oboogie

@Patrick Bateman

Look at the post directly above yours. :-)

Been a busy day. I've been helping artists fill out the necessary health department paperwork for each and every tattoo. Here are a couple of photos from today.

No, I don't have hair all over me, and they always itch. Slap it. It helps. :-)

@steve It happened just today on my 2nd Annual Oklahoma Tattoo Convention thread.

Hey. Welcome!

Double posts are a thing. I know I only hit Submit Reply once (on another thread), and it posted it twice, once with the attached photo and once without.

Also, I occasionally get a weird message saying you can only like ten items a day?

Double post. Hmmm. Not sure how that happened.

Tomorrow! Looking forward to it. Here is an updated list of artists and vendors.

What @DJDeepFried said. She absolutely made the right decision. If he's so amazing and so internationally recognized, he'd have friends in the area and a studio to tattoo in. He doesn't. It's shady. End of as far as I'm concerned.

I don't quite know how to find my gallery anymore, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. It looks really fantastic!

@SStu hit the nail on the head. That looks like a made-up flower. And I hope you aren't going to that guy.

Hit Pinterest or Instagram and try to find some floral tattoos. There are lots of gorgeous floral designs out there.

I know it's hard not to worry, but you really need to just let it be. Don't obsess over it.

It was a premium ink. It was just something in the color. We're still not entirely sure what happened, but the ink was definitely the issue. He threw the bottle away and won't use that particular blue anymore. There's no way to test beforehand that I know of. *shrug*

I think you should do whatever your artist suggests. That's what I've always done, and save for an allergic reaction (resulting in a horrible infection) to a particular blue, they've always healed beautifully. To each their own.

I stood up after my tattoo guy finished my half sleeve on my left arm, and I very nearly passed out. Felt very dizzy. I had been sick and on lots of medication, though. More to do with that than the pain, I'm quite sure.

Yeah, no. Don't do that. Sounds shady and unsanitary.

Laser it or leave it.

I got my Prince tattoo on the day he died. Been a fan since I was 12.

No offense, but I'd never get a tattoo without knowing what it meant.

- - - Updated - - -

For the record, I don't think all tattoos have to be imbued with meaning. But I would want to know what it meant before I got it tattooed on me forever.

Richard Stell, this Friday at the Oklahoma Tattoo Convention.

@oboogie

I don't at all. I'm 30. This tattoo was part because I came out as an atheist and wanted to celebrate that, part because I felt ugly and old after my ex left me for a 21 year old right before my birthday and I wanted something beautiful, part because I finally realized that a switch didn't flip when I turned 30 that changed who I was or how my body worked, and part because I've wanted a tattoo since I was 13 and finally felt confident enough to to do it.

He's the owner of the shop and the only tattoo artist there. He also has a piercer who works there who's super nice. They are currently out at the Ink Masters expo (he has a purple beard) having fun and staying busy, but he still took the time to check up on me and answer a question I had.

@marley mission

No problem. I totally get where everyone was coming from and know it was just a simple misunderstanding caused by me not providing enough information. I can't wait to share pics of it once it heals!

Good for you for doing something for yourself. I'm sorry you've had a difficult time recently. I look forward to seeing the tattoo when you take your bandage off.

I got my first tattoo when I was 25 or 26 after giving it zero thought. I covered it with something I did want just before I turned 40, and I haven't stopped getting tattoos since! :-)

@JBluewind How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?

Also, if you are going to recommend him (which is very nice), you might want to get his name, not just the shop name. :-)

Yes, exactly. I spent ages talking to Richard Stell. So funny, so smart, so many great stories to share. He's a rock star. His wife Jennifer is, too. I feel privileged to sit and chat with them.

Agree completely, marley mission.

I talk about music, films, politics (because we're of the same ilk politically), religion, books, whatever. But I don't ask a zillion questions. I find the whole experience pleasurable. I don't care what needle he's using. He knows what he's doing, and that's all that matters.