Leaderboard

exactly. a full sleeve would likely be cheaper and less painful, but definitely look way better than laser removal. think thru this next decision carefully and learn from your past. maybe get something positive that balances the negative energy you're feeling and make it BIG! that'll make your current tattoo relatively smaller and it'll be allllll goooooood. best of luck and welcome to LST!

Sorry for your loss. It appears to be a well placed and well executed tattoo. Is it the design you hate, or does it have something deep to do with making your mom's passing really real?

At first I freaked out. I guess the permanence of it hit me. I also got my first couple of tattoos on impulse. But then I started getting more and before I knew it I wasn't worried anymore. Now I'm 13 in and already planning the next one. The best thing you could do is add to it as others have said. Find an artist who can incorporate it into a sleeve. And no, I don't think it's too big, it's a good size for your forearm.

Handson makes a great point... Impulsiveness has brought you to this crossroads. The important thing now is to not allow it to decide which path you will take a second time. I can feel your angst and I empathize ... everything in you is pushing to make it gone, now ... but for your own sake, please, take your time with deciding what you will do next.

No it is not too big, and you should know that most of us are going to encourage you to turn it in to at least a full sleeve ?

I am also sorry for your loss - just lost my mom 3 weeks ago. The work looks well done and placed - can you tell us exactly what it is you don't like about it? Is it, perhaps, an emotional reaction to you mom's passing? You generally have 3 options - Live with it, laser it, or cover it. The first is, generally, the easiest, least expensive and least expensive route. Only you, though, can ultimately decide which route to take. In any case, welcome to the forum.

I agree! Well placed and well executed.

Lots of great advice and support here for you. I think your tattoo is awesome and looks great. If I saw you walking down the street, you'd make me smile and want to give you a hug. I wouldn't, of course, cuz that's just creepy but you get my drift. :)

We will all confirm that he freaked out!! Truly, take your time and investigate the options. Consult with an artist(s) and make an informed decision. Lots of people get buyers remorse initially when the permanence sinks in, especially if the work is done on impulse. But, your intent as a memorial was there from the beginning so from that perspective you've done well. And, you got someone to do the work who executed it well. +2. So, now think your way through what's next.

I don't know that I know any of the artists there? Chicago has so many people making great tattoos, and I don't know them all. I am confident that all of the places I did list can give you a very nice traditional tattoo. I'm certain there are many more! Stop by GLT on the weekend of their event, seriously. It will be such an education to see what's going on.

best thing to do is find an artist whose work achieves what you're looking to get, preferably in your area. then all they have to do is do what they do! bring in a reference picture of the style you want and tell them what you're looking to get. where are you located?

I'm not experienced enough to really advise you on lasering, but my understanding is that it's not going to totally eliminate what you have. And, it's expensive and painful. To me, the idea of adding to it to create at least a half sleeve - perhaps even covering some of it through that process - is a better possibility. Although I only have two tattoos, both done in the last year, I think the quality of your work, size and placement are fine. My advice would be to build on it, not to worry about it.

Trust me, I've been there. Everything you just said I felt when I got my first couple of tattoos. I also considered laser which, as far as I know, does work, though results vary. The best advice I got on here was "get more tattoos". You'd be amazed at how soon you stop worrying when you have a few more. I strongly recommend keeping it, at least until it heals completely. I really think it looks good, and it has genuine significance to you. Remember, it could always be a whole lot worse.

Lynn always makes Valentine's Day special for us. She cooks a great meal and we just spend the entire evening together. After dinner, we decided to watch the first night of The Westminster Dog Show that we'd recorded. Crawled under a blanket in the family room and by 8 I was already drifting off to sleep. All of the stress and emotions of losing my Mom just finally washed out, I think. We were in bed by 8:30 and I was asleep by 8:31. Best night's sleep I've had in a month. On Friday, we head off on a trip to Disneyworld - taking my son, his wife and our 3 grandkids. It's going to be a blast!!

Bumping this thread! Happy Hallmark Day!

Welcome. Feel free to ask your question here. Lots of new questions get answered in the initiation threads. You're not going to be able to start a new thread until you have at least ten replies to other threads. Let's be honest, the answer to your question is probably "Put a panther on it," "shove a dagger through it," or "go talk to your artist." Check out the following guidelines for contributing. https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/guidelines/

So far 2017 is rewarding me for the challenges of 2016... - Finally driving the turbo race car I've been dreaming about - Slayed another Dragon Dance with my kung fu group and took our routine to a new level. - Won an engineering contract to develop a major high voltage distribution system - Working on the succession plan for me and my partners to takeover our engineering firm this year - Reconnected with my tattoo sensei with my idea for a 2nd layer tattoo this season. - Still thinking my armpit tattoo idea is not a bad idea lol - Got tickets to DRI in April ...and who said tattooed people won't amount to anything ? thats what I thought! f*ck the status-quo GET TATTOO & BE AWESOME :cool:

