Word!!

 

Great words borrowed from Colin Nolt

Dear clients and tattoo collectors,

Here are a few considerations to heed when getting tattooed:

Your tattoo is a personal choice that you are making for yourself, but other people will be looking at it, and the artist's name and reputation will be forever associated with it. For this reason, you should be flexible and open minded when your artist suggests changes. There are certain fundamental rules to good design, and tattoos are no exception. In fact, there are more rules governing good tattoo design than most other forms of art.
If your tattoo idea and/or desired placement violates any of these rules, it should be changed accordingly so as to benefit everyone involved.
I will not tattoo anything that is poorly designed or placed, no matter how near and dear and full of meaning it is to you. In this craft, there are such things as bad ideas, and not every idea or work of art translates well as a tattoo. This isnt Burger King. You cant always get it your way, some special orders do actually upset us, and the customer is not always right.
Leave the design work up to your artist, respect them and their methods, and you will walk away a happy client, provided that you commisioned a reputable artist to begin with. If you find an artist whose work you like, let them design your tattoo with mininal input from you. Chances are that you are not an artist, so you have no business designing a permanent piece of art, even if it is for your own body.

Artists do have fun at work, but it is still work. We expect to be compensated for it just like anyone else does for their labor Dont ask for a deal. It's rude. We will often give generous deals to people who are good clients that are easy to work with, proven friends, have exceptionally good taste in art, or possess some other esteemed value as a person.

Reputable artists take great pride in our work, and we want to see it completed. Dont string it out any longer than necessary. It makes our job harder and less worth the effort. We hate that.

Big projects are a major commitment for both parties. Make sure that you are able to commit to multiple sessions, long hours, regular payments, pain, and aftercare.

A tattoo is always a collaborative effort between artist and client. We ink it, and you, the client, take proper care to heal it. A lapse on the client's aftercare efforts will yeild diminished quality in the final product, and make the artist look lesser in ability than they are.

Custom art takes time. Be patient and dont believe the hype on the heavily time edited tattoo shows.

Practice proper hygene. We will be spending several hours together in close proximity and quarters.

Dont tag your artist in your shitty cell phone progress pictures of your tattoo. If a photo doesnt do our work justice, it shouldnt be posted.

Armbands are practical jokes from Satan. They were never cool, ever, and they are not cool now. They blow goats. They suck to do, look lame as fuck, and violate many of the basic design principles that make good art and tattoos. And later, when you want that awesome sleeve or half sleeve, they will cockblock the full potential of the design. Just say no to armbands of any kind.

Neither you nor I can read or write Chinese, Latin, or Klingon, so why put it on your body. It's six shades of stupid.

Keep your posse at home. One well behaved guest for moral support is all you need. We are not birthing a child here, it's a tattoo. Your friends can see it when you get back to the clubhouse.

There is no such thing as "setting the ink". If anyone slaps or purposfully touches your new tattoo, they must be put to death within a fortnight.