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[ "My Badass New Gannondorf Piece, by Dave Teneval @ Red Baron Ink, NYC", "People are going to have some questions for you in 50 years, and you'll get to tell them all about the best game series ever made.", "It's been going on over 30 years now. I'm sure there will be a new Zelda game in 2067 and Gannon will be up to new tricks.", "I don’t care that I’ll be 80 with bad eyes and arthritic hands, I WILL be playing that game. ", "I'll be 92. Hopefully, there's some sort of virtual reality / holodeck type of thing by then. I can ride around Hyrule in my scooter." ]

[ "Blackwork artists in Michigan? <selfbr> Just looking for some suggestions. Thanks!", "Not sure what kind of black work you’re looking for, but Carrie Metz Caporusso in Ann Arbor does fabulous work. She’s on my list of people I want to be tattooed by. :) Her books justtt opened-you might be able to get in right now if you’re fast. \n\nhttp://instagram.com/carrie_metz_caporusso\n", "Oh wow, she does awesome work. Thanks!", "No problem!" ]

[ "Was thinking about getting my first tattoo but i have a few questions <selfbr> I was thinking of getting a tattoo just for the esthetic value (i was thinking about either [this](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PZKPpeuHvJk/maxresdefault.jpg) or [this](http://www.overdrive.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Kvelertak-Cover-v.1-Proof-600x423.jpg)) so i want to be sure i'm not making a mistake by asking a few questions to people that probably have more experience than i do \n\n1. Is an half sleeve tattoo ok as a first tattoo? (i personally always thought that i have a pretty high pain threshold but i never had a tattoo needle on me)\n2. How do i know if the tattoo artist that i found actually fits the style needed for those specific pictures? (and how do i find one in the first place? i'm in Rome, Italy if anyone has some suggestion)\n3. How much of the design should i already have on my own? i'm not sure how to adapt those images as an half sleeve without having an odd square-shaped tattoo, should i think of that before or is that the artist's work to make it fit and look nice?\n4. How long would you suggest waiting before actually getting the tattoo? i'm pretty young (18) and change my mind pretty often about stuff but i've loved John Baizley's art for years (but just started to think of it as a tattoo) so i was thinking about waiting just 6 months, should that be enough?\n\nI know that this is probably stuff that i should make my mind on on my own but i would like to ear other people's opinions too", "While we are at it:\nHow long is the recovery period after getting a tattoo?\nWhen can I go swimming and do physical activities again?\nI'm a firefighter and regularly crawl, lift heavy weights and wear heavy equipment. How will that affect the tattoo?", "Where would this tattoo be located on your body?", "Sorry for replying this late, didn't see your response. \nI'm just generally toying with the idea of a tattoo. So I don't have a specific place where it goes. What would be different for a piece on my torso compared to my upper arm or on my shoulders? Where on my shoulders would probably be the worst for healing. ", "Where it goes will have different implications for physical activity. For example, if you're doing a lot of lifting and crawling, a tattoo on your shoulder where there will be a lot of constant movement won't be the same as say, your ribs or your side which could experience some of the movement but it's not as targeted/direct. Though heavy equipment could still affect your torso (I won't pretend to know much about how the equipment falls on your body), if that weight is heavy on your shoulders or certain parts of your body, it could chafe more than other places with constant movement and heavy equipment on the tattoo even with a bandage or clothing separating it can irritate it considering you're not standing still. That isn't to say you still wouldn't experience difficulty in other places, but a tattoo can get really tight in the initial days of healing. That shouldn't stop you from getting a tattoo where you want it; you just need to be cognizant of timing if you know you're guaranteed to do tons of physical stuff one month vs another.\n\nI have a full back tattoo and tattoos on my sides and stomach. I also have one on my upper thigh. The torso ones didn't affect me working out as much besides avoiding sit ups; the one on my leg actually became quite uncomfortable when I tried to run while it was tight, even with Aquaphor applied.\n\nYou can still work out, but definitely no swimming. They say you shouldn't submerge your tattoo (not even a bath) and the chlorine or whatever else is in the body of water you're swimming in can irritate it. Water saturation before healing also puts you at risk of having ink seep out, so you're left with a patchy tattoo. Healing period will depend on the person, but they generally say 2-4 weeks. If you've never gotten a tattoo, I would err on the longer side.", "Thank you very much for your comment. I didn't think swimming would be the killing factor but right now it seems to be out of the question to get a tattoo. I've been putting it off until my career was in dry rags but it seems like I'll need to wait until I'll be off for like a month. \n\nThanks for your reply." ]

[ "Linework Volcano by Cassie Stover at Painted Lady in Oklahoma City, OK", "That looks awesome!", "Thanks so much! She did a great job. ", "You're welcome haha! I also think it's a neat idea for a tattoo lol I wish I'd thought of it! 😊" ]

[ "Linework Volcano by Cassie Stover at Painted Lady in Oklahoma City, OK", "Clean line work and great application, but I find the sun in the background takes away from it. It almost looks a bit like a failed cover up, tbh. Other than that, sweet tattoo man.", "Thanks man! Yeah I can see how it could look like a cover up haha. I wanted the yellow circle as it matches a red one that I have on my calf, going to grab blue in one of my next ones and rock those primary colors. Appreciate the feedback! ", "The yellow circle is my favorite part ", "Thanks! I can't wait to get the other side done. " ]

[ "My dog/best friend by Angela Bailey, Studio XIII Tattoos in Orlando, FL. RIP little girl.", "Lost mine a week tomorrow. Nice memory for you. Hurting is an understatement 🙁😓", "I'm sorry for your loss, it hurts bad. Especially because they were your best friend. \n\nShe was suffering from cancerous tumors and her pain became so unbearable that I finally had to put her to sleep, coincidentally on the same day I had an appointment to get my tattoo of her. \n\nIt sounds silly but I just wish she could've been alive to see it so she'd know just how much I loved her. ", "They steal our hearts forever x" ]

[ "Skull exploding/ Akiyo Sugime/ HorikiyoTattoo Studio, Tokyo", "@horikiyock_tattoo for more of this wonderful artists' work if you guys are interested!", "Looks like something that might belong in r/bloodborne. It looks a lot like an insight. Or at least kind of inspired by it.", "Funny you guys say that. I had no idea Bloodborne existed before posting here. " ]

[ "Perseus addition to my Greek Mythology sleeve - Adam Chiodo Ink Tailor Minneapolis MN.", "I've got a Greek mythology sleeve going too. So far I have Zues and Medusa, what's the other peice you've got!\n\nThis one looks really awesome!", "Nice! I have Athena on my shoulder with her owl crossing onto my chest. I want to add Poseidon on my forearm.", "Right on man! I'm adding Poseidon to my bicep, Athena and Hades and a few minor gods around my wrist. " ]

[ "Pennywise (1 more session left) - Jeff Hubbard - Revolution Ink - Pelham, AL", "That is amazing! (Btw OP sorry.. this next part isn't 100% serious) \n \nBut if you let your hair grow back for pennywise's hair.. it could be a whole nother level of brilliance", "Haha thanks bro..my artist is amazing.. We got one more session to finish up his hair and the background. And I'm a hairy sum bitch. ", "You're welcome mate, I have to take my hat off to the artist.. that is some fine work :)" ]

