For TATTOOERS ONLY, what's your biggest pet peeve?

[BoMcConaghie]

Another one is tattoo shops selling supplies to anyone who wants them.

[David Flores]

Clients that follow me around as I'm setting up for their tattoo.

Dude I'm only enlarging your design on the copy machine. BACK IT UP, SON!!

When they sit down in the station when you are trying to set up. Sometimes I remind people that we only take cash, or tell them if they need to smoke or go get a beverage or sandwich to do so, it gets them out of the way for the moment, but also means you don't have to stop for a smoke break or trust them to come back from ATM when they try to pay with card.

[durtyxsanchezz]

tattooing lower hip or theighs and getting breezes of rotting fish........not good, esp. when its a hour- hour half long tattoo hahaha.

and groups of "gangsters" come into the shop bein all loud n shit expecting you to do a 300$ tattoo for 50 bucks! then bitching about it because you didnt "do enough" to it

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people trying to bargain. I always charge a fair price for a good solid piece of work. ANd the people I have always found trying to bargain are wearing $150 sneakers and name brand everything, but want to save $20 on a lifetime investment

you aint lyin bro!

[Hogrider]

people trying to bargain. I always charge a fair price for a good solid piece of work. ANd the people I have always found trying to bargain are wearing $150 sneakers and name brand everything, but want to save $20 on a lifetime investment

That's cause one of their boyz in the posse gotta dope kitchen inkin' for $20!

[JackJukatt]

Does it bother any of you when clients bring in their own designs/sketches? I can imagine people are less likely to accommodate the changes that need to be made to make a drawing tattooable when its their own work, rather than something they found somewhere. I ask because for my first tattoo I have some specific ideas that I want, but don't want to come off like I think I know better than the artist, I just want to have some part in it. I'm paranoid it will somehow be insulting/tiresome to the artist.

[Colored Guy]

Does it bother any of you when clients bring in their own designs/sketches? I can imagine people are less likely to accommodate the changes that need to be made to make a drawing tattooable when its their own work, rather than something they found somewhere. I ask because for my first tattoo I have some specific ideas that I want, but don't want to come off like I think I know better than the artist, I just want to have some part in it. I'm paranoid it will somehow be insulting/tiresome to the artist.

I find that artists like you to bring in reference material, even rough sketches. Then they have a better idea and the artistic talent (I'd hope...) to give you a nice clean sketch that will look good in ink.

I've had tattoos made from parts of stencil art I've bought on tattoo sites, one did my koi right off a piece of artwork (non-tattoo related) I found. If you can't have that back-n-forth thing with the artist, you are probably better off going somewhere else.

Rob

[Erica]

Although not a tattooer, I work in a shop and can I please add:

5 friends + 3 iphones taking pictures should not equal 1 tattoo. That is annoying math.

[reverend1]

Although not a tattooer, I work in a shop and can I please add:

5 friends + 3 iphones taking pictures should not equal 1 tattoo. That is annoying math.

But how will my friends no how cool I am???

[Brock Varty]

The shop I work at has a front counter and then a raised floor where the tattooers work. We have huge signs on the counter that say "No One Past This Point". People don't fucking get it. They wanna run back there and hold hands and party, and fucking frolic in the meadow while people are trying to tattoo.

[JesseBlunt]

1. Upside-down tattoos (Tattoos that face the wearer rather than correctly facing the viewer) and the same arguments that come as a result of trying to persuade them to get it right. ("But it's for me!"etc...)

2. Hawk-eyes. Those who try to follow every movement and every line on the skin as though they are actually moving the needles with telepathy. A bonus is when they swing their head the other direction in the middle of lining to see who just walked in the door. "No charge for that extra line, friend-o"

3. People who refer to permanent things (tattoos) with vague or intangible answers. "How much for a name- where, how big and what style?" "On my arm. Not very big. Regular letters..."

4. Folks who ask the line of questions that are the equivalent of playing Stairway to Heaven in a guitar store. "What's the craziest tattoo you've ever one? What's the most painful place to get a tattoo? Have you been an artist all your life?" I understand being nervous and unaware of how annoying some things can be...but it's still annoying.

Plus many others already mentioned.

[hogg]

You work at a shop @Brock Varty? I guess I missed that.

[slayer9019]

You work at a shop @Brock Varty? I guess I missed that.

Congrats @Brock Varty on the new job. Didn't remember you mentioning you got hired at a shop in the last month.

[Brock Varty]

@hogg

@slayer9019

I didn't say anything out of respect for the guys at the shop and because it isn't something that I was ready to advertise. Right now I just work there and do anything that anyone wants me to. I am basically the shop bitch. The understanding with everyone is that if they feel comfortable with me and feel like I have earned being there, they may offer me an apprenticeship. I don't know how far off that is, nor do I care. I do everything I can to help everyone who walks in and everyone who works there. Right now, the opportunity to learn to tattoo is secondary and my responsibility to the guys at the shop and the customers is first. I intend to protect and cherish the tattoo world I have come to love. I believe the way to do that is not to expect handouts or free information. Everything is earned and I want to earn anything I get.

