Shaun1105

I generally only suggest panthers or flames, which will probably not be of use to you in this situation. I would like to make the suggestion, though, that your tattoo artist probably would be the best person to get advice from on this. :)

Thanks for the beer recommendation! I'm headed down this weekend. Getting very excited. Thanks exume. I saw that there was a Chipotle - and I DO like going to Chipotle because there are none near me without going over the border - but I won't be in a hurry and wanted to go with something local.

Anyone have any recommendations for Dallas (anywhere) or Austin (relatively close to Rock of Ages)?

8 months ago I took on a new position at work on a contract basis. Totally different from what I've been doing for the previous 16 years, but a great challenge and I really liked it. 3 weeks ago the position became available permanently. I applied, interviewed, and last week I found out I got it. I'm excited because the schedule fits my family better (no more shift work), and it does come with a modest raise (for more work). The best part has actually been the feedback from my co-workers, who have been telling me how much they appreciate me in the position and how well they think I've been doing. Now I just have to keep it up!

By what I've heard, your chest is a pretty painful place to get a tattoo. I'll be able to report with more detail in a week because I'll be mostly done a chest tattoo this time next Sunday. I think near the sternum is more painful than the pec area. I think starting with a 'more painful' place is a good idea though because as you say it's part of the experience and the excitement of getting tattooed hides some of the pain. I think one of the best places to start is your shoulder both in terms of pain and in terms of visibility. Easy to see if you want to show it (and no need to be completely shirtless) but also easy to hide under pretty much every t-shirt. If you measure it, I'd bet your shoulder has almost as much space as your pec, it just doesn't seem as large because it's round and you can't look at it directly very easily.

I agree, without something else for reference it's going to be hard to tell that you have an ocean on your ribs and not just lines. Even if it's just something off in the distance, I think adding something - lighthouse, ship, whale, dolphin, turtle, fish, sunset, etc. - is a good idea. As for style, you just need to look at a whole bunch of different tattoos until you find a style you like.

Welcome to the forum! It does look like your artist used the other tattoo as a reference for the outline. The good news is that she did put a nice tattoo on you. Art theft isn't cool, and if you expected to get a fully custom tattoo then you have a right to feel a bit cheated. As for what you should do now? I don't think confronting the artist is going to be worth your time. I'd say to do these 3 things: 1. Don't get tattooed by her again 2. Do that "some more research" before you choose your next artist. 3. Get a bunch more awesome tattoos!

Inconceivable. If there's one thing I have learned at Last Sparrow it's that every tattoo has to have a meaning.

Wow, when I read the thread title and article topic, I just assumed it was birthmark on her face. Sure, her birthmark is big, but it's on her leg. Your otherwise healthy child has a birthmark on her leg that can be covered by pants most of the time; and at a later dated could almost certainly could be lasered to be lighter/less visible. Maybe this is just my perspective as the father of a child with special needs; but this seems super dumb to me. It's also a waste of money and quality tattoo real estate.

In the last three days I have read these: "Haiti bound on Tueday". "Thank you coming to our fundraiser" I missed both errors on first reading, and needed the first one pointed out to me (my defense is that the font was weird). And then I wrote this on a note at work "John - to sick to come to work." I am usually the 'grammar nazi' type guy who is very bothered by the you're/ your, etc., etc. But anyone can make a mistake, and given that there are probably thousands of text tattoos being done daily in Canada and the U.S., mistakes by the tattooer that coincide with mistakes by the client WILL happen every day as well.

Welcome to the forum! When I think of something twisting around something in a tattoo, I think of a snake.

I'd really like to come to this but there's not much chance since I'm headed to Texas in March. Poor planning on my part to some extent - especially if the poutine is really better. I thought the Montreal poutine was quite delicious, actually! I will definitely try to get out to this next year though. I haven't been to Quebec City since our Grade 7 class trip.

Roses will look great. I'm a panther with roses guy myself - just not nearly as epic as yours.

Great tattoo! Very cool eagle.

Yeah I notice pretty much the same thing at the parks in Niagara Falls. There's never more than a handful of people with good tattoos. Initially I was a bit surprised by the sheer number of people who had at least one tattoo though - even if it was tiny.

So I earlier tonight I booked my next tattoo - in March I'm heading down to Austin to have Steve Byrne put an eagle on my chest. In one shot. Because I am an idiot. Ah, well. As @Graeme said, "If you want tough tattoos you can't be a wimp about it."

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome, fellow Canadian!

Didn't mean it to be overly personal, nor would I have at all expected info to be posted here that was private! I sincerely apologize for for any offense. I just wondered if maybe Lab Monkey was either closing or being sold and that info was already 'public' in a way that might not have reached all the way over the pond here. Which would, to me at least, have qualified as 'Tattoo News'. I got tattooed at Lab Monkey last year, not by Soap but he did one on my friend at the same time. I added the info about you just as a way to a) put out a little info about Soap and Lab Monkey that people might not have already known and b) to work your name into the question in the hopes that you would provide a great response here :) Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I wish you all the best with the new shop!

Ok , so I missed this post when you made it in September, but just saw Valerie's post on IG today about it, and my mind was blown. I am wondering about the fact that Soap (who is a really nice guy and great tattooer) will be tattooing there though. What is happening with Lab Monkey tattoo in Stirling? Has he sold it, or will he still own it but work in the new London shop, or...? His own instagram (@soap138) mentions the new shop but doesn't mention the status of the old. If I'm not mistaken, Lab Monkey is where @Stewart Robson got started tattooing, or at least was a key part of his early tattooing career.

Will a sundial be too visually similar to the pocketwatch? You'd want the sundial at an angle instead of head-on. But definitely get the skull and/or the reaper, and a raven is also a great idea. Here's a huge picture for you. (This depicts father time but I'd go with a grim reaper instead)

I don't think I ever purchased any art before getting tattooed. I picked up two prints at the Montreal convention. I think I just have a much greater appreciation for creative things in general now.

If you follow me on instagram (@shaunsomers) you already are aware of this, but my wife and I just got back from a trip to Iceland that we took for our 15th anniversary. We did a horse riding tour that was extremely stretching for me as I basically only learned how to ride in September, and I had never been on an Icelandic horse before (they're different in that they have 2 extra gaits). Breathtaking scenery, met great people, and experienced only a few moments of sheer terror while on horseback.

That armbar and seating position was so uncomfortable that it made the discomfort of an inner arm tattoo pale in comparison. The pain of the tattoo was a nice distraction from my elbows position at times.

I have wanted a Steve Byrne chest eagle for so long! Can't wait to see how yours turns out.