Mark Bee

Oh crap. I can't stop laughing. I literally (and I mean that word correctly) have tears from laughing so hard at this pic. Totally made my day.

So I am getting married in July of this year to the most amazing woman. We are two peas in a pod. We both love tattoos and although I have far more, it is something we enjoy together. This August we are planning to take our honeymoon on a road trip through a large swath of the USA. (We are Canadians living in Toronto) We will travel to Nashville, then to Savannah, GA. After that we go to Orlando, New Orleans, San Antonio, Sante Fe, back through Colorado, Kansas, St. Louis, Chicago, then back to Toronto. I was thinking it would be fun to pick up a tattoo or two along the way. Nothing large, given that we will be in a car much of the time and a lot of healing and driving might not be a great idea. I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about getting tattoos in some of these places? I know where'd I'd go in Chicago, but what about New Orleans or New Mexico? A tattoo from Texas would be cool too, and I'd be passing through San Antonio...

I used to feel a little anxious after a tattoo, but it usually only lasted a few hours. I think it has more to do with physical exhaustion after the session than anything else. I was surprised to find that I have not been particularly anxious as I get my forearms covered. Now, I find myself increasingly stoked after each new tattoo. I have been on a tear recently, and I think I will slow down a bit. What's the rush...of course the thread I am about to start belies this intention...

I've been getting mostly traditional tattoos lately, but I have a few other styles as well. I never intended to go the body suit route, (although it seems to be happening!) so i just kept mashing things together. I'm really enjoying the mix of styles, but I wasn't sure I would. I kept getting advice, "don't worry, just add them and it will work out." So far, it has. At least as far as I am concerned.

Looking forward to meeting him in a few days. He is doing a piece on my arm next week when he visits Toronto.

I've got a shot of one of the pair on my chest in my gallery. For what its worth, they may be my favourite of all my tattoos. Simple and clean, they will stand the test of time.

I've got a flower and leaves in my right ditch. It didn't hurt any more or less than the rest of my bicep or forearm. I'm looking at an old school dragon coming down the inside of my left bicep, with its head turning and covering the ditch. I think this will look pretty good, and it will fill in a good portion of the unused space left on that arm.

I'm on a tear. I still have two more appointments in the next three weeks.

Well, Sunday rolled around again. Two extremely hectic weeks at work have reduced my online time, but I did manage to slide into The Pearl Harbor Gift Shop again. This time Glennie did a great little butterfly on my forearm. - - - Updated - - - That is an amazing tattoo. Stunning!

Hi @Chris3000 Great 1st tattoo. I think it looks amazing. Kudos on going straight for the ditch! Welcome to the forums. :)

Here is my latest from Glennie at The Pearl Harbor Gift Shop: ah, what the hell...I'm unable to get the pic in the post. Sigh. Got it! Thanks @MsRad - What a long week that was. My brain has turned to mush. Still, had a bit of fun getting this one done this morning.

I thought I'd posted here, but maybe I'm wrong, or forgot to hit send, or maybe I just missed it when I was going through this thread again, adding many of the folks here. Anyway, at the risk of repeating myself, I am screaminggorilla on Instagram. I'm new to it but I generally post pics of my wandering days through Toronto, pics of my cats (I know, I know) and of tattoos. Please feel free to follow - I follow back. So many great tattooers and their tattoos on instagram.

Welcome, Slester.

Welcome, Nallac94. Enjoy yourself here. @BAM773 Bangor is a great spot. My best friend lives there.

Quit after 20 years. I used the patch. Best decision I ever made. Congratulations and keep it up!

Ok, so here is a pic as promised. I wanted a very simple design - bare bones. Glennie and I agreed on this design inspired by the old tattooers of the Bowery in the early 20th century. Originally the mermaid was topless, but I quickly discovered that its position on my arm was too visible (I teach at a university) for my comfort level and two weeks later I had the clamshells added. I still feel like an unconscionable prude, but I did have to take my professional situation into account. The tattoo needs a few minor touch ups to clean it up and make it just the way I wanted. Also, I have never managed to take a pic of this tattoo that really does it justice. I think it looks much better in person. At any rate, here's a pic: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/gallery/member/13556-mermaid.html&imageuser=4924 http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/gallery/member/13557-mermaid.html&imageuser=4924 The "insert pic from your gallery" is greyed out, and I'm tired and haven't had the requisite amount of coffee to successfully post a pic it seems. The link seems to work though.

Welcome to the forums.

Welcome to LST!

I've got a mermaid that frames a ship on my arm. I'm too tired to take a pic now, but I'll post it tomorrow. It was inspired by some of the tattoos done in the Bowery in the 1920s.

Ugh. That sounds perfectly awful - I hope you have a speedy recovery!

I have a couple that I am unhappy with. Unsurprisingly they were my two earliest. An ugly tribal band and an atom symbol. Nothing particularly wrong with the atom, its just kind of boring and it takes up a good portion of my upper bicep. I now see it as frustratingly wasting valuable real estate that could be vastly improved. I've never covered up any of my tattoos, but this one has to go. I'm going to have to do some research into cover-ups. I'll keep the tribal. It was my first and a do have a strong sentimental attachment to to it. It was the one that inspired all of the rest, after all.

Welcome - poke around - lots to read/watch/do around here.