Got the color started on Tahnee's back today. She sat like a champ (as getting your back is not easy to get tattooed). Just a nice short session from here on out and this one should be complete in a few months (as we are both traveling her an there once November hits). Have to admit I really cant wait until this one is finished, should complement her figure really well!

Fun little walk-in from the other night. The gentlemen just wanted a simple black feather, nothing to fancy, just well as I said; simple. A little on the more traditional look, but I know this will hold and look great for the rest of his life. I gotta say I truly do love working in a street shop for reasons like these, fun walk-ins like these make my job that much cooler!

Got in some more work on this one. Shaded most of the tattoo (except the sky and helicopter) and colored in the dress and a good portion of the anchor. All in all a nice smooth session. Going to be a bit it seems before we get back on this one, as I'm heading down to So. Cal in a few weeks, but once we get back here to the "Redwood Curtain" its full steam ahead and should be a few sessions to wrap up. Good Times!

A refresher of the before to tattoo.

This was the women's first tattoo and boy did she get a dozy! She sat great and even got a bit of it on her palm (which I don't recommend) Anyhow, a very fun walk-in to do. I had a lot of fun with this one.

Don't normally suggest getting your palm tattooed, but she insisted on it. It hurts and it doesn't typically look all that great. Case in point, turn that machine up and pound it in!

So this is my part on the set of flash that I am doing a collaboration with my buddy and one of favorite people Ric Cardenas (You can find him on Facebook). He will be finishing up the set with a piece in the middle, and the four that go on the side of the dagger and snake, as well as starting the piece for the middle sheet of the "weird Traditional sheet". Can wait to see what he lays down on this-Stoked!

Started this on my good friend Matt last night. A nice relaxing session tattooing a cool design on a buddy. Can't get any better then that, or at least I think so. Anyways, more to come in a few weeks. Can't wait to work on this one again.

More to come on the inside of the arm. Should tie in nicely!

So I am doing a collaboration with a good friend of mine and fellow tattooer, Ric Cardenas. If you don't know of him, now you do! He currently works at 12 monkeys in Tracy, Ca. Anyhow, we decided to a set of flash together so we set it as doing some more on the 'traditional' end of painting with old subject matter and a limited color palette. We are flipping the designs of the sheets. For example he is doing the center piece for the sheet of roses and skulls, I am doing the center piece for the daggers and snakes and on the last sheet (which is more of a Jeff Rassier inspired sheet, think weird traditional) I did the eagle/panther and he will start the center piece, I will finish it. I love doing this as it keeps me motivated and make me push my designs not only in tattooing but in my personal work as well. And who better to do it with than a good buddy!

Nothing super epic here, just wanted to show a fun way to memorialize someone that has past in your life. I really enjoy doing little tattoos like these. Thank you again Steven for letting me do this.

Shorter session for Joe here. Colored in the maiden's hair (decided with a purple so it appears to be "black" hair without actually having just black in it) On top of that got the feathers colored in and the smokey/mist/fire colored in as well. All in all a nice session. The inside is what is to come in a few weeks.

Finished this one the other day. A nice smooth session. Went with a more 'earthy' color palette for this one. I think it will add a nice 'something else' to what you all normally see in my work.

Sorry ya gain for the washed out photos. I swear I will learn to take a good photo some time soon!

Slow and steady from here on out. Just nice 3-4 hour sessions. I find this is easier on the body and mind of both client and myself. I still do long grueling sessions but I do advise against it as the healing seems to be over all a cleaner and more pleasant experience. A lot of fun coloring in the three big feathers. Next session onto the 'eyes' of the larger feathers and finish up the smaller guy up top there as well as maybe get the two bottom flowers colored in. I really can wait until the background goes in as I think it will make the phoenix really come off her back.

Got back on this today and lined out the rest of the tattoo as well as started some shading. Really enjoying the movement and the flow as I think it sits quite nicely on her body. Easy as she goes from here on out.

Started this cover-up on a gentlemen the other day. The theme is 'anything I want to do' so long as it's "fucked up, hell shit". A Hell inspired sleeve if you will. Decided to change things up a bit and go with a more macabre style of tattooing, which for me; is not as easy as some of you that know me might think. I did some research and came up on my memory bank and thought of Derek Noble. This is a great tattooer that works up in the Seattle area, if you don't know who he is I would recommend you check him out for some really creepy tattoo work. I hope to meet him myself some day, phenomenal artist.

Got this creep 'dame' lined and shaded the same day I lined the top. The color for this sleeve will be changed slightly than my usual palette, but I think will suit the subject matter a little nicer.

Finally finished this piece up. Have to say I'm happy with the outcome on this one. Didn't have a set plan on the color scheme, just kind of went with what I felt at the time, which can turn out some really good ideas when your working "on the fly" as they say. Don't recommend doing that all the time, but sometimes you just have to let things come a little more 'natural' way.

Did some fun color mixing for this piece. Hopefully get the chance to combined some more crazy ideas that are floating in my head right now, sometime soon!

So I lined this out a while ago and didn't hear from the guy in months (happens some times) Then low and behold he rolled in yesterday to finish it up. Which was quite lucky on his part, because I had just finished tattooing. Anyways, a very fun traditional tattoo to do, sorry the picture is a bit washed out and blurry but what are ya going to do sometimes?

So this gentlemen is in the Coast Guard and had this pin-up that he wanted to re-work/ cover up. A few things that he was not crazy about so we decided on not a complete cover-up, but just adding in a few things to give it a little extra something (which can be a bit tricky at times). Not too much drawing on this one, but you get the idea. Should be smooth sailing from here on out.

got some color in today on Eddie's 3/4 sleeve. This is coming together quite nicely and I'm really looking to the next session when I finish the water then on to the Koi. Always a good time tattooing Eddie. Good conversationalist and sits really well.

Put a rose on the back of his arm and water lilies in the front. They represent his daughter's name.

Had a lot of fun coloring in the flowers. Originally he wanted it all black and grey, but decided a few weeks back to go the color route. I think either way is beautiful, but I'm quite enjoying the color for this one.

Started this last weekend. Another buddy from down south way and he let me do what I wanted to do on this arm (so long as it was cool). I choose to do a Geisha/Witch that is on top of a hill that hold the severed head of herself. which is as well protected by evil spirits. The tiger is a good force that is trying to get to the top of the hill and set the women's spirit free. A long story I know, and in fact I kind of made it up as I am not traditional Japanese trained tattooer. But I feel the story play's out well of the whole good vs. evil motif that is very present in a lot of tattoo imagery. Thank you again Jon. We'll continue in about a month.

Lined this out on another friend from southern Cali. Plan on keeping it pretty traditional looking on this with a bit of a battle scene on the back of his leg. I plan on a Samurai going after this little guy, with a lot of cloud cover and rocks and lightning in the background, keeping it more on the Autumn feel as we have come around to fall up here in the Redwood Curtain. Enjoy.

The line work of a samurai shin guard. This is on the same calf of the above piece. Not much black will be going into this piece as I'm am going to keep it as "Illustrative/ realistic" as possible.