growltiger

Thanks everyone :-) I hadn't considered a traditional Japanese background... that's definitely food for thought. I'll have a look at some. I do also love his birds, but I wonder if other critters would look odd with the kitsune as the scale would be all out. Though I suppose a bird would be roughly the size of a foxes head perhaps. Too many creatures? I must admit, I had been thinking ahead to a backpiece... so I'll mention that to Rodrigo so he can factor in making it extendable in the future.

I'm mainly concerned that this conversation hasn't mentioned beer. Beer and ham in Barcelona. Boy oh boy, they do it right. :D:D:D *eyes clock to see if it is too early to crack out a Moretti in the garden. It's sunny here you know! In England! Fancy that.*

The best bet will be find an artist that you love and get their opinion on the matter. Folks here can help point you n the direction of a good one if you let them know your location. From the sounds of, the people suggesting more organic ideas are on the right lines - snakes, dragons etc. As the scar ages and settles it'll still work with the design. If you go with something that requires a more... can't think of the word... definite placement of line (?) then if the scar alters it might not work anymore. If anyone else knows what I mean, feel free to chime in. My words have gone.

Oh my goodness, how do you people take such nice photos of yourselves?! I've contorted myself into the most ridiculous poses and these are the best I can do. So apologies for TERRIBLE photos in advance. I tried, I really did. Anyway, so here are some healed pics of my arm. I've got myself another appointment with the same artist next week. I'm thinking that I would like him to add more flowers, probably pink peonies. He does amazing flowers, and I am more than happy to let him just draw them on as he thinks best. I was thinking that I'd like him to go up onto my shoulder a bit more at the back, and then underneath my arm and maybe a bit lower down but not too far (down to the elbow). But now I'm excited and want to talk about it and started thinking that maybe I should ask you, oh wise LSTers, if you had any other ideas that I might want to consider? Is this a good idea? Something else? Different layout? I want to make sure that I've considered all options, as I never intended on getting this tattoo on my arm at all, so haven't really had much time to think it all through! I have an accidental cohesive arm tattoo :D

I admire your tenacity in researching this! I had no idea it could be so complex. Thank you for taking the time to post your findings. Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

Good old Blighty is doing us proud this month :-D Nice to see so many fab UK folk one after the other. If only I could "like" from tapatalk!! Oh well, it gives me a good excuse to admire them again on a larger screen during working hours. Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

@Coloured Guy I don't really know what to say, but best wishes to you and Barbara.

@polliwog How about palazzo pants? They're loose the whole way down. Though if you are a skirt wearer then that's what I'd go for, as @Pugilist says.

I've been to two well regarded London studios recently (Family Business and Black Garden). Being English, I felt terribly awkward about the whole tipping thing but wanted to express my appreciation for what I consider to have been great experiences all round. Both times I asked at the desk on my way out and received the same answer: not expected but appreciated. I also asked how much and was told that most people don't tip at all so anything is great, they gave me a suggested range and I went with the upper limit of that range (because I'm in a position to do so, but I didn't feel it was expected). It wasn't a percentage, they gave me a range regardless of total tattoo cost. I hadn't considered the shop folk, but now I've read that I'm doubly glad that I tipped as much as I could. In both shops they were fantastic. Anyway, hope that helps a bit when people are trying to decide whether to tip or not in the UK.

My toddler dropped a hardback book on my three day old foot tattoo (This moose belongs to me, Oliver Jeffers. A whimsical tale of a boy,his moose, and whether we ever truly own anything.) My toddler now knows how to say "Oh shit shit shit".

