In One Week

I spend about 40 to 50 hours a week at my studio, 24 or more of those hours is spent tattooing, the other hours are spent, answering emails, quoting tattoos, fucking around on my computer and doing consultations with clients. What I noticed this week was a flux of new clients coming in that were looking for cover-ups. I do a lot of cover-ups, I mean a lot and what I'm noticing lately is a large concentration of people regretting their tattoos, some from tattoo parties, some from other studios and some from just talentless tattooists. It really makes me wonder if people think about their choices...do they just see an image and think to themselves "yep that's it", it's obvious that that's what happens. But what they're failing to do is take the time to find the right person to do the tattoo. There are thousands of extremely talented tattooists out there, but just because someone put an open sign up and has themselves a machine doesn't make them the right person to do the job. Frankly, I'm sick of being a miracle worker for other peoples sudden urges and spur of the moment events. It doesn't mean I won't do your cover-up, that's not my point at all. I myself have a cover-up from a mis-spent youth so I know what people are going through when they get "tattoo fever" but for fuck sake, slow down. Take your time, do your research and by all means look at the pictures these people present as their portfolios. Just because someone is known for being a "good drawer" doesn't mean they're a good tattooist. Are their lines, sharp and crisp? Is their color work solid and concentrated? Does the design make sense, can you tell what it is? Does the panther look like a panter or does it look like a lizard? Does the Angel face look like a real face or does it look like your 2 year olds construction paper drawing? Think of it this way, when someone walks into a gallery and there are paintings on the wall, that buyer knows a few general things about what their going to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on. They know the artists name, maybe their background, their style, a few things about their technique and of course they know the quality of the painting they are buying. When you as a collector of tattoos is shopping for tattoo work, you should know what you're looking at, you should know someting about the artist you're buying from and you should know their work. Unlike a painting, if it goes out of style or doesn't match the furniture anymore you can burn it, throw it out, shove it in a closet or attick. With a tattoo it's there FOREVER, and there may not be a way to fix it, or cover-it and sometimes laser removal doesn't always work. So, get educated about your life altering desisions, don't rely on just your friends to tell you who is good, or cheap or available now. Take responsibility.
That's all for now folks!!
PEACE, LOVE & MOTHER FUCKING TATTOOS!!!!