misterJ

I personally love the look of big work that has had time to sit in the skin, it is something very intangible that adds heavily to the tattoo itself and the person wearing it. @Dan I'm really not much for flames, but I can contribute maybe. I recently had a fun one with pricing a small one shot tattoo. I even reached out about it on this site for advice. I was quoted almost a grand on a small 2 - 2.5 hour one shot from a newish artist. I was caught off guard by the price, and I found out the artist was basically doing a cash grab to help fund a vacation. I was put off by this a lot, and ended up not going to him. Other than that particular instance I am OK paying for my work. I feel it is what the world of tattooing has become, and since I want to participate in that world I pay the admission. (It's all starbucks fault to me now) It was much like the shock of dropping $85 to see cannibal corpse when I remember seeing them for $5 in the 90s. But Willie Nelson remembers paying a dime for a dime bag so it is what it is. BUT, I completely agree with the walk ins, I have had crazy bad luck getting a walk in over the past few months in several shops. I have made several attempts (EACH) to get a fun old school shark, a knee cap dinosaur head, and a panther. ALL remain not on me. One was met with a "Bro, lets do this now!" I was pumped and said lets go, and it became a time crunch and he wouldn't have enough time to finish it the way he would like. I'm cash in hand shrugging my shoulders. I have a nice break from work til sept 8th, lets see what I can get done. Finally, while I have been greeted by the shop guys, I haven't been turned away from any artists. I believe a lot of that is to filter out the bullshit that walks in everyday that wastes time (dude I totally want a sleeve / back piece / rib piece of something badass, what I'm not leaving a deposit screw that) I have been witness to a lot of this while getting some chair time. EDIT: Sailor Jerry would roll in his grave if he knew his name was repping some garbage rum.

@Piha that is coming out so nice, you should be stoked. That is also a ton of coverage for 3 hours. I'm excited to keep watching this progress

Welcome. what artists are you considering, what imagery would you like, and do you have any tattoos now?

ah i see the statue it us based off if. very cool and thanks for the info

@Jshippo what is the subject? I hate to be ignorant is it something biblical?

Just finished the last dexter book... What a letdown. Anyone suggest something mindless and fun in a similar vain?

Stop getting tattooed if you love them and then immediately hate it

@ isotope that is an awesome start. I love the arrows. about 1 side hurting more than another. I'm a lefty and that side is way more sensitive. As @BrianH mentions, just wait for your lower back shading that was certainly enlightening for me. thanks for posting your piece

absolutely I want to have a traditional japanese tattoo experience where I'm being tattooed on a mat on the floor with some master going to work in a smokey shop covered by drawings and pictures and such. I'll add state of grace because I would love my torso done by Horitomo. Better start saving now....

@Graeme I really appreciate that because your back is killer. @ironchef I def will, I know you told me to do so before and I honestly forgot.

Got some work in Saturday, but life has been crazy. Wanted to post this up. Detailed in the hair, and sank some color into the top oni. The pic makes him look very bright but the colors have cooled off nicely and now have a deep tone to them. We spoke about detailing him up more next session with either a patterned robe or doing more in the body. Either way I'm on board. EDIT: just to put it in perspective, the horns are colored white that's how red I got I always love the way the tray looks at the end when all the colors are laid out and all is said and done. I thought this concept would make a really neat print. If there is some rule about not showing these details let me know and I will remove it, but I thought it would be a fun share. Hope you guys like it, and I have 2 sessions coming up so maybe we can close in on this project.

Here's to the year of the Depend Adult Undergarments lol. Infinite Jest was 0.00% what I expected, and honestly took a long time for me to digest / reflect on. Good read, but certainly deserves a second look for me I have the final Dexter book sitting in my Kindle and I'm afraid to crush it out and be done with the character. I'm hoping he is exposed or killed like I really wanted from the show. **Odd connection, did anyone who read Infinite Jest find a kinda sorta odd connection to Videodrome?? I

small contribution. Was getting some work done last night, and the shop was commenting on how tattoos are a luxury. I thought it was really funny that this was the point of discussion.

