graybones

definitely Ron Wells (obv I'm a fan since my bird is by him), every one of the tattoos he posts on Instagram I think "FUCK why is that not on me????" his tattoos just have such great style to them while still being classic. and he's not scared to use a bit of black... also I can never pass by a nice Ashley Love piece. Saw a heart n dagger she did at a wedding a couple weeks ago and couldn't stop staring at it. So clean.

I recently joined a pretty intense kung fu program. This place is the whole deal, training your mind, body, and spirit, and everyone there seems really passionate and committed to bettering themselves. I finally had my official first class yesterday and I am SO STOKED about it! Best thing I've done for myself in years!! My next class is on Saturday and I can't wait...

I've heard it's frowned upon to get your hands tattooed before you have your full arm done (also looks dumb). Just wondering what's generally accepted by tattooers & heavily tattooed people as the best order or what makes the most sense visually... back before chest? arms before legs? Finish one arm before starting another, or not? Less painful spots first? Or does it not matter that much... What do you think?

around here it seems like people are into tattoos... sometimes it's cool, sometimes it's kinda strange. Once when I was at a bar, this skinny, pale, wild-eyed guy runs into me, nearly knocking me (and my drink!) over, and goes "I love your tattoo! Will you take a picture with me?" This guy's clearly hammered so I laugh and say sure. I stand next to him and smile while his friend holds up his phone. He looks at me posing, frowns, then grabs my arms and spins me around sideways. Then he leans down right next to my tattoo (its on my upper arm) and takes a picture of himself smiling next to my arm. Then he stumbled away without another word.... haha. his friend gave me this look like, "Don't ask me..."

I was (am) 23 when i got my first one so my parents couldn't say much. I told my dad on the way to a show, I could tell he was real unhappy about it at first, all he said was "I don't understand why you would do that to yourself." During the show (Allman Brothers Band) I think he looked around and noticed how many people there had tattoos and came to terms with it. By the time we were leaving, he was taking pictures of my tattoo on his phone to text to his friends haha. I told my mom before I even got it, she was excited... she said she had always wanted a big Japanese-style piece on her back but never pulled the trigger on it... I'm still trying to convince her to do it!

my cat Louie... only photos I have were taken when we first got him from the shelter a year ago. He's got two extra toes on each paw.

Myke Chambers splits his time between tattooing in Asheville and Philly, hard to get an appointment but definitely worth it. check here to see when he's tattooing in NC Tattooer Myke Chambers

I only recently showed my dad my tattoo. He was obviously unhappy about it, I think mostly because it finally hammered home to him that his little girl was an adult (I guess moving across the country by myself, working nights to finance my own degree, and starting a career didn't tip him off). My father just asked a few questions and then got real quiet. Since then I think he's come to terms with it... at least he never bothers me about it. I'm guessing that's what's going on with this woman... it's not SO much that he got a tattoo but that she abruptly realized that he isn't her baby anymore, and never will be again. But, unlike my dad, this woman is just too emotionally immature to deal with it so she freaks out and blames him. I feel bad for him. Must have been some very frustrating teenage years in that house.

got mine on my 23rd birthday.... I had wanted it since I was 19 but I was broke and I wanted to see if having tattoos would fuck up the job I wanted. Turns out it wouldn't have but I'm glad I waited because the tattoo I would have gotten at 19 would have been stupid. Probably something way melodramatic. Or lyrics from one of the shitty local screamo bands I was into at the time. hahaha. that would have been awful. But I feel good about what I have, I think when I look back in 4 years, I will think I started at the right time.

I was a bit sympathetic until I got to this: Really?? Not if he raped or killed someone? Not if he told her he was running away to join some crazy cult out in Alaska and was never going to see her again? Nothing would hurt her more than modifying his own skin on his own shoulder to be how he likes it? This woman doesn't appreciate the son she has, if that's what she thinks. After I got my tattoo, my mom told me she had always wanted a big Japanese style tattoo on her back (she loves Japanese stuff) and regretted not getting it when she was younger, haha. I told her it's not too late!!

hey that's awesome to hear! Thank you! I feel quite lucky about how my first tattoo turned out compared to some of my friends' firsts... haha

i guess I'm lucky... I'm a web designer, tattoos are widely accepted in my industry. One of the biggest and most influential web agencies in the business, R/GA, even made a mini-documentary about people who work there who have tattoos. I work at a small agency of 17 people in the south... 6 have tattoos and 2 are planning to get them. When I came to work the day after getting my tattoo, everyone ran up and crowded around to look at it and say nice things about it. One of our front-end developers with has a BAD ASS traditional-style heaven & hell leg sleeve (not sure of the proper term) and one of our designers has an appointment coming up with David Hale. I've noticed web designers generally get really awesome trad tattoos, and/or really hipster-y type tattoos (owls with top hats, finger mustaches, etc).

thanks @Amok and @BrianH ! hey that's awesome! I haven't been in NC long but from what I hear those are some of the coolest places in the state! I'm going out near Boone for a camping trip in a couple weeks, that'll be my first time there. thanks dude! That's cool he posts on here. When I was trying to find out who was doing all those awesome clown-owl tattoos I kept seeing, it was so hard to find him on the internet. shoulda looked here, haha. nice! I haven't seen any Rodney Raines pieces (that I know of) but I run into people all the time with really nice tattoos from other artists at Ace. hope I didn't miss anyone, still getting used to this forum. thanks for the warm welcome :)

thanks hogg! thanks :) I'm living in Charlotte, about 1.5 years now. where in NC did you grow up?

hello, I'm a 23 year old web designer living in North Carolina. I have just one tattoo that I got in April from Ron Wells at Three Kings Tattoo. I thought maybe I would just get one... but immediately after I got it, I loved it so much I knew I needed more more more! haha. my tattoo: the artist & shop: The Laughing Hyena Three Kings Tattoo