bongsau

It turned out nice! Now just rock it and go with it. You can either own the tattoo and be kinda happy. Or don't own it and always be unhappy with it. I say own it and rock it.

Sometimes they don't turn out how we plan it out and sometimes we set the expectation very high for how we want that tattoo to look. But I think you're tattoo turned out very nice. Simple and readable. You could add some green in the leaves and re-colour in the lily to make the design look a bit more finished. Or pepper some black/shading/smoke to increase the contrast and make it look less like a sticker. Re-working a tattoo always carries risk of making it worse. Talk to your tattooer, most will be happy to help you go from :\ to :) "The tattoo is done now" - I'd leave it, accept and live with it, enjoy it for what it is. Use the experience to inform your next tattoo.

The lines are far from perfect but it's not the end of the world. Part of the issue is the design is very open and straightforward which doesn't easily hide imperfections. You could colour it in? I'd just leave it... Give it a few weeks to settle under the skin and get used to the imperfections. All tattoos have them. I have a bird with one leg. Oops! It's in the skin now. This is part of the risk of every tattoo you make on the body. Not just the design but who you select to make it for you. What are you going to do? Walk into the shop and tell him he's an idiot that can't pull a straight line? Not sure what you'd expect to gain from that aside from some return-fire insults and a kick in the ass out the door. Just don't go back for another tattoo from the same person.

i wore long sleeves to work exclusively for 3 years (to see if i could do it) before i took the plunge with tattoos dropping below the tshirt line. and now i've been wearing long sleeves for 10 years covering up my tattooed arms. long sleeves all the time ain't a big deal. they work great in the summer to protect from direct sun :p

I don't know about you, but when I go camping my intention is to get as rough and dirty as possible. I'm covered in dirt and ash the entire time. Not sure how you camp (i.e. tent in the bush, RV, public campground w/ amenities). As long as you've got supplies to keep the tattoo clean and keep it covered you're likely fine. I'd be more worried about jumping in a swimming pool (chlorine and kid pee) over jumping in a fresh lake. The important thing will be protecting the tattoo from dirt and scratches in the bush. Good luck.

http://www.needlesandsins.com/2010/12/guest-blog-cheating-with-lidocaine.html Old article about lidocaine, good info, the comments are good too.

My big rib tattoo was one of my first. I will never forget that single tear that rolled down my cheek. And I felt like a god damn warrior when it was over. I've tried other non-traditional numbing methods like drinking half a bottle of nyquil, weed, tylenol. The best tried and true method is a good rest, a good meal and a strong mindset. You got it champ, good luck!

If it's your first tattoo, don't use the numbing cream. Rib tattoo is intense, but being your first you won't know any differently. So take the above advice above about preparing your mind and body for the tattoo and you will be fine! If you really are a bit anxious, have a shot or two of liquor to calm your nerves and take it like a champ. Numbing cream is becoming more popular and accessible these days. I'm talking about the high concentration shit that makes you feel nothing, not a light bactine spray or some booze to take the edge off and get you through the hump. People want the tattoo but they don't want to work for it. I don't agree with that because part of the spiritual power of the tattoo comes from earning it, a rite of passage. I do think it has its place for some of the very challenging spots to keep both you and the tattooers momentum going on a big tattoo session. Also, FYI if a strong concentration of topical anesthetic cream is applied incorrectly i.e. left on for too long, too much on the body it can be absorbed into the bloodstream and toxic to your system. You risk a trip to the hospital for health complications. I've heard several stories like this where too much is used and next thing the session is cut short and buddy's in a taxi to the hospital cause his vision suddenly went blurry or the heart starts beating irregularly. Tattooing isn't supposed to be a sunny time on the beach, it is raw and unapologetic and to many of us that is what the beauty and attraction of what a tattoo is. My $0.02

Yin Yang Spider (actual size) Drawn-on and tattooed by Jonny Murdoch

Got back from a holiday in Jamaica and upgraded my tan. Dragon Ball by Scott Rusnak at Lucky Strike Tattoo, Edmonton, AB. FYAH BUN came pretty close to passing out on this one, stressful spot for both me and Scott, but we did it !

some of you may have seen this already on my IG ... but here ya go. Psych Tiger Head made by OllieXXX in 2012

