Joined to learn more

[anaid]

Hello all, here's my introductory post. After searching online for a community, I'm glad to have found LST. I've had an image on the shelf for over a decade (see attached), quite literally on the shelf since it's in a comic. :) When I saw it the first time, I knew I wanted it as a tattoo. (The artist has no objections to images being used as tattoo, she quite likes seeing the end results.) Since I have no tattoos yet and since I would like to have it modified so that it works as a tattoo or perhaps use it as the basis for a new design, I've started doing some research.

I have visited a tattoo shop in my neighbourhood so I have some basic ideas if I were to use the image as-is (omitting the background, moon, stars and adding shading to the characters and wolves and that with the level of detail it would be best to make it somewhat larger than the A4 size it is now). However, I am also wondering about designing a custom tattoo along this theme. I realize that in any case the result will be different than the image that I've been looking at for over a decade so with in mind that I have to get used to changes anyway, the latter is a good option as well.

Basically, I've joined in the hope that the community can help me structure the information that I find and to figure out how this process works. I've got a lot of questions, but I won't put them in this introductory post right now and instead I'll summarize: I would love to receive input on the use of this image as a tattoo. Thanks!

[exume]

Welcome to LST! I think you've come to the right place. If you could let us know where you live I'm sure someone could recommend an artist or two who would be able to make that image into a great tattoo for ya.

[anaid]

Hi exume, thank you very much for your reply!

I live in The Netherlands. However, I'm willing to travel for my tattoo! I would be very grateful for any recommendations, there are just so many tattoo shops and artists out there, recommendations would be of tremendous help!

I think I have two paths to go with this idea: Either stick with the original as much as possible (please correct me if I'm wrong!), or ask an artist to do a custom piece based on this 'setting'. The latter, however, I find difficult to imagine, since I find - and please forgive me if this is an uninformed opinion - few portfolio's whose style I really like. Two exceptions are Niki Norberg and Emily Rose Murray.. which brings me to my next question: Is there such a thing as an artist being "out of my league"? :S

For now, I would prefer to stay close to the original, because I've loved this particular piece for so long. However, I also feel that this thought mainly comes from a lack of imagination on my part, I have no idea what an adaptation would look like. So, again, any input is welcome :)

[slayer9019]

Welcome to LST.

I would say as far as an artist being out of your league? Never heard of it. If you want to get tattooed by someone just call the shop or stop by.

The question about the imagery is, really it is up to you. While the image might have to be modified to make a good tattoo, I can't see why it couldn't be done. If you want to use this as inspiration, why not sounds like a great idea. I found my favorite tattoos were the ones that I gave a bit of inspiration, and let the tattoo artist be an artist. My least favorite tattoo was the one that was based off a drawing (Dante's Inferno).

As far as questions go, your intro thread is the place for it! Ask away!

Just a friendly reminder, don't try to rack up 10 posts as fast as possible, in attempts to make a new thread. That being said, it does not look like you are trying to do that.

[Delicious]

Hmm, how big are you thinking of going? And I think there's a few good artists at Salon Serpent https://www.facebook.com/salonserpenttattooparlour

I dont know if you like that style, but definitely check it out

[anaid]

Thank you very much for your replies. I'll reply in order.

@slayer9019

Thank you for your input. I'm glad to hear I didn't step over some line by e-mailing those two artists. I hope they will find the time in their busy schedule to respond :)

My least favorite tattoo was the one that was based off a drawing (Dante's Inferno).

I think I understand what you mean. I've seen one piece before that was based on the same artist's work, that, to me, didn't look as good as it did on paper. I'm trying to gain a basic understanding of the tattoo medium, so I'm glad that you share your experience.

