The problem with some portfolios is that some artists don’t feel the need to keep them up to date…. so in some cases you’re looking at older work. I checked portfolios for basic style and consistency, then called around, asked where I could see some recent work etc. Without seeing ANY of the artist’s work, hell no. That’s asking for trouble.
As far as proofs, do you mean sketches of the tattoo you’re looking to get?
If I can’t view an artist’s work online in an online portfolio or even via Google images, then I won’t bother contacting them. When an artist hasn’t updated their portfolio in a long time, I go with the presumption that they are likely to have gotten better since. It’s pretty rare that you see someone get worse.
nope…………….I do alot of research on someone before I book, usually I have folowed their career a couple years……check their portfolio, see them in action at shop, see them in action at convention, see their work in print etc, then I book it up
tattoo is basically (without alot of expensive lazer) forever………..why the hell would people let just anyone ink their skin????? I have never figured it out…….stupidity I guess?
then the mother f*cker will walk up to me in the club, or mall or resturant and want to know who to go to to get it fixed……..why not do it right the first time
Wow – I can’t imagine that! OK, I can imagin the “cheap” part :). But I won’t even go to a shop if I haven’t seen their website, and gotten an idea of the artists’ work in advance, and chosen a specific artist whose work I appreciate. I then find out everything I can about the artist online before calling or visiting the shop and seeing what kind of vibe I get from them. If I get a good vibe, I’ll book the appointment.
Case in point was my first tattoo. I’d picked the shop, but from online presence there were two artists there that I thought would do a great job, and I was having a hard time deciding. I called, and found they were both in on Sundays. I went in, figuring I’d choose whichever one greeted me – then it turned out I really instantly didn’t like him. He wasn’t willing to discuss the aspects I wanted, just wanted to book the appointment and send me on my way. The other artist was available for a walk-in, willing to discuss in depth what I wanted, told me to give her an hour to draw it up and come back. She did a great job, we had a good time chatting while she worked, and I remain thrilled with the tattoo.
So, my point is, for me even a portfolio isn’t quite enough. I don’t want to spend four hours with a talented asshole causing me pain eiither :).
I probably should have prefaced my comment with the fact that our shop does custom work, we don’t even have flash on the walls. We also do most of our work by appointment unless of course there has been a cancellation. In that case we can sometimes fit in a walk in. We actually encourage people to look at our portfolios ahead of time. Some won’t even bother with that. Also people are shocked when we tell them $100 an hour. I think it’s super cheap compared to other parts of the country. I guess they’re just used to paying the kitchen magician $20 for some crap tattoo.
My wife told someone at work the $300 combined rate we paid for our ankle tats (went same day so..). Said person’s jaw dropped and they went to show my wife some scratcher tat that was 4x the size of her that they paid $150 for. They offered to get the name and address of the just-barely-a-shop. My wife inadvertently laughed in their face and then told them no thanks.
I know. I paid $750 for my Tebori tattoo and thought that was a bargain considering the fact that it’s hand poked. It’s not even that big.
Some people just want a tattoo for the sake of getting one regardless of the outcome. Sometimes when we get walk ins they’ll go somewhere else instead of making an appointment because they want a tattoo right now.
After I got my first tattoo I was getting my oil changed and the shop manager and I started discussing tattoos. He admired mine, and asked how much it had cost. I told him $300, which I had felt was a great price for a damn fine tattoo. he said “Oh, wow, you overpaid, I got this one for $70!” – he proceeded to roll up his sleeve and show me a similarly sized tattoo of much poorer quality. I did ask where he had gotten it, so I knew what shop to avoid – it was, at least, actually from a shop, not someone’s kitchen. Still, it shows that you do indeed get the tattoo you deserve.
I wouldn’t jump to the answer just yet. Obviosly it depends if you didn’t know who they was obviously you would want to check there portfolio.
But say for example if somebody like Chris Garver or something said they will tattoo you, i don’t think you would say Erm, No let me see your portfolio.
I know it’s different with Chris Garver as a lot of people have seen he’s work was just a example.
But say for example if somebody like Chris Garver or something said they will tattoo you, i don’t think you would say Erm, No let me see your portfolio.
I know it’s different with Chris Garver as a lot of people have seen he’s work was just a example.
Not different really. If the artist is known to me, it’s because I’ve seen their work. Whether it’s on TV, magazines, an online portfolio, etc… it’s still seeing their work before you’re allowing them to ink you.
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