[ "Neotraditional Lady Face by me, Logan Bramlett, at Wanderlust Tattoo Society Akron Ohio", "Obviously a talented artist, but damn that hair looks totally off and doesn't fit the head right. ", "i agree along with the fingers and her nose but if the client is pleased that's all that matters. i'm not knocking the artist either, the line work is clean. ", "Red Hot Chili Fingers? 🌶 But in all seriousness the gradations in the colors are beautiful", "dude i laughed way to fucking hard at this. ", "😂 I know! That’s all I see though! I think they can be fixed with some outlining of a nailbed maybe? Who am I though, I’ve see a few seasons of Ink Master and now I think I’m that long-haired toothpick judge 😩" ]

[ "Neotraditional Lady Face by me, Logan Bramlett, at Wanderlust Tattoo Society Akron Ohio", "Beautiful tattoo, mesmerizing eyes.", "Thanks!\n", "Your name made my blood run cold. A guy who was a good friend in elementary and middle school, that I lost touch with after I moved away in 9th grade, shared your name. He died around 05. I didn't find out until yrs later when I spoke to a mutual friend. \n\nCrazy coincidence " ]

[ "Helping hand. Done by Zack at Depression Ink, Richmond Hill, Ontario.", "What is happening with that hand? Yikes! ", "It's drowning? Or the rat scratches?", "The way the wrist joins the hand is a little unnatural but I think it's a dope tattoo!" ]

[ "Light saber by Curtis at Majestic Eye Tattoo Company (Riverview, FL)", "I really like the idea, and I like how the end of the lightsaber is a flame, but the execution I feel, could be better.", "Can you elaborate?", "Sure! Please keep in mind though that I’m not trying to take away from you tatt, and you should wear it proudly! I just want to give some constructive feedback.\n\nThe lightsaber base doesn’t seem to like up correctly with the column above the lettering. Also, the blue line at the base could have been pulled straighter.\n\nThe top of the lightsaber seems to have some inconsistencies in line weight and the proportion aren’t uniform. And the fact they aren’t makes it (to me) some what unappealing.\n\nI am not a tattoo artist nor do I claim I can do better! Lol theses are just aesthetics that I noticed. From a distance this would look fine, it’s when you get in close it just looks like the stencil could have been better.\n\nHope that helps, again, I like it and am not trying to be a dick! Lol", "Appreciate the feedback! Doesn't take away from it for me at all.", "Good! " ]

[ "Freshly Done Vlad The Impaler by Shawn McDonald (Magnetic Tattoo, Fort Collins, CO)", "[Well this is fucking great](https://pics.me.me/vlad-the-impaler-discovers-marshmallows-well-these-are-fucking-great-23442175.png)", "No one ever talks about Vlad's discovery of impaling food. He gave us kebabs and fondue.", "He's the best. Your tattoo, also, looks incredible.", "Thank you!" ]

[ "Phoenix by Jaeden Helgason @ Ink Addiction Tattoos, Saskatoon, SK, Canada", "Nice Ink !", "Thanks! Its my first and I was REALLY happy how it turned out. Jaeden took my small bits of ideas and put it all together beautifully. Sadly it looks like she has moved to BC so I will have to find someone else for my other ones =(", "That's unfortunate , hopefully you'll find someome good to work on your new creations with. Really looking forward to them " ]

[ "My dad is turning 74 soon and wants to get his first tattoo <selfbr> My dad has been looking online at artists in east PA and northern NJ, he wants to make sure he picks a good artist. I've never gotten a tattoo before, but I'm also interested, does anyone from this area have any suggestions? ", "Hey I'm from that area and have a few tattoos so I'm not an expert or anything but I love my tattoos. And your dad sounds super awesome for wanting to try out a new thing! You should check out south street in philly for some great tattoo places. Also my first tattoo came frame Grace Tattoo in Phoenixville. Its a cool shop with an experienced owner and they were really gentle with me and gave me lots of breaks seeing as I seem to have a low pain tolerance. ", "Haha thanks, my dad has always been open to trying new things, he's forever the most awesome. I was surprised that he never got any tattoos, because his whole life he was musician in a bunch of different bands. I guess it was a different time back then, its more socially acceptable now.", "I'm from Northeastern PA as well and my favorite artists are at Funhouse Tattoos in Tannersville, PA! Google it and check out their portfolios, *very* professional" ]

[ "Traditional/Realism Rose collaboration done by Cy Sterling and Ryan Thomas at Goodfellow Tattoo Club in Concord, NH.", "Very nice! I've also got a few traditionals. All done in NH as well! ", "Where do you go? All of my work outside of this piece is traditional, and I’d love to know about more shops in the state.", "I go to a friend/acquaintance named MJ Beaton - he's moved shops since my last tattoo but I wanna say he's at holdfast tattoos in... Dover? I know he's got an IG, etc so definitely take a look at his work!!! \n\nI'm also going to be getting some (non-traditional) work done by my Gfs artist, who is one of the best I've ever seen anywhere: check out Tj schuman (sp?) and Tyler Malik " ]

[ "Traditional/Realism Rose collaboration done by Cy Sterling and Ryan Thomas at Goodfellow Tattoo Club in Concord, NH.", "Now you have to touch up that little window/staircase doodle below it. It's a bit distracting next to the new piece. Nice work though.", "Yeah, definitely. It was started by my friend who is apprenticing at the shop and I intended to let him finish that night but he had already done another on my thigh and it was getting late so we opted to just line it and do the shading another time.", "Nice! " ]

[ "Sir Tristan of the round table by Bryce Huffman @ Artifact Tattoo - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada", "Awesome tattoo! Matches your username too!", "Thanks! Yah kinda named after the knight lol", "Very classy! Enjoy it!" ]

[ "Lego Brick as CPU, by Kendra @ Inkedbykendra in Richland, MI", "This is great. And what's that wizard looking one from below it?", "Thanks! The one on my wrist is an 8-bit White Mage from Final Fantasy 1. I have Red Mage on my other wrist. ", "Looks Awesome! I thought that's what it was from, love final fantasy. ", "I have cloud and sepiroth tattoos as well :)\n\nThanks again! ", "Even cooler, would like to see those if you don't mind. ", "I snapped some pics, had to do it myself so they are at kind of odd angles. But here's a gallery :)\n\nhttps://imgur.com/a/QUFjo" ]

[ "Logic vs Passion Chest Piece by Jared Kirkby at 5 Venoms in Buffalo, NY", "If you don’t mind my asking, did you talk to the original artist before doing this? Like- is that a Proper Thing to do? Sometimes I see pretty art on the internet that would make a cool tattoo but I always feel weird about actions going through with it\n\nAnyway, it’s a great concept and awesome execution!", "I didn't talk to the original artist, and I also had/have apprehensions about taking their work and slapping it on my body. I have mixed feelings about it.\n\nOne thing that makes me feel better here is that I worked with my tattoo artist to modify the content to make it unique. He took some liberties to vary the tattoo from the original image, so I'm thinking there's nothing to worry about... (?)\n\nAt the end of the day though, what's someone really going to do? Try to fine me? Take me to court? I doubt it, but I don't know. \n\nI mess around with video editing and youtube, and as long as I give the original content creator credit where it's due, I can still monetize my own videos. So I'll keep the original artist's image handy for this tattoo, and give credit where it's due. \n\nActually a quick google search led me [here](http://smallbusiness.chron.com/tattoos-infringe-copyrights-48743.html), which makes me feel better. I'm not using the tattoo to generate income, and also the tattoo shouldnt degrade the value of the original artist's image (imo). Seems to follow the similar rules as video creation on youtube, but tattoos seem to be even more loosely regulated.", "As an artist and someone passionate about tattoos I think the practise of taking designs and copying the majority of it with minor tweaks (the changes to design your are referencing seem very minor imo) should not be encouraged.\n\nIt's not just about wether or not there's risk of legal ramifications, most tattoo artists find the practise of copying tattoos to be in very bad taste. At least you are able to credit the original artist (although I think you should link to their page and not just the image for appropriate credit - right now you are saying \"this is the picture I used\" and not referencing the person who created the image), but I still think using the concept without permission was a bit of a faux pas.", "Fair enough. I really can't argue with your points. I do feel like an ass for not asking beforehand. \n\nI'll be letting the original artist know I used his work." ]

