Ursula

Yeah, the Vice guide to travel. I found it pretty offensive and further proof of their hipster better than you attitude. They had (maybe still have) a big office in Toronto and the people I met who worked for them were assholes for the most part. I lived with a chick who worked with them and she was pretty awful. Total cooler than thou attitude towards anyone they haven't already heard of who isn't an obvious 80's workout suit fixed gear hand poke tattoo giving hipster. I don't hate Terry Richardson but I also don't think he's a photographic genius. I do think the do's and don'ts are pretty good though. Occasionally they do have some meaningful content but it's overshadowed by the bullshit for me. I find over the past 5 years they've really gone on a downhill run towards the hipster pool and then jumped right in it fully clothed. I can remember when I used to look forward to reading it every month... Anyways enough ranting...

That's amazing and hilarious hahahahaha Must be a pain in the ass to call him ! I'm sure they've got hand signals for that though.

Rask - I just realized your cat has no eyes! That's really weird but cute too. I thought he just liked to close them for photos hahahaha. This might seem dumb but, does he get around like a regular cat? I'm assuming yes.

Hahahaha me too buddy! It's all part of being in the tattoo world. We tend to be a pretty opinionated bunch who aren't scared to show it. Back on the pets track.... Here's a couple more shots of Sophia my mom's cat, my dogs and tiny tiny cross stitch I made of a beagle for my dude

I agree Hogg, most of the people with are the ones you mentioned. MsRad is right though, I've been seeing a lot of asshole hipsters who don't even have 'proper' tattoos doing them on themselves and friends because it's the cool new thing to do. Those people to me, are morons. Just to make it clear though, I also think people who just buy an electric machine from China on ebay and tattoo themselves and friends because they are too cheap to go into a real shop are also morons. Rad- that totally sounds like something Vice would print in their magazine. I think the Tattoo Age stuff is amazing, but for the most part I feel like everything in the print magazine is aimed directly at those hipsters.

Both those tattoos are amazing! If it was me it would have taken me probably 4 sitting a piece hahaha. Luckily since I'm a lady and not a very big one, and because of the way my back piece is, I won't have to endure more than 2-3 hours on each side! I have my lower stomach done, I wouldn't call it public area but it starts about 2" below my belly button. It was a long time ago but I remember it hurting pretty bad. At this point I plan on leaving the rest of my stomach open until I'm out of room elsewhere for big stuff.

Ah yes, I know about that, I just didn't remember that was his name.

I got halfway through that video and couldn't bear to watch the rest. I've had to take my dog to the emergency vet twice and both time was told if I hadn't she's be dead. Sometimes I think about what I will do when that time does come. It almost makes me want to give my dog away so that I never have to deal with her death, but I know in the end, I will cherish her life and be able to move on. It is one of my biggest fears though. On a happier note, those cat pics are awesome Rask! (your name is too long and weird to type out in full every time haha)

In the case where people who know what's up are doing them on each other for reasons like you stated a clubhouse/brotherhood thing or whatever, that's fine, they all know what they are getting into and accept that it's going to be a bad tattoo. People (who are tattooers) doing it and trying to pass it off as a good tattoo are morons. People (who don't tattoo) who end up with a needle and cap of ink somehow and do it to themselves because they think it's just a free/cheap alternative to going to a shop, also morons.

I'm sorry but, who is Jim Jones? I know I know, google. I'm lazy. Side fact, the guy who did my first few tattoos, his name is Jim Jones. He's easily in the scratcher category.

I find the best approach is the same approached you should have when you want to talk to any stranger about something. Just be as nice as you can and don't be offended if they don't want to talk. They might be having a bad day that you don't know about.

Agreed 100%! For a while I thought the pictures on the front page were the latest uploads and was like damn these don't change much, then I realized it's the photos with the most likes. I hate to admit I haven't read more than maybe 2 blog posts here, I think it's because of what Iwar said. I just forget to check out what's new in that section.

Oh and jaycel, first thing would be not to refer to it as ink. That generally turns and real collector off the moment they hear it, makes them not want to tell you anything.

