Dan S

Taylor Street is def a good shop, no doubt. My point was simply find a good shop/artist, and run with it! I just used what I am familiar with.

I'm not gonna out the shop that did this, suffice it to say it's in Chicago. Course, it could be an exact rendition of what the customer wanted...some of the guys other work was better. Caveat Emptor!

Yeah, I imagine there are, but I've never been in any of them. I know Deluxe must have some good artists, shit, Miles Maniaci is working there, so it's gotta be a class act! I used CTC as an example because when I was first getting tattooed, and up until relatively recently, it WAS the only shop in Chicago. In the state, actually. So, they've been there for what, 40 years or so? Anyhow, there is, without a question, more experience there than at any other shop in the city, hands down. That isn't a put-down of anyone. I got my first pro piece from Dale Grande in, I believe, 1972 0r 1973, I really don't think anyone in the city has been tattooing that long. Another reason I used CTC is because I have seen work from many of the small shops that have sprouted up around the city in the last few years. I could do better with a single needle and thread.

Actually, an Athiest would be a resident of a town on the Athi-Galana-Sabaki river in Kenya, know as Athi Town or Mavoko. Just sayin'.

So, there is another thread, just started by wrazz, in which he talks about the positioning of a sparrow. I dunno, I think if I was a mod, I'd be inclined to do a little locking.

REPOSTED Wrazz, you live in Chicago, here's a thought. Go on down to Chicago Tattoing COmpany on Belmont just west of B'way, and take a look through the flash, paintings, script samples, and so forth that they have there. If you see something remotely interesting, you could start there, or ask to speak to one of the artists, Nick Colella and Mario Desa, Mike Dalton, they're all outstanding, and I'm sure they'll work with you to come up with something you'll be proud to have.

Wrazz, you live in Chicago, here's a thought. Go on down to Chicago Tattoing COmpany on Belmont just west of B'way, and take a look through the flash, paintings, script samples, and so forth that they have there. If you see something remotely interesting, you could start there, or ask to speak to one of the artists, Nick Colella and Mario Desa, Mike Dalton, they're all outstanding, and I'm sure they'll work with you to come up with something you'll be proud to have.

Exactly...if he leaves me alone, I'll leave him alone.

Relevant? To what? I'm a hella older than you are, and I never heard a word about tattooed people being atheists. Only ones I've ever heard withthat kind of talk are religious jews and some sects of christianity that call it "The Mark of the Beast". Fucking nutjobs.

Gotta remember who is partner was...

I think it's more likely that Lutherans are tattooed...rebellious types, ya know.

Drive to Chicago. The skin you save may be your own.

Everybody has something that works for them. These days, I just use Brand-X unscented, hypoallergenic hand lotion. Once upon a time, when I got a LOT of work done at once, I'd use Preparation H to knock down the swelling. Believe it or not, it was being recommended at the time, and it worked just fine. But really makes ya smell like an asshole!

Can't go wrong with a combo like that!

Went through the whole cycle...raised hardcore RC, figured out THAT was bullshit at an early age, took a whack at plain-jane bible christianity in the early seventies-man, they had all kindsa chicks in church then! Spent some years following Identity Christianity, couldn't keep my head around that, and got into Wotanism, or Asatru. Then I realized we really don't need any of that stuff. Hey-one creation legend is as good as another. Now, whatever. IF I die and there's someone there wants to even a score with me, bring it on, but personally, I don't think there'll be anyone waiting but worms.

NOW he tells me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've tried that, but after about 30 seconds, a minute, I gotta breath!

I really don't think some corn starch on it will hurt, either. If you're really worried about it, carry a bottle of water or wear a camelback and use it to sluice the powder off as you run.

My apologies if this is a dupe, but I can't find it in my media, so I'm thinking I didn't put this one up. Nick Colella at CTC did this for me a few weeks back, the eagle is from an old Cliff Raven flash set titled "Seated Eagles, Excellent for Covering Old Work". I sent him the name of the sheet, and five minutes later he sent back the pic.

I've covered a bunch of teenage delinquent stuff, and some jailhouse work, nothing I really regret not having anymore. Went into CTC once when it was still CLiff Raven Tattoos, and got bitched out by Cliff for doing a "Death Before Dishonor" around a sword on my arm. "Just one more I'm gonna hafta cover-up!" He didn't, but Dale Grande did, some years later.

No matter how good or bad your first tattoo, it's still your first tattoo. I have (still) an india-ink piece or two, and would never get rid of them. I have one or two professional tattoos that might not meet the art committee's requirements, but they aer a piece of me, a piece of time, and a piece of my history that I would never alter. My very first pro tattoo is so faded as to be almost unidentifiable...and there ain't no way in hell I'd have it covered or cleaned up!

That was a pretty common one in the late sixties and early seventies. Guys got them on the edge of the right hand that faced out when saluting. For some, it earned a General under honorable conditions, for others, a Dishonorable...for most, it just meant they burned the shit-barrels!

Have to dig around, somewhere I've got pix of the outer edge of a friends right hand, tattooed "Fuck The Army" on it in a bid to not get sent on vacation in S.E. Asia. Didn't work.

That's why Wotan created air-conditioning!

Can't comment as an artist, but I've spent many, many, many hours in shops. Being tattooed, watching, and just hanging out. I've seen a lot of the repetitive motion injuries, and the frequency-related hearing loss has got to be brutal. Reading the article, it does seem that a balance of mental and physical training can only help, so I'll throw something out for people to think on. Martial Arts. Any kind, really, I won't get into all the usual "this is the best" routine, anything that you learn and practice on, hopefully, a daily basis will help immensely with strength, coordination, focus, and, if you're getting decent training, mentally. It take a good solid year, to get a grounding in any real martial art, and the study can last a lifetime-I've been involved in one form or another of the arts for a year or two shy of 50 years, and I'm still learning. Thing is, once you get the basics down, you can develop a workout that you can fit into whatever odd chunk of time you have available. In 20 minutes or a half hour you can work up a good sweat, get your body back in place, and get your head together as well. Burns stress like a mother, and hey-if a visitor to your shop gets too rowdy, it doesn't hurt to be able to walk him out the door without resorting to firearms and police and all of that. Just a suggestion, don't mean to say I'm an expert on what a tattooist should do.