Leaderboard

Hi there! I'm Jason from Philadelphia, PA. I have two full arm sleeves, and one leg sleeve. I very much enjoy being (but not getting) tattooed!

Here are a few more of my tattoos:

I suggest just going to your artist and saying "I want to do a traditional eagle with an American flag - color. I'm looking for something fairly large. I really love the look of the eagles flying with upswept wings...but could also go with a perched eagle." If your artist specializes in traditional tattoos, and is a good artist, he doesn't need anything more than that to work with! See what he comes up with, I bet it will be better than any examples you're going to get from google searching it.

yeah i think his tattoo looks fine..."lol" everyone heals different - every piece of skin is different but yeah hes good to go - though you seem intent to convince him otherwise but hey - your advice is probably what the OP wants to hear anyway as one of the other forum members on here always says people get the tattoos they deserve and in this case - i think they ultimately listen to the advice they deserve too - - - Updated - - - yeah i think his tattoo looks fine..."lol" everyone heals different - every piece of skin is different but yeah hes good to go - though you seem intent to convince him otherwise but hey - your advice is probably what the OP wants to hear anyway as one of the other forum members on here always says people get the tattoos they deserve and in this case - i think they ultimately listen to the advice they deserve too

It looks fine. The slightly bumpy texture of the skin should go away in time. I have a 2-month old tattoo that has some areas that look roughly the same. It's still settling. I'm prone to really small, harmless granulomas in my newish tattoos, but they're not a sign of anything going wrong, ultimately.

couldnt disagree more - OP - your tattoo looks like a tattoo - it will 'settle in' more - lose its 'shine' so to speak - but you're good - now - maybe you have a misunderstanding of what tattoos are - they arent digital prints magically attached to your skin - they're tattoos - as for the vaseline - well aftercare is a whole other topic isnt it - imo - you're better off dry healing - but thats just me - - - Updated - - - couldnt disagree more - OP - your tattoo looks like a tattoo - it will 'settle in' more - lose its 'shine' so to speak - but you're good - now - maybe you have a misunderstanding of what tattoos are - they arent digital prints magically attached to your skin - they're tattoos - as for the vaseline - well aftercare is a whole other topic isnt it - imo - you're better off dry healing - but thats just me

Go see Tom Yak at Electric Tattoo in Asbury Park, NJ. He can do everything, including folky tattoos (some are included in his portfolio which I am linking to here) plus his tattoos are going to look good forever because he knows how to properly make a tattoo. He's also a fantastic guy and is very gentle, which is always a pleasant bonus. Home

I got all of these touched up last week by my artist, Josh Henderson. Next tattoo is scheduled with Richard Stell at the Oklahoma Tattoo Convention at the end of this month, then I'm finishing my half sleeve on my right arm with Josh in May. Looking forward to both!

@Lance I'll elaborate on the story a bit, it was a fun trip after all. I show up at the shop around 12. Like I said, I came expecting the worst, but I wanted to exceed the expectation and knock this thing out in one day. Johan shows me the drawing, and in my head all I can hear is Gob from Arrested Development, "I've made a huge mistake." So much hair and little lines, fuck me. So we spend the next 45 minutes or so with general setup and talking about placement as I reconsider my goals for the day after seeing all those lines. All laid out, I assume the position. He starts low at the hip and works the way up in sections. The hip bone made my body vibrate, and the nerves radiated at certain times where I swear he put a line down my shaft, or up higher it felt like he ran over my nipple. Nothing worse than expected though. Nothing that made me break out in an instant cold sweat like when my lower back got hit. Just general "this sucks." so I was able to make it. @hogg recommended a focused breathing technique, and pretend to blow out candles from far away, well I blew out the equivalent of a forest fire over the course of the day. My lips were chapped and my throat was dry. Anyhow, after almost 4 hours of lines, I was again reassessing goals for the day. This was about the point when I was feeling the worst. I was almost ready to call it a day, but I was actually looking forward to pretending to be tough in front of @ironchef, so I pushed on. Johan and I had to be realistic about what was left, and what we thought we could finish that day. We opted for coloring the low hanging fruit; the horns, the belly, and the fire. Especially because we couldn't settle on body/hair colors. So after the first strip of fire, Johan can tell I'm close to the end and I might not make it. He offers some vasocaine spray. At first I'm a little reluctant, but after some time to consider it, I take him up on the offer. He assures me that for most people, it takes away ~50% of the pain. Well goddamn if it didn't work for me. At this point, ironchef shows up, and who knows what he thought of meeting me as I'm able to hold a conversation getting my ribs worked on. A second wind combined with relief from the spray, I felt really good at this point. We all talked and had a good time while Johan wrapped things up, and ironchef and I took obligatory nude pics together. I was out of the shop around 8 and on my way home for a shower and very restless sleep.

