Fala

Haha @HaydenRose! I usually end up scheduled for Sundays or Mondays - for some reason a Thursday or Friday has never worked out for me. Oh well! Today I have non-stick gauze pads with ace bandages wrapped around my leg. I'd take getting tattooed over the itch any day of the week.

I've been drinking Emergen-C Immune Defense for a couple of days before and after my (short) sessions the past few weeks. Has helped a lot energy wise, both during and after getting tattooed. I try to take extra good care of myself/body the days leading up to and after as well - no colds, sore throats, or the like yet. I'm one of those who is allergic to some random stuff, and haven't had a problem getting tattooed in terms of immune system/ink rejection. @slayer9019 - I can see how getting back to back sessions, with your body recovering from getting tattooed near-constantly, being related to getting whacked with a cold/flu. It makes sense to me since your body's immune system is basically split between fending off the outside pathogen/cold/flu and being tattooed and rallying to keep the body safe from outside harm/infections.

I am two assignments away from finishing a holistic health program I started over two years ago! Woot!

Tattoo healing itch is the worst... the worst.

@beez - posted pics in my gallery! I figured if pictures of the tattoo are on his website, I can put them here :) Will post Shinji ones when I'm healed up!

Oh, I'm still super green with tattoos - have one on the right side of my body by Yoni Zilber, and another still in progress on my left leg from Horizakura. I plan to merge them in the coming years, somehow! No pictures on here, but I suppose I should get on that!

Advil PM to help sleep (in the hotel, on the plane!) Boris says to take vitamin C before sessions to reduce bleeding/ink loss, and I say keep your immune system optimal (antibiotics DESTROY your immune system.)

You give me hope that I can do the same, and successfully, since I seem to be on a similar path of a growing tattoo. :) Dragons are pretty awesome. I'm sure one can always find room for a dragon!

Beautiful work/tattoos from Junii, @beez. Love how it has grown, for lack of a better word.

I am still new to getting tattoos, so take this with a grain of salt, but I'd rather wait and save up for a tattoo from a top-notch person than get a tattoo because the price is right, especially with something like a backpiece. You are going to have it forever, might as well save up and wait for just the right tattoo artist vs getting something less than stellar from someone random.

It is my understanding that when Horiyoshi III retires (for example), he'll pass the mantle onto his chosen successor, who will then take on the name Horiyoshi IV. I believe Horiyoshi III's successor will be his son. The "family" is the name of the master/teacher and subsequent apprentices (current/former.) The names are "hori" which means to etch/engrave and then the latter part is some kind of play, typically, of the tattooer's name - to then create a new name for the tattooer to work under/as. So it's partly a "real" name and partly a created one. I know very very little about this subject as well, am looking forward to learning more about this too. I got Horitaka's Ukiyo-e and tattoos book last month, nice read and photos.

Also had a thought about Amanda Wachob: BLOG // AMANDA WACHOB amanda wachob on Tumblr https://www.google.com/search?q=amanda+wachob+tattoo&client=firefox-a&hs=GbZ&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=wqZ5Uof2F-TfsAT3v4LgBA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1104&bih=833

I am getting a small tattoo done by Horizakura at the moment. I love how the bars interweave between the foreground and the background. (Edit: I am not getting a tattoo with wind bars, yet.)

I've heard the same thing GrayCatLove - about the UV light pigment being carcinogenic! I have overheard some tattoo artists talk/joke about how if you want to get a UV light tattoo, you might as well be asking for cancer. I suppose if the pigment were made with ground UV sensitive minerals, that might be coolish/okayish and possibly not bad for one's health. Possibly...

I mentioned lavender because it's an herb everyone is familiar with. There are plenty of other herbs to choose from (which was why I linked to a salve making article.) I think that using whole herb is vastly preferable to essential oils, and even more preferable in combination with other herbs for an optimal synergistic effect. I'd be more apt to use a combination of calendula, comfrey, echinacea and plantain than singly using lavender. If you are going to use essential oils, Snow Lotus is the best brand that I know of. Yeah, I don't keep my healing tattoos "moist" (damp, boggy, haha) but I don't like the cracking/tight feeling. That's when the ultra-thin coat of healing salve works for me - it's breathable, and the herbal combination makes for speedier (and less itchy) healing.

Citronella Essential Oil - personally, based on this info, I would not use citronella essential oil either. You are not supposed to use essential oils neat/straight applied to the skin - they can burn you - always use a "carrier" oil (dilute the essential oil into another oil like coconut, olive, grapeseed, almond, etc.) You'd be better off to get the dried herbs themselves, and make oils directly, then blend with beeswax to make your own salve.

Will try that next time @thesandmanisme

I've found the reverse with clothing - I can get the blood out, but the ink won't go away! Oxiclean, borax, dawn, spray n wash, you name it, I've tried it! I have dedicated sheets for tattoo days, and clothes I wear post-tattoo. Totally OCD.

I immediately thought of Kenji Alucky, Thomas Hooper, Roxx at 2Spirit, Dan Mattia, and other artists doing blackwork/dotwork, etc. (The aforementioned are names that popped into my head.) If you asked someone like that to do a Rorschach inspired tattoo, that might look super cool. In all honesty though, I'd start looking at a bunch of different artists/shops and see if an artists' style/work jives with your personal aesthetic, you can figure out the rest from there.

I tip 20% and I bring goodies (usually something homemade/baked.) If I was working with someone on a more long-term thing, I might change my usual to something more personal.

They have it on Amazon for $5 used, just ordered it.

You might want to check out this blog post to make your own salve: DIY: Herbal Salves « The Mountain Rose Blog Salve making is super super easy. I make my own healing salve, and had great results with it helping my last tattoo heal really well, and it's great for cuts/burns/scrapes/etc. I think the big thing is: if you are going to use essential oils, use a high quality brand (not an "aromatherapy" type), use only 4-5 drops for an entire batch of salve (ie a 3" tin), and combine with herbal oils. I use Aquaphor and the herbal salve for the first 2 days, then switch to the herbal salve for the rest of the time, and then to lotion. Lavender is also an anti-bacterial herb, and is commonly used in salves to lengthen the shelf-life, and reduce mold growth. If you keep the salve in the fridge, and use Lavender essential oil, your salve will keep for 3 years. After Inked ingredient list: Tattoo Moisturizer and Tattoo Aftercare Lotion: AFTER INKED vegan body art cream tribal designs natural cruelty free PETA tatoo tatto tatuaje tattoos tatuage twig sparks buddha buda permanent make up cosmetics laser removal skincare after care

Thanks for organizing it! Was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon!