SStu

Looks strange for 5 weeks old, to me. Have you spoken with the artist?

art (and the appreciation of) is subjective. so is love . . .

I think you've got to contribute to at least 10 posts before you can start a thread.

I just use photobucket (free) and use that link in the image tab here.

nothing wrong with that.

Welcome. You might find that the best artists aren't going to draw up anything for you without a deposit, so if you're intending to have many of them draw something up, be prepared to shell out. Most don't draw anything up until the day before your actual appointment. I would recommend adjusting your strategy to: a/ continue learning who does the best realism in your area (and I personally can't help you with that) b/ study realism tattoo art and learn what makes any piece stand out over others c/ continue to gather reference material (the one above is pretty fuzzy) d/ get in line and be patient with whatever wait list the excellent and proven artist you end up deciding on has.

looks more like 9-3-10 to me. the rest of it might kinda look like stylized initials (?). I'm guessing that it's not a specific "style" or object.

yep.

Any shop can set up their pricing any way they want. Once you've determined which artist you want to proceed with, your discussions with the shop manager should only be when you can sit in front of that particular artist (and what the cost would be). If the shop is trying to tell you that they are going to decide who is doing the tattoo then you are right to walk away. If you want a consultation with a particular artist, and if that artist is popular - you may have to make an appointment to get just that part accomplished. Not all artists do walk-in consults.

besides, it's too early to determine final appearance . . .

lower leg tattoos often heal slower that upper body, so a lot of that is going to be up to how fast your body reacts. Just generally, I would think that non chlorinated water would be ok, unless you're talking about submersion for prolonged periods of time . . .

@graeme Just noticed your new piece made Grime's blackclaw page, too.

awesome @graeme!

wrong thread, man.

Finally (mostly) healed from last month's Houston Convention, done on the wifey and I by Sam Storey who was down from Edmunton = his and hers voodoo dolls:

but you're trying to sell the idea or possibility of a temporary decoration to a crowd that is all about a real and permanent art form. Perhaps the commercial aspect of this start-up (honestly non-tattoo) business would go over better on Shark Tank, but the above discussion and outcome on a forum of tattoo enthusiasts was pre-determined.

Welcome. stage 1?

anywhere near Marquette? http://www.sacredtattoostudio.com/

1st thing = don't be in a hurry. take time to educate yourself. this forum is excellent for that. so is Instagram. 2nd = learn about the different styles of art that are available 3rd = follow some of the artists that you enjoy, and absorb how they do what they do - and how they relate to others in their field within a few weeks or months you should be getting a feel for what "quality" is, but ultimately what is pleasing to your educated eye is what will bring your lasting enjoyment.

He is definitely one of the best. If you can get in to see him in 2017 you'd better consider taking it.

welcome! I met Yoni while he was doing a guest spot in New Orleans. Really nice guy.

There is no 1 "best" realism artist in the country (U.S.?). There are dozens of excellent ones. Some of the best have 2-3 year waitlists . . .