Disappointed In Artist's Behavior

[slayer9019]

Conversations about the design went on through 4/29 when I said: "I'm ready when you are." Then I hear nothing more. No "Come in and schedule it". No "I'll look for an opening in my book." NOTHING

Friday 9 May I stop by and he does the trace saying: "Give me a couple of days and we'll schedule something. I AM PUMPED TO DO THIS." No request for a deposit, no mention of putting it on a calendar. I say nothing about how much time this is taking. I am being patient, so far. After all, he said to give him a couple more days. Then I hear nothing for yet another week. If I had contacted him how many of you would have been on the "quit bugging him" bandwagon, eh? Be honest. He seemed to need time and I gave it to him.

His FB comment on May 13 at Noon: "I have openings this week and weekend if anyone would like tattooed. Call or email..." Okay, this is my BIG CHANCE!!!

My comment on FB on May 13 at 12:30 PM, half an hour latter his post: "I'm ready when you are. Email incoming."

My Email on May 13 at 1PM: "I work Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Anytime Thursday or Friday morning, afternoon or evening or Saturday anytime after work is fine by me." No response for two more days.

My FB comment on May 15: "Josh, did you get my email. Check your Spam filter, I'm ready when you are."

His email on May 15: "Thanks for the heads-up on the Spam. How about Saturday May 17 at 6 PM?" Me: "Fine."

His email on Friday May 16: "Double booked... etc..."

Now wouldn't you be a bit frustrated at this point? And JimStanley, as to "holding a 20 year old to adult standards" what is the current cutoff for babying Millennials??? He is old enough to father a child, he damn well better be acting like an adult. And as far as your religion comments: KMA:cool:

Now that that is out of my system, he emailed me this morning: "Would you be free Wednesday at all? I'm off on Thursday but could come in for you if Wednesday doesn't work."

I thought long and hard about it and decided that maybe, just maybe, since it is Sunday and all, I can give him another shot at it.

My email back to him within an hour: "I am available Wednesday morning, afternoon, or evening. Let me know what time to be there. I'm stoked. Giddy Up!"

Aannd, I haven't heard a peep out of him all afternoon.

We'll see...

You've gotten a lot of input from people here and I think it comes down to a personal decision none of us can make for you. Removing myself from this particular situation (again I like to stay biased on one-person situations), I would say you have two courses of action:

1) You really, really want to get tattooed by a particular guy. You head down to the shop in person, schedule a date, cross your fingers.

2) You find out your styles don't mesh. You go back on the hunt for another artist that you want to try and establish a relationship with.

When it comes down to it at the end of the day it is your money, time, body, etc. I think any further relief will not come from strangers on a forum but from your own personal actions. At LST we love to give guidance, but remember you will not always like the response.

I will also offer some unsolicited advice and avoid "tattling" on someone. The world in which professionals live is a very small one in any industry. You do not want to be labeled as the difficult guy to work with. Complainers (even if valid), never get painted in a positive light, ever. Realistically even if this guy is out to screw you over, I highly doubt a phone call to his boss will change anything. Business owners are there everyday and know the people who work for them. If he really is that bad at holding onto clients, he won't last very long. If you don't want to do business with them I suggest you just stop contacting them, count your blessings that you didn't get involved with a guy you don't like and move on. From experience I can tell you I ate a hefty deposit on a guy I didn't mesh with at all. I chalked it up to a learning experience, and I only ever mentioned it to another tattooer because they asked. From what I heard, he wasn't allowed back at the shop and the shop gave me a free hour to make up for it, against my will (wasn't their fault).

[suburbanxcore]

I have one tattoo and I'm planning another one this week. I arranged both over email (both live far away) and neither of them asked for a deposit. I have a question, am I supposed to volunteer a deposit? I figured if they wanted one they would request it. It would be hard to do over the internet though unless they take Paypal. If it's a local and I see them in person should I offer a deposit?

It all depends, and some artists do and some don't. I have had one artist take a deposit via Paypal. I always offer, even if they don't specifically ask for it.

[cookietruck]

My email back to him within an hour: "I am available Wednesday morning, afternoon, or evening. Let me know what time to be there. I'm stoked. Giddy Up!"

Aannd, I haven't heard a peep out of him all afternoon.

We'll see...

why don't you just call the shop and talk to him?

[irezumi]

I have a friend who for the past week has been crying on his FB about mean girls and the last one that dissed him and how she could've been great blah blah

Get over it and go meet some new women. Bitching about something that didn't go your way is just pissing into the wind.

[gougetheeyes]

So go somewhere else.

[Bunny Switchblade]

Or maybe the universe is just telling you this is not the guy to do this tattoo???

[MrsGougeTheEyes]

You are so high maintenance that it sounds like this tattooer dodged a bullet and should be sending you a thank you card.

[polliwog]

Just a thought for the original poster - complaining about the behaviour of a tattooer on an open forum might not be the best idea, even if you've made both yourself and the tattooer/shop fairly anonymous. (As long as there are pictures of your tattoos online, linked to your username, you are somewhat identifiable.) It took me a while to realize this myself - like, if I plan on continuing to travel and get tattooed at various shops (which I do), does it help me or anyone else to grouse in a general way about, say, grumpy receptionists? It doesn't foster good will. I'm new to this whole thing, but in some ways it seems like a small/interconnected world.

