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Hi everyone, my name is Joseph and Im a tattooaholic. one day when I was 23 I realized...."I can do whatever the F*&K I want" and got a tattoo. then another one. and another one. and now im two sleeves deep with a calve sleeve and a full leg sleeve on the way. along with several pieces on my back and chest. absolute addiction along with weight lifting. its helped ward of depression and releases serious endorphins, the effects of a recent tattoo last several months. glad to be part of a large tattoo community and looking forward to contributing to the site. cheers everyone!

welcome ! what island ? and we will need pics of your tattoos ! 🙂

I think it looks amazing!!! I actually really really love it. Don't worry, it's easy to have tattoo remorse. Especially for bigger pieces-- really, you just need some time to adjust to the change. Hopefully soon you will start feeling it as part of yourself!

Hello, I'm from Turkey, and I'm a tattoo apprentice, nice to meet you

Hiya, Derby. Welcome.

I started my arm tattoos with half sleeves. A lot of people didn't know they were there. In May, I added the lower arm and now have a full sleeve on my right arm. It is clearly a lot more noticeable, but I can wear long sleeves and generally cover it up. My lower legs are also nearly covered, and it took a little while to branch out to fully-visible-all-the-time tattoos. I understand why you're giving this lots of thought. Either do it or don't. It is up to you at this point. 🙂

My mermaid tattoo by Theo Mindell.

This was done in April, Gina Sherry is the artist, shop is Studio 69 Tattoo, Ronkonkoma NY.

Hey maybe we'll run into each other, I'm hoping to go for my birthday in October!

Dragging tattoos out just hurts more! Everyone can move at their own pace. I'm 25 and I have my back, arms, feet and armpits left anddddd that's it. Trying to get done sooner than later. More power to you!!

So F***ing cool that you plan an awesome trip to California to get tattooed. I fly out to California next month to continue my Fudo/dragon sleeve with Scott Sylvia. I used to live about an hour and a half away from Black Heart but life happens and now I live in Colorado. Interestingly enough, Timothy Hoyer is in town soon and we have been messaging about getting something cool. Wish me luck!

I'm gonna use your "blow-out" as a metaphor: Part of the tattoo/line is a little too deep, the ink spread... Because you got in over your head with this tattoo, just like the line, it got a bit deep, then up it pops for a little air- you waded back up into shallower water, where the comfort zone was/is.... Blow-outs happen.... and if you weren't such a beginner in the "getting tattooed" pond... You would have been totally fine swimming in the deep end of the pond, cause you would have known... Hey, it's not just a "you pick it, we stick it..." It's a hey.... kinda big deal, but regardless, you would have been prepared for such a thing.... PS. It really sucks when someone has basically no tattoos, and they come into a place and start using "jargon" that they don't even understand, a little bit of manners, and a lot of mutual respect : will get you everything in a shop. Regardless.... I wish you the best in your tattoo collecting path.... And lots of luck.... When I was 18 and in a shop, I really do wish someone would have looked out for me... I didn't have that until I started working in the second tattoo shop, of my career... And I use the age of 18, because that's baseline beginner age, to me... I have an entire arm of dumb ass clowns... CLOWNS. And they cannot be removed. Just looking out for ya kiddo. AND I HATE ICP. but with this dumbass entire left arm: everyone thinks In love ICP. NO. Jennifer

If I may... It's really not about the blowout. It's about changing cultural norms and how lots of people these days are rushing into tattoos in highly visible places before really committing to being a 'tattooed person' (ie arm sleeves, more larger pieces). Every artist and every client will have different views on this, but I have to say I agree with the old school mentality - certain tattoo placements are 'earned' in that sense.

I would suggest doing a lot of research on how tattooing works and the healing process and blow outs. First, I haven't seen a lot of tattoos that didn't heal 'right.' It might take longer if you screw up the aftercare, but it's really tough to screw one up permanently. Second, after care does not effect a blow-out. Third, there is no such thing as peeling 'prematurely' there is no set schedule. Also, I don't see how you can 'edit' the size of a text tattoo. Do your homework so that you have realistic expectations regarding what can and can't be done. Tattoo shows have done a huge disservice in setting unrealistic expectations about the tattoo process. You're putting ink under your skin. Even with the best tattooers, shit happens. With bad tattooers bad shit happens.