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You find experts in anything you do. People generally get excited about what they like and want to appear very knowledgeable. And with tattoos they also want to appear tough - "like I sat for 10hrs straight", I hear this brag statement so often for the most unsubstantial tattoos it is nauseating. I'm like, good for you that must have hurt! But when it's obvious they got grey lined, then lined, then re-lined again and then delicately grey shaded I'm like suuuure bud that must. have. hurt (your pocket) ! But whatever, I know what's up with my tattoos and my tattooists and what it really takes to go the distance, so good for them. I guess my peeve is people asking about your tattoos. They don't sincerely ask about your tattoos. Nobody gives a shit about your tattoos. Maybe I'm being a little melodramatic...but 90% of the time being asked about your tattoos is simply the unsolicited invitation for people to just talk and show off their own. It is a penis-measuring contest. People love to talk. And love hearing themselves talk. And perhaps I'm no different. I mean really I post here at LST often because this is one of the very few outlets I have (aside from the tattoo shop) where I can wax about tattoos and my experience with honesty (and feel like I have an audience haha). So peace to the LST cats for reading my words, whether you reply or care. Or you can just scroll past, who cares! There is a lot of ego and attitude in the tattoo scene. So perhaps the lesson for me here is to ask people about their tattoos (in person) more often when i do see something cool or fresh. Everybody has their own story to tell. It's all good though. Just keep getting tattooed because you enjoy it. Enjoy it for yourself. The people who truly are ass-deep (literally) into tattoos no what's up and will keep the culture thriving, pet peeves or not.

c'mon what about smallest tattoos? LOL

no real pet peeves i think - i really dont care what other people do with regards to their tattoos maybe people expecting their tattoos to be perfect and obsessing about minor imperfections oh - and people who constantly talk about getting tattooed but never do guess i do have pet peeves :)

I once was at a party and approached a local tattoo artist with the intention of asking if she was interested in doing my next piece. She asked to see my tattoo, which I was aware was lame as I was just starting out. When she saw it, she turned around and walked away without saying a word. I was pretty bummed. Later when she did my sleeve I mentioned to her what had happened years before and made the point that everyone has to start somewhere.

haha yup. but when you have buds who are like this...and then they FINALLY get that tattoo they keep yapping about it. it is pretty exciting to watch them be excited. one of my favourite things in the tattoo shop is watching somebody get their first tattoo. wait - this is pet peeve thread, i'm supposed to be complaining, not posting about my favourite things haha cheers

my name is Luke I'm a tattoo artist. i've been tattooing professionally for 2 1/2 years.... yeah that's it. signed up to browse around the forum and read some tattoo talk! here's some of my work.

nice work man not my style but fine tattooing nonetheless

Hello All, Finally got my first tattoo, and it was a blast. I just wanted to share it; got it done at Last Rites Tattoo in NYC. I am going to expand it (forearm, and to the chest) next year, but i am glad with the result so far.

I love giving gifts and they've always been well received (Since I'm in the USA I'll tip on top of the gift). Typically I'll only give gifts to tattooers I've seen a few times and have a good rapport with, or if I have a pretty good handle on what they'd like. Things I've given: -Lots of records -Documentary on the underground music scene in my area -Prints that weren't tattoo related but would be up their alley (Haida stuff from western Canada...the real-deal stuff, not the tourist-trap stuff) -Booze -Food: my wife and I have brought home-made pies, cookies, even chili once... As they say, it's the thought that counts. If it's genuine and you're stoked on it, chances are they will be too even if it's not a perfect match. Don't overthink it. If it gets too convoluted, remember that Cash is King.

I'll take your tiny bee and raise you my well settled in micro Baphomet.

I don't like small tattoos. I don't like tattoos that are self-consciously tasteful. Tattoos should be large, bold, and at least somewhat obnoxious.

