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Finally ! I have a reason to post haha ! So stoked about this ! I mean........SO stoked ! Bandage and endorphins still on lol And the freakin' pics will likely be side ways ;) I finally got my crawling panther, like everybody should ;) By Franz Stefanik at Okey Doke in Toronto, ON. Awesome personable guy, awesome chat, awesome tunes. Just a cool chilled out hang and I got to go home with a wicked tattoo at the end haha. ..................................................................................................................... Wow ! Upside right ! Who knew haha !

Finished my crane arm with Yutaro at Seven Doors Tattoo in London today. Everyone in the shop is super nice, highly recommended! I'll miss going, but will try to have a bit of a break from getting tattooed...for now...

These are cool little tattoos imo i dont see the issues at all i would say 'live with it' of course and i'd think long and hard before you get tattooed again because i think your expectations of what tattoos are might be a bit distorted good luck though whatever path you choose

Wow, thanks for the honest responses everyone, I wasn't expecting this! After giving it some serious thought I've decided to leave well enough alone. You're all right, I am over analyzing this. Maybe it's because I've got some sh*t going on right now that's giving me a lot of stress, plus I've always been like this, over analyzing things and having unrealistic expectations. And while I'm still not sure about returning to the same shop, I really do want to continue collecting. But next time I will put more though into design and placement, and when I'm sure of what I want I'll give it even more thought. I look forward both to getting more tattoos and to sharing them on here with you guys. Thanks .

I wish I could change my username to "Just Get a Dragon". Would save me allot of time.

I wholly agree with @marley mission. I think what you have looks great. It seems to me that no matter the recommendation, or what you choose, you're still going to be disappointed. You seem to be fixated on perfection...and that doesn't exist in the art of tattooing or anywhere other than in Photoshop. The 4 pieces you had done were custom designs you gave to the artist - they are now one-off pieces no one else has....done by human hands on a medium that is filled with bumps, imperfections and distortions. Please, before you do anything, let these heal. Take time to research, to look at the works of various artists, to spend time deciding how you want to proceed...or not. You've had reactions from some of the most experienced folks here (and me, the newbie) who have responded positively to the pieces you've gotten - that should tell you something. You are surely over-thinking the work. That said, you always have the option of trying to cover or laser your work. Both require a lot of research, thought and a clear commitment to what you want done. Pick an artist who you have had time to sit with, in advance, who's work you want and have him/her design something for you. And, when you totally approve of the design, then go ahead. From your reactions to your work so far, it appears that any chance of satisfaction would require you to seek out one of the top-notch artists - understanding this will take perhaps a year or more to get scheduled and a significant investment of money.This is permanent. I hope you find peace and satisfaction.

yup, just read your latest lowdown post ... 4 at a time! gear down ther big rig and enjoy the scenery! also ... look into the classic Pharoahs Horses design. Could be an excellent idea across the chest to compliment the biblical look/theme you're going for. But once you got the idea, SIT ON IT for a while before you take the plunge. The wait the anticipation the tattoo-foreplay is part of the excitement! You just got your feet wet, doesn't mean you need to jump off the high diving board quite yet!

no no no - what you need is an octopus protecting his last jar of peanut butter...

Agreed with what has been said here! You are new to this and are expecting something that doesn't exist. Your tattoos are great! I was admiring them earlier and am surprised at this post. Well not too surprised because a lot of folks go through this over analyzation when they first dip their toe into this world. You have some really nice pieces. Stop over analyzing them and enjoy them. Nothing wrong with any of them. Your expectations are unrealistic. Not trying to be a jerk. A lot of us were like that at first. Please do not waste any energy worrying about them or trying to cover them. They look great.

