David Flores

Interested is one thing, still excited for each episode four seasons is another thing. I used to watch Weeds, but the storyline and the writing has gotten so bad it's pretty much unwatchable.

I got to start watching this show. The only thing i know about it is Freddy Corbin was in an episode, but I have heard so much about it in the last month. I never thought a show about biker gangs would really interest me, but then again I never thought a show about making meth would have me glued to my set like Breaking Bad does.

Technically I got tattooed in High School in someones kitchen once but it was so small and so light it didn't really count and it has been long since covered. When I was 17 I moved to Colorado (1997). I had my own apartment but was always really broke and never had any money to get tattooed even though I lived behind Snake's Tattoo where I believe Snake just celebrated his 39th year of business and was always tagging along with people when they got tattooed. When I moved to Oregon and finally got established I decided to start getting tattooed. I enlisted the help of a friend with some nice black and grey tattoos and he set me up with his guy. It was and still is a private studio on the second floor and he booked out 3-6 months in advance. This was odd having hung around Snake's place where he didn't even make appointments and usually the line was 20 long when you walked in but when in Rome. So I made the appointment and eventually got the tattoo, but the experience just didn't seem right but either way this guy did good work so I booked another appointment. In the four months while I was waiting for my appointment I decided to check out some more shops and I walked into a shop and the walls were full of hand painted flash all the signs were hand painted and people were just hanging out talking about whatever and told me I could tattooed same day usually and wouldn't have to wait more than a week even if it was busy. This seemed much more like the environment for me and so between the two guys working there I had four more tattoos when I finally went in for my appointment four months later. So now i have a couple realistic black and grey tattoos they don't quite flow, but it was the start of my tattoo journey and it could have been a lot worse. So here is my first tattoo in a shop.

When a heavily tattooed person gets a disease, it's funny how some would assume tattoos are the cause. Lifestyle and Genetics probably play a lot bigger role in your general health than whether you are tattooed. For example a bunch of heroin addicts that are heavily tattooed get hepatitis so clearly it must be the tattoos that gave it to them?

I don't think most tattooers I know would get involved in a lot of this stuff, especially a whole back or chest piece of something like this. However, people come in with graphic design stuff all the time and my instructions are if you can't use the Jedi force and talk them into a panther fighting an eagle, make sure it can be turned into a good tattoo with a bold black outline and if they are down and understand that then book it and if not send them on their way, but we don't take a picture of it and we throw away the line drawing five minutes after they walk out the door and pretend like it didn't happen even though for what it is it probably looks great. A tattoo is not always about the person who put it on people want tattoos for different reasons and I have to figure out how to get them a good tattoo without making them feel like their idea is dumb even if it is. But at the end of the day what is put out in your public portfolio is a reflection of you, the shop, and a good way to suggest what people should get tattooed, so use discretion, but I guess none of this applies if you feel like this stuff is good.

I had heard that he was still tattooing, I think on this forum. I don't really know him personally but I am sure I can find someone who does. I was just talking the other day about all the people I have taken not gotten tattooed by here in Portland.

My ex wife didn't like tattoos until we broke up, then she kind of went nuts. She got her stomach tattooed by Clae Welch and a bunch of other tattoos form people around town and one time even came in on her birthday to get tattooed at the shop I worked at, luckily I was not there that day. At some point during this we discussed getting back together but tattoos weren't the issue and never solved the issue, although I always found it odd that she was so against me getting tattoos for so long. Funny my current wife doesn't have a lot of tattoos, we worked together for a short time but we became friends because her aunt was in town and they wanted to get a tattoo, but were having trouble finding a place that did walk ins. I made a few calls and got them squeezed in. I think that was her first real tattoo, although she had a couple homemade jobs from high school. She has gotten a few tattoos since then, but doesn't seem to want to be covered and I don't think she has been tattooed in about two years, but she is going to get tattooed in a couple of weeks by Mario Desa because for her its time for a new one. There are still parts of tattooing she doesn't get but I think she understands that it is important to me and that it enough for her. Plus we keep separate bank accounts for spending money so that never becomes an issue.

I don't really think the stuff is even original, it looks like the type of stuff you would have on your walls if you bought your art at Target. Custom in the way that everyone else had the good sense not to put tattoos on that look like this. To me it is the equivalent of people pawning off out of focus pictures as some sort of new art form.

Where is Scott tattooing at these days or is he on the road?

