Diehardonvhs

No I think you are absolutely right! Its also hilarious when artists copy photos of tattoos that are distorted due to the curve of the body, but they copy it straight, distortion and all. It looks absolutely ridiculous.

This backpiece by Shige, Yellowblaze, is one of my favourite tattoos. I loved it the second I saw it, the scale of the design, the placement, the execution, its all fantastic. However it seems like many other people also loved this design and wished they had it, but instead of taking reference from it, creating something new, adapting the design, they just copied it, line for line. This isn't the only tattoo I have seen copied line for line - I am sure it happens all the time. I KNOW it happens all the time. I also saw it happen to a member here who had a beautiful dragon done by Shige, his tattoo was copied by a Korean artist called Gen. Every time I see it happen it makes me disillusioned - I have met artists who are genuinely proud to reproduce other peoples work, and see no problem with it. They say "If its on the internet, its fair game". I HATE that kind of attitude. It hasn't happened to any of my tattoos, but I know it would make me angry. Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery, or is this unforgivable plagiarism?

Brilliant video, thanks a lot! Seeing Yoshi's bodysuit in person is truly special, if you ever find him at a convention, follow him around until he gets naked. I don't think its technically illegal.

Or like this? :-) Just a skull, but still, good reference! Backpiece by Mark Armstrong, Sacred Art, Manchester UK

"Yeah, I am just going to meet up with a tattoo artist who I have known for awhile, who has tattooed me before and will probably tattoo me again to talk about ideas for the tattoos he will do for me in the future". "I'm meeting up with my tattoo artist to discuss ideas".

I don't mind the term at all, it only gets douchey when you act like a douche about it, as if having tattoos from only big name artists makes you better than other people, or means you know more than them. I collect tattoos, from people I've worked with, some big names and other artists who are just starting out.

That's the best thing I've heard all month.

It's maybe a little risky - but from my own experience, I have been swimming in the sea with a 7 day old tattoo that was in the middle of peeling, and I had no problems whatsoever. I cleaned it off with fresh water afterwards, made sure it wasnt sandy, then put some bacitracin on it, it was absolutely fine! No problems at all. Everyone is different...its up to you to give it a shot or not!

It really depends on the artist, some really do not like adding or continuing other peoples work, whereas others will give it a shot - it depends if what you already have fits the style of the new artist, and if they think it is done well, and will compliment their own work! If it is the koi sleeve you have in your folder then you shouldn't have a problem, it looks really nice, fingers crossed you find a great artist who works in that style who is willing to do it!

Damn, that is SO GOOD! That should be required reading for everyone who is thinking of getting a text tattoo. In my opinion, plain text tattoos on their own say nothing to me. A couple of well placed words in a larger design can, sometimes, add something to the piece that I would not have thought about if the words had not been there. Its rare, but it can be done very well. A line of text above or below a tattoo add nothing to the design, in fact they can really detract from what the design should be - bold and readable.

To bring up the whole "deep meanings for tattoos" thing again, I have only been getting tattooed/been around tattooing for about 8 years now, can any "old timers" give any insight into whether this is a long standing tradition, or if it has been made much more standard due to people seeing almost every tattoo on reality TV shows have deep, faux-intellectual meanings crowbarred into them.

In that case its full backpiece time! Chad Koeplinger! Something massive, with skulls!

I find it worst when its a tattoo representing the very recent and very painful death of a loved one (like a young son or daughter), if it helps them deal with the pain, then that's great, but at the same time for the rest of your life you have a constant visual reminder of your absolute worst moment, that people will ask you about and bring up time and time again...

Sorry to hear she isn't being supportive, my lady gives me a hard time occasionally when I get new tattoos...but only because she is jealous, and wants them on her instead! I was with someone four years ago who was dead-set against me getting a skull in the centre of my chest, I did it anyway, and turns out she almost liked it! (Almost) :-)

I very much agree with HaydenRose - people seem to get genuinely offended when, after asking me for the "meaning" of my tattoo and why I got it, I reply that I just thought it would look good, and I wanted to get it. Sorry to disappoint you, but my cat didn't even get cancer or anything. Miami ink mindset.

Im from Manchester too! Theres a few great studios around, Sacred Art in Chorlton is brilliant, Rain City in the centre of town is also great, Blue Blood is good, also a bit further afield but worth checking out is Octopus tattoo in Derby.

Draw and paint every spare hour of every day, for the next two years. Make a portfolio. Do not even think of trying to tattoo before you are 18. When you turn 18, find an excellent studio and try to get an apprenticeship with your portfolio.

I saw someone who had something like this done...the skin bubbled up like cottage cheese, then scabbed and hardened, it was truly disgusting. Picture for proof!

I can't wait to see what everyone gets done - who is the artist you are going to?

Haha cheers :) I don't rock just yet...if I can make it through everything I will be pleased with myself though! Valerie says she is trying to get away from what she is most well known for (sad girl heads), and do some very traditional work, she had a load of stuff in a big flash book she had drawn up, so I picked out a traditional dragons head, going on the lower calf, should be sweet!

I am in with Valerie Vargas at the end of May, then I am booked in with Phil Wilkinson middle of June, then I am getting tattooed by 3 artists in 3 days at the London tattoo convention in September, Jess Yen, Jee Sayalero and Chriss Dettmer. I am also starting my back (Neck to knees) at some point in the next few weeks....I may post in the back piece thread about that when we get going!

Yeah, it happens...I have only recently started getting smaller "spur of the moment" tattoos, when I started out I was only planning big ones!

Yeah I know! I would have been happy enough with just an awesome tattoo, but no, Frank is just above and beyond, got me into any of his gigs on the guestlist, came over to chat, even gave me a shoutout on stage. I cant say enough good things about him! Come on, if we didn't spend money on tattoos it would just get wasted!

Haha I actually would quite like to see that!

Haha cheers! Yeah I absolutely love Franks work - that snake you got is beautiful. I will definitely get something more off him, maybe next year. I'm in with Valerie in a few weeks, I love going to Frith Street!