I researched too, his deviantart portfolio was good but more than that, a lot of good artists were recommending him. I think his work is good, just my current piece doesn’t feel perfect

I totally agree with Mr Chen. Getting a fantastic tattoo requires patience. Patience while you research the artists and their work and then further patience while you wait for an appointment. An artist who does amazing work will usually have a lengthy wait but it is worth it.

Well I thought his work was great and he is well known for doing cover-ups, I liked his portfolio and guessed an artist who could draw, could draw. He told me if he didn’t think he could do it justice, he wouldn’t start it. I spent 1-2hrs working out the cover up with him, looking at photographs of flowers, working out sizes, then he flashed the flowers for me… I can’t draw AT ALL and I put my faith in him as an artist. He didn’t flash the leaves or stalks though, he just started free-handing with a marker pen. I was a little nervous but he’d done such a wonderful job on the iris flower (the purple one) I thought it would be great. That took a couple of hours and then he sent me away to come back in 2 weeks for the next session. I asked for yellow/orange freesias, as it’s my arm, I can’t see what’s being done as it’s being done and was a bit shocked to see so much black, I guessed it would fade a bit after healing but it hasn’t, so I don’t like it as much as I like the iris.

I don’t like the green he’s used in the leaves/stalks, I’ve lost sleep over the parts I dislike. He’s not always easy to talk to, he’s a nice guy but at times I just feel he can be defensive. I didn’t ask anyone in Walmart or my mom or friends… I only asked my artist and other artists and people on this forum. This is my arm and I have to wear forever, I just hope tomorrow brings fresh hope. I’ll let you know how it goes I guess.

The internet and looking for opinions on forums isn’t exactly the worst idea ever.

Ultimately, asking artists, and beyond that, being happy with it ourselves, is the best measure. I have a long text tattoo, and I know it drives some tattoo afficianados on here bonkers, but I get more compliments on it. Even my lovely, talented tattooist likes it. More importantly, I like it, but I digress.

There is nothing wrong with seeking opinion and information on a tattoo forum.

Oh, agreed – If an artist gets snippy and doesn’t want to discuss stuff, I’d run, too.

What do you think people should talk about on a tattoo forum, though? I consider you a respectable, knowledgeable, nice guy. I think your opinion is one worth listening to.

But I think you’re being a real jerk about this whole, “OMG ASK AN ARTIST” every single time someone asks, “I want a snowflake tattoo, should I get it black or blue, on my ass or on my arm,” et al. We get it. You don’t like those questions, despite the fact you have a lot of insight and intelligence when it comes to that stuff. That’s fine. You don’t have to like those kinds of questions. But just like you get tired of those kinds of questions, other people get tired of the snark over and over and over and OVER.

Tattoo artists, even the best ones, are not the be all, end all gods and the only opinion people should seek. Just because you don’t seek advice on a tattoo forum doesn’t mean a tattoo forum is the wrong place for people to seek advice on tattoos.

I don’t get my tattoos to please anyone but me, and I hope that’s not what you were implying. If you designed what you were wearing, well, then the artist was using YOUR work. By your standards, isn’t that a shabby artist?

If anyone plans to get a tattoo, ultimately, they’re going to ask the artist those questions. However, especially in the case of tattoo virgins, they tend to get a little picked on here. I could go on about how this general unfriendliness does nothing but continue to perpetuate stereotypes about heavily tattooed people being unpleasant, but I feel like I’m wasting my words.

I hope you realize I respect and appreciate your knowledge and your body art, I just wish you were more willing to share it without making people feel like pariahs or dumbasses.

Interestingly, as I’m a total newbie to this forum, I can read this thread with a totally freshly formed opinion on why you posted it, Mr Chen.

I am a tattoo virgin… other than some really small, TERRIBLE something (or 2) I had done as a teenager… I’m a tattoo virgin to good, proper work. So reading this thread, I get what you’re saying on the one hand, because you’re right to say that all that matters are how you and your artist feel about your work. BUT if you are trying to figure things out for yourself, even with your artists input, it’s a way of figuring things out for yourself, by asking around, both professional and unprofessional opinions all go together to make your final decision.

I have a heavily tattoo’d friend who’s fella is a tattoo artist, but they are way up in the north, so I didn’t go to him. I asked her opinion on my ink, they looked at the photograph, both her and her fella and they both said ‘add a shitload of black to that’. I totally didn’t want that. I asked her opinions and disregarded them. I am happy with my ink now, because me and my artist decided together… I didn’t want black, he originally said that’s what I needed and I really didn’t want it. So ultimately, I decided, but by asking around, it helped me to decide.

I hope that makes sense?