I had a weird interaction last night. I was parking my car on the street and found a pretty tight spot between a car and a no parking area that I just managed to fit in. Some neighborhood guy was watching me park to make sure I wasn't in the no parking area because my neighborhood is full of people who sit on their stoops or hang out on the sidewalks making comments. Anyway, I parked, and the guy was eyeing my parking job and giving me running commentary about how it was okay. Then I got out of the car, the guy saw me, looked a bit surprised, and said "you're tattooed, it's good" in the kind of tone like don't fuck with people with tattoos if you know what's good for you. That seemed super weird to me. Where I live I'd say more people have tattoos than don't and it's the sort of place where you see face tattoos daily, so any kind of comments about tattoos are rare, and especially the kind that I got last night. Probably the guy was just a weirdo though.

I like to say that I know 1% of nothing...about most things. :) I try not to judge these folks to much because they are so freaking excited about their "work." It's fun to watch them spin. Obviously, being the 15 minute expert is dangerous if they are giving advice but hopefully their advice is taken with a grain of salt. Anyone who is posting here could school them in a instant if they wanted to do so. It's more amusing to let them go... And know-it-alls on any topic are just f'ing annoying.

I have 2 full sleeves, a full pectoral done, the back of my calf done, and a couple of other small random regrettable pieces (that will eventually be covered), and I still know next to nothing about tattoos and tattooing. When I give advice or an opinion, I try to make sure that I preface it with "for me, with my tattoos..." I really can't stand "know it alls", especially on something that is as permanent as a tattoo. When the artists in the shop talk about tattooing, there are so many things that we (not professional tattoo artists) don't even think to think about. Everything from passing the epidermis and keeping the ink in the dermis, to coil and rotary and pneumatic tattoo machines, to needle speeds and depths, to bloodlines, to colour blending.... But yeah, please share your in depth knowledge and never ending bank of advice with me! It's all good though, my favourite is when I'm wearing long sleeves and someone with about an hour of experience under the tattoo needle is counselling me about tattoos. Then I pull up my sleeve to check the time [emoji2] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My appointment for Koeplinger's 50 state tour finally came! I cannot say enough good things about Chad and my experience. He was open to my ideas and excited to make some changes to his original drawing to give me exactly what I wanted. We talked about all sorts of things (from our travels in the Middle East to vintage TV shows) and time just flew by. And he is ridiculously fast!! This 8x10" piece on my thigh took 1 1/2 hours from stencil to finish. I would definitely get another tattoo from him and will be watching his schedule to see when he is next near me. Wildcat

A pet peeve for me is all the kids that are new to getting tattooed that are going straight for the most visible spots on the body, such as a warped tour body suit. After spending a lot of time reading the posts and threads on LST, it makes sense for me to cover my body in a traditional manner (e.g. Torso, thighs, upper arms, then moving to more visible areas). In the end it doesn't matter what the content is or where a person gets tattooed, doesn't affect me in the slightest.

The sharpies sound like a nice idea since they are useful and hard to find as you say. I would plan to cash tip on top though.....i have given a gift once but my standard large tip was also offered and accepted at the same time. My gift was maple syrup, since I live where it is made and cheaply available but costs a fortune where the tattoo was done.

I couldn't agree more. There were some situations where people just didn't want to help me, prior to getting tattooed. I made me feel as if "I wasn't good enough" for information. But now, I always try to help when asked. I give my honest opinion and sometimes they follow and sometimes they don't. I enjoyed the last 3 years of getting tattoo and I'm happy I waited to get my first tattoo.

when I recently got tattooed by chad the guy ahead of me was getting his first by chad talk about doing it right

Love that bee!

Makes me want to spin Frank Turner's song "Tattoos"! Think that I will...

Oni on my right foot. It'll be my 3rd tattoo by Stewart, he's awesome!

Yeah, so this 100%: oh - and people who constantly talk about getting tattooed but never do. I look at it as a couple of types of people. First, those who most likely will get a tattoo but haven't figured out what they want yet and those who are attention seekers. I have a friend who falls into the later category. She posted a check-in on FB at a shop with the caption "getting ink". A bunch of us were excited for her and asked for details...she never responded. At this point, I don't give a ** if she did or not. She'd respond with a passive aggressive comment. Totally not worth it. @marley mission

@ChrisvK Claudio Romeo from Palermo, or mr_rom3o on insta (hope he's not reading here lol). I'm not sure if he's planning to be guesting anywhere soon (they just opened the studio in the end of last year and he seems pretty busy), but I really like your idea! @bladezzz thank you! I get what you mean about personal tastes, but given my poor knowledge on anything alcohol related I'm happy to go with any safe(ish) bet. Btw as someone who does not drink and whose husband (who does not drink either) often gets gifted bottles of wine or spirits, we're surprisingly happy to receive this kind of gifts from time to time since it saves us the trouble of buying, and especially choosing, drinks we to offer guests ;).

