petes67bird Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Hi everyone. This is my first thread and sorry about posting another possible cover up topic. I got a tattoo about 10 years ago and I am either looking for ideas to add to it or cover it up. On its own, it looks out if sorts. It also has lost some meaning since I had to sell my car in order to keep my home. I am not too artistic nor am I imaginative, so I am having a hell of a time trying to decide what to do with this. The original tattoo was done by an amateur starting out that was part of my car club. Let me know what you would do in my position. Thanjs Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Bee Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Personally, I'm not a huge fan of cover-ups, though some cases warrant that sort of measure. I think you could simply add more tattoos around this one. But hey, my answer to most of life's most pressing concerns is "get more tattoos." I don't think your tattoo is so bad that it warrants covering up, after all, it's a part of your personal history. daveborjes, Graeme and bongsau 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 I agree that it's not horrible. I was thinking if doing a half sleeve on the arm. I am a medical professional so they do not like visible ink. I have been looking at various sleeves but I cannot envision one with this tattoo in it Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Would like a mixture of these Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 AverageJer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Bee Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 A shame you can't do the full sleve. I know how you feel. I have to cover up at work too. I think if you were to surround the pre-existing tattoo with new work, you'd find that it blends in quite nicely. It looks pretty good as it is, but with new art around it, you wouldn't focus so much on it. And if you want to keep it auto-themed, there are a huge number of options available for you to discuss with a good artist. Do you have an artist in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 So my wife and I went to Black Ink tattoo in Crystal lake and weren't happy. He wouldn't give us any concrete pricing. My wife wanted 26.2 tattooed between here shoulders and our Rottweiler actual paw print. They said 100-150 for the numbers and 300-500 for paw print, my jaw dropped. I then asked about a half sleeve. He said each piece is its own tattoo and are highly detailed. For a half sleeve it would take at least 5 sessions of 4 hours each at around 400-500 each. So 2000 for a half sleeve. That's a bit high in my eyes. Upon talking with my wife, we decided that even with a half sleeve I will need to wear long sleeves at work so I might as well go full sleeve. But with that shop it would be 4k, way too much. Please help with recommendations of reasonably priced good artists. Thanks Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 I am located in Mchenry illinois Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatB Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Please help with recommendations of reasonably priced good artists. Thanks I don't think tattoos are for you. edit to add something useful to my post: check out Great Lakes Tattoo in Chicago else, daveborjes and Iwar 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 I understand what your trying to say Harry but my wife's second quote was 150 for both tattoos from an artist at Rising Phoenix in Addison where she went last time. The other artist for comparable work was over 3x more expensive. You can get better prices without affecting quality. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadsp0t Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 You're only talking about roughly $100 per/hr. in my own experience and what I hear from friends, that is not unreasonable for quality work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks for all the help, I am going on Wednesday to another shop to speak to an artist. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadsp0t Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks for all the help' date=' I am going on Wednesday to another shop to speak to an artist.Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4[/quote'] Cool! Let us know what they say. The shop girl comes in asking my artist for prices on tattoos for people, don't know that I've ever herd him say a specific number.. He's always given me a ball park number before starting and when I ask after how much I owe him he always gives me a firm number fairly quickly. I guess it's hard to give an exact price before actually working on the piece, idk. Maybe one of our resident artists can shed a little insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks. All my work has always been exact price quoted prior to starting, which is why I didn't know why he wasn't able to say. Especially for a small tattoo that only says 26.2 Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoMcConaghie Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 How much does a small car cost? exume and irezumi 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatB Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 "Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good." good luck with your bargain hunting. Fala, CultExciter, TrixieFaux and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogrider Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Upon talking with my wife, we decided that even with a half sleeve I will need to wear long sleeves at work so I might as well go full sleeve. But with that shop it would be 4k, way too much. Please help with recommendations of reasonably priced good artists. Thanks Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 If you think that $100 an hour for a good artist is too much, think how much it will cost to cover up a cheap artist's work! Seriously though, this will be on you for the rest of your life; if your primary concern is cost, then you should re-think getting a tattoo. Fala, MsCandyPants, daveborjes and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsCandyPants Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 If you think that $100 an hour for a good artist is too much, think how much it will cost to cover up a cheap artist's work!Seriously though, this will be on you for the rest of your life; if your primary concern is cost, then you should re-think getting a tattoo. Yes, this is exactly right. The guy that does my tattooing said that he gets frustrated with cover ups because there are so many backyard operators in town. He was saying that majority of the time it'd cost less to initially do the cover up as a design because of the time involved to draw it up and plan for optimal cover. add that to the issues with healing over previously tattooed badly and as a result scarred tissue... Also if you want full sleeves then get a bit at a time. I know of someone that's estimating her sleeves will take 5 years to finish due to cost and she's doing one area at a time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 How much does a small car cost? Do you buy the first car you see no matter the price? If so I have a few to sell you that are expensive. I am not looking for just cheap. I am looking for reasonably priced while still maintaining a high quality. I don't understand some of you, You guys make it sound like high cost equals high quality. I am sure there are people who paid a lot that are trying to cover up shoddy work. I never knew that price alone was the ultimate factor that affects quality. 