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Showing results for tags 'tattoo shops'.
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Seems like everyone is wondering how we will survive/adapt to what reality television and the Internet has turned tattooing In to. It's no secret that EVERYONE you meet either tattoos or want to learn how. Honestly every 3rd person I meet with a tattoo is some form of a self proclaimed tattoo artist. What people haven't realized is that the recent rush of new tattooers is putting tattooing in a dangerous state. It's simple economics...supply and demand. When 100 customers in one city want a tattoo in a day and there are 200 tattooers in that city..well half the artist are going to starve. This isn't anything new...we all know the mass media has glorified tattooing and made it accessible to every kid that can sign his name. This won't change but what can we do about it. 2 years ago I moved to a city of 15,000 people and opened the only shop in this city. I assumed lowering my bills and cutting out all the extra expenses would be the answer. It may still be but at this point I'm not sure. I enjoy not having to tattoo in a scene. I really love tattooing people that have no expectation of what their tattoo should look like. If they come in for an eagle they don't try to micromanage what the eagle looks like. The clients in small city's just truly appreciate the time and care that I put in to the tattoo. My problem is I've worked hard since 1992 and I'm still sitting on my hands most the week. It's really got me thinking if this was the right choice and if I can survive what tattooing has become. I have thought of two scenarios that may help those of us that have put in the hard work and want to survive. 1. Take tattooing underground.. (private studios..no signs and make customers find us) 2. Create power shops...( gather the top 5-6 tattooers in one area and open 1 shop) Sorry Power shop sounds cheesy as shit. Larger cities already seem do this. Let's just take a city like Reno as an example. With out mentioning names there are really good tattooers there. For the most part each shop has a decent tattooer in it and a bunch of hacks. If all the legit guys got together and rounded up all the best talent In Reno you would defiantly see some shops losing clients and closing doors. The mediocre tattooers that were left would more then likely get a majority of their work at the "power shop". It would be a force to be record with. Since there are so many people trying to do tattoos and getting I to it most of them would want to go to these big shops to be tattooed. Shop owners are hiring one good tattooer and filling the rest of the spots just to line their pockets. We can stop this. If all the good tattooers left these types of shops and banned together and took control of tattooing we could make a difference. I know too many great tattooers that are broke and bouncing from shop to shop or working for piercers. It shouldn't be this way. We honestly need to take some responsibility and take back tattooing. Strong shops can and will survive. But if we are all spread out it's going to destroy the market for tattooing. Sacramento is a great example of this. There are under 3-4 great shops in Sacramento out of almost 200. Most of these shops are dog shit. There are a handful of decent tattooers that opened their own shops and just filled 3-4 stations with hacks. Why are we doing this!?! This only promotes that more people become tattooers. I know this isn't ground breaking or a new idea. But I do think that there is a large percent of good tattooers that haven't had the opportunity to work In A shop like this. And let's be honest once shops like this are made people tend not to leave. Bottom line is we have to use the thing that has put us In this position. Take advantage of the Internet and stay united. We are the ones that have to set the standards and come to gather to take back what we love and what was once sacred. Sorry about the rant...there aren't too many people to discuss thing like this wish in mid Missouri. It does feel good to get it out though.
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ok, just for fun: I'm mostly talking quality of tattoos being put out, but I suppose we can also consider art collections, amenities etc. I'm gonna start out with some of my favorites from the US only. (I wouldn't even know where to begin if including shops beyond) Black Heart (not just because this is Scott's forum either) King's Ave Smith St Slave to the Needle Immaculate
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Im always curious about new gear, machines and supplies... has anyone been using anything new lately that they are really impressed with?
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Ok, so my shop has been going through shop helpers like underwear. They're not apprentices, we pay them. BUT they're either incompetent ( from absolutely no social skills, to poor hygiene, to possible thievery!) or bail unannounced. My question is how can I attract a reliable, hard working person to this slightly mundane position? Craigslist has been questionable, but I'm also a little leery of posting something on our website. Customers becoming employees just seems a little strange to me. And please don't reply "I do it myself... Or you should do it yourself." that's really doesn't help me.
