TATTATTACK!

making tattooing fun again is easy and hard at the same time.

it's easy, because even the most regular-A* tattoos can be a good time

if you're doing it right.

for me,

the interpersonal interaction is as important as the tattoo itself.

i mean, we're literally altering people for the foreseeable future....

it'd be kinda nice to also enjoy each others' company while it happens.

really.

y'wanna wear art from some bummery bumhole the rest of your life?

no thanks.

that's not for me.

so, if i can have a positive experience with an ordinary tattoo,

and maybe take that pinterest reference and give it some lovin' to make it better

for them, and you, 

and that poor sweet, talented artist who did a regrettably great job 

at making their original tattoo design desirable in the first place!

-

...and then again, some clients just know what's up.

and that makes tattooing fun as F*.

that's for sure.

and when there's cool folks getting cool tattoos?

that's full-time full-speed-ahead expert funtime tattzap exxxplosive!

and that's pretty tight, neighbors.

-

y'wanna guess which is which?

here's a few pictures of some recent zips that i remembered to take photos of.

ready?

sunflowers!

what's better than a tattoo of sunflowers?

MORE sunflower tattoo stuff, but with an arrow!

yep.

i sketched out some roughs from the photo reference, 

and then used my reference to make the pictures for us to use as stencils.

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and then keith came in for a skull.

freehand, off the cuff,m tucked in where it fit in.

he's been my client for over a decade, and he gets tattoos.

check it:

skulls, man.

skulls forever and ever.

he has a bunch, but he says: 'i don't have enough skulls'.

that's because he knows what's up-

too much is the right amount.

and that's no joke.

*

fun, though, is how you make it, not what you're making.

so even with AMPERSAND TATTOO being in my top tier of favorite places to be,

and the where of my mission being hospitable to the overall effect,

the HOW is essential.

and i just do what i do-

competent capable conversations, 

and interactive participation with the people paying me to pretty them up a lil baby bit.

the fun of it comes from how they react and respond.

i'm over here trying to make the best of it all, y'all,

no matter what, i'm givin' it all i've got, because that's all there is;

never quiet, never soft.....