[ "Logic vs Passion Chest Piece by Jared Kirkby at 5 Venoms in Buffalo, NY", "Love your concept", "Can't exactly claim credit for it, but thanks! Here's the inspiration: https://rodrigo-vega.deviantart.com/art/Split-271578516", "O shit i didnt even realize the dude was getting ripped apart i thought it was like a humanoid at first haha nice!", "I thought it was Janet Jackson for some reason. Must be a flash back to a music video from the 90s" ]

[ "(Fresh) Meowl by Nicole Draeger at Lygon St Tattoo Co., Melbourne Australia", "If you are visiting /r/tattoos for the first time, or visiting from /r/all, please be aware of ALL of the rules in the sidebar and stickied threads before posting. Common issues that WILL get you banned are any comments on personal appearance, any discussion about pricing, aftercare/medical advice or questions, and trolling.\n\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tattoos) if you have any questions or concerns.*", "May I ask what your inspiration for the piece was? I saw a lot of images for meowls, but I didn't really find a source. The piece is beautiful!", "It was a design Nicole drew up and posted on insta and I had to have it :) Thank you I think so too! Nicole is an amazing artist and I've wanted something from her for ages." ]

[ "Cover a old tattoo with the same artist who made it <selfbr> I would like to know if it was disrespectful to cover an old tattoo but with the same artist who made it", "How much time has passed?", "close to 7 years", "Then yeah, just talk to em, that’s plenty long enough." ]

[ "SSB Vegeta from Christian Mulvey at Chrome Halo, Murfreesboro TN", "He looks high af.", "Guessing it's fresh and the eye area is swollen irritated? ", "I assume that as well. Just funny it happened like that.", "Yeah, he did the white last while doing some of the lightning effects. Vegeta was stoned af " ]

[ "Moth and Rose by Christian Lanouette at Studio Sans Regret, Montreal, QC", "Super nice! I like Christian's style. Just went there yesterday to get a Tattoo by Jean Frederic. ", "No way! I was there yesterday as well. ", "I was out of there by 2. So you mustve been there after. Haha small world" ]

[ "Nicotine molecule with tobacco plant in the background. Done by Michael Dudick at CowPok in Buffalo, NY.", "Story? Seems like an unusual thing to pay homage to unless you own a tobacco farm or something. ", "It's the start of my left arm which will be my vices and regrets. I want the tattoos on my body to be something that will add to the tale of my life. Tobacco has been a great helper in my life and career but at a terrible cost that has not yet been fully realized. I want to be able to tell this to my children and this tattoo in particular may pique their interest enough to create a lasting impression of my regret in ever using tobacco.", "At first I was like that's kinda odd. \n\nAfter reading this, I'm in love! Great idea!" ]

[ "My son just turned 18. 😑", "trying to figure out where it's located, on his arm or his leg?", "Looks like an ankle. There appears to be a sock indentation and an Achilles tendon. ", "An excellent deduction, Mr Holmes. " ]

[ "My son just turned 18. 😑", "He and a friend both got the same tattoo. Since my son went second, he had them do a longer penis.", "Smart kid", "Very proud father" ]

[ "The start of my half sleeve (Kermit first) by Mez Love at Tattoo Boogaloo in San Francisco", "This was taken at the end of our session. Pardon any plasma glare. ", "Tell Mez I said hi!", "I don't know who you are... Post a pic of your Mez tattoo so I can have a reference! ;) And I'll tell her what's up since I see her pretty often.", "I am not able to take pictures at the moment (at work, I've got a lower back tattoo and one on my my calf, but my jeans are sort of tight), BUT, say \"Savannah says what's up!\" \n\n\nI suppose including my name first time round woulda helped ;)", "I'll try to remember when I see her ;) ", "Thank you!", "[Her response to you :)](https://imgur.com/a/YEtiQ)", "Omg, thanks so much! :) I got a real kick when I saw your post the other day, I used to work with Mez, Chris, Deanna and Katie at a shop in Colorado. You're awesome!", "That's awesome! I don't work with them but I have the pleasure to work very close and see them all frequently. Very lovely people! " ]

[ "The start of my half sleeve (Kermit first) by Mez Love at Tattoo Boogaloo in San Francisco", "I would just cry everytime I saw this, lol.\n\n🎶why are there so many songs about rainbows...🎶\n\nGets me every time. ", "It's been an ongoing joke between me and Mez for years and when I finally told her I was ready she got so excited her hands were shaking when we were scheduling the appointment. She loves it more than I do I'm certain. ", "I mean, it's freaking beautiful. You'll always be able to be proud to show this one off. ", "I agree. Her work is really crazy even compared to the artists I have worked with and it's healing so easy I can't believe it" ]

[ "Got a Piece From my Favorite Game (Dragon's Dogma), Compliments of Oddfellows Tattoo out of Akron, OH.", "I love DD. such a good game.", "I'm still hoping for a sequel, or spiritual sequel after the successes of the PC version and recent console remasters.", "That'd be awesome. The PC version was really fun, even if the controls were a little wonky. Just plugged in my control and was free to explore that world again.\n\nFingers crossed!", "Yeah I've never once used K+M for that game, if the game isn't a shooter it's a 90% chance I'm just using my wired 360 controller. Shoutout to Capcom for having the the hud control scheme switch on the fly though when you input something on either." ]

[ "My first and probably only tattoo done by Christa LaNatra at Into The Woods in Dania Beach, FL", "shit hurt, huh?", "Wasn't as bad as I thought until the shoulder blade and armpit area haha", "ha ha! yup, that armpit feels like making out with the devil" ]

[ "My first and probably only tattoo done by Christa LaNatra at Into The Woods in Dania Beach, FL", "Why do you say \"only?\"", "Because I only wanted one tattoo ", "Ahhh. Fair enough. Good to know it wasn't something dramatic. " ]

[ "Tribal Xenomorph Queen done by Joseph Vargas at Zoe's Vicious Circle in Milwaukee Wisconsin", "Upvote because Milwaukee!!\n\n\nWhere is this shop? I’m on the eastside. ", "Howell and Howard", "Nice! " ]

[ "Would it be weird for a guy to get a blue butterfly tattoo on their wrist? <selfbr> Thoughts? Never gotten a tattoo and was thinking of something small.", "It wouldn't be weird, but it might end up looking feminine. Which is totally ok, btw. As a person who has had laser tattoo removal, I suggest you work on other tattoos that you feel more confident about first and leave a space for your butterfly. If you still want it in a year, buy it for yourself next xmas.", "Agreed. Depending on the shade of blue it might look feminine. OP should wait until he is confident in his choice before making a permanent decision. ", "is there any way that a blue butterfly doesn't look feminine? Unless the butterfly has fangs and bat wings..." ]