The 10 post quote remark is noted. There's no need for me to hurry, I'm perfectly comfortable in this introduction thread, since I can ask my questions here and thankfully these threads don't go unnoticed :)

@Delicious

I don't want to go too large, I'm not about to get a full back piece just yet ;) But I would like to have it at an appropriate size for the amount of detail it has now. Now that I think about it, I think the advice of enlarging it a bit came from a tattoo artist with imho little experience (2 yrs). I've briefly spoken to another more experienced artist who said there was no need to enlarge it. Frankly, I'm worried about not getting sound advice, because I just don't have the experience to weigh it. The latter person didn't really seem like he wanted to talk to me. Just looked at the picture, said "yeah, I can do that" and "no I won't show you what i'll change about it, I'm just gonna do that at the moment I'm tattooing". For a newbie (or maybe just for a person like me ;) ), that's a kind of scary remark...

Another tattoo shop was just very crowded, busy, loud music and not a lot of quiet personal attention. I know to look for someone with experience, but the guy with the least experience out of the people I've talked to / 3 shops I've visited so far had the most time for me to talk about tattoos, hygiene, showed the things he was working on etc. I have looked at the pieces he's done, but I'm still not sure what to look for. I'll post a link to his work here, if anyone is willing to look at it and help me learn how to look at portfolios, I'd be very grateful. With him, I've talked about using the piece as-is and only adapting it to the medium, as mentioned in my first post.

Should I be looking for someone with at least X years experience? And if so, should I be looking for someone with experience in a certain style?

Thank you for pointing out Salon Serpent. I don't want to come off as too picky, but if I go on the portfolio's that's not the style I'd be looking for in a custom piece. Since I have not yet made a definite decision about using the piece as-is or having a custom pieced done, I do try to look beyond the images themselves, with my untrained eye, and I do like Guen's use of color and detail. So far I've mostly been looking for black and gray, so it's kind of hard for me to look beyond the colors.

(Note that I might mix up the 'use existing piece' versus 'custom piece' a bit, I hope it doesn't become confusing.)

[Delicious]

It depends on the style you want.

Do you want realism, or traditional? What body part?

It's not always about how many years someone has been tattooing. You need to look deeper than x years. Look at the tattoos themselves. Guen Douglas also does black and gray, btw

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS THREAD:http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/2396-what-makes-good-tattoo.html

It tells you the things you need to look for in a tattoo artist, and how to see, based off of their portfolio, if they are good or not

Also, the link you provided to that guys shop; I checked it out, and if I were you I'd stay away.

[Joe Shit]

I think that would look better in Color.And from the two artists you mentioned,it seems you like a mix of realism wt.neo traditional work.

» Claudia’s Tattoo Gallery | Classic Ink & Mods Tattoo Amsterdam

Yliana Paolini Artist// Tattoo// Artist

WENDY PHAM

Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/misterptattoo

[else]

Is there such a thing as an artist being "out of my league"?

What @slayer9019 said - I don't think any tattooer is "out of your league" - it just depends on how long you might be willing to wait.

If you like someone's work, give them a call or shoot them an email :)

[Joe Shit]

Isnard & Sloba@ Splashpage | Queen of Rings do realistic work.

Instagram Tim does some nice neo traditional work

[slayer9019]

What @slayer9019 said - I don't think any tattooer is "out of your league" - it just depends on how long you might be willing to wait.

If you like someone's work, give them a call or shoot them an email :)

And also the mention that not all really good artists have a wait list.

[anaid]

Thank you all very much for your replies, I'm very grateful for the help and the referrals to good tattoo artists. This is exactly what I had hoped to find in joining LST.

@else, I was a bit worried that a good artist might not like working with an 'average' customer and that my request isn't .. what do you call it, 'fancy' enough? Now that I think about it, that is a bit silly indeed.

@Joe Shit, I can't say this enough, thank you for giving concrete artists' portfolios to look at. There are just so many, a head start is most welcome. I will certainly make use of your suggestions, I intend to visit a few artists during my vacation at the end of July :) I'm curious, do you know these artists via forum members that have a tattoo done by them?

[Joe Shit]

Thank you all very much for your replies, I'm very grateful for the help and the referrals to good tattoo artists. This is exactly what I had hoped to find in joining LST.

