taaarro

Party wolf by Eddy Deutsche

I had a small patch on my wrist (I think it was psoriasis but it's just my guess), which seemed to be caused by wearing my watch. I got a tattoo which landed partly on it, the tattooer told me the ink probably would not take well in that part, and it didn't. I stopped wearing my watch on that wrist and the skin is now healthy, so when I go back to the same shop, I might ask for the bit to be redone. I'm also ok with it being imperfect, but it's 2cm of a line, not an arm or a rib.

My son is almost three and he's very interested in my tattoos. He asks me what they are all the time and they've allowed me to teach him words like "cheetah," "eagle," "oni," "panther," and "snake."

Mine from Marc Nava (pic from his Instagram)

Right, "Brooklyn" in the sense that they have a hand-painted Nigerian film poster for Escape from New York and flash referencing Bataille! When I dragged my son and wife there, my wife commented that it was the most fashionable store we went into in NY. It's a really fun, well-designed, and professional shop. @Graeme I was so surprised when I saw that acephale flash and so stoked to see you comment on it! A grad school buddy had gotten the same image tattooed on him in Rochester, NY. It's a great image.

Reading something someone wrote here, that it will never be unprofessional to wear a long sleeve shirt at work, emboldened me to go down to where I wear my watch. In hindsight I wish I'd been convinced earlier since it would have let me get bigger forearm pieces.

"Bunshin" is a synonym for "irezumi" and "horimono" FYI ; )

I like runningbear's reapers. His instagram handle is runningbeartarttattoo

On the first day of my class, I ask students to introduce themselves by saying what they 'collect.' Last week, I had a student who said he collects traditional American tattoos, which compelled me to admit for the first time in a class that I collect tattoos. The student seems to have dropped the class.

One from today by Bert Krak at SSTP:

Small burning ? devil by Marc Nava at Da Vinci Tattoo

@Graeme You should come to japan and I could do that for you. I put this on my friend and it's authentically really shitty! but you feel ok about getting the logo of Mike Vallely's band tattooed on you?

@Diehardonvhs Ed Hardy, "Kitsune" (1988) from Tattooing the Invisible Man"

@Pugilist what great thread! So great that tattooing has led you and @Graeme to meditate. Mainly, getting seriously into tattooing has led me to learn a lot about tattooing and there always seems to be more to know. Balancing having less space as I get more tattoos and more knowledge about them is really interesting. The experience of looking through Tattoo Time for the first time, and it unlocking a lot of mysteries about tattoo imagery was really exciting and kind of life changing. And as others have already said, tattooing has definitely also broadened my interests not only in tattoo art, but also Japanese and Tibetan art. Recently, I was at an antique shop and the proprietress was showing me and my wife an old kimono jacket, and I was amazed to hear myself immediately saying, "that's a great Shoki." Those words would've never rolled out of my mouth if I hadn't become interested in Japanese tattooing. The other big thing, in terms of iconography, is an appreciation for the swastika. Very recently, I would've balked at the idea of getting a swastika tattooed, but now I would. (I'm still not sure if this is good. I understand all the arguments about it being a positive image and wanting to reclaim it, but I still think about at what cost.) I'm also grateful that my interest in tattooing has lead me to discover this forum and, for the first time in my life, meet great people ( @hogg and @CABS), whom I met online first, in real life and share beers and tacos with them. Also, as an side, I think sometimes huge beer guts look amazing for tattoos. I think the best looking Japanese bodysuits are ones worn by Japanese men with huge guts.

To get back to the questions originally asked, I'm not sure that any of us can really be honest about why we want a certain design or why we want a specific person to put it on us (I believe in the unconscious). For me, I usually decide I want a certain design, then think about who does that design in the way that I like most. (I like to think that) I'm not a sucker for big names, but I do think I am a sucker for "authenticity" and "soulfulness." For me, some tattooers and their works have an ineffable draw that goes beyond form or technical proficiency. Certainly, relatively unknown tattooers could possess that quality, but it's less likely that I would find out about them. In regards to masters and their successors, hopefully the successors would be doing something new or different enough to be recognized for their own work. As far as the experience of getting tattooed, the tricky thing is that you never know until after the fact. I am, of course, more compelled to go back to people I enjoyed getting tattooed by and talking to than not. It's such an intense experience getting tattooed that I couldn't imagine going back to someone I didn't enjoy regardless of their reputation or skill.

This isn't now but these were taken during my last session with Horitoshi I. The last pic was my view of the ceiling while getting tattooed.

Thanks @Iwar !

How do you attach a pic that's not a thumbnail?

@Mick Weder yr posts are the best

This thread really makes me only want to get tattooed by people older than me like Bob Roberts and Eddy Deutsche. I realize it wasn't your original point (I too am wary of the star culture in tattooing) but your misinformed dismissals ('there are limits'!) are so offensive to me that I can't get over it. In the end I realize it comes down to different sensibilities and what I'm looking for in tattoos is obviously very different from yours. BUT, if I can add my 2 cents as a person who's been tattooed by both Eddy Deutsche and Bob Roberts, Eddy is the most 'PMA' guy ever (if that's what you're after). If you're looking for an 'experience' or stories, Eddy and Bob have plenty. The flash at Spotlight has bullet holes. (The fact that the stencil is made from the original flash push pinned on the wall alone makes it almost worth getting the tattoo to be a part of the history.) Nothing 'soft' or 'squiggly' about my Bob Roberts tattoo. There's no question about Eddy's technical ability. I think every respectable tattooer would disagree with you on this point. I think people with 'perfect' tattoos look uptight--not what I'm going for (not interested in putting computer graphics on my body either). Any imperfections will add to its beauty.

My collection is pretty small so I'll just post ones I don't think have been mentioned yet. Don Ed Hardy, Rock of Ages Don Ed Hardy, Tattoo Flash Thomas Jeppe, Home Made Tattoos Rule Thomas Jeppe, Old Men's Tattoos Gerard Levy/Serge Bramly, Fleur de peau Jerome Pierrat/Eric Guillon, Mauvais Garçons BTW I see a new IG hashtag #tattoobookjousting

The ribby edges of my back was the only time I've ever felt irrationally and violently angry at a tattooer ha ha.

@Pugilist I also teach at a university and your comment really resonated with me. I'm not young but I'm perceived to be. I'm actually more concerned at this point about hiding my tattoos from my students than colleagues because I don't want the students, many of whom have tattoos, to see me as their peer. And I also fantasize about getting a very visible tattoo--my son's name on my neck by Freddy Corbin--once I'm tenured. Ha.

That's a diptych. A triptych would involve three backs.

I wrote a review of a great exhibition of works by illustrator-turned painter Tomoo Gokita for the Japan Times. Tomoo Gokita's painterly coup | The Japan Times