I like to do smart car tipping,similar to cow tipping,but way better.

Get the fuck out of here with that attitude. Maybe tipping isn't expected in Australia, and that's fine if you don't tip there. But don't chalk it up to you making $35/hour and the artist making $180/hour because that's such a naive and bullshit way of viewing how tattoo artists are compensated. Most artists either have to rent out a spot in a shop or pay a percentage of their earnings to the shop, usually around 30% based on what I've heard. So that $180 is now about $120. I've also heard from artists that just to set up a tattoo costs between $20-40 (which is why shop minimums exist). So now it's down to about $90. Now take into account they only charge for the time they are actually tattooing you, not the time they are setting up, drawing, putting on the stencil, listening to what you want, etc. So a "one hour" tattoo, really probably takes a minimum of 1.5-2 hours. Now that's down to about $45 an hour. Now take into account that most artists don't work 9-5, instead, they might get a couple of tattoos a day, with lots of down time in between. After all of that, that $180/hour doesn't look so glamorous does it? Now take into account that the cost of living in Australia is much higher than in the US, and the fact that your artist only charges $180/hour when many artists in the states charge the same or higher. I don't mean to say that this means you should tip, but I think it's disingenuous to act like all tattooers are super rich just because they charge $180+ per hour. - - - Updated - - - Get the fuck out of here with that attitude. Maybe tipping isn't expected in Australia, and that's fine if you don't tip there. But don't chalk it up to you making $35/hour and the artist making $180/hour because that's such a naive and bullshit way of viewing how tattoo artists are compensated. Most artists either have to rent out a spot in a shop or pay a percentage of their earnings to the shop, usually around 30% based on what I've heard. So that $180 is now about $120. I've also heard from artists that just to set up a tattoo costs between $20-40 (which is why shop minimums exist). So now it's down to about $90. Now take into account they only charge for the time they are actually tattooing you, not the time they are setting up, drawing, putting on the stencil, listening to what you want, etc. So a "one hour" tattoo, really probably takes a minimum of 1.5-2 hours. Now that's down to about $45 an hour. Now take into account that most artists don't work 9-5, instead, they might get a couple of tattoos a day, with lots of down time in between. After all of that, that $180/hour doesn't look so glamorous does it? Now take into account that the cost of living in Australia is much higher than in the US, and the fact that your artist only charges $180/hour when many artists in the states charge the same or higher. I don't mean to say that this means you should tip, but I think it's disingenuous to act like all tattooers are super rich just because they charge $180+ per hour.

