Tornado7

Clutch placement on that violet, I really dig that one.

Yes, hon, get the rest of your arm tattooed around it ? But not just yet, for right now just wear some long sleeves and stop thinking about it.

A lot of the glow ink isn't considered safe because it is carcinogenic, but for a medical application where you're getting zapped with radiation and chemo, it is pretty intriguing. I hope there is something out there. Would adding a step to prep protocol to paint the existing tattoo with glow paint help you at all?

Don't let price be the deciding factor. If it is too much now, save up. Yes, you could probably get in the door for the top of your range. A little more money now is nothing compared to a lifetime of a tattoo you dislike or have to rework. This is going to be a very visible tattoo.

I know you are trying not to go in blind, but we really can't answer that for you. It totally depends on the artist you choose, and how s/he charges, how fast s/he works, where you are located, etc. Make sure you look at *healed* work when you're selecting this artist. I assume you don't wanna pay for it twice ?

This isn't the tattoo I thought I wanted when I started this thread, but... I so love it. I'm a bit beat up, we will maybe do some fully healed good pictures.

There are copiers all over the art world. You can buy a $40 Rembrandt at Bed Bath and Beyond. You can buy a fraudulent one at an auction house for a few million. You can get a painting in his style from a working artist for a few hundred. The monde tatu includes all kinds of unscrupulous characters who know exactly what con game they're running.

Show us a picture! Some people bruise with tattoos. You could just have a peel starting. Peeling linework gets kinda puffy looking. You have more healing to do now. Take care of it, keep it clean and follow your artist's instructions. You can't do anything to stop a blow out, and it happens sometimes. After two to four weeks, the same artist should be able to help you if something does need to be fixed. But don't obsess about it now.

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.

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.

Are you ever on luck! Seriously Chicago is full of people who can deliver big time with good clean tattoos. Great Lakes Tattoo (Near West Side on Grand) is having a big big event with some of the best tattooers in the world visiting on St. Patrick's day weekend. The Chicago Tattoo Convention is the same weekend. I just posted a list of notable shops in Chicago here - check Instagram or shop websites for any of these: Speakeasy, Deluxe, Brown Bros., Revolution, Taylor Street, Timeless

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 ?

Photorealism? Chicago? Like this?

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?

They confirmed Rubendall is tattooing flash this year.

I like the skully moon. You could do fill with ghosty misty stuff, and a reaper or a veiled widow on the inside. I'd also consider extending downwards. There's not a lot of room in your armpit, and you're going to cut off the meat of your inner bicep if you stop there.

We did color instead of background. I love these rocks. I never talked about rocks, but I collect them on my travels. It needs a stitch to actually show the whole thing. Background still to come ?

Stop it, you worry way too much about this tattoo! It will never look exactly like it did when it was an open wound. Your skin is going to heal over it, so you'll see the ink through a layer of you. Right now you're looking through dead skin. Yes, they absolutely fade a bit over time, wear, exposure, etc.

Really St. Louis? - All but two of my tattoos were done in town. ? If you want a half sleeve, do you know what style you like? Japanese, American traditional, black & gray? Are you interested in name recognition?

I believe I've seen worse covered. Are you asking for an artist, or a tattoo idea? Where are you located?

A snake on a - what do you like? Skull, web, Pokeball... OR something gross with flies. OR something nice with bees. Oh. OR a dandelion turning into birds! Snakes and ladies are bendy and can be put into weird spots.

Yes I have, but it was not to the point of an actual consultation yet. Once was an outright reject. (Good in the long run, he wasn't very personable.) The rest are because horses are tricky subjects for artists and I just have to find someone who likes drawing them. I ask about it a lot, but you'd be shocked at how many artists are really bummed at their own efforts.

Haha hubs got a saucy Aquaphor picture. I don't have any good pictures at this stage. Back at it in two weeks. There is freehand background. I think it is a sunset.

? I can't