KBeee

Any LSTers have this awesome Stewart Robson backpiece I am obsessing on (circa 2011)? I really need to see the finished pics. He's like crack. I can't give him up. I don't want to travel for work anymore buuuuut....

Hi @Vaas! You'll read it on this forum time and time again...its's really important that you find the right artist...a good one. There are tattooers that can put incredible detail in a very small space and even more tattooers who can't make a large tattoo readable (especially over time). A good tattooer will work with you and be unafraid too tell you what will or will not be legible and why. Perhaps if you give us a better idea of what you mean by "intricate" and your locale, we can point you in the direction of some good artists in your area to check out.

Aw man @marley mission, that tattoo makes me happy. Whyyyy are frog tattoos so great?!

@rozone...your hand tattoos are so beautiful it makes my heart hurt. I wish I could get the classic above-the-thumbs-these-hands-will-fly-swallows, one on each hand. But aside from entertaining the idea of pursuing certain careers, I don't feel I am tough enough to deserve them. Not yet, anyway. And I remember when Tim Hendricks did that hand ROA. It would be a great and fascinating way to sneak in an ROA (on one) and a Pharoah's horses (on the other) without losing too much prime real estate elsewhere...I love that idea as well. Sigh...

Thank ya, @Lance! Sets may be my next thing for a bit. We'll see ;) That and I am just realizing...I have no snakes :eek: ! I'm hardly a proper tattooed person!...must remedy this year...

Hello and welcome @guacamole! An eagle is a solid choice for a first tattoo. Your tattooer should have some good recommendations for the placement of whatever design he comes up with. Upper arms are always a good place to start. It's pretty easy to heal, not a super painful place to get tattooed, won't destroy any future employment options and you get to look at it. My first one was on my back. While I wouldn't trade it for anything: 1) It made it complicated to design a full backpiece which is something I am now interested in pursuing 2) I NEVER get to see it. When I got my second one (on my arm years after) it was like having a tattoo for the first time. It sounds silly but I highly recommend getting your first one someplace you can see it. It's just more fun to see it and obsess on how freaking cool it is! :D Also, for the sake of detail and having an impactful tattoo, don't be afraid to go a little larger than you think, maybe. Be sure to post some pics! Good luck, have fun and again, welcome!

Ha...that was actually my first thought when I read your initial post. I have married friends who have preferences about how much their favorite "bits" on their partner are decorated/changed. It's not a rational attachment but, I think, a natural one. Even I had a quick moment of "nooo noooo don't cover the bummm" panic in the middle of a backpiece discussion with my Hubbs once. It passed quickly but it was interesting to see come up (we are both pretty tattood/pretty always gonna be gettin tattooed people)...I think a little resistance to such things can be a perfectly natural knee jerk reaction.

Ha @hogg...totally took me a sec..."PAD set"?? :p (brain a little under the weather)

Thanks @suburbanxcore! That Paul Dobleman is a talented (and really nice) fellow. I kinda maybe (a little) wish that I started "sets" sooner. It's prob for the best.

@graybones That's really cool that you saw him at both shops. I like full circuit complete things like that....aaand the tattoo itself is awesome too! :D

Welllllllll....if it makes you happy get another one, right?! Went and saw Paul Dobleman at Spider Murphy's last week...please excuse the inflammation Hope everyone is having a great New Year so far!

Very cool @purplelace...and glad to see you will be enjoying the Ladies Thread at some point. Cheers!

Congratulations @Cork !

Oh man! Congratulations, @SeeSea! So cool! It's really beautiful! I could look at it for a really long time (ha and I guess I have/am :D )

Welcome @Vaas! I think the paw tattoo idea is very sweet. I appreciate the sentiment very much. i hope you find all of the answers and info you need here! :)

Hey @purplelace There was a quick discussion about this on the ladies thread: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/5371-ladies-thread-page10.html So you are not alone...

@ironchef I. Can't. Even. It hurts my feelings its so good.

It's not too big. A pic of this could never be too big. It really is one of my all time favorite tattoos ever. Really. Next time you are in the Bay area I will buy a round or snacks or something so I can see this face to face. Really. - - - Updated - - - Thanks, @hogg!

Whoah @purplelace ! You are a knitting force of nature. I am the opposite, I can only knit from a pattern so I love your yarn ingenuity. My great aunt taught me to knit. I am a seasonal knitter. I am also mostly inspired by knitting things for other people. Currently, I want to make rescue senior dog sweaters and am obsessed with seeing greyhounds in leg warmers so Ima try to make that happen somehow...I don't know why. It sometimes takes me a long time to finish a project but it comes around eventually. This thread was a great idea. Here is an app from KnittingHelp.com that I love. Since I am seasonal, sometimes I need little refreshers on thingshttp://www.knittinghelp.com/c/iphone-video-reference-app

Whoah yeah! Yay! Can't wait to see it in person!❤️

Hi @DragonFanSa! Welcome to Last Sparrow! I regret to hear that your tattoo experience has hit some bumps. With time, patience and the right artist it will all work out in the end. :) When something doesn't work out it is really easy to get into a space where you want to pursue corrections quickly. Sometimes, though difficult, it's good to just stop and take a breather. It will give you some mental and creative space to: 1) Get clear on what you want to change and how to best express that 2) Research some new artists, styles and ideas that will take you closer to your desired end result I got a tattoo once that wasn't terrible but sort of made me crazy from the moment it was finished and I waited, literally, years to change it. I got it re-worked into a larger piece that I am completely mad-crazy in love with. Living with it for a while allowed the emotional dust to settle and some objectivity to enter the picture in what I really wanted changed/didn't like about it. Also, don't be afraid to walk away from even a talented tattoo artist if there is no point of connection in your communication. It's not just about finding a good tattooer but the RIGHT, good tattooer for you. Trust yourself. If you need to see a drawing to feel more comfortable with what is going on, then find someone who will do that for you (as long as you are not micro-managing/controlling the process, of course. I know, I know...it's all about balance, right?:D ). I promise you, its is worth the wait, time, attention and money to find the right person with right skills who will facilitate good communication with you. All the best and good luck!

@Wilhell I don't even know what to say....I mean...WOW! Best.Tattoo.Ever. Holy cow. - - - Updated - - - @Wilhell I mean really....

I have learned that in spite of all of the work I had done on so many levels I was still carrying the subconscious imprint of social beauty ideals and enculturation. On some subtle levels, I was carrying the social responsibility of ensuring that the appearance of my skin was still palatable to the general populace...the belief that women are still meant to be a part of the scenery and therefore "be attractive" (in a social sense). I really had to confront this in order to continue getting tattooed. It's amazing to be free of this. On another level, I saw that I lived in fear of being noticed or really "seen". Also, I learned that I can do anything if I have good company...walk through fire (or at least get both of my feet tattooed in the same session ;) ). And that snacks are never ever, in any situation or time ever, a bad idea. I love this thread.