Matthew Thomas

I personally don't consider slipknot "too heavy", but everyone has different tastes, though, and I try to be respectful of that. I know that plenty of females do listen to metal, and there's nothing wrong with that. Personally, I've never heard anything that I thought was too heavy. Some people play music too loud, and that annoys the crap out of me. Music doesn't have to be loud to be enjoyed. When you're at your place, play it as loud as you dare if you've no fear of pissing off the neighbors. When you're in public or have company, play it at a level where you can have a conversation or hear other things around you, unless you have headphones or other people want to hear it as loud as you do. I love to go to concerts, but any other time I can't stand loud music. But I digress. Anywho, no such thing in my mind as too heavy, but I just try to have respect for other people. I especially don't want to irritate my artist or put her on edge, because I don't want to walk out of there with a jacked up tattoo.

Considering the fact that the OP already spoke with a qualified and experienced professional tattoo artist who told her they can probably fix it, I don't think your advice is well founded unless you are more qualified and experienced than the artist she already spoke with, which somehow I doubt.

Him and the girl with the Drake tattoo were trying to one-up each other....

My longest session turned out to be 4 hours long. I took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some peanut butter oreos, some twizzlers bites, and my bobble (brita bottle knockoff). It was painful, but worth it. Here is a pic.

I did used to think that extensive tattooing on females was somewhat unattractive, though let me be clear that I wasn't judging them the way the OP is. But last month I attended my first tattoo convention, and I realized that having tattoos doesn't make a woman any more or less attractive. I saw some women there that only had a few tattoos or less that I still found unattractive, conversely I saw some women/girls that were very heavily tattooed and I thought were very attractive, and no less so due to their extensive tattooing. I even saw one girl who had her head shaved, and I thought she was pretty sexy. I realized that we all want to be tattooed for different reasons, but while we all have our differences, we are all sort of the same in a way. So we shouldn't judge each other for getting tattoos. We all want to express ourselves in different ways, and that's what makes us so unique. It's not something to criticize, it's something to celebrate.

Ok, here is a before and after.

I don't have any before pics, but here are some after pics. I won't tell you what was there before though.

Got this done today. 4 hours under the needle. Can't even tell it's a cover-up. Absolutely love this tattoo. Favorite one so far. Lindsay Fulk, Prismatic Ink Tattoo, Lebanon, PA.

Teeth bleaching has been around for years, and is proven to be effective, yet costs several hundred dollars per treatment. I saw a post on facebook about a home whitening involving toothpaste, baking soda and peroxide. Many dentists commented saying it was unsafe and harmful to teeth's enamel. Similarly, you have a laser tattoo removal specialist decrying the harmful side effects of a less expensive tattoo removal process. Sorry, but it does sound a bit biased to me. Sure, laser removal has been around awhile, and the process hasn't changed much except that they've come out with better lasers in the last 20 years. But there are alternatives, such as saline removal (there is an even more extreme process called salabrasion in which you rub the skin raw with sandpaper and then rub salt into it, supposedly osmotic pressure bring the ink to the surface, I would not recommend this route). But if done properly, saline is harmless to the skin, and if done in a sterile environment with a clean needle, I'm sure the risks are minimal. So let's hear more info about this process.

A few of my tatts have been as simple a process as having some money, walking into a shop and flipping through the flash until I saw something I liked. Others have had a lot of thought put into them, and still others were kind of in the middle where I knew what I wanted to symbolize but didn't have an exact image picked out until I talked with an artist. One tattoo in particular has been in my mind for almost six years, and symbolizes a memorial to friends and family that have passed. Each of my tattoos, regardless of the meaning or lack of, has a memory attached to it, and that's what I like best about them. However, I think if I got every idea I had as an actual tattoo, id have a lot of tattoos I wouldn't like now.

Apologies, fixed it.

