# New Tattoo day - Full Sleeve Session 3: Moby Dick is finally in colour!



## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

Finally, today I went into the shop to get some colour onto good ol' Moby Dick. Since the whale's white, we weren't sure what to do, and Vincent suggested greys and yellows with white highlights. I agreed and we went to work. The pictures will speak for themselves. Now all that's left is the whalers in the boat on my forearm and the boats and sky on my shoulder, all of which should be taken care of on August 28th. I tried to get pics of the whole thing, but couldn't get a decent picture of the back of my arm, the pics I got will give you a pretty decent idea anyway.

Continued from my thread from Session #2 two months ago.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/of...-day-full-sleeve-session-2-a.html#post1509395

anyway, here's the important part.


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## Sebastian (Jul 18, 2009)

It looks great ! 

you have to get some better photos


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## windu (Jul 18, 2009)

looks fucking sick bro! you got a good artist, btw you look kinda like the guitarist from beneath the massacre (but then maybe im just super tired and my eyes fail me lol)


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## ralphy1976 (Jul 18, 2009)

that looks sick..kudos on getting one. i want one too, but in my line of work it is a big no-no...shame!!!


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

Sebastian said:


> It looks great !
> 
> you have to get some better photos



Thanks! I'll get my girlfriend to take some more soon. I would get her to do it tomorrow, but I have to go to a wedding  a fresh tattoo in a suit is gonna be uncomfortable.



windu said:


> looks fucking sick bro! you got a good artist, btw you look kinda like the guitarist from beneath the massacre (but then maybe im just super tired and my eyes fail me lol)



Thanks a lot, man! Finding the right artist is one of the most important things when it comes to tattooing. I'm just lucky that the artist I found is located in my city. I woulnd't even know if I look like the guy from BTM, cuz even though they're from Montreal, I've somehow managed to never see them play live 



ralphy1976 said:


> that looks sick..kudos on getting one. i want one too, but in my line of work it is a big no-no...shame!!!



That really sucks that you can't have tattoos because of your job. I decided to go the risky route and start tattooing myself before I even knew what i wanted to do for a living. I sure hope nobody has a problem with tattooed english teachers, cuz that looks like the direction I'm headed in. Long sleeve shirts  haha


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## EliNoPants (Jul 18, 2009)

at the very least, Moby Dick is an acceptable thing to have a tattoo of, it's not like it's some super black metal piece of nuns masturbating with crosses and sucking off Satan or anything, you can have something that can be both intense and socially acceptable going the Moby Dick route...and regardless of the content, it looks to be very well done, even with the quick mirror pics you put up, good job on picking a tattoo artist that seems to be pretty good

post fancier pics though, that shit looks way too cool to be giving us these quickies


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## Despised_0515 (Jul 18, 2009)

Siiiiiick tatt dude and damn unique I might add.
Can't wait to see it finished and can't wait to have money for my own sleeves.


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## liamh (Jul 18, 2009)

Holy crap, thats badass.


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## vampiregenocide (Jul 18, 2009)

That is the nicest full sleeve I've ever seen. Epic.


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## Metal Ken (Jul 18, 2009)

EliNoPants said:


> uper black metal piece of nuns masturbating with crosses and sucking off Satan or anything,



THat sounds awesome. \m/


OP's tattoo is fucking aamzing, too. Thats some of the shit that i look at and was like "I wish that was on _my_ arm"


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## jymellis (Jul 18, 2009)

why moby dick?


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## st2012 (Jul 18, 2009)

Looks damn good!


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## Apophis (Jul 18, 2009)

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## signalgrey (Jul 18, 2009)

LEVIATHAN!!!

". . . from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee."


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## Esp Griffyn (Jul 18, 2009)

ralphy1976 said:


> that looks sick..kudos on getting one. i want one too, but in my line of work it is a big no-no...shame!!!



Get them in places your employer will never see, I'm getting my back filled with the idea of turning it into a suit piece of the style popularised in Japan; 3/4 sleeves, down the backs of my legs and wrapping around my sides but leaving the middle of my chest blank so if my shirt is unbuttoned you can't see it.

Got motorbike gear to pay for first, which is slowing progress on my back, which seems to be taking forever!


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

jymellis said:


> why moby dick?



I wanted to get something that both meant something to me and had potential to look really sweet. Well, just put a modern spin on things, let's say. Equate the whale with mother nature and Captain Ahab and his crew with humanity. I think it reflects our condition right now. Humans take it upon themselves to dominate over everything, while realistically, i think we've got our hands a little too full. There some things bigger than us that we really have no business dealing with, and because we insist on destroying everything, I believe we're going to one day go the way of Ahab and his crew. If we keep up our ways, they may be the means to our end. You know, the things that we seek to destroy because we seem to think that it's our divine right, will end up destroying us. That sort of thing.


