Why?

[UrbanEthix]

What really gets me is when you have a customer walking in with a brand new iPhone and tries to barter you down 50% or more from your original quote, en. ex., wanting a $600 tattoo and they can only afford $120. Then you attempt to hold back all of your sarcasm and frustrations and explain to them that you can do the outline today, possibly some black and grey if it's time allows and then they can come back in a few weeks when they have more money to get it finished. That's not good enough, they want the tattoo now and they want it for what they want to pay! WTF? really? Is it illegal to smack potential customers when they're stupid? I think the Supreme Court needs to rule in favor...SOON!!! If you can afford to flaunt your $500 iPhone while driving up in a brand new car with $5000 rims and a $3000 stereo system, then don't attempt to talk me down after I'm already trying to work with you on the price!!!

[Colored Guy]

What really gets me is when you have a customer walking in with a brand new iPhone and tries to barter you down 50% or more from your original quote, en. ex., wanting a $600 tattoo and they can only afford $120. Then you attempt to hold back all of your sarcasm and frustrations and explain to them that you can do the outline today, possibly some black and grey if it's time allows and then they can come back in a few weeks when they have more money to get it finished. That's not good enough, they want the tattoo now and they want it for what they want to pay! WTF? really? Is it illegal to smack potential customers when they're stupid? I think the Supreme Court needs to rule in favor...SOON!!! If you can afford to flaunt your $500 iPhone while driving up in a brand new car with $5000 rims and a $3000 stereo system, then don't attempt to talk me down after I'm already trying to work with you on the price!!!

That's it... "Generation E", the E is for entitlement, they gotta have it NOW. Hence all the shit-ass kitchen table based scratchers that get their quick $50 for a way sub-standard piece that looks like the scribblings of a 3 year old. The last thing you want to do is piss off your artist. Someone serious about tattoos wouldn't pull that crap.

CG

[goatchicken]

There is a flea market down the road from our shop. Recently a booth opened up with this guy basicly selling monstersteels entire website. Needless to say there are people who are swarming him who'd rather pay 25$ for some junk equipment than spend 4 times that for a professional tattoo.

[TheGrove]

This guy is always bragging about his tattoo parties he throws and how he can do so much better than the artists that me and my friends got tattooed by. I laugh in his face and walk away.

[irezumi]

people get the tattoo they deserve.

this has been a quote i've used for many years, but more and more i see people that didnt really deserve a shitty tattoo, they were just too ignorant to know better with on their first tattoo. not ignorant in an insulting way, but more of a lack of knowledge way.

I cant really hate on someone that didnt know better in the first place. just because a first-timer didnt go to 5 different shops doesnt mean they should wear a piece of shit. hell, some of the general public that DO go to different shops dont even know what to look for while browsing a portfolio. some people just see a bunch of pretty colors but none of the essentials and are fooled by smoke & mirrors.

[guiniveretoo]

... just because a first-timer didnt go to 5 different shops doesnt mean they should wear a piece of shit. hell, some of the general public that DO go to different shops dont even know what to look for while browsing a portfolio. some people just see a bunch of pretty colors but none of the essentials and are fooled by smoke & mirrors.

Thank you!

I've really just started being interested in tattoos and researching artists in my area over the last few weeks. It's REALLY REALLY hard for me as a beginner to tell the difference between an okay artist and a fantastic artist, especially about the more traditional and stylized tattoos. A koi fish is a koi fish to me.

I can see shit (Ugliest Tattoos, anyone?) - but I can't see greatness just because I haven't seen enough greatness.

All that said, I'm also looking for an artist that blows my socks off; if y'all think he's crap, at least I like him. :)

[irezumi]

pm'd

[zcamp]

I was talking to a tattooer friend of mine and scratchers came up and he referred to them as "kitchen wizards," which I have never heard before and thought it was the funniest shit ever.

Back when I was in highschool there was this guy who would tattoo kids out of his trailer who were underage, and needless to say they were terrible! So there were all these dudes 15 16 years old in my school with huge back pieces and sleeves that were just beyond awful.

[SStu]

- but I can't see greatness just because I haven't seen enough greatness.

All that said, I'm also looking for an artist that blows my socks off; if y'all think he's crap, at least I like him. :)

Bingo.

And don't be in a hurry. Just like any other education, spend some time researching, absorbing, listening and learning. The apreciation for the differances between good art and great art is learned as much as it is felt.

[David Flores]

this has been a quote i've used for many years, but more and more i see people that didnt really deserve a shitty tattoo, they were just too ignorant to know better with on their first tattoo. not ignorant in an insulting way, but more of a lack of knowledge way.

I cant really hate on someone that didnt know better in the first place. just because a first-timer didnt go to 5 different shops doesnt mean they should wear a piece of shit. hell, some of the general public that DO go to different shops dont even know what to look for while browsing a portfolio. some people just see a bunch of pretty colors but none of the essentials and are fooled by smoke & mirrors.

Yeah there are a lot of good people walking around with shitty tattoos. There wasn't always the internet and 100 shops to go to in every city for one. Also it just seems like there just aren't that many people outside of tattooers and people really into getting tattooed that know the ins and outs and who's who of tattooers.

Also who would have thought that getting tattooed would become a hobby. I don't see anything wrong with getting tattooed in the name of a good time, with less emphasis on substance. When I started I really only thought about getting one tattoo, I had no idea there was crack in the pigment and I would be strung out for the next decade.

