Man. I started following you in 2015, when I was 13, and it has made me so happy to watch you come into your own. You’ve always seemed like the most sweet, interesting, down-to-earth person and it gives me a ton of joy to see how confident and secure you’ve become over the last five years, especially as I follow you on Instagram and have seen the evolution of your posts there. We seem to have a lot in common (including having fairly similar transition timelines and milestones, haha) and seeing you living your best life continues to give me hope and inspires me to express myself however I want. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep rocking your tattoos! They all look so sick on you. It’s awesome how your artists clearly see your vision and respect/adhere to your chosen style. :)
Hello!! Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to leave that comment. Genuinely. You could’ve easily had that pop up in your mind and moved on, so I truly appreciate that you shared that. It is such an interesting feeling to hear that from a perceived stranger, and it gives me this odd feeling of things being “grander” than I perceive. That I actually have a significance beyond my immediate circle, that I don’t ever think about. So reminders of that still blow me away, and it means so, so much to me. I actually watched a video last night that I made in 2016, something I NEVER ever do because usually I cringe watching myself on the screen, haha. However I just felt like I was watching this 14/15 year old kid who I actually deeply cared about. It’s weird as you get older and your perception on things change. Thank god for personal growth. Forgive me for rambling here! Truly though, your words encourage me to keep working on being myself unapologetically, and I feel honoured if I can have encouraged you to do the same in some way. I truly hope you’re well and have a great year!
@@Kovukingsrod Yes! Personal growth has been on my mind a lot lately, especially in the context of how I think about my younger self. Like you said, I used to cringe at old videos of myself because it was like a painful reminder, but now I watch old videos of myself and think, “I love you. Don’t worry, things get better. Thank you for enduring all that you did in order to get me to where I am now.” It’s like an appreciation for him as a totally separate person but also as a permanent part of myself and my history that I’ve finally accepted and learned to love. It’s so freeing, and it helps me appreciate myself as I am now, both as a valid entity and as a work in progress. I hope you have a great year as well!
Oh wow I love your tattoos so much! The artistry is incredible and the vibe you're going for is so cool. The talent those artists have is insane, can't imagine being that talented on paper let alone people's skin just wow!
Exactly! It must be SO different using skin as a canvas, they not only have to deal with the drawing but also the person they’re very up close and personal with 😂 And thank you so so much!😃
No worries, I am happy that people are even interested to watch it at all! Plus it’s a fun thing to talk about😊 I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough time, I’m glad I could contribute in my little way. I truly help you feel even better soon! Sending so much love!
Wow Kovu.. I've been gone for awhile and to see you growing into yourself... You're one of the first RU-vidrs I subscribed to, along with Noah and Miles, I can't believe its been more than 5 years
These are soooo awesome! I also like black tattoos more than colorful ones I can't wait to get my first tattoo, I already have picture in mind and everything
oh my gosh i've been watching you for at least 3 years now and watching you grow has been so amazing 🥺 you gave me the courage to come out as bi a couple years ago and now i've realized i'm gender-fluid as well. ik this is late and kinda long but i just wanted to say i love you kovu 👉👈
hey kovu!! i just wanted to say, thank you so much for existing online like you do, and have for a while!! i've been out as trans nonbinary to myself for probably 2 years, and i remembered a really old memory of watching your videos, and i'm pretty sure a video of yours about being trans was my first experience of knowing being trans was a thing someone could be!! so thank you?? for everything!! i'm so glad you seem to be doing well, your tattoos look amazing!
Hi there!! :D Thank you so much for taking the time to leave that comment and share that with me!! I’m so glad to hear you’ve discovered that part of your identity and I feel so honoured if I have been able to contribute to that in any sort of way. Thank you for your kind words, I hope you’re well!
Bro I used to watch you all the time years ago. I've always been a follower but I haven't really checked in in a while, I came back to see that ur SO FUCKIN COOL!! I love your tats!
Thank you for this tat tour! Cool! You have some very creative ones 👍 I had one drawn up for my back, but it's a good thing I didn't get it because when I started T, my back hair grew in like a bear rug lol! No one would be able to see it now haha! EDIT: 5:42 WOW! So weird to hear someone online talking about my home state LOL! (I'm north of Duluth Minnesota by about an hour's drive)
Thank you!😃 Bahaha I see your point 😅 I haven’t grown any back hair (yet, I’m sure it’ll come as I age) but my stomach and thighs are normally SUPER hairy😆 (my tattoo artist shaved the area when she tattooed it) Ooo that’s so cool! I feel the same when people mention Norway randomly!
