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Welcome. You might find that the best artists aren't going to draw up anything for you without a deposit, so if you're intending to have many of them draw something up, be prepared to shell out. Most don't draw anything up until the day before your actual appointment. I would recommend adjusting your strategy to: a/ continue learning who does the best realism in your area (and I personally can't help you with that) b/ study realism tattoo art and learn what makes any piece stand out over others c/ continue to gather reference material (the one above is pretty fuzzy) d/ get in line and be patient with whatever wait list the excellent and proven artist you end up deciding on has.

That may very well be, but I would much rather try to contribute to a culture here that educates people about good tattoos and gives them the knowledge and resources to get those tattoos than I would just dismiss people because they have shitty tattoos and don't deserve better. If I have nice tattoos it's because people were kind and generous to me when I didn't know a thing, on this forum and in the shops I've been tattooed in, and I would like to pay that forward.

WE NEED PICS! :-) :-)

Hello and welcome. Your idea sounds cool, but as an artist myself, I can guarantee your going to piss off a lot of those artists you mention by asking them to draw you an idea that got might not even get tattooed. My advice is to do your research extensively, talk to the artists - you might find some are more keen on your idea. I don't do realism but I've seen the stencils and they're sometimes incomprehensible to anyone but the artist whose using them! I guess what I'm getting at is that if you do your research you'll find someone you trust absolutely to do the job - and you won't need to waste the time of other artists whilst your at it.

Sternum done today, i ended up doing the make shift bra with paper and tape and wore a sports crop and flannie. Felt really comfortable , no different to having to strip off for a dr. I was expecting to be in a world of pain, but was really really surprised. most of it was a 1, the worst bit a 3 (tops of daggers). The hardest part was holding my breath when he outlined. (He suggested it just because of the movement while breathing, ) Definitely going back to Michael, he is keen to do my ship /kraken. He loves traditional and thats what I love. (Another dude here hates it so I am excited that I have found someone who enjoys doing it) Anyway thats my dribble :) Im just gonna go back to perving on my tattoo.

He can't even get her to consider going to a reputable business, how is he going to convince her to laser those atrocities off? I guess he is hoping to print out this thread and shame her into waking up... but seriously, I doubt it. If she already has these and is planning on getting more in the same style from the same person, more power to her.

I disagree with this sentiment. Those tattoos can be covered up or lasered off, and with the exception of her back, I don't think those would be especially difficult coverups. They're mistakes, they're gross errors in judgement, but starting by getting shitty tattoos doesn't mean that you're stuck getting shitty tattoos forever.

Browsing around the board just now, I was struck by how often folks asking questions about tattoos they want to get or tattoos they have gotten end up getting similar responses, as their issues often correspond to a fairly narrow set that come up again and again. I thought it could be cool to have a thread where we list our generally accepted "tattoo advice" and wisdom in one centralized location. We could point people to it when appropriate. For example: 1. Thou shalt never haggle in a tattoo shop. 2. Thou shalt not try to force a tattooer to tattoo an exact replica of an image you've brought in. If you are going to a skilled tattooer, you will always be better off letting them turn your idea into an actual tattoo design that will work for this medium. 3. Thou shalt consult with your tattooer for questions re: design, sizing, placement, ideas, aftercare instructions and any touch-ups. 4. Thou shalt not stress about how your new tattoo looks until it is fully healed. 5. Thou shalt accept that flaking, scabbing, swelling, itching, and a whole bunch of other uncomfortable stuff is all totally normal when healing a tattoo. Thou shalt only be concerned if it doesn't get better after weeks, or if it smells or looks infected. Next?

I understand the importance of researching an artist, but since I'm completely new to getting tattooed I have no idea how to evaluate whether an artist is quality or not. For example, there's a woman whose work I really like aesthetically, but I have no idea if she's actually a good artist with technical skill, and if she produces quality work, etc. I understand that just because something looks pretty, it doesn't mean that it's a quality tattoo, and I don't know how to evaluate technical skill. What's the best way to research an artist when you don't know what you're looking at? Thanks!

Hi My first time on any forum. Love to see all the pictures. I love tattoos have a few myself and love the addiction of getting more. Most of my tattoos are family inspired but now getting more to the cows ( I love cows ) 1 Cow tattoo now but at least 3 more lined up to be done. Hope to get some inspiration here for myself and for my son who wants to cover a big scar on his leg.