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How did/do you choose a tattooer? Is it based on word of mouth? Internet research? Magazines or articles? Walking into a local shop and looking through the books or the shop helpers recommendations? Or ????????? Also what was your experience based on your method of choosing?
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http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7509401
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Tattoo trends come and go through "larger" society but many of the tattooers on here have been in the trade of tattooing for some time now and have seen things circle through and also see certain tattoo designs stay popular amongst specific communities. So I am wondering what tattoo designs can you not see enough of? As well as what tattoos can you never get sick of drawing and tattooing? Thanks! -
so heres the deal, i moved my shop after being opened for five years in the same location, to a larger nicer building. i didnt tattoo for about a month as i was building stations painting and all the other legwork that goes into opening up a shop. two days before we opened the doors i see RIGHT NEXT DOOR some jerky looking kids snooping around. come to find out the land lord signed them up to open a bong/ tattoo supply/ tattoo shop, that also does artsy fartsy photography of tattooed girls with fake blood smeared all over them (you know the type). i talked to the owner and tried to reason with him about shop minimums and what not, and nothing. shop min 20 bucks, on top of that they have a 250 all you can hack! 250 bucks and get tattooed all day. needless to say none of these kids can tattoo their way out of a paper bag but people are eating it up! the only thing i can think of to do is to unload a huge can of bear mace in thier mail slot and wait. is this what tattooing has become? oh i miss the stories of people getting their hands broken and shops being burned down. MAKE TATTOOING ILLEGAL already. the up side.....i have a lot of time on my hands to paint flash. jake bevil.
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I am in the process of cleaning/clearing my house out and was cleaning off some of my alters when I rediscovered all sorts of old gems. One particular piece I thought some here would enjoy is an old unused Temple Tattoo Gift Certificate from I think when the shop first opened. I have included pictures below.... What tattoo shop and/or tattooer collectibles have you gathered?
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As some of you know I visited San Francisco recently to get tattooed by Scott Sylvia, Tim Lehi and Grime. If you haven't seen it already you can check out my travelblog here: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/blogs/iwar/232-oslo-san-francisco-travel-blog.html My Scott Sylvia piece is as good as healed now, so I thought I'd start by sharing that one. The rest will be posted here as soon as they are healed and I get decent pictures. All I have to take photos with is my iPhone, so please excuse the mediocre quality.
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It's been a while since Iv posted anything on here. This is the list of amazing tattooers that will be coming through the shop between now til Febuary 2012. OLIVER PECK GRANT COBB CHAD KOEPLINGER FRANK CARTER KRIS MAGNOTTI TODD NOBLE We will be announcing guests from march onwards soon. If interested in getting tattooed by any of these guys call into us, phone us or email. DON'T MISS OUT PEOPLE!!!! ALLSTAR TATTOO 44 Wickham Street, Limerick City, Ireland. Ph: 0035361409439 Email: [email protected] Thank you Ross- 1 reply
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I can't help obsessing over it and my husband/ tattoo partner is tired of hearing about it I'm sure but I need to vent. Some background---- In 2000 my husband and I moved to Alaska and tattooed at a shop in Anchorage. We bought a house in a small suburb ( pop.30,000) about 20 miles from where we worked. About 2 1/2 years ago we decided to leave the shop where we worked and with the blessing of our boss and coworkers, opened our own shop. Our town, Eagle River has a business district just a couple of miles long.4 stop lights. We are off the main drag and fit in with our neighbors, a church, our children's school and a realtor. We keep a low profile but have a good clientele and a good reputation. Well it has come to my attention that a new shop is in the process of opening . A guy and his apprentice. Neither of them live in our town. My issues---- yes, everyone is entitled to make a living but they don't even live here, to my knowledge they've never been in to our shop. They don't care that I have 4 kids or the hard work and $ we've put in to our business .He has a terrible personal history and I can't help but feel like the good rep that we have is now endangered, merely by association. I ve been following his progress through his posts on facebook. I'm not happy
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How far are you willing to travel to get tattooed at a certain shop? And what shop? Why do you want to get tattooed that specific shop(s)? Did you already make the trip or is it a trip you are planning?