Well, I can report back... I struggled with it a lot more than I have done with previous ones, even though I'd say the pain was not particularly worse (except over the big toe knuckle Sheesh!) . I think it was all due to psychological state. I went in a bit worked up about how much it was going to hurt, and because I knew it would be much quicker I didn't relax into it like I normally do. I felt on the verge of panic the whole time and was constantly checking how much was left to go (~2 hours), whereas my 7 hour session on my thigh I pretty much lay back and daydreamed because I had no idea how long it would take/how much we'd get done in one session etc. There was a bit of time when another guy came in and I was chatting to him, suddenly I relaxed and it was fine again. He left, back to panic mode. I'm pretty annoyed with myself to be honest, but hey, it's over now! Moral of the story - don't let yourself get into a tiswas before you even begin! Converse and socks was a good footwear choice, just to reiterate what was said up thread. I managed to run for my train afterwards, (or I'd have had to wait over 2 hours for the next one, slow round of applause for National Rail and their unbelievable pricing policy) and it was fine and felt nicely supportive. Held it all in, even though by the time I was home (3 hours later) it was pretty grim in there.

Second session on my thigh plus my foot in 45 minutes time. I'm really nervous :-( I really shouldn't have searched for threads on feet during the journey here, ignorance was bliss ;-) Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

I'm currently sat in a cafe in London waiting for my appointment to get my foot done. Great advice on healing but I'm very nervous about the pain now, both during and after! I shouldn't have read this thread ;-) Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

Oh boy. I'm a massive sun worshipper. I hoped upping my usual factor 8 (if I bothered at all) to factor 50 would be enough. Darn it. Still, I'm English. It matters for all of 1 week a year. Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

I've mentioned before, we would like to have another baby in the near future. I have an appointment in a month to finish off my thigh tattoo. The lady doing it has very kindly waived the deposit, and told me that so long as I give her a weeks notice I can cancel the appointment if it turns out that I am pregnant. I was upfront with her from the very beginning and she has been lovely about it. This lead me to wonder WHY this is a rule (it seems pretty much fact that no reputable artist will tattoo a lady who is pregnant or breastfeeding). I was bored at work so turned to google. There seems to be very little hard information on this and an awful lot of conjecture, heresay and utter balls (lady who swears that her son has a swirl shaped birthmark on the back of his neck because she got a swirly tattoo while pregnant - I'm looking at you!) I thought it might be useful to pull this info together and assess it sensibly, as it is an issue likely to be relevant to a number of ladies. I've also seen a few people panic because they have had a tattoo before they knew they were pregnant, so knowing the real risk might be helpful for them. So, in rough order of times I came across them, the (non-ridiculous) reasons are: 1) risk of infection. Any infection could potentially harm the baby (this applies to both in utero and breastfeeding babies.). When pregnant your immune system is already compromised, tattoos can heal slower, thus making infection more likely. You are also limited as to treatments you can use for an infection (e.g. some antibiotics can't be taken when pregnant). 2) the effect of ink on unborn babies is not known. Opinion ranges from: it won't affect them at all as it doesn't enter the bloodstream; ink contains mercury/other metal and you will kill your baby/birth a mutant; your baby will be born with a blue spot where the ink has collected. 3) Your body can go into shock whilst being tattooed, which can in turn lead to miscarriage/early labour depending on stage of pregnancy 4) Low blood pressure (common in pregnancy) means you are more likely to faint. 5) Your skin is more likely to heal oddly and/or reject the ink. You are also more likely to bleed more. Some of these make complete sense (infection, low blood pressure). 2, 3 and 5 sounds plausible, does anyone know any more about them? 3 is the most worrying, but possibly quite an extreme case? As I said, I struggled to find any actual facts. My general take on it is that the risks are similar as for people who aren't pregnant, just the cost is much greater if things do go wrong. I imagine it is one of those areas where no one really knows, no one wants to take chances, and understandably neither tattooers nor parents-to-be want it on their conscience if something does goes wrong. Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Pregnant women become almost public property, the list of things you mustn't do is as long as your (cohesively tattooed) arm, and the facts are often hidden by hysteria. If I must abide by the rules, then at least I'd like to know WHY my fun is being taken away from me :p Edit to say HOLY CRAP sorry for length. I'm REALLY bored at work today :o

