eisen777

I always feel a little weird running to the computer to upload a pic of a new tattoo, I don't know why. I like to savor it for a little. Then I rush to Instagram to pop it up hahaha.
But anyway here's what I got on Sunday from Chris Smith at Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago. He took the picture. I stole it because I couldn't get a better shot, it's tough to get a really good photo. You get the idea.

@JeffK
Nice, Chris is a cool dude. That piece reminds me of a forearm mace piece he did a while back... Really cool.
Made an appointment with Steve Boltz in May. Just going to pick something off the wall in Smith St...

I have a boner.

started the color on my chris odonnell hannya 3/4 sleeve on friday. its amazing how much more awesome it looks with color. no pictures of the full piece yet but i posted a closeup photo of one of the hannyas and a leaf on instagram (tagged it with #lastsparrow) i think i have 4-5 more hours until it is complete.
edit: decided to not be lazy and uploaded it here too

Judas as a saint-tattoo on my thigh tomorrow, by Iain Mullen. Going to be fun!

I hate all of you. Hate hate hate hate hate hate.
These tattoos are too good.

I wanted to address the forum as to not let speculation get to out of hand. I am actually amazed that anyone is concerned about me leaving Chicago Tattoo and the amount of support and well wishes i have received is very humbling. I want to thank everyone for reaching out. I spent ALOT of time at CTC ALOT! from the first time I walked in at 15 with Erik Gillespie and was promptly told to leave to the last 18years (almost half my life) I have been in awe of that place. In awe of the history, the stories, the people, the friends, the tattooing, the flash, the neighborhood. Everything was just amazing to me. I always wanted to be there. Always. I treated it as my own and most people didn't even think otherwise.
I have met some of my dearest fiends through there and through tattooing and I owe a lot of gratitude to the institution that I believe I helped build and to the owner Dale Grande. Like all people my needs started to change, my family started to grow and my career really started to get in a great groove. It seemed like the hardwork I had put it was paying off but there where issues that needed to be addressed at the shop that couldn't be resolved. I've sat on this decision for quite some time actually over a couple years. I've done a lot of soul searching and confided in my closest colleagues and friends and especially my wife on what to do and I came to the decision to leave Chicago Tattoo. I wanted to move on still in love with tattooing still in awe of the history and still amazed at 18 years of amazing times some great some not so great. I have a lot of things in the works. Nothing to crazy or unexpected but I can say that I will continue to stay to true to tattooing and what got me to where I am without tattooing I couldn't say where I'd be.

My mom...whatever, she doesn't like them, she doesn't understand them, but that's fine and she lives on the other side of the country from me so at least she doesn't have to see them. My mother-in-law, on the other hand...I am goddamned terrified of her finding out I have tattoos, plus she lives in the same city as me and has a habit of dropping by unannounced.

My mom tried to stab me with a pair of scissor when she saw my first tattoo. Haha

Funny thing @CultExciter I've totally back pedaled and going for just a classic Bert Grimm style roa.....fuck it why mess with the classics most original ideas either aren't or suck. Looking forward to getting it.
But I'm still not a Christian.

@jacobyoung I think I saw Matt working on that off and on... a friend of mine was getting a rose on his hand by Albrigo, so I spent some time hovering that general vicinity.
Also, I got this at the same convention, from Ron Henry Wells. Photo from his Instagram...

Frank is great hes one of those next level guys

Funny thing @CultExciter I've totally back pedaled and going for just a classic Bert Grimm style roa.....fuck it why mess with the classics most original ideas either aren't or suck. Looking forward to getting it.
But I'm still not a Christian.

Funny thing @CultExciter I've totally back pedaled and going for just a classic Bert Grimm style roa.....fuck it why mess with the classics most original ideas either aren't or suck. Looking forward to getting it.
But I'm still not a Christian.

Yea Bert Grimm is great but to pretty up his women is not a bad thing. (Tho the clunky women are endearing and make for great tattoos as well)

@eisen777 I went with the the Bert Grim Style I got as much for the patriotic elements that were in the original as the power of the rest of the imagery (just with prettier girls, guitars instead of harps, and SHARKS!)

Funny thing @CultExciter I've totally back pedaled and going for just a classic Bert Grimm style roa.....fuck it why mess with the classics most original ideas either aren't or suck. Looking forward to getting it.
But I'm still not a Christian.

Funny thing @CultExciter I've totally back pedaled and going for just a classic Bert Grimm style roa.....fuck it why mess with the classics most original ideas either aren't or suck. Looking forward to getting it.
But I'm still not a Christian.

Im not christian but I am strongly thinking of a rock of ages as well. I was going to go for just a slab of granite...no cross or anything just a hunk of rock. I think it would prob look a little less strange that way then if you changed up what the shape was. STILL your idea is cool and Id love to see an upside down cross rock of ages.

@Dan S, that kid Frank Williams tattoos blow my mind!

To end the debate all over the internets...
This is the only true 1-shot man-stopper pistol
50BMG In the palm of your hand.

In reality there has been soo many statistics and debates over the years that to me show it really just comes down to personal preference. Like myself I prefer a wheel gun for reliability. While I've only had a couple jams or stovepipes over the years, nothing is more reliable than a hammerless wheelgun.

Ollie XXX is in Edmonton and he's a great traditional tattooer.

Just started my historical figures sleeve this weekend (by artist Cecil Porter)

This is really awesome, I saw this reposted somewhere but the idiot did not credit the artist, I am so glad I know who painted this now, I just emailed him inquiring about a possible print. FYI, Freddy Corbin has been drawing black pin-ups for years, another reason to love Freddy.

New one from Erik Bartholomaus