Have you ever made an appt not knowing for sure what you want to have done?

[iowagirl]

Thanks Graeme. I have been having some reservations about it and am trying to figure out where to go from here with that side, next tattoos to work on etc.

[deadsp0t]

Tattoo looks great! Don't sweat it.. Don't be afraid to lean on your artist a bit about how and where to proceed next. :cool:

[iowagirl]

Thanks deadsp0t. I'm kind of a worry wart, I admit. We did talk a little about what next...it's just totally different than what I'd seen in my head when I sent pictures to start planning before my appointment...and now I feel like I have to go on a different course, kinda stuck.

[Dan]

yes,I did with my Jess Yen piece,I did'nt know what it was going to be or where it was going until I got to the show.I did'nt care,I trusted him.

[MoistTowelette]

yes,I did with my Jess Yen piece,I did'nt know what it was going to be or where it was going until I got to the show.I did'nt care,I trusted him.

Same here, with jess also! My whole back suit and leg sleeve I gave him full artistic freedom and didnt know what I was getting until I got to the shop.

[iowagirl]

Wow, you guys are waaaay more brave than I! OMG I have palpitations just thinking about it. Here I thought I was some sort of zany madcap girl-ha!

[deadsp0t]

Make no mistake, I did the whole new to tattoos and I wanna control as much as I can.. But by #3 I was already giving my tattooer total artistic liberty.. That's easier to do once you get to a comfort/confidence level with your tattooer(all mine by the same artist).

I'm already planning to go a couple hours for a lady head and am confident in the artists ability based on what I've seen and recommendations. Hopefully after the 1st if the year I can put something in motion.

Seeing better how things work here on LST should give you confidence in choosing the right artist for a particular piece, and move from 'getting tattoos' to 'collecting tattoos' confidently..

If I'm off base here folks, someone please chime in :)

[iowagirl]

I think I need to work on being more assertive. It's hard for me not to get all caught up in the oooo new tattoo feeling, and then I'm like ah shit, I messed that up.

I may talk to someone else in the shop (the guy I've been going to moved, and it was just a fluke that he was back for Christmas, otherwise I'd planned on switching to the owner)- I need to come up w/some ideas for that arm band, and continuing up my arm around the top of my back.

[Hospitelli]

What it comes down to is having complete trust/faith in the artist that is going to be doing the work. If you don't have that then in my opinion you shouldn't be getting tattooed by them. I'll be starting on my full back piece this January and the artist has complete freedom over it. I gave him a motif to go by and he knows what I'm interested in but I will not know exactly what is going on my back till I get tattooed. Some of the best tattoos you'll ever see are the ones in which artists have had the freedom to do what they want to do.

[iowagirl]

I've been playing around on the internet looking at pictures, thinking along the lines of what he said at the appt and other than being stumped on the arm band cover up, I think this will work out in the end..it will end up looking like one big piece on that side. I'll add more cherry blossoms on the other side/under arm and figure something out for the middle so they all flow together.

I love the tattoo, so it will work out in the end!

[Dbeatdano]

I like having general idea like "I want an eagle" or "I want a dragon" but that's as far as I go. I like giving the tattooer as much freedom as possible because if I'm seeking them out and traveling to their shop, I trust their abilities and I trust their advice. I wouldn't seek out an artist from a shop across the country just to micro manage every detail. I want their tattoo. Plus, I want them to enjoy doing the tattoo as much as I will enjoy having it. If they tell me "Dude, I was excited to do this thing when I heard what you wanted." That, to me, is exciting and gets me pumped up to get that tattoo. I think the highest compliment I can get on a tattoo I have is the artist that did it saying they love it. That, to me, is the best compliment ever.

[scubaron]

If you make an appointment with a particular artist I imagine you have some kind of general idea at least on the style and the type of work the artist tends to do ?

[Dbeatdano]

Yeah that's usually why I give them a lot of freedom because I see their style of work and like it. That's why I don't really feel the need to micro manage details because I like their style of work. So I just ask for something with their style in mind.

[bongsau]

I just made an appointment like this two days ago. I've got a month to decide what we will do...either a snake head and snake tail in either armpit with tear outs. Or go wild and get my psychadalligator with sunglasses.

[Mike Shishmanian]

my favorite part of getting tattooed is walking in, day of my appointment and seeing the image for the first time. you should have some basic idea what you'd like to get done but if you've picked a particular artist to do it, there's probably something you love about their work. let them run with it. you will always get the best results and experience if both parties are way into it.

[tattslave]

personally no I haven't but then I knew I wanted a bodysuit, so its been carefully planned out. maybe that's why my chest is still bare, I cannot make up my mind over several choices.

perhaps I should just do it

[Vinn]

I think this is the right place to put this question. I am going to travel about 800 miles for a tattoo in April (Seattle to SF). I made my appointment over the phone and placed a deposit. I was able to be fit in for two and a half hours on the day I could be there.

