DJDeepFried

Good, I'm glad. If you find anything interesting -- post it here!

This is a good one too for what it's worth. Crystal Morey Gets Fast and Furious With Bunshin Saikian Horimasa (VIDEO) | TAM Blog My feeling is to not get too hung up on it. If you were getting a full bodysuit by one artist you might want to stick with the same flower/season for one cohesive look. Mixing cherry blossoms with peonies is pretty common, I think. I have chrysanthemum and maple with a koi on one arm and cherry blossoms with a dragon on the other from two different artists. If the scene is the koi climbing the waterfall to become a dragon I've read it's supposed to be maple. This site is also a wealth of information: Dragons, Dragon Art, and Dragon Lore in Japan, Buddhism & Shintoism Photo Dictionary At the end of the day, if you want a traditional Japanese-style tattoo you go to an artist who specializes in that, and he or she would know all that stuff.

Oh yeah -- @hogg in the I LOVE TATTOOS book

I have seen them mixed so it's definitely not a big deal if that's what you want. Best thing would probably be to ask your tattooer what he/she thinks would look best in that space.

Speaking of butts, @Lance, yours is forever on our bookshelf in the PERSEVERANCE catalog. Those Namakubi are bad ass -- PUN INTENDED.

Those are all nice. I think it's interesting how the Japanese-style phoenix is different from the "rising from the ashes" image from Greek (?) mythology. Also how the dragons mean something different than the Arthurian ones with wings that are depicted as evil not benevolent creatures. Have you seen this site? Tons of great info on there. Hou-ou (or Hoo-oo) -- The Japanese Phoenix

I will say I've never looked at so many guys' butts until I started looking at Japanese full back pieces on IG. It's pretty funny what some people use to cover the ass crack -- a smiley face, etc.

I'm definitely no expert but I think it would be more traditional not to mix flowers/seasons, if you care about such things. So if those are the two choices, I'd go with the hannya. Here's one article I've bookmarked: ANCIENT ART OF THE JAPANESE TEBORI TATTOO MASTERS | INK IN HARMONY | The Selvedge Yard

You better get your ass to the emergency room right quick 'cause YOU'RE GONNA DIE, BRO!!! But seriously, this thread belongs here: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/tattoo-after-care/4140-your-tattoo-infected-aftercare-faq.html

As much as I've enjoyed reading through this shit-storm, this question really belongs here, and doesn't deserve its own thread: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/tattoo-after-care/4140-your-tattoo-infected-aftercare-faq.html

No, I get where you're coming from. We just see it a different way. And like I said I don't work in a shop and am relatively new to getting tattooed. When I was a young'un and just getting into punk rock you had to brave the record store clerk who was way cooler than you and let you know it. You felt like you'd discovered something on your own -- that you earned it. Nowadays the kids can find everything they want on Spotify. Thing is, that's just the way it is now. Everything changes. You can wax nostalgic about the past but that's not bringing it back. I've chosen to embrace change, and I think I'm happier that way. Anyway, Ed Hardy opened the first boutique shop in the mid-'70s, so it hasn't been just bikers and bad-asses all this time. I'm not sure when the good old days of tattoos being all rough and tumble really was anyway. But I'm not trying to impress or intimidate anyone or be part of some cool kid tattoo "scene" as our pal @Victor keeps calling it. Blaming it on the tattoo shows seems kinda silly to me. Did MTV kill rock & roll? Seems to me there are way more amazing artists out there than there have ever been, and partly that's because the industry has changed and tattoos have gotten more popular.

I hate to pile on @deadsp0t, but I do want to make a couple points. I've heard you say "silence is consent" on this and other threads, and I don't think you realize what a loaded term this is. Google "silence" "consent" and "rape," and you'll see what I mean. Just in case you're wondering what all this outrage is about. All that stuff about Rosa Parks/MLK I'll chalk up to a bad analogy and leave it at that. Except to say that when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. @Zillah, I'm a big burly guy and I probably would've done the exact same thing in that situation: bit my tongue, get my tattoo, and got the f*ck out of there (but no tip). So many ways that situation could have ended badly for you, sometimes it's smart to keep your mouth shut. @Bunny Switchblade, not to get off-topic or pick a fight here, but I'm getting a little sick of hearing this particular sentiment. I hear what you're saying, but put it this way: there are dives and fancy wine bars, and the existence of the latter shouldn't ruin your enjoyment of the former. Grungy old-school street shops are awesome -- and I hope they never go away -- but the private/custom/boutique-type ones exist because there's a market for it. Speaking as a non-tattooer, it seems to me that everyone who wants a tattoo should be able to get one, how and where they want it. And that people from all walks of life getting tattoos is good for business – even if it's the dreaded "soccer mom" getting a butterfly on her ankle. It's like with bands when people say, "I was into so-and-so before they were cool." Why should I give a f*ck if what I like is popular or not? Bands want to sell records and make money so they can keep making art. Tattooers do too.

