Micky Vansittart

Thank you, yes! Absolutely not poaching for specific rates, and this is entirely about the etiquette of a world I've only dipped my toes in. I suppose I'm viewing tattoo artists as being members of an elite club, and I'm the awkward kid knocking on the door asking "can I play too?". I'm aware that I'm probably pushing my own awkwardness into the situation of pricing, but awkward people want tattoos too. As I've gone through a few different artist pricing dramas now, I guess I was reaching out asking for the 'norm' - as a code of practice (if you will) do most artists typically make sure all these boxes have been checked before applying needle to skin? Is it possible that because they do this everyday, it's assumed we know what the deal is? Thanks for all the answers so far. Much appreciated.

... why do I feel that it's the most awkward subject to approach when talking tattoos? Surely I can't be the only one? I'm by no means suggesting that tattoos should be cheap, and I'm certainly aware that you pay for what you get. Totally. I'm willing to pay fair-coin for good work. I will never haggle with prices. If I couldn't afford, I'd wait and save until I could. It's just that the topic of how much a tattoo is going to end up costing seems 'taboo'. For my first ever tattoo, a walk in with a specific design, I was quoted one price. After the design was printed on that fancy carbon paper stuff, his colleague told him the price should in fact be X amount. After reviewing the stencil again, my artist then added MORE onto the cost. Doubling my very first quote. Already set up, and it being my first time, I went with it feeling held to ransom. For my other smaller tattoo's, after consultation on design, size, placement I apologetically raised the awkward question of "umm, so how much do you think that will be?" and was met with a vague "well it could be this, could be that. depends on how long... hmm, but then it could well be this". I understand that variables have to be taken into account, but why are we not met with "my hourly rate is XXX, I think it'll probably take around X amount of hours...", so I can get a decent idea of the end cost? When consulting for my bigger piece, I never broached the subject of price seeing as my first few encounters were telling me this is not a topic you bring up. I was going to be tattooed by a well known artist in a well known shop, and in all honesty I felt a tiny bit embarrassed about bringing it up knowing it would be far more expensive than my previous - Almost feeling like I could be met with "well if you have to ask, you can't afford me". I put down a £200 deposit and just guessed the excess amount to bring with me on the day - working off the higher hourly rates I'd seen in comments online for London. Luckily I brought enough, but the final cost was whispered into the ear of the receptionist who then told me the final amount to pay. So forgive me if i've got the etiquette all wrong here. I'm not a frequent flyer. Perhaps it's a bumbling British thing. "sorry how much do y... oh right yes, sorry. vulgar topic... yes... of course yes... i'll just pay all the money... yes, naturally. Silly me." But I'd be really interested to hear some advice on this.

Dear wonderful interwebbings. I have searched a few threads now regarding red ink, and mostly I can only see discussions about bad reactions or the longevity of shading. What I'm hoping to find out is how your red line work has held up over time, or if you're an artist, whether you would recommend this approach. Hoping to get some new mandalas soon, but I would love at least one of them to be just done in red. I've seen a handful of images online, however these look very fresh so of course the colour looks great. If it helps, I'm slightly olive skinned. Hoping to get this on my upper thigh, so it's rarely exposed to the sun (with the exception of annual vacation), a few small tattoos and one 4/5 hour mandala on the back of my lower leg and ankle. All black. All held well. Much thanks in advance

Totes obvs

Thank you thank you. New Orleans and Oslow - reaching out far and wide!