It's taken me a while to get round to posting but... here is the result of LST peer pressure ;) Instagram Done by Rodrigo Souto, Black Garden Tattoo, London, UK. I'm thinking about asking him for more flowers around it too. What do you think? Meanwhile... I got a little carried away... Instagram Dominique Holmes, The Family Business, London, UK. To be completed next month, plus I'm having a matching doodad on my foot. It's the same flower with a pattern that matches the ruff. I blame you lot for all of this. :rolleyes:

@beez So beautiful! Really lovely. A great story too. Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

My sensible head says wait until after. I have a mehndi type thing up my side, and where it stretched it has blown right out. I'll try to add a photo in a minute. That isn't even on my stomach, it is directly underneath my armpit, level with my bellybutton. It doesn't matter for mine, because it is a tiny line in a big tattoo, but it would be a shame to trash a lovely new one :-) I didn't get any stretch marks (though my belly button piercing hole looks like a wind tunnel!) so it might not be a problem anyway. You might only get a few to none. Much better to wait and see, then incorporate them if necessary, I'd say. Your body changes in weird (and wonderful? Hmmm...) ways when you are pregnant. I had an emergency c-section, and my stomach is now slightly wonky plus I had that thing where your muscles split so I have a strange flat line up the middle of it. It stores fat in a completely different way to how it did before as well. I'm painting a really attractive picture of myself here :D On the plus side, my arms have NEVER been in this good shape. With all that said... I don't know how old you are, but if you are young and babies are way off in the future, then part of me thinks why not get your stomach done now when you can enjoy it. Tbh, I wouldn't show my stomach off now anyway, whereas I did loads in my youth, so having a trashed tattoo on it wouldn't really matter to anyone but my husband and I (and he's not fussy). So, in summary, I don't know! But my experience is that they will stretch. Basically, you can't predict what your body will do during pregnancy (especially if you have multiple). I'd say do some more research from real tattooists who can tell you their views/experience on tattooing over stretch marks versus touching up a tattoo that has been stretched. I hope that is some help, sorry for waffle (I'm off work sick, brain is not engaged).

I've seen photos of ladies with two medical bandages taped on. You know, like a square of gauze with medical tape round the edges. That seems pretty flexible in terms of placement plus means you could easily move around without danger of them falling off. The sock thing makes me think of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers album cover with the willy socks. @Zillah : photo or it didn't happen ;)

I love the chaos walking trilogy! Especially the first book. Apparently they are filming it, which I can't imagine. I've just read the first in a trilogy for YA called Heap House by Edward Carey. It's very weird, in a Gormanghast way, I really enjoyed it. Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

Maybe right across my back? Though in the course of one recent thread I went from planning an easily hidden piece in a couple of years time to rushing off to London to get a spontaneous piece splat on my arm . So basically I'll do whatever this forum tells me if peer pressure is applied in the right way ;-)

I was admiring your sleeve on instagram earlier today. It is gorgeous! Really something. I bet you are very pleased with it. I've been eyeing up Kanae recently, I'd love one of her tigers.

Yes!! I think I have this. I was trying to ignore it but shall go to the chemist today. I thought it was a reaction to the medical tape except it keeps coming. It's so itchy! Thank you for posting :-) Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

There's a 'multiple hit' theory to cancer. The more hits that you have, the more likely that a tumour will develop. For example, a normal cell might become damaged and begin to mutate. The body has systems in place that deal with these mutations, but if those systems have also been damaged then the cell might be allowed to continue to mutate. The more damage that there is, the more likely that mutations will occur and will be allowed to continue. THis is why so many cancers are associated with older age, plenty of time for damage to rack up. Some of these hits might be genetic but some are due to exposure. I suspect that one of the issues might be that having a mole is already one of the hits, it is already a cell gone mad. Further aggravating the mole by tattooing it might be another hit. I know that you shouldn't pick or pluck moles as this aggravates them, so tattooing them would really bother them. I learned about this on a training course that showed a video of an ovary that had a tooth. A massive adult sized tooth. In an ovary. Now THAT is a cell gone mad.

That gave me a good laugh. It is very apt!