Thanks for the support and encouragement, guys. I went and talked to a couple other shops yesterday to get a perspective on what could be done and a price range. Both shops said I'm looking at a minimum of $150 to $200. But I think if I talk to my artist, she would probably re-work it for free, and adding stuff around it would probably cost $50 or $75. She has very reasonable rates and I feel she does adequate work. Some people will accept nothing less than exceptional work, and will pay very large sums of money and wait long periods of time to meet with an exceptional artist. Now in the case of Myke Chambers, I am also willing to do the same, not only because he is an exceptional artist, but an exceptional person as well. But I feel that most of my tattoos only require someone who is competent. And my artist is competent, despite the fact that she made one mistake. A lot of competent artists do make mistakes from time to time. An exceptional artist probably makes very few mistakes, if any at all. But an artist who is only competent or average will probably make a mistake every once in awhile. It doesn't make them totally incompetent, unless they are unwilling to admit their mistakes. Some will say that the aesthetic element is as important or more so than the meaning or symbolism. I personally do not feel that this is necessarily true. I will agree that if a tattoo is poorly designed or executed, the symbolism is lost. But for some tattoos, I feel that focusing too much on having an exceptional design can also take away from the meaning. And I will explain this further. The tattoos I am having done by this artist, they all mean something to me. And while I do get tattoos primarily for myself, I do want others to pick up on the symbolism, even if it takes some explaining, eventually they will understand it. This does not mean that I feel a poorly executed tattoo will convey symbolism better than an expertly executed tattoo. It simply means that I don't want the details of the image to distract from the symbolism, and I feel that an expertly executed tattoo might just do that, if that makes any sense at all. As in, it could be an absolutely beautiful piece, but the actual meaning would be lost in an overabundance of detailing. The two other tattoos I've gotten from this person are very nice, but not exceptionally detailed. But the symbolism is there and clearly readable, and the tattoo is done adequately, as in the amount of detail that is there is executed adequately, there are no mistakes in them that I'm aware of. Sorry for being so long-winded, just wanting to express my views a bit and explain why I still have confidence in my artist. With the exception of this star, she has so far done exactly what I have paid her to do.

Killercook76, I appreciate the fact that you are trying to help and give good advice. However, this same artist has already done two other tattoos on me, both of which I am completely happy with. I honestly do think that what counts the most about any tattoo is whether the person wearing it is happy with it. Otherwise, what is the point of getting a tattoo? Also, while some people would be willing to walk away from several hundred dollars, I am not willing to. I simply cannot do it. It has already been suggested several times in this thread, and I have already stated my unwillingness towards it. I'm starting to get a little bothered by people assuming that I won't be happy with anything this artist does, simply because they made one mistake. My artist has only been tattooing for 6 years. I am going to ask her to fix my star, fill it in all black, and add some other details around it, maybe some other stars, maybe something else. I did start this thread asking for advice and opinions from others, but my decision has been made. Once the star is evened out and filled in, I know I will be happy with it, even if no one else thinks it will look any better, it will look better to me, and that is ultimately what matters most to me. But I do thank you for trying to be helpful and understanding.

My current artist doesn't usually play music at all, so I bring my phone along and ask if I can play something I like. I usually throw on some Breaking Benjamin, Bush, Staind, or the like. I don't throw on anything too heavy like Hellyeah or Slipknot, because she is a female. Not saying females don't like that kind of music, she might possibly and I don't know one way or the other. But females are usually wired a little more sensitive than guys, and I try to be respectful of that. Also, I think it might be too distracting for anyone, male or female, to work while listening to music that's so heavy and vulgar. It also might set me more on edge than I would care for while going through pain. I love my heavy metal, but I can't fall asleep to it, let alone be willingly tortured to it lol.

Sounds like your boss was kinda pissed, though. It's one reason I'm kinda glad to be laid off right now, I don't have to be requesting off to keep my appointments (to clarify, I paid for all my tattoos out of my tax refund before I got laid off, and my wife and I have other money coming in as well as her paychecks, so I'm not spending money that would otherwise be going to bills on tattoos. We agreed on how to divide our tax refund between the two of us, and she knew that I'd be spending my half on tattoos). But I hope you didn't get on anyone's radar bro. In my experience, even if they didn't specifically warn you that you might be in trouble, they might be keeping an eye on you. Little mistakes you make here and there can eventually add up to an excuse to get rid of you. I'm not saying your job is like that, some aren't and I hope for your sake that yours isn't. Just keep it in mind and maybe try, if you can, to make tattoo appointments after work hours. I know it's not always possible though. I have an appointment tomorrow that if I were working, I would have had to request off for. I probably would have worn a long sleeved shirt to work till the weekend, and came back on Monday and said I got it on Saturday. Thankfully though, I don't have to go through all that lol. Either way, I hope you got a stellar tattoo that you're completely happy with.

