[Total Heckler]

Did my first session of my first tattoo. It was about 2 hours to finish all of the outlines. It really wasnt as bad as a lot of people made it out to be. It was an interesting feeling. All of the shading and color is going to be on one of the next sessions. Anyways, here is what I got...

(sorry for the not so good pictures of it)

From the front:

Looking straight at my arm:

And finially on my back:

 

[stinkyboy]

 

[moff_quigley]

Lovebunny's first tat is cooler.

 

[Total Heckler]

ha. yeah hes got me there.

 

[MMcG]

so do you have to protect that first work and treat it before the next steps???

 

[McGRP01]

so do you have to protect that first work and treat it before the next steps???

yes.

5

 

[Total Heckler]

All I have to do is keep it clean and lotion'ed up. They say to wait a minimum of 2 weeks before starting on the next session. I am going to be waiting about a month and a half because I have races every weekend next month and I don’t want to risk crashing and messing it up right after getting work done. But yeah, nothing special needs to be done between sessions. They just want things to heal for a couple weeks first.

 

[MMcG]

so the photo is taken right after the work was done right? so it needs to be kept lotioned up and clean for it to "scab over" right?

I get a kick out of the shows like Miami Ink - I betcha people think you just walk in get the tattoo done and that's that. They never show the person a few days after or a week after to show what it looks like as it progresses and heals (either coming out nice, or coming out not so nice).

 

[brungeman]

I get a kick out of the shows like Miami Ink - I betcha people think you just walk in get the tattoo done and that's that. They never show the person a few days after or a week after to show what it looks like as it progresses and heals (either coming out nice, or coming out not so nice).

Chris Garver my homeboy! He had my dad as a sculpture teacher, we went to school together, and he gave me one of his classic dragon tattoos. The man has tons of artistic talent all around!

as far as if they came out good etc. They usually show still pics of the pieces after healing up.

Nice TH, can't wait to see more!

 

[Total Heckler]

Thanks man! Lets see the dragon you got.

I took those photos a couple hours after getting it done. Right after its done they bandage you up and you have to keep that on for 4+ hours.

Right I just keep it lotioned up and clean so it can start to scab over. That will probably last a 3+ weeks or so.

Yeah i had to have him design this, that took about 2 weeks and a couple different versions of it until I found one I liked. It actually ended up being a combination of 2 he did. I have been wanting a tattoo since I was about 16, so this has been 6 years in the making. Plus with the recent passing of my best friend, I figured it would be a good time to get something done for her (the roses).

 

[TN]

looks like some nice work!

 

[DHS]

All I have to do is keep it clean and lotion'ed up. They say to wait a minimum of 2 weeks before starting on the next session. I am going to be waiting about a month and a half because I have races every weekend next month and I don’t want to risk crashing and messing it up right after getting work done. But yeah, nothing special needs to be done between sessions. They just want things to heal for a couple weeks first.

not true. different with every artist it seems.
i had my back worked on every monday for a year. i used a&d ointment for 2-3 days afterward. and then nothing. some lotion when needed.
also they don't want things to heal up too quickly, or your body will push out the ink

 

[Squeaver]

Nice work, Can't wait to see it finished up. I can't wait to get my next one(s). If I could manage to get Chris Garver to do some of mine, I would probably die, he does great work.

 

[brungeman]

Nice work, Can't wait to see it finished up. I can't wait to get my next one(s). If I could manage to get Chris Garver to do some of mine, I would probably die, he does great work.

he has a shop out in Califonia, that may be easier than going to Miami and listening to Ami yenta. Yes Garver is unreal. He has done some sweet pieces on a bunch of people from here in Pittsburgh. I will snap a pic and post it up when I get a minute at home. I had my friend (the guy I used to work for) work a Koi and some other nice bits in with it.

Tigg has a sweet Koi, and some other nice work!

I am working on a new piece for my other leg. Then comes upper body.

 

[DNA]

Tigg has a sweet Koi, and some other nice work!:

I got a koi in December. My wife got it for me for X-mas.

How did I decide on what to get? I didn't. I had just quit my job as a graphic artist (had been there for 10 years). I was sick of how I would create a cool design or layout and some dumbass I worked with would come along and muck it up. So, in an effort to give creative freedom to someone else, I gave my artist a few rough guidelines and let him go to work. He thought that a koi sounded about right.

Tigg's is way bigger than mine if I remember right.
I can now say that the inside of the upper arm is my LEAST favorite place to get tattooed.

 

[brungeman]

I got a koi in December. My wife got it for me for X-mas.

How did I decide on what to get? I didn't. I had just quit my job as a graphic artist (had been there for 10 years). I was sick of how I would create a cool design or layout and some dumbass I worked with would come along and muck it up. So, in an effort to give creative freedom to someone else, I gave my artist a few rough guidelines and let him go to work. He thought that a koi sounded about right.