100 an hour is high. I directly save people's lives, I have helped save at least 50 people directly through CPR and injury care at my job, wonder why I don't get 100 an hour since what I do actually affects if you breathe an hour from now. We barely get a fraction of that. My mechanic charges 60 an hour and I trust his work over the local mechanics that charge 115 an hour. And I am entrusting my life to him as I go 70mph plus in the car he repairs. Once again, my first concern is an artist's portfolio. As long as lines are straight, no blow outs, and they get good reviews, I don't think there is an issue to shop around. Some of you are making it sound like the guy I went to is a nationally known artist and I should be ready to pay him at any cost. What if this guy is the so called back yard tattooer and just charges a lot? But don't worry this isn't the only forum that thinks price is what dictates quality. I am on an auto forum and when I was looking for painters, everyone kept saying, 8-12 thousand for my show car. Well I shopped around, looked at work, talked with people, and found a great shop. I paid 3500, and won dozens of titles across the country. It was the best paint I have ever had, and I have paid 14k for a paint job on a 69 roadrunner before. I am guessing some of these responses are from artists themselves which of course, will feel it necessary to defend pricing. Not every good artist will charge high prices, some will stay reasonably priced as to allow more clientele the chance to afford it. I didn't come here to start a price war. We won't ever agree on pricing it appears. I think this thread has run its course. Mods you can delete this thread as there has been no useful advice given other than bashing someone who thinks that quality doesn't equate to solely price. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogrider Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 You guys make it sound like high cost equals high quality. High cost might not equal high quality, but low cost almost always equals low quality. I directly save people's lives, I have helped save at least 50 people directly through CPR and injury care at my job, wonder why I don't get 100 an hour since what I do actually affects if you breathe an hour from now. We appreciate your service, but it is totally irrelevant to the discussion. Once again, my first concern is an artist's portfolio. As long as lines are straight, no blow outs, and they get good reviews, I don't think there is an issue to shop around. I don't see anything here about the tattoo actually being good art. Do you want good artist or a good technician? Some of you are making it sound like the guy I went to is a nationally known artist and I should be ready to pay him at any cost. I didn't see anyone say that. I am on an auto forum and when I was looking for painters, everyone kept saying, 8-12 thousand for my show car. Well I shopped around, looked at work, talked with people, and found a great shop. I paid 3500, and won dozens of titles across the country. It was the best paint I have ever had, and I have paid 14k for a paint job on a 69 roadrunner before. It's a lot easier to cover up a crappy paint job than a crappy tattoo. This is also starting to smack of braggadocio. Mods you can delete this thread as there has been no useful advice given other than bashing someone who thinks that quality doesn't equate to solely price. There has been plenty of useful advice, you just didn't want to hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadsp0t Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 'High' price does not always equal high quality, true enough.. But.. High quality generally draws a high price.. The more work I have done the better my artist does on the price, I also show up early for my appointment and tip well. I believe all these factor in to pricing, as well as we have lots in common and chit chat throughout my sessions. Its no secret that personality can affect pricing(in any trade like this) some customers can be extremely difficult to deal with. I would be inclined to believe the initial quote was given to make you aware of what you could be up against financially.. I've also herd some artists work commands nearly 2x that($100/hr). Do you like you plan and talk to some other quality shops/artists and let us know what they tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Will do deadspot. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks for your opinion hogrider. Although I feel price has no bearing on quality at all, I appreciate you taking time to respond to my thread. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleadco Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 I think the problems you are running into here is that the primary purpose of this forum is to educate people on what a good tattoo is, not find them the tattoo they want at a lower price. As a rule it is preferred that pricing not be discussed (especially for specific artists). There are a number of reasons for this I'm sure, but foremost to me is that a person's first concern should be to find a reputable artist who does the type of work they want, and go get an awesome tattoo that will make them happy for years to come. If that means that you need to save up for a little while then that is fine. I think it's safe to generalize and say that the people who tattoo are just regular folks who live pretty modest lifestyles. The good ones spend a lot of time outside of just applying the tattoo to further their craft and make the customer happy. It's easy for some people to take that for granted when they think about what they are paying. The bottom line is that you can't put a price on a good tattoo. The people here care deeply about the art and work hard for it. Price haggling cheapens that experience and hopefully you can forgive those who are a little offended by that. P.S. I also work in ems, and I do it because I love my job. Comparing hourly rates to other professions will give you a headache. Should we make more than an ad executive or a drug representative? In the big scheme of thing, perhaps. But that's capitalism for you. You either accept that or go find a different job. Have a good day dude, I hope you find what you are looking for. daveborjes, SeeSea, Kahlan and 8 others 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petes67bird Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks pleadco. Appreciate your explanation. Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydenRose Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 The bottom line is that you can't put a price on a good tattoo. The people here care deeply about the art and work hard for it. Price haggling cheapens that experience and hopefully you can forgive those who are a little offended by that. Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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