Bunny Switchblade

Yes....and every time with a straight face I tell them that "It was to honor the sacrifice of a baby to satan" If they don't run away......I let them know that while a lot of people now do get tattooed because there is some story behind it.....that a lot of tattoos have no meaning and are just cool things people just wanted to get....

I never even thought or worried about something like this honestly! I got tattooed for me and most of the time I never think of myself as a "tattooed person".....I am just another human being that instead of adorning myself with gold and silver jewelry and the "latest fashion" decided to add some color to her body! I'd like to see people move past seeing others as "tattooed people".....nothing special....nothing different! We're all just people..... My 2 cents

Your tattoo is on this webpage..... Creative Tattoo Art on Hands & Fingers

Ha ha ha.........I tattooed my Hubby's calf this past Saturday and he is going through it right now! He even said......"It must be worse for me now because I am older!" I remember it being bad for a few days and gradually getting better.....but neither of us had thought about it until he stood up the next morning! :)

I'm so stoked you were able to get tattooed by Mike! He does amazing work......definitely tag me in any photos you post up..... Glad I was able to help out! :D

I doubt I will venture down.....if so it would be Sunday! Check out Mike Fite.....not sure what you are into but he does some nice traditional tattooing! Tell him Bunny said hi too! :) I'll be at the shop tattooing all day tomorrow....so like I said....maybe Sunday but probably not.... Enjoy!!!

I understand you not wanting to seem like a douche......but never forget that the tattoo artist is being paid to do a service for you and that really is the end of it! I think too many tattooers forget that this is a job and that if someone is going to enter a contest......especially if they the tattooer ask them too.....then maybe they should help to pay for that! The artist benefits......not the customer.....and I think it's sad that customers worry about offending the people they are paying good money to do a service! I mean....as long as you are tasteful in asking then there should be no reason someone should get pissy about it.....imo If you are stoked and want to enter contests on your own then I say go for it!!! There is nothing wrong with you wanting to show off your work and give your artist some publicity! it's just my 2 cents is all.....

Some things to think about...... Would you personally rather have your back finished at a convention.....or would you feel more comfortable in your tattoo artists shop? Is your tattoo artist paying for you to enter the contest or are you? Is your tattoo artist knocking off the price of you getting into the convention off the tattoo price? (in other words.....is the artist cutting you a break off the tattoo for your trouble?) Never forget....this is your tattoo and I am sure you didn't get the tattoo to win awards but for your own pleasure of having it! Also keep in mind that if you indeed do win an award......it is proper etiquette for you to give the award (trophy/plaque) to the tattoo artist! Just some things to think about is all..... Good luck with it all if you do decide to do it!

It was great to see everyone there! :)

Thanks @suburbanxcore .......I didn't realize Civ or Todd will be there.....very cool!

I'll be there all three days! I'm helping out in a booth with Marvin Moskowitz and Timmy Adams.........please come by and say hi...I am easy to spot! LOL

I've been talking off and on for 7 years with Scott Sterling about tattooing me but I just never seem to have the right time to make the trip down! the timeing was perfect and he had the drawing all ready for me.....I am so stoked to have this tattoo finally! :D

Yes, I did......I got the tattoo below from David Bruehl......and I got another piece to my snake (no photo of it) by Mike Fite! Mike Fite and I have an agreement.... He started a skin tear snake head on me about a year and a half ago sooooo......every time we see each other....he adds another piece of the snake on my body somewhere as a filler piece....LMAO! :D

Well.....I went to Virginia Beach the Thursday night before the Richmond Tattoo show and woke up Friday morning to go to Ancient Art Tattoo (VaBch) to be tattooed by Scott Sterling! What was going to be a small banger to palm size tattoo.....turned into this........ Due to a lot of weight loss....I do have a roll on my side.....Scott used the fact that I have this and made it so the mouth opens and closes.....LMAO! Very fresh photos....sorry the photos isn't better!

I have actually been trying to travel more rather than go to conventions....I really am not a fan of conventions but I was going to this one every year up until Billy passed away! Too many people I'd like to add though in one place for me not to pass up the opportunity! ;)

Okay....it's a 5-6 hour session right? I am meeting with a Richmond tattooer on Saturday....that I have wanted to get tattooed by for years.....at a shop in town and he is going to tattoo me! I'm not sure of the time but I am pretty stoked..... I'll be at the convention at some point on Saturday so it sounds like you'll still be at Darcy's booth! - - - Updated - - - I take advantage of conventions like richmond to add people I have wanted to be tattooed since they are all in one place! Not sure I will be able to get something from Mario.......but the rest of the lineup is pretty set! :)

I'll try to stop by the booth to say hi! If you see me just yell, Bunny....LOL

So......who is def going??? Okay.....Hotel booked in VaBch for Thursday night! Getting tattooed by Scott Sterling Friday morning in VaBch...... Then.....heading to Paul rogers grave site at the mention of his grand-daughter......going to do a few rubbings of his grave marker! Then.....heading to Richmond to the hotel & convention.....getting tattooed by Chad K. sometime that afternoon/evening I've also talked to David Bruehl.....Mario Desa.....and.......Kate Hellenbrand hit me up to let me know that she would be there so I don't know if that means I am getting tattooed or she was just saying hi....LOL.....I guess I'll find out when I get there! One other tattoo I don't want to leave Richmond without......I'll let you all know who if I end up getting it! ;)