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## Tiger (Jul 18, 2009)

The mouth can easily be misinterpreted as a vagina with teeth.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

Tiger said:


> The mouth can easily be misinterpreted as a vagina with teeth.



I think that's the sort of thing you only notice if you're looking for it 



vampiregenocide said:


> That is the nicest full sleeve I've ever seen. Epic.



That's a pretty bold statement, thank you!


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## Esp Griffyn (Jul 18, 2009)

Its the nicest full sleeve I have seen too, its absolutely phenomenal work!


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

Esp Griffyn said:


> Its the nicest full sleeve I have seen too, its absolutely phenomenal work!



Thanks, man! that's a really awesome thing to hear when you spend that much time and money on something. Plus the pain. I mean, the important thing is that I like it, but knowing that other people like it makes me feel good about it too. At least I know I won't be made fun of for having gotten something I like that just makes me look like a toolbag.

funny side note, in all google searches, if you type in "shitty", shitty tattoos is the third most common search. I don't want to be one of the guys that search leads to


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## Ibanezsam4 (Jul 18, 2009)

dude freaking awesome design. most sleeves i see are a collage of different tattoos. i much prefer the single design/single sleeve like you have. it looks epic.. how many hours in the chair?


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## Tiger (Jul 18, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> I think that's the sort of thing you only notice if you're looking for it



No man, I saw it and was like 'A vagina with teeth? wtfOh its the whale's mouth."

Probably just the picture.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

Ibanezsam4 said:


> dude freaking awesome design. most sleeves i see are a collage of different tattoos. i much prefer the single design/single sleeve like you have. it looks epic.. how many hours in the chair?



Thanks! So far, it's been a total of somewhere in the ballpark of 17-18 hours. I have another 5-6 hours at the end of next month, and hopefully that should be the last sitting.


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## windu (Jul 18, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> Thanks! I'll get my girlfriend to take some more soon. I would get her to do it tomorrow, but I have to go to a wedding  a fresh tattoo in a suit is gonna be uncomfortable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




same here bro! i went that route too. looks like long sleeve shirts for me, the best part about it is i live in south texas, long sleeve shirts in texas....might as well ask the devil to throw 40 freash cheesy hotpockets in your shirts before you leave the house lol

and yea always gotta find a good tattoo artist, especially for full sleeve's lucky i got a badass artist in my town as well lol

btw check this dude out, would love to get tatted by this dude one day
ROMAN (Roman abrego) | MySpace.com


o and what kinda lotion you using? aquaphor?


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

windu said:


> same here bro! i went that route too. looks like long sleeve shirts for me, the best part about it is i live in south texas, long sleeve shirts in texas....might as well ask the devil to throw 40 freash cheesy hotpockets in your shirts before you leave the house lol
> 
> and yea always gotta find a good tattoo artist, especially for full sleeve's lucky i got a badass artist in my town as well lol
> 
> ...



Damn, that guy's work is pretty solid, such vivid colours!

As for the lotion, I use Bacitin, it's a Bacitracin USP ointment, I think it's recommended for burns also. And when the healing process is over and I need to keep it moisturized, I just use an unscented aveeno moisturizer.


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## budda (Jul 18, 2009)

it's all about the long sleeves! Pants, in my case .

Looks great man 

PS: the colours lose a chunk of their vividness after the first month *sigh*


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 18, 2009)

budda said:


> it's all about the long sleeves! Pants, in my case .
> 
> Looks great man



Thanks, Man!

I just had long sleeves on about 20 minutes ago cuz I just got back from a wedding ceremony. Bad timing, I really wish I didn't have to sit through something like that with a fresh tattoo. I took the shirt off, and the sleeve was all nasty and yellow and crusty with plasma. Now I have to get out a different shirt and go to the reception in 2 hours. It's going to be a long and uncomfortable night.



budda said:


> PS: the colours lose a chunk of their vividness after the first month *sigh*



yeah, the waves darkened a lot after it all healed, so we did some white and grey highlights, and still have a lot of touching up to do on them next session too. And the portrait I have on my back faded like mad after it healed, I really need get some touch-ups done on that too.


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## forelander (Jul 18, 2009)

The colours really brought that thing to life, when I first saw the design I thought it was decent but nothing special, but with those colours, holy shit. Awesome work.