I did a search but didn't see anything more than "getting/just got my first tattoo" type threads. Wondered about everyone's first ever tattoos. Do you still have it? Do you still like it? Do you feel attached to it? Etc. I got my first two days after I turned 18, on Halloween, 1992. My best friend and I got matching tattoos-a rose off the wall. Hers is teal, mine is purple. We were the only tattooed students in high school, and were considered huge bad asses. People remarked about how large it was and I thought, really? It didn't seem large to me, but, yanno, then party dots became like the "cool thing" to do, so if you put my rose next to a party dot it looked like I had a full bodysuit to those people I guess. As I've gone along in my tattoo adventures, I had one of mine covered, which ended up turning into this big Japanese wind/water deal, and now I'm looking at my first few from my 18-21 year old self and wondering if I want to keep them like they are, rework them, incorporating them into something new either way..or remove/cover them w/something else that fits me now.

Hi, I just signed up... First I want to say hello to everybody... Second, I have a question regarding tattoos that I would like to post in General Discussion. However, I cannt seem to figure out how to post in the General Discussion forum. All of forums are disabled in 'Create' option except this one. Any advice? Thanks,

A lot of very large and time-intensive tattoos are highlighted in portfolios. Something like a composed Japanese sleeve is going to have a background in a foreground and they can sometimes be busy. That's one thing about Instagram. Artists may post tattoos that they wouldn't put in their portfolio. Smaller one shot and walk in tattoos. Long story short, if you see someone's work that speaks to you go speak to him. He may already have a design book ready to go, or he may draw your idea on the spot.

@OiochaMaybe not a contest, per se since everyone is a winner who has a tattoo by him. Maybe a "founders day" celebration instead. :) @suburbanxcore Still love this hard.

Thank you Hands On, I appreciate the welcome! :) Friday I tried out my machine on myself for the first time. I have an old yin yang in my palm that I'm not truly happy with ... rather than do a simple touch up I decided to make it the belly of an owl. Started itching today bigtime ... but might take a while to heal fully considering the placement. Saturday I started working on an Alice in Wonderland themed half sleeve cover-up ... inked the outlines for the rabbit and the Cheshire ... once healed I will add the shading and color and might just post it here at that point for some feedback. Very possible that the partial sleeve will be healed and posted before the palm one ... we'll see. :) Wish me luck with smooth shading and consistent color ... Makes me nervous just thinking about it!

My father had that exact same tattoo on his bicep ... I always thought it was very cool. :) Speaking of Walmart tattoos and earning tattoos ... lol ... this gentleman certainly seems to have earned his!

how did you feel when you got yours then? and honestly do u think mine is not too big

Sorry for you loss man. I think it looks great. It's clean, and nicely done, and even though it's not quite my style, it's actually among the better "lettering" tattoos I've seen. I'd keep it. Also, it's only been a month, it ain't even healed yet! Give it time, it'll grow on you. Trust me.

Your script "Lost at Sea" in the anchor and reference to a desire for a skull, made me think of a sunken ship ... and also an albatross, inspired by the famous poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge. Just my two bits for your melting pot of ideas. :)

I don't think you can ever go wrong with a snake and roses, but it seems like you have a few ideas already. When you see your artist, float those by him. See what he recommends or hit his strong suit. A big ass ship on the other side would complement the anchor well, in my opinion. Sidenote: You might want to rethink the hand idea just for a minute, too. A hand tattoo is a big statement and commitment, and you're just starting this journey.

Yes! Best tattoo subject matter ever! 1) Winged snake drawn-on by Jeff Rassier, Blackheart tattoo finished Jan 2015 2) Snake and torch by El Monga, guesting at Spider Murphy's summer 2013.

Rich Cahill for the popped cherry 6 years ago.

I got mine as an 18th berthday present form my mother

My first was 14 years ago when I was 19. It was one of those where I walked into the shop and picked an existing design. It's a snake around a half moon! How ridiculous. It's not very well done (at this stage some people think it's a monkey..) but I swear I can't get rid of it. As the first I do feel really attached to it! I've covered up another tattoo but I think I'll never cover up this one. It's on my belly so it's not visible all the time which helps. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

My first was 2 hearts and a banner with my wife (at the time) and my name in a banner. Actually pretty well done. This was in 1977. By 1979 her name was inked over. In 1980 the whole tattoo was covered with a snake and rose. In 2011 that tattoo was covered up with a big peony. I think it is now covered up enough.

Great thread! My first tattoo was a Chicago Bears logo on my butt, in 2007. At the time I wasn't into the Bears or tattoo's, but I was watching the game with some friends and for no good reason exclaimed "if they win at this point, I'll get their logo tattooed on me". My friend made me shake on it. Sure enough, some last minute miracles happened and they won. The first shop denied me. I didn't get another tattoo for another 6 years. Horitomo is in the process of covering the tattoo.

St. Christopher, 2003 ...

Ain't tattoos just such fun =] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

My first tattoo was a trail of seven butterflies going from the front of my right hip up and around my side. I was 19 and at the time the first two sat in my undies line and the last one closer toward my back. 4 kids and 12 years on, they sit very differently ? poor things have been through a fair bit! In the past I wanted to either rework them or add to them, but now I'm too sentimental and like them all stretched and sad looking ?

