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Well, Takashi beat the shit out of me for 3 hours yesterday; was able to do the mikiri/background shading on my left shoulder. But this was with tebori, for the first time on my backpiece, and although I have another tebori piece this was on a whole other level of pain. Especially behind the armpits... and the back ribs. Everyone says how your ribs kill, but no one talks about how your ribs extend to your back! But it's weird because I totally could have taken a nap were it not for the pain... by which I mean, there really is a rhythm to tebori that's different than machine, and while it's a different kind of pain altogether, that rhythm is relaxing. Anyway, Takashi rules, and persistence is the name of the game!

Around the 12-hour mark and I'm liking the way my Japanese-American-Japanese backpiece is coming together. I seem to have fallen into a steady-ish rhythm re: the sessions. Beforehand: A bowl of ramen and gyoza beneath Tokyo Station and then the ride to InkRat, Koenji. The studio's kickarse blues tunes to get through the session. (Work has been so hectic recently that I've actually grown to look forward to these sessions and the lack of need to do anything for a solid three hours.) A can of IPA on the train home, undress the wrap, a hot-then-cold shower and air-dry with a glass of Penderyn. Finally some after-care cream and to bed in a shirt stained multi-coloured from past tattoos. Will post an update as the colours come in... tj

Wrapped up this little guy today! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Alycia Harr invited us to this event tonight,she and Cory Norris and Eddie Zavala form Classic Tattoo are showing art at this event,(among many others)it's right down the street from our home,looks like fun. http://www.imperiousrextattoo.com/

I’m in the early stages of brainstorming my next tattoo. I want to add a piece on my left calf that mirrors the jar of flowers I already have on my right (by Myra Oh): I’m not aiming for perfect symmetry, but something with a similar silhouette in an American traditional style. (The imagery doesn’t have to be traditional, though I’m open to that.) A traditional hot air balloon is a contender right now, something like the ones Ashley Love does: What other kinds of designs might fit well in this space and balance well with my current tattoo? Somewhat related: In general do you find artists are willing to work with loose design ideas (e.g. something traditional that will fit on my calf and have a similar shape to the tattoo on the other leg), or do they prefer a more concrete idea? (I’m sure the answer to this is “it depends on the artist”, but maybe you guys have some deeper insight.) Thanks all!

Yep, looks fine.

I like the hot air balloon and have wanted one for myself. I also like the framed portraits, or maybe even a vintage bird cage or cameo portrait would look nice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That looks awesome! Starting to get jealous about all your backpiece progress... I'm still 3h into mine since my last appointment at end of april got canceled on a short term because my artist broke his finger... But just another 2 weeks to wait until my next appointment and I'll then have another one 1,5 weeks later. So hopefully there will be some progress for me too in july...

@soosoosoo it looks like normal healing to me. in 3 or 4 months when it's healed,look at it again, for now,enjoy it and plan your next one.

Yea that would work too I have a pretty cool picture of someone who got it, I just love when Tupac throws west side up, gives me chills. I would prefer a full body but as addicted as I am to Tupac i would take just the name.

Desert rose. William Kasper when he was still in MO.

Is this gonna be the "cute" page? Pls post more

Totally fine. Way over thinking.

It's fine.

It is going to move when you move. If you stand exactly the way you were standing when the stencil was put on, it will look exactly straight. This is going to change as you age and as your body changes shape in general. If it bothers you enough in the years to come, put some more organic shapes around it. Organic shapes are more forgiving on our bumpy, curvy, changeable bodies.

Since I got my tattoos and dropped 35 lbs - and have been exercising a bit to tone up and keep my weight stable, I've been wearing a lot of sleeveless shirts and t-shirts. For work, I mostly wear short-sleeved shirts when the college is out of our normal semesters and I'm not wearing a suit. I'll even wear a tie with a short-sleeved shirt and sport coat. But, I don't normally go sleeveless at work. While I was out in Michigan at my sister's this week we were going through some old family pictures when I came across this one - my Dad in 1935. Apparently going sleeveless isn't new, it's retro, so I can now order some sleeveless dress shirts for work!!!

If you simplified a little and edited it some so the shape would be more long and narrow (the car in the picture you used is more horizontal and doesn't fit the thigh shape), the thigh could work. But if you insist on all that detail, nope. Really needs to be a backpiece if you want all that imagery to read clearly. Also: If there's any chance you'll regret this later, does it really matter where you get the tattoo? It's still on your body forever. If you're already having doubts before you even get the tattoo, maybe that's your gut saying it isn't right for you.

My first freehand tattoo - a big ol freaky blackwork peony by Dani Liberal, guesting at speakeasy Chicago. I basically let him do whatever and I love it but am a little freaked by how big it is, haha.

Damn, suck it... I'm new to this forum and just started my dragon backpiece last friday. So far upper back has outlines and some shadings. Working downwards in the next weeks/months and still some inches away from my butt. But hell, I'm so afraid of when we'll reach butt and thighs. Right now after my first session I don't really understand what I was thinking when I decided to get a backpiece that reaches down over my ass to my thighs. I mean, obviously there are some very delicate spots to get ink into in this area. Either way, as I commited to this project, guess now I'll have to go though with it. Yeah, it will look great when it's done but you realize, we didn't even get to see those pieces with our own eyes ever, right? Good to know that there are some other silly people out there doing such crazy shit.

Well that's pretty solid advice. And it seems obvious now. I'm strongly considering going back to the same artist for the other calf because I had a great experience with her last time and that way even if the shapes of the tattoos don't totally mirror each other, at least having them done in the same style will add a degree of congruence. Thanks for taking the time to reply to an anxious tattoo noob with a propensity for overthinking everything!

2nd question = depends on the artist. Some hate it when the client doesn't know what they want. 1st question = shape can be adjusted by adding background/etc. Pick an object that speaks to you.

I believe my stepmother had a 666 tattoo on her head somewhere, I had the funeral director take a quick peek behind her ears... nothin'.