Other than the tattoos on me I really don't have a tattoo related collection. I have bought a fair amount of books but all of them I end up going into the shops reference library and the only flash I own is a set that was leftover from 2008 Bay Area Convention and a couple other prints I have bought at conventions. Funny I have a tattoo off of 5/6 sheets of the flash set I was given so in a way it looks like a personalized flash sheet but it really was me being the first one around when sheets were being painted so that was the stuff I got. I don't see anything wrong with collecting flash, I am just a horrible collector and can't imagine the pressure of owning something I know should be in a museum someday and not messing it up. Plus I would rather the sheet be used like it was originally intended rather than sit in my living room.

Funny I try to be good about using the word tattooer or they, but for some reason chose to pick a side on this post figures.

After drinking 4 PBR tall boys, My friend who also happens to be my tattooer asked me what tattoo I wanted next on my smoking animal arm. I said I don't know an ashtray? So he drew it on a cocktail napkin, I paid the tab and back to the shop for some after hours tattooing. I think my second favorite is my avatar pic.

I hear Richard Stell is tattooing at Eric Perfect's Kadillac Tattoo Deuce in Philly for at least this week or as long as he can stay busy.

Useful or non useful tip (you take your pick) from my juggalo friend. If you plan on going to see ICP and want to be served alcohol don't paint your face, unless your face is painted on your drivers license.

With freakin lazer beams!!!!

The thing I hate is when I am in a public place with my son and someone asks me "when he is going to get his first tattoo?, ha ha!!!!! I want to be like wow you should try out for that redneck comedy tour you mouth breathing piece of shit, but i digress.

I agree with a lot of the stuff. I just think some of the stuff he says he doesn't like the style but the tattoo is okay is still horrible. If I don't like a tattoo style it's because the style doesn't look good as a tattoo and if you can point out major flaws then it's not passable. but overall I think it could be helpful for a lot of people since he is pointing a lot of stuff that is wrong and maybe they will listen to him because they sure don't listen to me when I try to tell them.

Jack White Collaborates With Insane Clown Posse to Cover Mozart. For Real. | News | Pitchfork To cover Mozart? WTF?

But wasn't there one time an assumption that you bought flash because you could make money off of the designs on the sheets. I have heard sales pitches like 'The first time you do this panther the sheet pays for itself." Now some people don't want the panther off the sheet and some flash sheets don't even include line drawings and others would consider it passe to tattoo others flash. These type of factors make me believe some people producing flash would want it to be a collectable rather than a practical tool or money maker. I know there are shops out there where this is not the case but I am completely off the mark here?

"Are you Master of your Domain?" "I am King of the County. You?" "Lord of the Manor." "I'm Queen of the castle!" - Jerry, George and Elaine, in "The Contest" "So, you're still Master of your Domain?" "Yes, yes I am. Master of my domain. But I will tell you this: I'm going over to her apartment and I'm tellin' her to put those shades down!" "Wait, wait wait... Whoa, whoa whoa-- what did you just say?" "I can't take it any more! She's drivin' me crazy. I can't sleep, I can't leave the house. When I'm here I'm climbin' the walls. Meanwhile I'm datin' a virgin, I'm in this contest... something's gotta give!" "Do you hear what you're saying? Can you hear it? This is a beautiful woman walking around naked, and you want to tell her to stop!? That's the *dumbest* thing I ever heard. I mean, it's incomprehens-- I'm not gonna let you do it!" "Well, I'm doin' it. Get out of my way..." "No, you can't! This is something that comes about once in a lifetime. When we were boys looking through our bedroom windows we would think, 'Why can't there be a woman out there taking her clothes off?' And now that wish has come true and you want to... pfffft... throw it away?!" - Kramer and Jerry, fighting over the woman across the street, in "The Contest"

Well what does your inner voice sound and what are your inner struggles? This could be different for everyone. Approaching a tattoo from an abstract concept is a pretty foreign concept to me. It seems more like a modern art piece, you know when you are in the museum and you want to sit down but you are not sure if it's a bench or an exhibit. That being said you can still get a nice tattoo, I just think you have to find something more tangible within your idea. A person place or object that could either he lp or hinder your voice or struggle and then have that turned into a nice tattoo. I know you are not a fan of quotes but maybe a banner with a short phrase in it to give your inner voice, well a voice.

What about Jason Donahue from Idlehand? His lady heads kind have a portrait look to them, I bet he could do a nice one if he was into it. Or you could come up to Portland and have the guy who did the Richard Pryor tattoo do it?

I heard Chris Conn blacked out his arms and then branded his arms. Not sure if it's true, but I know that guy was tattooed by some great people as well.

I always leave my dress clothes in the coat closet and have to have them shipped to me. I guess the lesson is go casual or hang my stuff in plain sight as to not forget it.

Yeah I think the people who get that stuff are just really unhappy with what they have and just want it covered. I only say this because most of the stuff like that I have seen in person just doesn't look very good.