Tattoo Collaboration

[HaydenRose]

Haven't started a new thread in awhile, so here we go...

As I mentioned awhile back, I have appointments lined up with Grez to finish out my right arm (so far I have my shoulder and inner bicep complete). I have a list of images/themes I want to include and tackle it as a mish-mash of smaller designs. Actually @TrixieFaux 's sleeve by Kim Saigh has been a big inspiration. I love Grez's bold style and definitely want him to complete the images and give him as much creative license as possible. However, I was considering making it a collaboration with Rose Hardy. Lately, I've been digging her lace-like filler pieces and geometric designs. Anyway... enough of my incoherent rambling (I truly hope everyone understands what I'm getting at)... so my question(s) are: Do you think this is possible? (Obviously I'm going to run everything by Grez at our consult, just want to nail down some ideas first) and what is the etiquette with collaboration pieces? Has anyone gotten filler tattooed by a different artist?

Also, I'm hoping this thread can be a cool discussion on collaboration projects. I think we all agree @ironchef takes the cake with his Henning/Rubendall back piece.

Anyone else have large scale tattoos from two (or more?!) artists? What was the process like?

Thanks everyone!

[Killercook76]

Haha nice thread! I guess it's on the artist. When I approached Tim to do a collaboration with Garver he wasn't too excited about the idea but I think that's mostly because he's on the west coast. He told me either get my back done by him or Chris.

Since they work in the same shop and know each other I wouldn't see any problem with that!

Oh btw I actually kinda have a collaboration with Tim and Chris now. Chris is currently finishing my cobra background. I'm sure you seen it on instagram.

[Iwar]

My back piece is eventually gonna be a collaboration of four tattooers. Grime is doing the main image on my back, I'll have the back of my thighs done by two different tattooers (not sure who yet, but I have a shortlist) and Marius Meyer will eventually wrap it up with background. Grime didn't seem to mind one bit.

If I were you I think I'd just mention that you're playing around with the idea of a her filling out the open space between his tattoos. You can probably tell from his reaction if he's into it or not.

And yeah, @ironchef really takes the cake as far as collabs go!

[scubaron]

Interesting thread.

I kind of like letting each artist have their own separate area. Artist 1 gets my lower left leg, artist 2 gets my lower right leg, etc..

I worry about having 2 different artists working in the same area. Do their styles compliment each other well enough to be in the same area ? My thinking is if their styles are similar, then why not stick with one artist for that area ?

This is just how I feel about it and what I plan on doing when I expand/add additional tattoos. Plenty of people feel differently.

[tatB]

I think a collaboration works best when the finished piece looks cohesive but you can also figure out which part was done by each artist. The Hooper/O'Donnell skull and snake back piece is a great example. The skull obviously belongs to Hooper and the the snake is clearly an O'Donnell snake.

[Hands On]

i was stuck on who i wanted to do my back for the longest time, but it all came together last year... seeing @ironchef's collabo put the light bulb above my head, then seeing instagram pics of jondix and chad traveling together in Nepal illuminated it. they're both the best dudes and i thought their friendship, mindset, and contrasting styles would make for an interesting collaboration.

i knew they both frequently attended the SOG/SFO convention in Oct., so i sent 'em an email with the thought as soon as it hit me in April. lucky for me, they were both super into it! we bounced a few emails back and forth and they ended up drawing on a Philippine eagle on top of frontal skull in Chad's hotel room at 12:30am, after the first night of the convention. most of you can probably guess who did what. (photo taken by @ian)

it was great to experience the magic happening right behind me... although i couldn't see what was going on, i could feel it and hear it. i've had individual artists draw on tattoos and an usually artist thinks and does what they do pretty quietly... but when both of them are drawing and thinking together, they have to verbalize those thoughts to each other. i had the pleasure of listening in on these two tattoo geniuses' thoughts as they shared.

speaking of tattoo geniuses, another piece of magic happened... just as they were finishing up the drawing, Mike Wilson and a few other folks visited the room. Chad happened to be a little stuck on how to position a wing, so Mike chimed in with a perfect suggestion, getting in on the collabo!

after that, i basically had to sit tight for 35-45 minutes while they attacked me and lined whole the damned thing. there was some artistic and technical discussion during the tattoo, but there was one last piece of collaboration to be done... i had originally requested to incorporate one of the symbols from Jondix's 108 Marks book. this was to be the last thing they were going to tattoo, but instead of going with the symbol i requested, they decided to collaborate and create a whole new symbol. they took turns drawing a piece of it and passing the sharpie back and forth to each other. when they were happy with it, Chad made it permanent.

i've since had one more session with Chad out in Napa. Jondix won't be making it to the SFO this year, so he's trying to convince me to get out to Barcelona or London, but funds, the wife, and work schedule are iffy. i can't wait to see it come together, but i'm patient enough to wait for things to align.

i'm waiting for the artists to share pics before i do.