Who is doing your tattoo in Italy? I know quiet a few italian artists are guestspotting all over Europe all the time so maybe get him something travel related, or a sick suitcase that can hold his machines or something? just an idea

Everytime a different, good single malt Scotch Whisky is my standard gift for my artist :)

So it's been awhile but I finally got my first tattoo. Here it is.

I can see where in some cultures a monetary tip might not be considered tasteful. where are you located?

And it's now hanging in his shop in Tulsa.

I've never seen a tattoo artist decline a tip. Ever. Give him a tip. He has to pay his bills.

Socks. Always cool socks. :) @Kurgana

Have you checked his social media accounts? Maybe a Starbucks card or just a really nice tip. :)

Original poster here. It went well, with no passing out! [emoji6] I ate a big rice chicken bowl for lunch right before the tattoo. The first bathroom break I felt drunk and tried to remind myself that it was my body coping with the pain, and all the advice I had gotten here. I drank LOTS of water during, sat and stood up very slowly, and scarfed a chocolate protein bar when the artist went to get more ink. So thank you! I have to go back to finish the tattoo because we ran out of time, but I am feeling much more confident now! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At the gym getting ready after my workout. I'm putting on my makeup in my jeans and bra. This lady rolls in with her 6 year old daughter. This little girl looks at my tattoos and says directly to me "Mommy says tattoos are stupid and so are the people who get them." I gently kneel in front of her and say "Your Mommy is closed minded and judgmental. You should always try to be kind to people and not jump to conclusions about people you don't know." Lady is horrified. Grabs child and leaves. Kid loved it..she smiled and waved goodbye to me.

Just finished Jack and i couldn't be happier with it! So excited! Done by Zaed from Radical Ink in Bucharest.

UPDATE: Well, today was the day! What a long, but great day! It began a little before 11:00am. I was the first one in the shop with Scott (most of the day, there were 10-15 people there, and at one point six artists were tattooing simultaneously). He had been working on a few designs based on the sleeve length I wanted. Over the week between today and our consultation, I had decided to ask him to put the dragon's head somewhere on my arm instead of with the head in the more traditional chest area. I was a little worried to be asking for this, as Scott has a relatively new sleeve with the head in the center, and the last thing I wanted was for him to think I was trying to copy his own tattoo. Luckily, when I got there, he informed me that the last several dragons he had done had the head on the chest, and he was dying to do something new. Perfect! His sketches had just what I wanted. It was a really good sign. However, getting it right took some time. Using thin paint brushes, he created the design over four separate layers. The dragon's head had to be moved several times, and the unique swirl of the dragon we decided on what difficult to get right without looking like the head was plopped onto the center of the body... but Scott is a perfectionist, and after a lot of erasing and revising, and then relining, and revising, etc... we were finally done with a design ready to be inked at 2:40. With only a few short breaks, it took a lot longer than I expected. But the result is something that works specifically with my body as opposed to just slapping a template onto my arm. I love it. Here is a quick snap of Scott somewhere between layer 2 and 3 of sketching on me: I haven't had a tattoo in nearly 20 years, so I had no idea what to expect from the pain, especially over so many areas. Tattooing in the ditch was no treat, but not as bad as I had come to expect from reading. The outside of the elbow lived up to expectations. But the worst was around my collarbone, where any wincing or tightening of my face would risk pulling the skin under his needle. And there was one spot on my chest where I could clearly feel the vibration on my pec, but the pain was in my neck. I could have sworn at the time he was tattooing my upper-middle neck. Long story short (yeah, right), we finished up the linework a little after 5:00pm. I am absolutely thrilled with the result... and was getting tons of compliments on it by the many artists and clients in the shop throughout the day. Here is a front shot: It is a little difficult to see from this angle and with only linework, but the dragon's body actually goes out the back of the head and swirls up and around the shoulders through the clouds and comes out belly showing under his head before turning again towards the end of the sleeve. It makes a little more sense visually if you can see the back. I also have the dragon clutching a pearl with his talons on the back on the sleeve and will actually be filling the pearl with a significant flower logo in the next session. Overall, a fantastic day. I couldn't be happier that Scott got all the elements I wanted into the design, was able to keep it very traditional, but also with a great deal of uniqueness built just for me. If any readers are in Austin, Triple Crown Tattoo on Chicon Street (right around the corner from Franklin's BBQ!) is a must-visit.