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## budda (Jul 19, 2009)

dude, you didnt wrap it with plastic wrap before the sleeves? you crazy!

do that next time


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 19, 2009)

budda said:


> dude, you didnt wrap it with plastic wrap before the sleeves? you crazy!
> 
> do that next time



I figured I would sacrifice the shirt for the tattoo's sake. I was trying to find a solution, but I read everywhere that re-wrapping it after removing the initial bandage could lead to a pretty bad infection, especially with plastic wrap. Plastic wrap allows zero ventilation and considering this is only day 2, it's pretty much a big, open wound and under a dressing, it could be a pretty ideal breeding ground for bacteria.


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## signalgrey (Jul 19, 2009)

I have a 1/4(?) sleeve goes to just above the elbow. Shows when im wearing a tshirt but if im buttoned up cant tell. 

I got mine in Japan from a guy i had been researching. my students in Korea have seen it and they ask me if im in a gang...i just tell them its s good idea if they complete their homework....ALLL their homework.


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## Fred (Jul 19, 2009)

^^^ Hahaha.

That's a fucking sick sleeve man, I'm jealous. Also:

"WHITE...
WHALE...
HOLY...
GRAIL."







That is all.


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## snuif09 (Jul 19, 2009)

^yea that comic was the first thing that was in my mind when reading this thread xD


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## jymellis (Jul 19, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> I wanted to get something that both meant something to me and had potential to look really sweet. Well, just put a modern spin on things, let's say. Equate the whale with mother nature and Captain Ahab and his crew with humanity. I think it reflects our condition right now. Humans take it upon themselves to dominate over everything, while realistically, i think we've got our hands a little too full. There some things bigger than us that we really have no business dealing with, and because we insist on destroying everything, I believe we're going to one day go the way of Ahab and his crew. If we keep up our ways, they may be the means to our end. You know, the things that we seek to destroy because we seem to think that it's our divine right, will end up destroying us. That sort of thing.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 19, 2009)

Fred said:


> ^^^ Hahaha.
> 
> That's a fucking sick sleeve man, I'm jealous. Also:
> 
> ...





Holy shit, that comic is awesome. And thanks.

It's crazy how many people see it and make Mastodon references haha.


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## Ibanezsam4 (Jul 19, 2009)

dude i just saved that epic comic to my computer. fucking A!!!


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 22, 2009)

Man, I hate healing so much. The itching and the scabbing/peeling drive me insane! I'm going to post more pictures when the healing's finished.


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## s_k_mullins (Jul 22, 2009)

Dude your sleeve is so fucking killer.. It is some seriously good work! 
Also, besides being great work, its cool to see someone do somethin different than the typical Japanese Koi or Dragon sleeves that we see all the time these days
i'm really into getting ink, but so far i only have 5 large pieces, and can't have full sleeves on count of the job field that i'm entering, unless i want to be forced to wear long sleeve shirts every goddamn day! And it is too fuckin hot in Mississippi for long sleeve shirts year round!


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## budda (Jul 22, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> Man, I hate healing so much. The itching and the scabbing/peeling drive me insane! I'm going to post more pictures when the healing's finished.



yeah, healing's a bitch..

whyyy do i want more ink


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 22, 2009)

s_k_mullins said:


> Dude your sleeve is so fucking killer.. It is some seriously good work!
> Also, besides being great work, its cool to see someone do somethin different than the typical Japanese Koi or Dragon sleeves that we see all the time these days
> i'm really into getting ink, but so far i only have 5 large pieces, and can't have full sleeves on count of the job field that i'm entering, unless i want to be forced to wear long sleeve shirts every goddamn day! And it is too fuckin hot in Mississippi for long sleeve shirts year round!



Thanks a lot, man! I feel the same way about tattoos as well. I think that they're something that can really speak about who you are. I think each piece should be unique, and all those people with the the same themes are kind of missing the point. But then again, that's just my opinion... I can see the appeal to the more tradition tattoo styles, it just isn't for me.



budda said:


> yeah, healing's a bitch..
> 
> whyyy do i want more ink



hahaha I hear that, I'm already considering what I should get done next


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## budda (Jul 22, 2009)

I want a dragon, but that's entirely up in the air. I need something meaningful, but i want the epic "wow" factor your sleeve has.

Also, sure lots of people have dragons or kois, but some really stand out. I'd like a "really stands out" one  lol.

and i definitely plastic wrapped my tats the first 3 or 4 days


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## Labrie (Jul 23, 2009)

Nice sleeve man, not really my thing but definitely a talented artist.

As for healing, I wouldn't leave it wrapped for any more than a day at most. I usually leave a bandage on for 5 or 6 hours, possibly overnight if it's on a joint like the elbow that might bend while you're sleeping. After you've stopped bleeding it's important the tattooed area be kept clean and not covered up again. Like Jeff said, wrapping it back up will leave you at greater risk for infection.