[ "Would it be weird for a guy to get a blue butterfly tattoo on their wrist? <selfbr> Thoughts? Never gotten a tattoo and was thinking of something small.", "Do what you want. It's your tattoo.", "Yeah I was just trying to be on the safe side because it would be my first. Just thought what other people would think of it is all!", "Makes sense, it's a scary first step...if it has meaning to you then that's who it should matter to. Someone is always going to shit on something hah ", "True that! I’d probably just get a little one on my wrist or something, nothing too big, i’m definitely not the type of guy to have his whole body tatt’ed, at most in the future is probably half a sleeve." ]

[ "Celtic triquetra by Jimmy at Rabbits Den Tattoo, Milltown NJ", "Haha thanks for the save 😅 I love it too! It’s very interesting and beautiful ", "Fyi to reply directly to a message you just hit the \"reply\" button and it keeps everything in a thread instead of making a new one. 😁", "Ohhh!! So sorry! I’m new to this! Only my 4th day on reddit haha " ]

[ "Fresh finger tattoos by Matt Monroe @ monolith tattoo nashville", "oooo leviathan cross, the anti christ symbol for people who don't want people to know they're edgy, i like it :)", "Super edge... finger tattoos are edgy. Edge^2. Leviathon cross (alchemic symbol for sulfur) Lucifers sigil, and a thelemic unicursive hexagram. ", "what band are you in?", "Not in a band. Just an ordinary citizen like yourself." ]

[ "Has anyone ever gotten laser hair removal to permanently remove hair where they wanted a tattoo? <selfbr> just curious if its a good idea.", "I've heard laser hair removal doesn't really work. Might as well just keep it shaven. ", "It works. My wife did it, but you have to have multiple sessions, not just one.", "It takes 8-10 sessions but then they recommend yearly \"touch ups.\"" ]

[ "BPRD patch - Zach Fincher, Monolith Tattoo, Nashville, TN", "No idea what a brpd patch is, but that texture is super cool. ", "check out Hellboy!", "I've seen the movies so is the patch from the comics or did I not pay enough attention lol ", "it's in both, but I don't want to judge your perception abilities" ]

[ "First tattoo - Elephant and cherry blossoms - by June Jung at June Jung Art - Los Angeles, CA", "Its childlike and i quite like that but i just know how this is gonna look in only a few years and would never get this style or colour because of that. Id hate to have to spend on the same piece over and over again twice a decade.", "That's something I actually gave a lot of thought to before deciding to get a tattoo of this style, and I'll say first off that I'm not entirely convinced tattoos like this will age as badly as some say. I had a pretty hard time finding strong evidence of anything truly awful beyond ordinary tattoo aging.\n\nIn the case that it is true and it starts to look bad after a few years, then the idea of occasional touch ups doesn't distress me too much. Could even treat it as an opportunity to add a little something and commemorate the time passed.\n\nAt the end of the day, getting a tattoo for me was, in part, a way of making a commitment to and embracing who I am, along with getting an awesome piece of art that I love. I wasn't going to let the fear of permanence paralyze me and keep me from getting a tattoo, and along the same lines wasn't going to let the fear of impermanence keep me from getting the one I wanted. I don't expect it to 100% look the same forever, but I plan to take as good care of it as I can, embrace its changing along with myself, and take it all one step at a time.", "This is a fantastic reply to the age-old \"watercolor fade\" debate. Love the tattoo!" ]

[ "My mom, brother, sister, and I all got matching tattoos in our mom's handwriting. Done by Al at True North Tattoo, Wadsworth, Ohio.", "Your mom got it in her handwriting?", "Yeah so they all matched. ", "That makes sense. Must be pretty funny at family parties too" ]

[ "Neo trad artists in southwest US <selfbr> I'm heading to the US for a month, late march to late april 2018 and want to grab a tattoo towards the end of my trip. I'll be travelling through Arizona, Nevada, and California.\n\n\nAnyone got recommendations for good neo traditional artists to scope out? Someone who is good at drawing animals. I'm looking to get a piece done on my ribs, using mainly dark colours. \n\nCheers", "Check out Heritage Tattoo in Las Vegas.", "Big ups mate, I'm digging some of Brett's work.", "Check out Josh Woods in California as well. He's working at Black Lantern. Located in Orange County(Southern California)." ]

[ "New Octopus by Frank Carter at Sang Bleu, London, UK", "Frank Carter has sweet work! I work at Sang Bleu when I'm in London. All the artists there are top notch. Great piece! ", "When will you be back in London? ", "February and March, I'm booked up but I may do a flash day at the end of March " ]

[ "New Octopus by Frank Carter at Sang Bleu, London, UK", "I love this tattoo and kinda want to copy it because I love Octopi but apparently it has something to do with a band? Bummer.", "The tattoo doesn’t have something to do with a band. The artist, Frank Carter, is also a musician. ", "Ooooh nice okay." ]

[ "Is it rude to ask a shop for suggestions on an artist closer to me? <selfbr> I would like to get a custom Polynesian style half sleeve. While doing my research a majority of the shops/artists I found that were not across the world were in Hawaii. I’d prefer someone of Polynesian decent with an real understanding of the style to tattoo me since I am asking for custom work. I know half sleeves take multiple sessions and I don’t know when I would be able to say in Hawaii for more than 2 weeks at a time. I was thinking about asking the shops I’ve heard about whether they know anyone closer to the NYC area I can go to, but I don’t want to come off as rude. Is this something artists are willing to do? ", "It's like asking a Honda dealership to suggest a good Chevy dealership to you", "So my best bet would be to just suck it up and stay for however long it would take to finish the piece? ", "Ultimately it's your body and up to you but you should definitely do your own research when it comes to artists in the area " ]

[ "Swallows and ribbon done by Ernie at Port City tattoo shop in Long Beach, Ca.", "What does following seas mean? ", "It's a saying in the Navy. Kinda like good luck.", "Thanks for clearing that up for me. Nice tattoo in any case. ", "No problem. Glad I could help." ]

[ "My first tattoo, done by Ana at Smokey Banana in Broomfield, CO", "Wow, you know, I usually don't care for ink that is only one color, but this is making me re-think that idea.\n\nI really like it.", "Thank you!! It's actually lighter blue on the top and there's some gradient in some of the letters on the top and middle ", "Well, it is just gorgeous. Good for you, that one is a keeper." ]

[ "Part one of five \"become ethereal\" thu'um done by Caleb at artistic temptations Stillwater, Ok.", "What's this from? Looks great", "Looks like one of dragon shouts from Skyrim", "It is indeed. It's the fade portion of the \"become ethereal\" thu'um. " ]

[ "Artist recommendations in Boston area for hyper realistic nature tats <selfbr> I don’t think this breaks the rules of the sub but I want to get a new tattoo (this will be my second). Can anyone recommend an artist in the Boston area that is really good for hyper realistic nature tattoos? Thanks for any help. ", "I think you might like Oleg, at Off the Map, Easthampton: https://www.instagram.com/turyanskiy I haven’t come across many hyper-realism tattoo artists in Mass yet. Timmy B at Nite Owl, Northampton does like a new school realism style which I love https://www.instagram.com/timmy_b_413. The Murray twins at Black Veil do interesting stuff (but not hyper real) https://www.instagram.com/blackveiltattoo Jesse Rix in Keene NH does realism-trippy-insane work: https://www.instagram.com/jesse_rix If I think any others, I’ll send you the link here.", "Thanks the for the reply. Yeah, I have noticed it’s been pretty thought to find artists that do the realistic look. One person I found that does some pretty good realistic work is dia moeller https://www.instagram.com/diamoellertattoo/?hl=en but haven’t heard back from her. Thanks again for the tips u/Harold-bishop ", "No worries. I would honestly just keep an eye out for guest spots, or see who is at the conventions. Nite Owl and Off the map have both had some of the best artists in the world at their places. Yogi is another favorite of mine but he’s in Florida https://www.instagram.com/yogi_barrett EDIT: He’s moved to Georgia!" ]

