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for an abbreviated version of this post, just read the bold font. (<-- product of medication) I haven't had a session on my back piece in over a year since Jondix hasn't been back to the SFO Convention and I haven't been able to make my way across the pond. well... he's finally coming back to the states in July, so I'm booked for a session in New York! This will be my first time there, so I'm pretty excited about that aspect in and of itself. I have some time to dig thru some threads on healing the back while traveling... i imagine them saying something along the lines of, "it's a bitch. i loved it." Since I have no idea when I might ever get back to NY**, I'm also trying to get a little one shot something from Chris Garver. Not sure what or where quite yet, but it's in the works. Those two are already pushing the budget and pain thresholds, but there's so many great artists and shops out there! Picking a piece from flash off the wall at Smith Street immediately comes to mind. I may have to consider selling some of my unwanted material possessions on Crackslist and suck it up for perhaps a once in a lifetime chance. ** my wife and i want to travel to handful of different places, so returning to NY would have to come after getting thru the list. Atop the list for me is Barcelona to have Jondix finish my back!! That's "upcoming" in hopefully a year or two.

Having started 21 months ago I am unbelievably happy to say that my back is done. It took 59 hours, at least a dozen tubes of bepanthen, lots of cups of coffee and bacon sandwiches, and at least one ruined set of bed sheets. Thank you very much Mr Ian Flower.

Heh, lots of us 45 year old types around here. I was on a tear for a few years and was getting tattooed every two weeks for months on end. I've stepped back a bit and I've only had 4-5 in 2015 and only 2 so far in 2016. I expect I'll do a few more this year, and hopefully I'll be back at the Montreal convention this year.

Just confirmed session #2 of my back-piece. Less than two weeks away. Also more work coming up with Theo Mindell Apr 1. Working thru some bigger pieces so not many pics yet but I'll post em up as we finish up.

I feel that almost all tattooers draw like this, but most of them actually finish their drawings before putting them on clients.

@Hands On, healing while traveling is not a big deal. Just fly 1 day or 2 days after the session. Funny, (on instagram) I see alot of time people from the US that want work from artist in europe. I live in europe and I want stuff from US artists :p

since we're doing ages,I should add, I'm an old guy at 56. and yes,I would get tattooed every month if I had room on my body and funds to pay for it.

I'm 45! And I would get tattooed every six weeks if I had the dough. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Argh, I started to reply to these and my power went out! Good ol' PNW. I will get a reply up as soon as I return to the modern era. :/

I've only had one short lining session on my back, but I've had a few other gnarly-sits (a few 7+ hour sessions on ribs/full shin in one sitting etc). When I know I've got a big-sit coming up I try to "stack the deck" in my favor with a 2 week anti ritual of: no caffeine, no sugar, no booze (in fact I'm in one of these phases now for a back session). All in my head? Probably. But I like the discipline leading up. Small snacks (during) with some protein and fat make a difference for me too. And, most importantly, THE STOKE WILL PULL YOU THROUGH (someone on here said that about sitting multiple sessions/days in a row...can't remember who or the context or I'd give credit. Its one of my favorite quotes). It's been my experience that the day after a big session is worse than getting the tattoo. Your mileage may vary ;) Good luck!

I don't have any specific advice, but the lining sessions were really challenging. The back, to me, was entering a whole new world of getting tattooed. It's not a difficult spot, it's a series of difficult spots that are challenging for different ways, and it wasn't until I came in on the morning of my appointment and saw the stencil that I realized exactly how big my back is. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck after that first session. With that said, getting through those hard sessions is 90% mental. Be well-rested, well-nourished, and all that, but it comes down to gritting your teeth and just putting up with it and not fighting it. I would assume that because you have quite a few tattoos from Greg and because you're having him do your back that you get along well with him and that's important too: good conversation, jokes, funny stories, things that will distract you from the tattooing make a big difference. Often during sessions I'd drink a beer maybe an hour or two in and I found a nice imperial stout or the like helped me to relax, but that depends on you and your tattooer being cool with it. I don't think there's any shame in getting a little bit of assistance in getting through the sessions (I've heard that muscle relaxants can help a lot to quell the body's instinct to tense up) but I don't think that tattoo sessions are a good time to experiment with that stuff either...but I don't think any of that stuff is necessary. - - - Updated - - - I don't have any specific advice, but the lining sessions were really challenging. The back, to me, was entering a whole new world of getting tattooed. It's not a difficult spot, it's a series of difficult spots that are challenging for different ways, and it wasn't until I came in on the morning of my appointment and saw the stencil that I realized exactly how big my back is. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck after that first session. With that said, getting through those hard sessions is 90% mental. Be well-rested, well-nourished, and all that, but it comes down to gritting your teeth and just putting up with it and not fighting it. I would assume that because you have quite a few tattoos from Greg and because you're having him do your back that you get along well with him and that's important too: good conversation, jokes, funny stories, things that will distract you from the tattooing make a big difference. Often during sessions I'd drink a beer maybe an hour or two in and I found a nice imperial stout or the like helped me to relax, but that depends on you and your tattooer being cool with it. I don't think there's any shame in getting a little bit of assistance in getting through the sessions (I've heard that muscle relaxants can help a lot to quell the body's instinct to tense up) but I don't think that tattoo sessions are a good time to experiment with that stuff either...but I don't think any of that stuff is necessary.

