blujax01

You could riff on this...

I got my first tattoo 20-some years ago. I've forgotten what exactly Excalibur on my shoulder represented but I'm sure that at the time, it had some deep meaning. The important thing is that it's still bold and readable. Here's the thing - no matter what you get, it's significance may fade but it's presence will serve as part of your personal history. It meant something to you at the time and that's all that counts. And the meaning may be as simple as "I've always wanted an Aloha Monkey on my stomach and I'm going for it!" (I'm close to committing, but not quite there yet!:cool:). Dragons come and dragons go (as does barbed wire) but like all tattoos, they are a roadmap to one's past. Go forth confidently, get a good artist who can lay a solid line, and use spell and grammar check. Twice. About to turn 60 and still writing my history, ~ Alan

So how many whacks at the piñata does Tatu Baby get, anyway?

There are a ton of designs out there. I am looking for a calm-after-the-storm "Welcome home" feeling. It is meant to complement and contrast with the "This Too Shall Pass" hourglass Billy Hill did on the front of my bicep. About the same size, too.

Ohio, and Man, does the weather suck!

The final major piece to complete my 3/4 sleeve. It will set on my tricep, and I'm looking for simple bold lines in full color. There are a lot of great ones out there. Anyone care to share?

I am working on a sleeve. And it would not be complete without "Mom". Work by Billy Hill (Envy Skin Gallery, Columbus) on 11-15-14.

Water color tattoos won't last either (20 years ago they were called "color wash") but that isn't stopping anyone. Find someone who will do it and while you're at it, get "click" in the crook of your thumb.

I work part time in a gun shop and this old guy walks in sporting, among other things, a Stoney St. Claire pinup. His best recollection was that it was done in the 60's or 70's. Stoney had a shop in Columbus from 1970 to 1980 so this tracks. [/url] The forearm piece was apparently his ex-wife's name "Mildred"? that Stoney had covered up and changed to "Mom & Dad". That rose is all but gone... [/url]

After a duly appropriate time spent in "rehab"? Could be! (Where's that eye roll emoticon thingy when I need one.)

Pretty obvious that Josh, or the producers, or someone crafted that fine moment in cinematic drama in order for him to have an excuse to boot scoot out of there. Busted for weed? By the other contestants? Uh-huh, sure, I'm believing' it. I'm quite certain that we haven't seen the last of Josh. He's the most likely candidate to be "The Next Big Thing" tattoo game show host on some cable channel somewhere.

Conversations about the design went on through 4/29 when I said: "I'm ready when you are." Then I hear nothing more. No "Come in and schedule it". No "I'll look for an opening in my book." NOTHING Friday 9 May I stop by and he does the trace saying: "Give me a couple of days and we'll schedule something. I AM PUMPED TO DO THIS." No request for a deposit, no mention of putting it on a calendar. I say nothing about how much time this is taking. I am being patient, so far. After all, he said to give him a couple more days. Then I hear nothing for yet another week. If I had contacted him how many of you would have been on the "quit bugging him" bandwagon, eh? Be honest. He seemed to need time and I gave it to him. His FB comment on May 13 at Noon: "I have openings this week and weekend if anyone would like tattooed. Call or email..." Okay, this is my BIG CHANCE!!! My comment on FB on May 13 at 12:30 PM, half an hour latter his post: "I'm ready when you are. Email incoming." My Email on May 13 at 1PM: "I work Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Anytime Thursday or Friday morning, afternoon or evening or Saturday anytime after work is fine by me." No response for two more days. My FB comment on May 15: "Josh, did you get my email. Check your Spam filter, I'm ready when you are." His email on May 15: "Thanks for the heads-up on the Spam. How about Saturday May 17 at 6 PM?" Me: "Fine." His email on Friday May 16: "Double booked... etc..." Now wouldn't you be a bit frustrated at this point? And JimStanley, as to "holding a 20 year old to adult standards" what is the current cutoff for babying Millennials??? He is old enough to father a child, he damn well better be acting like an adult. And as far as your religion comments: KMA:cool: Now that that is out of my system, he emailed me this morning: "Would you be free Wednesday at all? I'm off on Thursday but could come in for you if Wednesday doesn't work." I thought long and hard about it and decided that maybe, just maybe, since it is Sunday and all, I can give him another shot at it. My email back to him within an hour: "I am available Wednesday morning, afternoon, or evening. Let me know what time to be there. I'm stoked. Giddy Up!" Aannd, I haven't heard a peep out of him all afternoon. We'll see...

