Taking advantage of this thread being fresh for some help and input:
@Ink: I figured it wouldn't be this easy, but you wouldn't by chance have an equaly-talented or reputable twin brother out here or familar with the west-coast?
@All: I've been considering getting a tattoo of a compass on one of my upper arms, and with the Ex bailing ship two years ago, this desire I've had for this tattoo since I've been ~18 has been strongly rekindled in me. The timing and my recent emerging financial situation seems to be right to finaly go for it, the problem before me now is I need to begin searching and interviewing my local artists and shops, as well as finding a design I like and strongly personaly agree with... living most my life in the greater metropolitan LA area it's not a problem of finding one (I can randomly throw a stone from where I stand and have a very good likelyhood of it landing in a shop or hitting an artist.), but deciding who's the best to actualy go with for the design and work.
Most of my friends that have tattoos don't have them done in a style or quality that I'm interested in, the ones that do often times refer a few artists but then other friends of mine will recommend other artists while unrecommending the other's recommendations... so this vision of the tatt I want, shrouded by the fog in my head, hasn't been coming to me any clearer, rather it seems to be receeding further into the mist... which is a problem because then it just comes back to me how badly I want this tattoo done, but disapointed at my lack of productive progress made twords it.
So, starting from scratch here again, I'm looking for a reputable artist/shop in my area amongst the many, one that does good, clean and solid line-work with some consistent curvatures and good semetrics, with a touch of good free-hand scripting for the N, S, E or O, & W (might just be one single N style compass too, but as I understand it, just one important step at a time here with this - though design suggestions/concepts are always welcomed). I'm thinking four-star with at least 3-inches from the W-E tip and 4-inches from the N-S tip, also entertaining the idea of the S-fork being just noticabley longer and slimmer than the other three forks (with the N maybe also being a tad longer but just as bold as the E & W fork) so that the compass also slightly resembles a cross but is still clearly and most of all a compass. Also, any rough professional guesstimates of what a good quality compass tattoo job will run me up for outa my time and money? This is my first tattoo, but more importantly to me is that this will likely be THE only tattoo I'll ever get, so I'm wanting to get it good and right here.
