For TATTOOERS ONLY - most hated tattoo requests?

**tak30204** · 05-15-2012

Honestly I just hate it when the customer doesn't know what they want. I'm a tattooer, not a shrink or a image consultant. Given my own choice I'd tattoo mostly skulls and naked chicks. Or skulls on naked chicks, lol.
Its frstrating when customers bring in reference, want me to draw something based on it but with my own style or whatever, then aren't happy with my drawing because it doesn't look like the reference they brought in. I'm happy to trace your sticker, t-shirt, whatever and make a tattoo out of it, just ask for that.
As far as flat out bad requests? Its usually wanting too much in too small a space, or just a bad space. I seldom allow my personal taste to come into the equation too much, unless asked outright.
Not a customer request, but a common customer comment that does push my buttons.... After I've explained to someone that I'll be glad to take their money but a rainbow family tree with no black outlines and the name of every Jones that has ever lived on the east coast on the bottom of their foot is a bad idea their response is "oh, well I'll just find someone who can do it." Those are the folks I'm sometimes tempted to follow screaming into the parking lot.

**truejew** · 05-20-2012

Originally Posted by tak30204

Not a customer request, but a common customer comment that does push my buttons.... After I've explained to someone that I'll be glad to take their money but a rainbow family tree with no black outlines and the name of every Jones that has ever lived on the east coast on the bottom of their foot is a bad idea their response is "oh, well I'll just find someone who can do it." Those are the folks I'm sometimes tempted to follow screaming into the parking lot.

lol I hate that.

**autosdafe** · 05-20-2012

Originally Posted by Kevin Campbell

Tattoos inside of lips. I did one once, and I almost passed out. I don't do well with drool I guess.

I hate lips too u gotta hold them like a trout lol

**onaquesttoseeamoose** · 08-13-2012

Most if not all of my newer clients are brought through word of mouth. Recently, I had a client who I have a language barrier with, but he does fully understand me. Well, during our consult for his custom design, I explained that the amount of detail he wants is too much for the size of the design. Well, he continues to ask me to make it smaller, and I continue to amend the detail. When we discuss each edit, which I labor over for free of course...AGAIN AND AGAIN, he gets frustrated, and speaks to me as if I'm, for lack of a better term..Dumb! Why is it that my 24 yrs of experience, and immense amount of patience and understanding of the clients wants and the tattoos design limitations, and my lack of an exotic accent, make me dumb? WTF? Any other U.S citizen with a standard grasp of the English language ever feel treated like that? It's some kind of reverse "ism" that's for sure!

**G.Uristti** · 08-13-2012

Originally Posted by onaquesttoseeamoose

Most if not all of my newer clients are brought through word of mouth. Recently, I had a client who I have a language barrier with, but he does fully understand me. Well, during our consult for his custom design, I explained that the amount of detail he wants is too much for the size of the design. Well, he continues to ask me to make it smaller, and I continue to amend the detail. When we discuss each edit, which I labor over for free of course...AGAIN AND AGAIN, he gets frustrated, and speaks to me as if I'm, for lack of a better term..Dumb! Why is it that my 24 yrs of experience, and immense amount of patience and understanding of the clients wants and the tattoos design limitations, and my lack of an exotic accent, make me dumb? WTF? Any other U.S citizen with a standard grasp of the English language ever feel treated like that? It's some kind of reverse "ism" that's for sure!

it happens man and im always just tempted to scribble on them for an hour or two. theyre lucky i have pride. when people get difficult i just tack in on in the end, im not doing extra work for free these days.

**onaquesttoseeamoose** · 08-13-2012

I absolutely respect your opinion on the resolution of said "pain in the ass"....
But my reputation rests on many laurels, one being my promise to edit and edit till I get it right, which I define as exactly what the client wants. And ya know, it doesn't happen so often that I wanna blow my head off, and the oodles of dedicated familiar clientele that just let me run with an idea, to the point that they'll love my first draft even if I'm not yet satisfied, far outweighs those "hard to please" experiences. I just felt like posting the feelings 'cause they're more than frustrating...,they can be downright insulting!