I don't know what yelp is so... I don't think of it as tattling, we're not in junior high school. We're adults, one seeking a service and another proving a service. Look, tattooing is a business populated by artists, as is music. I was a professional musician for a decade and made a pretty good living at it. Now if I were hanging out on a street corner busking, I could play what I wanted, when I wanted and show up or not. But when I chose to make it a profession, I was expected to show up on time, clean and sober, ready to play whatever I was told to, when I was told to. It is called being a responsible adult. Artists who get paid on an hourly basis have chosen to become workers and are expected to keep schedules and meet commitments, like any other working adult. Part of a tattoo artist's service is to assess the scope of the project, and let the customer know when it can be done and how long it may take. I repeat - it is not the responsibility of the customer to repeatedly contact the tattooist and ask how it is coming along. If any contractor says he will get back to me in a few days and a week passes and I don't hear from him, he has failed and has lost a customer. This reflects poorly on his company and word gets around. I really would like to hear from the shop owners - the guys tasked with keeping the rent paid and the lights on. If you have a young promising artist who has problems meeting deadlines, setting goals and staying on top of the work, do you appreciate hearing about it? Is the artist going to be "in trouble" or is it taken as constructive criticism where the incident can be used as a learning opportunity. Or do you put up with this sort of thing? I've been getting tattooed for 20 years and this is a first for me.

First contact was April 20, which is late April. Today is May 17. 27 days is one day shy of 4 weeks since I first sent him the drawing. I'm only saying that if any of you are artists, you may lose clients if you don't tend to them. It wasn't just one thing so picking me apart piece by piece isn't going to change anything. It was the whole picture of him dragging his feet. And Gougetheeyes, as the paying customer, I indeed get tattooed on the day I find convenient and after four weeks and nothing to show for it but a cancellation I find time to get another artist. Remember, he had the initial drawing and said he would get back to me and it was me who followed up, never him. At the end of the day, he is paid to provide a service. In this case, he failed - miserably. Next question: Do I contact the owner of the shop and explain my disappointment in order to allow him to give the kid a learning opportunity in customer service? After all, it is the Boss's name on the front door.

After he had the elements for three weeks, The kid advertised three open days and I hopped on it. He ignored me for one of those days and then overbooked me? Sorry, there is "working with someone" and then there is "chasing someone". It's not my job to raise him. And if he is green and waiting for a mentor to work with him, all he had to do was say so. I gave him four weeks to figure this out and he still blew it. Adios and vaya con Dios.

I should mention that the artist in this thread is a kid (20-something) and bottom on the totem pole at an established, reputable shop. I had a forearm piece done by him several months ago on a whim and was very impressed. So in late April I contact him and send him an idea for a tattoo. He responds that it looks like it is something he can do, he is glad for the opportunity, is eager to do it, etc., he will draw something up and we can get together in a week or so. I don't hear back for two weeks so I stop by the shop. He says: "Glad you're here, I want to get an outline of the area we'll be working in so I can size it right." and grabs some paper and pencil and traces the area. Another week passes and I see on FB that he says he has openings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday if anyone wants to schedule something. I hit him back with "I'm good anytime except Saturday from 10-3. I hear nothing back for another day so I send him an Email and he says that Saturday at 6 PM is good. Okay, the shop closes at 6 but whatever, I confirm that I will be there at 6. Last night (Friday) he sends an email to me telling me he double booked and can I do it Sunday at 6 PM? I am not getting tattooed on a Sunday, I'm just not. The tattoo is a version of "Rock Of Ages" that I snagged off the 'Net and told him that I need his input and I do not want a copy cat of someone else's work. I haven't seen his drawing and why does he only want to do this thing after-hours? Sure, it'll take some time to do and he could probably do two or three easier tats in the same timeframe, but my money is as green as anyone else's. I'm guessing that the Rock On The Range concert is going on this weekend may have something to do with it but why not come out and say he is going to be busy partying? At any rate, I'm finished with The Kid. In my mind, he is an up-and-comer with a real future but he has to get his act together and realize that in addition to being an art, this is a business and you don't jack customers around for 4 weeks. I wish him luck.

A tribute to my brother, who passed seven years ago. He was a transplant from the midwest to L.A. and resented the Hell out of the fact that he was expected to know Spanish.

Back in the 90's "Tattoo Goo" was the new magic foo-foo lotion everyone was hawking at the conventions. 20 years later, it's still out there (at WalMart of all places) so I suppose it isn't a bad thing. Last year a new-to-me artist all but demanded that I use Aquaphor because "petroleum based lotions aren't good." Okay, I bought a jar. And I read the label. Aquaphor is 40% petrolatum. Then I read the label on a jar of Vasoline. 100% petrolatum. P.T. Barnum was no fool ...

"Muskrat Love" :p