[ "Looking for black and grey statuesque artists in the Massachusetts area <selfbr> Hello! After having my last two artists leave the field and state I’m in need of recommendations for some artists awesome in black and grey statuesque portraits. Anywhere in Mass would be greatly appreciated, but a little further away doesn’t hurt either. Thank you so much for any and all suggestions!", "Check out the artists at Off The Map in Easthampton, MA. West side of the state. There are a ton of crazy talented tattooers there. I know there’s three dudes who do black and grey, but one that truly loves it and wants to go further in it. They’re not like, marble statue-bob tyrell level, but they should definitely be able to fit your needs. ", "Oleg is pretty good at OTM https://www.instagram.com/turyanskiy", "Oleg is freakin’ crazy. He’s doing part of my fiancée’s body suit she won from OTM. \n\nThe only issue is his current work visa is expiring, so he’s going back to Russia for a little bit before he can come back again. ", "I go through that bullshit when my visa expires in the US and I have to go back to England. Just a heads up - they have a habit of being massively delayed, so he may say he’ll be available in a month - but it could be 2 months. How did she win a body suit!!? Congrats on that!!" ]

[ "Two headed fox by Mike Adams at Homestead Tattoo in Frederick, MD", "Does he have a waiting list?", "Last week he posted that he was going to be in a few extra days and to message for an appointment so I did and got one for Thursday. But I’d message or email to see what his schedule looks like since the spontaneous openings happen occasionally.", "Many thanks! " ]

[ "Two headed fox by Mike Adams at Homestead Tattoo in Frederick, MD", "30minutes from me; I’m in emmitsburg, md! Might have to go check them out ", "Follow him on Instagram, he’s only at his studio a few days a week but posts his available appointments there sometimes", "Will do!" ]

[ "My shin reaper. Derek Sayeg, genuine electric tattoo, Van Nuys California.", "That’s dope, I like it ", "Thanks! I have several pieces from him but this is my favourite yet", "How would you call this kind of style? I really like your tattoo !", "American traditional/ old school" ]

[ "Mushroom witch by Tristan Trenaman at Heretic, Melbourne.", "I love this so much! Is this your drawing OP because I really dig it? ", "Original by the artist, here's his insta- https://www.instagram.com/ttrenaman_tattooer/", "Damn this guy perfects the blackwork style I'm into. It's a shame he's in Australia.\n" ]

[ "Last January I lost my pet bunny, June. I loved him so much that I told myself that one day I would commemorate him. His favorite food was broccoli. So I give you The Broccoli of Life. Done by Beth at Gray Goat Tattoo.", "Beth cmon", "Constructively, what don't you like about it? Instead of just being rude, why not contribute something? I wanted to share it because I think Beth did a great job and it's very important to me. It's not the most intricate tattoo in the world, but you should be ashamed of yourself. You obviously don't have to like it, but you can make your opinion noted in a much more civil way. ", "It literally has no detail and there’s blow outs everywhere ", "She was actually really light handed. I don't know much about tattoos, so I had to look up what a blow out is. She mentioned that the thick circle would look a little faded by technique. Maybe this picture after it's healed a few days is a little more clear. As for the simplicity, I didn't want something too detailed. It's supposed to be a take on all the tree of life tattoos that seemed to be trendy for a while, but with my own unique twist. Either way, I appreciate the feedback.\n\nhttps://i.imgur.com/ExHUi3p.jpg" ]

[ "First tattoo (not quite finished yet), Brandon Quinn, Dark Horse Tattoo, Gilbert, Arizona", "Man props to ya. This must have sucked as a first piece. Around the nipple really isn't pleasant. \n\nTurned out awesome though!", "Thanks! The nip sucked but it was the side ribs and near the arm pit that was pure fucking agony. Worth it.", "I'm lucky enough to not have any on my ribs, but yeah armpits suck too." ]

[ "Is it rude to go to a tattoo artist with an idea and ask them to be freely creative? <selfbr> My first tattoos I found photos online and was like “something like this.” \n\nFor a future half sleeve I have certain broad themes (e.g. I want these words from a song under my collarbone to connect to a a half sleeve and have that theme. I like Victorian gothic style and old science illustrations/vintage illustrations) but not anything concrete (e.g I want there to be a bird cage and I want it to flow into some vinery. Also a clock with a broken hour hand. I want it to be in neo traditional style.”)\n\nI’ve gone to a few tattoo artists and asked them to be creative in their style and draw something original but they’ve blown me off and told me to be more exact in what I want. They won’t even take a moment to speak to me. Theyve just told me to come up with an idea and book. \n\nIs t considered rude to ask a tattoo artist to draw something original but broadly themed (for example not going in and being like “I want a bumble bee) or are these tattoo artists I’ve tried going to just interested in pushing out as much as possible with clients? I’m trying to find an artist that will take a minute to sit with me and talk through my idea and work with me but I don’t know if that’s how tattoo artists operate. ", "In my experience, artists love having creative freedoms, but also need *some* guidelines/ideas to go off of. I’d suggest by first looking at the portfolios of artists in your area to find a couple that you like their style. Then emailing or going to the shop and having a general idea of what you want, but letting them know that they can have creative freedom, done in their style. For instance, my most recent tattoo, my mom and I got matching cactus. I found an artist I really liked on Instagram that I had been following quite a while, so when I went in to his shop, I was able to say “I want a cactus for my mom and I. I don’t care what kind, what it looks like, as long as you know it’s a cactus when you look at it done in American traditional style (that’s what he specialized in)” and it turned out great! Same thing when I got a tattoo in Japan; I stumbled upon a shop, talked to the artist and happened to mention that I really loved these specific dolls they had in the area, and he drew me up a sweet custom tattoo. \n\nThere are definitely artist that would be willing to take the time to sit with you &amp; design something meaningful and unique to you. Just be prepared for it to take some time &amp; looking around, as well as the obvious deposits and what not that will go along with it.\n\nSource: 13 tattoos, 35+ hours combined total ", "I’m relocating in a month and am in no rush to tattoo. Definitely want to not rush into a half sleeve and feel like I rushed my first tattoos (although I’ve come to love them). I have a broad idea but I don’t have any exact symbols that I want for it. I need help coming up with that based on my theme and what I’m thinking and maybe that’s putting too much pressure on an artist ", "Could be, but I also know of artists who have created entire sleeves from passages from the Bible or an album/soundtrack. It can be done. That being said, it’s always good to have at least somewhat of an idea; tattoo artists aren’t mind readers, and because this is something permanent on your body, some people are cautious about bringing their own interpretation to things, if that makes sense. Set up a consultation appointment when you find someone you like (a lot of shops have them) and go talk with them face to face. I think it may be easier for you to convey your ideas that way. Best of luck!! " ]

[ "First tattoo. Gate of time done by Orrin Hurley at Hudson Valley tattoo company in Wappingers Falls, New York", "Nice subtle Zelda tattoo!", "Thank you, exactly what I was aiming for. Something subtle that people that didn't know what it was could appreciate it and people that did could fan girl with me over it ", "Yeah no absolutely well done! I think it's smart doing that because it's easier to get another tattoos around it without having to be stuck with cartoons if that's what you got the first time. Also it's way more age-less!" ]