As of today I am exactly 4 weeks away from starting this whole backpiece thing. That seems like a long time, but I'm having renovations done to the house in that time, so I know it's just going to fly by. I'm spending a lot of time thinking about the appointment. Anybody have any advice specific to surviving a looooonog day of lining? Greg wants to get the lining done in one day and we're going nape to thighs -- and I am not a waif -- so I suspect this is gonna be quite a day. I just wanna be as ready as possible.

Another member of the 45 club here. I would love to be able to get a new tattoo about every two months. That way it continues to be a special event and I have plenty of time to enjoy the new piece and let it settle in before adding another. The caveat would be if I were working on a large, multi session tattoo, something I have yet to do. In that situation I would want to keep going every other week or as often as the artist is willing to work on it. I know you have to strike a balance between working on sections and allowing them to heal on such projects.

You really shouldn't ever take this "coloring book" approach to any tattoo. If you are willing to travel to get tattooed by someone whose work you really love, why have someone else complete the work? It makes no sense and is a disservice to everyone, including yourself. I'm currently getting a sleeve from an artist I've admired for a long, long time. I tried for 3 years just to get an appointment, which wasn't until the end of 2014. I can't go often or for more than one session at a time, but I've had 4 sessions, and there's still work to be done. It's been a long process, but I wouldn't trade any aspect of it because the end result is so, so worth it. If you're gonna commit to traveling for a long-term project, then fucking commit.

Started the line work on my lower sleeve today with a Jizu - will be adding a Kannon on a dragon line work on the other side of the arm in a couple of weeks. Than moving on to filling in the gaps and colour. so it begins. Arm by Dan Innes at Pearl Harbor

Got this panther/rose from Juan Puente a few weeks ago. photo by Juan that day.

Got this little memorial for my father from Tim Pausinger at The Pearl in Toronto on Monday. Its been a long long journey.

Here is the piece I just got in Springfield, Oregon at the Evergreen Tattoo Invitational. It's not quite finished but will get it's final touches in Vegas in a couple weeks. It's a collaboration piece done by Christian Buckingham and Dwight Bulb who both work out of Revolt in Vegas. Christian did the black and gray realism of Archangel Gabriel and Dwight did the Neo Traditional Jasmine flowers. Ended up sitting for almost 11hr over 2 days and had a blast! It was my first convention and was such a great setting to get a tattoo. Had originally scheduled with Christian who did my first 2 tattoos but when he asked if I had any interest in doing a collaboration with Dwight I felt honored and jumped at the opportunity. I'm amazed at how nicely the Neo Traditional works with the Realism and it really does frame out the angel is such a stunning way....basically two great tattoos in and of themselves. Dwight did all of the flowers freehand and they fit my arm so perfectly. In June this sleeve will be continued onto my lower arm in some way. I want to have a cavern with a devil and maybe some dead trees and/or wilted flowers...?? The art isn't decided yet but will be a Heaven and Hell sleeve basically. Will have Christian and Dwight collaborate on the lower half too so that it carries well. Hard to get all of the piece in one pic but will get some nicer pics after the work is done and it's healed. I'm so completely stoked about this tattoo and feel like I got such a great one for it being my 3rd piece.

Hey guys...I'm not on the boards too much lately because frankly, I'm kind of tired of even thinking about tattoos at the moment. This current project I'm working on is the most grueling yet. Once I finish this piece, I think I'll go back to traditional one shots on my arms, because this thing is burning me out. Anyway, I met with Sam Warren recently to work on doing some coloring (so far we've done one for lining, one for black and gray shading, and now one for color). One more session to go next month to finish coloring and maybe do some touching up. Sorry the pic is horrible but have you ever tried taking a picture of your own thigh? It ain't easy. Here's some close ups of the key components:

How about Justin Olivier? Lawrence Edwards? Pony Reinhardt? Casper Mugridge (Canada)

made a trip to michigan over the weekend jeff zuck @ name brand tattoo. not sure why the picture looks weird at the top of the flames alex boyko @ sunhouse then today on my way home i swung by old soul and got this from john hill

I've been gone for a while. I'm stoked to see so many great tattoos being done. Started my back with Horitomo in December.

Booked in a month from now to get some filler glyphs around my armpit from Jondix. Looking forward a lot! Also it's going to be cool to get tattooed at Seven Doors, only visited before. Some days before I get my left elbow tattooed by Rudy Fritsch at the Scottish Convention. Iain Mullen did my right elbow back in 2012, second time I met him. Last year at the Scottish Convention Iain and Rudy finished my back. So having the other elbow by Rudy now feels like full circle in a way. Beautiful

Looking to find original reference for the crying heart Hope someone could help me in the right direction?! Sorry can't find how to post threads**

i've heard it called the bent back girl or bent back skull. first time i saw it was in this animation called "The Devil in Denim." oldest reference i've seen is from Milton Zeis, Tattooing As You Like It. there are some awesome versions of it. this DETH version tickled my fancy, so i copped it. can't remember the title of this piece at the moment, but i'll track it down.

Fly tattoo from Dietzel on my boss. 1964. $5. About the size of a golf ball.