@else, I was a bit worried that a good artist might not like working with an 'average' customer and that my request isn't .. what do you call it, 'fancy' enough? Now that I think about it, that is a bit silly indeed.

@Joe Shit, I can't say this enough, thank you for giving concrete artists' portfolios to look at. There are just so many, a head start is most welcome. I will certainly make use of your suggestions, I intend to visit a few artists during my vacation at the end of July :) I'm curious, do you know these artists via forum members that have a tattoo done by them?

I know them just from their own websites,and from Instagram.But I'm sure somebody on here has been tattooed by some of them.There are members on here who have work from Guen Douglas,and it's very nice.

[anaid]

I've contacted some artists abroad via e-mail and tomorrow I'll be calling a few that are based in The Netherlands :) I hope I can visit some of them in a way that allows me to talk to them, even if for a short time. I've seen some gorgeous tatoos and sketches from various artists thanks to the suggestions in this thread. I haven't visited much else in the forum yet, work has gotten in the way.

Edit: I've read some things on the forums and one of them included the "most hated tattoo request" thread. I'd hate to be one of those customers who brings in a reference image and then doesn't like the artist's creation. How can I be helpful during the design process?

Anyway, I've decided to send in the reference image in the e-mail, so that the artist can decide for him/herself whether (s)he would be willing to discuss this idea with me. Obviously, I can't do anything about how the artists I've approached might feel about my message to them. In general I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to be a bother (a bit of an annoying trait for myself sometimes, but convenient for my conversation partners / colleagues, etc.), but I do want to be happy with the end result.

So, to ask another, more specific question: Does anyone out here happen to know an example of a reference image and resulting tattoo? Just curious to see how the artist looked at it and how (s)he translated it..

[anaid]

In the process of making an appointment with Claire Reid :)

[SStu]

Great! We'll be expecting pictures.

[anaid]

Ack, Claire cannot make it to Europe in October after all.. Darn, and we had been e-mailing back and forth about my ideas and it will become a custom tattoo after all. Now I'll have to wait until I visit Australia next year. Here the "it depends on how long you're willing to wait" comes into play after all.

I've approached a few different artists now, but I'm thinking I'm going to go for something different and save the original idea for Claire. In my mind's eye, I can see now what her style would do for that idea, I'm gonna save that for her :)

[anaid]

OMG, a last minute spot to get tattooed by Claire opened op at The London Tattoo Convention!!!

I booked my flights and hotel. I'm excited and a little scared, haha.

I find myself Googling for what skin products to use afterwards, since I have a sensitive skin and want to make sure it heals well. Now, I can't seem to find consistent advice on normal care products (i.e. do / don't use vaseline or bepanthol, opinions differ). There are apparently some care products specifically for tattoos, like "Tattoo goo". Also, there are some differing opinions on whether or not to wrap the tattoo with plastic or something else. I've got some gauze or pressure bandage in my first aid kid, but unless someone can confirm / deny that that will stick to the tattoo and draw the ink out, I won't be using that either.

Does anyone have some personal advice they're willing to share? :)

I'm sure Claire will give some advice as well, obviously, but now that it's a last-minute call, I would really appreciate some help in the mental preparation, heheh ;)

Thank you for your advice and help so far, everyone!

Edit: I'm an idiot. I haven't even searched this forum yet, will do that now.. Still, advice is appreciated ;)

[Graeme]

@anaid Follow whatever aftercare instructions your artist gives you. As long as you follow certain basics like keeping the tattoo clean, I don't think that any healing method is necessarily any better than any other one. It comes down to your body and how you heal, so until you get a few tattoos and start to figure that out, do what your artist recommends.

Anyway, congratulations on getting the appointment and have fun! Post pictures when it's done.

[anaid]

@Graeme, thanks. That obviously makes total sense, I just needed to hear it from someone.

Very excited, I will definitely post pictures :)

[anaid]

:)