Question:
It is totally unbelievable how many crappy tattoos I see every Saturday. You see Saturday is the day that I get my ink fix. I love hanging around the shop BSing with the folks who come in and looking at their work. The sights I see are crazy. I see lines that are nowhere near straight, coloring out of the lines, total lack of shading & just plain junk. It makes me wonder if people ever check out the artists work. They all have books with pictures of their work, dont they ? Its the no-talent hackers out there that make me sick. Go back to art school and learn the proper way to draw. Well I can ramble on and on about this all day so i’ll give you all a break.
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Well, if anyone out there can answer this – I’d love to know…’cause I never cease to be amazed by the number of absolutely horrid tattoos I come accross… and worse yet how many of the people wearing them just totally love them…. I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. It is totally unbelievable how many crappy tattoos I see I see lines that are nowhere near straight, coloring out of the lines, total lack of shading & just plain junk. It makes me wonder if people ever check out the artists work.
this is a bit of a rant…. but I do have a working theory on this…. you see, I’m almost completely tone deaf, so I can’t tell if someone else is singing way off key…. and I figure that some people are visually handicapped in a similar way and they just can’t tell when something looks awful. Whatcha think?
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It is totally unbelievable how many crappy tattoos I see every Saturday.
Never mind that, let’s see some GIFs! You see Saturday is the day that I get my ink fix. I love hanging around the shop BSing with the folks who come in and looking at their work. The sights I see are crazy. I see lines that are nowhere near straight, coloring out of the lines, total lack of shading & just plain junk.
It could be worse. The desktop publishing industry, followed by the self-publishing industry, will further lower tattoo standards soon when Hewlett-Packard starts selling their new SkinWriter inkjet printer. (Black ink cartridges cost $20, color ink cartridges cost $80, and run out much faster.) It has a resolution of 300 little needlepricks per inch, and comes with a floppy disk with ten pieces of flash on it of the same high quality as the free TrueType fonts that come with printers. Just instead of Braggadocio and ITC Fat Face and Hairpin, you get a stick figure with Garfield’s head on it, a stick figure saying "Don’t have a cow, man", and a stick figure’s skull. It makes me wonder if people ever check out the artists work. They all have books with pictures of their work, dont they ?
This is why when I get my first tattoo it’ll have to be on my butt so that I’ll never see it and won’t ever be disappointed in how bad it looks. If I get drunk and get one on my bicep or somewhere by mistake I’ll have to pay for one of those operations where they cut the tattoo off and stick it on some other part of your body. Its the no-talent hackers out there that make me sick. Go back to art school and learn the proper way to draw.
(tragedy ensues when one careless statement on Usenet causes lots of people to get tattooed against their will with pictures of "Tippi The Turtle" from the "Can You Draw Me?" ads in TV Guide.) Maybe we need a better way for tattoo artists to practice. I say we should REQUIRE all convicted criminals to get tattoos. Of course, upon their release all the tattoos would be removed. Also the only tattoos they’d be allowed to have in jail would be "KICK ME" signs. — K. Next month, Xerox is unveiling a machine that can copy tattoos to other people.
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Hey now! I have a couple of those crappy tats! I had 5 home tats done in 1992 when my two best friends died… what can I say, a bunch of us were mourning together with a couple bottles of Jack and a case of beer, and I had this bottle of India ink…… nuff said. I have since tried to get better tat cover jobs on them. The first was awful… it was supposed to be this fat heart with cute little wings and a halo… signifying "angel at heart" …what the tattooist did was change the drawing I brought in to what he liked, and put it on without showing me… I didn’t get to look in a mirror until the outlining was done. I have this stupid Aerosmith album cover looking thing on my arm now with a tiny halo. Currently I am trying to find someone to change it, but the tattooists I have talked to here don’t want to "re-do another artists work". They all say that they won’t touch it other than to totally cover it with something different. On my other arm is a jeweled cross cover-up my husband drew up for me. (Yes, he attended art school 
and dreams of someday getting into an apprenticeship in a parlor) I did not check the initial trace and didn’t notice the off-centered caps on the ends of the cross until afterwards… now am trying to find someone here to bold up the outlines and touch up the gems for me. If anyone can recommend a good tattoos in Nebraska, Omaha or Lincoln, I would greatly appreciate it. The other 3 were touched up and covered by a guy here in town, Devin at Villian’s tattoo. He did a great job. I am currently trying to get a hold of him, but seem to be unable to catch him "in the office" so to speak. OK… I delurked and ranted a bit… now a bit of advice for newbies. Do not let the artist intimidate you. It’s your body and you are the one that will have to live with the tattoo afterwards. Double check EVERYTHING. (lines…lettering etc..) before s/he starts tattooing!!!! If the artist does not have a book with actual PICTURES OF TATTOOS ON SKIN that he has done…. go elsewhere. Just what I have learned the hard way…. may sound like a big "duh" to you veteran bodyart enthusiasts, but it did not occur to me back then. oh… I also have 4 pierces in each ear… first ones gunned (I was 11) other 3 pair self done with a needle. No others yet…. am still looking for the right person to do any further body mods. —–Angie *******You’re just jealous cuz the voices talk to ME******* *******Tattoos are permanent proof of temporary insanity******* (my bumper sticker from Thunder Art Tattoo in K.C.) http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Boardwalk/3806
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Currently I am trying to find someone to change it, but the tattooists I have talked to here don’t want to "re-do another artists work". They all say that they won’t touch it other than to totally cover it with something different.