I got my second tattoo a week after my first. A little black and grey wolf head. I was convinced it wasn't great despite the fact it really was. I asked a very old school tattooer in another shop to cover it with the red hot chili peppers logo and he sternly explained to me that the tattoo was very well done and he wouldn't cover it. 25 years later I am thankful for his gruff advice and adamant refusal and realize how completely off base I was. Just because a certain detail doesn't look 100% dead on doesn't mean it isn't a good tattoo. Super glad I left it alone since I really can't stand the chili peppers at all anymore.

your tattoos look fine! they look like tattoos. perhaps there is a looseness, crudeness in the final product that is making you feel off but accept that is also part of the territory with that style/look. the way you felt you were treated by the shop owner may also be a variable with the sour taste left with you (and on you). but your tattoos are only a few days old! let the heal. every tattoo is an experience which you live and learn from...and this experience will likely lead you to a) going slow and b) trying out a new tattoo parlour. little tattoos are popular for rookies because they are easier to commit to in the mind and on the body. but bigger tattoos are more forgiving with the imperfections. there are no do-overs with tattoos - sure you can lazer and coverup, but the original tattoo (and the experience) will never fully disappear. slow it down a bit moving forward as you collect...you don't need to jump in and get multiple at a time. get your tattoo-sit-flow and work up to that. focus on one tattoo at a time and get used to accepting the post-tattoo anxiety and overanalysis - it's perfectly normal. I've been getting tattooed for over a decade and I still get it, even worse now! i think the look you've got - small traditional tattoos around the shoulder - is great starting point. perhaps they will compliment a nice big-ass tattoo across the chest - when you're ready to take that plunge in the future. don't rush it though - tattoo isn't a race.

^^^^ This. Or a panther.

Rad. Now go get a dragon.

Those tattoos all seem fine to me. You seem to be rushing along here with your first tattoo about two weeks ago now. You didn't seem to keen on that one, though it looks as good as your others, but then you went back for more... Tattoos are still a forever thing, don't settle for getting what's convenient if you have exacting taste, but once you've got it Live With It! I hope you don't go back to that shop as it doesn't seem to meet your expectations. Let everything heal up and by that I mean wait two or three months, then it will be time to evaluate what to do next. If you still hate them, you should probably get them lasered off and step out of the tattoo game as the art-form might not best suit you.

Theyre fine. Youre over thinking it because they're some of your first tattoos. Plus theyre not even healed yet. You might have had a friend (or mom, in this case) or something say they look bad, or read some stuff online that made you worry. Hell, I remember crying over my first tattoos, and they were on my f*cking hands! Tattoos arent perfect. They're hand made. Dont expect them to be 100% perfect because you will never get that. Trust me, you're over thinking it. Go get some other tattoos. It works. Live with it, and learn from them.

Jon just knocked these out on my arms last night. Really stoked. I felt so sick that day, so Im glad I was able to power through it. Just chugged apple juice and soda to keep myself concious through it all. Thankfully arms are easy spots for tattoos, and my arm was asleep for the diamond lady because of the awkward position, so it didnt hurt that much. Getting a Fudo Myo-o cat by Chris Anthon today. Will post photos latter.

On the subject of what tattoos are supposed to be i think rob ryan said it as good as you can say it in 3 minutes enjoy

I think your tattoos are really cool. One thing about tattoo shading I've found -- it always looks better on someone else. When you are looking at your own shading, you are up close and you see how inexact it looks, you see the needle lines, and sometimes it even looks sloppy. That's because it is designed to read from a distance -- which is why it looks fine in your pictures and to others. Your line work may leave a little to be desired, but while maybe not excellent, I don't think it's bad enough to actually call bad. And you kinda want those traditional old-school flash-y looking tattoos to have hand-drawn look. I really think they would look worse if they were super precise. It's a style. This forum isn't reddit, so if people here are saying they like the tattoos, you can bank on the fact the fact that they're pretty good.

Summer is over...and winter is coming. Time for us to get the tatts! The real tattoo season is now declared OPEN !!

Crap!! If only I'd seen this before I got my eagle!!!

Yeah, I always get sad when summer ends. But in the spring I come back to life. Sometimes when warm weather finally comes in the spring, I think "Oh, Boy! Tattoo season!" because I see so much new ink popping out on bare arms and legs.

Hell, I have a dragon tattoo on my ankle... (or just above it anyway).

Finished my upper arm this weekend at the Richmond convention with the (holdout) inner bicep area. Thanks, @darcynutt! She did the outer/shoulder portion of it last year at the convention, and I booked her Saturday to go ahead and finish all the way around. She made it look like it was all done at the same time, and I'm thrilled. She once again used my own aquarium fish in the design.

that would work good on a finger !

