Jims Tattoo

As long as you practice good hygiene & make an attempt to be clean within the region of where you get tattooed & all that, really common sense, but some people don't even think about it. The advice is really for a small percentage of people but it is always very important. I have seen a few artists suffer for a few hours over pungent perfume or really stinky feet!

unfortunately I have never heard of an artist getting paid hourly in these areas so I guess it differs from place to place which is actually interesting to hear, I had no idea. For us getting tattooed is like, going out to dinner, or getting your hair done, it's a service & you tip upon service per say. It is not expected but it is always appreciated, as is little gifts as well. I have been known to buy a bottle of whiskey or make cookies alongside a tip for an artist I might be more friends with.

I also agree with the references, I guess that advice was also for a smaller percentage. But usually working in a walk-in shop, you just see so many people coming in with pictures that are worthless, or pictures on their phone, or tell us to Google this & that. Just very unrealistic as well as unprepared.

Thanks for your feedback!

I think you should ease up a little & just get used to it. The more you get tattooed the more of that you get. If it doesn't mean anything fine, but some people prefer meanings behind their work. I for one, actually enjoy explaining the meanings behind my tattoos, especially because I have come to understand that I am essentially a walking billboard to people & I'm perfectly fine with that. It gives people a chance to see a little bit of me, it also gives me a chance to recommend the talented artists that I have had the privilege to get worked on by in which you know any artist would truly appreciate the recommendation as does the shop they work from.

A pet peeve on the other hand is people thinking they can TOUCH my tattoos. Like they really don't understand that it feels just like normal skin, & it boggles my mind to think that strangers take it upon themselves to just touch you because they're interested.

I will agree with you on the topic when it comes to some elderly people, or just people against tattoos. They aren't asking because they are intrigued & want to know more, they are probably asking you because they are assholes & they either have a gnarly look to give you or some words you won't appreciate. I pick & choose my battles at that point though. Some are worth ignoring & some are worth more of an earful.

Price wise, I don't usually share that information basically because of the point you made. People are blind when it comes to their wallets & what a tattoo actually costs & quite frankly it's none of their business. Notice how on Miami Ink or any of that crap the only thing they don't usually mention is the price.

Many people have disagreed with me, but even after having the top portion of my back done, the top of my foot was by far the worst. Ankles, even top of ankle near my foot, sensitive for sure, but the TOP of my foot sucked. I was told that people feel as though they have broken bones in their feet afterwards which I didn't experience at all, just the sharp pains during the tattoo.

having a clean body is actually an important one that most people don't think about, especially FEET. Vicks Vapor rub under your nostrils only does so much. With that being said, I have seen the problem of people wearing too much perfume/cologne. Not everyone likes the smells but especially for people that have to work so close to you! Be open to the fact that the tattooer is not just a tattooer, but an artist. It is more gratifying when the artist can somewhat manipulate what you want into their own creation. I'm not saying an artist should completely alter the tattoo, but not only is it on your body but it is a representation of the artist that worked hard on the drawing & tattoo for you. It is their artwork. Another huge thing that I have learned in this industry is that it is awesome to bring in pictures of what you are looking to get done, it gives the artist a little peak into your brain & what you are picturing BUT the WORST is when people bring in pictures of other tattoos. You can't do anything with that. A reference as far as style or color or something is sometimes okay, but to bring in a picture of someone else's tattoo makes it really difficult for the artist to work off of. Real life pictures are always the best & from there you can change things however you wish.

If you aren't sure how to tip accordingly, ask around before you get to that point. A lot of artists pay booth rentals or only get a percentage of the actual cost of tattoo, along with purchasing their own equipment & supplies so they live off of tips. I've always stuck to asking other artists rather then just tattooed friends.

Always bring your ID. Most shops don't keep information on file, they have it stored away for legal purposes.

Best tip I have ever been given "get what you want & not what you can afford." If you are quoted $500 for the piece you went into detail describing, then save up, otherwise you WILL get what you pay for & you have to live with that. I have seen so many people say things like "well what if I get it this way, will it be cheaper?" to the point where I wouldn't be surprised to hear "I want an angel..." (price given) "what if I just get it with 1 wing?"

Those are some major tips I try to pass along to customers & friends. Hope this helps!

Thank you everyone!

thank you!

Hey everyone, this is Leah at Jim's Tattoo in Seabrook NH, I am currently doing reception type things along with the social media & networking for the shop so I figured after facebook, instagram, tumblr & all that stuff that this was the next step. Please bare with me as I have never used a forum before! We have 7 really talented artists at the shop & my main focus is to share their work, spread their talent as well as checking out what other people are up to. Any tips to the site or feedback will be appreciated. Thanks!