Colored Guy

I just cancelled this past Friday on 1 days notice. My wife was scheduled for major surgery which got moved up a week on VERY short notice even for us. I called the shop, but will stop in within a few days to see if they want any $$ from me. BTW, the surgery went well. Rob

I was all set for a shoulder blade tattoo this past spring, then I got cut across the area while replacing a a fence. Got hooked by a big nail and got an ugly as hell scratch across the area. And only 1 day of notice, I felt bad. Rob

Most people are fairly conservative. They go with the flow. I've always said that a person who would get a tattoo will do almost anything. My wife comes from a real stick-up-the-ass type of family. I'd say that none of them have ever been arrested, shot, divorced, had a drug addiction, been in a fist fight, etc. Tattooed people are far more interesting than the unadorned. I've long since given up on what other people think about my tattoos or anything else, but it took a while. Rob

What shop are you going to... not that I'd stop by or anything... Rob

So far I'm going with an oriental theme almost all over, everything will flow into the one next to it. My left leg below the knee is all black work (2 smaller pieces) and I'll stick with that there. Rob

You're right, people tip what they can afford to. When I had my last koi fish done, the 2nd session came in way under what I expected. So I laid a $50 on her for that. Decent tippers get treated better, not that I expected it, it just came around like that. My son, he just had a nice piece done last week at the shop we go to. He's a good tipper as well and he gets treated as well as I do. I've had more than one artist tell me that there are a lot of creeps that come through the door. Rob

I generally have this bad habit of walking around with too much cash or leave it in my car. Am I a target? Not really, unless you like to get shot. After my appointment, I like to stay around as they close up the shop just in case. Rob

I agree totally. At least bring in someone with a solid art background. This goes for the artists as well, I've seen some real shit artwork slapped on people on the show. Rob

I guess parents are the hardest ones to break the news to. My mom barely blinked, my dad had no real opinion but I got his vibe of disgust. I was pretty much very bad news in those days anyway. I was going off in a bad direction but got my shit together in time. Rob

So far I've only gotten smaller tattoos on above my ankles and on one foot. The foot tattoo healed slower than anything. Anything on my right leg from the knee down heals slowly due to an old GSW and I broke my tibia in 2011. I do have plans for 2 large family crests on either side of my calf, but not in a big rush. Rob

My first thought on the fad was the number of workers who died from making parts for radium watches. Rob

With some of those artists, you had to be picky as hell... Rob

All tattoo artists I've met tended to be a tad flaky, it goes with the trade and you have to respect that. It may be that artist thing perhaps. I had one very good artist do some work on me years ago, he was weird but the work was good. I didn't have a rapport with him. The shop I use now, the ladies are great and I'm very much at home there. I get what I want but listen and heed most of their suggestions. So I will take the relationship over better work. I have also walked out of shops if the vibe was negative or I didn't feel it was the right place for me. Rob

I heard an artist say that every time Navarro had $50 burning a hole in his pocket, he got a tattoo. He'd be the last douche bag I'd care to hear a tattoo opinion from. Rob

I'm glad I took many years off between tattoo obsessions. Prior to 2005, I only had 5 and 4 were big. I'm getting the last one redone in a couple of weeks and it will go into a full forearm sleeve. I jumped around a lot of shops when I was younger, have been tattooed by only 2 artists since, both being ladies. I have 11 tattoos now. I'd have more work done, but I did a big stretch of night college and had a family to raise. So funds and time were limited. My intent is to get something done each year. I save up with $20 here and there until I have more than enough. I'm hoping my next work will come in at under $800. Rob

I'm the NYC area 'burbs. Bedspreads were always thin bed coverings as I grew up. Comforters came about later, thicker and good for warm and cool weather use. The first ones I were aware of were in about 1980. Rob

I talk about my recurrent rash, does anyone want to see it? Never a taker... A vague reference to a boil on my scrotum that needs to be lanced has yet to fail. Rob

I lay beach towels across my bed so I don't get the sheets or mattress stained with fresh ink. I wear real dark shirts to work so if the ink does bleed through, it won't be noticed. I can't recall any incident where I stained something after a new tattoo. But then again, maybe I don't give a crap and I never look at the bottom side of my comforter. Rob

I'm around 20% myself. If the tattoo goes 2 sessions, I'll tip $50 per session. I bring them garden stuff in the summer and I always pick up cookies when I show up. Of course anyone that wants to go out after for anything, its on me. Rob

Also what you see on TV and reality are 2 different things. In RL, I don't see that many artists with neck, face ink, but a few with hand tattoos. I think some artists make it on TV for the freak-show factor they portray. I agree to the double-standard on TV, male vs female tattoo artists. The trade has long since been male dominated and may always be. My artists are both female and quite well respected. Rob

I was sitting in my lawyer's office earlier in the week (deposition for my car accident case) and we were talking about people we both knew from my town (mostly drug dealers and shady lawyers...) and we got around to kids today, how hard it is for them to find jobs even with 4-year degrees. Then he mentions how they are into drugs and getting inked. I was going to pull up my shirt cuff, but let it go. Other lawyers there have seen my ink, but this was my first meeting with the big kahuna. After a tough few hours, it was the highlight of my day. Rob

I like this other artist's work in the shop I go to. She does all of my son's work so far. After the owner finishes up my next work, I'm going to make the jump, but will discuss it first so there's no hard feelings. Rob

I go to this one beach on Sundays with my wife and other people in the family. I see people looking at me and talking, so it must be about the ink. A few will talk to me now and then. Rob

Everybody should have a dragon them. I have the dragon head on my chest but could go with a big one on my thigh. Rob

This guy didn't know what to expect and it was a large piece on the inside of his forearm. I'd say it was maybe a 4-hour job total. It was going to be split up into 2 sessions anyway. Rob