I was told I could email ideas and references to the artist but I said I would just show up early and pick out flash. I have seen numerous tattoos the artist has done and all of it is beyond amazing.

My question is would it irritate the artist to simply tell him when I get there that I like daggers, skulls, snakes, roses, etc. and tell him to do whatever he wants and can finish in two and half hours? I am really looking forward to the experience of being tattooed in that shop as much as getting a badass tattoo. I also have room on both legs above the knee so size/placement shouldn't be an issue.

[Dan]

I think this is the right place to put this question. I am going to travel about 800 miles for a tattoo in April (Seattle to SF). I made my appointment over the phone and placed a deposit. I was able to be fit in for two and a half hours on the day I could be there.

I was told I could email ideas and references to the artist but I said I would just show up early and pick out flash. I have seen numerous tattoos the artist has done and all of it is beyond amazing.

My question is would it irritate the artist to simply tell him when I get there that I like daggers, skulls, snakes, roses, etc. and tell him to do whatever he wants and can finish in two and half hours? I am really looking forward to the experience of being tattooed in that shop as much as getting a badass tattoo. I also have room on both legs above the knee so size/placement shouldn't be an issue.

I've done it a couple different ways,last summer with Jess Yen,I paid a deposit & made the appt without knowing what or where I was going to get the tattoo,the only thing I told him was that I had a $3000 cap,otherwise I trusted him 100%,

and I have paid a dep & got the appt in aug of this year with an amazing artist(Phil Garcia),and I have discussed the "basics" of what I want,but he is free to do what he wants with those "basic" elements and I trust him 100% also,and I know whatever he does will be perfect,or I wouldn't be going to him.this time with Phil,I don't care how much it is.

[MadeIndelible]

I think this is the right place to put this question. I am going to travel about 800 miles for a tattoo in April (Seattle to SF). I made my appointment over the phone and placed a deposit. I was able to be fit in for two and a half hours on the day I could be there.

I was told I could email ideas and references to the artist but I said I would just show up early and pick out flash. I have seen numerous tattoos the artist has done and all of it is beyond amazing.

My question is would it irritate the artist to simply tell him when I get there that I like daggers, skulls, snakes, roses, etc. and tell him to do whatever he wants and can finish in two and half hours? I am really looking forward to the experience of being tattooed in that shop as much as getting a badass tattoo. I also have room on both legs above the knee so size/placement shouldn't be an issue.

If you know that you like a certain group of images, then you might want to just email him that and give him free reign on the actual design. It's an awesome way of getting a really great tattoo, especially if you trust the artist, as you mentioned that you do. He'll most likely pick two or three of the images and draw something rad. Do you mind my asking who you are getting the tattoo from?

[Vinn]

If you know that you like a certain group of images' date=' then you might want to just email him that and give him free reign on the actual design. It's an awesome way of getting a really great tattoo, especially if you trust the artist, as you mentioned that you do. He'll most likely pick two or three of the images and draw something rad. Do you mind my asking who you are getting the tattoo from?[/quote']

My appointment is at Blackheart with Scott Sylvia. I got lucky and got an appointment that fit with the time I will be in SF. Now if I could just speed up time.......the waiting part sucks.

[MadeIndelible]

My appointment is at Blackheart with Scott Sylvia. I got lucky and got an appointment that fit with the time I will be in SF. Now if I could just speed up time.......the waiting part sucks.

Then you will no doubt have an absolutely killer tattoo at the end of those 2.5 hours. Should be a good size tattoo as well, as Scott is very fast.

[Jennifer Carr]

I made my last appt knowing I wanted an anchor, not sure what I wanted it to look like. Ended up game time on the design and love it! Go with your gut!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrsGougeTheEyes]

I did this when visiting SF and both my husband and I had appointments booked at Blackheart. He knew what he was getting but I said I was going to get something palm sized and walked out with a giant eagle on my arm by Cody that I think is one of the most badass tattoos I have. I really love it but I felt bad that we went a lot bigger than I initially booked for so I think I might have pushed his appointments back for the day. And as a person who takes appointments myself, I know what a pain in the ass that can be.

I like spur of the moment tattoos but I think for myself I need to plan just a little bit in advance so I don't waste anyone's time.

[hogg]

I did this when visiting SF and both my husband and I had appointments booked at Blackheart. He knew what he was getting but I said I was going to get something palm sized and walked out with a giant eagle on my arm by Cody that I think is one of the most badass tattoos I have.

I can vouch for how badass that eagle is.

[NateJ]

The more tattooed I get, I think I am much more willing to go into an appointment with a less specific idea. There are so many images that I would be happy with and as long as I am going to someone who I know will understand a general look that I am going for, the less concerned I am about being picky about every little detail. I think this often makes for a better tattoo when you let the artist just go for it and do what they do.