Deb Yarian

No I wouldn't "respect" a tattooer who chose not to be tattooed , as much.

Chrome are you a tattooer or a collector? To answer your question as to whether I would "respect" Grime,Shige or Horyoshi as much if they weren't tattooed. No, I personally do not and would not "respect" a tattooer who chose not to experience what I consider the transformative experience of being tattooed- As much as one who did. I would still " respect" their artistic abilities , just question their motives.

i met a girl last year at The state of Grace show, she's a tattooist and shop owner in Bakersfield. She has no tattoos but at the time of our meeting she had a scheduled appointment with Shige to get a full back piece.

Totally different imo. But, if given the choice,and all else being equal- I would be more comfortable having elective surgery performed by a surgeon who had also chosen to have elective surgery than one who would not. " It's just a tattoo, I don't think there's too much to empathize" --- That's definitely not how I feel as a tattooer and I really hope the people i choose to get tattooed by feel the way I do---not the way you do.

i don't think the point is that tattooers with little or no tattoos aren't capable of applying great tattoos. They are! But someone without tattoos doesn't have the benefit of the shared experience or commitment. They can't truly empathize. I think I wouldn't respect the counsel of a priest regarding marriage as much as someone who had experienced marriage himself.

There is a biblical passage " do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels" i like this when applied to many situations - from a non biblical stand point

This is one that I am sad that I'm missing. My husband is there

I don't understand this statement, no disrespect . What do you mean?

I don't understand this statement, no disrespect .

That must be unsettling and I can imagine how difficult it must be. Sorry Hope your grandmother has a quick recovery Deb

Too many to mention So many never mentioned and all of those already mentioned!

Mikki I understand exactly where you are coming from with your analogy regarding bikers. My son's dad was a 1% and I remember experiencing some of what you mentioned, even though I was just along for the ride. Those who can't hear the music think the dancer is mad!

Mario I thought of your post the other night when I watched "The Next Food. Network Star" and THREE of the contestants were sleeved, one with hands and fingers, the other on to his neck. But Mario even in a convention hall full of people you manage to stand on your own with your unique and individual style sense --- and that's a good thing!

I have to reiterate what i said earlier, that anything one says about these shows is perceived as jealousy or envy. That being said , I expected the worst, but hoped for the best. My critique---- As a New Yorker, from Brooklyn -- it's is because of people like that guy Chris that I now live in Alaska. His on screen persona is pretty awful. As a female who does tattoos I couldn't and don't identify with the female who tattoos on the show. So the " I'm not respected as a female tattooist " is maybe something that could have been explored in the 1990s, maybe and I don't like her on screen persona either. All the extra people annoy me, the tv drama etc. Ami is Ami and his mentor was Louie ( who I knew and cared for ) but if anyone knew Louie than watching Ami act the way he does is to be expected. I do really like Tim's work and his on screen edited personality was OK. I hate the show so far

Oh it's ok --just sharing

Thanks Mario!

Never mind

Sorry, no that wasn't my point really

That's a positive way to think about it-- but I'm not talking about the technical or artistic aspect of my work I think that you missed the point of my post

There was a time that I could be pretty sure - that at any given time , I was the only tattooist on a plane flight or at a baseball game or at parent- teacher school open house. That if I met another tattooist at such an event it would be like meeting a former schoolmate while vacationing in a foreign land. What are the odds of that? I remember a time that I could tell , just by looking , that someone did what I did and we shared a common bond and if you spotted one another at an amusement park or a mall- you knew one or the other of you had travelled out of your own territory. There was a time when introduced into the life of a child that they would remember you, for the rest of their lives as the tattooed man or lady. There was a time that when responding that I was a tattooer, when asked what I did for a living - was met with the same awe, disbelief or astonishment as if I had answered that I was an alligator wrestler, an astronaut or in the French Foreign Legion. That was a great time!

Bolohead if you are happy with this tattoo ,then that is all that matters. As journeymen, skilled craftsmen in the trade of tattooing we look at tattoos from a technical standpoint. You must have looked through the portfolio of the person that did your design, prior to getting the tattoo, and chose to get it. My only recommendation is to leave it as it is.

Bolohead I'm glad that you were able to come up with a picture that both you and your wife like. My advice though is to not add a single thing to this design - adding ANYTHING else will take away from it's simplicity. Don't let the tattooist talk you into making any additions. Nothing else!

When asked by my customers why i'm not in a tattoo tv show ( they think a lot of me ) . I explain that leather pants don't come in size 18.