Advice about tattoo design please

[Helen]

Hello

i need some help with the design the artist has sent over if possible. 

I'm booked in to get my first tattoo tomorrow. It's my first one and I'm really nervous! I also get really bad anxiety so I'm a bit of a nightmare.

anyway I did everything right - researched for ages and chose carefully, and I've booked in for this appointment about 6 months ago, which I think might be the issue. At the consultation I wasn't there long, and gave an idea of what I wanted, showed pictures of the stuff I liked (and gave them to them). 

They said they would send me pics of the design a couple weeks before the appointment, but I only got it today, and it's nothing like what I had in mind, and I feel really worried, and I really want to cancel! I know that's not fair, so I did email back and say that I wasn't sure about some parts of the design and could they change things, but I haven't heard back. My worry is I have paid a large deposit that I can't afford to lose, but I'm feeling pressured into getting something and I actually would like some time with the design, to make sure I'm happy with it, rather than just get it? Does that make sense? I know often people don't get custom tats shown to them until the day of though, so I again I understand if I'm being unfair here. 

So I think I'm after advice on what to do, and also if I'm not happy with the design (which is genuinely very different to what we had spoken about (not just me being difficult) and is a large back piece) how can I move forward without losing the deposit?

thank you!

Edited September 15, 2017 by Helen

[Gingerninja]

Hi Helen,

You need to keep calm and communicate with your artist. Your artist (at least most artists) want to do a great job and have satisfied customers! Sounds like there was a breakdown somewhere along the line. Good healthy communication will go a long way to sorting it out. Maybe call the shop?

[SStu]

Right. When you did your consult 6 months ago, did you follow it up with an e-mail or other written account of what you were expecting? 

[bongsau]

Most tattooists don't draw up the design until the night before. I have come to appreciate this over the years, it keeps the idea fresh in the mind of the person applying it and gives the tattoo the right mojo the day of. This has become one of my favourite parts of the tattoo experience...showing up to your appointment and getting the surprise of the design. Some of my favourite tattoos I've received are the ones that were not quite what my original idea was. 

Case and point - my backpiece. I was set on 2 fighting monks and I ended up with a single monk. He changed and simplified my concept in order to really put together an epic background and could make 1 monk larger than 2 on the same composition. I completely trusted his experience and I am beyond happy how it turned out, even though it took a direction different than my expectation.

I'd suggest you go to your appointment and be open with your artist and more importantly open to the tattooer's direction. Trust in your research and trust in their experience. And if you don't like, well you don't like it so don't get it (and negotiate partial deposit return). Good luck !