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No one likes a tattletale. Say something to the tattooer if you feel like it. Be prepared to not getting the response you want to hear, even though I do hope you get that. This all sounds like a bad Yelp review.

Maybe you are a difficult customer and he is passively avoiding you.

why not voice your concerns to him instead of complaining to strangers on the internet

New panther from Aaron Coleman, mostly healed.

Holy Moly! I finally did it. I converted the PAL DVD to NTSC so that North American, Canadian, Japanese and the rest of South American tat fans can watch the DVD in the comfort of not-in-front-of-a-computer - such a thing does exist. You can buy it from store.copperheadeditions.com Also a friendly reminder that you can stream a HD version at the Copperhead Editions site too - this version is just the documentary without bonus features but it's in HD so you can see all my shaky camera work! Thanks to everyone for the support and patience with this project.

So if I understand your story... You approached the guy with your tattoo idea. He said, "Yeah, cool." You didn't leave a deposit. You didn't make an appointment. You went to the shop and he traced your arm, showing he had every intention to do your tattoo. You didn't leave a deposit. You didn't make an appointment. He posted on Facebook that he had an opening and you wrote back. Maybe you were the first; maybe you were the hundredth. A lot of tattooers who post on FB and IG still want you to make appointments via email, phone, or in person. And when in fact you did email, lo and behold you got one. Too bad he had to reschedule. It happens. Maybe he had an out-of-town client who couldn't rebook, who knows? In any event, he offered you another slot, twenty-four hours later, after regular shop hours, meaning he went out of his way to accommodate you. Get a tattoo from the guy or don't. Some artists are worth waiting for. I haven't been getting tattooed for twenty years, but I do understand it's a unique business -- not like buying a T-shirt at the mall.

My $0.02 as a business owner myself (in an unrelated professional field) I can say that I have miss-judged my workload, other clients (who already paid me) have canceled/screwed up my schedule, my dog gets sick, my car gets a flat, or whatever. Remember these are people too. I also don't hand hold any of my clients (some of which are very large companies or acronym government organizations. Sometimes it comes down to bad luck or simply miscommunication, or more often lack of communication. One thing I've found with business owner to business owner interactions is we all realize the other 20 hours a day, we have our other lives to live. That being said during work time nothing ever, ever runs 100% flawless. A good point was brought up if you dropped a deposit. While I never say it, a customer that didn't plop down some cash already is still a potential. Do you know how often clients engage with the 101 questions, then just drop off the face of the earth? Way more than I would like. A lot of those times I am left with a bunch of work I did with nothing to show for it. This is disappointing and also costs me money. While I was dicking around with Mr. 101 questions I could have been doing paid work for someone I know has the cash to back up the questions, and most of those times I am wondering why the hell did they just drop off the face of the earth. Did I insult them, did I miss a meeting? As mentioned by @BrianH I have also passively avoided clients I know are just dead ends or difficult to work with. I have a "client" that has so far asked 1000 questions, a million "ideas", etc but has yet to execute one. I no longer pick up the phone when he calls, ignore his voicemails and barely read his emails. He has wasted way too much of my time to bother responding. Even if he was to go ahead with paid work, I know his method of operation and it would be a time suck. Why do x10 the work for the same pay I get from clients that are no nonsense types who have reasonable expectations. This all being said, I don't know the whole story so I am simply putting down some of my own thought processes. So until I get the story from the shop/artists side, I am making no judgement calls.

Talk to the person. And like was mentioned, if you weren't in a book or written on a schedule, you didn't have an appointment. By the time he saw some Facebook comment, 48 people could have come into the shop, of whom several could have booked all of his time. Which could lead to offering you an after hours spot, so that you don't have to wait even longer to get tattooed. Perhaps the counter guy already wrote someone in there without him realizing it, which caused the issue to reschedule to Sunday. Mainly, talk to the person about your concerns, hang your angry customer hat at the door, and listen to his issues or concerns. Perhaps most importantly, IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR NAME IN A BOOK, YOU DON'T HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. And if you don't have an appointment, your drawing probably isn't getting worked on, unless it's large and involved.

