Question:
I have a couple of those crappy tats!
I had 5 home tats done in 1992 when my two best friends died... what can I
say, a bunch of us were mourning together with a couple bottles of Jack and
a case of beer, and I had this bottle of India ink...... nuff said.
I have since tried to get better tat cover jobs on them. The first was
awful... it was supposed to be this fat heart with cute little wings and a
halo... signifying "angel at heart" ...what the tattooist did was change
the drawing I brought in to what he liked, and put it on without showing
me... I didn't get to look in a mirror until the outlining was done. I
have this stupid Aerosmith album cover looking thing on my arm now with a
tiny halo.
Currently I am trying to find someone to change it, but the tattooists I
have talked to here don't want to "re-do another artists work". They all
say that they won't touch it other than to totally cover it with something
different.
On my other arm is a jeweled cross cover-up my husband drew up for me.
(Yes, he attended art school :) and dreams of someday getting into an
apprenticeship in a parlor) I did not check the initial trace and didn't
notice the off-centered caps on the ends of the cross until afterwards...
now am trying to find someone here to bold up the outlines and touch up the
gems for me. If anyone can recommend a good tattoos in Nebraska, Omaha or
Lincoln, I would greatly appreciate it.
The other 3 were touched up and covered by a guy here in town, Devin at
Villian's tattoo. He did a great job. I am currently trying to get a
hold of him, but seem to be unable to catch him "in the office" so to
speak.
If the artist does not have a book with actual PICTURES OF TATTOOS ON SKIN
that he has done.... go elsewhere.
Just what I have learned the hard way.... may sound like a big "duh" to you
veteran bodyart enthusiasts, but it did not occur to me back then.
oh... I also have 4 pierces in each ear... first ones gunned (I was 11)
other 3 pair self done with a needle. No others yet.... am still looking
for the right person to do any further body mods.
Answer:
When will customers realize that THEY are acting like butt heads when,
1) ** All tattoo cutomers MUST be 18 years of age AND have a VALID state
I.D.** A BIG sign on the door AND a BRIGHT YELLOW one on the inside of the
shop I work in state this, still inevitably get these responses, "Can't you
make an exception for me" or "I wasn't told that. Yinz guys are fukkin
assholes" or "I'm her mom, what, you dont believe me?"
2) Walking in two minutes before we leave after having been working for
upwards of 12 hours and throwing a hissy fit when we ask them to come back
tomorrow or if they would like to schedule an appointment is not a smart way to
get on our good sides. The same goes for walking in a half hour before closing
and expecting the artists to draw up and do a full back-piece and then getting
mad when we tell them it isn't possible tonite, but they could schedule an
appointment or come back earlier in the day we would be more than happy to do
it.
3) Again, throwing a fit when the foot long black panther peice you want is
more than the $20 you planned on spending (I've have seen this particular fit
thrown many a time, along with the whole"well this (crappy, faded, crooked, and
plain ol' horrendous) tattoo only cost me $20" )
4) throwing another fit when we tell you that, if your peice was done at our
shop, the touch-up is free, but if it was done at another shop we have to
charge for it.
5) trashing our waiting room while your unattended children roam through the
shop even after we repeatedly ask you to please control yer kids and then
saying "well I'm going someplace cheaper" after unchaining the keep out sign
dividing the waiting room area and the artist area and disturbing an artist in
the middle of a peice, totally ignoring the lackey(me, in this case) when
he/she asks, "Did you need help with anything or have any questions?"
6) Banging on the door at 9:30 in the morning when the lacky is cleaning and
readying the shop for the day and then getting totally pissed when yer told
that the opening time is 11:00.
7) Stealing pieces of artist drawn flash or hiding them so you can "come get
that one later" or stealing a whole book of flash is just that. Theft, and if
I ever catch the bastard that stole that book I'll rip his nuts off and THEN
call the police to report a thief.
8) Stealing, folding, bending, or ripping pages out of the books too valuable
to be kept in the waiting room. Many of those books are more than a bit
expensive.
