42 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Squidly...you know I don't like tats in general...but that I yours!!!

The ART is amazing and I sure would love to look like some of those gals...

oh well...your newest addition is very tasteful albiet a bit revealing. But your sense of board professionalism is outstanding!

[WreckWench]

My goal is to dive at least one trip a year, hopefully two! I'm on a single income.. and teachers aren't exactly the best paid. lol... I don't know of any happy hours around here (jax, fl), but taking a trip up north would be fun.. never been to NY!

We have other members in Jax. FL so maybe we can get one going there with your help and you can meet more members nearby...or check out other parts of FL for Happy Hours there!

Of course if you or anyone else is traveling someplace and we have activve members there...if you give them some advance warning they are usually very happy to throw a party/happy hour for you!

And if you want to just jump into an existing Happy Hour going in Texas, or NJ, etc. then check here to see what is going on!

[Houston Squid]

I have been busy with more ink since I started this thread. Let me catch you guys up some:

This first one is the companion tattoo for the "Angel" on my other torso. Of course, this is Devil Girl, and she is no where as "naughty" as the Angel. Juxtaposition is a beautiful thing.

CLICK HERE - to see Squid OTHER naughty Tattoo

Back to a more nautical/diver theme. I'll share with you the "birth" and growth of a Shark living on the elbow of a Squid.

This the bare canvas or hole which we started:



This is the black outline of the Shark, where art becomes reality ... ok, ok I'll calm down.



This would have been a few weeks later and we added the color. Let me tell you, tattooing the elbow qualifies me as a registered bad ass (on paper).



This is the final session where colors are touched up and WHITE ink is added. For those of yo considering a tat or looking at refreshing your old stuff, make sure you use an artist that is a fan of white ink. It really makes a difference.

[WreckWench]

Both of them are great! I think your artist is one of the BEST I've ever seen anywhere!

And as far as I'm concerned...you are a bad ass to get ANY tatoos!

[Houston Squid]

Thanks!!!!

Here is the latest project. I going to cover my chest next. I have a tribal design on my right chest, that just doesn't suit the style of tattooing I get done now. So we are going to do our best to "blend it in" to a new dragon tattoo.

I'll show you the progression so far. Not much more than darkening the tribal as black and pure as we can before it get buried in dragon tail and flames. Note to kids - PLEASE DON'T GET TRIBAL.

The Dragon is still not even close to done but getting there.



Here is a good close up of going from outline to black ink shading:

Edited by Houston Squid, 04 June 2009 - 06:22 PM.

[WreckWench]

Amazing....

I am fascinated but I could NEVER stand the pain! What do you do to handle so much of it???

[Houston Squid]

Amazing....

I am fascinated but I could NEVER stand the pain! What do you do to handle so much of it???

I use a product called LMX ... nurses use this in Children's hospital for IV prep or other situations where needles are you. However, it is not 100%. In a matter of minutes the pain comes back especially on area where the artist has to repeatedly touch the same flash, such as when shading.

In the case of my torso - NOTHING WORKED. It all hurt. That was the worst experience of my life along, including a kidney stone experience I had.

This cream is not by prescription but behind the counter only. I order mine on the internet.

It is probably a good prepatory treatment for ladies who get "personal area" or bikini area waxing or laser treatments.

[WreckWench]

Well well well....learn something every day...

What did I learn today?

To look at YOUR art on YOU...and just keep it that way!


And speaking of which....

What do you do to keep your tats looking so new??? Do you wear gobs of sunscreen? Or is your artist just that good?

[Capn Jack]

Amazing....

I am fascinated but I could NEVER stand the pain! What do you do to handle so much of it???

As T.E. Lawrence (played by Peter O'Toole) said in one of the opening scenes of "Lawrence of Arabia"

It's learning to enjoy the pain.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

What do you do to keep your tats looking so new??? Do you wear gobs of sunscreen? Or is your artist just that good?

Lots of sunscreen, and have it re-colored every 20 years or so! (Yes, it hurts all over again, but it's still pretty! LOL)

[ScubaHawk]

3/4s of the way through a tat, I swear I am never going to do it again. For six moths after, I'll show it off and tell people "It's my last one." Then, slowly but surely, it turned into. "Yeah - That one's nice, I am thinking about getting my next one here. . . . " 3/4s of the way through that one, I am laying there wondering what in the hell I was thinking.

[Houston Squid]

My plans are to completely cover myself in a "shirt" from my waistband to my collar bone (base of neck).

I do agree there are times when I question my sanity. I joke about my therapist, but this is true: about every other visit he quips, "you know we are going to have to discuss those tattoos eventually."

I'm sure the shear quantity and mass area already covered represent some flaw in my DNA. I think I have written this before, but my mom often jokes, "I must have done something terribly wrong to you in the womb."

[Houston Squid]

Here's an update for you folks. Lot's more ink to go on this chest piece, but it is starting to take shape. A lot of those blank spaces will be flames, and you can see where he laid the base color in for one of the flames (nice orange stripe).

I'm in the middle of a heavy rotation of dive trips and so I am timing everything out where I can get ink and give myself two weeks to heal. I was just diving with Barb in the Caymans a couple weeks ago and I am doing a Belize live-aboard in a couple weeks.

This will all look better by September.