Before: 1. Hydrate well and don't drink alcohol for 24 hours before the tattoo. Alcohol thins the blood which could cause more bleeding during the tattoo. 2. Avoid painkillers and other medicines that thin the blood, if possible, for 24 hours before the tattoo. 3. Get an adequate amount of sleep for your body's needs. After: 1. People recommend an anti-bacterial or anti-microbial soap. However, it is hard to find these that are free of added colors and fragrances. I have sensitive skin and use Basis as my bar soap (found at Amazon, Ulta and Bed Bath and Beyond). If you use Dove, I would suggest making sure that it's the Fragrance Free version; the unscented version still has masking fragrance in it. 2. Some normal first aid products aren't recommended for tattoo healing as they may contain alcohol or other agents that will irritate the tattoo. I've used Bacitracin with no problems. 3. Lotions should be fragrance and color free. You also want to avoid lotions with petrolatum and mineral oil. Many of the common ones that are mentioned (Eucerin, Lubriderm, Aquaphor) contain at least one of these things. There are other lotions that are marketed for tattoos such as After Inked which should be fine for most people with sensitive skin. However, it gave me a burning sensation so I stopped using it. I ended up using Hustle Butter (found on Amazon and at tattoo conventions). 4. I'm not familiar with Burt's Bees products enough to have an opinion on them. 5. Unless you are using a product like Tegaderm or Saniderm, I wouldn't rewrap the tattoo just to protect the sheets. I would use old sheets if staining your sheets is the concern. If I misread your concern, let us know. Your artist will tell you about after-care for your tattoo. Let your artist know of your concerns with allergies, as well.

@Naiemh hey everyone has a right to express themselves here and thats a good thing and you know what you got me thinkin people enjoy tattoos for different reasons we'll each have a priority of things that draw us to certain tattoos or styles of tattoos and we'll each have technical application preferences too within those styles and thats ok me - i think first and foremost is the gut reaction element certain tattoos hit you like that and you dont forget them thats whats most important to me in the tattoo not the perfection its the impact rob ryan does a nice job explaining this in this vimeo piece which doesnt seem to want to show itself :) so go to vimeo and do a little searching 3 minutes long but cool nonetheless

My name is Ulises, and i have been getting tattooed for the past 4 years now. I enjoy learning about tattoo history and culture. I love to draw and paint tattoo flash. I made this account to learn more about the history of tattooing, and to learn about new artist as well. Thank you for taking your time to read this.

Welcome! :D have fun! Yesterday I watched an history documentary about tattoos and I learned a lot. It was in spanish tho, but it was a voiceover so if I found the original one in english I will post it if you're interested in tattoo history :) Enviado desde mi JY-G4 mediante Tapatalk

just commented on this in another thread...i think anyway - the dilemma with what i call collector mode is the that the more you are trying to collect new and different the harder it is to get back to tattooers you really like and want more from only so much money and skin right anyway - the challenge increases exponentionally - is that a word as you meet more awesome tattooers just something i was thinkin about

kind of enjoying this period here - looking to get something done late spring - nothing happening in the summer so that will be a good slow down for me - but....not sure who or what - problem is - and I'm not complaining now - is that i have had so many great experiences with different tattooers - and i'm torn sometimes - do you go back and get another from one of those tattooers - or do you stay in that 'collector' mode - wanting to have another awesome new experience with another tattooer in another shop - my recent trip to maryland to see chad koeplinger kinda opened my eyes a little to the possibilities of traveling further out to get tattooed anyway - like i said - not REAL problem - just some fun stuff going through my head as i ponder the immediate tattoo future for myself i do think i know the piece i want - its a classic and so many of the tattooers i'm thinking about would kill it - got the spot picked out too ah - rambling now - - - Updated - - - kind of enjoying this period here - looking to get something done late spring - nothing happening in the summer so that will be a good slow down for me - but....not sure who or what - problem is - and I'm not complaining now - is that i have had so many great experiences with different tattooers - and i'm torn sometimes - do you go back and get another from one of those tattooers - or do you stay in that 'collector' mode - wanting to have another awesome new experience with another tattooer in another shop - my recent trip to maryland to see chad koeplinger kinda opened my eyes a little to the possibilities of traveling further out to get tattooed anyway - like i said - not REAL problem - just some fun stuff going through my head as i ponder the immediate tattoo future for myself i do think i know the piece i want - its a classic and so many of the tattooers i'm thinking about would kill it - got the spot picked out too ah - rambling now

Yes!! This is killer! - - - Updated - - - Yes!! This is killer!

