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I thought we could use a thread that shined a little light on some of the artists we love, but aren't necessarily very renowned or getting the recognition we feel they deserve. Lets get the ball rolling.... I've been a fan of the work of James Tex of Deadly Tattoos inc, located in Calgary, Canada, for a few years now. I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with his work, and some members here might even know him personally and/or have tattoos from him. Anyways, I stumbled across him a while back in another tattoo forum where a member showed off the progress of a Samurai sleeve he was getting done from Tex. I was blown away by his work, and to my great viewing pleasure he had a fairly large online portfolio on his shops website: Deadly Tattoos inc. I'm not sure if everyone agrees with me in that he's "low key", but I can't say that I have read an article about him or seen any pictures of his tattoo except on his website (and obviously the forum I mentioned). Here's a few samples of his work from his online portfolio:

CUSTOMER RESPECT...OF COURSE IT EXISTS...WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT CUSTOMERS.... It is very varied...like someone said there are all kinds of people..so there are all kinds of tattooers....Most people when they first come in the shop think i am scowling at them...but i cannot see past 15 feet so I am trying to discern who it is.... I work in a street shop..I always have worked in a street shop...I like it.....I always liked Mikey perfettos(pronounciation..not spelling) way of running a shop...the dry erase board you put your name on...whether you want a back piece or a litlle kanji...you get your name on the board..you will get tattooed that day... he takes the board away at a certain point and you gotta come back tommorrow...Also his customers are fiercely loyal...people go there with sleeves or work from really great and well known artists and his customers will look at it and say.."those are nice...but look at the ones Mikey put on me" Tattooing has turned into a real whirlwind...more people today getting tattooed than ever...more tattooers tattooing than ever...more personalities....I promise i will not go into a "back in the day" rant.. I am not sure if it was better back then anymore but with the tattooer and tattooed population exploding that adds alot into what is happening...With all these people comes all these personalities and egos and behavior.... It is a imperative for a tattooer to remember that his customer may have worked 40 hours for the 200 bucks you are gonna get in an hour or two...and it is also hard to have 6 or 7 18 year old girls ask you'what place hurts the least on the body and i can hide it from my parents" naturally I think...if you want a tattoo you will get it where you want it regardless of the pain...it is a tightrope or have people coming at you all day asking"how much would you have charged for this?" rolling up their sleeve... but it is important for customers to remember that a tattoo machine is not a magic wand...(well Id swear it is in some peoples hands)Like all the young tattoo-ologists that come with their friend to get their first and you put the pattern on and they ask their friend rather than look in the mirror...or the facebook thing...tattooing with people trying to film it to put it on line with their phones...or when you go to dip your machine in ink they slip a camera in and take a shot of a pattern with one line....I mean it is alot.... then the memorial tattoo.... they are going thru the biggest changes in their life and you are poking holes in them...there is so much going on that people do not realize....and while all that is going on you may have had a fight with your significant other, or your kid or grandkid is sick....but you have to leave all that outside of what you are doing.. Then we have that all too ga-narly EGO...on both sides of the fence...Like in sobriety at the end of a 12 step meeting they say the lords prayer and I heard a guy say "deliver us from ego" rather than "deliver us from evil"...ego is a huge thing...more now than ever...Opinions(like mine i am typing out now) are a big factor too....what was it rollo said"alot of tattooers are building monuments to themselves rather than doing what the customer wants" people get tattooed for all kinds of reasons..and sometimes people think a tattoo is gonna change their life...its not...it is just them with a tattoo... Then the cool factor... right??? I had a guy tattooing for a couple of days at the shop who used to have a serious attitude...not anymore..and i asked him about it.and he said he learned it..like watching more 'experienced" tattooers act bothered by the customers...Its actually pretty funny when you think about it...but he realized that is what he thought he was suppose to act like...and you tattooers would laugh if you knew they guy he learned from...this guy was notorius like sitting behind a counter with his hands hidden smiling and talking to the customer while flipping them off with both hands Most Tattooers start hanging around shops very young...they are very impressionable...it is the old nature versus nurture arguement..and one day the nature wins over if they were nurtured liked the guy i just mentioned...unless they are naturally nitwits to begin with...but they may have learned that arrogant behavior....but usually they will lose it if it is in their nature.... Or how about they act like they think they