Oh trust me......I am pretty broke! Been buying machines and flash....plus had a few pieces of hand painted flash commissioned.... Hotels for three nights....getting into a convention.....food...gas....etc And then 4-5 tattoos......he he he! I'll be robbing all the gas stations all the way to Richmond.....ha ha ha ha ha!

this was supposed to happen like 4 years ago with Scott....but I never seemed to be able to make it down to VaBch! I saw the shop was gonna be there so I called to see if he was coming......he is BUT not tattooing at the convention! :/ But he told me to come out to the shop in VaBch.....so we decided to leave Baltimore on thursday evening and just drive to VaBch and get a hotel room on the ocean for the night.....off season rates....he he he :) He'll tattoo me on friday morning and then we'll grab a bite and drive back to Richmond and stay at the Marriott for two nights...... If I can scrape enough cash together in the next two weeks I am going on another one of my tattoo sprees.....LOL

Going to the Richmond Convention..... 21st - 23rd Let me say first I am not fond of conventions......LOL....but I go when someone will be there I want to be tattooed by! First I am riding out to VaBch on Thursday evening so that I can wake up Friday morning and be tattooed by Scott Sterling in VaBch..... Then on to the convention for three days! There have been discussions about Frank Mills tattooing his signature (all he does anymore) on me at a shop in town....he won't be going to the convention.... And I have also lined up some small bangers with David Bruehl & Chad K. I also spoke with Mario Desa and if I can scrape some extra money together then I am going to get a small little banger from him as well that weekend! No big huge tattoos......but I am stoked to be getting tattooed but people who have not tattooed me yet.....and by tattooers I consider to be top notch in the craft! And trust me.....if I can add something by Byrne or Hundahl......I will take full advantage of it! I just need to scrape together a lot of money.....ha ha ha ha

Honestly......I really don't see the huge deal with this "I won't do them" posts If the people know up front that they may need some maintenance then what is the big deal? Customer walks in....you tell them up front the deal....they still want it....make them sign something saying you told them.....do the tattoo! My thumbs....including the sides have held up perfectly fine for 3 years now....and I am not talking script...i am talking images..... If done by the right person then fingers can hold up....maybe not forever.....but just go get them touched up every year or two or three when they need it! If you work with your hands it is less likely to hold up....of course! But if you sit behind a keyboard and take care of your tattoos then they will hold up longer! There are ways of making them last longer......techniques that were shared with me before I even started tattooing to make tattoos hold longer! If you want it done and you know the possibility is there you'll have to pay to get it touched up in the future......(prob shop min)....then go get it done! Just my opinion of course! - - - Updated - - - Sorry.....this may be based on "science and society" but this is not in every case.....and I don't think it's all that constructive or helpful! It basically is trying to talk people out of getting tattooed in areas this artist doesn't want to tattoo anymore.....at least it reads that way to me! Tell people up front and let them make the decision! Now if you don't have the skill to put it in without blowing it out.....that's another story! Send them to someone with more experience! Sending them to someone who has the experience to do it shows the customer you truly care about their tattoo and not the money in their pocket! Society moves forward by those willing to push the boundaries......not falling in line with the rest of the sheeple! Yes.....inform the people what COULD happen to them.....and let them make their own minds! If this was written by someone with 30+ years in the craft.....I'd consider the advice! I was told 30 years ago the same thing.....society won't like it!!! guess what...they didn't....LOL......and I still have a better job than most of my friends who didn't get tattooed in 1984!

I just thought I'd chime in and say I hate you all because you all went to this and I couldn't....... :D

Looks like I will be going to this one! I refuse to look at the sfo thread because I don't want to know what I am missing....it already sucks knowing I am not there....LOL Anyway.......I am going to go it looks like BUT so far the two tattoos I plan to get will not be done at the convention....ha ha ha! One will be done in VaBch Friday morning.......and the other one will be done at a shop of the tattooers choosing in Richmond! I've wanted to add tattoos from these two gentlemen for at least 10 years but could never make it happen.....so it looks like now it will! There is one person at the convention I'd like to get something from as well so we'll see if that happens!

If you look in a lot of older shops you will see signs that say....."No photos please!" But people still took photos on occasion.....tattooers traded flash with other tattooers.....and eventually some tattooers with artistic talent redrew images and put them on a sheet all together and sold them even though they probably were not all their own images or original ideas! Hence......"flash" Honestly......and I will probably take some heat for this.......If you don't want your tattoos reproduced then DON'T put photos up on the internet for the world to see! That goes for tattooers and for customers! It's a big world out there and you can't expect everyone to have integrity! Your work IS going to get stepped on somehow by someone eventually.....eventually it all gets done over and over and over! Okay......so like was said....educate the people and explain to them keeping in mind someone down the street is going to do what they want eventually! Let them know in your opinion it is stealing someone elses work and you'd like to make some subtle changes to "make it lay on their body better" or because it's well done BUT "something could make it even better" Tattooers are sales people......it's one of those things you need to do.....be a sales person and talk the people into something you want them to do with it....make them think it's their idea too! If they have to walk.....then they have to walk.... At the end of the day when you go home......you have to be able to live with yourself so you do what you think is best! :D