sighthound

I don't think he uses thin lines, I think he uses appropriate lines. Love his stuff. You could also say, that too many people use lines that are too thick. Either way, it'll all age just fine.

I'll admit, I'm not aware of that many UK artists even though I love the shit out of a lot of the stuff that's been coming out of Europe in general. Maybe now I can add some more names to the list. @Joe Shit wow, nice find - his stuff is amazing.

Depends on your artist's preference. If you have a half sleeve in mind as the end goal, then plan that out with him/her. This will give them the reference for space that they need to be able to start designing your tattoo. As far as execution goes (outlining the whole thing vs. completing sections), that is up to the arrangement you two will make. Put your 2 cents in, and they'll do the same. Then come to a decision together.

Yep, the time to be worried about placement, looks, and all that is passed. It's on there now, so you gotta accept it the way it is. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with it. It wraps around the wrist a bit, totally normal.

I do have pretty strong opinions on it, but not because of the usual honor code stuff which goes along with neck/hand stuff. My beef is more along the lines of her attitude of entitlement and attempts of defamation. Her shitty, spoiled rotten attitude is so pervasive in our society right now that it sickens and saddens me at the same time. All businesses have the right to refuse service, for whatever reason they deem sufficient. She has her right to complain and all, but I'm glad it backfired and that it all got handled properly.

@PackMan - looks awesome! We must have been in there around the same time, cause Will finished this one off over the weekend. Back of calf Kyosai/monmon frog mashup: edit: apologies for pics being rotated all funny, no idea how to change it

@marley mission but how can I if it's the last jar!! We can't both have the last jar

very cool sleeve, welcome!

Reed Leslie, works in Alaska, did that raptor piece

Just got a mosquito bite right on a solid black area of a peeling, already itchy calf piece :mad:

Since you're using saniderm, you should also consider some kind of gauze tape/wrap. I used it to heal one foot and healed the other without anything. Made a big difference in keeping swelling down. I had saniderm over the tattoo, and then wrapped the gauze around the foot and ankle (almost like an athletic wrap), just tight enough to provide a little support but still fairly loose. Washed the tattoo several times a day and reapplied fresh saniderm and gauze wrap. Healed very well, no pain or swelling.

@xcom I think it's highly individual when it comes to the feet. For me, the feet were the most painful by far. I didn't think ribs were that bad, or the underpart of the arm all the way up to the armpit, but the feet - oh man. I've had a lot of people say that it was no big deal for them. I've got about 2 hours on each foot, not completely covered but a single large image that takes up the whole foot. And those hours were white knuckled gripping intense. Every part of the foot has a very distinct and different feeling and a long line will go through 2 or 3 of those different parts. I never did get comfortable no matter how hard I tried cause every time the needle hit skin, I was holding my breath. Near the end when I was tired and the pain was starting to get to me, the twitching started. Not too bad, but there were those nerves that it just hits and my foot would jump involuntarily. Good thing the artist was prepared and already had my foot well pinned down. That was my experience at least, and I'm glad that it's over with. Your's might be different. To you guys who can sit for 6-8 hours on a foot - y'all are tough SOBs, I salute you. Don't let the pain dissuade you though, I love my tattoos. And, I think the aesthetic of a pair of tattooed feet are among my favorites.

Always really liked this stormy piece by Chad Koeplinger. Not complete yet, and not on me:

What @polliwog said. I always keep the original bandage on overnight on the day that I get the tattoo. No more worrying about it rubbing or leaking a bunch of gunk onto the sheets.

