smiling.politely

I've never liked the idea of being tattooed getting called an "addiction." Too much negativity for that word to associate to something so primal, beautiful, and positive as tattooing. Why would you liken something you love so much to the reason that guy down the street has an insatiable need for sweet, sweet heroin?

"Tattoos are not an addiction; they are a collection. A tattoo collector is just like a conventional art collector who buys a painting, hangs it on the wall, and then moves on to acquire the next, unique piece. Tattoo collecting is a spiritual pursuit, while addiction is a physiological need. Addicts repeatedly take the same drug over and over without limit. A tattoo collection has variety, and it has an end. Once you collect the whole set, you're done. As you complete your tattoo collection, you yourself become art." -Horiyoshi III

Next big thing planned... New York in a month for a Beau Brady rose on my forearm, and possibly trying to see about an NYC souvenir tattoo at Smith Street. Taking a pre-wedding honeymoon, as soon as my fiancée gets moved over from Ireland (after 6.5 years of the ocean being in the way), getting blasted on, and having a great time, if all goes according to plan!

I never understand why people go for something generic and impersonal for something as close as a parent/child bond... or for that matter, getting cancer/whatever ribbons to symbolize someone... What do your wife and son have as a common interest? Did he play some instrument in school that she's supportive of? If he enjoys painting or drawing, a tattoo of a paintbrush/palette or a few pencils with his name? Or if he's still too young for all of that, how about something based on his favorite toy... Tonka truck, a GI Joe, teddy bear, etc. etc. etc. As for memorial ribbons, I get it... but why always only be reminded that Grandpa died from cancer, not that he absolutely loved fly fishing? Or Chicago sports teams? Or whatever he happened to enjoy most? Something I always try to suggest to someone getting a memorial, and they always just get the name/date/ribbon/cross... which is perfectly fine. But, is the same memorial that everyone gets. Get a tattoo of Grandpa's favorite lure WITH the cancer ribbon. At least balance the negativity and sad memories with positivity and good memories. With design in mind, Google/Pinterest/etc. are highly, highly impersonal and breed only generic ideas that occasionally start from something great, but in the end never give you something that actually means anything. I have put that mother/daughter idea (or a slight variation thereof) on around 15 or 20 people, and I've only been tattooing just over 2 years. I can't remember a time I did something based on what their kid has actually done in their life...

No matter whom you go to, don't go to them based on reviews on Google. Pick them based on seeing their portfolio and liking their work.

I would prefer to quote the image from Zoolander I believe he posted... And the watercolor tattoos don't make good tattoos either. Besides, tattoo flash is painted with watercolor, so a rose with an eagle and a banner reading DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR is a watercolor tattoo.

Most of them won't age well, and look better on paper or canvas than skin, hence the dislike from most people.

Forgot to add, clearly the best is Tat Zapper. Of course, meaning you work at Ye Olde Tat Zappery.

For people who actually tattoo, I notice the terms alternating between different styles of tattooing. The more rendered, over the top styles seem to go with artist more, while the traditional/craftsmen minded guys seem to opt for tattooer. Clients almost across the board use tattoo artist, or occasionally tattooist. Some variations seem to occur based on era in which someone came from, as well. Similar to shops or tattooers now using the term "professional tattooing" to differentiate from scratchers/fly-by-night kind of guys, tattoo artist did seem to be a way to try to separate from those who aren't serious. Personally, I call myself and use the term tattooer. I find I work best thinking of what I do on skin as all craft, with art being on paper or canvas, and ending with my final line drawing for a stencil. However, like a potter, or someone who works in a bronze foundry casting people's sculptures, I understand there is an artistic component to the craft.

I think he means "...on this site: where art is more important than personal meaning." But, he isn't well informed on sentence structure. As for it not being a slam on the site... I think his idea of trying to hide insults is akin to Ricky Bobby's use of the phrase "with all due respect."

DON'T BE COY WITH ME COWBOY. Feel that needed to be said.

Either learn the rules of the forum, learn tact in dealing with professionals/enthusiasts, or move along. I'm sure at this rate you'll do something to get yourself banned soon enough, anyway.

Tons of people do want to know. And you know what? IT'S NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS EITHER. I have close friends that I've known literally my entire life that I don't tell things like this. I also don't tell them why my machines run differently than one another, or what makes one type of pigment different from another, or anything else that's a part of my trade that is none of their business. Drop the question, learn to know that some things aren't your business, and move on to the next topic. I'm sure it'll be enlightening and full of great contributions. - - - Updated - - - And to quit being obtuse and give you an answer, the average tattooer charges between $50 and $500 an hour. After paying a shop cut of between 1% and 99%, they usually take home between $15.78 and $3,000,000,000,000 a year, before taxes.

If a tattooer charges $X per hour, he usually takes home $Y after paying a Z% shop cut. It's simple algebra, I'm sure you can extrapolate from there.

You've not read this forum much, then, clearly. How about this, send me a full on break down of your fiscal year's bank statements, and I'll happily not read then and tell you nothing, because it's none of your business how much we make, and none of mine how much you make. Sound fair?

That's for that tattoo artist to know, and for no one else other than maybe their employer to find out. One of the very first rules of this forum is not discussing money as far as how much people charge for a tattoo... this question is by far rude and out of bounds. If some random person at Burger King asked for a copy of your tax return, would you take kindly to it? Honestly, if I were a mod, I would lock/delete this thread as soon as seeing it, and let you know how thin of ice you'd be treading on for asking this question. And to give a slight hint as to an answer, not as much as they charge you up front. No matter what they take home per hour (which is nowhere close to what you're charged), they also have to buy their own equipment (which isn't cheap, if it's good), provide transportation if they travel a lot, pay for any insurance they may have (health, car, etc.), etc. etc. etc. You don't get rich as a tattooer... Hardly any even get to be well off. Just varying levels of comfort, if you're fortunate.

