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Received my first tattoo "Saint Christopher" on this day 13 years ago from the one-and-only Steve Batt (Edmonton, AB). "Look kid, I'm not going to draw the Last Supper. You want a tattoo today or not?" I can still smell the speedstick scent he used to apply the stencil. And in an ironic twist of fate, with the fresh tattoo of the patron saint of travel on a swollen arm, we got in a car accident 5 minutes after leaving the shop. The tattoo is as rich, bright and colourful as it was the day it was made. In fact it keeps looking better each year as it ages. Dropped in this afternoon to see Sensei Steve and thanked him for 13 years of capital "Q" quality tattoos he has made for me. cheers everyone !

Totally agree with @ChrisvK... If you're looking for a "unique look" the map with pins on it might not serve you in the long run...why not just set one of those up on your wall? Or get one travel themed tattoo as a stand-alone? As an ongoing tattoo, I think locking yourself into this idea limits a lot of really cool opportunities. Lots of members here have traveled and gotten tattoos (myself included). You'll remember where you got 'em without displaying it on a map.

Hello, I've been reading these boards for a while now and finally decided it was time to join. My name is Nick, I'm, from Long Island and have a few tattoos including a half sleeve and full sleeve in progress. I recently just started the full sleeve with Mike Rubendall from Kings Ave. Needless to say I'm extremely excited and glad to be on here finally.

i'm not really down for coverups in any way but the shape of a crawling black panther might just fit that spot nicely

Beautiful work! The colors are amazing for all those years.

Welcome to the forum! Regarding your question: Why don't you just get a sick tattoo from a great local artist in places you visit? That way you can make you're own "world map" without having to cram a lot of tiny pins and airplanes on a worldmap outline. The way you described your tattoo it will only look uncluttered and stand the test of time if you dedicate a large portion of your back to it. Lets be honest, a rock of ages or battle royal would look so much better on your back ;) Also tattooing over an already existing tattoo can be done, but do it too often and scar tissue will form on those spots just my 0.02

