Isotope

Settled close to a year I think? Neither of us could remember off the top of our heads.

As a collector and someone who did much of their PhD work in the South Pacific, I'm very sensitive to this idea, but part of me thinks it would crazy to be in Polynesia, a birthplace of tattooing, and not go to a local place, support a local artist, and get some small travel mark. I'll be there for 10 days on my honeymoon. Angel on one shoulder, devil on the other.

Element element element over and over again. Jedi Reid, Kelly Edwards, Justin Martinez etc etc. not a bad artist in that shop.

Am I the only crazy bastard here who would wear this as a badge of honor?

Progress update. Still lots of white skin in the middle of lines. Longest heal I've had by far, especially for linework. This is almost a month post-application. Hopefully I didn't do something wrong and hang my head in embarrassment at the next session

I have a lot of hours under VERY "heavy handed" tattooing (I hate that phrase), including one full rib panel (in progress) and a full back piece (finished). All I can say is that it's temporary, the stoke will carry you through, and it's worth it. You know you earned that shit. Don't let it scare you off. Tattoos are supposed to hurt!

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

Exactly! I never worried at all about my back, lol.

My big hope right now is that the lines will be reapplied if necessary at the next session. I'm just trying to avoid any scarring right now. Using a dab of bacitracin.

Thanks @BrianH. It's a very small part of a very large plot of linework, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. This is the first time it's ever happened to me and I've not done anything different, and I've had a lot of work done around pants/waistline (my back piece goes down onto my ass), all working the same job and daily routines as with this piece. I'm just obviously super bummed.

This is 12 days post-application. Right at the pants line when I sit. The nasty scabs are almost gone. But these lines, christ, I have no idea how they are going to look when everything finally heals. Anybody had a similar really nasty situation turn out ok? This is not blowout.

Argggggg I hate this phase. This line is in a heavy movement area on my stomach so naturally I got a scab. Pulled off in my sleep last night, so I get to play "will this milk turn black" roulette for a few days...

Have any of you all used bacitracin on spots that have developed tough scabs? That was recommended to me by one of my artists.

Thank you so much! It's actually healing pretty rough because I move so much and it's in a creasy, tough spot. I'm trying my best to baby it, but I have a couple smalls scabs I'm nurturing.

After both sets of ribs by two different tattooers, both all the way to the armpits, pecs right to the nipple, collarbones, and a complete full back piece, for me still the lower back right above the crack. The memory of tattoo pain fades pretty quick, but I still remember feeling like I was getting electrocuted in that spot. Like someone was holding a cattle prod on me.

So I wasn't expecting another large scale piece. But Steve Byrne loved my basic idea, and I DID specifically tell him, apparently, quote "go nuts". I am a wreck this morning kids. Link to video:

Annie is notorious for being impossible to get ahold of (private studio, no public phone number). She even posts apologies about it.

So, having a fair bit of tattooing under my belt, i've begun to notice something. I scab. Easily. Badly. Big, thick ones. Only one tattooer has made me not scab anywhere, Kelly Edwards. And he did my full back. Healed perfectly every session. Every other tattooer, not so much. Linework never scabs. Black shading almost never scabs. But almost anywhere color has been packed really solid, I can count on my healing being a nightmare with one wrong move needing a touch up. This is Texas. Everything is sweaty all the time. Even in the dead of winter, so I'm sure that doesn't help. But I'm at a loss. Maybe it's just my immune system. I'm curious to hear others experiences with scabbing in tattoos.

Solid black kidneys = only time I have ever puked after a tattoo session. +1 to mentally and physically prepare yourself. Be in a good place that day.

Progress with Chelsea Kotzur... color next.

Well...(deep breath) Steve Byrne in less than a month (Sept 1). I don't generally get nervous or "starstruck", but I've definitely got butterflies on this one. Who's been tattooed by Steve?

4th of July spread!

Awesome @polliwog!! I love Todd's stuff!