ironchef

breasts and stomach... breasts because its just not for me and stomach because after 4 children (including one set of twins that were 15.5lb combined!) its pretty much a no go tattoo area! oh and my lady parts.

I have three that I got impulsively. One is a wolf head that I got from Eli at Smith Street. I was in the area and thought that I'd drop in and see if there was any availabilities and just check out the shop and he had a cancellation because it was a cold, miserable, and snowy October day. Didn't really know what I wanted going in the door, but the wolf head flash was cool. Got a swallow from Bert at Tattoomania in Montreal for similar reasons...it was my birthday, I was feeling bummed about being a year older, thought that a tattoo would cheer me up so called up Tattoomania to see if they had an opening and they did. He did a great job on it, and tattoos are great cures when you're feeling down. The last is a rose and snake that Tony D'Annessa did. I had a consult at the shop he owns (owned?), didn't know if he still tattooed, but asked and picked a rose and a snake off one of his old roll-up flash sheets because it looked cool and I figured that if I was going to get tattooed by a guy from the real old school that something involving a rose was fitting. He said the last time he tattooed that design was in 1963. I am happy with all of them, but they're all pretty classic and timeless designs. I have plans for more spontaneous tattoos in the future as well (maybe not spontaneous exactly, because I plan on booking with an artist, but choosing the design off the wall the day of) because that can be a fun way of getting tattooed. I also have tattoos that I've put a lot more thought and planning into. Both ways are cool with me.

posted this in the latest tattoo thread but it looks like it belongs here as well
Chad Koeplinger, 6-7 hours in so far two sessions to go.

I finally get to compete! :)
Hops done by Dutch Cooke of Immortal Ink, in Clinton, NJ. Click the pix for full size.



-Joe

@a1steaks AMAZING! Love the color choices!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Here's the latest shot of my progress. Enjoy.

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

I can't get over how good those waves are.

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Just got a couple more sessions from Jason Kundell on my back. I think I'm down to about 5 left, each being about 3 hours. I'll post some pics when it heals up.
@ironchef - your piece looks great!

@ironchef: I'm speechless. Two of my favorite artists and, as you know, two of the world's greatest gentlemen.

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!

@ironchef Very Awesome!!!
Plenty Stoked for you!
That's more like a back piece and a half!

My mind is blown. good job Sir. I have that combo as my left and right sleeves. It's times like this though when I wish cloning oneself was possible so I could get multiple back pieces each with a new subject inspired by art, stories or what I see here.

Oh man, didn't realize this was the collaborative back piece! That's awesome, now I'm even more excited to see the future progress.

@ironchef That looks incredible! Is there going to be any background between the dragon and phoenix, or leaving that open?

Updated full back progress pic. Pretty much healed up from my last session. Will be seeing Rubendall again in May to finish shading the back of my left thigh. Probably start some color too!