9) Generally waltzing into the shop and acting as if yer the /Monarch of yer
sex/ of England, treating the employees as if they were indentured servants or
lesser humans because we work in a tattoo shop, demanding that we draw
something up for you so you can "take it home to look at" (which we generally
won't do for joe schmoes off the street because several times in the past the
artists have drawn something up for someone who didn't like the price they were
quoted who took the piece home to "think about it" never seeing them again
except when later on, they come in and expect to get the stolen artwork their
scratcher friend tattooed on them for cheap get major touch up work from us.
Believe me, the couple times that happened, they got a MAJOR dent put in their
wallets)
10) having basically no manners or common decency
11) getting pissed because a tattoo artist reserves the right to refuse sevice
to anyone. Generally that means if you are drunk or otherwise unsober,
extremely dirty and/or smelly, or abusive.
12) and a tip, if you feel uncomfortable or just plain dont like us, there is
not a DAMN thing stopping you from walking out and going to another shop.
At the shop I work in, we don't charge to draw something for a customer. But
we will not give it to them to take home unless they are a trustworthy repeat
customer. And rarely even then. The artist will keep it until the person
saves the money or gets the time or whatever to get it. And the artists are
more than happy to make any changes to drawings for a customer.
The artist ALWAYS has the customer look at the finished drawing (be it a Taz or
a full blown Japanese style back piece) and give it an ok or ask for changes
before the stencil is ever made. Then, after the changes have been made and
recieved an ok and the stencil is made and placed on the body, the artists make
the customer go and look in the mirror to check if placement and everything
else is how they want it.
We once went through all of this only to recieve a phone call later in the day
a girl got her name tattooed on her to hear that her name was misspelled.
Funny thing is, we always make the customer write down the name they want. She
came in and when we showed her, in HER OWN HANDWRITING, her name misspelled,
she was so embaressed she turned BRIGHT red and stopped complaining instantly.
Needless to say, thank god it was something easy to fix. We still laugh about
that one.
We always make an effort to make the customer feel comfortable and answer any
questions they might have. When answering phone calls, we are as professional
and helpful as we can be. That said, there are limits to that. We will not be
nice and polite if you are overly rude. Period. This ain't McDonalds. Service
with a smile is only guaranteed when the customer is a civil human being.
Remember, a tattoo shop is practically an artists home. Most artists spend
close to the same amount of time there as they do at home. And they take pride
in their work, be it as small or as large as a tattoo can be. It's kinda like
the golden rule. "Treat yer artist as you would like to be treated"
- I just wasn't able to
put it as well. I'd also like to add:
13) this is a tattoo shop, not lets make a deal and I sure don't look
like Monty Hall! I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate it if your boss asked
"could you take a smaller paycheck this week, I only want to pay $40"
14 Make up your mind about what you want BEFORE you sit in the chair.
a) We have no problems making the design just right for you. But if you
insist on changing the design after we begin tattooing you will be very
disappointed.
b) Don't try to get a cheaper price by slipping in extra things after
I've done the tattoo("can you add a name" "can you add color" "can you
add a date"). You will be charged MORE for this.
15)If you come in with a friend to watch don't wander around the working
artist, find a seat and stay in it. If you accidentally bump the artist
or your friend you could ruin the tattoo.
16) if you ask a question, wait for the answer before you ask another.
We know that you're excited and probably nervous, but it's frustrating
to try to answer questions for somone not listening.
17) Follow the care instructions given to you!!!!!! We did not go to all
the trouble printing out proper care instructions, for you to follow
your friends advice and then call us 2 days later with problems. also if
you have a problem with your tattoo call or better yet come in. I can't
count the number of times that I have had a clients
mother/friend/aunt"the nurse"/family doctor tell them the worst thing to
do for their tattoo. many medical people know little to nothing about
body art and some of them just don't like it and give very poor advice
on the care. See us first, if we can't handle it we'll send you to a
tattoo friendly doctor.
I'm sure there is more but I think you got most of them. Any one else
care to add to the list?