Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ex-MA Hole on May 18, 2009, 09:34:06 AM
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What do I look for? I know exactly what I want, and it needs to have a fair amount of detail....but.....how do I pick a shop?
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Ask people who have high quality work on thier skin, in terms of detail and shading, until you start to see a consensus forming. It's also probably a select number of artists who you want, not just anybody at one particular shop.
I'd expect that a shop also has a portfolio of their work. And when there's a waiting list to get your appointment at the shop, with the artist you want, and the price shocks you a bit, then it's probably the right place.
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Big autoclave front and center.
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There are websites devoted to this I think. I know people get very good reputations, and everyone in the area who is into tattoos seems to know who they are. Long waiting lists.
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Keep in mind styles too. An incredibly talented artist could be totally wrong for you because their style doesn't match your needs. Look through their portfolios closely.
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I make it a policy to stay away from places that want to inject ink under my skin.
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Cleanliness, technical skills, artistical skills.
To elaborate, needles are single use and to be taken straight from vaccum sealed bags.
Technical skills, atleast that's how I think of it, is the whole thing of getting the ink into your skin with the minimal amount of damage done to it. I've seen horrific examples of what happens when people without skills try to tattoo. Let's just say "scar tissue" and stop at that.
Artistic skills: Can the guy draw? Check his portfolio. Check lines, shading. If you want to, I can give you some good examples (pictures) of what to look for and what to avoid in that department.
I'm going into get some more work done tomorrow, I can ask my artist what advice he has to add...
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Viking- That'd be great.
Hank, I always have, too.
That said, I have something I really want to do.
My Uncle was killed in a car accident a couple of years back. He left four children. He was my role model growing up- he wasn't perfect, but he was my sounding board.
A couple of months my later, my Grandfather passed. He was perhaps the most honorable man that has ever lived. He was the best man at my wedding. He was the first person that knew I was going to propose to my Wife. In fact, I flew us down to GA to get engaged at Tybee Beach so they could be the first to know that I did ask.
He had lung cancer and was given two months to live a while ago. He new that Jen was pregnant and he promised to meet my baby. Somehow, he managed to make it 10 months. We went to see him and he had no idea who I was, who my Wife was, who my Grandmother was. Hell, he had lost bladder control, bowel control, most muscle control.
The whole house wreaked of death. The morning we were to leave, he told me he loved me, he had kept his promise to meet my child, that he was proud of me, and that it was time to say good bye. I kissed my Grandfather goodbye for the last time and flew home. Once I walked out the door he shut down, stopped eating, drinking, everything.
He died three days later. I've never cried so hard in my life. I had lost my best friend.
Their last name means "Pear Tree". My Uncle's Stone actually has a Pear Tree on it with two falling pears...One for him and one for my Grandfather (In Judiasm, the stone is not placed until +/- a year later, so my Aunt had them put two leaves vs the one).
I want to have a tree done on my left arm with two leaves or pears falling from it.
They mean a lot to me and I want to take them with me every day for the rest of my life.
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Viking: I'd be interested in those pics as well. My next couple are gonna be simple line drawings, but I've an idea for a backpiece that's a bit more complex.
Also, Mark; what are you getting?
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Not a big fan of tattoos, myself.
That said, I think I would treat it the same way I would elective eye surgery or elective plastic surgery: pay good money for the best quality available.
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Their last name means "Pear Tree". My Uncle's Stone actually has a Pear Tree on it with two falling pears...One for him and one for my Grandfather (In Judiasm, the stone is not placed until +/- a year later, so my Aunt had them put two leaves vs the one).
I want to have a tree done on my left arm with two leaves or pears falling from it.
jf....I'm not concerned with cost....I'm concerned with quality....
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Comparison between two examples of koi fish:
Bad!!! Kill the "artist" with fire!!!:
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbigdogzink.com%2Fimages%2F3.jpg&hash=e7f595026c7d4087fd992f3f71e13c87f98e48a8)
Bloody amazing!:
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.lawrence.edu%2Fcareercenter%2Fkoi-fish-tattoo.jpg&hash=6622d5ed3dde17e5841abbb2739c599fdf9ba1ec)
One of these fellows has mastered doing lines, shading, things you need to know to do a good tattoo. I'm guessing that he has spent quite a bit of time apprenticing for someone, learning by making small and simple tattoos before moving up as he gets better. I'd definetly let him work on me!
The other guy, OTOH, I wouldn't even let him brand cattle. God knows how miserably he'd fail. I guess he has never spent a day as an apprentice, and I'd be amazed if he knows how to operate his machines properly.
As a sidenote, my artist's girlfriend is apprenticing with him now. She hasn't been doing it for that long, she doesn't exactly do worldclass portraits or such yet, but despite her relative lack of experience, she manages to make good, solid traditional tattoos. Apprenticing and learning it from someone who knows what he/she is doing helps alot! Trying to learn it all by yourself will in most cases make people miserable when they realize how much they paid for someone to totally ruin their skin. I've seen good ideas butchered completely because people order crap kits from China and then opens up a shop...
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Some stuff I forgot to add:
http://www.bmeink.com/bme-tatt.html - Great resource for pictures. Outright stealing is not cool, but getting inspiration is OK. Some pics might not be safe for work.