My mom never cared about any of my tattoos. She didn't always agree with me spending money on them, because she felt there were other priorities I should have been focusing on. Looking back, I think she was right. My dad never said a word about them either. My mom actually has 3 tattoos herself, my dad has none.

I really don't understand how my post in this thread was disrespectful to anyone here or anyone with tattoos, so I don't really get where you're coming from. I'll avoid speaking to you in the future if you're going to be disrespectful to me. Good day, sir.

I got tattoos on my hands before I gave any thought to them keeping me from getting certain jobs. For a long time, I was more worried about my record keeping me from getting a job than tattoos. Recently I've begun to think that my tattoos may have something to do with not getting some of the jobs I have applied for. But since I'm already screwed with tattoos on my hands, screw it, might as well get more. As far as actually being on the job, no one has ever said a bad word to me about having any tattoos, though I did notice one woman having a negative attitude towards someone else because they were tattooed. But, she was balding so I didn't really care.

I won't waste anyone's time with a fake apology, but I'll say what I have to say. I've decided that I won't use any slang terms anymore. But I've also decided that I needd to protect myself from some of the comments and negativity coming from certain people. So I've decided the best way to protect myself is to add certain people to my ignore list. I won't point out specifically who I've added, but if I don't respond to someone's future comments, then most likely they are on my ignore list. Others may feel free to add me to their ignore list if they feel offended by anything I've said.

You're absolutely right.

I don't accept that, especially if you all don't want me here, I am sure that you all can help me find a way to permanently remove myself and everything I have posted. Anything less than that is unacceptable to me. - - - Updated - - - I am sure that you all will feel better once I am completely gone, as I know I will. - - - Updated - - - I am a very difficult person to deal with. But when someone tells me they have lost all patience for me, then it's time for me to go and leave no part of myself behind. I refuse to leave if parts of me are still going to be here. And I refuse to stay, so what is the solution?

How do I delete my profile and all my threads/posts? - - - Updated - - - It's clear that I rub everyone here the wrong way, so I will leave, but only if every trace of me is removed. I want to never have been here at all. - - - Updated - - - Not banned either, completely gone.

In some ways, that is true at times. But my previous post was not about that. I will choose for myself, whether wisely or unwisely, what to say, do, think, and feel, and I am responsible for what I choose. You may choose what to think, say, feel or do to me, but that is also your choice which you are responsible for. It is not my place to tell you how to choose, nor am I responsible for what you choose. I'm not attempting to get a rise out of anyone. I'm just saying, feel free to feel how you choose to feel about me, but own that choice. - - - Updated - - - With the exception of calling a machine a gun, who decides what terms are proper or correct? These are all words that to me, mean the same thing. Tattoo is one word that describes markings made on the body with ink. All the other terms that people use to describe them mean exactly the same thing. People call money different slang terms, but I don't see accountants getting all upset because I called a dollar bill a greenback, do you? And yes, tattooists do try to steer people away from tattoos that they don't think they will be happy with, but that's not the same as one person telling another what to think or say. You can ask members of a community to change something. Some will comply, others won't. It doesn't mean that the people who choose not to comply don't respect the community. It's just means that they think and choose for themselves.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of me. However, acknowledgement of that entitlement does not imply any obligation on my part to rectify the opinions of others, nor does it imply that rectification of anyone's opinion is required. I have been called fat, stupid, ugly, cracker, bald-headed bastard, etc etc. None of these words mean anything to me, nor will they ever. I will describe the art on my body as I choose. Those who don't like it are free to feel how they choose to about it.

- - - Updated - - - I dare you tattoo my name on your forehead