tattoo artists can be complete cunts, when will they realise what they do is a job and we the consumer do pay for the job….give the customer what he wants, if you think your a grandios super human artist then why are you doing tattoos? cheers, Cameron its a conspiracy where’s my rifle?
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There can be circumstances about which you don’t know… Perhaps the original (albeit poor) work was done by a colleague, or perhaps to *not* correct others’ work is within the shop’s policy. The shop at which I work is happy to turn an old tattoo into one that looks brand-new, whether it’s a 30 year old piece or a 1 year old piece that’s lost its color. "All" is a pretty broad term. Check the FAQs for an artist in your area who can do what you want. ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/bodyart/tattoo-faq/part5 As for Cameron’s response… the language was a bit vulgar, don’t you think? Just because we’re adorned doesn’t mean we have to be crude. The "c—" word used is offensive to many people. (Just because I can outcurse many a truck driver doesn’t mean that I HAVE to.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Currently I am trying to find someone to change it, but the tattooists I have talked to here don’t want to "re-do another artists work". They all say that they won’t touch it other than to totally cover it with something different. tattoo artists can be complete cunts, when will they realise what they do is a job and we the consumer do pay for the job….give the customer what he wants, if you think your a grandios super human artist then why are you doing tattoos? cheers, Cameron its a conspiracy where’s my rifle?
– ( * ) <sings I have a tail, I have a tail <G http://members.aol.com/ta2intl/tattoo.htm " I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They’ve experienced pain and bought jewelry." – Rita Rudner
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Angie said: Hey now! I have a couple of those crappy tats!
OK…thanks to you, my orange juice is now all over my monitor. I feel cranky for saying so, but the proclaimation of a "crappy tat" just tickles my fancy. Ah-choo. xxx & I couldn’t make-out what Chadwick on MTV’s Road Rules season 6 had on his goddamn chest. Took me til the second episode to realize it was a tiger. Scared the hell out of me. LA
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Welcome:-) Nice rant! Sorry to hear of your bad tats, I hope you an sort things out for the better. Don’t ya just hate learning the hard way. Wish I had access to this group a year ago. The unofficial Wingnut homepage http://home.att.net/~meyham Brad(*)
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It could be worse. The desktop publishing industry, followed by the self-publishing industry, will further lower tattoo standards soon when Hewlett-Packard starts selling their new SkinWriter inkjet printer.
[snip long hilarious rant] If this was a delurk, man, you earned that tail. This was the funniest thing i’ve read all week. angela "I never knew why Dorothy wanted to go back and live in black and white with *smelly farm animals*. I mean – winged monkeys! magic shoes! and she coulda had green skin!" -John Waters
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axcxaxbx said: tattoo artists can be complete cunts, when will they realise what they do is a job and we the consumer do pay for the job….give the customer what he wants, if you think your a grandios super human artist then why are you doing tattoos? **severe rant mode on**
<snip a great rant funny when I read this I had a similar response, I just wasn’t able to put it as well. I’d also like to add: 13) this is a tattoo shop, not lets make a deal and I sure don’t look like Monty Hall! I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate it if your boss asked "could you take a smaller paycheck this week, I only want to pay $40" 14 Make up your mind about what you want BEFORE you sit in the chair. a) We have no problems making the design just right for you. But if you insist on changing the design after we begin tattooing you will be very disappointed. b) Don’t try to get a cheaper price by slipping in extra things after I’ve done the tattoo("can you add a name" "can you add color" "can you add a date"). You will be charged MORE for this. 15)If you come in with a friend to watch don’t wander around the working artist, find a seat and stay in it. If you accidentally bump the artist or your friend you could ruin the tattoo. 16) if you ask a question, wait for the answer before you ask another. We know that you’re excited and probably nervous, but it’s frustrating to try to answer questions for somone not listening. 17) Follow the care instructions given to you!!!!!! We did not go to all the trouble printing out proper care instructions, for you to follow your friends advice and then call us 2 days later with problems. also if you have a problem with your tattoo call or better yet come in. I can’t count the number of times that I have had a clients mother/friend/aunt"the nurse"/family doctor tell them the worst thing to do for their tattoo. many medical people know little to nothing about body art and some of them just don’t like it and give very poor advice on the care. See us first, if we can’t handle it we’ll send you to a tattoo friendly doctor. I’m sure there is more but I think you got most of them. Any one else care to add to the list? Misha *who need a little rant* 
#
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axcxaxbx said: tattoo artists can be complete cunts, when will they realise what they do is a job and we the consumer do pay for the job….give the customer what he wants, if you think your a grandios super human artist then why are you doing tattoos?
