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fun spur of the moment tattoo from Jesse Calderon, 2nd year apprentice at Modern Times Tattoo in Spotswood, NJ. Young, talented, determined and super cool tattooer. Was also the first time that I was getting tattooed until 3am. Cross that off the bucket list ;) Fire Ant Attack

Just got my first tebori from Bunshin Horitoshi. Tosi is a great guy! Highly recommended. I went with something classic and simple for my first japanese tattoo

Got a little spider from Dylan Homer at Tattoo Union in Vancouver Also, how do you embed instagram posts? I can't figure that out...

My little traditional collection. It is incredibly hard to photograph your own leg!

tattoos are forever,(holidays)vacations can wait. just pass on the swimming,no big deal. so go sit and relax under an umbrella and a cold one and watch your friends from there. *me on vacation(holiday) shade and a cold one work great for me ! LOL

@Gingerninja @marley mission @polliwog Wait, what the hell? Todd is at Redemption full time? I live 10 minutes from there.

Started this little fella:

I've got a few to add to this thread:

@Iape just copy and paste the URL and it automatically formats.

Agree with @Dan, it's totally possible to do both. Just show a little restraint around the pool.

YES!!! This is so cool. I read the short story "Leiningen Vs the Ants ( http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lvta.html) when I was a kid and it left a huge impression on me. I want an ant tattoo now! Man, I've said it before but you get the coolest tattoos. Talk about doing it right...

I have my appointment scheduled! July 1st :) It's payday too which makes it that much sweeter.

I only dry heal. Just keep it clean.

you'll be all good @oboogie - dry heal is the way - i only do 1 application of aquaphor after 1st wash - then - thats typically it

I am trying a dry heal for the first time on my bicep. Finished my half sleeve on Thursday. Saniderm came off Friday morning and so far, so good. Any tips besides keeping it clean?

Thank you! I'll make sure to talk to my artist so we can find a better font for me!

Thanks for the help, you guys. I ended up taking it off, and I'm just keeping it clean and trying a dry heal. I think the saniderm would work great, but the upper arm is an awkward place for it with all the movement in that area. I probably would have patched it up if it I had some more at home, but I didn't. May order some for next time, though.

@marley mission I love that!

@oboogie I can't say I have massive experience with 'derm healing after just two tattoos, but personally I'd do one of two things depending on how old your tattoo is: -if it's done oozing, I'd just patch the edge with another piece; -if it's not, I'd remove the 'derm, give the tattoo a thorough cleaning & reapply. One thing I found really helpful was to round the edges of the 'derm from the start since it always seems to start to roll up from the corners.

@Dan thanks man!

I think it's impossible to tell without seeing the artist's other work. Sort of like judging a finished painting based on a rough sketch. I will say that the line work looks a little thin. I like bolder lines. But again he might be planning to go back in and layer it. Did you like what he had in his portfolio? Composition and placement looks okay to me but is he going to leave all that blank space or put in background? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@Dan Get it done, man! I waited until I was 57 for many of the same reasons and had a grandmother who died from colon cancer. My wife and I finally decided to have them done. She was clear and I had a pre-cancerous polyp which was removed during the procedure. I just had my 3 year follow up colonoscopy last fall and was clear. The procedure itself is so easy I was amazed. Even the prep isn't as bad as people say it is. In fact, the prep was the worst part and that wasn't bad at all. odds are you are fine and having that piece of mind will be priceless. And, even if something is found, treatment today is much better the even a few years ago with good outcomes. You do have amazing tattoos! But I'd prefer to have you around to guide us through our own journeys. You need to have that piece of mind to truly enjoy those trips to Hawaii....and I want to see those beach pics for years to come. Now, listen to the Colonel and get your ass in there, literally, and get the procedure done. Anyone who says they aren't scared in your situation is lying. I know I was. But, believe me, not knowing really is worse.

If my partner had a problem with my tattoos I would soon have a problem with him, haha. Already had a couple when we got together but just don't think he cares that much. I used to talk over ideas with him and worry about what he would think but I've moved past that train of thought - my body, not his. I keep showing him tattoos I've seen that I think would suit him and always get not much more than a grunt in return.

Thank you. It all took a brutal toll, but my elderly mother came through her 7 hour open heart surgery like a champ and is back at home, and getting back to normal.

@cltattooing Lifetime is pretty much my favorite place. Getting some Walteration™ on a Rock of Ages Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

@cltattooing so good! Unrelated: sad I missed you in Denver, looks like your trip was a good time! Slightly more on topic: planning on starting my back towards the end of summer with Walt

@BrianH Hats off to you, bud. That looks amazing, you earned it (: @sophistre I love it! So sick! Can't wait to see more And I don't have any recent photos of how mine is coming, unfortunately. I think the closest I can post is this one below. Anyway, did a chunk on the ass on Tuesday and it was pretty crappy. Seems like we're starting to close in on this thing though, just the sides and bottom of the ass, and the thighs left. About 66 hours and 1 year in.

You can simply overlap (put a new piece on top of the peeling area) if needed. I have been using this method for a while now and I will never go back.

that's cool and so is he,really down to earth dude,we spent about 5 hours with him ,my wife and myself drove 3 hours to convention in Fresno a couple months ago and both got work from him at that show,it was a great time,and great tattoos,it was super fun for my wife and me to get tattooed by the same guy at the same show.He is a real kick to talk to. I am trying to nail down 2 more appointments with him for us at SF in october.

Tattoos like to ride, too.

