Jake

Shawn's comments make perfect sense. Your reaction to them leads me to believe that you look for things to offend you. He said he treats every customer with respect. However, he realizes that taking money from a jerkoff comes with a bigger price, so he chooses not to deal with them at his business. I follow the same thought pattern. Maybe it is because he and I are both from the Philly area. Either way, maybe you are too sensitive. People need to realize just how nice the tattoo business is now. It is much more customer friendly than it used to be.
Customers should be treated PROFESSIONALLY. It doesn't mean like friends. Sometimes I become friends with customers and, other times, I never want to see them again. Regardless, I treat them professionally as they are paying for my service. I welcome anyone into my shop and expect that nobody treats them badly. On the other hand, I'm not really there to hold a customer's hand and pat them on the back. Sometimes customers are looking for friendship and usually I'm looking to do a good tattoo.
Lastly, counter people have a lot going on in a busy shop. They are not paid to get the customers food and drink. At my shop, sometimes they ask customers and sometimes they don't. It isn't personal either way. If they have a lot going on they may not think about it.

You might as well be asking "how long is a piece of string" Pauly.
I know some great tattooers who are absolute D-bags. If they were dentists, they'd be d-bag dentists.
Tattooing is a hustle to them, and yeah.. you're the mark/trick.
I also know some great tattooers who have so much humility that you want to smack them for being so dang nice.
And while it may sting to hear, if you think that everyone treats you poorly, it might make sense to internalize the situation and see if you may be contributing to it in some way or the other. Sure, I've had counter people ask me if I want anything on a store run (one got me bbq ribs once) but that's not a make/break situation for me.

I don't think tattoo artists are different than any other group of people in that you need to take them on a case by case basis. If I had a couple bad service experiences at various restaurants I wouldn't think all waiters are douchebags. Yes, at the end of the day, you are their source of income and that's often most important to them, but that doesn't mean that every one of them will treat you poorly. Same deal here.
Personally, I tend to have quite pleasant interactions at tattoo shops. It could be due to the shops that I choose to frequent or the manner in which I try to approach situations though.
I've had plenty of tattoo appointments pushed back, rescheduled, etc. Generally the artist is sincerely apologetic though and it's not a big deal. I love punctuality but shit happens and everyone runs late sometimes on both client and artist side.
Don't get offended when I say this, but perhaps there's something you don't realize you're doing that facilitates these constant negative interactions. More often than not if any one person is getting repeatedly burned/used/insulted it tends that they're doing something to put themselves in that position... Or maybe you just have picked a lot of asshole artists to visit. It's hard to tell when an outside party like us LST'ers only hear one side of a story ya know?
As for the coffee thing, you could have communicated with the staff more about when you would be getting tattooed and whether you had time to get something sooner rather than just expected them to ask you if you wanted something. The helper already has to deal with plenty of other things besides serving food and beverages to customers as well.
Straight up- we have it pretty posh as tattoo customers nowadays compared to what anyone wanting to get tattooed in the past had to deal with. In the big scheme of things, we as customers really don't have much to complain about (and if there is a legitimate complaint then fuck it find a more appropriate fit.)
Good luck- I hope you find a more positive tattoo experience. I promise they're out there. I see your profile says socal- what part of socal you in? I can think of several great tattoo artists with welcoming shops down there- some of them are even on this forum...

