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Ok so I caved and took a photo - crappy cell phone because I tried to get a close up and with an iPhone 6S Plus it's huge and hard to steady in my hand. But, you get the idea. Even though it's still healing I am so psyched at how it turned out.

I received this one today from the photographer my college hired to shoot pictures of the Sporting Clays Tournament - he asked me to pose for this one (shotgun was not loaded).

That'll be $1200 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client. If you want a tattoo, go to a TATTOO artist to have an original piece created. I don't call a doctor when my toilet is backed up and I don't go to a plumber to have a will drawn up. You may be an artist, but you aren't a TATTOO artist.

I also think your expectations of what tattoos are might be a bit distorted. Also wait a while before getting more, until you settle a bit. My first 7 tattoos are all covered up because they were too small for what eventually became my ambitions. One constant thing with small tattoos is that, since it is so small, little deviations seem to be magnified in our minds, if the tattoo is larger, you would not sweat small issues, because they would not be issues at all. tattooers are human, not printers, so there is always a human element to the application (both applicator error and client wiggling), you just may not have noticed it yet in other tattoos (the artist knows probably lol). Until they invent a tattoo printer, (which would suck in my opinion), there will always be artistic deviances, that are unique to that tattooer at that time and place,... point is, even if you get the same tattoo design by the same tattooer 3 years later it would look different because the artist is different, always evolving and changing. that is one of the wonderfully human parts of tattoo art.

Had the touch-up work done on my eagle/flag on Thursday - figured I'd let it heal before I post a final pic. I'm hoping that my body doesn't eat the red and blue ink this time. My artist packed it in pretty well. So far, so good. He it one of the lines that seemed to fade a bit as well as a little black here and there - love that he takes so much pride in making it the best he can. I know he likes this one a lot - and so do I.

i think this one wins the prize for "someone who doesn't actually want tattoos" tattoo.

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 !

Hello my name is Charles Murray, been Tattoo Artist since 1997, started at a biker shop in an apprentice situation, where I was the human photocopier, run errands boy, cleaner, phone answer and drawer. I would call this and Oldschool American Apprenticeship. The owner did not know much but I got my foot in the door and have been committed ever since. I work hard, study hard and try to get better every day. Looking to connect with others in the tattoo Scene.

Nothing wrong with small tattoos...backpiece goals

Leave them alone and move on! The best wisdom I got from my artist is that if you look at ANY tattoo long enough you'll find something wrong with it. Enjoy the big picture.

I am an aspiring apprentice, still working on my portfolio and trying to build up the courage to go out and find someone willing to teach me. Someday..! ;) So here is some of my 'art'.

Art critique aside.. If getting your own art design tattooed 'as is' on your body is what you want, then finding an Artist who can and will actually reproduce your art stroke for pencil stroke will be the hard part. Remember you are going to be the most critical of the application because it is your art. then be prepared to live out your days having the art criticized for being badly done. A pencil drawing is just that and tattoo art designed for body application is something else. I have reproduced pencil art (from people who are now dead), onto their living friends as a memorial to their RIP friend and most people just see a bad tattoo, no matter how meaningful and sincere the original intent. Even a perfectly reproduced historically accurate cave drawing will just look like a bad tattoo to most people. I won't reproduce people's drawings anymore, for the very reasons just explained... If you are still a go, then finding the right applicator for your project is critical, you will have no problem finding 10 guys who will say they can do it... but really cannot do it properly, so ask to see if the have direct reproduction of pencil stroke tattoos, if you see pictures of their tattoos and it looks good enough for you then you found your guy/gal, if not then you are the test subject... and let me tell you it is time-consuming trying to accurately reproduce quickly drawn graphite lines or ink drawings on paper, I mean 2 to 3 times longer than reproducing a similar image actually designed to be a tattoo, tattooed onto somebody.. Hope this helps...

Usually if I'm not happy with a tattoo it has a lot to do with the experience (arrogant artists, bad shop vibe etc) not always the actual tattoo. Think that has happened here since you got overcharged. It's really easy to obsess but try to channel your focus into other stuff for a while - it's almost winter so at least you won't see them all the time. Get more tattoos when the time is right and do a heck load of research.

there are good shops in northern jersey - I've been to Immortal in Clinton - got tattooed by Jamie Sawyer twice - shes great - and there are many great artists at the shops two locations in northern NJ but...if we are talking traditional tattoos - you still have many options - I obviously love Electric Tattoo and have been tattooed many times there by Rob Ryan and Sheila Marcello - they're both awesome - all the artists there crush traditional daily - the shop is in Asbury Park which is in Central Jersey - btw - it doesnt hurt to have the beergarten right next door i'd also throw neptune tattoo in the mix - which is just a coupe miles away in Neptune NJ - Chris Smith would be my choice there but again - amazing shop amazing artist - they crush traditional in you are in NJ dont forget that you have great artists in NY and Philly who do amazing traditional In Brooklyn Smith Street is as good as it gets in my opinion for traditional and in Philly Olde City is top notch

This type of tattoo has nothing in it that makes me feel the way I do when I'm looking at a really great tattoo. But it can be done well or poorly.