If I walk by someone on the street who is heavily tattooed and we are both eyeing each others stuff I'll just nod or smile as I go by them. If I get in a situation say waiting in lone at the bank and there's someone in front of me with nice tattoos I'll just look and not say anything. If they start a conversation in a polite way I have no problem telling them what shops I prefer in town or who did a certain tattoo. I'll often ask them the same. Usually though I've found neither party says anything, just take a look and goes on their way.

Changing my name to Professor Sailor Tatts ASAP

Oh god Gouge. I want to murder stuff when I notice some look at my tattoos and then start talking loudly about how they wanna get all tatted up. Usually it's dudes that are just trying to look cool in front of the tattooed chick and usually I laugh in their face 'cause that's how I roll. So I'm at work right now and someone just touched my arm and said "you're all marked up arnt you" I said yup I've got a couple. Her reply "do they come off?" "no" " you mean you're stuck with that forever!?" "yup"

MsRad - everyone is allowed to like or not like whoever's tattooing they want ;) I didn't know anything about the dude getting shot. To have gone through that and still maintain a normal life in an accomplishment on it's own. I wouldn't think less of you if you got tattooed by him and not some one else. I'm just picky about who I get tattooed by now because I've got some really really bad tattoos when I was younger. Oh and you are one of the big kids ;) I think the disagreements over who likes who just comes from people liking stuff for different reasons. Where for example maybe Stewart is appreciating the tattoo from a tattooers light, looking at the technical work and maybe say me or you might be looking at if we like the design or not. I dunno. I just know when I see someone's work I can usually tell right away if I like it or not based on how I feel when I look at the images.

I love when after a quick passing glance when someone feels the need to yell 'I like your ink/art/work/tatts/sleeves' How can you tell that I have nice ink when you've taken about 2 seconds to glance over my forearms. It's been a while so I knew I was due for one but the other day I had a "are they real tattoos" and when I said yes, she asked me again just to make sure.

Exactly

As some of you may know I'm getting married next year. Last night I spend some time looking at dresses online. Here's my top choices, help me choose guys!! So this one is pretty hot, I have to get pregnant though first and since my dude is in another country it might be hard to get that pregnant by the wedding. Very sexy and we are getting married in Florida so I wouldn't have to change into my bathing suit for the beach unfortunately I don't have boobies like that so I dunno if it would look good on me :( This one might though!! been calculating my period so I don't have it when I get married, but just in case I'm bookmarking this dress. I might just say screw it to the traditional white gown and go Hillary style though. Help guys, I really don't know which to get!!!!!

You're right Capt. I do know some people who started by doing pokers on themselves. I just don't think it's something that the general public should be doing, and therefore something we might not want to promote here. I know many people who have hand pokes but they are usually jokes, boredom killers, drunk ideas, or a kind of best friend or brotherly/sisterly trade thing going on. I agree with you it's silly to spend an hour poking a shitty rendition of your initials when you could go to a shop and get something that looks good. To each his own though I guess.

I don't find this to be true at all. If the customer does everything you tell them to then maybe. I find that almost all customers think that once they leave they know better because their friend told them a better way to heal. I've seen people come in get a tattoo be told all the info and then I see them the very next day with the thickest layer of lotion and a cloth bandage to keep it moist, and all kind of other dumb stuff. I think giving the general public the idea that if their tattoo heals bad it's the tattooers fault is dangerous. I know sometimes it is the tattooers fault but I feel like usually it's the customer not listening to the instructions. I know, when I've had stuff heal shitty, it's been usually my fault. I think it depends on the area of the tattoo as well. For example, I've only ever seen one elbow ditch tattoo that didn't heal kinda shitty.

I find it weird that his portfolio is almost all paintings (which I don't like at all) and only 2-3 tattoos. Seems to me like it should be the other way around, or more half and half.

From my experience if a tattooer wants to use a certain design element they will just show you a drawing.

The reason you couldn't find a thread on it is because for the most part it's a horrible idea and only encourages people who don't know what they're doing to make a mess of their skin. You should read the Tebori in America thread to see how people feel about doing stuff like that with no knowledge. Doing hand pokes at home usually just results in an awful tattoo.