It's a waste of good real estate.

oh man well basically i love peanut butter i ended up making a drawing which then went to the artist (Jamie Sawyer in Clinton NJ) and she turned it into tattoo magic here is the drawing

Hell yeah! That's a classic.

PPSS -- One issue that no one has brought up is what you said about the shop owner over-charging you for the pieces? How did that happen? If you were quoted a price, that should stand.

PS these go really well with the eagle on your arm that you got. Five real quick - you are on your way.

Dig it. @AverageJer

Wow, came out super nice! The white really makes me wish I hadn't turned down adding some to my crane. Might have to go back and get some put in. @omeletta By the way, I'm the guy with the deer backpiece in progress by Yutaro and Claudia you were sat across from for one of your previous sessions, hi.

And I am so missing the warm weather already. At least it will hit the low 70s today and tomorrow but after that we're into the mid 60s at best. Ugh. Now I have to get out the sweatshirts.

Awesome!!! Congrats!!!

I got it at Three Tides in Tokyo from https://www.instagram.com/bangganji/

@omeletta I love that! I especially love the way he did the water and smoke...

@omeletta that is incredible!

LOL ,,, yes ! it's only going to 87 here this week ! I love fall/winter/spring the best for sure !

Same. Not looking forward to getting the line work. But can't wait either. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just got back from having 4 done. I've had a fascination with the Biblical book of Revelations since I was a kid, and decided to get some tattoos inspired by the four horsemen. After sketching out a rough draft myself, I showed it to my artist who smoothed out the designs a little. The end result looks great but time will tell how they look fully healed. Keep in mind they're only a few hours old.

there are no rules,and I have both my ankles done.

it looks good. it looks like a tattoo.

Not really sure where to put this so Ill just put it here. Sorta related to my Fudo Meow tattoo. This is Chris Anthon tattooing me at the Hub City Expo 2 nights ago, taken by the local news paper.

stop looking at it so close, it looks great ! let it finish healing and enjoy it.

Chris Anthon put put this Fudo Meow-O on me. I love him. That is all.

Heather Bailey did this one for me a few months ago. Inside the upper arm is a fun area.

I love how so many of the cool tattoos I see on instagram turn out to be on LST posters! Keep up the collecting.

Japanese dragon sleeve by Scott Ellis is finished!

When my wife and I met in the late 1960s, we had no interest in tattoos. We were still dating a few years later, when articles about tattooing started to pop up in magazines and newspapers, and I was becoming interested. I struck up a conversation with her about it, and she jumped in, suggesting that we get matching tattoos. I had started to think that tattoos on women were rather attractive, so I thought it was quite cool that she wanted one. But I was also quite shocked, because (I’m embarrassed to confess here that I thought this) I didn’t think she “was the type of girl would would get a tattoo!” Today, she has four tattoos, I stayed at one + some background added a few years later, until I recently started planning a back piece. Today I look at those first tattoos on me, and on her and I smile. Its hard to explain. They are still there over 40 years later, after everything we have gone through, a constant. It really means something. And I’m glad she was “the type of girl who would get a tattoo,” because I still do find them quite attractive on women, and it has been sort of “icing on the cake” for us. Looking back, I realize it was amazingly serendipitous that I connected with a woman at that time, when tattoos were pretty rare, who would want to have tattoos, even though tattooing was not on the radar for either of us when we met. I feel kind of lucky. It is hard to imagine not being with her. But if something were to happen to her and I had to form a new relationship with someone, I’m tempted to say that she would have to be tattooed, partly because I find that attractive, but also to understand me, and why I want a back piece. But at my age, there are not a lot of tattooed sixty-something ladies out there, and relationships are so much complex than that, that I’m not sure it is realistic to put that kind of limitation on choice of partner. Comments here reinforce that plainskins and tattooed folks can have great relationships. ... and @Gingerninja - Like Viagra? Yup...

Such an awesome piece! I'm so impressed! Your tattooist is so talented!!! Bahamut wings are so beautiful <3