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Here's one that's all ready healed, hairy, a bit dry and shiny: Chad Koeplinger made this at the Stockholm Inkbash in august this year. I wanted a meditating figure but not in buddhist or hindu style and send him a bunch of different ideas of present and historical cultures/religions to get him started. I was very happy when I arrived for the appointment and he decided to not draw one of my suggestions, and instead made this hopi indian in a thunderstorm. Also this is the first tattoo with tattoos that I have my body, and the first swastika. Happy about that

Somewhere between 5 or 6 hours of outlining today with Sam Warren. He ended up going just the tiniest bit bigger than I thought he would, but I am so stoked to get this started. Oh, and this goes into the dreaded butt crease, which had me seeing stars.

Thanks for mentioning that, @bongsau, and here's another pic of the person with the tattoo. This is a person who just sat for 6 hours or so in constant pain, hour after hour, but looking pretty dang fresh in the end, and you know why? A FUCKIN GOOD TATTOO! That puts a smile on one's face, no? Good tattoos are worth it, and you know it when you've got it! @CultExciter, speaking of Rodney Raines, this is his photo below, from his IG. He and Darcy have been collaborating on pieces lately and he was next to us the whole time working on an EPIC foo dog that would have been a major contender for the prize that night if he'd have been finished in time. He's a great guy and does awesome work himself. I was certainly in the presence of greatness that day. He threw in a suggestion or two here and there, so I'd like to say he has a little bit to do with this tattoo as well. Oh, and I think I need to march right out and get myself #1) more tank tops and #2) Platform shoes or stilts or something.

(Pardon my overly enthusiastic post but I've just recently started getting tattooed, and I've never been tattooed at a convention - this is all pretty new to me so I'm gushing a bit!) Not great pics, and no good clear ones of the tat yet, but am SO STOKED (and still a bit wonky) from my epic day yesterday with Darcy Nutt at the Richmond VA Tattoo Arts Convention. We emailed about ideas beforehand, but she decided not to draw anything up, wanting to meet me first and collaborate on something after we spoke in person. She had no other appointments, so my simple Japanese koi idea turned into my own freshwater angel fish from pics off my phone, and my beloved peonies. She freehanded it onto my arm, and including that part of it and one potty break, it was 6 hours in the chair. That is why I look a bit cross-eyed strung out by the last pic! I ate an omelet at 9 am and hubby tried to get me to eat along the way, but I could not do it - endorphins from pain suppress the appetite, I guess. I tried to stay hydrated, though, and found my happy place. It is all about breathing. I knew I'd be leaving with something wonderful that I'd enjoy forever, and it would be worth it. She won Tattoo of the Day (I guess I won too, but I didn't do anything but sit there), and that was pretty sweet! She finished at 9:25, the contest was at 9:30, and the pic was taken at about 10, at which point I didn't know my own name, lol. That is definitely a long session, I don't care who you are, but I had an opportunity that was not to be passed up, and Darcy is a genius. When I went up to the judges, they looked at each other, shaking their heads and grinning as they all exclaimed, "Fuckin' Darcy..." cuz they KNEW this tattoo was going to win, lol. Anybody who has the chance to get some work done by this sweet, wonderful, brilliant lady you should definitely do it. She made this design up on the fly, without ever having done this type of fish before. I'll post pics when I get the ones done by the photographer at the show, or the ones she'll post on her IG, showing the fish better towards the back of my arm. From Darcy's IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/-ZQEJVMdTl/

Chad Koeplinger, Rose in the elbow ditch, done at Smith Street mid Aug '15, done in an hr and half (I couldn't believe how fast it was), Why? Why not. Getting some work by Eddy Deutsche next month. Thanks for looking!

I'm not even sure where to start. Let alone do I even remember my last post on here. But I found the site again, and have done a lot since the last time I was in here. Pretty sure it has been almost 3 years, I'll blame two of those years on paramedic school. But any who.. Just finished this: Took me about a year to finalize the drawing before taking it to a completely new artist and shop. Once it was all cleaned up and sized correctly it was a 2 year project between a chaotic work life. But I couldn't be happier

I saw this piece by Mike Rubendall a few days ago and every time I see it it still floors me. I think the thing that catches me is the head of that snake. The purple is crazy...