What else...oh yes, try to make sure that you don't go there on an empty stomach. I am of the opinion that it'll hurt more if you are hungry and don't have any energy.
Balog, what are you planning on getting done?
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Get one of your friends roaring drunk and send him in the shop to put the moves on the artist's girlfriend.....if he get's beat up and thrown out, skip that shop. If he comes out with a well-inked, naked Ms. Piggy tatooed on his chest, then that's the shop for you.....
=D
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Viking: trinity symbols on the biceps, an Eagle Globe and Anchor on the left forearm and a cadeusius (did I spell that right? The "snake and cross" symbol corpsman wear opposite their rank insignia) on the right. I like symmetry. :) the backpiece I'm kicking a few ideas around, I'd like to find a very good artist to figure out what's possible and what would look good.
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Viking: trinity symbols on the biceps, an Eagle Globe and Anchor on the left forearm and a cadeusius (did I spell that right? The "snake and cross" symbol corpsman wear opposite their rank insignia) on the right. I like symmetry. :) the backpiece I'm kicking a few ideas around, I'd like to find a very good artist to figure out what's possible and what would look good.
This one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus
or this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius ?
Which styles are you interested in?
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Like this (http://www.betadesigns.com/vgrfx/GIF/Watermarked/BetaStickers/Navy/Petty%20Officer%20Patches/Petty%20Officer%20Second%20Class/HM2.gif), the part under the bird.
As for styles, just simple line drawings in traditional black for the arms. The more realistic style for the backpiece, but still in grey-scale.
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Like this (http://www.betadesigns.com/vgrfx/GIF/Watermarked/BetaStickers/Navy/Petty%20Officer%20Patches/Petty%20Officer%20Second%20Class/HM2.gif), the part under the bird.
As for styles, just simple line drawings in traditional black for the arms. The more realistic style for the backpiece, but still in grey-scale.
Post pics when you are done then :cool:. I've got maybe...75% of my left arm covered, plus pieces on my shoulders, stomach, chest, back and inside of upper right arm. :cool:
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tattoofever.net%2Fimages%2Fbad%2520tattoo.jpg&hash=5d7996709806b399492a24abc49e93795b467988)
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tattoofever.net%2Fimages%2Fbad%2520tattoo.jpg&hash=5d7996709806b399492a24abc49e93795b467988)
Classic :laugh:.
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LOL. Who doesn't want a tattoo of a zombie on them? :laugh:
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Durrr...
No, the guy was obviously a Christopher Lambert/Highlander fan, and wanted to combine that with a memorial for his young dead wife.
I think the artist did an admirable job combining the two, don't you think?
In both cases, at least as far as the wearer of this tattoo is concerned, "There can be only one."
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The Tattoo of Dorian Gray
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http://www.tattoofever.net/images/bad%20tattoo.jpg
Seems to me the gentleman had a poor tattoo artist and didn't do his homework.
At the very least, I would think he'd have been better served to first get someone to make a drawing from his wife's picture and use that for the tattoo.
I'm thinking sketches translate into tatoos better than pictures.
(However, I think anyone getting a tattoo is making a poor decision- some of those decisions are worse than others, though. I will elaborate: what will be your opinion of that tattoo in 30 years?)
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Look at portfolios. Find someone who is good at the particular style that you want.
A lot of artists will refer you to someone else if they aren't into doing a particular type of tattoo.
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Much good advice all around.
Know what you want and go looking for it. See someone with nice ink similar to what you want? Ask them where they got it. A good tattoo artist is like a good barber, hard to find but once you've found him all is well.
Look at portfolios, look at ink, look at his standard offerings. And if the price seems low, there is likely a reason. As to the needles, they are a one time use item. If they try and stick you with something else run, don't walk, for the door.
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(However, I think anyone getting a tattoo is making a poor decision- some of those decisions are worse than others, though. I will elaborate: what will be your opinion of that tattoo in 30 years?)
My thoughts too. Aside from being painful and causing some people to rush to judgment about you, I've seen what tattoos look like 30 years later. Not good. Not good at all.
Add to that the medical risks associated with some shops not taking safety seriously and the fact that getting a tattoo removed is painful, time consuming, and costly and it adds up to me not wanting to even bother.
I mean, sure it might be fun to get the letter "M" tattooed on both but cheeks so that when you spread them it spells, "MOM"..... but is it really worth it?
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My thoughts too. Aside from being painful and causing some people to rush to judgment about you, I've seen what tattoos look like 30 years later. Not good. Not good at all.
Add to that the medical risks associated with some shops not taking safety seriously and the fact that getting a tattoo removed is painful, time consuming, and costly and it adds up to me not wanting to even bother.
I mean, sure it might be fun to get the letter "M" tattooed on both but cheeks so that when you spread them it spells, "MOM"..... but is it really worth it?
I won't say that's the most ignorant and insulting thing I've seen on this board, but it's certainly king for this week.
Personally, I like the fact that some people rush to judgement about tattoos. It helps me weed out the santimonious pricks more easily.
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I spent 20 years USN and had often considered getting a tattoo. A salty old WWII Sub Sailor advised me against it. He showed me his aged tattoos and I became a believer in his advice. After many years, his had managed to blur into a green ink spot, illegible. Furthermore, I've never found much of anything that I want to keep on my body forever.