Mike Shishmanian

hands are probably my favorite thing to tattoo. I won't do them unless someone is already heavily tattooed but whenever given the opportunity I love doing them. something about how heavy it is to be given that honor by a client is super gratifying.

if a client comes to me with a picture of someone else's tattoo I tell them that we can recreate the concept of the piece but NEVER the same exact piece. if they are not ok with this then they don't need to get work from me. it's that simple. of course, I'm a bit spoiled / lucky that I'm busy enough to turn down any work ( I remember a time when I first started where I would do anything the client wanted) but I just can't bring myself to spend that many hours working on someone and having them walk away with something that I had no part in creating.I just can't put the love in. it's a bummer and completely defeats the purpose of getting a tattoo or making the tattoo for me personally.

my favorite part of getting tattooed is walking in, day of my appointment and seeing the image for the first time. you should have some basic idea what you'd like to get done but if you've picked a particular artist to do it, there's probably something you love about their work. let them run with it. you will always get the best results and experience if both parties are way into it.

I had the pleasure of working alongside Austin this last summer in Provincetown, Mass. he's a great dude that does killer work.
Wendy Pham's work is always blowing my mind.
also, Richard Smith and Zac Scheinbaum are two seriously killer NYC artists. would love work from either. great thread.

if a client comes to me with a picture of someone else's tattoo I tell them that we can recreate the concept of the piece but NEVER the same exact piece. if they are not ok with this then they don't need to get work from me. it's that simple. of course, I'm a bit spoiled / lucky that I'm busy enough to turn down any work ( I remember a time when I first started where I would do anything the client wanted) but I just can't bring myself to spend that many hours working on someone and having them walk away with something that I had no part in creating.I just can't put the love in. it's a bummer and completely defeats the purpose of getting a tattoo or making the tattoo for me personally.

this series is fantastic. very inspiring. these and the tattoo ages get me excited about tattooing all over again even on days where I don't want to hear the word "tattoo" one more time.

this series is fantastic. very inspiring. these and the tattoo ages get me excited about tattooing all over again even on days where I don't want to hear the word "tattoo" one more time.

thank you! we're off to a very busy start. just looking for the right talent to add to the roster.

pooh ghost!?! genius.
yes, please leave your boyfriend / girlfriend at home if they're going to talk for you. nothing chaps my ass more then when I ask the guy what he wants to get done and his girl chimes in for him. grow a set. or I'll be tattooing a girl and she'll bring her friend with her who has one tiny tattoo of a dolphin on her wrist but bitch thinks she knows how it's done.
" I heard white hurts more, is that true?"

pooh ghost!?! genius.
yes, please leave your boyfriend / girlfriend at home if they're going to talk for you. nothing chaps my ass more then when I ask the guy what he wants to get done and his girl chimes in for him. grow a set. or I'll be tattooing a girl and she'll bring her friend with her who has one tiny tattoo of a dolphin on her wrist but bitch thinks she knows how it's done.
" I heard white hurts more, is that true?"

pooh ghost!?! genius.
yes, please leave your boyfriend / girlfriend at home if they're going to talk for you. nothing chaps my ass more then when I ask the guy what he wants to get done and his girl chimes in for him. grow a set. or I'll be tattooing a girl and she'll bring her friend with her who has one tiny tattoo of a dolphin on her wrist but bitch thinks she knows how it's done.
" I heard white hurts more, is that true?"

if a client comes to me with a picture of someone else's tattoo I tell them that we can recreate the concept of the piece but NEVER the same exact piece. if they are not ok with this then they don't need to get work from me. it's that simple. of course, I'm a bit spoiled / lucky that I'm busy enough to turn down any work ( I remember a time when I first started where I would do anything the client wanted) but I just can't bring myself to spend that many hours working on someone and having them walk away with something that I had no part in creating.I just can't put the love in. it's a bummer and completely defeats the purpose of getting a tattoo or making the tattoo for me personally.

I had the pleasure of working alongside Austin this last summer in Provincetown, Mass. he's a great dude that does killer work.
Wendy Pham's work is always blowing my mind.
also, Richard Smith and Zac Scheinbaum are two seriously killer NYC artists. would love work from either. great thread.

I had the pleasure of working alongside Austin this last summer in Provincetown, Mass. he's a great dude that does killer work.
Wendy Pham's work is always blowing my mind.
also, Richard Smith and Zac Scheinbaum are two seriously killer NYC artists. would love work from either. great thread.

