BrookR70

Didn't you read my initial post? Or my second post? It's like you're on auto pilot.

For a 2"x2" piece of Sailor Jerry flash? Nope...too much work. Too many artists can do a great job on such a simple piece. I'm not going to go back and forth on this one...complete waste of time. I just want to know if my artist can pull a straight line. This is a simple walk-in tattoo that any competent artist can pull off on a moment's notice. And that's my point.

I can afford it son, but since most shops are cash only, it might be nice to know how much money to pull out of the ATM. Especially when you're talking close to a grand for a piece. It would be really embarrassing to come up short at the end of a session. Until these shops start taking debit cards, I'm forced to estimate the price. My last artist was totally cool about it. He gave me an exact price and estimate and I tipped him above and beyond for his honesty and candor...before he laid a single line on me. It made the session more enjoyable for both of us because I didn't have to stress about whether I had enough money and he didn't have to stress about whether he was going to get a decent tip. We had a great time after we got the business end of it taken care of.

I was doing the right thing. The reason I went into these shops was to confirm my hunches about three particular artists I had in mind and to hopefully meet them in person (without scheduling an appointment). I only considered doing a blind walk in because I was only going to get a small 2"x2" filler pulled straight from the Sailor Jerry Flash Book (Volume 2).

Pardon my ignorance. I've only been tattooed by two different artists. I was under the impression that every artist in a shop had a different rate...until today. I went into a couple of shops in an area I recently moved to (some of the shops are well known). I browsed some portfolios and then asked what a particular artist's rate was and the response was that their standard shop rate was $XXX/hour. Does this mean that the customer is charged the same $ per hour for an apprentice as the shop owner? I walked into a shop and was ready to get a small filler piece (it was completely spontaneous, so I agreed to be put on a waiting list). The piece was very simple, but after browsing several portfolios, I realized that I could end up with someone whose work I didn't care for, or that I wasn't sure if they could pull a straight line. Thinking about that scared me a little and I cancelled my walk-in appointment. Thoughts? Thanks.

Sorry it's been a while since I've been here. Looking at other people's tattoos makes me want more, and my wallet can't afford it. I recently changed jobs, and to celebrate I got this. This was done by the same tattooer that did my other pieces (Papa Joe in Boise, ID). My back is nearly complete. This is a pic of the fresh tattoo.

I got my leg tattoo a week ago and have only received one comment from a guy in a bicycle shop asking me where I got it done. He was very friendly and down to earth. I did receive a strange look from a 4 year old today, but I'm not sure if it was related to my tattoo or not. It's a neighbor and I was taking my 2 year old on a walk.

I'm not too concerned about messing up the tattoo...it's just the rawness and pain that keep me awake. The tattoo I recently got was not painful at all, but the rawness and swelling when anything touched it got to me. It could also just be winding down from the whole process. I'm very relaxed when I get tattooed, but I get pretty psyched (in a good way) the day before and afterwards.

I'm not sure if this belongs here or not, but I didn't want to start a new thread. After getting tattooed, I have a terrible time sleeping through the night. I got a lot of back work done and after each session I would toss and turn all night trying to find a comfortable position. I just got a tattoo on my calf and I thought it would be much easier this time around. Nope. It still bothered me and I was a zombie the next day. Does anyone else have the same problem? I didn't want to drink alcohol because 1) I'm worried about bleeding 2) I had to work the next day and wanted to be sharp. Any remedies for this?

I was in the Navy for four years stationed with a reserve logistics squadron. We trained weekend warriors, so I never got the full Navy experience. All the old guys in our squadron loved it because it was semi-retirement for them. Because every other guy in the barracks went out and got a Navy tattoo, I felt somewhat pressured to get one but still wasn't sure about the whole tattoo thing. So I got a dolphin (unrelated to the Navy) on my hip so it could be easily covered. I've thought about getting something different to commemorate my time, but I basically saw the Navy as my ticket to college, so I don't want to over exaggerate my enthusiasm for my time spent.

I was tattooed by both a rotary and a coil yesterday by the same artist. Coil for the liner and rotary for the shading. The liner wasn't bad, but I could barely feel the rotary. At some points, it was almost like I was being tickled by a feather. This contrasts with my experience with another artist who used a rotary and it was very painful compared to when he used a coil. It's my impression then that technique plays a big role.

I picked this one up today from a relatively new artist...Dakota Parker from American Classic Tattoo. I couldn't be happier with my experience or how it turned out. The lining was done with an electric and the fill was done with a rotary.

I picked a buoy, but I like being alone, so it has a sun and tropical island in the background. You could pick a stormy sea and lightning to represent fear. A clipper ship could also represent that.

From what I've seen, this trend started about 25(!) years ago with all of the tribal stuff and is still going strong. The tattoist that did most of my work says there's no sign it's going to let up. I think it's just a part of society. The types of tattoos you get could be trendy, and will look dated a few years from now, but that's just how life is...younger people that are image/fashion conscious will always invent new stuff to be different than older folks.

I've got an appointment scheduled next month with a young artist named Dakota Parker. He's only been at it for about 4 years, but he's very clean with a good attitude. I'm going to get a skull and motorcycle helmet on my calf. I've gathered a list of dream tattooers, and I'm really excited to broaden my horizons.

C'mon pid...it's only for a day. Your bike was made for distance riding. Surely if I can do it on my sport-oriented bike, you can do it on your big ol' sofa with wheels.

Finally got the Duc out. It needed a new rear brake and new fork seals. I went on a cold, but nice 100 mile ride over the weekend. My clutch hand is completely out of shape. Good Lord, I struggled at stop lights. For the past few years, I've tried to an Iron Butt ride once each year. I've done 4 1000 milers in 24 hours and 1 1500 miler in 24 hours (that was a bitch!). This year I'm going to do a 1500 miler in 36 hours. Before that, though, I need to build up my neck muscles, which means more riding.

You could call him out by asking him specifically what makes a good tattoo. See what he comes up with. Now he's playing on your turf.

I had the same artist switch from a coil machine to a rotary. My experience was that the coil hurt a little more, but the rotary took a lot longer for my tattoo to heal. 1 week vs. 2 weeks for the scabs to completely fall off in my case. My skin seems to be a little more traumatized with the rotary.

The later you start, the better they'll look when you get older. I got my first one at 21, waited 20 years, then got 5 more and counting.

I've been following an artist in my area that's only been tattooing for around 3 years. I really like his work, but part of me is a little hesitant to let him have an area of my back. So I thought about getting something small just to get a feel for how well he does. I can't lie...the fact that he works cheaper than most good artists has crept into my head as well. Any thoughts?

Finally finished. This one took about 25 hours. The artist asked me if I liked it. I told him yes. He said good, because you're stuck with it now. No panther is going to cover this thing. Ha! The colors are brighter than what I expected, but they are growing on me. Overall, I'm pleased with how it turned out. The coolest part about this experience, is that I feel like I can just go down to the shop and hang out and have some beer and pizza with these guys. It's a really fun place to hang out and I'm definitely going to get more work done by him. But the artist knows I'm also getting pieces done by others in the area. He recommended several to me.

Not sure I want Elsa and Anna tattooed on me. Kids interests change faster than the wind. Any "meaningful" image will only be temporary. I may have to think about Grame's idea just for the simple fact that I could save that space for something cool like a man burning at the stake.