I know what you mean - I am nervous my back and hip with bother me during my tattoo tomorrow and I am bringing a number of cushy things just in case.

Weird. Was it specifically latex foam, or was it memory foam? I can't stand memory foam, but latex foam works really well for me since it's bouncy. You're definitely not the only one. :) The more comfortable you can be, the more still you can stay, and the happier everyone will be! You can't help it if a position causes you pain. Totally not your fault!

Yoga has taught me a lot about breathing through pain.

Yeah! Welcome to the Dave tiger club!

i swear by this method !Tattooing is very demanding on the body. Not just the needle-to-skin pain but the process is very hard on the muscles and tendons, counteracting whatever contorted position and force your tattooer puts you in. ALWAYS stretch before a tattoo. This is so important. Not just a quickie stretch a minute before you jump on the table but stretch the week leading up to the tattoo, the night before, the morning of...hell, just stretch all the time! It's good for your health :)

Looking forward to the convention!

great! ha ha been through much the same, covering up around my parents for close to a decade before the technicolour cat came jumping out of the bag ;)

It seems obvious to me that, barring an upset, Chris Blinston is going to take the title this season. He has consistently done excellent work including some fairly large pieces.

Decided to post here instead of my intro thread. My first trip to Japan for 10 days. The arm was a coverup and was all done by tebori. Also started on the chest piece. And boy does it hurt! I thought I had a pretty good pain threshold. But the middle of the pecs is a different level altogether! Back to my country and I am already missing the pain though.

my brother got stationed locally and Lives down the block, Havnt really hung out with him in like 12 years. So I didnt do anything but still life dealt me a little awesome

This is a pretty good thread. Lot of thought here. I guess the wipe would irritate more, and of course the factors of what kind of machines you might be running, the skill level of the artist (and by that I don`t mean how she/he can draw. I mean the art of applying a colored wound) and where your mind is too. Maybe that`s really it. Where is your head at? Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk

Spent some fun time with the twin grandsons last weekend. They just turned 6. I finally have had time to really enjoy the new acoustic, a Taylor 522 12-fret mahogany. It is by far the nicest guitar I've ever owned or will ever own. It sounds angelic to my ears. :)

I'm getting married May 21st next year (and you bet my dress will be showing off my back piece!). I'm also moving into an amazing apartment in The Beach area of Toronto come September 1st. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hubbs and I took a long weekend, went to the State Fair, a concert, had room service breakfast, ate all the things!, and snuck in some shopping. This was our first "after the kid graduates from High School" adult trip. The kid stayed home and took care of the dogs :cool:

^ I just had my two year anniversary with my job a couple months ago and I got a water bottle with the company's name on it lol. Me and my boyfriend are getting our own apartment, we previously had a roommate. It's so much better than our current place. We have a little patio, space to plant a garden, so much more storage space, it's a single story building so only one neighbor and no stairs, and in a much nicer location that's conveniently located near Lancaster and Harrisburg (aka: two of the only civilized places in central Pennsylvania). So we're very excited...and very exhausted from slowly moving (again, see "shitty things" thread for more details). :)

I met a @beez today. We ate tacos after my hair appt., and noises were made about a possible pilgrimage to the Bay Area convention...

Prettyyyyyyyyy pumped about this one, not gonna lie. Yesterday: There's a vid too: https://instagram.com/p/5075TDTBNR/?taken-by=greggletron By Greg Whitehead at Scapegoat in Portland, as usual. My thigh feels like a wobbly hot water bottle today, and I don't even care. :o

It was a blast, but we didn't get all the shots I wanted because there was a double booking. I will go back to get the traditional 3-panel back piece shot for my tattoo artist in a couple weeks when these pics are ready to view. Also got a very nice head shot out of the deal. I probably won't post much here, but I'll DM folks when I get some shots back to share.

To me they are a luxury in the sense that ... let's be clear ... paying the mortgage or paying for my son's needs (yes, his wants as well as his needs) are ahead. I have a few paintings that have accrued in value since I bought em- enough that I guess they count as an investment. I hesitate to say tattoos could be an investment in that sense ... for obvious reasons. No re-sale value. But... I would prioritise spending my truly disposable income on them because, as Graeme said, they're gonna be there till death. You get "use" out of your tattoos daily. So much enjoyment and good memories. In terms of their perceived value: It's interesting to me that most people here (Ireland) don't consciously recognise the cost. When I see someone with big work then - if they aren't obviously patronising scratchers - then I know they are *probably* either someone with a good enough income that they can afford it out of disposable income OR someone who can budget and exercise restraint to save up. Either way, I admire / approve of that.

Luxury or not there is a particular stigma about money and tattoos that doesn't seem to apply to other goods and services. I had a friend (who has tattoos and knows what they cost) say to me when I started my sleeve something like, "You guys must be doing pretty well," which kinda stuck in my craw. I mean would anybody say that to someone if they pulled up in a Lexus instead of a sh*tbox car? Both take you from point A to B. Why go out to dinner when you can just eat rice & beans from the bulk bin for every meal? For me the experience of getting tattooed is definitely worth something -- like going to a spa or something. But when you get a massage you don't walk away with anything except a good feeling and that fades. There are also few things in life that are truly one-of-a-kind other than a painting or a sculpture, but with tattoos you carry the art with you all the time. As far as the money goes, I do feel guilty about it sometimes for reasons I can't quite explain. Then again since I quit drinking and smoking weed, tattoos are pretty much my only vice, and if I added up the $$$ spent on booze and certain illicit substances, I can say with some certainty I'm well ahead of the game!

Definitely my shoulder, mostly just a pleasant vibrating feeling. Strangely, my inner bicep was by far the worst. Funny the DRASTIC difference a couple inches makes (that's what she said, hurr hurr).

an investment huh? HA HA HA, "man, I hate to do it, but i'm gonna sell my 2 forearm tattoos to pay for my new back tattoo"

I had a tattoo healing nightmare the night after the first session on my back piece. I was being chased by a really slow-moving mob, but I couldn't run because every few steps my shirt would adhere to my back and I'd have to stop and very very gently pry it off before I could run again. Even in my sleep my priorities are fucked.