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Tattoo Guys: I have questions

Discussion in 'General' started by sharkattack, Sep 17, 2021.

  1. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Inks are soooo much better then when I got mine done. Better everything but long term, they will blur, shift and adjust. Think of your Tat as a superbike and not superstock. You will have to do a touch up and work as time goes on. Your skin shifts. . .

    Just do not do your hands, neck and especially anything on your face. It's trendy cool now but tomorrow. . . . MULLET!
     
  2. Sweatypants

    Sweatypants I am so smart! S-M-R-T... I mean S-M-A-R-T!

    Yellow fades out first.
    Red fades out 2nd easiest.
    Color takes twice as long to do as the same thing black n gray.
    Thin light lines will of course fade or spread over years more than thick bolder lines.
    Stay out of the sun and use sunscreen, they'll last way longer.
    Go to somebody good. Typical rate is $150-175 an hour, if you're paying $100 for a 5 hour tattoo you're getting garbage or hepatitis. Or both.
    Lines on big parts of the body... arms, legs, back... won't spread and blend as easily as say, knuckles will.

    Just do it. By the time any of it fades, you'll be old. Who cares. I have 20 year old tats that look perfect still. I take care of them though and live like a vampire.
     
    ToofPic and sharkattack like this.
  3. sharkattack

    sharkattack Rescued pets over people. All day, every day

    Great advice. While o don’t live like a vampire, I do avoid the sun whenever I can. If I do go with color, would it be best to go a few shades darker than “normal” to accommodate for some fading? Like darker blue and darker red for the flag? Or would a black & grey flag look cooler?
     
  4. zamboiv

    zamboiv Well-Known Member

    Never seen that but suppose anything is possible and has been done.
     
  5. SteveThompson

    SteveThompson Banned by amafan

    This is why I ended up going with a neotraditional artist. The dark lines and heavy color seem to last better. I am also careful to keep it out of the sun. I have an older tattoo on one arm and a full sleeve on the other. The big thing I learned before I did my big project was get the best artist possible. If you’re going to do something forever, you might as well put in the work to make it great. I get comments almost every day on my sleeve and I’ve had maybe 2 comments on my other tattoo in almost 20 years (and it was done by the best artist in our city).
     
    Jedb likes this.
  6. Sweatypants

    Sweatypants I am so smart! S-M-R-T... I mean S-M-A-R-T!

    It doesn't work that way... the colors don't really change colors (except sometimes black, and that's not everyone, that has to do with the person's individual reaction to it with their body and the green thing). None of my black anything has ever turned a hint of green. My brother's older stuff has a hint of it sometimes. Its not that a darker color will fade to a lighter color like a color wheel. Overtime, for a lot of people, yellow just falls out, as in like disappears, not turns to a weirder yellow. Red doesn't turn to like, a shade of pink, it just fades sometimes in some people.

    Black and grey will hold up longer. Thick bold lines will hold up longer than fine line detail. Back side of your calf will hold up well for a long time unless you sit out on a boat or at the beach all day without sunscreen and bake.

    This is sound.

    Oh and the other thing to note... dudes that do traditional, or neo-traditional, generally don't do realism/black & grey well. and vice versa. They are very distinct skillsets, and distinct way of having an artistic vision about a subject. Choose an artist that specializes in the style you want. If you want fine line detail like that thing on the first page, go to some dude that does a bunch of amazing black & grey realism or cholo gangster shit and not a dude that does Sailor Jerry tats all day. If you want traditional or neo, find an artist that does that stuff. Its very rare to find somebody who wants to, or can do, or has lots of experience doing both.

    The dude who does this...

    [​IMG]

    Will never be the same dude that does this:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2021
    Newyork likes this.
  7. SteveThompson

    SteveThompson Banned by amafan

    What he said.

    I forgot another major lesson I learned. I eventually found an artist whose style I loved and I let her have almost complete freedom to do what she wanted. I had a few opinions early on, but learned to even let those go. I found I was more interested in having great art than I was in having something with deep personal meaning. I’ll try to find some pictures of what we did, but I don’t take a lot of pictures of myself.
     
    Jedb likes this.
  8. SteveThompson

    SteveThompson Banned by amafan

    Newyork and Jedb like this.
  9. Jedb

    Jedb Professional Novice :-)

    They do.
    I have 3/4 sleeves on both arms goes across my back.
    I have yet to run into a VP or higher level in my industry (Telecom, Data centers, IT) that have anything that can't be covered up with a dress shirt.
    No Neck, no knuckles, no hands. Only a hint under the cuff.

    My industry isn't the car/body-shop business, so may just be that difference.

    Do I care what you do? no.
    Just an observation about your pursuit of reading material, yet doing something that may keep that from manifesting.

    The dude going to jail for assault is going to have the knuckle tattoos.
    The dude running a business most likely doesn't have the knuckle tattoos unless he got them at 16.
     
    AC1108 and ToofPic like this.
  10. SpeedyE

    SpeedyE Experimental prototype, never meant for production

    I have a full suit, Tuxedo w/ Bowtie, ruffles and cumber bun. NO cuff-links. It costed me thou$and$, and hours, But I look to the 9's, and fantastic when I am naked.
     
    RossK6 and ToofPic like this.
  11. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

    Got scars everywhere...made 'em myself. :D
     
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  12. L8RSK8R

    L8RSK8R Well-Known Member

    I got mine on 25th birthday. It's turned blue/greenish.
    I never had it finished with color/shading.
    Was my grandfather's bohran drum.
    Pfft, looks like absolute shite now.
    Lines have bled something serious. KIMG0378.JPG
     
  13. L8RSK8R

    L8RSK8R Well-Known Member

    1631977841922490449173.jpg

    24 fn years ago.
     
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  14. sharkattack

    sharkattack Rescued pets over people. All day, every day

    Thanks guys. So much great advice. I think I’m going to give the artist my general thoughts and let him/her go to town. I’m not a huge fan of the American traditional style. I do like lots of color. Whenever I get it done, I’ll post up some pics.
     
    Newyork likes this.
  15. cortezmachine

    cortezmachine Banned

    I hate that my self image will not allow me to get nice work done. Man that ship tattoo is awesome
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2021
  16. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    eyeballs, lips (inner), …

    Got a step up the game nowadays to show you’re a real man
     
  17. kenessex

    kenessex unregistered user

    Maybe the first step is to get some really nice artwork instead of lettering across your knuckles. Get something smallish that is really well done and costs a bundle, but can be covered so it is more private and personal. It might help change your self image. Get something really cool, though!
     
    SpeedyE likes this.
  18. Itey

    Itey Well-Known Member

    If you want to see some really nice flag work, look up Timothy Boor out of Indiana. Down side is hes booked 2-2.5 years out. I have a full sleeve done by him with the American flag from my elbow to my wrist. I never really wanted a full sleeve until I saw his work.
     
  19. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    that ship has sailed

    :Poke:
     

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