Forgot to post pics. We nearly finished this up a couple weeks ago. One more short session next month to darken and tighten things up. Here's some terrible quality photos I got the next day: And just yesterday I got a closeup of the horse head, which gives you an idea of how much the blue is really starting to pop now that it's almost fully done healing. I need to get better quality photos of the whole thing.

Female college student. Among other girls the "pinterest" tattoos are very popular- small white ink, small symbols in B&G, etc. Yesterday there was a girl in the gym in front of me that had some weird black shape. Once she stopped running I realized they were tiny elephants. Guys are very into the tribal and the black out style pieces. That being said, I do see many people with larger, bolder tattoos. A girl who sits next to me in Chemistry has an octopus that covers her entire chest. Another girl I've seen on campus has two large Alice in Wonderland images done on her thighs. There's also a lot of nerdy tattoos: Harry Potter, Supernatural, gamers, LOTR, etc. I truly think that's a generation thing, because many of these things have come to define our generation. Good tattoos aren't a rarity, but they get overshadowed by the lower quality ones. I think a lot of it, especially with the women my age, are still associating feminine with small and dainty, and that tattoos are still in the stages of becoming widely accepted

Dude. That wrathful offering is killer. So is the Jondix work too, but you knew that already. Very cool stuff. - - - Updated - - - Got this super-cool little moth from @cltattooing . It was a nice change of pace from the large-work I've got going on right now. Pumped on this little guy! https://www.instagram.com/p/BEC8O07DEkE/?taken-by=handoftheforge

Many people have seen this all ready I guess. By Jondix, 11 days ago. Had such a great time. Stayed at the shop past midnight, talking and eating after the session. Everybody should get something from him. Super good heart, attitude and knowledge of tattooing and art. Wrathful offering of the five senses by Jonas Nyberg from last year.

My wife and I started crewing for a Hot Air Balloon company about a year and a half ago. Great exercise - set up and inflate the balloon, chase it, pack it back up and then have champagne and crackers - and, best of all, sometimes we get to fly. You can see the shadow of the balloon to my right in this picture.

WARM-UP: Get a good sleep the night before. Eat a good meal before. Drink lots of water before. Water during (or hot water/tea) STRETCH - it's not just about stretching the part getting tattooed, but stretch out your whole body to get through the weird positions and strain you may find yourself in...people underestimate this. DURING: Bring a meal for the mid-point break. Not junk food, like an actual meal. Or healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, veggies. RELAX - get your head in the right space. Worrying will make it worse. Relax the feet, the body will follow. And don't forget to breathe. Hold your breath and you will pass out. and when you finally hear "ok i think we're done"...just chill and enjoy the moment before you get up slowly. Jump off the table to quickly, guaranteed you will get a blood rush and possibly pass out. Don't be a pussy - it's just a tattoo, you can do it ;) POST-TATTOO.. Drink a couple beers and smoke a joint, Guaranteed to make you pass out ! Relax. The pain is over...for a few hours until you have to peel that damn tape off the bandage and the shower water hits the fresh tattoo a-o !

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

I knew a kid in florida who made an appt with Eddie Deustche for "one of them elephant headed buddhas" back in the day. I wish I could have been there when he asked for that.

honestly, "collector" bothers me (sorry robin)! generally speaking people who refer to themselves as collectors are a bit smug and see themselves as above other clients. no offense robin, or anyone else who use this term, it's just been my experience and bothered me for years. the guy getting his girlfriend's name is just as important as a "collector" getting a custom "cool" tattoo. sometimes these "collectors" scoff at having to wait while i do a regular walk-in on someone they deem "uncool", and it eats me up. but i guess this is a whole other discussion!