Finished up my chest piece by London Reese in Lake Forest, CA. Took 18 hours on my back to piece together this dragon. Was inspired through various influences and references. London is a really cool and easy going guy. 10/10 would get tattooed by him again. Vatican Studios is seriously wicked too. Rad artsy layout, with some seriously talented artists.

@sophistre = BOOM! Down on 1 knee and bowing. - - - Updated - - - @sophistre = BOOM! Down on 1 knee and bowing.

The one mercy of when I got my back lined was that Dave decided to fill in the tiger stripes in that first session so I had some breaks from the liner. Not that shading doesn't still hurt, but it at least doesn't feel like giant heated knives are being dragged slowly through your flesh. You win, not just for sitting strong on a tough session, but also for making a quality Hellraiser reference. - - - Updated - - - The one mercy of when I got my back lined was that Dave decided to fill in the tiger stripes in that first session so I had some breaks from the liner. Not that shading doesn't still hurt, but it at least doesn't feel like giant heated knives are being dragged slowly through your flesh. You win, not just for sitting strong on a tough session, but also for making a quality Hellraiser reference.

I go to 69% female college in a small middle-of-nowhere town that shares its name with a Facebook game. Most of the tattoos I see are either your cliche girl-in-college tattoos (anchors, infinities, and all that stuff). Other than that, it's usually really brainy stuff (I'm talking forces stuff from physics and the like) or gaming-related. Quite a bit of Zelda. There are only two shops in town and there are jokes surrounding them that (a) one offers laser-removal because their work is so bad you're gonna need it and (b) like half the work that the better one does is cover ups for people who went to the bad place first.

Ha, thanks. No color, just black and grey shading. Lots more to do with it. I went to the black and grey master, so hopefully it will finish up photorealistic. It's funny, I showed my back at the start of the session and the only reaction was "lookit all that white skin!" It was a relief for sure.

I've been loving the Gibson girl heads Ron Wells has been doing lately and was wondering if anyone on here has an adaptation of a Gibson girl. I particularly like "The Eternal Question" based on Evelyn Nesbit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, who has a pretty fascinating/tragic life story. I didn't used to think I'd want a girl head...

I've been really into the lady heads that Herb Auerbach has been doing lately. I know some people already mentioned Stefan Johnsson, and they definitely have a similar style with really heavy blacks, golds, and reds. These are pulled from his Instagram (@herbxauerbach). PS. These are the first pics I've tried to attach to a reply, so hopefully they show up ok. Sorry if they didn't.

I think Megan Wilson at Analog in San Jose does nice lady heads. I really want to get a tattoo from her someday.

New to this site, I'm an apprentice and my new obsession is lady heads so I've been studying them like crazy and was surprised to find the Xam the Spaniard wasn't mentioned, he does beautiful ladies. That said my personal favorites are from Valerie Vargas.

I posted this in another section but I just got this last night, done by Ron Wells at Three Kings Tattoo in NY.

I just love this Amund Dietzel lady head. This ones definately on my list

obvious lieber influenced some pretty heavy hitters after him but it seems his name is often left out. one of the greats in my opinion.

lately i have been really into how owen jensen, joe lieber, bert grimm ect. used to draw women. chubby and sort of off. it has a stripped down visceral quality to it. i really like the more fancy stuff everyone above has been doing as well but for some reason the older style stuff really speaks to me.