If you can't afford a good tattoo don't get one. Tattoos are a luxury not a necessity. I wonder if they offer the "canvases" free laser if they're not happy. If they don't they should.

Claudia's stuff is beautiful but I think @Valerie Vargas has to be part of this conversation too. Definitely seek out the artist of your dreams. You may have to wait or be persistent but you'll be happier in the long run than if you compromised or settled. And we are talking about fairly local artists for you here.

LST: Come for the tattoos, stay for the drama. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Our little one is super into My Little Pony these days. The new(er) ones on Netflix are a lot less insipid than the original -- more of a Powerpuff Girls vibe. Any other comments/questions about the viewing habits of six-year-old girls, I'm your man.

It's a fair question, and there's a lot of fear-mongering going on. Common sense tells us: the body absorbs very little ink into the bloodstream otherwise our tattoos would quickly disappear instead of gradually fading over a period of years. In any case, the body is pretty good of ridding itself of toxins. Even if tattoo ink were toxic, it would likely manifest itself as a mild allergic reaction on the skin as opposed to say, organ failure -- and even then I'd be quicker to blame the tattooer than the ink. Finally, if it were toxic, we'd surely have heard something by now considering the number of people who have been tattooed over the last several centuries.

- - - Updated - - - I would say okay but not great. Keep researching -- you could do better.

I assume you mean monks. It's not cool to tattoo minks – at least without their consent. :)

Sorry to disappoint, @BrianH, but I did post this in Random Crap.

I don't think it's a terrible tattoo. (I've seen worse.) What I don't like about it is no flow. It's kind of a straight line and doesn't fit her body well. You want to see some nice roses, check out @TrixieFaux 's tattoo in progress. I'm biased cos I get to look at it every day, but it's incredibly realistic and detailed and has a nice thick outline. It's fun to plan out your tattoo, but it's a common misconception that you have to come in with a design all worked out. If anything, it's best to come in with an open mind. Any good tattooer you can just say roses, butterfly, color or black & gray, and where you want it, and let them do their job. The most important thing is picking a good artist in a style you like. Tim Hendricks is the LeBron James of tattooing roses, but assuming you can't get with him or make the effort to do so, I'd consider widening your search. A tattoo like that might take what -- six hours or so? (I'm not a tattooer.) So a drive two hours in either direction is a long day but definitely not impossible and totally worth it for, yes, something that will be on your body forever.

I'm taking this over here now because I feel like it. And I'm not talking about anyone in particular so if you think I am don't get defensive or flatter yourself. This isn't about you. A "troll" is commonly defined as someone who posts sh*t on the internet to get a reaction -- even if it's something they don't believe themselves, e.g. OBAMA = HITLER. It's very hard not to fall into their little traps and, as annoying as they are, I must admit I have a weird respect for them as pranksters and anarchists. They can be pretty entertaining sometimes (though not often) but it's best to ignore them and hope they go away. Then there's another type of person who makes some kind of inflammatory or potentially offensive statement that they actually do believe. Those people are also trying to stir the pot and get attention – even if it's negative attention, kind of like our six-year-old at times. Those traps are harder to avoid. I think the thing to remember is that some people don't care about having a meaningful discussion or debate – only being "right." And they will never stop arguing until they get the last word. They will never see your point or try to understand your point of view because they don't care. They won't admit they're wrong – ever. (BTW I've also seen a few "success stories" on here of people who stop being bullheaded and stubborn and actually listen to what other people have to say – other people who know a lot more about the subject than they do. Some people just go away which is fine by me, but LST has also "saved" one or two from getting bad or mediocre tattoos by steering them in the right direction, suggesting artists, etc. Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing a thread just about those success stories, but maybe later.) I myself have said plenty of dumb sh*t on here and been schooled a couple of times. I've agreed to disagree on a few occasions and always apologized if I offended someone – or at least tried clarify myself if I felt I was being misunderstood. But really we're all here for the same reason, which is to talk about tattoos, share and look at kickass tattoos, and occasionally debate the finer points of tattoos and tattooing. Preferably in a respectful way without name-calling or singling anyone out. One reason why this board is so great and different from a lot of others is that we've been able to maintain this kind of intelligent, respectful discourse. In part that's because we're able to "police" ourselves and call out the trolls and the haters when they do rear their ugly heads. There's been some talk recently about this board going negative and scaring some people away. I hope that doesn't happen but that's also part of the process of weeding out. Some people need "tough love" instead of telling them what they want to hear. If you've read this far, thank you for letting me get on my soapbox for a bit. I've been really proud of the people who've been standing up for themselves and others – some women in particular – and not letting the haters and the trolls get away with their bullsh*t. But at the end of the day, you can try to slap some sense into some people and all you get is a sore hand.

Keep em comin

Great article. Thank you!