Appointment on my knee got canceled this Saturday.... Boooo Nabbed a spot on my back instead. I'm getting a lot of "uuuuhhhhh you sure you wanna do this??" From local artists when I ask about getting my knee done. Funny, I thought it would be me chickening out with this one. Got a guy at a VERY underrated Long Island shop that I want to do it. I'll ask him this weekend most likely

@polliwog I'm not sure if this helps clarify but I feel like what you guys are trying to get at on "the other side of the coin" is usually represented by the culture of poverty. One aspect of this is often filling your life with small trinkets that when you look at them make you feel like you have "a lot" Of something. The snippet you quoted above is almost the first thing that came to mind when reading that and your response about it being encouraged to spend when you may not have on cars, watches, clothes, tattoos, etc. falls in line with that thinking. It's how the people in the neighborhood I work in are on all kinds of government support with a brand new Range Rover/ bmw/ Mercedes. However I also define ALL cars as a luxury good because public transportation is available at a much more reasonable cost, and they way many (even go as far as saying most) people truly can't afford to maintain and repair a car speaks to the luxury aspect for me even if it's an old beat up Honda. The bald tires and bad breaks not being replaced says something I liked the point made about cell phones, and I heard a very similar one made on Gavin Mcinnes' podcast. Even still I see a deep line between want and need with cell phones that people are not able to part with. I could probably still make due with that old Nokia that only had snake and sucked to text on. (Side note: got nostalgic for my old Nextel 2 way the other day. I liked that much more than texting and it was much more fun) In my heart I feel like tattoos are a luxury and that the logic and reasoning we put behind them justifying our purchases only reinforces that for me. Reading that they emotionally support is like The women that treat shoes as therapy, it's silly just say you really want it. (Not being sexist because I will totally blow money on vintage video games, skateboards, and most geek stuff) I constantly contemplate taking a break from being tattooed because I feel selfish spending what I do on it. I just make sure all my bills and family get first priority and my small fund left over is put to good use Just thoughts who knows I may be very wrong.

wow... this month is brutal @bongsau I didn't see your back finished I love the monk's robes, and the background is awesome. I never thought @CultExciter would promote scratchers!!!! lol that is really cool of you, I bet she must have been excited/ nervous as hell Love that lady head, love the arm suburban, and love most things Marius Meyer. I'm glad I don't have anything to submit this month because I'd lose

there is so much going on in this 20 minute segment. I love the world he talks about, and the digs he takes at things exploiting the culture. This was a great post, thanks for sharing it

definitely have my support, and I am sure I'll bring this up when you're crossing hour 100, 500, etc. congrats again

IMO I equate the coil with a stinging and the rotary with a burning sensation (not when I pee) A lot of the tattoo experience for me is built around that coil sound, but I starting to equate the same thing with the new rotary noise. Not to shift gears to hard, but the coil sound also goes hand in hand with that awful green soap smell. Those two things build that tattoo shop feel for me

lol I secretly want a career change. Most likely it will be from education back to the business world. IF i had balls I would apprentice. I tell you that Rubendall smells it on me; we were talking about life and shooting the shit when out of the blue he stops tattooing me and says I don't do apprenticeships don't ask. It made us both laugh. I legit look at what you're doing as learning to make your first swords from a master smith.

It looks super clean, you have me jealous that you can follow something this awesome keep it up

so you have captain america, iron man, and spidey now. Are you following a theme of any sort? I think if you are slowly going to cover yourself in comic heroes, then go balls out and get some crazy battle scene. You must have a favorite.

@Hogrider I think the new thing now is the "badass" that walks away or picks a fight with the artist. I feel like that has come up more in the most recent seasons. I'm rooting for the guy that dresses like Mario because I love those games It's time for new judges imo. PS tattooing fingernails... I can't roll my eyes hard enough.

I really want to get an animal head on my knee. I wanted a gorilla because my group of friends used to call each other dirty gorillas as a strange inside joke. However, I've seen a bunch of those in the past month. I don't want to be so copy cat with it, and am leaning against the traditional tiger, panther, gorilla, wolf, or bear heads and am now thinking maybe some crazy dinosaur head. I just gotta make sure it would look right. anklyosaurus (sp?) would look cool, and so would like a triceratops. But I am still open to the type of dinosaur. Koeplinger is coming to Smith Street in August, but I'm not sure how much $$ I'll have then. I'm pretty sure I want him to do it thought EDIT: IF I can snag the spot I will find a way to pay for it. :p

I got more of a cubist feel than origami honestly. Doesn't make it bad though. if you love it then stop looking for flaws