I hate outlining. Hate. It. Hate. Hate.

Taki posted this TV segment today regarding the Perseverance Exhibit. It features Onizuka Tattoo's LA Horitaka (of the Horitoshi Family). His client does most of the talking though. There are cameos by Horitaka, and Jiro Yaguchi too. Tattoo Art Embodies Proud Japanese Tradition | NBC Southern California

At this shop you go to, are you required to leave a deposit to make an appt/start a drawing? Personally I don't nor have I ever worked at a place where I would do any artwork, outside of what was doodled during a consultation, until a client has left a deposit.

Have any of you seen the documentary G-DOG? It's about an amazing man, Father Greg Boyle, who helps men and women get out of gangs and turn their lives around. He runs an organization in L.A. called Homeboy Industries. They have rehab services, a cafe and a bakery that employs the ex gang members, and they have free laser tattoo removal for gang related tattoos or tattoos holding them back from getting work. It's really good. One of our good friends works there.

This doesn't surprise me in the least... anyone youngish woman with tattoos or man with tattoos , a beard and skinny jeans now thinks they're a 'tattoo model'! I agree with @TrixieFaux , @Eilin should definitly go on! Beautiful with fantastic tattoos... sadly most of these 'tattoo models' have rubbish tattoos just for the sake of it..

I can tell you I've been accidentally double-booked, dates forgotten, etc, in the past. I also generally always get tattooed after hours, some tattooers just like that for whatever reason. I actually like it because the shop is different after hours.

It all depends, and some artists do and some don't. I have had one artist take a deposit via Paypal. I always offer, even if they don't specifically ask for it.

My optometrist wears a lab coat/ drs coat. Most others wear a shirt and tie and slacks of some sort. Considering this how much are your face hands and neck tattooed?

You may be surprised. I work in a corporate environment & required to deliver information to large groups of Directors. I have this saying, "you gotta know your stuff & own your space" I'll be the one who determines how I'll be perceived. I notice peoples initial reaction when they see this dude walk in suited up from the neck to the fingers. I also notice their reaction when I walk out, which then has nothing to do with my tattoos. I chose to express my different outlook on life through tattoos, I ain't ever gonna let them make me doubt who I am. Faaark being ashamed.

When I read "Aaron Coleman Panther" I was looking for the "like" button even before I saw the picture. Great tattoo! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You've gotten a lot of input from people here and I think it comes down to a personal decision none of us can make for you. Removing myself from this particular situation (again I like to stay biased on one-person situations), I would say you have two courses of action: 1) You really, really want to get tattooed by a particular guy. You head down to the shop in person, schedule a date, cross your fingers. 2) You find out your styles don't mesh. You go back on the hunt for another artist that you want to try and establish a relationship with. When it comes down to it at the end of the day it is your money, time, body, etc. I think any further relief will not come from strangers on a forum but from your own personal actions. At LST we love to give guidance, but remember you will not always like the response. I will also offer some unsolicited advice and avoid "tattling" on someone. The world in which professionals live is a very small one in any industry. You do not want to be labeled as the difficult guy to work with. Complainers (even if valid), never get painted in a positive light, ever. Realistically even if this guy is out to screw you over, I highly doubt a phone call to his boss will change anything. Business owners are there everyday and know the people who work for them. If he really is that bad at holding onto clients, he won't last very long. If you don't want to do business with them I suggest you just stop contacting them, count your blessings that you didn't get involved with a guy you don't like and move on. From experience I can tell you I ate a hefty deposit on a guy I didn't mesh with at all. I chalked it up to a learning experience, and I only ever mentioned it to another tattooer because they asked. From what I heard, he wasn't allowed back at the shop and the shop gave me a free hour to make up for it, against my will (wasn't their fault).

If they don't ask for one it's probably cool. I've done both -- made a deposit via Paypal and got one without. Depends on the artist.

So my friend sat for almost 4 hours to get her back lined. Sat like a rock. Totally tougher than me. It's on Yutaro's IG feed (@warriorism). And progress pics on my IG feed too (@dammitcabs).

