rufio

Funny rereading this thread. I figure there are alot of artist asking each other the same question. 'how much should i charge?'. 
One of the best feelings is when a artist is very enthustiastic about your idea. You can feel the magic. And it seems they charge you less 
 

Hey all,
Today I started my back piece with Scott Rusnak out of Lucky Strike Tattoo in Edmonton, Alberta. We are doing something a little out of the traditional notion of Japanese tattooing--a large octopus with some of his rad lightning laid over top. This is only my third tattoo (the other's being only palm sized jammers) and after my four-hour linework sit today, I am humbled. All of the spots feel like bad spots, but now a couple hours after things are feeling good and I'm looking forward to the next sit where we will finish the linework and start some shading, hopefully. We're planning on bringing it down to the knees with some rocks and heikegani crabs. The bare patch near my left shoulder will also probably be filled with some more water and another crab. Ultimately, this first experience was intense but totally manageable and very rewarding.
 

i hate when people ask "what about when you get old?"
 
Well surely then  will be old with tattoos rather than young with tattoos?

Amen to above, and, it reminded me that I had saran wrap on my arm one time when a lady seating my husband and I at a diner after the tattoo asked  me if I this was a fresh tattoo as she slapped me right on the wrap. REALLY?????

@Dan Get it done, man! I waited until I was 57 for many of the same reasons and had a grandmother who died from colon cancer. My wife and I finally decided to have them done. She was clear and I had a pre-cancerous polyp which was removed during the procedure. I just had my 3 year follow up colonoscopy last fall and was clear. 
The procedure itself is so easy I was amazed. Even the prep isn't as bad as people say it is. In fact, the prep was the worst part and that wasn't bad at all.
odds are you are fine and having that piece of mind will be priceless. And, even if something is found, treatment today is much better the even a few years ago with good outcomes.
You do have amazing tattoos! But I'd prefer to have you around to guide us through our own journeys. You need to have that piece of mind to truly enjoy those trips to Hawaii....and I want to see those beach pics for years to come. 
Now, listen to the Colonel and get your ass in there, literally, and get the procedure done. Anyone who says they aren't scared in your situation is lying. I know I was. But, believe me, not knowing really is worse.

Just got my first tebori from Bunshin Horitoshi. Tosi is a great guy! Highly recommended.
I went with something classic and simple for my first japanese tattoo

These were all selected and drawn for me.  Part of my leg collection — a work in progress. I'm definitely a collector. :-)

I got this little one shot eagle yesterday at the Quebec City convention from Trevor McStay.

It wraps a lot because it takes up most of my thigh so here are a couple of pictures.

Once you've found an artist you are comfortable with, he/she will help you solidify your ideas. I think that finding the right artist is critical if you think you want your first to ultimately be part of a sleeve. Starting with something that will thematically fit into a larger piece - or not, if you opt not to go further - seems smart. Even the memorial could be part of a larger piece - something along the lines of a WWII tribute, etc.
You will find lots of discussion material about pain and pain management techniques here and around the internet. There are certainly parts of the body that are generally more sensitive than others...but everyone senses pain differently. I will let those with much more experience guide you here but in my case my first is a fairly large piece on my upper arm/shoulder - which is noted as one of the least painful areas. For me, I felt nothing I would call pain - more like scratching and irritation. But again, we all have different pain tolerance levels.
I loved your reference to M1 Garands. My dad was a Marine who enlisted at the end of WWI and later served in Korea. I have a great picture of him at Parris Island holding his Garand. I collect and shoot military surplus weapons - have a small collection - and have two Garands. Here's a picture of me shooting on my range. You can see the last shell casing ejecting to the upper front and the 8 round en bloc ejecting to the rear just in front of my head. The infamous M1 Garand "ping!" 

 
Good luck in your quest!!

@oboogie here you go :).

Done today by Mr_rom3o
 

Or the nasty crap from your lips in a fresh wound. @rufio

Here are the end results of my trip to Denver. My wife got some balloons and I got a praying mantis. Both by Destroy Troy at Til Death. Great shop and fun artist. Also, The Cure was fantastic, the beer was cold and I used Saniderm for the first time. 
 

Halfway there by Chris Stuart in Charlotte. Great tattooer, great shop, great experience
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

So this post isn't about my fresh tattoo but I saw something recently that made me cringe. I was at an aftershow about a month ago. This one chick had a fresh sleeve. She looked at it, pulled out her Chapstick then slathered it all over her arm...then applied it to her lips. How about we *not* do that. She had a purse and god knows that she had room for some lotion.