So for April Fools Day I made a facebook post "looking for laser removal recommendations. I have enough business to put somebody's kid through college. I'm tired of looking like Walt Disney threw up on me. Time to grow up and look more professional." My father texts me 10 minutes later saying if you are looking for a laser removal specialist to get in touch with him asap and he will connect me with someone who does that. LIKE, TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL DAD LOL ...aaand the next day I win a contest at the tattoo convention. oh geez

haha I sure did ! part of our responsibility as tattooed peoples to put the fun back in tattooing. people take this thing and themselves way to seriously. the fun part was dropping trough on the stage and flexing (sticking out my belly) with the crowd whistling. then telling the judges how I'm still sour and felt robbed my bumblebee didn't win best smallest colour last year lol

The Edmonton tattoo convention was this weekend. Popped in on Sunday afternoon and won the "neo traditional" contest for my OllieXXX tiger head LOL #maketattoofunagain

^ first post - "send nudes".

I got tatt-toad by Scott Rusnak / Lucky Strike Tattoo Edmonton a few days ago. Coins are the size of an actual coin for reference ;)

8 hours x 150/hour = $1200 MAX Your budget of 500~$1200 will get you a nice, well done, detailed tattoo. But it's on you to do your research *go to a shop and talk to buddy-tattooer* and find the right person for the job. but all in all...I've never re-considered a tattoo because of the cost. The cost has always been an afterthought in my experience. Keep putting $20 in your underwear drawer and start saving now. With all these 'superstar' tattooists booking years in advance you've got lots of time to save up!

Meh, messy tattoo I'd rather look at a tattoo than read a paragraph. Too much text. A picture is worth 1000 words.

Out of curiousity...how do you go about marking the triangulation tattoos on people that are covered in tattoo?

The blackwork example above is from Guy Le Tattooer. If I am not mistaken he is based out of France however have observed he sometimes does guest spots in Hong Kong. You should also check out Star Crossed Tattoo in HK.

You are grieving dude, be gentle on yourself. You ended up with a solidly made tattoo as a tribute to your Mum. It's not stupid. Sounds like you got a case of the post-tattoo blues and apprehensive about how big it ended up. It fits the forearm. And it's pretty minimal, not really what I'd call a BIG tattoo haha. Wear long-sleeve shirts in public if it causes nuff anxiety. You will be a-ok :)

Really, fix the 'dot' in the 6? That is nothing, it's a tattoo.

Hello and welcome aboard. You have to post your introduction and reply to X number of threads before you can create a new topic. So here is as good as any. Everything has been done in tattoo. Yet a solid and creative tattooists can take a repeated image and make it fresh and new and create a timeless tattoo for you. From wikipedia ... A plague doctor was a medical physician who treated victims of the plague.[1] They were specifically hired by towns that had many plague victims in times of epidemics. Since the city was paying their salary, they treated everyone: both the wealthy and the poor.[dubious – discuss][2] However, some plague doctors were known for charging patients and their families extra for special treatments and/or false cures.[3] They were not normally professionally trained experienced physicians or surgeons, and often were second-rate doctors unable to otherwise run a successful medical business or young physicians trying to establish themselves.[1] These doctors rarely cured their patients; rather, they got a count of the number of people contaminated for demographic purposes. Yikes, pretty morbid imagery. If you want to get a Plague Doctor tatt...well go for it and get one. Lots of people have used this image for tattoo. I wouldn't make the face mask more owl like though...it's not a plague doctor then. It will confuse what exactly the image is and may end up looking like an owl wearing a cape. I mean you could just get a straight up owl. Then no second guessing what it is. Owls are associated with wisdom...but also symbolic of death. Either a messenger of death, or more metaphorically death meaning a transition in life. A copy-cat/fraud tattoo would be when the tattooer straight up copies somebody else's composition. It happens more often than we think, in this modern age where your fresh tattoo is all over the internet before you get home and take the bandage off. So go see a reputable experienced tattooer and get something proper and unique. Do the research and take your time.

The tattoo is already very busy for a small area. If you start adding non-sensical crap in behind the tattoo it will not age nicely and look like a faded colour blob. It will draw the eye away from the text-heart-cathedral-ferriswheel-flowers...see already lots going on. If you ~really really~ want a super cool watercolour tattoo, get a separate tattoo and go with the watercolour style. But I would suggest you first search the forum for others opinions on that particular style of tattoo and why it has many critics. I've seen maybe 1 watercolour tattoo out of hundreds that was done well and looked like a proper tattoo. And it's only because the tattooer was smart enough to put in a proper full outline. But hey I got my tattoos and you can get whatever you want for yours :) My $0.02

No, do not add on "water colour"