- Feb 15, 2012
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I usually dont care for traditional but those are sick
***Official Tattoo Thread: Inked-4-Life Vol.2***
- Sep 26, 2001
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Thx Fong - Will check that guy out - his style does look nice. I don't have the tattoo drawn up. I was hoping that a good traditional artist could put something together.. it is actually going to 'be' my wife, so just need some simple specific elements, but wanted them to lead it.
- Oct 8, 2007
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^^^I am sure if you go with him that he'd be able to do it. He has an artwork section and I actually think his artwork is more stellar than his tattoos. He seems like he has a good background.
Here's his IG for his current work: http://instagram.com/themachine13
Here's his IG for his current work: http://instagram.com/themachine13
- Sep 26, 2001
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Set a consultation appt for Tues with ZTaylor.. will post up whatever updates here - thanks again Fong - We'll see what he comes up with
- Jul 29, 2012
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Fam, how y'all feel about roses & vines for sleeve fill ins or roses & vines in general?
- Feb 15, 2012
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Stylistic roses with no color are cool. I like realistic ones as well but I have never seen a sleeve of realistic roses. I think that would be overbearing.
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- Nov 25, 2006
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I got a whale similar to that shark this past month from Ryan Cooper Thompson haha
side note: the ditch sucked so much to get tattooed on, you can see the bruising around mouth and head
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- Aug 7, 2003
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There's quite a few great traditional tattooers in the LA area -
Dan Smith or Shawn Topper at Captured Tattoo (usually where I work when I'm out West)
Anybody at Spotlight Tattoo
True Tattoo
The Honorable Society
Tell any of those shops I sent ya.
B
- Feb 3, 2012
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Any help on finding sleeves with good clouds?
moe200069
Supporter
- May 15, 2005
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if any of you guys are in the bay area and looking for traditional american/sailor jerry tattoos, Henry Lewis at Skull and Sword in SF is pretty damn spectacular
haven't gotten anything done by him (as an asian american, can't say that i'd put a "traditional" american tattoo on myself) but a chick i dated in the past used to go to him exclusively. have to say, i appreciated looking at his artwork more than i appreciated looking at the person they were on.
his IG: http://instagram.com/henrylewis77
haven't gotten anything done by him (as an asian american, can't say that i'd put a "traditional" american tattoo on myself) but a chick i dated in the past used to go to him exclusively. have to say, i appreciated looking at his artwork more than i appreciated looking at the person they were on.
his IG: http://instagram.com/henrylewis77
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moe200069
Supporter
- May 15, 2005
- 24,876
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by the way, i hate to admit this to myself and the world, but i'm terribly disappointed with the way the shades of blue have turned up after a recent sitting. i look at my tattoo and get slightly depressed/saddened. got some filler work done on some fish that i have on my forearm and conceptually, having blue water as filler looked/sounded great. however, lots of scar tissue and the blue looks muddy as hell. doesn't pop at all.
would consider getting it covered or redone, is it possible to tattoo over a darker color? i think i may know the answer, but figure it'd be worth asking.
it was done by an artist i don't go to normally, but who does photo realism well. i'd go to my long time artist for feedback/suggestions, but given that the water bleeds into some work he's done on me in the past, i'd feel like a dog walking in with his tail between his legs.
would consider getting it covered or redone, is it possible to tattoo over a darker color? i think i may know the answer, but figure it'd be worth asking.
it was done by an artist i don't go to normally, but who does photo realism well. i'd go to my long time artist for feedback/suggestions, but given that the water bleeds into some work he's done on me in the past, i'd feel like a dog walking in with his tail between his legs.
- Feb 15, 2012
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Yah if you get a darker color than the current blue you can cover it up.
- Oct 8, 2007
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What makes Henry Lewis dope is he really has his own style. It might not appeal to all but it is different from the norm. I think that is what makes Skull and Sword so cool. Each artists has their style even though they seem to all do the same type of work in a way. Also Henry is one funny guy.
And was the color blue you got dark in general? Like navy? I even sort of learned the hard way but blue is just not a distinct color on skin unless you are super white. Like red pops the most but blues and purples on certain people's skin will just look darker than usual. I have most colors on my arm and my least favorite has to be purple. What is worse too is I was advised by my artist not to do it, but went against his suggestion anyways.
And was the color blue you got dark in general? Like navy? I even sort of learned the hard way but blue is just not a distinct color on skin unless you are super white. Like red pops the most but blues and purples on certain people's skin will just look darker than usual. I have most colors on my arm and my least favorite has to be purple. What is worse too is I was advised by my artist not to do it, but went against his suggestion anyways.
- Sep 20, 2007
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Got my appointment for my first tattoo on July 12th. 
Can't wait. Will be posting pictures.
Can't wait. Will be posting pictures.
- Sep 20, 2007
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What do you guys think of his work? This is my homie, the artist did his entire sleeve freehand. Same artist that'll be doing my tattoo.
- Jul 18, 2012
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looks really good..pic 1 and 2 look really good but 3 just doesnt flow with the rest of the sleeve imo, art is on point all around tho
- Jul 18, 2012
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I dont like it.
Its solid if you arent exposed to higher end work. I'd look for someone else to be quite honest.
Its solid if you arent exposed to higher end work. I'd look for someone else to be quite honest.
- Feb 15, 2012
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I aint feelin it but it aint bad.
- Sep 20, 2007
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I really don't wanna go to some high end artist that charges 5x the price, or that doesn't care about anyone but their loyal clients of years.. I live in Sacramento, and there's A TON of crappy artists, some good artists and a small number of high end artists. My homie's known this dude for hella long, his father-in-law got all of his work done through this guy (almost his whole back), and he's giving me a really good price. Oh, and he went to Lake Tahoe's tattoo convention and took 3rd place out of all the artists there. I'm good with what I'm getting famb
But I respect your opinion.
