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Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano  welcome guest Russ Abbott back to the Honest Tattooer podcast and discuss his major fitness changes, how improved health impacts tattooing, and the ergonomic setup he uses to stand while tattooing. Russ explains his magnifying dental-style glasses, reading glasses, and custom prescription polarized lenses with a polarized headlamp to reduce glare. The conversation shifts to the Abbott Color Wheel, why ink pigment transparency and lightfastness matter, and Russ’s plan to redesign the wheel by learning ink bases and building a more intentional palette. He also talks about focusing on Japanese kumiko-inspired geometric work, tattooing his son, Tattoo Smart’s slowdown, and concerns about AI and design apps becoming crutches versus learning fundamentals.

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