are suppose to act because they heard some story about a big noise tattooer acted towards a customer...the story is completley blown out of proportion and when you get the real skinny on what happened it all made sense.... Tattooing is hard work...most people that spend an hour in a shop that you spend your whole life in probably get the perception it is easy....IT IS VERY DRAINING.....I mean ass kicking as hard as running a jack hammer or ditch digging(I guess i still am kinda)ass kicking... but the customers are the real reward...that is why it gets good...and I have a alot of friends that agree...However the customer also makes it the biggest struggle... what is that saying..'people only ask how your doing so they don't let on how little they care"...Ok a customer books an appointment(thats why i like walk ins..I tell them i will get em tattooed if they can wait...for the people in front of them or the hours it takes to draw the picture they showed you on their phone...)is every single customers printer always out of ink... But lets go with an appointment..Ok the guy works all week and he has an appointment at 5 on friday...he is running a little late but figures it is his time anyway so what is 15 minutes...at the same time at the shop the artist has a guy there with the cash that wants a small one...well is the appointment coming?...if i tell the guy at the shop no and the customer does not show up i am out both tattoos and cannot pay my starbucks debit card(yeah right...somethin important like that)...whatever...so you take the guy there and then the appt. shows up... he flies right up to your station and you tell him.."i got this one infront of you and then i will get to you..."he is pissed...pacing...but he will get over it....He shoulda been on time..I am a nut about being on time....it is all about the individuals personality... Ok or you are working on a tattoo that some guy worked all week for the $ and another customer comes up and wants to ask you how you can add on to a tattoo..and you try politely to tell them.."hey i gotta do this right now when i get to you you will have my undivided attention" in which the customer replies.."do you think cherry blossoms will work?" like you did not say anything....usually we are guarded until we see where they are coming from... there is a whole lot going on before you walk in the shop.... The customers are usually intimidated to begin with...they think their questions will be dumb...but i always ask them what they do...lets say they cut hair..i do not know anything about that..like they do not know anything about tattooing...of course they have questions....fire away....but when you get the customer that wants you to give them the answer THEY WANT..not the truth...tattooing is so overrun now they will find someone who will give them the answer they want...maybe not the tattoo but the answer.... People love their tattoos....I was told that very young by a great tattooer....remember people love thier tattoos...I have seen a perfectly good reaper done on a customer by someone and had a tattooer look at it and say 'who did that reaper?...they shaded it backwards..." (actually it is that cliff raven reaper..it is not shaded backwards it is like that on the flash) so a week later i get a call from the customer"shane can you fix my reaper?"...Why? whats wrong with it? it is because that guy told you it was shaded wrong? it was fine and you loved it for 2 years until some nitiwt says something about it...you loved it when you picked it....that is so sad... Anyway....It is a fine line......but there are all kinds of tattooers..like there are all kinds of customers... Another older tattooer told me when i was young that it is the experience...the whole of it...someone who bumps into a world famous guy tattooing them may do a beautiful eagle but they like the one that we, as tattooers, may not think is the best technically because they dug the experience people get tattooed for all knids of reasons and art is relative...... My longest friendships are with tattooers...in spite of us being tattooers..some i may not see everyday or every year but when i do it is like not a day has passed....and in every tattooer there is a customer...WE ARE CUSTOMERS...all of us....and regardless of what they may portray they all put there pants on one leg at a time...noone truly shits beige.... I do not take breaks....not rest breaks anyway..i may have to pour some color..but I usually do not stop to smoke or coffee or eat...I barely do that between tattoos...and i know i am not as good as my peers...but i have been around it and done it since i was a little kid and i know part of the reason i am so swamped every single day is customer relations...THANK GOD I AM SO SWAMPED.... gratitude...being grateful that we have the best job in the world...in spite of the bad backs,neck extra 20 pounds the lack of privacy,the hurt hands and wrists,bad eyes,the judgements,bad diet,the intra industry personality wars, who knows who, thousands of people chasing the same nickel....the cant get to sleep because i crossed that line on the eagle feather...,is my dick too small( where did that one come from) the IRS,state laws,the internet etc...etc.etc...it is still the best job in the world.... The customer is the most important part of all of this....no question....it is a two way street and keeping your side clean is the best thing you can do.... PS i did an article/ interview with Big bad Jack Rudy that is coming out in TAM #25...check it out....