Once again everything Slayer just said

I have never come across an artist who actively keeps me up to date with how things are going. If I want to see any drawing ahead of time it's my responsibility to contact them and ask. In saying that I've never had any artist draw anything up for me too far in advance if it's not a massive piece. Sure you could contact the boss but in all honesty I'm not sure they would do much more than think you were being a bit of a difficult customer.

My wide-glide on the right. Northern California coast providing the scenery.

Ha! Well, I did think it was a joke at first...but, then again America's Next Top Model is (was?) really successful, so of course they are doing this. Never heard of those magazines either, but Hellenbrand is cool! Ok, I'm sure this is too cheesy for her, but @Eilin should go on this show. She'd win. She's gorgeous and she has the best tattoos!

Welcome dude! First, get a better dragon than that dude, :D Second, if you're going for coverage for the whole arm, I'm sure you work around it with wind bars ("shading") and whatnot. Also, is anything on your other arm? You may wanna start with a clean arm for something so big and save your 'hawks arm for the smaller, one shot tattoos. Either way, good luck dude! (Also, here's some work from Shige just to set the bar higher for your Japanese work.. Full Body - Yellowblaze) (And by "higher" I mean just about as high as you can get, ha.)

Sounds like he just wants to fuck you over and get your money and go party! Or.. sounds like he's nervous about doing a sizable tattoo and has been getting some guidance on the drawing along the way and maybe chose a time that his mentor is free and can give him a little coaching. If he's an apprentice (or still super green) he may be sweating it. I doubt it's some grand, money-making scheme. If you like the kid's work, work with him. Also, sometimes you have to get tattooed on days that aren't 100% convenient.

OMG @TrixieFaux I am totally girl crushing on your arm this moment.

Our appt's are tomorrow!! SO excited!! I have no clue exactly what we're doing, and it's an artist I've never gone to before but I liked what I saw in his portfolio on the shops website. We've each got a different artist and 4 hours, which includes our talk time and design time.

My husband is booked with Roxx in 2015 for a big chest-piece (his first tattoo), which means I'll be returning to CA for try #2 with Horitomo.

What're you gonna get for "Smack My Bitch Up?!" hahaa :D

First time I got an appointment with him I got lucky and he had an opening when I randomly called Blackheart. This time though I called on his booking day and got 1 of 2 available appointments left. so it's really a toss up in my experience haha

chest/stomach from kahlil rintye coming up later this year, along with scott sylvia back piece. woot

Just booked with R.H. Wells at the Montreal convention in September.

hiroshi hirawaka (mitomo horihiro), three tides/osaka

making it meaningful get something with a little side boob

Its been a busy month for me, got my 3/4 sleeve finished and was incredibly lucky to get a cancellation eagle with Valerie Vargas. So here is the first one... Valerie Vargas, Frith Street Tattoo, London.

There was a story going around not too long ago about a guy denied entry into Sri Lanka due to his buddha tattoo. The Man with the Buddha Tattoo - Robbie Bulloch I say, if you're a visitor to that country, you need to do a little research and respect their culture, full stop.

Flipping through a week ago, it occurred to me that this one is also in Tattoo Time, from when it was fresh. Probably spent 45 minutes poring over both images in concurrence with one another...

Dario Argento films. Some are really good, others are so bad they're good.

It's a combination of 'trying too hard to be weird' and this general air of hipster irony.

I'm in the 'hate him' camp.

I think uniformity is boring and I fully intend to be covered with a clash of styles from different artists . For me each tattoo is an individual piece of artwork not a part of a big jigsaw.

My back is in progress and last session I realized that getting one's back tattooed is like getting your ribs done all over again. I foolishly thought going into it... "At least my ribs are done. Nothing could hurt that bad." If I'd given it an ounce more thought and considered the anatomy involved I might have realized that ribs wrap from front to back... fucking duh! I told Scott we will be finishing this thing in 30 minute increments. What a cry baby I've become in my old age.