David Flores

I guess my point with the "hip" thing is if young people live or hang out in an area that is going to be the first place they look for a shop, which is probably what really keeps these shops in business because their tattoo prices are the same if not more, because they charge by the hour and are slow. If A is where the cool kids hang out, or live, or buy their skinny jeans, and B all the cool kids are tattooed, then C must equal they get tattooed there as well. It's the same in the suburbs as most people are scared to go into the city so they go to one of two shops nearest to them.

Well even if Darcy prices seem a little high (have no idea what she charges) it will be worth it in the long run. It would be worth it with Gogue or traveling to San Fran, but a lot more expensive, especially if you factor airfare and lodging. I didn't take any major tattoo trips till I was more established financially in my life, like I said before, they can be fun trips but their are good tattooers everywhere.

I would buy both those paintings, but not get them tattooed on me.

Gogue does some great work but for my money I think I would rather get tattooed by Darcy or if I was going to travel go the extra couple hours to San Francisco and then you can your pick of the best in the world and be in a city with fun things to do. Plus while traveling for a tattoo can be fun experience, it's not necessary to do so just to find a good tattoo, there are plenty of people who can do that closer to you.

I feel sorry for those who go to a shop and still get a shitty tattoo. I would like to blame all the people tattooing out of their house for shitty tattoos, but realistically they still only represent a small portion of bad tattoos done. On a slightly related note, I poked around the ads on craigslist portland today and found that many of these people offering cheap tattoos either aren't bad or are posting pictures of others people's work to trick people which is probably the case as their seem to be some difference in approach that don't add up. Tattoo Tattoo Tattoo Tattoo Tattoo great tattoos here Now here's a shop located on probably the busiest intersection in the the most hipster neighborhood in portland, been there for years cranking out shitty work and their are three other shops on that street who's work is comparable. jesse's tattoos | Facebook Picking between the fake portfolio of the craigslist guy or the shop that clearly doesn't know what they are doing? I can see how people would rather go with people off craigslist who they don't realize are fake vs shops like these.

Flash showcase put on by Historic Tattoo Society featuring many top tattooers including the forums own Erik Gillespie.

Wish I could vote for this one about 10 more times.

It's not a big deal, but you can imagine how many threads we would have if every time someone got a tattoo they started a new thread, I'm not good at math but probably like a billion or more. But nonetheless, I came her to look at tattoos so thanks for posting.

Fucking amazing!

I wouldn't be bragging about either picture.

Respect is definitely the key word here. I think everyone who walks in the door deserves the chance to have a good experience and get a good tattoo. I can definitely understand not wanting someone who rubs you the wrong way to tattoo you. Connecting with people and being personable is part of the job. I would like to think I can find something to relate to or talk about with just about everyone that walks in the door and they can walk out feeling satisfied with the product and the experience. In some ways this process can mimic aspects of friendship, but it' s not always a two way street, in the case that started this thread, this guy was treated with the respect that you would extend to a friend, but it was no secret that he just wanted to get tattooed and that's fine as long as everyone is on the same page I suppose.

I may be biased cause I get to see his work all the time but my man Ashley Howell is killing it lately at Acme Tattoo in Portland Oregon. The problem is he doesn't take enough pictures, rarely updates his facebook and forget about instagram, he doesn't even own a cell phone. Facebook

It's funny their is one guy who I have to hide my tattoos from, my wife's grandfather. He has seen my tattoos in pictures and asked about them, and I don't know if he doesn't ask because I am always in long sleeves when I see him or because he is 92 and forgot about them. I hear he was a real grumpy bastard for awhile, but he seems to have mellowed recently after falling in his apartment and breaking his hip. He now lives in an assisted living facility near my mother in law. He tells great stories and really knows how to give people a hard time and loves spending time with my son. His dad ran a speakeasy during prohibition, but he swears that they were good Italians, not mixed up with the mafia, well expect for an uncle or two he says. I really only wear long sleeves out of respect for my mother in law and how much she has helped us out and accepted me despite being a tattooed atheist.

I honestly think most beers that aren't an IPA are not hoppy enough for me, but that might be a side effect of drinking hoppy beers all the time. I feel like a lot of "session beers" I try don't have much taste. I really like Belgian IPA's and Dry Hop Wheat Beers if I am not going to drink IPA. There are definitely some beers that have pushed the IBU level too far, but I have had a few beers that are at or above 100 IBUS that are some of the most balanced beers in the category. I haven't tried any beers from Brewdog so I can't speak for them specifically.

They have a booth at the Portland Tattoo Expo next month, can't wait to meet those guys and see their stuff. I told myself I have to cool it with the tattoos for a minute but who knows.

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of he owns the shop so at the end of the day the shop makes money and your patronage still helps grow his business. You are pretty lucky if someone decides they want to get tattooed by someone else, but it still helps pay your light bill. Who knows maybe artistically is does bug some people in some situations, but it make so much business sense to encourage it, I think egos would have to just stay on the backburner.

It's weird to get tattooed by anyone when you think about it. Anytime I get tattooed outside of my shop or by a new person it's a little weird. I can totally understand people being faithful to their tattoo artist, and most of my tattoos are and will be from the same people, but with all the cool stuff out there I can't help but want to have some tattoos from other people. If you worried about Ben feeling weird about it, I wouldn't worry, the next best thing to getting tattooed by him is getting tattooed in his shop.

Hannah Aitchison? She is probably booked up pretty far, but seen her do some pretty neat stuff on the realistic side and portrait work and just happens to work at the same shop. I know a fair amount of shops in Chicago but can't think of anyone of the top of my head other than those who have been mentioned.

My day is ruined when I get some dust in my contact lense.

A few years ago some 20 year old was showing me his tattoo and I asked him if he was going to get more, he responded jokingly "Maybe a couple more, not as many as you. After all I am not looking to join the circus or anything." People with eyeball tattoos are to me what I was to that kid.

Are they going to have hidden cameras in the tattoo shop and will he send his wife in to get a tattoo so he can decide what is wrong with the shop, I mean I don't know I don't watch that show.

The eagle globe and anchor is the marine logo, and it is similar to this design, if you look at the bottom of the flag as it is made to look like tail feathers, you might say it gives a nod to the logo design, although their are a lot of variations of that design as at one time it was popular thing to get tattooed, but really without the USMC or something of that nature, it just looks like a badass tattoo. If you picked out a heart on the wall and it said MOM, but you decided to get your girlfriends name in it, she wouldn't be offended because you got a mom tattoo. For the record I haven't seen someone come in and get a marine core logo in a long time. Steve Byrne you say, well I had a feeling this tattoo was done by someone really talented.

I have black sheets, probably why I don't think about this, but I left ink all over the bedding at the Sheraton I stayed at last week. Two nights in a row.

You honestly have no clue how many tattoos you have. You never leave the house without Aquaphor (or whatever you use to heal).

You bring up a good point @slayer9019 I would say a snob has to get tattooed or drink what's popular, vs an enthusiast is always searching to discover their next favorite or diamond in the rough.