Tigg's is way bigger than mine if I remember right.
I can now say that the inside of the upper arm is my LEAST favorite place to get tattooed.

nice work!

I thought my stomach was a little uncomfortable! but and I haven't done the inside of the arm yet, so...

 

[jimmydean]

Moved to fitness?

 

[DNA]

I thought my stomach was a little uncomfortable! but and I haven't done the inside of the arm yet, so...

I can't compare the two ... no ink on the stomach, but it seems like it might be a bit tender. I have to get my 300 abs before I get anything done there.

Dragon, stomach ... let's see some pics.

 

[jimmydean]

My son got "TUK Life" TuPac style and said the worst part was near the ribs.

 

[loco-gringo]

Moved to fitness?

I too am baffled, but I could be missing something.

 

[Ciaran]

I too am baffled, but I could be missing something.

No... I think it's the mods who are baffled. Fitness? Are you stoned? (I guess they sobered up)

i had my back worked on every monday for a year.

Can we see it?

 

[Squeaver]

Yeah man, lets see Carver's work. So, I guess that is why you dont see him alot on Miami Ink, he hast to travel between both shops, on top of any other projects he might have.

 

[eaterofdog]

I can now say that the inside of the upper arm is my LEAST favorite place to get tattooed.

The ribs under the arm is supposed to be bad as well.

 

[SkaredShtles]

My Little Pony?

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
(sorry for the not so good pictures of it)

From the front:

Just curious - are those *skinless* horses?

 

[loco-gringo]

Just curious - are those *skinless* horses?

It's a great dane with hooves.

 

[Total Heckler]

Yes they are skinless horses. I wanted to show the muscles on them. =]

[Brutal]

 

[DH Diva]

no ink on the stomach, but it seems like it might be a bit tender

The stomach was cake, I could have gone all day. The rib cage however was quite uncomfortable, all three hours of it. When he was directly on a rib, I could feel it vibrating in the opposing rib.

 

[PatBranch]

My son got "TUK Life" TuPac style and said the worst part was near the ribs.

What does TUK mean?

 

[Toshi]

My Little Pony?

<jd>
it's not a unicorn. it's a horse with a sword on his head!
</jd>

 

[MMike]

I will never ever ever ever understand the appeal of tattoos. More power to you all if that's what you like, but I will never understand it. If my kids ever get tattoos I will positively plotz....

 

[PacificPointer]

The stomach was cake, I could have gone all day. The rib cage however was quite uncomfortable, all three hours of it. When he was directly on a rib, I could feel it vibrating in the opposing rib.

These tats and piercings you talk of...... any pics???

The reason I ask for pics is because with a screenname like yours they probbaly blur in person

 

[sunny]

I will never ever ever ever understand the appeal of tattoos...

I think this is the first time I can remember agreeing with you.

 

[brungeman]

Here are a few pics taken of the Garver Dragon done 15 years ago, with the Koi, water, and flowers, I had worked in with it. The Dragon was done with me kneeling on a folding chair with my elbows on the back of it. I think the most painful thing was my knees on the damn folding chair. The same couldn’t be said for the front. There are a few tender points along the shin bones, not directly on them but just off to the sides!

The color has held up well in the Dragon. My friend that tied everything together has several pieces by Chris as well, and helped me work through the ideas of how to finish it off. There is more to come, but first I will work on getting some work on the other leg to balance it out a bit.

Here is a stitched up version trying to show the piece as if it were laid flat. This is 3 photos tied together. The dragon is down the back of the calf.

The Koi which runs down the front of my shin.

The tie in of the Koi with the dragon with a Chrysanthemum.

the other side with the water, and some cherry blossoms

another angle

the lighting was kind of poor, and the photo’s don’t show the brightness of the colors. Chris is fantastic at “color shading” which in most cases makes a piece brighter.

you can check out a few more pics here

 

[DNA]

MMike may not get it, but I do.

Nice ... very nice!

 

[Squeaver]

Nice work. That dragon is pretty BA. The shading is awesome. It makes it seem as though it is about to leap off of your calf. Unreal.

 

[blue]

I had a friend just get this...She's motivated me to nut up and drop the dough on the one I want on my leg.

 

[Total Heckler]

Alright, got another session done last night! I'm pumped. I'm still pretty red from it the next day, but I kind of like how it looks all red and irritated. Anyways, I spent another hour and 20 minutes last night getting the shading done and I think it looks awesome! We also discussed all the coloring thats going to be done on the next session. I love it so far! (sorry for the bad pictures, taking these of myself proved to be much more difficult than originally thought.)

The back:

Middle:

And front:

 

[Quo Fan]

Looks awesome. Ihave a dragon on my left arm and a dragon tribal on my right arm.

 

[2gunnz]

For now all I have is my wifes initials on my ring finger. I'd like to get a nice cross on my left forearm though. Anyone know the best shop to go to in the Tacoma area?