**severe rant mode on** When will customers realize that THEY are acting like butt heads when, 1) ** All tattoo cutomers MUST be 18 years of age AND have a VALID state I.D.** A BIG sign on the door AND a BRIGHT YELLOW one on the inside of the shop I work in state this, still inevitably get these responses, "Can’t you make an exception for me" or "I wasn’t told that. Yinz guys are fukkin assholes" or "I’m her mom, what, you dont believe me?" 2) Walking in two minutes before we leave after having been working for upwards of 12 hours and throwing a hissy fit when we ask them to come back tomorrow or if they would like to schedule an appointment is not a smart way to get on our good sides. The same goes for walking in a half hour before closing and expecting the artists to draw up and do a full back-piece and then getting mad when we tell them it isn’t possible tonite, but they could schedule an appointment or come back earlier in the day we would be more than happy to do it. 3) Again, throwing a fit when the foot long black panther peice you want is more than the $20 you planned on spending (I’ve have seen this particular fit thrown many a time, along with the whole"well this (crappy, faded, crooked, and plain ol’ horrendous) tattoo only cost me $20" ) 4) throwing another fit when we tell you that, if your peice was done at our shop, the touch-up is free, but if it was done at another shop we have to charge for it. 5) trashing our waiting room while your unattended children roam through the shop even after we repeatedly ask you to please control yer kids and then saying "well I’m going someplace cheaper" after unchaining the keep out sign dividing the waiting room area and the artist area and disturbing an artist in the middle of a peice, totally ignoring the lackey(me, in this case) when he/she asks, "Did you need help with anything or have any questions?" 6) Banging on the door at 9:30 in the morning when the lacky is cleaning and readying the shop for the day and then getting totally pissed when yer told that the opening time is 11:00. 7) Stealing pieces of artist drawn flash or hiding them so you can "come get that one later" or stealing a whole book of flash is just that. Theft, and if I ever catch the bastard that stole that book I’ll rip his nuts off and THEN call the police to report a thief. 
Stealing, folding, bending, or ripping pages out of the books too valuable to be kept in the waiting room. Many of those books are more than a bit expensive. 9) Generally waltzing into the shop and acting as if yer the /Monarch of yer sex/ of England, treating the employees as if they were indentured servants or lesser humans because we work in a tattoo shop, demanding that we draw something up for you so you can "take it home to look at" (which we generally won’t do for joe schmoes off the street because several times in the past the artists have drawn something up for someone who didn’t like the price they were quoted who took the piece home to "think about it" never seeing them again except when later on, they come in and expect to get the stolen artwork their scratcher friend tattooed on them for cheap get major touch up work from us. Believe me, the couple times that happened, they got a MAJOR dent put in their wallets) 10) having basically no manners or common decency 11) getting pissed because a tattoo artist reserves the right to refuse sevice to anyone. Generally that means if you are drunk or otherwise unsober, extremely dirty and/or smelly, or abusive. 12) and a tip, if you feel uncomfortable or just plain dont like us, there is not a DAMN thing stopping you from walking out and going to another shop. At the shop I work in, we don’t charge to draw something for a customer. But we will not give it to them to take home unless they are a trustworthy repeat customer. And rarely even then. The artist will keep it until the person saves the money or gets the time or whatever to get it. And the artists are more than happy to make any changes to drawings for a customer. The artist ALWAYS has the customer look at the finished drawing (be it a Taz or a full blown Japanese style back piece) and give it an ok or ask for changes before the stencil is ever made. Then, after the changes have been made and recieved an ok and the stencil is made and placed on the body, the artists make the customer go and look in the mirror to check if placement and everything else is how they want it. We once went through all of this only to recieve a phone call later in the day a girl got her name tattooed on her to hear that her name was misspelled. Funny thing is, we always make the customer write down the name they want. She came in and when we showed her, in HER OWN HANDWRITING, her name misspelled, she was so embaressed she turned BRIGHT red and stopped complaining instantly. Needless to say, thank god it was something easy to fix. We still laugh about that one. We always make an effort to make the customer feel comfortable and answer any questions they might have. When answering phone calls, we are as professional and helpful as we can be. That said, there are limits to that. We will not be nice and polite if you are overly rude. Period. This ain’t McDonalds. Service with a smile is only guaranteed when the customer is a civil human being. Remember, a tattoo shop is practically an artists home. Most artists spend close to the same amount of time there as they do at home. And they take pride in their work, be it as small or as large as a tattoo can be. It’s kinda like the golden rule. "Treat yer artist as you would like to be treated" **end MAJOR rant mode** Whew, it was nice to get that off of my chest. Sorry about that folks. I had that one building up for a while, if you couldn’t tell. –Meg "Sleeping with you must be something akin to necrophilia!" —Saffron Monsoon