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going to be in san fran for the bay area convention...besides all the shops to visit where else is good to go..bookstores and whatnot..so far all i know is the one in japantown mall
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Maybe this is already been discussed, if so , sorry. I recently tried to work for a shop owned by someone that does not tattoo, I also considered going to work at another, same deal. Not having any experience in this venture and obviously not able to take the expriences of others to learn from, I had to learn on my own. I guess I never really got how important pride in a craft really is. These people that do not practice the craft have only the''all mighty dollar'' in mind, and it seems to me nothing else. I realized that only people involved in this business care about how,why and what goes down in a tattoo shop. I was insulted via Email, by a potential ''employer'' telling me that he was a ''business man with goals''. This in itself made me realize, this cannot work for me. His interests only lie in money. It also made me realize again what I want in and out of this biz. Only to grow as an artist, as a practitioner, and if I can make a living,great. life lessons are hard to learn , I think I just learned one. I'm interested in the expriences of others in this, because to me it seems impossible.
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It seems I've already made a fair share of enemies here with my stance on tattooers with little to no tattoos and my post-whoring to reach the point I could ask this question, and I would like to apologize to any that I offended and ask that you not hold it against me now. My question is, I am new to New York City, and am seeking assistance finding a shop (or specific artist) that does (or you think could do) Chinese style art. Specifically, I am looking for someone who can pull off an original design in this style for a half sleeve; Thank you.
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I read this article this morning and found it amusing. Especially number three because if you think about majority of the individuals who use these and the variables that would make them leave or rather forget them it makes sense. GadlingSo What have you left behind on purpose or not? I'm guilty for number four and eight. Yes travel related threads and blogs: LST Preferred Tattoo Professionals Travel and Shop Choosing Favorite Restaurants Let's talk about our travels and vacations Travel to Cuba and Caribbean Traveling for a tattoo shop Traveling with Tattoos Tattooed traveler top five destinations What tattoo shops? Who do you want to tattoo you? SF Tattoo Convention 2010 San Diego New Orleans
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This is an awesome article written this week on the best tattoo shops in Toronto. Just in case some of you LSTers wanted to come visit us up north!! :) The Best Tattoo Parlours in Toronto pay special attention to #8!! ;) Below is just a little bit to tease you! (click the link to read more and see pictures!) The Best Tattoo Parlours in Toronto Posted by Ryan Bolton / May 12, 2011 33 Comments The best tattoo parlours in Toronto are varied. Different clienteles, histories, techniques et al. But they all have one thing in common -- they're well revered by Toronto's tattooed community, which is to say, well, just about everyone, including the suits. I have tattoos, you have tattoos, we all have tattoos. And with a glut of shops popping up just about everywhere in the city -- every two steps along Queen St. for damned sure -- it's a good idea to make sure you're getting ink from a shop that has a bit of a reputation for, say, quality. Let's stay away from that guy's basement apartment (read: scratcher shop). Like everyone says, it's going to be on you for a long time (read: life). And although sometimes it's fun to strike when the inspiration is hot, most people (read: those that aren't inebriated) like to put some thought into their pieces. Reasonable enough. Here's a list of Toronto's best tattoo parlours in Toronto. Pearl Harbor Gift Shop These guys do it right. They hold onto the traditions of tattooing, are respectful, have a drop-dead gorgeous shop in Kensington, and, what do you know, do really freakin’ good tattoos. They take pride in working directly with the client on each piece. It also helps that Toronto’s legendary Bill Baker runs the place with Daniel Innes. In summation - it’s a solid shop. More » Passage Tattoo Parlour One of the city’s best (and most hidden) tattoo shops. Built over the years on a solid word-of-mouth reputation, Passage simply does brilliant custom work. As custom tattoos are beginning to become the norm for a lot of customers, these guys will take what you want and give you the best possible version. And they’re all nice as hell. More » Archive Tattoo Studio Having only officially been around since 2008, David Glantz’s shop has built up quite the hype. Doing 100% original tattoos, Archive strives to have a connection with the client. They want to feel you out and what you’re into before