- Jul 18, 2012
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High end artist doesnt mean they charge 5x the price.I really don't wanna go to some high end artist that charges 5x the price, or that doesn't care about anyone but their loyal clients of years.. I live in Sacramento, and there's A TON of crappy artists, some good artists and a small number of high end artists. My homie's known this dude for hella long, his father-in-law got all of his work done through this guy (almost his whole back), and he's giving me a really good price. Oh, and he went to Lake Tahoe's tattoo convention and took 3rd place out of all the artists there. I'm good with what I'm getting famb
But I respect your opinion.
And who are you to assume they dont care about anyone but their loyal clients? Im not talking about TV artists or whoever you see pop up on your Popular feed on IG. There are many artists who charge reasonable prices and do fantastic work. You just have to do your homework.
The artist you are going to isnt TERRIBLE, but if you are going to put something on your body forever, why settle for "okay"?.
The skull is mishapen, the shading is bleh on it. The Polynesian looks choppy and uneven, the one eyed owl is terrible. That whole innerforearm is random as hell. Overall, thats a terrible sleeve if you break it down.
But hey, if you wanna save a few bucks from an artist you think cares about you, its your skin.
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- Feb 15, 2012
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I know some artist that don't charge much more, if any at all, than their average counterparts. 5x is a stretch. Those are the Nikki Norbergs and Hannah Aitchisons of the world. **** even Aitchison only charges 250 an hour.
mplsdunk
Supporter
- May 25, 2004
- 30,403
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Just because they are good at tattoos doesn't make them a douche. Nothing wrong with approaching a tattoo artist you don't know saying you like their work and want some from them.
- Sep 20, 2007
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Oh. My. God. Did I seriously just start this over my homies sleeve and an artist that you guys aren't even getting the work done from?
I've done my research. I've gone to multiple artists in the area who quoted me for a tattoo smaller than the one he's gonna do for me for 2x the price that he's doing it for. And their work wasn't even as good as his. Break down his sleeve and bash it all you want if it makes you feel any better, but I never said his artist is one of the Picassos of the tat industry. I think it looks good and so does all the people who constantly compliment him on it in person.
All I know is that Tattoo artists are sometimes jokers who will get you for a lot more than they should if you don't know much about what you're getting yourself into. If I can go to someone who I know will do a good job for me for a good price, and I'M happy with it, why not? I wasn't judging anyone, man. It happened to me. I went to a couple of well known shops in my area and got shoulder-shrugged and skyrocket quoted multiple times. I'm good off all that.
I've done my research. I've gone to multiple artists in the area who quoted me for a tattoo smaller than the one he's gonna do for me for 2x the price that he's doing it for. And their work wasn't even as good as his. Break down his sleeve and bash it all you want if it makes you feel any better, but I never said his artist is one of the Picassos of the tat industry. I think it looks good and so does all the people who constantly compliment him on it in person.
All I know is that Tattoo artists are sometimes jokers who will get you for a lot more than they should if you don't know much about what you're getting yourself into. If I can go to someone who I know will do a good job for me for a good price, and I'M happy with it, why not? I wasn't judging anyone, man. It happened to me. I went to a couple of well known shops in my area and got shoulder-shrugged and skyrocket quoted multiple times. I'm good off all that.
- Oct 8, 2007
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^^^^^^I mean you did ask us to critique it. But I hear what you are saying. Swerve killin' them with the critiques man. Haha.....playin, playin.
How about this then. If this guy is going to do your tat, best advice form me is to have him plan it out as a sleeve. Like draw the whole damn thing as one piece rather than just little things here and there. That tattoo is bad but more so just cause of what that guy wanted on his arm. To be honest, it does look freehand. And a diamond tattoo by anyone famous is still a diamond tattoo. Also don't blend too many styles into one. Just go BIG! No little damn tattoos to fill space. Like when people say they want clouds to fill space, those clouds should have been there from the get go. But some tats can blend with older tats like Adam Levine from Maroon 5.
How about this then. If this guy is going to do your tat, best advice form me is to have him plan it out as a sleeve. Like draw the whole damn thing as one piece rather than just little things here and there. That tattoo is bad but more so just cause of what that guy wanted on his arm. To be honest, it does look freehand. And a diamond tattoo by anyone famous is still a diamond tattoo. Also don't blend too many styles into one. Just go BIG! No little damn tattoos to fill space. Like when people say they want clouds to fill space, those clouds should have been there from the get go. But some tats can blend with older tats like Adam Levine from Maroon 5.
- Jul 18, 2012
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Ironic you say they can get you if you dont know what your getting yourself into.
Sounds like youre the one that doesnt know what youre getting into.
Compliments? Like I said, he can get all the compliments he wants. Do the people who are complimenting him know the difference between a quality tattoo and an okay one? Probably not.
If you wanna keep justifying it, thats on you.
EDIT
Im not trying to downplay dude, but he is asking to critique it. Im giving an honest opinion, im not trying to be a d-bag. Tattoos are FOR LIFE man, why settle for okay? Doesnt make sense to me. That sleeve has like 5 different themes it, and not to mention none of them are done right.
Sounds like youre the one that doesnt know what youre getting into.
Compliments? Like I said, he can get all the compliments he wants. Do the people who are complimenting him know the difference between a quality tattoo and an okay one? Probably not.
If you wanna keep justifying it, thats on you.
EDIT
Im not trying to downplay dude, but he is asking to critique it. Im giving an honest opinion, im not trying to be a d-bag. Tattoos are FOR LIFE man, why settle for okay? Doesnt make sense to me. That sleeve has like 5 different themes it, and not to mention none of them are done right.
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