A quick pic of my little Ouija jammer. Left wrist, topside and underneath.

Welcome to the forum! Interesting questions, I hope we get some answers to them Also: let's see some of your tattoos!

@LizBee kick ass tattoo, kick ass post, thanks for a reminder why i show up here to hang at LST ! also wanted to add I think we are getting so accustomed to seeing these fresh tattoos framed on a smart phone, tattoos are so much more powerful when you see them on the persons with smiling faces. It puts tattoo in context with the wearers personality and creates bigger impact. Cheers and thank you for sharing :)

Old left knee and new right knee from Chad Koeplinger. If feels good to finally have this shit out of the way.

got this dietzel-birdie last week from the nice dude johann. https://instagram.com/sign_of_the_wolf/ healed - not settled.

I've been too busy/lazy to post these...... from the last 5 weeks: Wrist and Left Ankle/Achilles - Jon Larson @ Harlequin Couple little guys on the bicep- Lightning Bolt and Flying Eyeball - Tony Caporusso @ Lucky Monkey Right Ankle - Greg Christian @ Tattoo Faction

Birthday sticker from Bert Krak at Smith Street...I think what space I have left on my leg, I'm going to let him fill it.

I just finished this on my back calf, with Rob Ryan at Temple. Having him do a Divine Mother in the presence of Freddy was a bet. Friends don't understand why I'd want this as an agnostic... shrug.

Jeff Zuck

Texas style devil sparrow, Charley Marquez at True Blue, ATX.

28 YO Tattoo enthusiast and collector based out of Brooklyn NY. I collect great tattoos from awesome people, tattoo art, and love hearing stories from the guys zapping me. Tattooed by: Steve Boltz Eli Quinters Chad Koeplinger Fergus Simms Jason Boatman Eddy Deutsche (as of Dec '15)

300-350$ is not a lot IMO for a tattoo.

Everything Shiryu has posted. https://www.instagram.com/shiryutattoo/

You can do it, @tc3500. It is all about the breathing. You'll be glad once you've got the tattoo to show for it!

Welcome from a fellow new person who also started properly growing their collection a bit later in life! Cheers for sharing the pictures.

It has been about a week. The color looks like it has spread a bit and lightened up a bit. We still have some work to do on the tattoo. I am going wait and see what this ink does. I think I am going to wait till spring and then decide. It's going to be a gorgeous tattoo (IMHO). I don't want to risk making it worse. Besides, most of my acquaintances know nothing about tattoos and won't notice. I think I am in shock because I never thought it would happen to me. I take my tattoos pretty serious. I just need to stop looking at that spot. - - - Updated - - - Thanks for sharing this video. I like what he had to say. I think my problem is that I am a tattoo snob. Time to come off my high horse.

I just healed a sacred heart on the top of the inside of my forearm. I used aquaphor every day from the day after the tattoo was done until it healed. Took about 2 weeks. (but I have friends who say aquaphor heals them in a week) I lost some ink because I picked at it, but all the other areas healed just fine. Only thing is aquaphor healing is a bitch, as its always wet, so its very sensitive and tender because there is no scab to protect it. I got 2 tattoos the same day by the same artist, one healed with aquaphor and the other dry healed, and I had more colour loss with the dry healed tattoo. So aquaphor is worth a try if you dont mind the negative aspects of it.

I hate the black one.

yep this is spot on. just had the inside forearm tattooed from halfway up into the ditch and was recommended a 4 day wet heal with rewrapping like the one described by @mtlsam . decided not to go with saniderm because the idea of not being able to clean it for 3-4 days kind of spooks me

STOKED. I'll be out with my fiance... this time I'm hoping to spend more than 23 hours on the ground.

. I've had both my armpits blasted, 6hrs one side, 9.5 for the other. Swelling like that is par for the course with that sensitive area. I was swollen for about week afterwards, very uncomfortable and probably the worst spot I've experienced yet.

I'm getting soon a tattoo with a moka coffee machine, a skull and some pomegranates, I hope it won't be considered an hipster tattoo, since it's a coffe related tattoo and will be made in a style which is now considered quite on fashion by hipsters.

