Random me

[Bunny Switchblade]

Brian Bruno is in Richmond at Absolute Art.......and I heard someone mention Studio Evolve in Va Beach! Also Scott Sterling is at Ancient Art Tattoo in Va Beach!

Honestly what I briefly read sounds like you want someone at Studio Evolve

Gabriel Cece might be the right person to check into.....

I know Tanane Whitfield does solid work as well although does have an animated overtone to most of the work you will see in his port....but that doesn't mean he can't do what you want!

You might have seen Jesse Smith from Loose Screw Tattoo on one of those TV shows! While I HATE those shows....Jesse still does good solid work and he could pull off what you are looking for as well!

Not sure what your budget is and I didn't really read the whole thread all the way through BUT you do want to save up what you can and get the best tattoo you can afford!

If you have to save a little longer it might be worth taking the extra time....and if you have to wait for the artists I have mentioned or another great one then remember that it is worth the wait for that too doll!

There are many good solid artists in the areas you mentioned and I am sure you will find the right one to do your tattoo!

Also....I saw something about you getting this tattoo for a specific reason!

Please don't take anyone here wrong......most people never really got "meaningful" tattoos.....ones with long drawn out stories behind them why they had to have specific things in them to represent meanings to them......until these TV shows sensationalized it all to give the impression that every tattoo has to have some sacred meaning to it's owner!

The people here are more concerned with the actual tattoo.....the fact that you are 18 years old means that when you are 48 years old this will be a 30 year old tattoo! Have you seen a 30 year old tattoo? If so then you know that tattoos age with us and don't look the same as time goes on and while when we are young we say we won't care about it then......well the truth is we will! Great tattoos age well.....good ones not so well....and bad ones age really fast!

You seem like a smart young lady...you came here so you did the right thing....just continue to be smart and you will have a tattoo you will love for a lifetime!

:)

[SerenityViolet]

I needed more shops to look at because I was having issues finding them. I figured it might be better to ask people who might know rather than trust Google to find my options. Sorry, I never asked for your opinion on the tattoo design itself. I asked what artists in my area to check out for a rose and butterfly tattoo. But because people decided to comment on the design itself instead when all I did was answer the questions I was being asked, I had to defend the meaning of the tattoo. And apparently none of you have any sense to realize "Maybe we should just direct the girl to good artists and let them work out a design everyone will be happy with." It's basic psychology. Most people will go "You're the professional," and let the artist do what they know will work. Instead, you try as random people to tell me my idea will never work.

All I needed was a couple good shops to go look at when I get the chance in a few weeks when I'm home from college then when I go see my boyfriend. Because, you know, sometimes it's hard to find good stuff via Google and sometimes you can't judge a place based on it's website and Facebook.

Also....I saw something about you getting this tattoo for a specific reason!

Please don't take anyone here wrong......most people never really got "meaningful" tattoos.....ones with long drawn out stories behind them why they had to have specific things in them to represent meanings to them until these TV shows sensationalized it all to give the impression that every tattoo has to have some sacred meaning to it's owner!

The people here are more concerned with the actual tattoo.....the fact that you are 18 years old means that when you are 48 years old this will be a 30 year old tattoo! Have you seen a 30 year old tattoo? If so then you know that tattoos age with us and don't look the same as time goes on and while when we are young we say we won't care about it then......well the truth is we will! Great tattoos age well.....good ones not so well....and bad ones age really fast!

I may have the reason behind it, but the meaning came after the idea that I wanted a butterfly tattoo. I intertwined the desire to get a tattoo with the fact that I needed some reminder to myself that I am beautiful. That's what the tattoo is. Just a reminder that I can be beautiful. A beautiful thing on my body because I'm beautiful enough to have it there. It's this big meaning but it's also "I want the butterfly and I want something behind the butterfly."

[Nikki Price]

I say ignore the practicalities, find an artist whose work you love, wherever they might be, and figure out a way to make it happen.

That's what I did to get my first tattoo, ended up catching 2 buses and 8 trains all together, and staying overnight alone in a city i'd never been to before, and spending more than I could really afford. But it was absolutely completely worth it, and I have a tattoo that I love rather than settling for something mediocre from a local studio.

[Stax138]

I needed more shops to look at because I was having issues finding them. I figured it might be better to ask people who might know rather than trust Google to find my options. Sorry, I never asked for your opinion on the tattoo design itself. I asked what artists in my area to check out for a rose and butterfly tattoo. But because people decided to comment on the design itself instead when all I did was answer the questions I was being asked, I had to defend the meaning of the tattoo. And apparently none of you have any sense to realize "Maybe we should just direct the girl to good artists and let them work out a design everyone will be happy with." It's basic psychology. Most people will go "You're the professional," and let the artist do what they know will work. Instead, you try as random people to tell me my idea will never work.

All I needed was a couple good shops to go look at when I get the chance in a few weeks when I'm home from college then when I go see my boyfriend. Because, you know, sometimes it's hard to find good stuff via Google and sometimes you can't judge a place based on it's website and Facebook.

How do you expect anyone to point you in any direction without knowing what you want. also the people who told you your idea may not work are some of the best tattoo artists in the business, some times you need to not make everything about yourself and think a little more about maybe these people are asking me specific questions to be able to assist me on a broader spectrum other than " her der log onto internet get any answere about anything log off get inked brah"

[JAllen]

Gabriel Cece might be the right person to check into.....

There are many good solid artists in the areas you mentioned and I am sure you will find the right one to do your tattoo!

Co-signed! Gabriel is for sure a good suggestion and there's definitely plenty of folks in that area that are more than capable.

I mean its not like we're talking about some tiny town in the middle of the country that's 2 hours from a major city.

[Bunny Switchblade]

@SerenityViolet

Absolute Art -- Richmond

Studio Evolve -- Va Beach

Loose Screw -- Richmond

Ancient Art -- Va Beach/Norfolk

I also just saw a very nice tattoo done on a friend by Charles Berger from Heroes and Ghosts Tattoo in Richmond......

Look at portfolios at these shops and talk to artists!

These are the ones I know and would think about getting work from myself....

Hope it helps narrow it down for you

- - - Updated - - -

I may have the reason behind it, but the meaning came after the idea that I wanted a butterfly tattoo. I intertwined the desire to get a tattoo with the fact that I needed some reminder to myself that I am beautiful. That's what the tattoo is. Just a reminder that I can be beautiful. A beautiful thing on my body because I'm beautiful enough to have it there. It's this big meaning but it's also "I want the butterfly and I want something behind the butterfly."

My first tattoo was a butterfly.......and it started an obsession that has lasted 30 years and counting!

I was also very lucky because I started out with a very solid and talented tattoo artist to do my first tattoo and didn't even realize it!

:)