I saw a face, didn't see Joker or Batman at first. Seeing a face, and it being intended as such, still takes away from the Rorschach element, in my opinion.

I understand that. But, isn't the point of a Rorschach image that it isn't actually anything, and is defined by the mental bias and psychological profile of the viewer? And doesn't making a Rorschach into a definable image sort of defeat the purpose of a Rorschach test card?

For my tastes, it's just a bit visually unexciting. The design isn't that readable to my eye, either. Took about five looks to realize it was something Batman related. That being said, that's just my taste in tattoos, or even visual art. I prefer Roy Lichtenstein and William Eggleston to Chuck Close or Ansel Adams.

You don't have to find the "best in the world" to get a great tattoo... My boss has been tattooing 18 years, is a local guy who hasn't done conventions in around a decade, and does tattoos that would hang with anything posted on here on a daily basis. And he's not expensive, either. People here post by folks that I've never heard of that are local guys, who kill it on a daily basis as well. There's no excuse anymore to get a bad tattoo in whatever style, other than laziness when it comes to learning about what you are trying to get. If you want advice, take advice. If you want to work it out on your own, work it out on your own. But don't respond poorly to advice, then claim you're being treated like crap because people respond in kind. Also, not to be rude, but if you're happy with the quality of the tattoo you first posted, then insult Adam Hays' work like that (intentionally or not)... I don't know that there's a lot of room to talk there. As far as everyone seeming like they're giving you the same advice, it's because we really do want you to get a good tattoo. But it's not good trying to shoehorn in a million meanings to every tattoo, or get things that may look cool on paper but will look like a mess when it's tattooed, let alone in 10 years, 20 years, or 30 years. Don't think so literally, and if you can't help but do that, find a tattooer you like, and let them be creative for you. It's their job. p.s.- Did anyone else see how heavy handed I was trying to be with the red pill/blue pill thing earlier? - - - Updated - - - Double post, my bad. But, as a personal example... My roommate in college and one of my best friends in life and I really, really like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Wanted to get bro tats for the movie. Didn't get Hunter's face, or Ralph Steadman art. We got daggers with some elements themed to references from the book/movie, and half of the phrase we both liked the most. He got the lizard dagger, I got the bat dagger. He has since completed the set, I'm waiting to go see him in Arizona to get my lizard dagger. 5 years later, by the way, and they look just as like they did then, and the guy who did mine gave me the chance to work in this business and make a living. (also, us goofing around midway through- https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/60231_781027023591_1119459_n.jpg?oh=d2c37e1947a7af9f4e64268e6b5805ac&oe=54727246)

Heavy, dark, black and grey bat would be a good one. May seem a bit obvious, but it would be a great way to go.

It would depend on how that tattooer works. Personally, if I have an appointment booked, I try my best to get it ready, with or without a deposit (although after lots of no shows, I recently began requiring it for folks I don't know). That being said, contact them sometime this week, ask if there's any progress, and whether or not there is, go ahead and book an appointment. Most tattooers seem to work better with some kind of deadline, even if it means they prep it the day before or day of, rather than getting lost in the stack of other drawings and/or outside projects they may have.

Of course you may need to pay a deposit for someone to work on an image for you... would you work for hours for free (researching/thinking, drawing, re-drawing, starting over when you realize the drawing could be better, etc.), only for the potential business relationship to fall through, or for them to never come back, or for them to take the image you e-mail them or they photograph on their phone to "show their friend/husband/whomever," then go get it done from someone else? As far as what will work well as a tattoo, pick your favorite element of said piece of culture, whether it's Batman, the Matrix, etc. Do you like the idea of the duality of choice between uninformed ignorance and enlightened truth? Get the red pill and the blue pill in some context, shape, or form. Maybe not as part of an image of Morpheus, since the pills are the real meaningful part of that scene, not Laurence Fishburne. Highlight what is important symbolically, and you'll have a stronger tattoo. Then, figure out what style you like... traditional, realism, new school, some combination thereof, etc. etc. etc. Like traditional style? Find the nearest Inksmith & Rogers to where you are in Florida, and go there. Like a more refined and rendered style, but with still enough of a solid foundation of good tattooing to last well in your skin until you're 80? Go to Redletter and get tattooed by literally anyone there. I'm not as educated in new-school or full on realism, but I'm sure you could find plenty of folks that do those styles. Don't go cheap or quick, go for quality. That being said, sometimes great tattooers may be able to get you in within a few days, sometimes you may have to wait. Patience can be key. There is a lot of work to be done to learn about getting tattooed (not as much as actually tattoing), but the burden of deciding what you want and how to go about getting it is on you, not strangers on the internet. Don't listen to non-tattooers giving uninformed advice. Take advice from tattooers giving informed advice, absorb it, but don't take it as the only way. Maybe Phil Holt or Jesse Gordon would have a different approach to the same idea than I do, or one another, or their co-workers. Like I said earlier in another thread, and a lot of other folks have said here and other places over the last few years, real life beats the internet everyday. Remember: all I'm offering is truth, nothing more. -Morpheus

With moths, the lace background, no matter how spread out, may make it too busy. Strength and interest of design comes from the space around the image as much as it does the image. I'd say stick to just the moths, and let a good negative space, or minimal background (shading, etc.) enhance it. Be sure to take your tattooers advice if you like their work, though. Real life beats the internet every day.

Linework is generally very easy to heal. At most, if you have itching, a tiny amount of lotion might be helpful. Ointment/lotion is really more for when you have large areas of tattooed skin, and even then, not much is needed. Your body will heal it on it's own if it's clean, anything you put on it is just to keep it comfortable for you, or to keep it from getting overly dry.