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## BurialWithin (Jul 23, 2009)

dude seriously coolest sleeve i've ever seen man congrats. I want a sleeve so bad.....but i'm married and my wife said no. So i'm gonna get one anyways. 
Again awesome sleeve!!


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 24, 2009)

BurialWithin said:


> dude seriously coolest sleeve i've ever seen man congrats. I want a sleeve so bad.....but i'm married and my wife said no. So i'm gonna get one anyways.
> Again awesome sleeve!!



Do it! I'm lucky, I think my girlfriend's already ashamed to be seen with me as it is, so she doesn't really care about any of the stupid shit I do to myself. I guess she figures it couldn't get any worse 

oh, and thanks! haha


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## s_k_mullins (Jul 24, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> I'm lucky, I think my girlfriend's already ashamed to be seen with me as it is, so she doesn't really care about any of the stupid shit I do to myself. I guess she figures it couldn't get any worse


 
 Ouch dude, that was a "self-inflicted" burn


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 24, 2009)

s_k_mullins said:


> Ouch dude, that was a "self-inflicted" burn




I've just come to accept it.


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## keeper006 (Jul 24, 2009)

Nice. I was an English teacher before I became a zookeeper, and I have a sleeve. Just depends on the school and the person hiring.
and my wife has a half-sleeve of a rainbow boa. I took pics of mine and she had it wrapped on her arm actual size.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 24, 2009)

keeper006 said:


> Nice. I was an English teacher before I became a zookeeper, and I have a sleeve. Just depends on the school and the person hiring.
> and my wife has a half-sleeve of a rainbow boa. I took pics of mine and she had it wrapped on her arm actual size.



That's awesome, I was pretty sure that tattoos wouldn't be much of an issue in a school environment, especially considering a school should be a place where kids find themselves and learn about individuality.

btw, I love rainbow boas. I was considering getting one, but figured that for my first snake, I should probably with with something a little more beginner-friendly, so I've had a ghost corn for the past 5 years or so. My cousin also has a ball python and a colombian red tail, and that boa is really a beautiful creature too.  snakes... actually, all animals for that matter.


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## keeper006 (Jul 24, 2009)

JeffFromMtl said:


> That's awesome, I was pretty sure that tattoos wouldn't be much of an issue in a school environment, especially considering a school should be a place where kids find themselves and learn about individuality.
> 
> btw, Rainbow boas a good-looking snakes. I was considering getting one, but figured that for my first snake, I should probably with with something a little more beginner-friendly, so I've had a ghost corn for the past 5 years or so. My cousin also has a ball python and a colombian red tail, and that boa is really a beautiful creature too.  snakes... actually, all animals for that matter.


Brazilian Rainbow boas= laid-back and beautiful 
Colombian Rainbow boas= shit-brown and nasty
A brazilian makes a great pet, even better than a common boa (or red-tail as you refer to it, that's an incorrect name, but I'm nit-picking as a reptile keeper). If you've been keeping snakes and are familiar with them, I think it'd be a good next snake for you. It's the only species of the 18+ I used to have that I kept when my youngest son was born (mine are under lock & key by the way). I'd get a tatt of my favorite Melville work, but Typee might be kinda lame 
Excellent artwork though, Man. Mine has kind of faded over time being in the sun. I have a dragon and snake emerging from chaos at my shoulder and winding down my arm where a samurai attacks them at the inside of my forearm.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 25, 2009)

keeper006 said:


> Brazilian Rainbow boas= laid-back and beautiful
> Colombian Rainbow boas= shit-brown and nasty
> A brazilian makes a great pet, even better than a common boa (or red-tail as you refer to it, that's an incorrect name, but I'm nit-picking as a reptile keeper). If you've been keeping snakes and are familiar with them, I think it'd be a good next snake for you. It's the only species of the 18+ I used to have that I kept when my youngest son was born (mine are under lock & key by the way). I'd get a tatt of my favorite Melville work, but Typee might be kinda lame
> Excellent artwork though, Man. Mine has kind of faded over time being in the sun. I have a dragon and snake emerging from chaos at my shoulder and winding down my arm where a samurai attacks them at the inside of my forearm.



Haha yeah, I thought the same thing the first time I saw rainbow boa, it was a colombian, and I was just like, "rainbow? what?" the brazilians are real beauties though. I may consider one for my next snake, I've considered a few, namely a jungle carpet python and the common boa among others, but haven't yet decided, so I might have to look into the brazilian rainbows again too


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## budda (Jul 25, 2009)

keeper, post pics!

get faded tats touched up *dreads that day *


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jul 26, 2009)

EPIC SLEEVE IS EPIC!!


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