I don't think tattoo artists are different than any other group of people in that you need to take them on a case by case basis. If I had a couple bad service experiences at various restaurants I wouldn't think all waiters are douchebags. Yes, at the end of the day, you are their source of income and that's often most important to them, but that doesn't mean that every one of them will treat you poorly. Same deal here.
Personally, I tend to have quite pleasant interactions at tattoo shops. It could be due to the shops that I choose to frequent or the manner in which I try to approach situations though.
I've had plenty of tattoo appointments pushed back, rescheduled, etc. Generally the artist is sincerely apologetic though and it's not a big deal. I love punctuality but shit happens and everyone runs late sometimes on both client and artist side.
Don't get offended when I say this, but perhaps there's something you don't realize you're doing that facilitates these constant negative interactions. More often than not if any one person is getting repeatedly burned/used/insulted it tends that they're doing something to put themselves in that position... Or maybe you just have picked a lot of asshole artists to visit. It's hard to tell when an outside party like us LST'ers only hear one side of a story ya know?
As for the coffee thing, you could have communicated with the staff more about when you would be getting tattooed and whether you had time to get something sooner rather than just expected them to ask you if you wanted something. The helper already has to deal with plenty of other things besides serving food and beverages to customers as well.
Straight up- we have it pretty posh as tattoo customers nowadays compared to what anyone wanting to get tattooed in the past had to deal with. In the big scheme of things, we as customers really don't have much to complain about (and if there is a legitimate complaint then fuck it find a more appropriate fit.)
Good luck- I hope you find a more positive tattoo experience. I promise they're out there. I see your profile says socal- what part of socal you in? I can think of several great tattoo artists with welcoming shops down there- some of them are even on this forum...

I don't think tattoo artists are different than any other group of people in that you need to take them on a case by case basis. If I had a couple bad service experiences at various restaurants I wouldn't think all waiters are douchebags. Yes, at the end of the day, you are their source of income and that's often most important to them, but that doesn't mean that every one of them will treat you poorly. Same deal here.
Personally, I tend to have quite pleasant interactions at tattoo shops. It could be due to the shops that I choose to frequent or the manner in which I try to approach situations though.
I've had plenty of tattoo appointments pushed back, rescheduled, etc. Generally the artist is sincerely apologetic though and it's not a big deal. I love punctuality but shit happens and everyone runs late sometimes on both client and artist side.
Don't get offended when I say this, but perhaps there's something you don't realize you're doing that facilitates these constant negative interactions. More often than not if any one person is getting repeatedly burned/used/insulted it tends that they're doing something to put themselves in that position... Or maybe you just have picked a lot of asshole artists to visit. It's hard to tell when an outside party like us LST'ers only hear one side of a story ya know?
As for the coffee thing, you could have communicated with the staff more about when you would be getting tattooed and whether you had time to get something sooner rather than just expected them to ask you if you wanted something. The helper already has to deal with plenty of other things besides serving food and beverages to customers as well.
Straight up- we have it pretty posh as tattoo customers nowadays compared to what anyone wanting to get tattooed in the past had to deal with. In the big scheme of things, we as customers really don't have much to complain about (and if there is a legitimate complaint then fuck it find a more appropriate fit.)
Good luck- I hope you find a more positive tattoo experience. I promise they're out there. I see your profile says socal- what part of socal you in? I can think of several great tattoo artists with welcoming shops down there- some of them are even on this forum...

the only skull I have on me is by Mike Lucena and is below.
Gotta say I love skulls by Rudy, Hooper (who has that whole book of skulls), Jondix, Jensen, Garver, the usual suspects.... Both Stewart and Valerie over at Frith St have pretty radical day of the dead skulls on their website. Surely there's people I'm forgetting right now though.

With this being your first tattoo and all, you're just get excited about any change or something new with your tattoo. Try to just chill out, you wont know what it will look like until it completely heals, and your body is doing what it is natural for it to do... and thats grow back skin if you get injured. To make it very simple, a tattoo is just a cut with ink pushed in it. You should know if its infected, and if its not just keep putting lotion on. After that if theres a problem with it, go back to the shop and ask the tattoo artist about it.

Eagles rock ! Heres another tuff chest piece this time from everyones favourite Bryan Burk .

exactly, although I'd love to watch a random's reaction if you said "What's up tat-wizard, tryna get those squid pants!" to them hahaha.
Another exaggerated example would be two friends who call each other degrading names at a bar. No big deal, but if an outside 3rd person comes up and calls one of them an asshole the 3rd person is gonna get clocked pretty fast.