So interesting, thanks everyone! Next time we head down there (recoloring my peony on my upper arm so it flows better w/my big piece) I'm going to talk w/my artist about fixing my feet, and what can be done w/my ankles. My dragon is just a flash dragon, no attachment there..but my Tigger..I dunno if I could mess w/him. Buuut then I don't know how things will work w/the plan I have in my head for future pieces.

My first tattoo when I was 18 I then got this one not longer after there both home jobs the cross is on my chest and the dragon is wrapped around my right arm which is incomplete 24 now and wanting more including the dragon finished Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

the heart with the key and banner was my first tattoo,I got it in 1985,(I was 26)it was for an ex-wife with her name in the banner.it was flash off the wall,that's the way it was back then. and a couple other stupid choices from a while ago. .but now it's all nicely covered up ! :)

First tattoos were wild roses on each hand and a shrimp on my collar bone 3 years ago when I was 18. They were original drawings from the t-shirt artist Craig Robson, whom was my favorite artist at the time. I was entoxicated by art school culture and didnt really think ahead. I initially wanted the shrimp behind my ear but decided to not because I thought it would hurt too much. I regret them because they were pulled off the internet and I enhibited the artist from doing a better job because I wanted them to be exactly like the picture. I also regret getting them on my hands, as they cant be covered. Getting anything on your hands/head is a bad idea in general, let along as your first tattoo. I also regret getting the shrimp on my chest as it enhibited me from getting a large chest piece latter on. I told the artist to make it darker after my bad heal for a touch up and it's sort of just a dark mess now. I've seen worse out there but if I was to get laser surgery these 3 would be the ones Id get rid of. I should have gotten them on my leg or something. Much easier to hide and work around. I dont have any good photos of the shrimp as its hard to photograph, but heres a voomed in crop of me while I was getting my chest tattooed.

Artwork from Frank Turner's Poetry of the Deed. In the process of lasering it off, so I can get a coverup done!

My Grandfathers' WWII service serial numbers on each tricep after my first grandfather passed. They each pretty much raised me.

my first ever tattoo I got about 7-8 years ago - its covered now - basically i went to a local shop - got a small tattoo of plankton (yes from spongebob) which promptly became infected - skin fell off - scars were established - it was then covered by this Bob Marley tattoo - which was later chewed on by a pitbull (whole nother thread there) - anyway - my tattoo selection process has changed since then - and I dont think i'd ever get another coverup - anyway...

My first tattoo was a little broken heart with a small rose I got straight from a flashbook when I was 14. I was shopping for clothes in the city with my mom and mentioned I wanted a tattoo. We walked straight from the mall to a tattooshop and picked something out. The original was a normal heart, but I asked for a broken one because I was "emo". Later I had some more rose added around it when I was 16. And then a (really, really badly done) girl shooting herself through the head with crows flying out, behind it when I was 17. At 20 I finally got some sense and had the whole thing covered and started getting good tattoos. :')

I didn't mention what my tattoo is, so I'll add it here. It's a drawing by the artist Keith Haring called "Barking Dog." He was a pop/graffiti artist from the 80s. He died of AIDS in 1990. I studied 20th century art in college and grad school, and I've been a fan of Keith's since I was a kid. I have two other drawings by him tattooed on me, too: a dancing man behind my left ear (from one of his larger drawings) and Funny Bunny on my right ankle. I also have a crown from graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who was a contemporary of Haring.

I got my first tattoo a week ago and it is a sea serpent/dragon. I just saw it in a flash book of Sailor Jerry stuff and got it. I didnt think of any meaning at first other than it looked neat to me but as I was getting it, it reminded me of my unit's logo design, the beret flash when I was in the Army. Its also a little ironic because while my brother was in the Navy for the time I was in the army yet I am the one with a SAILOR Jerry tattoo, go figure!

I have the Minor Threat black sheep on my foot, I got it a couple months after turning 18. Not the greatest experience, the guy I went to was a little unfriendly and the shop wasn't the best. Tattoo came out okay but probably needs a touchup by now. I used to be straight edge so it held a lot more meaning then than it does now, but I still like the band and it reminds me of my past and all that good stuff. I probably wouldn't do it again if I had the chance, but it doesn't really bother me either. I've considered getting a hop tattoo on my other foot for a humorous contrast between feet: one for straight edge and one for beer.

i got my first tattoo when i was 16, an outline of a cross on my chest. My second tattoo was to cover up the first. Cant say i felt attached to either, its been in the way of other stuff for nearly ten years now.

I got my first about six months ago...a month shy of my 61st birthday. Got my second last Saturday. After many years of finding excuses not to do it, I finally decided it was time to make it happen. Where do I go from here? I have no clue...but you never know.

This is a cover up of my first tattoo, which was shit. (I got in 1996 when I was in college with little to no thought, and I was half in the bag.), so it is really my second tattoo. It was covered up in 2011, and I haven't stopped since. Now I've lost count.