Are you inked? Midwest Body Art Festival

[spoonbill]

quote:Originally posted by restored2x

quote:Originally posted by spoonbill

I've got a tatoo on my face of a guy that looks exactly like me!

You do know its gonna stretch and be ugly when you're old, right?

Yeah, that's allready started!

[sgrizzle]

DoubleA has posted one on here before. Seems like there are quite a few with tattoos on.

[Wilbur]

I have three (actually, two now, as two grew into one).  They're addicting and I'm looking to get more.

[restored2x]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I have three (actually, two now, as two grew into one).  They're addicting and I'm looking to get more.

If you don't have an artist - I know a really good one. No spam, he's a friend. And since you're the fuzz - you may already know him .[^]

[T Badd]

My friends and family have been going to Outsiders Ink (inkfather.com) for the past year (they'll also be at the Midwest Body Arts Festival).  My wife has had several pieces done by both Jose (the Inkfather) and Eric (Skribble). This isn't one of those places where you drop by to look over crappy flash on the wall and pick something out on a whim. These guys are professional ARTISTS, who happen to be incredibly talented with a tattoo gun. Like most artists, they are happiest when you give them a general idea of what you're wanting, and let them do what they do best. They'll work with you until you are completely happy with the design before it goes onto skin. Typically, these pieces go well beyond basic skin drawings and I certainly consider many of them "art".

I think the worse thing is when people just get a tattoo for the sake of getting one...to be "cool". There are a ton of tattoo cliches that should be avoided like the plague (tribals, cartoon characters, porn stars, non-English characters, "targets" right above the butt crack...etc.), but with some serious thought and preparation, I believe that tattoos can be a beautiful way to express your uniqueness.

Yeah, someday our skin will sag, and the tats won't look as fresh and new as they once did. But you know what...skin's going to be saggy and ugly when you get old regardless.

Life is not a race to the finish line with the intent of arriving in one pretty, well-preserved piece. It's arriving beat up and worn the hell out, skidding broadside across the goal-line yelling, "Oh Man!! What a ride!!".

Just my opinion...I could be wrong.

[restored2x]

quote:Originally posted by T Badd

My friends and family have been going to Outsiders Ink (inkfather.com) for the past year (they'll also be at the Midwest Body Arts Festival).  My wife has had several pieces done by both Jose (the Inkfather) and Eric (Skribble). This isn't one of those places where you drop by to look over crappy flash on the wall and pick something out on a whim. These guys are professional ARTISTS, who happen to be incredibly talented with a tattoo gun. Like most artists, they are happiest when you give them a general idea of what you're wanting, and let them do what they do best. They'll work with you until you are completely happy with the design before it goes onto skin. Typically, these pieces go well beyond basic skin drawings and I certainly consider many of them "art".

I think the worse thing is when people just get a tattoo for the sake of getting one...to be "cool". There are a ton of tattoo cliches that should be avoided like the plague (tribals, cartoon characters, porn stars, non-English characters, "targets" right above the butt crack...etc.), but with some serious thought and preparation, I believe that tattoos can be a beautiful way to express your uniqueness.

Yeah, someday our skin will sag, and the tats won't look as fresh and new as they once did. But you know what...skin's going to be saggy and ugly when you get old regardless.

Life is not a race to the finish line with the intent of arriving in one pretty, well-preserved piece. It's arriving beat up and worn the hell out, skidding broadside across the goal-line yelling, "Oh Man!! What a ride!!".

Just my opinion...I could be wrong.

Amen, T Badd. I love the visual of that attitude. It suggests living life fully - every day.

[RecycleMichael]

I like the people who get chinese symbols they think mean "peace", "love", etc.

In reality, they mean "beef with broccoli"

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by T Badd


Life is not a race to the finish line with the intent of arriving in one pretty, well-preserved piece. It's arriving beat up and worn the hell out, skidding broadside across the goal-line yelling, "Oh Man!! What a ride!!".

Just my opinion...I could be wrong.

You left out the box of chocolates in one hand and a martini in the other. []

[T Badd]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I like the people who get chinese symbols they think mean "peace", "love", etc.

In reality, they mean "beef with broccoli"

LMAO!!!  That's so true. I got my first tat when I was young(er) and dumb (as opposed to old and dumb, like now) down in Galveston. The "artist" barely paid attention to me, as he was trying keep his ankle-biting 3 year old from running around the shop most of the time. I ended up with a Japanese Kanji character picked haphazardly from the flash on the wall. It's supposed to stand for "music"...but for all I know, it says "I have sex with poodles.". I've never been able to confirm it, as I've never found a kanji like it anywhere in books or on the net. Terrible tat...terrible artist...terrible execution.  It was a learning experience for me. I'd never just walk into a shop and get a tattoo again, without doing some serious research. I'm just glad I got it on my hip, where no-one will see it anyway. That was over 15 years ago, and I'm STILL working on a cover-up for it.

This is where the body festivals really come into play. It gives you an opportunity to meet many individual artists, see their their work, and talk to them about what you are looking for. It definitely encourages you to do your homework, unless you're just dead-set on paying a higher rate to have one done right now at the festival. If you already have an idea of what you want, take it along with you. I'm still amazed at how a real artist can take even the crudest sketch/idea and turn it into a very professional tat. If you're going to have something on your body for the rest of your life, you definitely want to make sure it's something that you like and are proud of.

One last thing I'll mention, even though it isn't directly related to tattoos. Pay special attention to any shop's hygiene. This MRSA (staph infection) problem is getting pretty nasty around Tulsa these days. I've suffered from it recently, originating from a bug bite. Frequent, random health inspections seem to be keeping the newly legal OK shops on their toes, but it's still something to keep in mind as you're shopping for for a new tattoo.

I'll post up some pics of work done by the Outsiders boys in a bit when I get back on my home computer.

[spoonbill]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I like the people who get chinese symbols they think mean "peace", "love", etc.

In reality, they mean "beef with broccoli"

You could just have the number "43" tatood  on your back!  

Dosn't that mean "beef with broccoli?"

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I like the people who get chinese symbols they think mean "peace", "love", etc.

In reality, they mean "beef with broccoli"

Always thinking about food, aren't you?[]

[jne]

This is hilarious.

http://www.usedwigs.com/tattoos/

[T Badd]

Here's one that Eric from Outsiders Ink did for a friend of ours late this Summer.  She went in with the idea to have an eye in the middle of a stereotypical sunshine...but, she didn't want something that everyone else had. Giving him some creative license, Eric drew up this sketch:



Here's how it looked a during the final hour of tattooing. Sorry for the glare.



If I can ever get her to bare her hip again, I'll get a clean shot of it now that it's finished and all healed.

[T Badd]

quote:Originally posted by jne

This is hilarious.

http://www.usedwigs.com/tattoos/

That was great! Better than most of The Onion articles as of late.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Nope, nothing I've ever been passionate enough about to look in the mirror in 30 years and say "Man I'm glad I got that faded and stretched out tattoo."

Me too Conan71.  No tattoos on me.

My attitude about tattoos has changed over the years from completely negative to neutral.  But I still think there is something very odd about people with tattoos on the face and/or neck.  I still find that very off-putting.  Maybe because the mug shots you see of serial killers and crazys often have face and neck tattoos.  And most of the characters you see on "Cops."  I find something really creepy about face/neck tattoos.