[ "First tattoo. Gate of time done by Orrin Hurley at Hudson Valley tattoo company in Wappingers Falls, New York", "This is excellent, and I've seen this same shop on here and also posted by several friends on FB and stuff (I live somewhat close by). I'm def leaning toward them to do a big piece I have planned in the near future.", "Really clean and great artist there. Can not think of a single compliant just an overall great shop", "Yeah I've been looking at the varios artists' work and am really impressed. I think this piece might be heavily nature/camping influenced so stylistically my favorites at the shop are looking like Orrin, Carpino, Tyler, and Taka. Gonna be a tough choice!", "All super good. I hear tribal is takas specialty, but I'm sure who ever you pick is going to kill it" ]

[ "Artist suggestion needed - Melbourne Australia - cartoon/comic book style <selfbr> I've been interested in getting a tattoo for a long time and the other day I saw some cool tattoos from Melbourne based artists on here. I'm a big geek and love comic book/cartoon styles so if you know anyone who specialises in that, that would be perfect. All suggestions welcome!", "http://instagram.com/dan_m_tattoo\n\nThis is probably the best guy I know for what your after. Have a look, see if his style is up your alley. His Homer is really good. ", "Wow his work looks great, thank you so much for showing me this!", "Not a problem, there should be info about bookings there on his Insta. Send him an email to make a booking. Oh, also http://instagram.com/benjaminlaukis works at the same studio, check out his Carnage. He does some, specific work, but he's legit one of the best tattoo artists I've ever seen. ", "His stuff is not quite what I'm looking for on myself but I see what you mean, his stuff is amazing " ]

[ "Fox and Flora, by Alvaro Alonso at Malibu Tattoo, Sitges, Barcelona", "that's beautiful! how long did this take?", "6 hours. 2 hours for the line work then 4 hours for the shading and colouring ", "wow, awesome! all in one session?", "Yep. He did the line work and black, then we had a 30 minute lunch break, then he did all of the colour ", "thank you for sharing! I'm definitely strongly considering him for a piece now :)", "I would highly recommend him. And Sitges (the town where Malibu Tattoo is) is beautiful " ]

[ "Fox and Flora, by Alvaro Alonso at Malibu Tattoo, Sitges, Barcelona", "Great Tit[.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_tit)\n\nEdit: guys, that's what species the bird is, come on, it's funny.", "Mostly because they can't see your link.", "tbh I thought it was enough of a joke around reddit lol\n\nPlus it's not even like her chest is in the picture." ]

[ "Finished half-sleeve I got done today by Curt Everitt at Enso Tattoo (Columbus, OH)", "That looks great! What was the inspiration behind it?", "So I initially got the idea from the album artwork from ADTR Homesick album. I have always loved that album art and wanted to find a way to incorporate it somehow. I had also been in love with a lot of forest work that I had been seeing on this sub and else where. I decided to combine the two and took the idea to my artist and he handled the rest. Curt was amazing working through what I wanted and I can't say enough good things about the guy.", "I knew it was influenced by Homesick! I love that album art (and album). Great piece!" ]

[ "Finished half-sleeve I got done today by Curt Everitt at Enso Tattoo (Columbus, OH)", "Looks like the guy on the cover of ADTR's album cover \"homesick\"", "Glad you saw that! it was part of my initial inspiration for the piece. The fact you say that just means I got what I wanted out of this!\n", "Nice! Looks great :)" ]

[ "Choosing an artist <selfbr> This is a lot more difficult than I expected! How do you choose a good artist for a tattoo?\nI thought I found one but a lot of their pics in their online portfolio have blurred edges, is that normal?\nAm I allowed to post a pic of an example?", "Post their portfolio or instagram", "http://instagram.com/captain_squids", "I was kinda ehh about the art, but then I saw the wolf thing. Wtf is that?? \n\nWhatever you do, don't get a wolf from this person. " ]

[ "Wolf, Issac Sanchez, Inkfatuation Port Hueneme CA", "What is that symbol?", "Algiz rune for protection.", "From where does its meaning derive for you? Norse mythology, its significance in white nationalism, its runic context, or something else?", "Norse/Runic Divination.", "Looks great. I love the line work and color contrast." ]

[ "Join, or Die. By Matt Brodnax, Infinity Tattoo, NYC.", "I saw that in a video game but forgot which - can someone help? :D\n\nNice tat anyways!", "Thanks! It makes an appearance in Fallout 4 with the Minutemen but that's all I can think of.", "YES YOURE RIGHT :D and I screenshotted it and thought „hey that would be a sick tattoo“ :D\n\nNice man 👍🏻" ]

[ "Join, or Die. By Matt Brodnax, Infinity Tattoo, NYC.", "As much as a Revolutionary era nerd as I am, I'm ashamed to say eight segments confused me for a minute.", "Yep, Ben Franklin wanted to keep it condensed for ease of printing and decided to incorporate all of New England into one segment.", "I knew of it, but had never gone out of my way to find a copy. Thanks! I read through the wiki page about it real quick." ]

[ "loral Sleeve by Rae at Unkindness Art in Richmond VA", "This is the best floral tat I've seen. Nice work", "Except that it isn't his. It was posted 4 months ago or so by /u/N3WPORT I believe. ", "Guess somebody really wanted that karma. At least the individual gave my artist credit for it.", "I guess there's a silver lining to everything." ]

[ "How do you use a design you found online without stealing? <selfbr> So I found a design online that I really like, I don't remember where I found it and I don't know who drew it. I'm curious how to use this design without copying because I don't want to steal someone's work. How drastically should I change it? Anybody else have this concern/how did you handle it?\nOr is this a question I should just take to an artist, once I find one?", "I actually was in this situation with my most recent piece. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/WoSJX), you can see the first pic is what I ended up getting, and the bottom two are the designs I took to the artist. \n\nThe only thing I told him was that I wanted the dead astronaut to be less sketch like and I wanted the geometric triangle background. He took it from there. \n\nThat being said, if you love a piece, then get it! You can always tweak it to your liking or combine pieces, but if you love the piece as is, it’s not stealing. It’s just sharing art! ", "That's not altering it at all. The helmet's exactly the same, the skull is the same. All he's done is put triangles behind it. If you want to steal designs, cool, but don't pretend you're doing an homage to the artist or not copying their work.", "Where did I claim to not copy a design? It is a copy of two designs into one. The triangles are pretty much exact as well. \n\nWhen it comes down to it though, there are hundreds of dead astronaut designs as well as triangle designs out there. Even if it was fully custom, you could easily find extremely similar art somewhere. \n\nI personally think it’s fine, as long as the work is not being claimed as your own IP. " ]

[ "Diabetic Emblem, by Jamie Mclone at Electric Chair Tattoo - Clio, MI (reposted due to title spelling)", "I don’t know how to put this lightly but that’s the symbol of commerce. The Rod of Asclepius only has one snake and usually depicted with no wings. I’m sorry but I had to say something. edit: I do like the tattoo though. Also, I hope that didn’t come off as harsh. ", "Oh no, Im not good with medical names of symbols. I was looking for things to maybe use for my first tattoo and saw something very similar to this. Just changed a few things. But thank you for the info, and nothing harsh about being corrected on something. ", "For sure, dude. In a twisted kind of way, now EMT’s could see that and think, “oh yeah, we’re gonna get some money out of him”. But really, nice job picking the forearm; when looking for an IV spot they will notice it; hopefully even before. " ]