@@Kovukingsrod Some people are blessed with no back hair lol... How do you manage NOT to itch a tat when your hair is growing through it? I think that would drive me nuts, let alone ruin the tat with my scratching! 🤪😁
hi Sweetie! I loved the tour! I adore that toad/frog on your left arm! But everything is wonderful. The magpie is fantastic! I love the idea of having everything being the floor of a forest! Be cool to have some birch trees or logs ! I hope you do not get the kind of sleeve that stops with a sharp line. Kind of defeat the purpose of the tats following the lines of your body. Which was fabulous! xoxox
Hi Shala!! Glad you enjoyed it 😁 yes I’m really excited to see what it eventually turns into! Yes I agree - I’m definitely not planning to get one that ends with a sharp line. I want it to flow as naturally as possible, especially since the theme is nature! I hope you’re well and have had a good start to the new year! x
@@Kovukingsrod Well, it's been an exciting year so far! Are you following Josh's FB page about his transplant? I have been watching a series on YT by a lady who makes what she calls "painty papers." She is a paper crafter from England and just cracks me up. I made some of my own painty papers in the hospital since I didn't have any of my own crafting stuff. I got paper, markers, and colored pencils from Child Life. I'll send you a card with some paper I make. Your Christmas card will probably arrive after you have gone back to Wales since I can't get anyone to go to the post office for me!!!!!! xo
My first tattoo was a cat with syringes like crossbones, an anarchy sign in one eye and a pinpoint in the other side to indicate narcotic addiction. I don’t relate to it much now, but it reminds me of where I came from. Great transition btw. Love your plague doctor addition most.
Haha Kovu guess what? I ran into a comment of yours under a video about Violas yesterday. My friend and I are planning a music video shoot, starring her playing viola and you just happened to be in the comments.
3-4 years ago I saw one of your videos for the first time and really fell in love with that saturn necklace, so I got the same one So years have passed and I still wear and adore it :) Also you're amazing, stay safe ♥
Oh my god, my heart :’)) that is just the loveliest thing. God it’s mad that I’ve worn that necklace for 4 years now more or less!😱 It’s so sweet we have “matching” ones and you still wear yours! I hope you’re well!☺️❤️
The magpie looks absolutely magnificent, Kovu 😯 Though I find the idea of getting the stomach area tattooed pretty counterintuitive, if I'm honest 😬 And that toad/bat hybrid creature low-key looks like a little dragon 😁
@@Kovukingsrod Well. For starters, I don't think I've ever personally seen someone with a tattoo on their stomach. And also I think I'd feel extremely vulnerable getting stabbed with a needle near my stomach 😬 But then again I'm generally afraid of needles and have a trashy tolerance for pain in general, so that probably factors in 😏
@@Meeko4eve39 I see! It’s not the most common placement as you have to “commit” quite a bit and a lot of people just want small tattoos on their arms or ankles or something (nothing wrong with that), but amongst more heavily tattooed people it’s actually a very popular placement! If you look up sternum tattoos you can see a lot of beautiful ones. And I definitely did feel exposed!😆 Luckily it was done by Marthe, who I trust 100% and who is now a good friend of mine! So I knew she’d do a good job :) And don’t get me wrong - it definitely DID hurt. But I wanted it really badly so it was worth it, and I’m over the moon about how it turned out! Ps. Believe it or not, I’m also not a needle fan by any means 😬 blood tests and vaccines freak me out, but tattoos are different to me as the needles don’t go “into” my body the same way, just on top of the skin
@@Kovukingsrod Ah. That makes sense, actually. Especially that you probably really have to trust the person doing it and really wanting that particular kind of tattoo. And I guess tattoos are different from vaccines or blood tests in that you've consciously decided to have one as a form of self expression instead of a necessary medical procedure 🤔 That might "help" with the fear, too. There aren't too many people in my family (or among my friends) who have tattoos. And none of them are what I'd call "heavily tattooed". And I guess I won't join them any time soon... Or at all. But if I were to get one I'd probably be on team small arm/ankle tattoo 😁 Oh, and I'm really happy to hear that you've found your style and made friends through getting tattoos 😊 That's awesome!
@@Meeko4eve39 yes definitely! I got it partially also to hide some lose skin that was left after top surgery, and Marthe is one of the few irl people who knows I’m trans. It was actually pretty meaningful to have someone I trust be able to do that for me! Yeah definitely! I believe that is why people also keep returning to tattoo shops despite the pain. Oh yes that’s completely fair 😁 my parents and brother have all gotten tattooed, even both of my grandparents have! Not as many as me, but I think that definitely helped “normalise” it in my mind! I was still quite scared of the commitment when getting my first one, but then I ended up just feeling super comfortable with all of it! However I completely get it’s not for everyone, and there’s so many amazingly cool forms of self expression, but it’s definitely very interesting to have conversations about it!😁😁
Thank you! And I had a lovely celebration with three friends (this was before the recent lockdown in Norway so it was 100% fine according to guidelines). My best friend celine brought us homemade peach and blueberry wines, and we went to the top of a hill by my house and watched all the firework! Then we went back home and they all stayed the night at my place :D how was yours??
@@Kovukingsrod omg I got the notification that you ❤️ my comment and my heart skipped a beat lol but yeah mine was great! I spent it with my brother and we just kinda ate and watched yt lol :)
dont you feel weird about someone quite foreign making your tattoos? mine are always done by me or my friends. ALSO, MY SLEEVE IS FOREST GROUND THEEMED TOO!!!
I don’t, no! If they’re an artist who’s work I adore - as long as they’re nice - I’m just stoked about getting a piece by them on my body. If I were to just get simple script or small lineart tattoos, I’d probably go to someone I knew. However I nor my friends are able to create art like my recent upper arm piece, for example! Also Marthe is a good friend of mine now, if that counts :P Also AHH AWESOME
@@spof_XD that is very sweet of you! I appreciate it! You could message me on Instagram (@kovukingsrd) & perhaps I could find an address to give you :)
