Touch Up Question

[ClintonStitch]

Was wondering what most people's opinion is on going to a different artist to touch up a tattoo another one has done? The situation is that I won't be able to get any time with the guy who did it for quite a while. I've already got a few of said tattooer and never had any issues but would prefer to get it sorted sooner than later as it really hasn't healed that well. Am I right in feeling weird about it?

[Fala]

What does the original tattoo artist have to say about it? How long is the wait - a couple months, a year, etc? I'd rather wait than have someone else do the touch-up work, personally.

[ClintonStitch]

What does the original tattoo artist have to say about it? How long is the wait - a couple months, a year, etc? I'd rather wait than have someone else do the touch-up work, personally.

Really have no idea how long the wait is going to be, just starting a new job working Monday to Friday and he doesn't work weekends so once I've passed my probation which will be a few months I'll be able to look into booking some time with him but even at that he's usually fully booked up and it's a bit of distance to get to to just walk in. I think I'll probably wait it out, as I've never had to deal with this kind of situation before was unsure of the etiquette.

[MadeIndelible]

I would say that it's rude to go to someone else, when someone put in professional work on a tattoo. I'm assuming you went to a professional.

[tatB]

How recent is the tattoo? If the touch-up is needed because of less than ideal healing (heavy scabbing resulting in ink loss) it can better to give the area a few months to fully heal and settle so the touch up will heal better.

[Colored Guy]

From my experience, on larger tattoos especially, some touch up is expected. After the healing is done, they should make time to accomodate touching it up for you, usually at no cost. I usually have older work touched up when I have new work done.

Rob

[JAllen]

Contact the person who did the tattoo to see when a touch up is possible. Start there

[idyllsend]

My Ron Wells piece from last year needed touch ups, and as I'm in Canada and kinda 'po I couldn't just drive to him to get it done. I emailed him asking if he had any plans on travelling this way, and if not if he'd suggest someone to do the touch up instead. He asked me to wait until the Montreal convention, but ended up doing a guest spot in Toronto last month so I got it done then.

Moral of the story? Ask your artist. It's his work and should really be done by him.

Also, my experience with local artists is that you get in much sooner for touch ups than you would for a new piece. The wait shouldn't be crazy long.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HaydenRose]

I actually had a different artist touch up one of my tattoos. Totally different circumstance than the OP. Not sure if going somewhere else in this case is the best option, but definitely ask the artist first and go from there.

[TrixieFaux]

Reviving this thread for a friend who has some old tattoos she wants to freshen up. She got them many years ago in a different state and is now asking me for recommendations in Los Angeles. I'm just wondering if this is something most tattooers would take on? Would she have a better chance if she booked something new and got to know an artist first before asking them to freshen up something old?

[gougetheeyes]

Funny, a buddy of mine got his first (and only) tattoo maybe 15 years ago from Michelle Myles here in the city.. Needed a little love, so when he was back in NY he got in touch and got her to slick it up, looks super nice again!

(Also, as to the OP, I kiiinda feel like it depends on the touch up. Is it a two second blast of black? Or a half hours worth of tightening everything up on a new tattoo?)

[Mick Weder]

Would she have a better chance if she booked something new and got to know an artist first before asking them to freshen up something old?

A few years ago, I got back into getting tattooed, and really wanted to have my arms re sleeved.

When I first sat down with old mate, we discussed new tattoos, and we continued along this path for 12 months before I hinted at him re sleeving my old work.

He knew it was coming, and because of the extension of work we were doing, he then knew it was something that had to be done.

I knew how difficult this was going to be for him, and he was honest...& said, if I had 1st walked in wanting my arms redone, he would have turned me away.

But..everyone is different where a different approach is needed I guess.

I knew the kind of person I was dealing with initially and just knew a certain type of etiquette and respect was required 1st.

[Robbie Kass]

in my opinion it depends on the quality of the work. i would have liked to see a pic of the tattoo with this post to give any sort of educated insight.

[DC91AAO]

I would ask the artist and wait. I would be pissed if someone got a touchup by another artist without asking. I'm not a jealous tattoo artist but there's just some things you don't do unless they're cool with it. It's kind of a personal thing. Some artists would look at it as "well good, that's less work I have to do" but I like to take care of all of my customers.

[Lou Morgue]

It all depends on the location of the tattooist, and how the tattoo was done. I usual touch up old work when I'm putting a new tattoo next to an old image. Or we get a ton of touch up walk ins from people who were unhappy with the original work, and creat a package deal for new ink, everybody wins!

[ttoosday]

This a question I have been mulling over. If a person was dissatisfied with the quality or even just the final product of the tattoo, one can imagine they would not feel confident that the artist could get it to their liking with a touch up, or at least that is how I feel. My reasoning to go to someone else would not be just to be rude or for even the convenience (xtho it would save a 7 hour round trip of just driving, not including tattoo time, meal times, and the expense of gas etc), but because I would be scared to end up a worse tattoo than I had to start with. Would that affect opinions on this subject if that was the case?

[tatB]

This a question I have been mulling over. If a person was dissatisfied with the quality or even just the final product of the tattoo, one can imagine they would not feel confident that the artist could get it to their liking with a touch up, or at least that is how I feel. My reasoning to go to someone else would not be just to be rude or for even the convenience (xtho it would save a 7 hour round trip of just driving, not including tattoo time, meal times, and the expense of gas etc), but because I would be scared to end up a worse tattoo than I had to start with. Would that affect opinions on this subject if that was the case?

touch up is for polishing parts of a tattoo that didn't heal very well (heavy scabbing resulting in ink loss) what you are describing sounds more like reworking/adding to a tattoo.

[ttoosday]

touch up is for polishing parts of a tattoo that didn't heal very well (heavy scabbing resulting in ink loss) what you are describing sounds more like reworking/adding to a tattoo.

Ahh u make a good point. And I agree that is more what I would be looking at in my case. However, I still am on the fence about what to do. Even if all I needed was a touch up, I still would contemplate whether making the drive is worth it or not.

[seattleite]

id go back to the artist if possible