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tod & Misha wrote
(snip rant) People can be so stupid. Actually I probably shouldn’t say that because some peope probably know better, They just don’t care. (listening intensly to rant) Hope you all feel better. The unofficial Wingnut homepage http://home.att.net/~meyham Brad(*)
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33.) Please don’t tell me halfway through the tattoo how drunk you are, even though you signed the consent form saying you weren’t (and no wonder you were bleeding so hard!) 34.)Please don’t say, "I don’t care what I get, like omiGod what’s cool?" My taste is probably very very different then yours. 35.) Please don’t ask if you can take the flash down now that you’ve gotten the tattoo. If you want a custom piece, we can do a custom piece. Flash is open to the public. 36.) You don’t have to bring everyone you know to your tattoo. It’s not a sporting event. You’d really not rather have your twenty five best friends watch you squirm. 37.) Just because I’ve tattooed you doesn’t mean you’re new best friend, and want to have you call me up and ask me what’s new… I am also not interested in hearing horror stories from your childhood, and find it uncomfortable when your physical pain threshold suddenly causes you to nervously tell me your incest stories or sexual proclivities. What am I supposed to say back??? Gee, sorry you were raped in that mental ward, and those rats, that’s horrible, gnawing you say??? If you need therapy, go to a therapist. I am only a tattoo artist! 38.) Don’t forget, no tattoo is perfect. A tattoo artist is a human being, and a tattoo occasionally has that human element to it, we are not automatons infinitely capable of perfection. I’m sure I could go on and on too Sakina – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Way to go Meg & Misha!! Here are a few more for the list: l8) Prices subject to change according to customers attitude–seriously. 19) If you ask one person in the shop a question and get an answer, please don’t ask the same question to everone else in the shop–they’re going to give you the exact same answer you got from the first person you asked. 20) Please do listen and answer honestly when your tattooist asks if you have eaten anything today–if you haven’t, you’re likely to feel a little light headed or even pass out. Please have a bite to eat before you get a tattoo and in the event you don’t eat and you do pass out, please remember to thank the tattoo artist for providing a beverage and/or a snack so that you can get your tattoo completed. 21) Not all tattoo shops are created equal. Find the one that suits your taste, comfort, and budget. Water seeks its’ own level and there is a tattoo shop out there for everyones’ taste (or lack thereof). Please don’t call every shop in the area to do price comparison–well, you can, but you won’t have any idea of what you’ll be getting for your money. Do visit shops in person, look at the work and make an educated decision based on more than just $$. 22) If a tattoo artist refuses to tattoo something a certain way, for instance–as small as humanly possible, there’s usually a reason. Most artists will be happy to explain why. It’s up to you whether or not you take their experienced advice. 23) Please don’t tell me how to do my job or stand over my shoulder while I’m working. I don’t mind you watching, but I do need to concentrate on the task at hand. Distractions don’t make it any easier. 24) If you have an appointment, please call if you’re not able to make it or need to reschedule. If you don’t call and are more than 15 minutes late, you may end up having to wait when you finally show up as I take walk-ins when appointments don’t show. 25) Don’t get all bent out of shape if you can’t set up an appointment over the phone. More often than not when we used to take appointments over the phone, people pulled no shows. Now we take a $20 deposit that goes towards the price of the tattoo and funny enough, just about everyone who makes an appointment shows up. 26) Don’t get mental on me if I can’t answer your "How much will _____cost?" over the phone. It’s much like calling a dentist who has no idea about your teeth and telling them you have a toothache and how much will it cost to fix it? I can give you a ballpark figure with a wide spread, however it’s impossible for me to pinpoint it over the phone. If the other guy you called can, well, good for him, but I need to see how big your arm is or what exactly your "custom" design entails before I can give you a figure. 