Tattoos.

[Graeme]

Ok, as were showing, heres my right arm

A friend of mine worked in an old folks home, an elderly woman there was tattoo'd, she had them done in the 20's. She used to spend quite a bit of time down the docks

I always thought that must have been a pretty unusual thing for a woman then.

 

[zaika]

jake, your tattoo is SO beautiful. you must be really proud to have such a beautiful and special piece of art. i can't wait to see the finished piece.

graeme, your tattoo is brilliant! i love the colors!

 

[Dr Doran]

Nice tats, gents!

 

[Graeme]

Thanks, its one of many. Soon to be many more now my girlfriend has finished her apprentiship (sp)

 

[pgoat]

Ok, as were showing, heres my right arm

A friend of mine worked in an old folks home, an elderly woman there was tattoo'd, she had them done in the 20's. She used to spend quite a bit of time down the docks

I always thought that must have been a pretty unusual thing for a woman then.

Nice! Love the fish, great colors too.

 

[Canadave]

...now my girlfriend has finished her apprentiship (sp)

As a tattoo artist?

David

 

[Graeme]

Yes

She's done a couple on me but i expect alot more will follow!

 

[Goldfish]

I can say with certainty that the best advice I was given about tattoos was this - find an artist who's work/style you like, and come to them with your ideas. But not, if at all possible, a final design. When you let the tattoo artist create their own design, you're making sure they have a better time doing the tattoo, and giving them a personal stake in the creation they are pushing underneath your skin.

That's what I plan to do.
Did you see the final tattoo design before you went to get it tattooed or did he draw it freehand on your body?

I am planning to get tattooed by an artist in France - I live in Germany - and I don't know how you work on a tattoo with such a long distance between you.
Meaning that I have ideas and I think he will make a great piece out of that, but I don't want to go and see the final tattoo and get it tattooed the same day...

Maybe I should just ask him lol

 

[pgoat]

You should try and have the design emailed to you. Definitely try to see it first. No sense in rushing these things or making a hasty decision.

 

[Graeme]

That's what I plan to do.
Did you see the final tattoo design before you went to get it tattooed or did he draw it freehand on your body?

I am planning to get tattooed by an artist in France - I live in Germany - and I don't know how you work on a tattoo with such a long distance between you.
Meaning that I have ideas and I think he will make a great piece out of that, but I don't want to go and see the final tattoo and get it tattooed the same day...

Maybe I should just ask him lol

Im sure he will be glad to e.mail you pictures, but if your going to him because you liek his work then theres nothing finer than giving the artist an idea and letting him run with it and do what he thinks is best.

They tend to know what there doing.

generaly you'l get the best tattoo that way as you letting the artist work his own way, which after all, is why your going to him in the first place.

With my arm, i just said i want this fish there and some cherry blossom and light water work and left him to it. I was traveling quite far so i booked him for whole days and did 6 hours at a time.

 

[jake431]

That's what I plan to do.
Did you see the final tattoo design before you went to get it tattooed or did he draw it freehand on your body?

I am planning to get tattooed by an artist in France - I live in Germany - and I don't know how you work on a tattoo with such a long distance between you.
Meaning that I have ideas and I think he will make a great piece out of that, but I don't want to go and see the final tattoo and get it tattooed the same day...

Maybe I should just ask him lol

I had a consultation where he took a tracing of my arm, and I left him the needed reference materials (books), and when I came in for my first session, he showed me the design. I am sure in your case he could send you a scan or something of the design before you go to France to get the tattoo.

-Jake

 

[Goldfish]

Thanks for all your responces.

In case you want to know the artist I wanna go to:
http://el.fahy.free.fr/
Like many other people said: "You either love or hate him"
What I don't like are the people who say he's not a tattoo artist - you might not like his designs, but the technique of tattooing is more than just nice designs; outlines, matching the colors to skintone, matching the design to the customer's body and much more...

I choosed him by heart. I am a lot into bodymods that's why I read a lot of tattoo mags and one had an article about his studio in it, with this story:
(translated it the best I could)
"A 18 - years old boy came to Lionel 2 years ago to get a writing of the name "Lydia" tattooed. "Lydia, who is that? asked Lionel and found out that it was the name of his sister. Lionel and the boy liked each other and had a long conversation. By accident Lionel saw some cuttings on the boy's arm, asking him discreet where they came from.
He had done them to himself with a knife, amongst others the words "Lydia a la folie" -> "Lydia I love you to distraction" - out of anguish because his little sister was in hospital, dieing(dying?) of cancer.
So Lionel suggested to tattoo this instead of the boy's first idea because it's so much more personsal.
The boy realized this, too, and got Lionel's idea tattooed, being very thankful.
"This story has really touched my heart" Lionel explains.
"You can imagine how sad I was going home that day".




I don't have a specific design in my mind. There's the placement and something like a *Things I love*(drawings, photos, art) photo album on my computer. When I contact him first, do I need to pay him right away when we talk about my ideas?
I am awkward in situations like that. Need to put money aside for a tat, so I really need to know when you need to pay him and stuff like that

OK, enough said, talking too much

 

[Graeme]

Well, thats different.

Cant make my mind up, part of me really likes it, the other part of me really isnt sure.

I have nothing against rough tattoo's, prison tats, home done stuff etc. I certainly dont think tattoo's have to be intricate or well done to be beautiful.

I wonder how good a piece he 'could' do if he felt the urge.

Having said that, as long as an artist is able to produce the piece he wants to, what more can you ask?

