A Customers PErspective of Some Pet Peeves

[camusllionaire]

Calling a tattoo on your shoulder a half-sleeve...

"just finishing my second session on my quarter-sleeve guyz!" like...that is a palm size tattoo at that point.

[Guerillaneedles]

Woulda just out this in the "Pet Peeves" thread, but since I'm not a tattooist...

Reading through all of that, man, I felt bad! I've never gone to a shop in any but an immaculately clean condition, wouldn't think of trying to tell an artist how to do his thing, nothing like that, but you know, in the last three or four months, I've probably done some of every pet peeve on there.

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.

I get tattooed at CTC exclusively. No big news there. I've got six kids, and they are all fascinated by tattoos. My oldest, 25, disregarded my advice and went to a local "shop" on his 18th birthday. He has kept the thing as a reminder not to go there anymore. When he was 16, I brought him and one of his buds into CTC with me to watch part of a six-hour session I had booked with Miles Maniaci. I asked if it was kool for them to come back and watch a bit, and was told it was all good. They watched for maybe a half-hour, then split, then came back later for another maybe half-hour.

That one has gotten two fairly decent-sized pieces from Nick Colella at CTC since then, and was talking to me the other night about how he'd like to have Mario do some Oriental-style work on him. My 18 y.o. son has gotten some good pieces from Nick as well, and both of them are planning on getting more.

When my Lady and I went into CTC to get a matching piece, I had spoken to Nick and e-mailed back an forth with him about the piece we wanted, and he drew it up. We got there, and it just didn't light us up...the execution was great, the idea was just not that good. My Lady spotted some old Sailor Jerry stuff, and we both liked it immediately. I apologized to Nick, and asked if he would do that for us instead. He agreed, and didn't want to hear about being paid for the sketch he did.

I went back last month and had Nick do an old piece of Cliff Raven flash, I had e-mailed him and told him I wanted that, but customized with my kid's names and some other things, asked him to run with it. No pics, just gave him an idea. Went in, took my 14 y.o. daughter and my Lady with me. Asked if they could watch, and again, was told no problem. Looked at the thermo, laid down on the table, and never looked back. Killer piece.

So last week I went back, this time with my 16 y.o. daughter, my 17 y.o. son, and my Lady, got a fairly large chunk of my ribcage done-still hurts like a mofo-and again, asked if they could come back and watch. Again, no problem. I told the kids they had to split if it got crowded, and to stay away from the other artists work stations.

I suppose I'm one of those guys who watches every line being done. Not because I can't wait to see my stylized dreamsickle, but because the craft, the art, the skill, blows my mind, even after all these years of being tattooed. I ask questions about equipment, I ask questions about technique. I wouldn't dream of trying to tattoo in a million years, I am just curious as hell, and am amazed at the development of the equipment-and techniques-that have taken place in the 38 years since I first walked into CTC and plunked down my $20 for my first pro tattoo.

Even with all that ignorance, Nick and Mario have never blown me off, always answered any question I've asked, and never treated me like a mark. Last week, I was asking about power-supplies. I had seen a fairly high-end power-supply/regulator at American Science and Surplus in Milwaukee, and wondered if it would be worth buying and bringing in for them. Mario was gracious enough to explain the advancements in power-supplies, and why it was better to use purpose-built units than to adapt others, and he didn't even make me out to be stupid.

I've always told my kids to be quiet, to be respectful, and to stay out of the way. When they do come back, I ask where they should sit or stand, and make sure they stay there. If I have a coat, a hat, glasses, whatever, I ask where I can put them so they won't be in someone's way. I turn my phone off, and make sure anyone with me has their phone off.

I'll be going back to CTC as soon as my ribs heal to start sleeving-in my left arm. I have a bunch of work on it from Dale Grande, and a bit from Mark Miller. It's all connected, but Nick is going to put it all together for me. I guess I should rethink bringing my kids with, but to us, it's a big deal, something we do together. Guess I'll talk to Nick, and make sure it's okay with him, and with the other artists working there before I do.

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Hey dude as a tattooist, I'd say maybe take what we say in that other thread with a pinch of salt, everyone needs to vent and I'd say most of us know deep down we're some lucky fuckers to be doing what we love for a living. Sounds like you have a great thing with your shop and that you're respectful. That's all I'd ask for. Not everyone is an expert so it's part of the territory to expect the same questions from people.

Just realised I responded to this post from YEARS ago. Haha my bad. I'm new.. :)

[Hands On]

Just realised I responded to this post from YEARS ago. Haha my bad. I'm new.. :)

no worries. i believe thoughtful feedback from a newcomer can be worth reviving a thread. welcome!

[Guerillaneedles]

no worries. i believe thoughtful feedback from a newcomer can be worth reviving a thread. welcome!

Thanks I'll guess I'll be doing this quite a lot as I explore the site more. I'm really into it, so nice to find a community of like minded people.

[LizBee]

I'm glad you revived this thread too, @Guerilaneedles. I've gotten into tattoos relatively late in life but am not slowing down, and definitely find myself feeling awkward in some shops, and I'm not used to that! Every shop is different, and there seem to be unwritten rules, and you have to figure them out for yourself.

Many shops post helpful signage, which is GREAT, but as I'm sitting there getting tattooed I'll hear the artists commenting to each other about what this or that client did or didn't do, kind of bitching back and forth, and it makes me wonder how they expect the average customer to KNOW what their particular pet peeves might be, but they sure as hell seem to expect it. I wonder what snarky comments may have been thrown my way after I left, in years past, when it would have been helpful to have told me what is expected or preferred? These days I'm pretty confident I know how to roll in a shop, but when I got my first work done I sure as heck didn't. Most people aren't mind readers, after all, and what may seem obvious in your own environment may not be to people outside of your arena.

[sarahmohawk]

I think this is the right place to post this thought.

Someone I know got into a tattoo apprenticeship at a local shop. Very nice exteriors and they definitely benefit from the street exposure, some of the tattooers are alright but not hugely exciting that I would prefer their work over others. The apprentice in question has only one palm sized tattoo in a hidden spot, and 100% sure they decided to tattoo because 'I can draw and I want money so I guess I'll just do this'. No experience drawing flash or knowledge of tattoo history et cetera.

To get to the point this makes me lose all respect for that tattoo shop. Pumping out lots of apprentices who clearly didn't start with 100% love and dedication to the craft, well, why would I want to trust my own skin to that kind of organisation? Bad karma all around.

That's my pet peeve.

[polliwog]

maybe take what we say in that other thread with a pinch of salt, everyone needs to vent and I'd say most of us know deep down we're some lucky fuckers to be doing what we love for a living

I like this and I'm sure plenty of "civilians" here can relate this to something in their own jobs, too...yes, it bothers me when customers come into my bookstore asking if we sell Kindles, but I can't expect everyone who comes into an indie bookstore to care about the same things I care about, or to understand the animosity that a lot of us feel towards Amazon. Venting in private is sometimes what we need to do so we can get behind the register again and be polite and helpful and free of eye-roll-induced injuries.

I've never overheard tattooers talking about other customers while I'm getting tattooed, though, and I'm grateful for that--but at the same time I'm okay with a little off-color discussion etc. (as long as not super homophobic or racist, as mentioned before) because it would be weird if that weren't sometimes part of being in a shop. So far I've been met with nothing but kindness and it has been one of the coolest parts of this whole thing.