27) No, we don’t do tattoo parties. 28) Please respect me and my shop. Don’t empty out your ashtray into my parking lot or stick your gum under my counter tops. Don’t try to trace designs out of the waiting room or walk off with the pencil/pen that I loaned you. 29) Don’t shoot me the hairy eyeball when I tell you I don’t tattoo in the same manner as the scratcher whose "work" you want me to "fix", nor when I tell you what it will cost to "fix" it. 30) I try to make the process of getting a tattoo as positive as I can–if you’re going to bring along someone for support, please bring someone who actually is supportive, not someone who just wants to see if you scream, squirm, or pass out. 31) Make sure you have your method of payment with you. and finally, 32) If you’re sick with the flu or a cold or anything else easily communicable, please wait until you are well to visit my shop. Of course it goes without saying that YMMV on all of these points. I’m sure I could come up with more, but I have work to do. Regards, Fritz
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: : axcxaxbx said: : : tattoo artists can be complete cunts, when will they realise what they do is : a : job and we the consumer do pay for the job….give the customer what he : wants, : if you think your a grandios super human artist then why are you doing : tattoos? : : **severe rant mode on** : :<snip a great rant :funny when I read this I had a similar response, I just wasn’t able to :put it as well. I’d also like to add: : : Misha *who need a little rant* # *Smile* Great rants and quite an education! Any chace of you two setting up shop in England? Say St.Albans, or even Park Street (village)?? <G Martin! Can I come out now? Is it safe?
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I tend to disagree… what about the people who tell the same stories to the bartender, the bus driver, the cafeteria lady, the stranger next to them while they’re waiting for their tattoo, etc. These are the stories that we tire of hearing. If these people find solace in repeating their stories, perhaps they should get involved in writing, so that their listening audience kinda has a CHOICE… I like this list a lot… too bad it’s too long to post in a shop (when people don’t want to read thru their waivers, they’re sure as heck not gonna read a list of the things thye do that annoy us…) <snip 37.) Just because I’ve tattooed you doesn’t mean you’re new best friend, and want to have you call me up and ask me what’s new… ***I am also not interested in hearing horror stories <snip Although it can be quite uncomfortable to hear these sorts of admissions, especially if you’ve never met the person before, bear in mind that it’s part of the job.
<snip If you can’t deal, you may consider posting a sign in your waiting room that states your discomfort with hearing personal disclosures, or you might try a different vocation. Fritz
– ( * ) + t=32, p=6 
I need more!!! Doing strange things in the name of art… Tattoo International & Body Piercing 614 South Colony Road, Wallingford, CT 203 949-1678 http://members.aol.com/ta2intl/tattoo.htm
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Although it can be quite uncomfortable to hear these sorts of admissions, especially if you’ve never met the person before, bear in mind that it’s part of the job. People often times get tattooed whilst going through changes in their lives including overcoming abuse. Many view their tattoo as empowerment in their quest for reclaimation of their bodies. Some may feel compelled to share the often heart-breaking storys that led them to your tattoo studio. Getting the tattoo is theraputic for them. You are putting a permanent mark onto their body which may serve to help them–have some compassion! If you can’t deal, you may consider posting a sign in your waiting room that states your discomfort with hearing personal disclosures, or you might try a different vocation. Fritz
A-fucking-men, Fritz. I’m not the type to spill my guts but I think what you’re saying is, in some instances, right on. I always feel sorry for people who feel it necessary to look upon their tattoo artist/piercer/ hairdresser/dogwasher as a kind of psychotherapist… I mean it really is pretty sad that many people don’t have anyone else to talk to. I think your closing suggestion is an excellent one. Peace to all~ Donna "the greatest trick/the devil ever pulled/was convincing the world… he didn’t exist."
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Believe me, some people feel the need to tell this stuff to everyone. Rape, abuse, etc. I’ve heard it from strangers from the tattoo studio waiting room to the train station waiting area. Maybe it’s healing for them to talk about it, but it would probably be more healing if they had a caring audience… (NOT to be insensitive… I have enough on my shoulders caring about my friends, without wondering what happened to the strangers from yesterday, too.) My $.27; My 2 cents and a phone call :
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