@marley mission Thanks! Chelsea Kotzur at True Blue in ATX. She stays really low key, but is really an incredible painter, in my opinion. She really got me comfortable with serious tattooing and I love love love her lady heads. So I asked her if she would do a big piece on me. I gave her the elements and let her go nuts. Means a lot more to me than if it was from a big name I was getting as a collector that I didn't have a relationship with. https://www.instagram.com/chelseakotzurtattoo/

It got to like 80 in Oakland yesterday. We have had a rough go of it. God forbid it gets to 85-90.

Me, too. I think it feels GOOOOOD.

35 years celebrated yesterday! Judy has no ink, and was a little surprised when, at 62, I started. She now actually likes a few of them (although I doubt she would ever get one or become a tattoo "fan"), and is growing to like all but the one that I am getting lasered to be corrected. For the same reason that I hate it - too dark and too poorly done. I will then have it redone properly and we will both love it!

oh man,I love the cold soap wipe,I look forward to it,it's a relief for me.

Deitzel inspired lady Head (Glennie Wittall), traditional hand holding flower (Nikki Balls) and a wee Sailor Jerry sparrow (Nathan Draper)

I bring a wad of cash. Give me art. Take my money. Make another appointment. Repeat cycle.

Talking about how much tattoos hurt is about as interesting as talking about how much tattoos cost. It isn't. I'm getting a thigh done this weekend. It's going to be fun. I'm excited.

I am by no stretch of the imagination even half as tattooed as most of the people here, but even my personal experience has taught me that all of these things are really individual and there just aren't any rules about it. Examples: The tops of my thighs didn't hurt, really, but the outside, over the IT band, hurt like a sonofabitch. All of them healed REALLY well, though -- no scabbing, not really any pain, and they barely even peeled. Contrarily, most people's complaints about where they've been tattooed on their backs, the worst spots, were not the worst spot for me; mine was in a weird spot between my shoulderblades -- not even the bit in the crease of my butt/thigh could compare with it, and that was no picnic either! My back has also taken a shockingly long time to get to a 'settled' heal state, where the lines aren't super raised, too...it's all just depends on the person. Trying to predict what anybody else is gonna feel seems like a fool's game to me. Plus, some people just do not feel pain like other people do, and that is science fact. Anyway, this thread is about thigh tattoos, so here are mine! I'm including a healed pic of the one that @cltattooing did on me, too, since I don't think I ever sent her one! It's very difficult to take pictures of your own thigh tattoos without warping them.

yeah good points @marley mission i've also have had rough heals on my thighs. i like your comment about front row action. when I got my first couple of tattoos, I thought meh what's the big deal, it doesn't hurt! Then I got my ribs tattooed and I can still taste that salty single tear when he hit me with the shader (after lining). My tattooer's like c'mon buddy not even hitting ya that hard with the shader lol. Ah memories. I long for the younger glory days when tattoos "didn't hurt". I guess I got all the big stuff out of the way now. But I still have the tops of my feet and armpits, and damn I am terrified - especially of the feet. We say that all people are born with X number of tattoo credits. The more you get tattooed, the more tattoo credits you spend...and the more that shit fucking hurts !!

hey there welcome! the thigh is pretty manageable pain-wise for a tattoo. certain spots like closer to the knee, towards the butt and inside will be a bit tender. But a 5x6" tattoo is a pretty easy one-shot sit. have you considered going bigger? the thigh is a great spot for big full tattoo. also, colour does NOT hurt more than black and grey, a common misconception. its not the ink that makes it hurt, it's the needles penetrating the skin. lines will feel much sharper than shading which uses a a larger, spread out needle cluster. I do suppose it takes a few more passes to really pack in colour ink into the skin vs soft passes of certain grey shading. it all hurts like a son of a bitch, anyone who says otherwise is lying!

If you have proper winter gear, bone-chilling cold is okay. Those -40 days are brutal, sure, but there aren't many of them in a year. They can be endured. Whereas with the heat there's only so much you can take off before you start getting into reverse Hellraiser territory.

His / Hers eagle tattoos by Chris David - Government Street Tattoo (Victoria, BC) hers: "could you make my eagle more feminine please" his: "just make mine a good ol U S of Eh screamin' eagle"

Dragon by Nick Coella, guitar by Mario Desa- both at Great Lakes in Chicago.

so how about these four to start us off the first two classics were done by Shannon Pagliarini at Crown and Anchor in Pt. Pleasant NJ. Great tattooer and super cool person. Pharoah's Horses was done by Sheila Marcello at Electric Tattoo in Asbury Park NJ. Sheila is an amazing tattooer and also a real nice person too. Rock of Ages is my most recent tattoo (until Friday hahaha). Anyway this was done by Robert Ryan at Electric as well. Rob is the man - it's not lost on me how awesome it is that Electric is so close to me. I'm lucky. Anyway - lets see what y'all got.

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.

there is nothing to do here first - he probably charged you 'for the piece' and - it is what it is right moving forward if you feel he is too pricey for you then move along and collect from other artists or make sure he knows your budget I have had work done where the artist charges you first for the piece then they tattoo you - time is an irrelevant factor so know and articulate your budget and stop watching the clock and enjoy getting tattooed

I usually think of kids as children below high school age. I usually say is it safe to bring one extra person along with you, but leave the entourage at home, but again there are times when Mom and Dad and Uncle, and Grandma, all stroll in with someone on their 18th birthday video camera in tow, and we don't kick them out, we just make fun of them later after they leave.