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This is a bit of a joint effort. The Dagger, Collar, Angel and Reaper (2-6 weeks old) are by Fergus Simms - Melbourne Tattoo Company, and the Eagle Snake fight (2.5 months old) is by Jess Swaffer - Chapel Tattoo. Wanted to wait until the whole spot was done before i posted them up! Super happy with them, and two of the nicest tattoo experiences (bar the pain!) I've ever had.

haven't been on here in a while. I enjoyed seeing all the great work everyone has gotten recently! Had an appt with Chad Koeplinger on 11/14. I thought I was in for one more painful, albeit short, back appt for some touch ups in case he felt they were needed. After taking a look at my healed back, he said some very wonderful words "rob, I think we are done". I emphatically replied back, "thank GOD!" So, I had him do some filler on my wrist. He tattooed a flail and a fly and I am absolutely loving them both. I really enjoyed getting these, but I will admit, the ball of the flail, on the inside of my wrist was a bit more painful than I would have thought. Felt like it was sending electric shocks into my hand! Still, easier than the back for sure! Included a pic of my healed back, and a photo off of Chad's instagram of myself and a seemingly GIANT Andrew Stortz . Andrew's back piece is insanely good.

Robert Ryan!

not black friday...colour saturday...finished up today... scott's the best..i'm sooo happy :)

my leg tattoos arent ever fully settled till bout the 6 week mark

A little MCA tribute tattoo from Ethan Franklin at James River Tattoo. Forgive the crappy picture; it isn't in easiest location to take a picture of myself.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to take advantage of a cancelled appointment and get this butterfly from Matthew Houston at Seven Doors. He's a really nice guy and I love the combination of colours he chose.

Sandor Jordan finished my Shoki today! It was going to be on my calf, but i decided i wanted to go big and put it on my thigh. He's a kickass dude and an awesome tattooer! Jordanist on Instagram

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!

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 @Iwar & @suburbanxcore it's almost done peeling, i'll post another when it's done...and yea i think i need some more scott roses :) heck, just anything more scott!

So it's been awhile Since my last update 2 more sessions and it complete...ill get some better pics in a few days when it healed up a bit but I'm super stocked on how it turned out!

Finally I got my first tattoo, (sorry for posting similar content in my initiation thread). The tattoo is a moka Bialetti, a pomegranate and a number one made by Luca Font in Milano. At the beginning I had the idea of putting a skull at the base of the moka too. We discussed with the artist and decided that another element such as as skull which is round would overcharge the image and putting two round element at the base of an object resembling a column would create the form of a penis. So he put a little number 1 at the base of the moka. I like this tattoo because it's simple, clean, well-placed, has the power of an advertisement being well balanced and reminds of Russian poster-avantgarde for the geometric aspect. I also like the fact that is not overcharged with colour but colour is placed only when it's needed, to emphasize the shape of an object: the metal glimpse of the light on the Moka and the shade of the pomegranate.

Finally started my sleeve based off Gustave Dore's Crowned Virgin. Got most of the outline done, still have to add the dragon with the rocks/water. Can't wait to go back in two weeks!

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.

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

(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/

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)

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

Fresh one....

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.

By Jon West @ Imperial Tattoo Company.

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!

Just had my left elbow capped by Biz Matos. I'm very pleased.

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

Thought I would also upload and share this dope action shot. Plus you can catch a peak at my backpiece that's about 5 months settled in as well as Len's great hair lol ;) Another reminder that it is the tattoo experience as whole - that truly makes the tattoo. that's what matters. Tattooing is a very powerful, deliberate and permanent act and series of events. Last Wednesday was an incredible day. My work in the morning. Popping into the tattoo shop to just to say what's up and casually flipping through Len's book - I have 3 tattoos from Len now and each one was a spontaneous act with permanent results. Going and getting a dope haircut so I didn't get a cheap $25cent razor fade (found a new barber, an older black gentleman, he shared his cool snake tattoo on his dark skin, he got in 1967!). My tai chi practice in the park. An encouraging doctor's appointment. The boys keeping the shop open into the evening to accommodate me (shout out to Champion Tattoo Edmonton). The stencil and re-stencil to get the placement just right. The first 30 seconds when I thought holy shit man, this is brutal have I gone too far? Bishops Green on the stereo. Tattoo talk with the boys. Sweating through the table. Feeling my nose about to get crushed sideways on the table. the post-tattoo newport smoke, the vulnerability and the satisfaction with the end result. The morning after when the shower water hit the back of my raw tattooed skin. Even today walking down the street, walking proud and tall with this new tattoo. Hearing the lady behind me in the crosswalk whispering out loud 'damn that's a nice tattoo' to herself. Seriously, I am really buzzing off how this one turned out. The butterfly symbolism is pretty obvious. But also this: I dreamed I was a butterfly, fluttering about, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly. Soon I awakened, and there I was, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. -Master Zhuang I became aware of this taoist quote the morning after receiving my tattoo, and I too had the butterfly dream leading up to this spontaneous tattoo. I found it very fitting, not just in the context of the rest of my tattoos, but in terms of some personal growth I have been making over the last few months. And here comes this profound tattoo experience from a simple design that carries some complex symbolism to me, providing enlightenment when I needed it the most. Thank you LST for providing a medium to share the tattoo experience together !

"Yknow what's awesome about this budd?...you have a whole bodysuit of tattoo and MY tattoo is going to be the one everyone is gonna ask about haha" Keepin' it real w/ King Len, guest spot at Champion Tattoo in Edmonton, AB Deadly placement, deadly evening, deadly tattoo. But holy fack did this one sizzle and rattle.

Now Hicks is healed, need to add stuff and boost color etc. Sleeve will continue in few months with Baphomet. Here's the Sagan, also need more work obviously and will continue to a sleeve. We didn't finish all as you can tell. Now few months old. Pictures aren't that great, sorry.

The Watcher on the backside of my left arm, elbow to armpit by William Murray in Columbus. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pic. I have a friend who is a professional photographer and is coming for a visit this December and we will get proper shots of my tattoos.

Hi, just joined LST and thought i'd share my latest tattoo. Done by Tony Hundahl at the London convention, great guy who does awesome tattoos.

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

Got this done by Chad Koeplinger today!

Finished off my second rib panel today with Dave C. at PSC tattoo. I'll use the royal "we" and say that we knocked this out in three sessions starting in late September, about 8 hours total. I'm super stoked on it, the colour in the tiger really pops! Dave is a great guy, and his work speaks for itself, seek him out.

Skull "brought to life".... Sooooo happy with this and my Michael. This is on the inside of my forearm. 3rd tattoo over/in the same spot is NOT fun (Esp. with some bad scars)! From this: To this:

Latest and greatest- Great guy out of Portland. Dunno if he wants name dropped or not, but Im sure you could figure it out if you wanted. Almost tapped @7hrs, but a 15m break and 2 fantas later, I was back in action. Had another tattoo re-done on the inner forearm during this sitting. 8/9hrs total.

A couple of pics taken professionally at the London convention, my first professional pics taken, some girl just grabbed me and took me into a room and said strip off lol Still got two days with Victor as he is not totally happy with my back piece, not sure what he wants to do. Its for a magazine, cant remember if its skin deep or one of them. Anyhow here are some stunning shots of my superb body!

decided to go with a japanese background for my tattoos, i liked the idea of a mix of tradtional americana with some nice clouds

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

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.