Not everyone wants large tattoos and I don't think that's such a bad thing. I don't want to be covered in tattoos. But I do want a few pieces here and there. At the end of the day, all the people getting tiny tattoos are supporting the industry and we should be thankful for that.

not a fan of small tattoos unless you're covered in tattoos and you're getting fun filler type of stuff i really dislike small script tattoos but - that stuff is popular and i think because there is definetly clusters of people that want to have a tattoo buuuuuuuuuuut...not really and i guess i'm just not a fan of that

It's a waste of good real estate.

I think most people here will think it's just a waste of good real estate.

Good for them that you can now zoom in on Instagram or I wouldn't be able to tell what half of them even are

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!

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

Please don't get that. Tattoo artists are professional artists who specialize in that medium, if you choose a decent one, they'll be able to design something that will look great and still get across whatever message you want. In general, I discourage people from getting words on them, unless it's a bold font. Words tend not to age well, plus you're going to have a lot of people grabbing whatever body part you get them on and twisting you around to read them. It's bad enough when people want to see what an image is, they're extra nosey about reading words for some reason. I would encourage you to think of an image that represents what you want. Images usually look better as tattoos and you don't always have to be so literal about what you're trying to express. Whatever you do though, you don't have to draw what you want. Maybe find some examples of the style or elements you like and bring in the pictures to the artist to help steer them, but they can (or should) be able to handle the drawing portion.

Yeah, this has been coming up a lot. Calls for caps lock I think. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN TATTOO. YOU SHOULD NOT DESIGN YOUR OWN TATTOO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Im not sure what sort of tree you should get. Its really up to you, as it seems like this is a pretty personal thing for you. As far as your experience goes, Im aware of a traditional symbol that might reflect what has happened to you. In Japanese iconography, the cherry blossom (sakura) is an image used to symbolize a life lost too early. Cherry blossoms are very beautiful, but also fragile. They only bloom for a few weeks before they are gone. They symbolize somethong that is very beautiful, but that only lasts so long; Life. They are often paired with images of samurai who give their life in battle and have their life snatched away from them too early. Cherry blossoms have been tattoo motifs for hundreds of years, and make beautiful tattoos. Something to consider. Do some research, tho, as this is only my interpretation of Japanese motif.

i thought i wanted a tree for my first tattoo but when i started looking through portfolios i saw all these awesome tattoos that weren't trees. so i decided to get something else (followed by many other tattoos that also aren't trees) and i'm much happier because trees aren't really that exciting. edit to add: if it is going to be a smaller tattoo maybe focus on part of the tree. maybe maple leaves, cherry blossoms, or a pine cone and pine needles.

Because when you come to the internet for advice, you get advice on everything, not just what you asked. ;-)

Ooooh great thread. I've just uploaded loads to the gallery but I won't post all at once. Here are some hands I've painted : I'm always up for trades btw.

Ressurection of a very old thread. Any other painters out there? I posted some art I did on here a year or two ago but thought id show you some if my recent stuff! Thanks for looking! https://www.instagram.com/a_beukeveld/?hl=en

from yesterday by Valerie Vargas @ Modern Classic https://www.instagram.com/p/BB52NQ7kHbh/?taken-by=valeriemodernclassic

I got this incredible panther and snake by Valerie Vargas earlier this week https://www.instagram.com/p/BBn6dIQkHUa/?taken-by=valeriemodernclassic

Some from the past year. I think I did them in this order too. Watercolors and black marker. It's fun to look back and see what you keep doing over and over again, and what you would do different now.

Better! If you do some searching, there are allot of really solid traditional images of strongmen and weightlifters, most taking reference from old sideshow strongmen flyers. Really cool stuff.

How did/do you choose a tattoo(s)? Is there a meaning to your decision? Is there always a meaning to the tattoo(s) you get? What was the deciding factor in you putting a thought, event, etc on your body? Pls share a picture!