Added colour to my fujin. Red. And some white to the hair. Will post pics when its healed.

kinda got this idea recently that I want to get tattooed in as many states as possible - I guess meeting Chad during his 50 state tour sparked something in me - anyway - I'll be hitting state #4 next week when I go to philly and as far as I can tell - I could hit 11 (counting DC) pretty easily just by car - getting tattooed by tattooers that I like in shops that I want to visit - will I carry through on this? i dont know maybe - I mean part of me says I could just get covered in Rob Ryan tattoos and be completely happy - but I also like a little bit the adventure of traveling and meeting new tattooers and seeing new shops - to be continued i guess

No, you're not. I would never judge someone who collects tattoos because I do it myself. Some people go to the same artist for life. That's cool (and we love you guys because you're our regulars), but it's no more valid than someone who enjoys collecting from a variety of artists. Personally I love collecting the stories that go along with the traveling, meeting new rad people etc as well as the sweet new tattoo. I also find it flattering if people travel to 'collect' a piece from me.

Ok I have one. Bad advice basically. But specifically, I was told on friday by a local how I should definitely go and get some numbing cream. Firstly , fuck off. Secondly , why the fuck?? Thirdly - *buries head in hands* no.

pfft, 56 isn't old! When I say old... I'm talking about 80 lmao

Today I got my sternum done. Heart n daggers. hard to take a pic, but you get the idea. Really happy with it! hmmmm pic doesnt seem to have loaded.

Oh, I love it! I'm planning a literary theme for my upper arm but wow... that portrait is awesome. I'm sticking with scenes and symbols from my favorite work since I'm a tad scared to do portraiture on my darker skin. I can't wait to see the progression.

Well, to be fair, it wasn't the person with the tattoos who came here. If they came here, I'd assume they want education. This is just a friend hoping to get enough negative response to convince her not to keep going.

If it's her boyfriend, you aren't going to get her to listen. The work is shitty and awful, and you can tell her everyone think so, but she is involved with this guy and thinks he's the bee's knees. Nothing will convince her otherwise. It's sad. The multicolored pimple thing on her arm is tragic. I don't even know what to say about that.

That would be great!

I've been busy recently! First up I got this really cute cat and umbrella from Wendy Pham at Brighton Tattoo convention. I've been after this piece of flash for years so happy he's now mine! Next up (and also at Brighton), I got the side of my knee done by Jody Dawber. This was the most painful tattoo I have ever got. I was whimpering like a baby (and I usually never make a fuss). I had to dig deep to get through it! Thank god she's fast. And last but not least, my latest addition (again on the side of the knee) from my super talented co-worker Lucy O Connell. Had my eye on this babe for well over a year, so happy to finally give her a home.

In my 13 years of getting tattooed I have NEVER asked about cost of the tattoo upfront before getting started. I agree with the saying "if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it" when it comes to tattoos. You either want the tattoo or you don't. Now, I will ask for an estimate on how many hours or sessions so I can do some really really complex calculus to get an idea of total cost. The shop rate is usually displayed somewhere and I see nothing wrong with asking the tattooer directly what the shop rate is (if it isn't posted) or what their hourly rate is. But that's when I'm already committed to getting tattooed at that point. Don't go shopping for the best rate, it's tacky. You either want the tattoo or you don't. So here's a tip...take the shop rate and multiply by the max number of hours you can/will likely sit for. Bring cash to cover that. I've always walked out of a tattoo shop happy with my session, left a generous tip and still have enough leftover cash in my wallet to spend on beer, weed and pizza afterwards. To echo our dude @marley mission above, just go get tattooed and you'll get a feel pretty quickly how much a good tattoo costs. You may even be shocked to realize they cost much less than you think.

I don't read any of Brooks posts like he was shopping around for price, he was simply asking what an artist charged and they told him they had a shop price. If he asked multiple artists then yea, I agree that it's weird, but I don't read his posts like that. Do you guys really find it weird to ask the artist what they charge an hour or for an estimate on a piece for a walk-in? We aren't talking about scheduled appointments here.. There is no consult, there is no back and forth texting or emails, it's just showing up to the shop, talk to the artist and get a tattoo. Not everything needs 5 weeks of planning, especially not tattoos that are exact copies of Sailor Jerry flash..