Added colour last friday. Unfortenately i got sick and had some train delays. Got home at 00:00. Couldnt be bothered too shower or change plastic. I went straight to bed. Next day i was fine and showered. Got rid of all the plasma and put on new plastic. Didnt put any ointment or lub on it. Saturday now, we added some white to the hair. Had only plastic covering the hair and the head. I was to lazy to shower so i didnt. Now its sunday. I only slept with plastic on the head and hair. Now dry healing the shit out of it. No itch yet or shredding. Its just abit wrinkly. 

Fixed your post for you too.
 
Sheesh.

Uh. I'm not singling you out? No idea what you're on about. You're pretty new to tattoos. Maybe try and chill a tiny bit?

Funny rereading this thread. I figure there are alot of artist asking each other the same question. 'how much should i charge?'. 
One of the best feelings is when a artist is very enthustiastic about your idea. You can feel the magic. And it seems they charge you less 
 

Funny rereading this thread. I figure there are alot of artist asking each other the same question. 'how much should i charge?'. 
One of the best feelings is when a artist is very enthustiastic about your idea. You can feel the magic. And it seems they charge you less 
 

I am trying to find the Skull with intertwined Snake tattoo that my Dad had. He passed away back in 1997 and I regret that I never really talked to him about it - although it gave me the inspiration to get my first this year. And, I have not been able to find any pictures of him where it shows. It was fairly large and on his left upper arm.
My Dad went into the Marines at the end of WWII - turned 18 in 1946. He finished Boot Camp and then was transferred into the Reserves so he returned home and was living with his parents - so I am guessing he did not get his tattoo then. When the Korean Conflict broke out, he was activated and was sent to southern California - and ultimately deployed to Korea - so my guess is that he got tattooed there somewhere in the vicinity of El Toro air base in the early 1950s. I assume he selected from a piece of flash - and I remember it to have been more greenish in color, although perhaps that was just the fading of the years and sun damage.
Can anyone steer me toward flash of that era or Southern California artists back then? I've done a bunch of Google searches but have had no luck so far.
This is him taken at Boot Camp in July 1946 - high shooter in his platoon. The picture was sent to our local newspaper where my Grandmother was a proof reader so she was able to keep the original. I have it hanging in my den in a case with a WWII M1 Garand like he is holding - I am also still looking for that rifle in his hands. I know the serial number and keep looking for it to turn up among the millions that survived the war.

@Devious6
ah man if there was ever a reason for someone to help you, this is it.
I'm pretty sure someone on here would be able to hook you up with info.

Bumping my own thread. First of all, thank you everyone contrubiting in my thread. Special thanks to @Graeme who's advice never fails. Also special thanks to my mentor @Joe Shit (yes you are a mentor now, deal with it) with who i had alot of back and forth pm's about artists. Without you guy's i dont know with what monstrosity i would have ended up with. I know sometimes it seems people just come, asking for advice and dont listen but i want you to know sometimes people do listen. Allmost finished now. 

Bumping my own thread. First of all, thank you everyone contrubiting in my thread. Special thanks to @Graeme who's advice never fails. Also special thanks to my mentor @Joe Shit (yes you are a mentor now, deal with it) with who i had alot of back and forth pm's about artists. Without you guy's i dont know with what monstrosity i would have ended up with. I know sometimes it seems people just come, asking for advice and dont listen but i want you to know sometimes people do listen. Allmost finished now. 

I think I have tattoo OCD, 
I have a  lot of tattoos and have been getting tattooed for many years,
and still it seems everyday ,all day,
all I think about is tattoos,tattooed people,tattoo art,tattoo shops,and probably the worst is me thinking of what my next tattoo will be.
do you guys think I have a problem ? does this happen to anyone else ?
now don't get me wrong,I still think about beer & sex & food !

Bumping my own thread. First of all, thank you everyone contrubiting in my thread. Special thanks to @Graeme who's advice never fails. Also special thanks to my mentor @Joe Shit (yes you are a mentor now, deal with it) with who i had alot of back and forth pm's about artists. Without you guy's i dont know with what monstrosity i would have ended up with. I know sometimes it seems people just come, asking for advice and dont listen but i want you to know sometimes people do listen. Allmost finished now.