Hey guys. Just wanted to do a product review because I've looked online and aside from one video on YouTube, I haven't really found any product reviews for this item. I have nothing at all to do with the company and profit in no way from you liking this review or not. I think that would be pretty obvious, but I wanted to put the disclaimer up front. Okay, a little back story -- two weeks ago today I had the linework done on my arm for a 7/10-length Japanese dragon sleeve. You can read more about that in the Initiation forum. I am an avid golfer, so let me tell you - the idea of completely staying out of the sun for more than a month was a real killer. I have definitely kept the new tattoo out of the sun completely until all the peel has gone away (between day 9-10)... but at two weeks, I wasn't sure I really wanted to lather it up in sunscreen yet since the skin is so new and the Texas sun can be brutal - but I needed to play golf! My wife often wears a set of removable sleeves when she golfs, and she suggested I try these out. First I went to Dick's sporting goods, and they actually have a lot of these in stock from a variety of brands. They are really popular now because a lot of NBA players wear them on the court, and a lot of women on the LPGA wear them. I checked them all out. The baketball ones, while not super tight, were snug on my arm (and are really designed to be that way). And while they probably provide some protection as fabric, they are not specifically SPF rated. UnderArmour is a brand that has really jumped into this market, and they have a number of styles and patterns. NOT all of theirs have SPF ratings, so you have to be cautious if this is important to you, but some do. If you're a UA fan you really need to try these on in person, as different versions they make have different seam patterns, and not all of them felt comfortable to me. But mostly, I just didn't like the way they clung to my arm. They were kinda pinchy over the top of the bicep - not enough to hurt but just enough to be annoying. I ended up passing on all of these. So I kept looking online and I found two companies that make coverup sleeves in varous sizes, primarily for the workplace. One is called TatJacket, and the other is called Ink Armor. They seem like very similar products, but on the InkArmor website, they made a big deal about how they sewed the product with flat seems so it wouldn't irritate you when wearing them. They are rated 50+ SPF and they claim to be made of 80% nylon and 20% spandex. The UnderArmour brand was 80% polyester and 20% some proprietary names fabric that sounds similar to spandex, so I figured the Ink Armour was a good bet. And the UnderArmour were only rated 30 SPF. I have a 3/4 length sleeve, and they actually sell a 3/4 length sleeve size, so I went with that instead of the full sleeve style like the major brands. One big criticism is that they don't have great photos of the colors they offer online. The photos they have are sort of photoshopped onto the models and/or just color squares to choose from. They have two white-guy flesh tones, and I went with "Suntan." Here it is out of the packaging: One more selling point that they mention on the website is probably my favorite thing about this product. The top of the sleeve, which fits above the bicep, doesn't pinch or grip your arm to stay up. The Ink Armor people have ingeniously sewn a ring of a tacky elastic (but not sticky) that just doesn't want to run down your arm. It is awesome. I measured my arm at the point it is supposed to fit and my arm was 14.5 inches around. The sizing on their website says that I should buy the size "XL2X" which has a top range of 13.5-15.75 inches. I'm right in the middle so I wasn't sure how this would work out. Here is a photo of the inseam I'm talking about. This is so cool! My 14.5-inch arm fit right in, and the top of the product just sits nicely around my arm (not snugly) and the grippy nature of that inseam keeps it from slipping down. It's only a matter of time before the major brands figure this out and steal the idea. Okay, a couple of photos. First, before: And with the 3/4 sleeve on - perfect fit!! Okay, so today was the day to put it to the test. I just played a 4.5-hour round of golf on a bright sunny day in Austin, Texas. Early in the morning I sprayed a very very fine layer of aerosol sunscreen onto my tattoo. It is only two weeks old and just wasn't sure it is ready yet to be lathered up. I barely put any of this on at all and I let it air dry before getting dressed. The rest of my body I liberally sprayed with this suntan spray, and repeated this three times throughout the round. Even with this spraying, I still caught a tiny touch of sunburn on my wrist.... but the tattoo that was under the Ink Armor was not burned at all! (I have vitiligo so the tan/white you see under the tattoo linework is "normal.") Cameo from Fritz the Schnauzer!! I totally give this product five stars, or a thumbs up, or whatever is the superlative in your universe. The main focus of the brand is to make coverups so you can effectively hide your tattoos in the workplace (they make the for legs, forearms only, ankles, and leg/arm sleeves of various sizes)... but really the sun protection factor is majorly overlooked and is probably something they should promote more. Especially to protect newer tattoos that are past the initial heal when they need air but still need protection from the sun. Here is one more shot of me wearing it - a great way to coverup when you need to:

Based on the story, I was expecting much worse. It's a little blurred out around the flower, but that would have happened with age anyway. Think hard about your next tattoo, and look at a lot of artist portfolios in shops (or on Instagram, where most every artist posts their work), an then just get another one you like. This is may not have come out like you thought, but given what you said, it's really not that bad - I'd keep it!

You need to talk to an artist. It can definitely be covered, but as @Devious6 says, I don't think you can put a dreamcatcher over it because of the angle and spacing. But the only way to know for sure is to speak to a reputable artist ASAP.

I was really on the fence as to the length of my sleeve. I've only done the linework, and I am only two weeks in, and I am already thrilled that I went as long as I did. Gotten so many compliments on it. I've also figured out a great way to cover it in the sun (Ink Armor) and will be posting a review soon.

I would find a reputable shop with an artist skilled in cover-up work and consult with him/her. It would seem to me that the placement of your existing tattoo and the shape might make a dreamcatcher hard given the amount of open space. But, let the expert figure out what can and can't be done. My artists wanted to wait at least 2 to 3 weeks before doing touch-up work - but we all heal at different rates. Again, the expert can assess your degree of healing and then do the work when it is safe to do so. Good luck and go in with an open mind. If a dreamcatcher isn't possible, there is probably something else that you will like.

Welcome, I'm from the northeast as well and I'm also a client at King's Ave.

i would leave it and go get your dreamcatcher but yeah you need to do more research in the age of Instagram there is no excuse imo

But is it possible that this can be covered up? And how long does it take to be fully healed normally?

(And you will need to let it heal a bit before you cover it.)

New system is telling me I don't have permission to change my profile. Would like to add photo.

well, yeahm the one I posted on the OP.

Funny I don't have enough hair to bother shaving and my forearm itched like crazy!

