Still new here, question on waitlist

[Ken4784]

I'm looking to get my first tattoo and I found an artist I like. Her waitlist opens in October and then it's at least a year wait. I'm ok waiting since it's my first anyway and I really like her stuff. Curious how long other people have waited for the right artist?

 

Here she is, Emily Sloman from Have Fun Be Lucky in Baltimore, MD: http://instagram.com/emsloman

 

http://www.havefunbeluckytattoo.com

[Dan]

I have waited  11 months before,

it's the norm these days for many artists.

I know of people waiting longer than that too.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Dan

[JazzyMac]

Answer is "it depends".  A long waitlist doesn't necessarily mean that the artist is super-best.  They could just be scheduling one client a day or some weird thing like that.  My artist is awesome and I was surprised at the customer service provided and just pleasant demeanor compared to A LOT of others.  

If I remember correctly, you're from the B-more area, looking for an arrow/vine tattoo right?  So it looks like that artist will give you what you want, but I'm *absolutely certain* you can find someone to do something just as good and maybe even better in less than a year.  If, say your personal or professional schedule didn't support then, fine.  But, meh.  Get what you want without a list.  This isn't a Birkin Bag.

[Gingerninja]

Waiting is the norm.If you want something from an artist, then you wait. Let them know if you are flexible if a cancellation comes up, so they can add you to the cancellations list.

No, this isn't a Birkin bag...it's your body. Make good, informed decisions and if you have to wait, you wait.

[JazzyMac]

Definitely make good decisions!  If not, you'll end up posting a new topic in this sub-forum, or what I've come to refer to as "Tattoo Divorce":  *yikes*

 

https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/f/10-tattoo-removal-or-coverup/

Edited July 22, 2017 by JazzyMac

[gtrjunior]

What's a birkin bag? Lol

[JazzyMac]

12 minutes ago, gtrjunior said:

What's a birkin bag? Lol

A handbag designed after famous actress Jane Birkin. Released in small increments annually and customers are put on waitlists.

[AverageJer]

6 minutes ago, JazzyMac said:

A handbag designed after famous actress Jane Birkin. Released in small increments annually and customers are put on waitlists.

Do they just carry their stuff around in a plastic grocery bag while they wait? I mean, my thinking is that if you have a need for a hand bag it means you have stuff you need to carry right now so I'm not seeing how a waiting list is a legit option here. 

Tattoos on the other hand... probably worth waiting if you have a specific artist you really want to get a tattoo by but also there are a lot of really excellent artists who either don't have a long wait time or specifically set aside certain days for walk ins so I guess it's up to you how long you want to wait. Either way, I suggest getting a bag that is readily available to carry your stuff to the tattoo appointment. 

[JazzyMac]

There are waiting lists for Teslas.

Do people just walk while they wait?  They have a need for a car, I'm thinking, but choose to wait for a Tesla.

THAT SAID:

 You want to be on a waiting list for a Tesla or a Kia?  Your choice!

**There are tattoo artists "worth" being on waiting lists for, i.e., Teslas.  Those Tesla artists even have very short (KIA) waiting lists and awesome (Tesla) customer service with outstanding tattoos!

**Some artists are Porsches (expensive, high maintenance, and questionable worth) and have the KIA attitudes and waiting lists to match.  You'll have a Porsche tattoo, but you'll decide if it's worth it.

**Should you put yourself on a Tesla waiting list for a Porsche tattoo and a Kia artist?  Never!!!!

 

[SStu]

I've waiting over 2 years for one particular artist. If it's what you want to look at forever, it's worth the wait. 

[pfj99]

My artist (Christy at Blue Flame Tattoo in Raleigh) has a typical waitlist of 5-6 months.  I had viewed her work online and on a couple of her clients, and her work was what I had been looking for for years.  It turned out that she had a cancellation and i got my first tattoo after waiting only a month.  But now that I know her work firsthand, I would wait a year, albeit impatiently, for an appointment with her.  For me it's about the artistry, the personal compatibility, and the shared vision.  I thought I wanted only one tattoo, but now I'm working on a sleeve.  

Your artist's work is beautiful!  Will you be able to have a consultation in less than a year?  For me it was really important to sense a rapport with my artist.  I'm lucky that I found a Tesla artist without a Tesla waiting list.

[jnin]

I'm always surprised by the wait list some artists have Vs. some that don't have as big of one. A longer wait list doesn't always mean a better tattoo. However, it can if you've chosen the right person to do it. I guess it all comes down to what you prefer. I'd be willing to wait a long time for certain people but I worry that some people equate a long wait list to greater quality when that isn't always the case. 

[Gingerninja]

Many artists only book a few months at a time, so they open and close their books every couple of months. They do it to keep themselves organized and minimize cancellations. Both Garver and O'Donnell take this approach. It's a personal preference. But again, if you want something from a certain artist you do what it takes to get tattooed by them.