gougetheeyes

GOOD CALL. You know, it seems to me that it's right about now that these shows should be getting a huge® backlash from the tattoo community. And I mean something more aggressive than the occasional video or the new VBS series (which does look great!) They're actively spreading misinformation and making money from an industry that so many have worked to protect because they have been eating, sleeping and breathing tattooing for most of their lives. Hell, I don't even tattoo, but that shit is unwatchable and infuriating. What should my protest sign say?

Bubbleberry, my friend, my only advice to you (and your lady) is to go get tattooed. A lot. I think that will help. If you don't have any interest in becoming heavily tattooed, it may be the wise decision to choose another hobby, especially at this point. Godspeed dude.

Locations : Discovery Communications So, we're organizing LST protests or what?

sign me up

Yeah, I remember hearing about that! Not to advocate shooting people.. but if you woulda just shut the fuck up... Also, full disclosure, my friends and I were drinking beer and also being somewhat rowdy at JAWS, but you had other people cheering, talking etc. Midnight showing. Everyone was stoked.. or.. shit, I hope so.

I like your style there. And the remote idea is genius! I shush people and my body immediately goes into adrenaline mode, and I'm sitting there, trying to ignore people and shaking because my body thinks it's time for a confrontation. I'm gonna give myself a heart attack one day. And D, funny you mention homeless people behind the screen. Last year here in NYC, they found a homeless couple living behind one of the screens at the 34th st. Loews, buckets of poo and all..

okok I swiped it from Todd Noble's facebook, but

Given up on going to movies. Impossible. With the talking, and the cell phones, and the talking.. and the talking. Last movie I went to, this woman actually answered her phone. And then when she was done talking, gave it to her kid to play games on. On that note, I did just go to the midnight showing of JAWS the Friday before the 4th of July. INCREDIBLE MOVIE that still holds up. Fucking amazing!! And funny to boot.

Yeah just saw this -- fucking terrifying -- for you and the customers both!

Hawk, you are a scholar and a gentleman, who also apparently owns automatic weapons. It'd be incredible to see this all come to fruition, hope it does!

HAHA "leather trousers," what're you English? Also.. I mean.. is anyone else considering writing an email to [email protected]?

Also, best part: “InkMaster” is produced by Original Media, the production company behind “LA Ink,” “NY Ink,” “Miami Ink,” and “The Rachel Zoe Project."

Hi, I'm interested in appearing on your show. I feel that I have endured the adequate amount of loss and suffering coupled with a completely unique life perspective to warrant getting inked, i.e. my cat meant the world to me and some other people died, too. I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to cry on national television. I am looking to get inked by a big name tatter who can do the kind of neo trad panther that represents both my fierce personality and tragic history, as well as the difficulties that await my unborn children in this world. I'd like to incorporate some roses (which represent honor) and also the names and dates on my family's family tree (trees represent loyalty and are the coolest looking tattoo). I would also like to pay a couple thousand dollars and would like it to be no bigger than a softball. I don't have any other tattoos and look forward to carrying on an in-depth conversation about the story behind my Panther Tree Family Flower Honor design. I have it all drawn up and ready to go, because I heard that if you bring in a drawing, it helps the creative process. And I'm all about the creative process. I'm an artist actually, and looking for an apprenticeship. I have a couple tat guns at home, and I've tried it out on a couple friends, you know, using the magnums. I'm so excited about this!!!

I'd like to think that kind of shit could be contained to the crazy machete-wielding Brazilians, though somehow seems scarily imminent for the rest of the world..

There's your one-liner!

Hate Vice but these look like they might be really well done. Damnit!

Oh no.. Cliff Raven Tattoo Legend

$20 says the owner's a creepy old dude!

The phrase "Christian bakery" scares me a little bit more than juggalos..

Between this and the blog post, I think I may be single-handedly responsible for Mario's aneurysm/heart attack/stroke.