@otisc- I originally wanted to do the sleeves first because I wanted to see something complete ASAP after waiting so long! But Cindy convinced me that I had an opportunity to really do something special that looked cohesive if we outlined everything (back, butt, sleeves, chest panels) first, so she could make it to flow and connect better. I realized she was right. The cohesiveness and flow is what attracted me to the Japanese style in the first place, and here I was trying to defeat it by making her do it in pieces. So that is what I will do. I'm traveling to get the tattoo so we will shoot for a two day session, but I doubt we can outline everything in that time (and I really don't know if I can handle two days), so I will probably have to go back a few months later to finish the outline. I see that like me you debated about how much sleeve you wanted, and I see that in the end you went full sleeve. Very cool. how did you finally decide to jump past the elbow? what were your thoughts? I'm having a similar debate. I have a rule that it must be covered with a short sleeve shirt for professional reasons, and because I don't want to freak out my friends. So I really didn't want to go beyond a quarter sleeve. Cindy understands, but is really prodding me to think bigger because she says most people that ask for a quarter eventually come back for a half, and people who want a half eventually come back for a 3/4 or full, and it is harder to extend gracefully. I would love to have a 3/4, but no, not going there. However I've practiced in front of a mirror and realize that even a quarter sleeve will be visible in short sleeves in certain arm positions anyway, so now I'm considering going for "almost but not quite half sleeves" (3/8?). I'm really struggling with this because my friends and colleagues will be totally aghast if/when they see that I have tattoos. How did you decide to go so visible after having reservations?

Maybe an old japanese print? Or an oni mask. Here in europe tipping is not so commen. My tattoo artist (greece) does not accept tips either.

dope, thank you very much @9Years

@Patrick Bateman I live in California. The documentary was called "Such Hawks Such Hounds". Check it:

Congratulations and welcome. But, let me be the first to mention...................pictures are required!!!! lol

I've had a bunch of people want to touch mine, as well. But, the reason is that they don't believe it is real. Despite posting pics on my FB page during the process of having mine done, people still think it was an April fools joke and it was just temporary. They want to touch it to prove that it is real. Now that I'm healed, I honestly don't care so I'll happily pull up my sleeve and let them look/touch. I enjoy seeing he reaction on their faces when they realize it IS real.

@Intomyskin You're absolutely right to consider the feel you get from the artist. The artist, the experience you had while getting the tattoo are all in there with it. People maybe can't see it, but it's there. A back takes a long time, so you're going to be spending a lot of time with your artist so you want somebody you get along with and can relate to in some way. As well as the time spent on it, it's an intimate process, you're vulnerable and in pain in front of somebody you don't know that well so that personal connection is critical, and it's not something you can get from looking at a portfolio. Seems like you have a good handle on things. I'm excited for you.

A little drama-y this season, but overall I think it's been of higher quality for the most part. Not great and I still wouldn't want to get tattooed by most of these guys, but aside from a few clowns early, there havn't been tooooo many absolute trainwreck tattoos. For some reason this show is always a guilty pleasure of mine, regardless of how dumb it can be. One season I'd actually like to set up a fantasy league. Haha. A friend of mine does one for Top Chef and it's pretty fun and interesting. I think it could be cool to do one for Ink Master.

Check out Darcy Nutt as well for large Japanese work, just for comparison. Another thing that helped me when first getting into this is to spend a lot of time looking at BAD tattoos. Honestly. It really helped me to to improve my eye and get pickier about what I wanted in my own designs and what I expected from an artist. There are threads here and sites devoted to bad tattoos, lol.

@Lance I'm late to the party, but that is so good. Everyone else, you guys have had some great tattoos in the last few weeks.

Another one (I'm sure a few more will come to me); I find it semi-annoying when someone really wants to know what the tattoos you have "symbolize" or what meaning they have. I guess the old saying is applicable... "I liked the look of this (insert tattoo type), so I got it tattooed". That's usually responded to with "do you think you'll regret that when you're older?" Holy geez. I'm in my 30s, I am a big boy now and my mom told me that I can do anything that I want. She also tells me I'm handsome and special. But all kidding aside, I've done many other things along the way that I'll regret forever and FAR more than being an inked up grandpa. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People can do what they like, of course. But try sitting for three days at a tattoo convention paperwork table listening to people wax lyrical about their infinity symbol the size of a dime. It was just funny. Anyway, we all have our bugaboos, and this is one of mine. You should absolutely feel free to not read this thread. ;-)

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.

nope! ;)

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.