I'll add another perspective for you to consider when choosing an artist. Technical ability, and individual style are very important factors. There are so many good artists out there right now, there is no shortage of talent and technical skill. But, don't discount your own personal chemistry with said artist. Depending on if you plan on getting more tattoos from the same artist, it can be equally important to develop a good relationship with a talented artist - it has a huge impact on your tattoo experience. A good artist with whom you get along with can eliminate most pre-tattoo anxiety. They can provide answers that you know are trustworthy. They may spend extra time on designing your tattoos, or brainstorm really cool ideas with you. And then get excited about tattooing those ideas, which always turn out to be the best tattoos. They may cut you a break on their normal rates, or get you priority booking. There are countless little things that an artist who trusts YOU, as a client, can do to make the whole experience that much more awesome. Not saying that there aren't a ton of artists who don't already do all that because they are that cool/professional to begin with. But, having a good working relationship with an artist can make things so much easier. So, in summary - find someone who not only does good work. But, just as a piece of personal advice, find someone who you could see hanging out with if they weren't your tattoo artist - it makes a difference.

@El Dolmago Isn't she the best? I remember getting a little walk in skull from Nikki and right out the gate (meeting each other for the first time) we were giving each other shit and cracking jokes, etc. She's a straight shooter that's for sure, but so much fun. Awesome tattoo you got from her, also.

Nice work, looks clean - and good progress! Dude is sucking his gut in big time.

Not sure how realistic you like your realistic tattoos. Myself, the hyper-realism, and even most of the photo-realistic stuff is not my cup of tea. They look really cool, but not my style. My personal preference is toward the realism built upon a traditional "framework", for lack of a better term. Darcy Nutt is really good at tattooing what I described above - because pictures are worth way more than my crappy descriptions. One of my personal favorite artists, and a super chill lady - I hope to get more work from her one day. I think a black and grey realistic owl would be cool. Have any idea what kind of owl you want?

@Nathan0625 - I live in Charlotte right now - only been here for a few years. Originally from northern VA. Really wish i could get out to the outer banks more though, love it there.

Very nice tattoos. Get what you want, stick em wherever - there's no right or wrong way to do it as long as you're happy with it. I would go in, or phone in, and talk to your artist. Brainstorm ideas with him, he's probably got a bunch of nautical images he can show or suggest to you. And welcome.

Yep, tattoos heal in all sorts of crazy ways. Some will look like the color fell out, some will peel, some will change color. All of this while healing. Once done, though, they go to looking the way you expect they will. So be patient - it's only 2 days old - it's gonna do a lot more stuff. Give it 2-4 weeks at least.

jesus, @bongsau, that's dedication. The next step in the SOP for this forum would be to enthusiastically ask for pics. But, uhh...I'll pass lol.

@Rad Kelham I know what you mean by small. Stuff that's pea-sized relative to the part of the body it's put on. I can't do that either. Takes up a lot of prime space. I've got a mixture of big and small, too. I like my big pieces to utilize the maximum amount of space that they're in. And when I'm not feeling like a big piece then I'll get a smaller one in an easy area to fill (ankle, foot, etc.). Although, I did get about 90% of my thigh done in one sitting - so the best of both worlds, I guess lol.

@Rad Kelham For me, personally, it's about more than just the aesthetic of it. Yes, I agree that the full pre-planned bodysuit is the apex of tattoo art. And every time I see one it blows my mind. Not just the tattoo, but also the dedication, care, and thought that went into it. With that being said, there's a certain satisfaction that accompanies the one-shots as well. Yes, it can be impulsive and instantly gratifying. But that's just part of the experience. It allows us the opportunity to relive that magic with every piece. Maybe it's a new city, new artist, new shop, new idea - it all allows us to connect to new people and have new experiences. Where as, maybe, with a much larger project it starts to become a chore and we just want it to be over so we can see the finished product. I am wayyy too ADD to stick with a single style or theme anyways. I love so many different things that it would be against my nature to dedicate it all to one cohesive suit, as beautiful as it may be. I just like the way it all looks - piecemeal and full bodysuit.

Are you completely opposed to doing the extension in black & grey? That's what I would do in your shoes. Nothing wrong with doing it in color but if you're worried about the overall aesthetic then just do it in b&g and let it be. I like that half sleeve and think it would look awesome as a full b&g sleeve - just my preference though. Great tattoos, and beautiful baby!