putting tattoo machine to skin. And for a lot of people, that’s good peace of mind. No matter, the tattoos that come out of this place are pretty damn impressive. More » Imperial Tattoo With a handful of artists, Imperial Tattoo has someone for just about every style – realism, illustration, Japanese, traditional, colour, Celtic. Holed up in a clean, open-concept loft space at Ossington and Queen, Imperial also houses Ronan Gibney, considered to be one of the city’s top tattoo artists. That never hurts your reputation. More » Seven Crowns Tattoo Most people, me included, just straight up like co-owners Matthew Ellis and George Brown. They’re nice dudes with antiquated style when it comes to decor. Carving out their own terrain all alone up at Yonge and Eg, Seven Crowns is known for their custom work. And like most of the city’s top tattoo shops, they are pretty much hidden. They are sought out because of their work, like a good shop should be. More » Tat-A-Rama Tattoo Shop Here’s Toronto’s classic street shop with all the history. Found in Etobicoke (yeah, seriously, far west end), this little shop in a mini-mall has had some of the city’s most acclaimed tattoo artist put in at least a stint at Tat-A-Rama. Most got their start here. That says a lot about the shop’s owner, Eugene, who has been at the helm for the past 18 years. More » TCB Tattoos Here’s a street shop that gets it right. With people constantly coming and going and an open atmosphere between tattoo stations, TCB is built on community. Splashed with art and colours everywhere you look, these guys service everyone from businessmen to college kids to day labourers. And with six artists and an apprentice, TCB has a lot of capacity. More » Speakeasy Tattoo Albeit a relatively new shop, Speakeasy is drenched in tradition. It’s a classic-styled tattoo shop that holds onto the respect that comes with tattoo culture. Lizzie Renaud, the shop’s owner, has tattooed around the world, which translates into bringing what she’s learned and seen overseas to the shop. They also have a fluffly Pomeranian named Wilma if that counts for anything. More » New Tribe Tattoo With a prime location downtown (across from MuchMusic), New Tribe has a steady passerby clientele always popping in. Doing it all – tattoos, piercings and even haircuts – New Tribe is known for always putting out a solid tattoo. This monster of a shop (it rings in at 4,000 sq. ft.) is built for the masses. You want to get a solid piercing or tat after seeing Katy Perry at Much? No problem. More »
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I am a tattooer visiting San Fransisco September2-7. I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions of bookstores or any other sites tattoo and art related that i should visit. Of course the tattoo museum, MOMA, and the arboretum are on my list. I know there's gotta be some bookstores in China Town and Little Tokyo that have some great reference books. I am particularly interested in aquiring Japanese mythology and art instructional books. I was also curious of the etiquette about dropping in on some of the better shops in town. Any help would be appreciated.
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Going to save up to go on a trip to LA to see my friend and tried to get tattooed by Bob Roberts or other ppl at Spotlight. Can someone shed me some light on Charlie's work and the other guys that work there? I dont know anything in LA or what's close to LA. HELP ME :)
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Just wondering if anyone is familiar with the artist Murray Sell from CT or opinions on his portfolio please? Thanks. Flying Tiger Tattoo - MURRAY SELL
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A recent thread from a customer's point of view got me to thinking------ as a tattooist, how do you treat visitors to your shop who are also tattooists. Have you been treated well or horribly when visiting other people's shops? I know that the poor treatment that ive received stopping in at a shop has shaped the way That I treat visitors. -
This is my first time posting a thread so sorry if it's in the wrong place. I want to get a tattoo of an edelweiss flower behind my ear with soft edges, something that looks almost like a watercolor painting. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina and I was hoping someone would have a recommendation on someone within a 3 hr drive of the area that is really good at that particular style. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
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does anybody know any cool tattoo studio in brazil? i'm soooo sick of berlin winters and want to get out of here this year. any help is greatly appreciated. cheers
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Hey whats good all trying to get some insight on what artists would be great in the state of NJ to do Japanese scale work on my arms I have lot's of covering up to do also I tried getting in contact with Chris Adamek but he never returns my emails. Do you guys think Matt Lukesh would be a good artist? Any recommendation would be thankful.