[hogg]

Good attitude, @Brock Varty. Good luck!

[Brock Varty]

@hogg Thanks man.

[David Flores]

The shop I work at has a front counter and then a raised floor where the tattooers work. We have huge signs on the counter that say "No One Past This Point". People don't fucking get it. They wanna run back there and hold hands and party, and fucking frolic in the meadow while people are trying to tattoo.

We put in a dummy rail and waist high saloon doors to make a clear boundary for customers, but every once and awhile someone just walks right in like they live there. I always try to be polite about it but let people know that's not how we do things. Funny there are some things we are stricter than others and keeping people out of the tattoo area is top of the list.

Congrats on new position. It's a great journey. Working in a shop will just make you love tattoos more. Sometimes I forget that despite all the annoyances, the tattoo shop really is the happiest place on earth.

[Brock Varty]

We put in a dummy rail and waist high saloon doors to make a clear boundary for customers, but every once and awhile someone just walks right in like they live there. I always try to be polite about it but let people know that's not how we do things. Funny there are some things we are stricter than others and keeping people out of the tattoo area is top of the list.

Congrats on new position. It's a great journey. Working in a shop will just make you love tattoos more. Sometimes I forget that despite all the annoyances, the tattoo shop really is the happiest place on earth.

Thanks for the congrats! Much appreciated. Just gotta work hard and make myself better every day.

[David Flores]

I thought of one, but it doesn't always annoy me in a bad way.

I hate when people come in and tell you how much they are into tattoos or that they are going to be a tattooer, but can't remember anyone who tattooed them. Much like a one night stand, if someone is going to tattoo me I am going to make sure and catch their name. It would be hard for me to forget who tattooed me. I guess I just don't think you can really be into tattoos if you don't know who is who. I guess a couple scenarios that stick out.

Hanging at a buddy's shop a couple on vacation abroad walked in wanting a couple small tattoos, they had a few tattoos, but none very exciting, but being a good guest my buddy asked who did their tattoos and he struggled for the name but came up with Filip Leu as the guy who did their wedding band tattoos. We were both kind of floored, you were able to somehow catch Filip Leu with some spare time and well I guess it's a meaningful tattoo to them, but imagine what could have been.

When I was at Spider Murphys recently a guy was getting tattooed by Matt and in this scenario I will say this guy was definitely into tattoos, he certainly liked talking about the Dragon Ed Hardy put on him in the early 90's. He was getting a rose next to an existing tattoo of one of picassos paintings. Like a good host Matt asks him who did it, and the guy says Ed was busy and he had one of the other guys in the shop named Dan do it. Asked what year and he said 91-92, holy shit Dan Higgs did this tattoo on him, which is cool in itself, but would have been cooler if it was something he had drawn up.

Anyhow most of the times it's more annoying people with less interesting stories that annoy me, the above scenarios were kind of cool, but I think I have rambled on enough.

[Brock Varty]

There seems to be an influx of people that don't really know anything about tattoos and want to jam 15 pounds of shit into a tiny tattoo as tax season approaches. It gets old...

[TNBradley]

"Im getting this tattoo upside-own because its for me and me only."

[bulldog]

Cor blimey you tattooers like a moan, don't yer ;)

[Chelsea Shoneck]

"Im getting this tattoo upside-own because its for me and me only."

"I want this quote on my ribs, but backwards - you know, so I can read it in the mirror. Cause it's for me." I still have a picture somewhere.

[McCaul]

"I want to get writing".... Ok, what kind .... "I'm not sure....." Ok, well figure it out and come back.... "Can you just draw up like 5 different styles and I'll choose one?" Sure, down payment please... " I don't have that right now, I wont be getting the tattoo for a few months"

[Graeme]

"I want to get writing".... Ok, what kind .... "I'm not sure....." Ok, well figure it out and come back.... "Can you just draw up like 5 different styles and I'll choose one?" Sure, down payment please... " I don't have that right now, I wont be getting the tattoo for a few months"

I live around the corner from a busy street shop that's one of the longest-running shops in the city. It's one of these no-appointments, first-come, first-served kind of places and they put on solid tattoos. They seem to tattoo a lot of people who are getting their first tattoo and probably don't really get how a tattoo shop works because I read a negative review of the shop online where the person was complaining about how they wanted to "try on" a whole bunch of stencils before deciding which one they wanted and they were mad that the tattooer wouldn't do it.

[Dan S]

Don't know if any of youse ever look at Yelp.com, it's kinda a local review site, if yer looking for a place to eat, or like that. Anyhow, CTC was reviewd on it, and someone posted a review talking about how great the work is, and what a righteous shop it is, but how they won't be back 'cause the tattooer they used didn't "bond" with them...

fuck me.