You're right of course. Tattoo's or no, asking for approval on any part of my appearance shouldn't be a factor. I think as it was early on, perhaps I was just trying to manage his expectations... "oi, matey! see these? More will happen. But it's OK, there will still be boobs"

Opening my eyes and world via lots of threads here. Great place! Have a few small not really noteworthy tattoo's, but have started to up my game a little with a 4.5 hour lace inspired mandala piece on the back of my calf and wrapping around my ankle. Done in February at The Family Business Tattoo Shop in London (amazing place with amazing artists). Next piece will hopefully be some interlocking/overlapping cluster of mandalas on my upper/outer thigh, which I've enquired about. So I'm by no means one of the serious collectors, but my interest and enthusiasm is still up there - would love to know what people are looking at getting out of this site or indeed what pieces they're thinking of getting next. A big lover of decorative tattoo's, personally. Love the look of so many styles (neo traditional especially), just not sure I could pull them off. *doffs cervical cap*

Just putting my (delayed) pennies-worth in. Ankles are a killer. A killer! Back of calf was OK and the top of my foot was fine - just a tiny spot near the toes pinched a bit. By far the easiest was my upper chest - above the boob, below the collar bone. Not even a discomfort. A lovely day out to the stabby-needle-inky shop.

Really interesting point. I would feel so awkward going back to an artist with someone's else's work right next to theirs, asking for them to now work around that. I'm just of the assumption that they just wouldn't appreciate it, or that i'd been disloyal. But then i'm a paranoid little bunny at times.

seriously unfortunate handlebar placement

I've only had the urge to itch on one tattoo, and that was a 4.5/5 hour piece. All my others are all v small and dotted about, I don't recall ever having the itch with those. With the bigger piece though, there was never a real urge - just a mild niggle. Nowhere near like a bad insect bite where you just feel the need to go at yourself with sandpaper. Perhaps if I ever went really big, that could be different - perhaps size DOES matter, after all. Sorry boys.

Back of leg tattoo done in Feb also at The Family Business). That night in bed, not wanting clothes to stick, i origami'd the duvet and pillows to prop my leg up, convinced i'd stay still in the night. Awoke wrapped up like a wee baby, bed sheets stuck to one side of the tattoo and ink leaked through to my brand new mattress topper. So much fail.

Why get your tattoo removed, when you can simply have Small Pox instead. Those results are shocking.

Oh I would be heartbroken if I bumped into someone on the street with the exact same tattoo as mine - but my expectations are high: I saved and paid a lot of money for a top artist to customise something just for me. To maybe find out that a) my artist just plonked it on another persons body means i've been misled and effectively conned out of my cash-monies. Paying top dollar for a custom piece that turned out not be custom at all or b) some internet random couldn't muster the creative strength to work on customising their own and just printed mine off the interwebs, walked into a shop without thought and said "gimme that" - the idea of someone calling themselves an artist just going "yeah OK" means there's no respect for the original artist that carried out that work or the person who is already carrying it on their body. I would like to think that point A would never happen - I trust the artist. I would like to HOPE that should the first half of point B ever happen, they are met with "No. Let's work on something just for you, 'kay?... you little creative void, you! *affectionate head rub*"

I doff my cap to almost anyone considering pieces for the head and/or face. I'm interested to know how long people can typically sit for those placements (of course size and experience dependent) but given they're such a painful areas, how quickly people generally tap out. A brave step I'm not too sure I would have the confidence to do. *applauds*

I thought my love of tattoos and wanting much more in the future would be a potential problem for a new guy in my life as he has only one very old small tattoo that he's eventually like removed. Turns out he's not phased at all. But then currently I only have a few very small tattoos and one 5 hour lace/mandala piece on the back of my lower leg. I will be getting more. Might be interesting to see how far I can push it ;)

Thanks GOODNESS! I'M NORMAL!!! I have read nearly all the posts in this thread, as I'm currently pondering ideas for a new piece and wanted to feed my own curiosity as to whether i was a good client or not. Turns out I was! I researched artists, emailed and consulted with my chosen artist months in advance with lots of visual references, paid a hefty deposit well ahead of time, I arrived on time, was polite, I washed, I brought my own entertainment (iPad, book, music), I kept my mouth shut, I didn't rubberneck, I lay still aside from the odd involuntary twitch (calf/side leg/ankle tattoo - apologised and was assured that it happens in that area) despite being twisted in all manner of awkward positions (necessary), and as a result i got a perfectly detailed and wonderful customised tattoo. A customised thank-you gift is on order for her as well as my future cash-money-business. EASY!