I had the pleasure of working alongside Austin this last summer in Provincetown, Mass. he's a great dude that does killer work.
Wendy Pham's work is always blowing my mind.
also, Richard Smith and Zac Scheinbaum are two seriously killer NYC artists. would love work from either. great thread.

it would be completely fucked up for you to get a piece finished by someone that didn't start it. regardless of them "reaching a certain level".
if you're going to a quality tattooer and you sign on to get work from them, you have to see it through unless you're unhappy with the work for some reason. going to someone else to get a piece finished just because you don't want to wait is about as disrespectful as it gets. don't get tattooed if you're going to pull some bullshit like this. people have no respect for tattooing anymore. this isn't a situation where you buy your xbox at target and buy the games at wal mart. this type of attitude pisses me off. why get tattooed by a given artist to begin with if you're going to have someone else finish it? just go to that motherfucker in the first place.
whoever you choose to go with be sure they're who you want. book a couple appointments at once if it's large scale work and make the commitment the same way your artist makes the commitment to apply the work to your body.
I've had this happen to me more than once not because a client couldn't wait but because they didn't want to pay my very reasonable hourly rate to get the work finished. they'd get their boy down the street to "color" a piece I drew, lined and started. this type of shit will earn you a punch in the mouth if I see you in public.

it would be completely fucked up for you to get a piece finished by someone that didn't start it. regardless of them "reaching a certain level".
if you're going to a quality tattooer and you sign on to get work from them, you have to see it through unless you're unhappy with the work for some reason. going to someone else to get a piece finished just because you don't want to wait is about as disrespectful as it gets. don't get tattooed if you're going to pull some bullshit like this. people have no respect for tattooing anymore. this isn't a situation where you buy your xbox at target and buy the games at wal mart. this type of attitude pisses me off. why get tattooed by a given artist to begin with if you're going to have someone else finish it? just go to that motherfucker in the first place.
whoever you choose to go with be sure they're who you want. book a couple appointments at once if it's large scale work and make the commitment the same way your artist makes the commitment to apply the work to your body.
I've had this happen to me more than once not because a client couldn't wait but because they didn't want to pay my very reasonable hourly rate to get the work finished. they'd get their boy down the street to "color" a piece I drew, lined and started. this type of shit will earn you a punch in the mouth if I see you in public.

it would be completely fucked up for you to get a piece finished by someone that didn't start it. regardless of them "reaching a certain level".
if you're going to a quality tattooer and you sign on to get work from them, you have to see it through unless you're unhappy with the work for some reason. going to someone else to get a piece finished just because you don't want to wait is about as disrespectful as it gets. don't get tattooed if you're going to pull some bullshit like this. people have no respect for tattooing anymore. this isn't a situation where you buy your xbox at target and buy the games at wal mart. this type of attitude pisses me off. why get tattooed by a given artist to begin with if you're going to have someone else finish it? just go to that motherfucker in the first place.
whoever you choose to go with be sure they're who you want. book a couple appointments at once if it's large scale work and make the commitment the same way your artist makes the commitment to apply the work to your body.
I've had this happen to me more than once not because a client couldn't wait but because they didn't want to pay my very reasonable hourly rate to get the work finished. they'd get their boy down the street to "color" a piece I drew, lined and started. this type of shit will earn you a punch in the mouth if I see you in public.

Kings Avenue is THE place. I had Grez tattoo my chest many years ago. the vibe of the place, the world class talent they have under one roof. so goddamned good. also, the deli two doors down is a great place to eat before you get laced up.

Kings Avenue is THE place. I had Grez tattoo my chest many years ago. the vibe of the place, the world class talent they have under one roof. so goddamned good. also, the deli two doors down is a great place to eat before you get laced up.

Kings Avenue is THE place. I had Grez tattoo my chest many years ago. the vibe of the place, the world class talent they have under one roof. so goddamned good. also, the deli two doors down is a great place to eat before you get laced up.

I have a piece that spans the base of my neck to my knees on my back. the bit around my asshole was definitely the worst.

Kings Avenue is THE place. I had Grez tattoo my chest many years ago. the vibe of the place, the world class talent they have under one roof. so goddamned good. also, the deli two doors down is a great place to eat before you get laced up.

this series is fantastic. very inspiring. these and the tattoo ages get me excited about tattooing all over again even on days where I don't want to hear the word "tattoo" one more time.