News
Couples and Japanese
The horror movie leg sleeve is finally done. I need to go back through all of it and do some more touch ups, but overall it’s pretty good. My tattoo skills have improved much since we first started it 7 years ago. I can still see areas where I need improving, but just looking at…
Drawing Health
For me, art has always been therapeutic. Feeling alone and unimportant sometimes permeates my life. Wishing someone would care or help doesn’t make life better, so if I’m paying attention to my downward spirals, I usually start drawing…a lot. It’s not an instantaneous cure, but it usually gets me through the days. I like to…
Staying Viable
I spent most of my day drawing up this cracked face design, which is based loosely on an existing tattoo that a client sent me as an idea for his sleeve. I’ve been drawing a lot lately, spending more time studying anatomy and faces, always trying to improve. 32 years ago was the last time…
Design Time
I have a client who got a full sleeve from me earlier this year, and he’s ready to start another one. He gives me ideas and then just lets me draw whatever I want. One of the worst things going into a tattoo with a client is not having the artwork prepared and approved. So…
No Blog Time
Last year a guy I went to high school with walked into a church and shot Bert Miller dead. It was a horrific tragedy for our small town. Bert was a volunteer firefighter, husband, father, grandfather, and a devout man of God. The guy who shot Bert has never been deemed competent to stand trial,…
Loss
I was asked to draw a little boy who drowned recently as a gift for the family. I used charcoal pencils on Bristol board and finished it in 7 hours. The grandparents of the boy have since asked me to draw them one. I did a flying pig in remembrance of the client’s brother who…
First Timers
We had six hours planned for this young lady’s first tattoo session, and she was determined to sit until the end. But after four hours she decided she was done. I grew up with her dad, and they traveled from the town of Tonopah four hours away so she could get her first tattoo from…
5 Days
My Navy Officer client from Guam made it five days in a row. The octopus on her hip was the most painful. I wasn’t able to get all the tentacles in before she had to leave for the airport, but when she returns I’ll add them along with a coral and ocean background to fill…
Years of Work
I’m guessing we’re two sessions away from finishing the horror movie leg tattoo. My technique changed a lot since we started it 7 years ago, but I think all the parts go together well. I added another lily to the large rib and hip piece. There will be one more lily and then some swirly…
Tats and Drawings
I drew this recently just to practice using high contrast and work on my design skills. I found an old photo online that I used as reference of a woman who I think was Cindy Crawford. I did an elk tattoo for a wilderness-themed forearm sleeve. Adding more next session. I spent 4-5 days drawing…