[ "Gem heart by Red Wright, Cosmic Tattoo Colchester UK", "Is this healed yet? I want over just like it but haven't seen one healed", "Not quite yet. It hurt a lot on Saturday (when I got it done) and yesterday. Can post again once healed ", "That would be really awesome of you, thanks!" ]

[ "Finished the second session of my Japanese dragon sleeve. Done by Paul @ PhysicalGraffiti in Linden New Jersey", "Nice!! I’m building a Japanese thing too but I’ve only had one session so far. How many hours have you done in those two sessions? It seems like you’re very far in for only two sessions of work...", "We're about 9 hours in so far. ", "It looks awesome! Must be great to see it come together like that. I’m now even more stoked for my second session that’s coming up later this month :)" ]

[ "Clipper Ship by Derek Zielinski at Glass Heart Tattoo in Plains, PA", "That is cracking. Hope it wasn’t too painful!", "It was honestly the most painful tattoo I have. Glad it’s over with! ", "1000% worth it. Awesome af\n\nHow many hours/seshs?" ]

[ "St Michael forearm piece done by TJ Kaleta from Pins&amp;Needles tattoos in Newton Falls, Ohio", "Beautiful man :)", "Thanks a lot! It's my first one and I am definitely happy with it ", "I’m looking into getting something like this, just the creation of Adam hands on my forearms, but for some reason I can’t really bring myself to do it. What was our first experience like? ", "It took my about a year to finally convince myself to just go for it and do it and I couldn't be happier. Make sure you find an artist who's work will compliment your idea. Lucky for me, this kind of stuff is exactly what he does" ]

[ "My new Faye Valentine tattoo! Tattoo and Design by: Kara Klenk", "Make sure to xpost this to r/cowboybebop \n", "I did but I'm not sure it went through...? I'll try it again! I actually posted it there first, but it never showed up on their feed so rip", "Huh, maybe outomod? I’ve never actually posted on that sub, but your tat is tight and definitely belongs there. " ]

[ "Custom Armor Half-Sleeve by Oliver Fair, The Tat-Cave, Natrona Heights, PA", "This is a hot Ass ratio, Love\nIt", "Thank you, it was actually a cover up of a (small) previous tattoo. I just let the artist run with it and he did a great job.", "Sorry I mean hot ass tattoo to hot ass asian dude ratio", "It's ok, thought you might mean something like that!" ]

[ "Rey Meditating by Phil Watkins @ Marlowe ink, Fairfax VA", "Wow, didn’t expect the comments to be like this, reckon the tattoo looks sick though! Love the way it’s done and tbh I liked the Last Jedi so I don’t have something like that to complain about 🤷🏽‍♂️ hope you’re happy with it!", "Seems like some people aren't having the best Wednesday...", "Ah well, you have a sick new tattoo, so you should!", "Hey thanks man, appreciate it" ]

[ "Rey Meditating by Phil Watkins @ Marlowe ink, Fairfax VA", "Go Hokies my man!", "Hell yeah, thanks for the VT love", "Annnnd I got my answer. \n\nGo Hokies!" ]

[ "Fear and Loathing Flamingo, by Steve @ Nite Owl Tattoos in Tampa, FL", "Stedman is amazing. He did the artwork for this IPA called Flying Dog and it’s amazing.", "Yeah, if only the beer were as good as the label.", "I live near a drive thru and they sell out of it within days of getting a shipment. But I live in Ohio so" ]

[ "Fear and Loathing Flamingo, by Steve @ Nite Owl Tattoos in Tampa, FL", "I absolutely love the movie fear and loathing in Las Vegas and this is an amazing tattoo ", "Thanks! Mom will be proud, no doubt.", "She should be! That’s a piece of real art, it’s amazing and if she hasn’t already seen the movie she really should lol " ]

[ "Tommy Pickles done by Jeff at Maya modifications in Sioux City Iowa. Also my first tattoo", "Nice job. Mind if I ask the reasoning behind it? ", "Growing up the Rugrats was my favorite show and Tommy was my favorite character. I wanted something to remind me of the happy things in life and I think this does just that", "That’s awesome. I’ve been trying to decide on a tattoo with a similar meaning for myself but just can’t lock one idea down. Really like it man 👍🏼", "That's much appreciated friend! I have always wanted one but always ended up chickening out and I'm glad I finally went through with it!" ]

[ "\"Dueling in the swamp\" by Mez Love at Tattoo Boogaloo in San Francisco", "Steve Martin? This is awesome! Both great players.", "Steve is just great in general!", "Yes an all around great person. I need to rewatch the jerk" ]

[ "First ink, pretty pink. pardon my rat tail", "The pic is blurry, but from what I can see, it's pretty solid, and I LOVE the placement. Fits very well in that space. ", "yea this is best pic I have. pretty hard area to photograph", "I can understand. I have one of the back of my arm, similarly weird to photograph! " ]

[ "Flannel wearing Viking ducky by Adam Aguas Tattoos, Naperville IL", "Holy fuck, that is some clean work. Super vibrant. No clue what the hell it is/means but damn, it looks great.", "My late brother collected rubber duckies, the sword is the same sword he had on his arm as a tattoo, he always wore red flannel and was known as \"the Viking\" by his peers. ", "I'm terribly sorry about your loss. But what a truly amazing idea to remember him by - Incredibly creative and thoughtful.", "Appreciate the condolences and thanks. It meant a lot to me to get it done correctly." ]

[ "Where do I start when getting my first tattoo??? <selfbr> I am about to turn 18 and for my birthday I want to get a tattoo. Knowing my parents I’m going to need to do all the research and everything myself (they want me to show more independence) and I just wanted to know when to contact the artist, what I should start looking for in the parlor, and whatever else could be helpful in my situation. ", "Email the artist as soon as you know what you want. In the email make sure you include your name and location and a good description of what you want as well as any photos that may be useful, like a sketch of the tattoo, even if it’s super rough, or maybe a photo of a specific dog or breed of dog if say you wanted a dog. \nIn the parlour just look for it to be reputable looking. It should look like a workplace I.e. clean and professional. Where you’re actually getting the tattoo everything you’re going to touch like a seat/bed should be wrapped in cling film (sedan wrap). The artist should wipe the area being tattooed and wear gloves, usually blue, black or white. All of their equipment should have protective covers on it and generally clean, also keep your eye out for an autoclave (google it) if you don’t see one and your worried about sanitation then ask if they have one. The bottom line is make sure EVERYTHING is clean and sanitary!\nAlso check out these articles:\n[aftercare](http://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/egafj/healing_process/c17vj2k) \n[examining a portfolio](http://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/mcpr1/collectors_and_those_thinking_of_getting_a/) \n[tipping](http://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/diimn/hey_tattooit_how_much_do_you_tip_if_at_all/) \n(They’re all in the sidebar of this sub)", "I’ve been basically filling a sketchbook with one specific thing and perfecting it over time. If I email them and they want to change the look too much, am I allowed to retract my offer of going there or is that a shitty thing to do.", "Of course you can! If they show you a drawing that you aren’t set on having PERMANENTLY on your skin then don’t get it. If it’s something minor then you can ask them to change it but if they won’t then don’t get it.\nWhen you contact them just try and make it clear that this is exactly what you want with no changes", "What I want I have my heart set on but it’s very basic; zero color just black ink. I remember being told that they always want to add a personal feeing to it. That kind you do much for the information ", "No problem. Hope everything turns out ok, make sure you show us a picture afterwards!" ]

