Question:
Last month, we ( my wife and I) went to a shop on South Street in Philly to get
tattoos on my wife's neck. And she wanted dime-sized hearts on each side of her neck.
We visited an artist we had been to before, and we are both moderately
tattooed, but he refused. He asked us, "What are they going to say at PTA
meetings?" and "I don't get paid to not do tattoos. I'm really just looking
out for you."
Last time I let that guy do any work for me. If
he had told us he couldn't do it because of abilities or "shop rules" we
probably would've just said OK, but to do ME a favor and not do it because
he knows what's better for us that we do. That just ticks me off.
Any body else have a similar experience?
Answer:
-I have had the opposite experience - my tattoo artist is willing to do things
for me he has long since decided he will not do on most people now that he is
his own boss - ie public tattoos like hands, face, etc. This is only because
he recognizes what I am doing and has assured himself by knowing and worjking
with me that I am committed and doing it for "good" reasons. There is a good
reason many artists will balk at such requests, and it pretty much comes down
to the experience of being right about knowing you will likely (at least
statistically) regret the piece later - like a name tattoo.
-I was dead-set for ages on getting Wunjo rune on my left wrist. When I went to
my artist with the idea, he brought to mind my career, and the fact that I'd
picked an area in which, with my skin tone, I'd have to cake on makeup to cover
it up. And I'd have to end up rubbing it raw to remove said makeup, along with
the fact that my other tattoos are easily concealable, however, that one would
not be so.. (Yes, I do know what I'm talking about...my artist has done a lot
of work in motion picture as "tattoo technician", heh, and I'm an actor.)
That said, I ended up with Wunjo on my left upper arm. If your tattoo artist
said what he did, I'd actually take it as the fact that he's a great artist and
a darn right person...he was questioning you, and when it comes to tattoos,
questions can be good, in my experience.
- the first time I walked into the shop with a tentative design for my first tattoo,
I was also carrying sketches for an entire leg piece. The first little tattoo was just to
see how well my skin would take the ink. Helps that my artist knows
that I'm a musician/dancer/artist so it's really not going to put me
out of work if I have tattoos. He's done tribal chin tattoos for indian
women, simply because their tribe (I feel stupid, I've forgotten _which_
nation) no longer had any tattooists. But I don't think he'd do facial
tattoos for someone who just walked in off the street.
I just started a neck piece. In fact, I'm going in this Wednesday to
have the rest of the outline done. It's roughly triangular and covers
most of the nape of the neck. My hair is short, and extremely wedged at
the back, so it's quite visible. If I really had to hide this one, I'd
either grow my hair out or use birthmark coverup makeup. So far, the
worst problem I've had is people running their fingers over the back of
my neck (having strangers do that really puts my defenses up).
But I'm in California, I already teach my own dance class (so I'm not
auditioning), and musicians who are willing and able to play for morris
dancing are in demand as long as they're not completely psychotic. My
mother is ready to have a stroke, but I'm 31, she'll get over it. My
father is amused by the whole thing (and he likes the artwork). My husband
is of the opinion that the piece in its current state looks like a patch
of delicate black lace on the back of my neck, something he approves of
highly.
It sounds like your tattoo artist has sense, but no tact. I've seen
artists talk with customers to make sure that they understand what they're
getting into. I've heard phrases like "I don't like to do that because..."
and "I'm not sure you'd be happy with it if..." But if he says he won't do
it, it's probably best to find another artist who's better at communicating.
At least then, you might get to hear the artist's reasons rather than a
lecture.