This is the best I have so far! The lettering and negative drop shadow was done by Dave Cise at the Baltimore Tattoo Museum.......the photo was taken by my good friend Lauren Barnhart right after the tattoo was finished! Lining on the lower neck (woman blowing leaf petals) was done by Jon Glessner and his art as well....and the color was added by Brady Duncan! And everything on my chest you can see is by Brady as well!

well Isaac Fainkujen is awsome! i have haad some contact with him before and hoping to get tattooed when he comes to denmark this summer. i have to promote swedish artist Peter Lagergren. Let's get tatt'n

The correct response: "Calvin Klein. Wanna see?" And that's when you start to unbuckle your belt.

More excerpts from Tattooing Reality « Occult Vibrations I'm not happy with this one. can't balance out the hiss.

I've been keen on Dusty Neal for the last two weeks or so, absorbing all of the work he's posted on his tumblr. SWORN TO THE BLACK When I first saw his feed on Tumblr.... there was a great Christ head AND a Pushead piece. I was sold.

thank you guys. I own just about every "how yo draw the head" book there is and im always looking for more . i'm always studying them and real faces when i can trying to grasp and understand as best i can. so thanks for letting me feel like it's paying off even a little bit.

I'm not into the whole treat my customers like they are at a spa experience--- However, i've always felt I don't want them to feel like an ass for paying me at the end of the tattoo either. Sometimes I think tattooing can be like a " trip together" -"get stuck in an elevator together" kind of experience---you are bonded for the time that you are getting tattooed. It can be an intense sometimes intimate experience. But then you come down, the door opens and you go on your way.

I met George Campise, when he was at Everlasting, on a trip to San Fran. He was unbelievably nice. He invited me to sit with him while he tattooed and just talked to me about all aspects of the business and about himself. I was really influenced by his attitude and the way I was treated. He didn't know me at all, yet he treated me with an unbelievable amount of respect and courtesy. On the same trip, I got tattooed at Blackheart and it was an awesome experience and it left my wife with a great impression of the place. Scott really went out of his way to give us suggestions of what to do in the area. He even stopped tattooing his customer to call his father to ask some questions about Santa Cruz. I met Daniel Albrigo when he was working at Invisible in NYC and he was totally cool to me as well. He knew I wasn't there to get tattooed that day but it didn't matter. We talked about tattooing, our collections, and what not. I've always had really good experiences with Olde City in Philly and Jinx Proof in DC. I figure if these shops and tattooers can treat me with courtesy and respect, I can do the same to others.

Erica, I recognize your brilliance.

THIS. YES.

Deno from circus tattoo madrid/Spain does some sick stuff.. Deno CIrcus tattoo (DENO CIRCUS TATTOO MADRID!) on Myspace

that backpiece is fucking killer! I with it was a better photo so I could really dork out on it but I still spent a good chunk of time just staring

Nice! Looks like good times. This might prompt a neck tattoo thread..

there's this video that a co-worker sent me, that seems like it might be fake, but so happens to be addressed to a Ryan, and we just happen to have a Ryan who works with us.... so we're thinking about calling and leaving him a message with the audio. seems pretty harmless but should be entertaining.

http://wwwmyspacecom/newskooltattoosGreat thread Iwar . I gotta say Ian Flower whom I was alerted to via Valerie Vargas blog .Pretty sure this is no news to the tattoo artists but like Iwar i haven't seen alot of publicity for him .Anyway hes a mad fisherman so i hope this doesn't upset the fishes .