[ "My awesome new bowie tribute tattoo done by Brad at Blu Gorilla in Charleston, SC", "Blu gorilla is awesome I got my first tattoo there. Who was your artist?", "I got my first tattoo there as well! *high five*", "I also got my first tattoo at Blu Gorilla. They are voted best in Charleston for a reason!", "Me three. I'd still be getting work done if I wasn't forced to go to Virginia.", "Got your orders huh?", "Oh yeah. Been loving it here the last two years. Not that I've been around much." ]

[ "My awesome new bowie tribute tattoo done by Brad at Blu Gorilla in Charleston, SC", "Post to the sub! We’d love to see more tattoos!", "What sub?", "Oh sorry! r/DavidBowie", "It's fine! I didn't even know there was a David Bowie sub, although I realize now that I should have! Haha" ]

[ "The beginning of my space themed sleeve, drawn by my brother and done by Bryant Sadler at Legendary Tattoo, Owensboro, KY.", "Love the bebop line ", "Thank ya!", "Can't wait to see the full sleeve! " ]

[ "Chrysanthemum Knee (mostly healed) by Andrew @ Skinny Buddha Tattoo in Green Bay, WI", "Looks great! \n\nHow bad was the pain?", "I have my knee done too and can confirm it feels like fucking death. Props to this person being cray cray enough to get it. ", "In time I'll forget about the experience and start thinking about getting my other knee done. Then I'll come back to this post and remind myself that I'm good." ]

[ "My Silverstein + Romeo &amp; Juliet tribute by Sam Walters at Tailor Made Tattoo, Brisbane AU", "Who's Verona?", "Verona is the city in which Romeo &amp; Juliet is set! Those particular lyrics are from a Silverstein song called Your Sword Versus My Dagger, which has a few R&amp;J references throughout ", "Hey thanks for the reply, I'll have to check it out! Sick ink too!", "All good man, and thanks!!" ]

[ "Getting a tattoo overseas? <selfbr> Has anyone done this? Anything in particular I should be wary of? I'm traveling to Italy in May and thinking of getting a tattoo while I'm there. There are a few artists I've seen posted here whose work I really like, and the trip I'm planning is near one of them.\n\nAs a side note, if anyone knows an artist in Italy who does really good nature scenes, I'd love to see their work.", "I’ve gotten tattoos in Spain and Singapore and had no worries. Just check for overall hygiene. Every studio I’ve been in uses disposable needles and I’ve never been concerned. ", "I'm going to be out in Singapore for a while soon, would be interested to know where you got work done there!", "https://www.hnworth.com/article/2017/12/01/inside-johnny-two-thumb-tattoo-studio-with-jaws/" ]

[ "\"The Amulet\" album artwork // John Embry. Tattoo Charlie's. Louisville, Ky", "I truly cannot understand how this is possible with a tattoo gun. Absolutely amazing!", "Lots of practice! And it's a tattoo machine. Some tattooers will rip your head off if you say \"gun,\" so dont say that around your artist. Lol", "Thanks for the correction! Whatever the tool, it is awesome. 😊", "Thanks! And itll seriously save you some trouble. Haha" ]

[ "\"The Amulet\" album artwork // John Embry. Tattoo Charlie's. Louisville, Ky", "Circa? ", "Yup! Their new album was so amazing.", "Y'know, I don't mean to be a Debbie downer, but it hasn't clicked with me yet!\n\nI love everything up to Violent Waves (which is actually my favorite believe it or not) but Descensus and The Amulet just don't exactly do it for me.\n\nEither way, amazing tattoo and an amazing band.", "Took me about two listens to click. Up to Violent Waves was pretty instant, but after listening to The Amulet twice, I was pretty sold. " ]

[ "My tattoo artist was super pissed off I asked for a touch up. Is this normal? <selfbr> It was a small blacked out bit of a large tattoo where some ink quite obviously ran out, you could see the lines of another part through it and it was more grey than black. The rest of it was perfect.\n\nShe was quite annoyed when I showed it to her, asked another tattoo artist for his opinion and then finally was like \"Oh I suppose I'll do it, but you've just been looking at it too much\". As I was sitting in the waiting area I could hear her bitching to the other guy about me coming in! The touch up took 30 minutes and she did it in complete silence and just grunted when I said thanks and left.\n\n\nI had a few more tattoos I wanted her to do but this really soured it for me. I don't think I'll go back to her. Its so annoying because the rest of the shop is v nice. Did I insult her somehow? I thought it was normal for ink to run out? I mean when I came in she was just playing her Nintendo Switch so it wasn't like I was wasting her precious time\n\n", "It is common for a tattoo to require touch ups. This was not an outrageous request. She might have been easier about it if you would have come in to set an appointment for a future date to have the work done. The \"you're looking @ it too much\" remark worries me though. She needs to understand that you are part of her walking portfolio.", "I booked in at reception yesterday", "In that case, there is absolutely no excuse for the attitude that you received." ]

[ "My tattoo artist was super pissed off I asked for a touch up. Is this normal? <selfbr> It was a small blacked out bit of a large tattoo where some ink quite obviously ran out, you could see the lines of another part through it and it was more grey than black. The rest of it was perfect.\n\nShe was quite annoyed when I showed it to her, asked another tattoo artist for his opinion and then finally was like \"Oh I suppose I'll do it, but you've just been looking at it too much\". As I was sitting in the waiting area I could hear her bitching to the other guy about me coming in! The touch up took 30 minutes and she did it in complete silence and just grunted when I said thanks and left.\n\n\nI had a few more tattoos I wanted her to do but this really soured it for me. I don't think I'll go back to her. Its so annoying because the rest of the shop is v nice. Did I insult her somehow? I thought it was normal for ink to run out? I mean when I came in she was just playing her Nintendo Switch so it wasn't like I was wasting her precious time\n\n", "I’ve never had that problem. My tattoo artists want their work to look the best when you show it to other people. That is how the get referral business. Sounds like she was just having a bad day, or needs a new profession.", "Yeah you're right, there's no way I'm going back. Her having a bad day is not my problem.", "a good tattoo artist will (or should) care about what their piece looks like. the one thing people will always ask is where you got it. \n\nif she was busy or couldnt do it then, she could have always asked if you could come back on another day. there really is no excuse for her attitude." ]

[ "Back of thigh tattoo (ow) by Sarah Akers @ La Tattoo, Perth Australia", "How was the pain for this particular part of the body? \n\nHad the outside of my thigh done yesterday (5 hour session) and I thought of tapping out a few times. ", "Not OP but, it was horrible for me. I had the back of both thighs done in one 4.5 hour session. Honestly the worst I’ve endured. I’m usually very chatty with my artist and I’m texting or on social media. I just laid there with my head down trying not to scream. ", "Worse than ribs or feet?", "I don’t have my ribs done, but FAR worse than feet. And I have mandalas, so 100% line work, on the tops of both feet. " ]

[ "Back of thigh tattoo (ow) by Sarah Akers @ La Tattoo, Perth Australia", "What is this style of tattoo called, if it does have a name? \n\nThat tattoo looks so crisp and clean...I like the artwork a lot as well. I'd be so happy to wear that. ", "Its etching/woodcut style. Pioneered by Lisa Orth, most of the stuff you see in this style is influenced by her work. Coincidentally she also designed the Nirvana logo", "love her work, never knew what the design type was called, will do lots of research to find a similar artist as LO has a huge waiting list. \nDo you know any similar artists in UK or Ireland or elsewhere in Europe? \n" ]