As a tattoo artist, I can say that when someone closes their books, there could be a lot of reasons- we are people, too, and sometimes we need a break. Sometimes we have a personal reason. Sometimes we are booked out too far in advance and the idea of tattooing beyond a set point is too much stress to manage. Closing books to be able to focus on the clients already in progress isn’t laughable, it’s a responsible thing to do to ensure the Clients you have get the attention they need from you. Tattooing isn’t easy- it’s physically and psychically demanding, though it is enjoyable.
that being said, there is nothing wrong with getting tattooed by multiple artists and any artist that tries to lay a claim on your body is someone you should run away from, and quickly.
Whether someone decides to take on a piece will depend on how much freedom the artist has to design and how interested they are in the style and project. If they aren’t interested, keep looking. Or ask what the artist is excited to do. This and some solid time spent looking at portfolios should give you an idea of if they are passionate about doing the thing you want.
As for not seeing the sketch until the day of, this is totally normal. If you need more time to consider, ask if you can schedule a second consultation to review the drawing before the day of your appointment.
I hope that helps. If you come at us with the understanding that we are people, too, and not machines put on earth to do whatever you say, things will go well.