[Pugilist]

I am super interested in this topic - I've had a few ideas for collaborative pieces from tattooers who work together, etc., and always wonder how these things take shape. They are so amazing when they do. I would love it if folks who have this kind of work on them would tell the stories of how it came about! Thanks @Hands On for sharing - you are a lucky dude!

[ironchef]

I got really lucky with Henning and Rubendall. Normally Mike isn't into collaborations, especially if its not with another artist that works in the same shop. Even though Rubes and Henning are great friends and business partners, Mike was still hesitant. But the timing and things worked out and luckily both agreed. Henning honestly had no issues with it. He LOVES tattoos and tattooing so he was super stoked into the idea.

I think if anyone is planning on approaching artists about a collaboration, make sure the artist know each other well and as the client you would need to figure out the timing and try to get them to agree on the collaboration.

My back piece is the only true collaboration between Henning and Rubendall. Henning did share that a few years ago he had a client who was in trouble with the law and basically was on his way to prison for a long duration. The client wanted to finish his tattoo before being hauled away and Mike just happened to be in town. The client's piece need another 16-20 hours of work but Henning and Mike tagged teamed and did side by side coloring and shading and finished everything in a one day 9-10 hour session. Next day the guy went off to jail.

@HaydenRose I personally think Grez would be okay with collaborating with Rose Hardy. She's new to the shop and as a business approach, it would be smart for Grez to generate clients for Rose which could result in repeat business for the shop overall.

[Fala]

You give me hope for my collaboration dreams @ironchef. I've been working on an email to two artists for about a year, one day I'll get it sent when I decide what I'd like to do (am getting there!!!)

[scubaron]

You give me hope for my collaboration dreams @ironchef. I've been working on an email to two artists for about a year, one day I'll get it sent when I decide what I'd like to do (am getting there!!!)

Are you willing to share your idea thoughts and/or artists choice ? I'm curious, but understand if you don't want to discuss.

[Hands On]

Henning did share that a few years ago he had a client who was in trouble with the law and basically was on his way to prison for a long duration. The client wanted to finish his tattoo before being hauled away and Mike just happened to be in town. The client's piece need another 16-20 hours of work but Henning and Mike tagged teamed and did side by side coloring and shading and finished everything in a one day 9-10 hour session. Next day the guy went off to jail.

healing must've sucked. i hope he found a good pal to put some lotion on his back.

[Fala]

I'm still working out the idea, for a while I was thinking about a crane (or heron) with a pine tree as part of the background, but have rethought that for a number of reasons. One being that I already have birds in my preexisting work, and I am not sure that I want to be covered in different kinds of birds. A couple of years ago I was all about having a deer and peach tree and was ready to start working on it, decided to hold off and do other work, and now I'm all "naw, I don't want no birds or deer, I want a dragon!"

I am undecided as to whether or not I want to go with water/wind bars because I like the negative space that is created - although the whole protective element from being totally covered is super appealing, and water and wind bars are gorgeous - we'll see.

Would be Japanese/Tibetan - I love the flow of lines and movement. I'm not ready to start working on my back, will continue to plot and fantasize in the meantime (and work on getting more tattoos.)

[Pugilist]

I think the idea of being covered in birds is AWESOME, but then I am also obsessed with cranes as tattoo subject matter.

[Fala]

Yeah, I'll probably go back to the birds again. I love them so. We'll see!

[suburbanxcore]

That's funny. Grez is actually doing my arm next January, and I originally thought about looking into him collaborating with Justin Weatherholtz. Ultimately I decided against it for a few reasons, but I think it could be a very cool idea.

In the battle royale thread, there's a killer Rubendall/O'Donnell/Grez back piece.

[ironchef]

That's funny. Grez is actually doing my arm next January, and I originally thought about looking into him collaborating with Justin Weatherholtz. Ultimately I decided against it for a few reasons, but I think it could be a very cool idea.

In the battle royale thread, there's a killer Rubendall/O'Donnell/Grez back piece.

That battle royale piece was done on previous Kings Avenue shop artist, Brian Paul. He had the relationship and timing part down in order to pull off that sweet killer trifecta. That piece was the inspiration for me to ask Henning and Rubendall to collaborate.