I finally got my hands on a good camera so I've been posting close-up shots of tattoos and of my process on Flickr. People have been asking me questions about technique and groupings. Feel free. (message or public, I don't mind)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allentattoo/

I post consultation days and Chicago info on my Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/allentattoo

Last, I'm always posting random stuff on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/allentattoo

I'm often asked about my equipment. I'm a gadget man. I spend way too much money trying out everything; always have. Once I started tattooing, the same interest took shape as an obsession. Anything I use, I do so because I've tested it. So here's the list off the top of my head. (I'll run through my ink another time)

Machines (three favorites)
Liner - Pulse Specialist
Softer Liner/Rounds - Next Generation Orion (Aluminum, Full Coil)
Shader - Aaron Cain Acantha Jones Shader

Tubes
Disposable tubes - Eikon all the way. My disposable liners are all diamond tips. I use a 5 and a 7. I can even fit tight 11's in the 7 tube if need be. If I want, I use a razor blade and cut off the tip straight to use for rounds. (Wanting to try the disposables by True Tube for larger pieces, to justify the expense)
Liners and mags - I prefer the precision of Eikon's grips and tubes.
Larger mags (15-45) - Blitz tubes are worth the price! So good.
Grip covers - Red Rat 1/2", red (easier to see what I'm cleaning) I was used to tattooing without these, but once you try them, it's worth the extra effort for your hands.

Needles
Liners from Eikon
Mags from Eikon
Bugpin mags from Mithra.

Misc.
Power Supply - My Eikon EMS300 has served me well. I'm sure I'll try the 400, but I've been more than happy with the 300. It's a little larger than others I've tried. But I like that. It's steady and easy to clean. My only complaint is that the adhesive for the little feet could be stronger.
Footswitch - Aquiline Maintained all the way. My power supply lets me choose this option, but I skip that step and have never looked back. Step on and let it fly. Ha.
Springs from Workhorse and Lucky Supply.
Clipcord from Pulse.
Empty ink bottles from Workhorse Irons.
Black ink bottle from US Plastic - 4oz Nalgene drop dispenser. I stick a tiny gauge needle into the tip to increase flow. The drops come out slow and steady, making it perfect for making my black and grey mixtures.

Computer
Easily, the most important piece of equipment I use (besides my machines) is my Wacom Table (Intuos 4). I'll be making a separate post about this later, but I can't stress its importance enough. My entire computer experience has changed since using a tablet. It's worth the money and learning curve.

This year I push myself.

I've been looking back at my early tattoos and I see my innocence. A man early in his tattoo career, eager to create and learn. The fundamentals were lacking, but the composition and desire was pure.

I came in wanting to do this with my all and make people happy at the same time.

It was noble. It IS noble and my intentions remain the same. But my approach has been different. Time and routine and have strengthened my confidence. Technique and finesse have altered my understanding. I'm now capable of zooming in and collecting my thoughts, then stepping back and understanding how a piece will be seen from a distance.

Mind you, I've a long, long way to go. But I know what I'm capable of. And if I have a handle on that, now seems like a good time to push myself to see what else will come out. Why not? I'm the kid in preschool that argued with the teacher about coloring. The high school junior who got kicked out of a gallery showing because his drawing was too controversial. And I'm the guy that took a girl into a hotel room to draw her naked because my college didn't have nude models. None of this is anything special, but I am an artist. An artist at heart.

And so are you. It's in us. It's in your view; in your take. You've your own stories.

So this year I go back to my story. Back to the artist in me. Not the tattoo artist. The artist who daydreams off into the sky and wonders how planes connect and colors would look if they were different.

It's my own call to recklessly abandon everything and build new. But do so by using and pushing the foundations that exist within tattooing for a reason. I'll create without thinking of "tattoo art" but I'll do so with the tenets in mind: longevity, execution, and content translation. I can push to push. Or I can create just for the hell of it.

I know this is nothing boundary pushing or spectacularly new. I get that. But for me to change the way this thirty-one year old mind goes about its business... well... that's a new world to me. Now I'm excited to work hard and see what happens.