I got tattooed at the comic con in town last year. But only because the tattooer was in town for the show. The comic con organizer also owns and operates a popular tattoo studio / collectible shop in town so there is a dedicated area for the tattooing. It was a funny experience. Lounging half naked in my sunglasses with people in cosplay outfits getting nerd tatts. The newspaper photographer was all jacked (and polite) asking to take a photo of me once we started the tattooing. Some hipster Lucas Films tattoo artiste said all the white in my backpiece was "so unnecessary". And I saw the black power ranger while getting my smallest tattoo. It was fun but I was in-out and went home and ordered pizza.

I have a fat gut and my entire front (including one nipple, one armpit and bellybutton) is tattooed. And it's probably the area I get the most compliments on the (the artwork, not the huge gut)

Bump! Long time listener , first time caller, I'm Sinclair89 but feel free to call me Nathan First image is of me..not a pin up a haha! My Tattoo artist was drawing a thin line along the leg and it was a bit pain train 2nd image is the outline completed 3rd and 4th are fresh on on (under?) The skin shots 5th shot is it now after about 6 months with complementary batman slipper So basically I have always wanted a tattoo of a Pin Up girl but could never really decide what design I wanted. So why not design it on my wife? She's Scottish (I'm from Liverpool, England) so we went with the tartan mini skirt and bra, we had a sword at our wedding to cut the cake which my parents got engraved so the sword is based on that, and the long golden hair and big...ahem...are basically her, also comes with her little star tattoo. It's nice to have her with me whilst I'm out trucking up and down the UK all week ? This was all designed by Holly at "The Painted Ladies" in Liverpool.

I lost my black lab to a stroke a couple of months ago. I finally felt up to adopting a new rescue. Meet Brontë. She's a St. Bernard/possible Blue Tuck Coon Hound mix. She's going to be a big girl!

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.

Go for it. The way I see it, if the way your tattoo looks is your biggest problem once you get to that age, then you'll have lived a good life.

I say do it! I'm 45 years old with two kids and definitely don't have my 25-year-old body anymore. I recently finished getting my entire a$$ tattooed, mid back to mid thighs. Stretch marks and cellulite included. It looks so much more awesome than plain stretch marks and cellulite :) Wildcat

I'm 60 and had some major work done this year.. kinda partying like it's 1999... but I'm getting exactly what I want and have had some older work freshened up. I heal tattoos about the same. Other cuts on me, heal a lot faster for some reason.

Just want to throw in here that I absolutely love the "Ladies Thread!" I'm going to try to wade through the whole thing at some point. But I just love having a place were we girls can share information about tattoo topics specific to us! :-)

I've started using tegaderm so no more sticking. It also allows me to be lazy. lol

This was my LIFE when I lived in Japan - I was a teacher and a school administrator and I had a weekly ritual of covering the tattoos on my leg and back. The worst was a very old, small, fuzzy tattoo on my ankle that I had cover up with a large bandaid every week - one of my coworkers just about died when he realized that it wasn't an injury that I had to keep covered for 5 years :).

I love flowers on the hands and I also really like this ... Jondix Gerhard Wiesbeck

To me, the difference between a collector and the average client is that the collector does their research... They have plans for what they want and where, and when they plan a vacation they probably visit a shop or two if funds allow. I like the term, personally; I'm actually surprised so many don't. I guess I just never considered that people might find it a snooty term. Someone mentioned an artist feeling pressured/nervous tattooing near existing top notch work... The other week I did a tattoo on a talented tattooer (already stressful!) about six inches above a full lower leg piece by Rubendall. I was simultaneously stoked and sweating like crazy. And damn, that Rubendall piece looked PERFECT... Absolutely stunning. I felt privileged just to get to see it!

When Grez told me I had a nice collection started, I was like "hell ya!" I never gave much thought to the term, but the fact that he liked the tattoos I was getting I figured I must be doing something right. It's nice to have great tattooers appreciate your involvement in the culture. I think being called a "collector" kind of brings us more into the fold.

"hey look at this guy's skin, its like instagram but instead of on my phone its right here in front of me."

this^ In my mind, a "collector" is someone who is serious about what they get and who they let do it. And as far as I have perceived regarding the artist's perspective on the term, when I've been in a shop and showing my previous work - when one artist said the word "collector", two other artists stopped what they were doing to come over and see. They were genuinely interested.

Of course, if you're adding their ink to some great ink you already have, you're paying them a compliment...

I don't mind the term at all, it only gets douchey when you act like a douche about it, as if having tattoos from only big name artists makes you better than other people, or means you know more than them. I collect tattoos, from people I've worked with, some big names and other artists who are just starting out.

7. Thou shalt not be a Plainskin and rack up countless posts on LST.