Going to try for kindness and discretion.

Edit: I see that Slayer has offered similar advice. So again, what Slayer said.

[dooktruck]

totally a small connected world

[EstCoast]

Conversations about the design went on through 4/29 when I said: "I'm ready when you are." Then I hear nothing more. No "Come in and schedule it". No "I'll look for an opening in my book." NOTHING

Friday 9 May I stop by and he does the trace saying: "Give me a couple of days and we'll schedule something. I AM PUMPED TO DO THIS." No request for a deposit, no mention of putting it on a calendar. I say nothing about how much time this is taking. I am being patient, so far. After all, he said to give him a couple more days. Then I hear nothing for yet another week. If I had contacted him how many of you would have been on the "quit bugging him" bandwagon, eh? Be honest. He seemed to need time and I gave it to him.

His FB comment on May 13 at Noon: "I have openings this week and weekend if anyone would like tattooed. Call or email..." Okay, this is my BIG CHANCE!!!

My comment on FB on May 13 at 12:30 PM, half an hour latter his post: "I'm ready when you are. Email incoming."

My Email on May 13 at 1PM: "I work Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Anytime Thursday or Friday morning, afternoon or evening or Saturday anytime after work is fine by me." No response for two more days.

My FB comment on May 15: "Josh, did you get my email. Check your Spam filter, I'm ready when you are."

His email on May 15: "Thanks for the heads-up on the Spam. How about Saturday May 17 at 6 PM?" Me: "Fine."

His email on Friday May 16: "Double booked... etc..."

Now wouldn't you be a bit frustrated at this point? And JimStanley, as to "holding a 20 year old to adult standards" what is the current cutoff for babying Millennials??? He is old enough to father a child, he damn well better be acting like an adult. And as far as your religion comments: KMA:cool:

Now that that is out of my system, he emailed me this morning: "Would you be free Wednesday at all? I'm off on Thursday but could come in for you if Wednesday doesn't work."

I thought long and hard about it and decided that maybe, just maybe, since it is Sunday and all, I can give him another shot at it.

My email back to him within an hour: "I am available Wednesday morning, afternoon, or evening. Let me know what time to be there. I'm stoked. Giddy Up!"

Aannd, I haven't heard a peep out of him all afternoon.

We'll see...

You keep citing the artist's age and bashing millennials, all while ignoring your behavior that you've so kindly spelled out for us. If you've been hanging out in tattoo shops for 20 years now, you should know that some days can be very hectic/non-stop/chaotic. You should also know that days like that can leave an artist with little to no opportunities to take a breather. I know that personally, the last thing I'm doing when I get a quick breather during a busy day is CHECKING MY EMAIL. If you are so hellbent on getting a tattoo, pick up a telephone or get into your car and go to the shop, make your intentions known, and get a tattoo. Face-to-face communication still reigns supreme in this industry. It lets artists know that you're not wasting their time.

I think you've gotten some pretty good advice and perspective from the other responses in this thread. If he's a good kid and does good work (which you've implied he does), go to the shop IN-PERSON, schedule a time to get the tattoo, and if you really feel the need, as him what the best way to schedule your next appointment with him will be, as you didn't feel you got a clear response from him the last time around. There's value in being diplomatic, and you might be able to teach the kid a lesson on professionalism without coming off like an asshole.

[Fala]

The times I've been tattooed, nothing happens without a deposit - including booking a first session. If you are so annoyed with his behavior you can A. go somewhere else, or B. stop by the shop and find out what's going on, and leave a deposit with a date made in the calendar if you decide to stick with him. This is not complicated stuff here.

I've had sessions rebooked before, it's not a big deal. Life happens.

[Mick Weder]

Face to face is the only way to initiate any rapport.

[Colored Guy]

For whatever reason, if I'm not comfortable with an artist, I won't have them tattoo me.

I had something small done recently at a new shop and while the tattoo itself was satisfactory, I wasn't comfortable how the artist conducted himself and how he spoke of other artists that had done work on me in the past. So I won't be going back there.

Rob

[Valerie Vargas]

In my mind, he is an up-and-comer with a real future but he has to get his act together and realize that in addition to being an art, this is a business and you don't jack customers around for 4 weeks.

I wish him luck.

i hate hearing tattooers being referred to as 'up and coming'.

it's a toxic description that makes you treat them as such. Treat him as the tattooer that he is, and if you dont like how he's treating you, walk away.

don't feel like you have to get tattooed by him in order to make sure you get there before he blows up big.

Ive heard this same exact scenario so many times...and like i said, referring to anyone as up and coming will make you treat them differently and theyll pick up on it, and possibly take advantage.

if hes being so dismissive thats also his fault, or he might truely have just double booked himself. i find managing booking appts online and thru the shop simultaneously means fuck ups happen.

cool down, then maybe go back and have a chat about booking in and leaving a deposit.