Mario, you're right. I didn't mean to assume that people without tattoos have never had difficult times, though I guess it came off that way. And it's not like I was a child soldier in Sierra Leone, or have ever been homeless -- my easy life has basically afforded me the time to sit and muse about all this stuff. I was only speaking from personal experience and to clarify, it wasn't that everyone has an easy life except for those that have tattoos. That'd be a shitty thing to think. I was only throwing it out there, that it seems there are so many people that have had similar experiences to me (as a kid) that are also tattooed, and trying to figure out what it was that tied it all together. I DO think it's mysterious, however, especially since it is picked up on clothing, etc. Why does it play on human emotion, how do we connect the dots for ourselves and why do we connect the dots on our skin. It's not us vs. them, though I know I set it up that way. I do think, however, that it's possible we have subconsciously created an us vs. them dynamic. Not in an antagonistic way, but it is creating a different conversation, if unspoken. And why? If we didn't want to distinguish ourselves, everyone would be wearing the same clothing. Just asking questions that I've always thought about. Man, looks like my slow return is turning disastrous! (So Mario, can you tattoo "US VS THEM" around the panther head you did on me? What do you think?!)

Hey Oliver -- you tattooed my shin last year in NY. Listened to Old Crow Medicine Show during the tattoo, good times.

I'm gonna stir the pot here, and I want to be clear that this is all in an effort to understand, not confront or argue. I promise. smiling.politely posted a painting the other day and asked about pricing in his thread. The minute I saw it, I thought, "Uh oh.." But you learn a lot from year to year as you get older and while tossing up a panther head painting and asking about pricing in a forum full of curmudgeonly tattooers is not the best idea, I thought, "Shit.. I guess I won't mention my own sketchbook. Or messing around with watercolors." So, aside from trying to cash in on generally accepted tattoo designs, it comes back to this question of ownership. As far back as I can remember, I drew and I drew on myself. When I got older I bought tattoo magazines and drew designs out of there, sometimes for friends, none of whom actually got tattooed. I was definitely not a great artist. I have the utmost respect for those on here who are career tattooers. But I sit in my kitchen when I have the time, and draw. And yep, sometimes they're (poorly drawn) panthers and pharoahs horses and lady heads. Ms. Rad said something on ShannonShirley's blog: "i even draw flash in my sketchbook, but i wouldn't dare show anyone what i've created... tattooing is a whole different world, and i've come to the conclusion to not even try to understand it since i will always be an outsider" So we're all obviously outsiders. I guess the question is why we're not allowed to draw traditional designs. I draw other things, too, but I feel that tattoos have been such a part of me for so long, it's hard not to want to try drawing a panther head a new way, or get my roses down. (Damn, roses are tough..) And right now, I'm cringing just like I did when I read the post asking about pricing for the painting because I almost don't want to read the responses. I'm sure smiling.politely didn't mean to insult anyone. I hope I'm not insulting anyone. One of the great things about LST is us regular civilians get to learn. I still remember Alanna's post about going from watching tattoo tv shows to learning about Amund Dietzel and getting a Dietzel tattoo from Nick Colella (I think it was). So.. if no one is trying to take money out your mouths, and someone shows an interest in the art side of it, why assume the worst? All tattooers were the same regular folks before, drawn to art, enamored with tattoos, drawn to it all for whatever reason. And I think there's something to be said for defending your craft so vehemently. Tell me to fuck off and die if you want, but this probably won't stop me from continuing to draw. Because unless someone straight up copies, nobody owns "panther head" or "pair of swallows." If they did, nobody would have been tattooing them for the last hundred years. Hope I didn't offend anyone, just trying to understand.

I've also had ideas for my knees for a while now! Wanna do it, though not especially looking forward to it. My main goal is to use the big spaces I have left for big tattoos. Sounds obvious, but I've been terrible at "planning" so there's my wishlist. My back (oh, the great "one day" space) I'm pretty set on getting a big icon, which I know others have and others will continue to get, but yeah, wish list that bad boy, too.