David Flores

that tattoo is fucking awesome. you seem concerned with your "tough" image, but a "real" man would wear this with pride. you loved your dog, he died, you're honoring him. nothing to be ashamed of. real tough guys are tough enough to cry sometimes.

To wait a long time for a notable artist like Grime or Filip is understandable,but I have seen artists that aren't even very good that are "booked solid" for several months. Like Deb said some artists only book 1 appointment a day.That equals out most times to be a little over 20 tattoos a month,while other artists do that many in a couple of days.Being the "hardest artist to book" may mean that they are very good but it could also mean that the artist has no work ethic.I think a lot of times artists do this to stroke their own egos and seem more in demand than they actually are.
I get a lot of customers saying that they went to other shops for something small like a name or something and they are told that they can't get it done because everyone at that shop is fully booked,but the customer says that there were like 5 artists there and none of them were tattooing or drawing custom pieces,but instead just hanging out and playing video games or watching TV.
It is a lot like people in the 1970s waiting on line with a few hundred people to get into an exclusive club like studio 54 or something,only to finally be let inside to find out that there are only a handful of people inside the club.What I am trying to say is that while for a great artist it is worth the wait,in most cases it is just a manufactured waiting period and a marketing gimmick to charge more and act exclusive........just putting on airs.

Me personally will not be getting my neck hands or face tattooed anytime soon. I work part time as a counter guy at a tattoo shop and my boss has had laser surgery to remove the tattoos on his hands because he hated them so much so I don't think he would tattoo my hands or neck if I asked. On the other hand it would affect my other job. I would not neccesarily lose my other job but I think it would hinder any promotions i might receive in the future.
The other reason is I like to fly under the radar. None of the guys who tattoo at the shop have their neck or hands done (anymore) and its nice to put on a pair of jeans and a pendleton and no one notice you at all. Meanwhile you point out people's horrible neck tattoos and bare arms. Don't get me wrong I love getting tattooed and am deteremined to be covered but until I am covered i will not entertain the idea of neck and hand tattoos.

Chrome are you a tattooer or a collector?
To answer your question as to whether I would "respect" Grime,Shige or Horyoshi as much if they weren't tattooed.
No, I personally do not and would not "respect" a tattooer who chose not to experience what I consider the transformative experience of being tattooed- As much as one who did.
I would still " respect" their artistic abilities , just question their motives.

Who would be in that 1%?