Tatoos – Help required

I want to have one done and have an idea of what I’m after based on an abstract artwork I’ve seen in a book. How does getting something like this work? I’ve checked out the web and it seems that really good tatooists aren’t that up for using someone elses design or would be happy to create something for you in their style based on your idea but what I’m after is what it is and I really want it or something very close. My local place seems pretty decent so I just rock up there ask him to take a look at what I’m after and then what…? I’m new and completely green to this and don’t want to end up with shoddy work.

This will end well….

Take the book to him/her and say I’d like this please. He/she will do a drawing, then aim to transfer it onto your body, then if you like it, get it tattooed on.

I did it with a 13 tooth sprocket.

i dont understand 🙄 ..my tattoo artist would ink me whatever i want

Make sure you get it lower back just above your thong strap.
I assume its some kind of butterfly?

Yep as above and if you don’t like their artistic take on your request find someone else

I’d love to get something by the guys at White Dragon in Belfast but don’t live in Ireland and there is an 18month waiting list 🙁

Thanks for a sensible answer to those who answered sensibly. So the artist will draw first, I say yea or nay, then transfer to skin then if I’m happy the ink goes over the transfer – Is that the process? I’ve never even been in a studio.

jools, you’ve got it pretty much spot on there… the more ideas you go with the better your artist will be at interpreting exactly what you want and how and where you want it.

research your tattooist though… good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good (to coin a phrase)…

also if an artist has a long waiting list, that’s a good thing, if someone can see you the same day, they’re maybe not so hot…

research, research, research…..

be picky… really picky. this is going on your skin for life. if there’s even the slightest thing you don’t like about the artist/studio/tattoo, then thank them for their time and leave

And that seems to be my dilemma the best people seem to be doing amazing freeehand work, I think if I tipped up and said can you do this they’d laugh me out of the place and rightly so. Whereas the pick it out of a book type places are not for me either. I’m in Surrey/London so is there anywhere good to start? What I want is black ink only, just a series of abstracted lines and curves that make a figure, almost like japanese caligraphy but forming a picture not a letter, similar to those chalk images you sometimes see on hillsides. Looks simple but done poorly it would look awful.

why would they laugh at you?

they are artists, you are the client.. if they can’t do what you want smile and leave….

you’ll be surprised how cool they’ll be with you. go and have a chat with someone, having a chat is free

Most good tattoo artists do custom work, the design you describe would be interesting to them. They would laugh you out the place if you asked for that Cheryl Cole thing on your hand, as they’ll get that a lot. In my experience the artists are more interested in unusual custom work.

Make a shortlist of tattoo artists whose work you like then go and speak to them.

This thread needs to be kept going until we see pics of the finished artwork.

You can’t start this sort of thread without finishing it properly.

Good luck.

^ Absolutely though the finish is the laser removal 20 years on.

Yes, because it will really matter in 20 years time…. 🙄

Make sure they spell any script correctly
Esp if they are a tatooist 8)

Where do you live? People will probably be able to give you recommendations for most areas…

Hi jools most of what you need info wise has been said. I was in the same place a few years ago and looked all over the place, I see your based in surrey area? Take it your able to travel? Well I can highly recommend Tattoo fx in burgess hill
http://www.tattoo-fx.co.uk
Neil is great as the web site says an award winner and a 6month wait to boot, which is very worth it. He loves interesting art work and is a mountain biker as well.
He’s done three calf pieces on me now front and back I might add all taken from art work I had and he either tweaked to what I wanted or just did a like for like copy. He works by taking key bits from the art transferring and then does the rest free hand. Check him out and good luck.
Bats.

That looks interesting thanks I’ll give him a call.

There bk in Tuesday I believe due to the Brighton tattoo convention this week end ok.
Bats.

Help needed?

There’s three t’s in ‘tattoos’.

There you go.