I generally don't like discussing certain points of music with fans or certain points of my day job with clients. I think that's kind of common. If I had some random kook come up to me and start talking using slang I use exclusively with friends, band mates, or coworkers I'd be turned off. There's a big difference to me for instance of a fellow musician calling a guitar a "shred stick" vs. a random person I don't know complimenting me on my sweet "shred stick". It seems intrusive and out of place.
Everyone has freedom to use whatever words they want and I'm not debasing that one bit.. but with that freedom comes choice and choice implies responsible and respectful linguistic usage.

Which is to say that yes... he's a professional squid.

I can understand this. However -- just to keep stirring the pot here -- I think the next point becomes if a rapport has been established with a tattooer friend and you two trade slang terms back and forth, I think that's ok, since you've got that relationship and it's established. But, say you go to a new shop or get tattooed by another person, you're certainly not going to talk to that person like your buddy and be all, "What's up tat-wizard, tryna get those squid pants!"

[x] SQUID PANTS

should we start calling leg "sleeves" slacks then? trousers? pants? tattoo pants? tat pants? ink pants? SQUID PANTS???

A tattoo shop should only and always be referred to as "Ye Olde Tattzappery."

I really would like to see a collective effort on LST to start promoting SQUIDS/SQUIDDLING.
Anyway, Tats and tat-guns remain the worst in my book.. I don't know what's worse though, getting asked about "my tats" from folks with no visible tattoos or folks who are covered. I almost like LEG SLEEVE simply because it sounds like a euphemism for some kind of weird, cozy, leg love.

Shawn, you are my sweet tat bro, and you rule. From now on, instead of asking Scott if he's "making sweet tats," I'm gonna ask him if he's "squideling," a combo of squid and scribbling.

Though we had a brief flirtation with trying to get Fratbros (fratbroz?) to call tattooers "Squids" cause they "fuckin shoot ink, man"... but that never really worked out. Would have loved to send in a bro to one of my friends and have them address him as a Squid. Haha

Phone number?

Heres my favourite praying hands complete with brass knuckles from Chuey Quintanar

Tonight I'm going to be cooking a silkie chicken.
http://static.mypetchicken.com/images/chickenPix/large/Studio_WSilkie_649_L.jpg with feathers.
http://polloplayer.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/2009_03_25-blackchicken.jpg without feathers.
I expect good things.
I also made some epically pungent pickled eggs tonight. Each jar topped with a hard boiled quail's egg.
My kitchen is very confusing tonight.

im kinda of disturbed after reading this.
but it will not prevent me from eating chinese, we cant let the weirdos win!

Another great collection by the look of things Avery ! Perfect sizing on that Eagle ,i've attached another along the same lines by Bert Krak ,think the solitary Eagle is super strong .
So many good Eagles but my favourite piece of Eagle art is Scott Sylvias picture .This is just crying out for a back to adopt it .
I love Chad Koeplingers birds too Lochlan especially his talons which often are supersized .

Eagles to me are like Rock of Ages, classic/timeless tattoos! The mental association with the word "tattoo" within the top five images that will pop into my head are eagles. Something about them always catches my eye in tattooers portfolios and flash at tattoo shops. I'm often drawn to the older flash at shops and will look for long periods of time at each eagle. I love seeing old tattoo pictures as well with people who have large eagle chestpieces (I couldn't find any online so pls share if you have some). I have seen some amazing ones pop up on this tattoo forum as well and hope the users will post theirs here that they have collected, tattooed, and drawn.
I have quickly gathered some eagle pictures from tattooers who I think do great eagles: Lindsey Carmichael, Nick Colella, Thomas Hooper, Chad Koeplinger, Stefan Johnsson, and Tim Lehi.
Share your favorite eagle tattoos and tattooers who do the eagles you like.....have at it!

who did the skull hands? looks like Lango from skull and sword stuff. I got this one from uncle allan in 09' at his shop in Copenhagen.