Go for it

 

[volatile]

You're getting tattooed by Lionel at YourMeatisMine? Wow.

I have heard nothing but good things about the guy. If you like his style, then trust him. The thing is, as with most very specialised or very distinctive artists, you're really buying a piece of their art work (though you do have certain privileges of patronage, of course), and its quite a different process (and I'd actually go so far as to say "better", but that's just my own personal outlook) from taking your own image or picking some flash. In cases like this, you should probably not really need to give him much more than a few ideas and maybe an image or two.

I really wouldn't expect a sketch too far in advance - most artists like Lionel work very shortly before their appointments, almost spontaneously, and are more than willing and able to change things right there and then on the day of the appointment. Think of getting a tattoo from someone like Lionel as buying a Picasso - you wouldn't presume to tell old Pablo how to draw, would you?

In fact, most tattoo artists won't send sketches they've done to the client prior to the appointment anyway, because there is often a tendancy for less scrupulous customers to get a top-notch artist to design something for them (for free, often) and then take the print out to a scratcher to actually tattoo it. That the scratchers will then use the design as flash is a double kick in the groin.

As for prepayment, if you don't know Lionel yet, expect to pay a deposit in advance.

 

[Marlowe P.]

Thanks for all your responces.

In case you want to know the artist I wanna go to:
http://el.fahy.free.fr/
Like many other people said: "You either love or hate him"
What I don't like are the people who say he's not a tattoo artist - you might not like his designs, but the technique of tattooing is more than just nice designs; outlines, matching the colors to skintone, matching the design to the customer's body and much more...

I choosed him by heart. I am a lot into bodymods that's why I read a lot of tattoo mags and one had an article about his studio in it, with this story:
(translated it the best I could)
"A 18 - years old boy came to Lionel 2 years ago to get a writing of the name "Lydia" tattooed. "Lydia, who is that? asked Lionel and found out that it was the name of his sister. Lionel and the boy liked each other and had a long conversation. By accident Lionel saw some cuttings on the boy's arm, asking him discreet where they came from.
He had done them to himself with a knife, amongst others the words "Lydia a la folie" -> "Lydia I love you to distraction" - out of anguish because his little sister was in hospital, dieing(dying?) of cancer.
So Lionel suggested to tattoo this instead of the boy's first idea because it's so much more personsal.
The boy realized this, too, and got Lionel's idea tattooed, being very thankful.
"This story has really touched my heart" Lionel explains.
"You can imagine how sad I was going home that day".




I don't have a specific design in my mind. There's the placement and something like a *Things I love*(drawings, photos, art) photo album on my computer. When I contact him first, do I need to pay him right away when we talk about my ideas?
I am awkward in situations like that. Need to put money aside for a tat, so I really need to know when you need to pay him and stuff like that

OK, enough said, talking too much

First, that is great artwork. But that story is perfect as well. When I got my tattoo in college it was pretty big and his design. He had a fixed price per hour and asked for a deposit and I paid as we went. I really enjoyed the process. Not being an artist I felt like was a part of the artistic process and not just the "canvass". Years later, I think the tattoo is kind of lame but I fondly remember going through the process.

 

[pgoat]

I don't know the artist but he seems highly respected, which is good. The bottom line imo is, if you are reasonably comfortable with it and there are good recommendations, go for it with your heart. There is a certain amount of risk and uncertainty with a tattoo, especially your first, and that is part of the thrill.

But if you are not comfortable enough that is a different story. Listen to your heart. When you are ready you'll know. If not, wait - there will always be a tattoo artist out there for you when you are ready. It's his artwork, but it's your body. You should work together to make something beautiful.

 

[pgoat]

I really enjoyed the process. Not being an artist I felt like was a part of the artistic process and not just the "canvass". Years later, I think the tattoo is kind of lame but I fondly remember going through the process.

Exactly, well put. The tattoos make up part of your life. But it's a fairly big decision, so there's no shame in waiting if you are not sure.
ps - is that Elliott Gould in your avatar?

 

[fatwoul]

Exactly, well put. The tattoos make up part of your life. But it's a fairly big decision, so there's no shame in waiting if you are not sure...

I'm thinking of tattoos as a bit like photos, glimpsing parts of your life. We all have photos from years ago when we had embarrassing hair, or stupid clothes that we thought were fantastic at the time. But I wouldn't change any of those embarrassing photos. Those times make us who we are, and even if a tattoo later becomes regrettable, it stands as a marker of a person we once were.

That's why I am not worried about regretting a tattoo later. I've decided that if I ever worried that a tattoo was going to be regrettable later, then I was getting tattoos for the wrong reasons in the first place. That feeling protects me from ever making a tattoo "mistake", but at the same time means that any mistake wouldn't be a mistake anyway. If you see what I mean.

 

[pgoat]

I do, yes. At some point you just say 'go for it'. The trick is deciding when precisely that point is - everyone is different.

I wanted a tattoo for years, and when I finally got one (I think I was 29 or 30) I was totally ready. No muss no fuss, no regrets whatsoever. Not one day spent looking at them now and saying man, what was I thinking? (I'm 43, so I doubt I'll start any time soon). I also never regretted waiting that long.

I certainly took the conservative & careful route, but that was just the right level for me. In the end I reckon if you are really having doubts (with tattoos or anything else) waiting might not be a bad idea.

 

[Curt Dawson]

Tatt's

My four grown children all have tattos.Especially my daughter and my youngest son.I will turn 50 next year and will get my first toatto then.I am still sorting through designs.I have plenty of scars though from surgeries and accidents.