Lets see, I think my last activity on here was 2012, since then, I've gone to paramedic school, got my associates, drasticly failed my written exams for my medic, due to an diagnosed TBI, worked my butt off through 2014 once I was cleared to go back to work (rough 8.5 months of hell), changed tattoo shops, was working 4 part time jobs, and just about a month ago got my dream job, full time, the whole 9 yards. And finished a full lower leg tattoo, and am starting to go for a full sleeve next week... O_o Its been a long two years and I've clearly missed a lot on here... gotta go blow the dust off now

It happens. No tattoo is perfect. It's a handmade craft. Gives it character, etc. Chances are it won't bother you so much as time goes by. But at least let it heal. Fixing it could make it worse. Up to you if you want to take that chance. But I'd do what your artist recommends if you trust him/her. The reason why "get more tattoos" is the best answer is because you'll drive yourself crazy nitpicking over every last detail so you may as well put that energy into planning the next one.

pretty excited to have booked appointments for my GF and myself to have quite a bit of chair time with Freddy Corbin. This dude is such a standup guy. He answers my email, calls, etc... within hours. I have messaged many of the harder to schedule artist and have never heard from them in 2 years. Living in Portland, I am hoping to make one trip from Portland to Oakland, then going to my hometown and having Tim Hendricks due a piece all in the same weekend. But for now, Freddy is a lock.

Just got this from Scott Sylvia at the Elm Street Festival in Dallas

Background ribs done, lightning will be done last session (End of March/Beginning April) and left "cheek" done (those 2 stripes in the middle hurt as I've never felt before)

I had a couple of jammers done by Franklin Reeves at The Pearl Harbor Gift Shop on Thursday. Awesome guy. It had been a few months since my last tattoo, and it felt good *you know what I mean* to get back to it. I'm running out of room on my lower right leg. Hopefully getting a larger piece done on my thigh in the near future. Franklin did the cat and the chalice. Other visible work my Tim Pausinger (The Pearl), Franz Stefanik (Okey Doke), Mario Desa (Great Lakes) Chad Koeplinger (Rock of Ages), and Glennie (The Pearl).

Today's work was intense, and we still have a bit left to go! Yoni Zilber at NY Adorned. https://www.instagram.com/p/-Cj6--MGq7/?taken-by=yonizilber

Friday 13th first timer :) Matt Dunn @ Old Glory in Asbury Park NJ

By Todd Noble, at the Montreal Tattoo Convention. Sorry about the sideways view. Was right-side up when I took the picture. Anyways, you get the idea.

I got the Gorilla Fudo Myo-o from Marc Nava last Friday at the Bay Area Convention. Definitely a nice addition to my squidpants.

Little filler to pass the time between back sessions. Chelsea Kotzur at True Blue in ATX.

Jay Thurley (@jaysoos on IG) put this panthernator on my shoulders yesterday. These neck tear-throughs are tough to photograph, didn't get one from above my head to show the whole effect.

buffalo by bh robinson. good dude~ pic is sideways bc i like to be as horizontal as possible

Been working on this piece now am about 9hrs in with a local artist Jason Leeser. I came up with a few ideas of what I wanted and he did the rest. Can't wait to start color next week!

Finally lost my cherry today. A great experience and I love my new tattoo. By Bradley Tompkins at Frith Street.

Just got this one done a couple of hours ago. Done by Nik Moore at Scarab Body Arts in Syracuse, NY. You guys might not be a big fan of it but I told him I wanted a unique koi that not many other people have. i think he nailed it and I love it! Gonna go back in a few weeks for him to make a few minor changes if need be.

awesome stuff from Robert Ryan @ Electric in Asbury good times good times

started today...finish next month... can't go wrong w/snake and rose right? didn't have either...ScottSylvia's the best :)

meh ok here is a pic :) from the amazing Steve Boltz totally good time talking mostly golf turns out Steve is an avid golfer and pretty good I'm neither but I love stogies and beer with friends and lets face it - thats more important than a decent backswing ;) anyway - funky fish on my bicep...