Shaun1105

90/10 sounds like about the right ratio. What fun would it be if we got tattoos that were EXACTLY what we thought they would be? I like that the artist adds their input (although surely you did see it as a stencil before it was applied??) and usually their opinion and changes is what makes your tattoo a better one than you otherwise would have gotten. Looking forward to seeing it.

You, sir, are winning at life. Amazing tattoo!

He is indeed! I can't wait to get back there myself. Welcome to the forum!

Thanks very much! I am extremely honoured to be this month's winner - there was some quality competition! To the guys who were within a handful of votes: @Killercook76 your dragon/tiger side piece is great. @Orangutango your Stefan Johnsson falcon is absolutely amazing! I'm a big fan of his work and would love to get something even half as cool from him someday. Thanks everyone for your votes and good luck to all July competitors. Keep getting great tattoos!

You may already be well on your way to choosing an artist for this particular tattoo and I know you have good choices. I happen to be in Fort Wayne for a conference this week and I stopped in to Black Anvil just to check it out, say hi and get a t-shirt (tattoo budget at zero due to getting one last month). I just want to say - even if this time you go elsewhere - if you live in Indiana and don't eventually get a tattoo from somebody at Black Anvil then you are missing out! Great tattooers there and a super cool shop.

Positive thoughts and good energy coming you and your wife's way. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.

I got a tattoo at the beginning of April and dry healed it at the tattooers instruction. I got a tattoo in mid-May from a different tattooer and used an unscented lotion regularly starting the evening of the day after I got tattooed. Both of these tattoos healed great (better than the previous 2 tattoos I have) and at in about the same amount of time. I found the second method of lotioning frequently - but sparingly each time - to be less itchy and overall more comfortable so I'll probably stick with that over the dry heal. Based on my (very limited!) experience I think that a really good hot first wash and then regular washing the first couple days is more important than lotion/no lotion.

Welcome! Remember that college is vastly overrated - so don't feel at all guilty about getting a great tattoo!

If I walk in to a record store and choose to spend my $20 on a Justin Bieber CD instead of the new Bluejax CD, am I "taking food from your mouth" or am I simply choosing not to give you food? Because one of them is clearly theft and one of them clearly is not. If I buy the Bieber CD (or don't) and just download yours, your situation is the same - no one has taken anything from you. Copying someone's tattoo almost certainly deserves a good ass kicking. Depending on your moral system, it may indeed be a corrupt thing to do. But it is not theft, and though breaking copyright is considered a crime, it should not be. Let's look further at what extending copyright to works of art/craft like tattooing would do. Under current copyright law, protection lasts for the life of the artist plus 70 years. If that's how it was back in the day then none of us would be able be wearing Pharaoh's Horses tattoos if the original tattooer didn't license the image. And even he wouldn't have been able to tattoo it without the permission of the original artist (John Herring Sr. [maybe] for you trivia buffs). What if someone copyrighted the idea of putting a dagger through the head of an animal? After that it could be a particular style of rendering lady heads or roses. Next thing you know the only option for all of us is text tattoos of bible verses and portraits of our own kids. And infinity symbols. Thanks a lot, copyright. Further reading on a bit higher level than the simple (but catchy) ditty in my youtube post previous: Against Intellectual Property.

Welcome to the forums! I really like your scissors tattoo.

On the copyright comment above -even though I don't think it's cool to straight copy somebody's tattoo - the fact remains that copying is not theft. ".

Also, on the sunburn reference - perhaps someone was telling you what a tattoo felt like after it was done? At times during the healing process can hurt pretty much like a sunburn and also peel like one. But the actual application of the tattoo is quite a bit more painful (and I've only had work on my arms - not looking forward to the pain from the large rib pieces I have planned to eventually get).

I would say you will be in good hands at that shop, from their online portfolios it looks like they do pretty good work. (White Lotus Tattoo) That being said, because you live in California you have your choice of so many amazing artists within a reasonable drive!

They both do quality traditional work, but I wouldn't otherwise call their style similar. The stuff Franz does is 'simpler' - but not in a bad way. If you compare the bird/rose tattoo that Tim did of mine with the lantern that Franz did you may note the difference. The way Tim blended the colors on the bird isn't something that Franz would do (not saying he couldn't, just doesn't that I've seen).

I'm in Southern Ontario as well. I was also tattooed by Tim Pausinger, he does indeed do great work. I echo the sentiments of others that staying on top of when The Pearl has guest artists come through means that you will be able to be tattooed by some of the world's finest without ever having to travel. I don't know if the shop publicizes them, but I have been made aware of guests coming either by this site (probably from @Mark_Bee) or through the guests websites. I am keeping my eye out for the next time Nick Colella comes through. I have also been tattooed by a young tattooer named Franz Stefanik, who was in Burlington at the time but has recently moved to the Okey Doke in Toronto. His style of traditional is a bit different, but I really like it. From what I've seen of the portfolios of the other guys at that shop they do good work also. Tim mentioned that shop in a positive way while he was tattooing me, actually.

Thanks very much for posting this. What a great interview! Makes me really want to get back to The Pearl and get something new.

Got this Rock of Ages from Joe Ellis while he was guesting at Lab Monkey Tattoo:

Flames, like roses, can go with almost anything.

My two favorite images! Pharaoh's Horses was originally a painting/print that someone decided would look cool as a tattoo. Unless it was the other way around. Here's a link to a fairly extensive history. I first heard of 'Rock of Ages' as a Christian hymn (written in 1763, according to Wikipedia) growing up. I'm sure the image evolved from that somehow. I would someday love to own a copy of Ed Hardy's book on the subject.

Last week my friend was getting his first tattoo while I was getting my ROA. He has a fear of needles, but had overcome it to get tattooed. Maybe because he was getting it on his back, not sure. About half an hour in he asked "how does the ink get under the skin without it bleeding?" If I had been on the ball I would have just said 'black tattoo magic', but instead I just explained that it actually does bleed ;) He ended up with a pretty cool tattoo even if I wouldn't have placed it where he did - Trinity knot.

The last time I had blood work done the nurse (after seeing my arm) told me that she found it's the people with tattoos who are always most afraid of the needle.

Got this on my arm last week from Joe Ellis: Done at Lab Monkey Tattoo in Stirling, Scotland although Joe now works at Sacred Electric in Leeds.

Welcome to the forum!