Plus Gil Montie rules.

i told my friends about squidpants :D

Please tell me exactly how you were able to refrain from saying "your mom."

i really love the work of Isaac Fainkujen.

First time I've heard this, but earlier today some peckerwood with shitty squidwork on his arms comes up to me and asks "who you wearin, bro?" I've never heard that before. He mentioned Gil Montie twice. He seemed less than impressed with my choices in artists, since none of them were Gil Montie. This is why I hate going out in shortsleeves.

Tattoo Artist Magazine posted this recently on their blog:

those lehi pieces are crazy. derrick's eagle/skull came out rad too. i like thomas hooper and theo mindell on this one as well. i sit and stare at this hooper peice all the time!

mine! alot left to do thinking of going turtle back.. [/img]

haha, thanks everyone. Nothing too exciting just a busy day of work, research and now an early night leaving town tomorrow (SAC) for the day for a mtg on a new contract with the state I just found out I was granted around linguistics and psychology which I am very very excited for. It'll be my first time doing the Amtrack line to SAC so should get to do work with a new view.

i am guilty of so many of these annoying things. not the worst or the ridiculous. but i sometimes say; ink, work and i love to call shitty tattoo artist that work at home kitchen wizards. do i care that it may annoy other people? not really.

I've been watching this thread since it popped up and have enjoyed seeing the respectful post from multiple perspectives of LSTers, thanks. I think some valuable feedback and ideas have been put out there. This sounds like a frustrating experience though to go in to any business from an entitled perspective as a customer we are bound to hit friction, sometimes aversion in our interactions, and overall unhappy outcomes. I do think some good feedback has been given and don't think verbal retaliations need to exist on this site. If that is what any LSTers are looking for I strongly encourage you to go elsewhere as this is one of the reasons we started LST as the other tattoo forums have too much of this negativity. We designed this forum in hopes of positive interactions from tattoo conversations to tattoo pictures to what-have-yous for both tattooers and tattoo customers. This thread is heading in a manner that I don't think it needs to go and honestly hope it doesn't as we don't need that here. This topic is a good one so if it is going to continue lets continue to go for overall ways to support/facilitate better interactions with the tattooers and customers who respect tattooing humbly.

Yes....Photos please Mario! I forgot I got tattooed by Jason Reeder again too....a carrot dildo....something he had wanted to tattoo on me for some time ....ha ha ha! Got that a few days before Brady finished my neck! Ummmmmm............the tattoos were literally on all parts of my body....on my back, both legs, and hip! Healing....I took a shower once a day like I always do....and aquaphor....and i had to wrap the tattoos for a few days so they didn't wind up sticking to my pants or shirt! Mostly didn't have anything on when i could! I looked like I was the walking wounded most of the time with cellophane & meat packs taped all over me....ha ha ha I try not to get anything larger than the size of a baseball anymore...and i am running out of room in certain areas BUT you would be surprised how much room i still have left! Jerry Swallow's & Timmy Tatts tattoos were not that big...i will try to post pics but i didn't want to clog up the thread with so many photos! 65 artists to date! Next up will be Sara Purr(I believe at the Baltimore Convention), Tanane Whitfield, & Dana Helmuth! I talked to Dave Cise klast night about a drop shadow on the text on my neck as well! I may take a break after these 3-4 artists tattoo me....but somehow i doubt that will happen as you need to take the opportunities as they present themselves! :)

Love this!! Lizzie has done some killer vulture designs. There's a couple more in her gallery (including a badass chestpiece). Wish I was wearing one too.

Dr. Pogue sounds like a very big deal. Im guessing he has many leather bound books and his office smells of rich mahogany.