There are some examples where the Mr Goldfield's words ring true for sure. There is a tattooer at our shop who went to some 31 dollar tattoo special for Halloween at some brand new shop, didn't look at portfolios and got such a shitty tattoo, the first thing he did when he got home was rip off the bandage and reshade the tattoo in his kitchen. Needless to say it still looks like shit and ultimately he get tattooed for basically free any day so he paid more to get a fucked up tattoo.

[Our Endless Days]

i'll never understand this. just talked a friend of mine out of going to some shit hole shop. she wanted to go there because they're cheap. they place botched her appointment time twice.

[Mr. Smith]

i'll never understand this. just talked a friend of mine out of going to some shit hole shop. she wanted to go there because they're cheap. they place botched her appointment time twice.

Sounds like she got lucky twice.

[Our Endless Days]

my brother has a bunch of tattoos, but a lot of them are pretty shitty. i try to inform him of good places/tattooers to go to , but he never wants to listen. it's only been recently that he's somewhat opened up to what i have to tell him. the dude lives a little over an hour from NYC and still goes to shit shops out in long island. fucking ultimate head scratcher.

[heathenist]

my brother has a bunch of tattoos, but a lot of them are pretty shitty. i try to inform him of good places/tattooers to go to , but he never wants to listen. it's only been recently that he's somewhat opened up to what i have to tell him. the dude lives a little over an hour from NYC and still goes to shit shops out in long island. fucking ultimate head scratcher.

This sounds like a certain poster on a different forum who lives in NJ an hour from NYC and after myself and many others encouraged him to take the trip to NYC and get something from one of the best, he instead ignores all of that advice and now has at least 2 really shitty tattoos, and will probably continue to keep getting shitty tattoos. The thing is, he doesn't seem to notice the difference between his crappy tattoos and all of the awesome stuff posted by other people.

[slayer9019]

This sounds like a certain poster on a different forum who lives in NJ an hour from NYC and after myself and many others encouraged him to take the trip to NYC and get something from one of the best, he instead ignores all of that advice and now has at least 2 really shitty tattoos, and will probably continue to keep getting shitty tattoos. The thing is, he doesn't seem to notice the difference between his crappy tattoos and all of the awesome stuff posted by other people.

Lol what is tgis guys first name. Might know the same guy

[heathenist]

Don't know his name, but he posts on theb9 message boards.

[Colored Guy]

my brother has a bunch of tattoos, but a lot of them are pretty shitty. i try to inform him of good places/tattooers to go to , but he never wants to listen. it's only been recently that he's somewhat opened up to what i have to tell him. the dude lives a little over an hour from NYC and still goes to shit shops out in long island. fucking ultimate head scratcher.

I'm out on the Island and there are plenty of real good shops to choose from. I think you would have to really earnestly search out a bad shop.

CG

[Our Endless Days]

This sounds like a certain poster on a different forum who lives in NJ an hour from NYC and after myself and many others encouraged him to take the trip to NYC and get something from one of the best, he instead ignores all of that advice and now has at least 2 really shitty tattoos, and will probably continue to keep getting shitty tattoos. The thing is, he doesn't seem to notice the difference between his crappy tattoos and all of the awesome stuff posted by other people.

haha. yup.

[JapSun]

There is a bird in my home town who runs out of her house... O and boy is she BAD ! A lot of her tats and designs are that bad it make me never want to get a tat

[Hogrider]

This sounds like a certain poster on a different forum who lives in NJ an hour from NYC and after myself and many others encouraged him to take the trip to NYC and get something from one of the best, he instead ignores all of that advice and now has at least 2 really shitty tattoos, and will probably continue to keep getting shitty tattoos. The thing is, he doesn't seem to notice the difference between his crappy tattoos and all of the awesome stuff posted by other people.

Would one of those be an eagle where there "artist" forgot to put in the eye?

[heathenist]

Would one of those be an eagle where there "artist" forgot to put in the eye?

No, I can't remember exactly what they were, it's been a while, but I do remember they were really poorly done. It was especially upsetting knowing he lived less than an hour from NYC.

[Hogrider]

No, I can't remember exactly what they were, it's been a while, but I do remember they were really poorly done. It was especially upsetting knowing he lived less than an hour from NYC.

The guy I'm thinking of had a tattoo he wanted to add to, on the cheap. First he wanted to save money, then he had money, then he starts listing all of his expensive toys. Even though there are a lot of great shops not to far from him, he goes to someplace close and gets an "adequate" tattoo, but his amazing artist forgets to do the eagles eye.

I just don't get people. You're putting something on your skin that you'll probably have your whole life and you're worried about having to take time to find a good shop and drive an hour or two. You have to look at it every day; take the time and spend the money.

[Scott R]

The guy I'm thinking of had a tattoo he wanted to add to, on the cheap. First he wanted to save money, then he had money, then he starts listing all of his expensive toys. Even though there are a lot of great shops not to far from him, he goes to someplace close and gets an "adequate" tattoo, but his amazing artist forgets to do the eagles eye.

I just don't get people. You're putting something on your skin that you'll probably have your whole life and you're worried about having to take time to find a good shop and drive an hour or two. You have to look at it every day; take the time and spend the money.

@Hogrider your talking about the usmc dude from san diego I believe. he could only spend xx amount because he had all these other toys. I think he left after getting the tattoo and LST said it was ok but he could have had much better if he listened.

[heathenist]

@Hogrider your talking about the usmc dude from san diego I believe. he could only spend xx amount because he had all these other toys. I think he left after getting the tattoo and LST said it was ok but he could have had much better if he listened.

Ahhh, yeah, I remember that guy.

[David Flores]

Ahhh, yeah, I remember that guy.

Around that same time I had a friend who was visiting San Diego and sent her to Avalon and she got two killer tattoos, I remember thinking if he would have just listened.