A few times when I initiate contact with an artist, I’ve been treated like a fool and not listened to. I’ve had a few outright say, “You don’t have any tattoos, do you?”
This drives me a little crazy. I dress a certain way, speak clearly and succinctly, and I have five tattoos, some of them considerable in size. My favorite tattoo artists are the people who make no assumptions, listen to my ideas, tell me what is workable and what is not, and are open for discussion. I wonder if people like this realize how much business they lose by simple rudeness on their end.
I guess that I have been pretty lucky because every artist that I have spoken to has always replied in a friendly and respectful manner. Even back when all my artwork was more likely to be covered. As they should since every person, tattooed already or not, is a potential client (and source of income to them).
I don’t think its usually meant to be rude 🙂 I’ve asked quite a few people if they actually had any tattoos from before, usually for a few reasons;
– They wanted to do LONG sessions, in which case I needed to know if they already knew they could handle it, or if they had no idea and just figured they were a badass.
– They wanted a lot of work done in one session. Etc if someone calls and says “hey I want a full sleeve. When can I get it? How much is it gonna cost?” that person, I’m gonna have to ask! :p
So in certain situations you have to ask a couple of questions just to see how much this person already knows about tattoos and how well they sit. If a person comes in for a big piece, we might have to explain more, use more time on drawing and explaining aftercare etc etc if they’ve never had work done before.
That’s just my experience with it 🙂
@poxphobia 134968 wrote:
I don’t think its usually meant to be rude 🙂 I’ve asked quite a few people if they actually had any tattoos from before, usually for a few reasons;
– They wanted to do LONG sessions, in which case I needed to know if they already knew they could handle it, or if they had no idea and just figured they were a badass.
– They wanted a lot of work done in one session. Etc if someone calls and says “hey I want a full sleeve. When can I get it? How much is it gonna cost?” that person, I’m gonna have to ask! :p
So in certain situations you have to ask a couple of questions just to see how much this person already knows about tattoos and how well they sit. If a person comes in for a big piece, we might have to explain more, use more time on drawing and explaining aftercare etc etc if they’ve never had work done before.
That’s just my experience with it 🙂
There’s a nuance a person who doesn’t have English as their primary language may not get.
There’s a difference between asking someone’s history: Do you have tattoos?
And the snotty: You don’t even have any tattoos, do you? – Not by you, asshole. Bye.
Gathering a history is a must. Being rude is optional and can lose you from several hundred to several thousand dollars. These people are in the minority. I always tell people up front: I have a low threshold for pain. The decision is yours.
I’m fine with asking questions. Assumptions should be kept private.
I certainly want things explained because I am not a tattoo artist, but I don’t like being treated like I’m stupid.
@Call_me_Lola 134967 wrote:
I guess that I have been pretty lucky because every artist that I have spoken to has always replied in a friendly and respectful manner. Even back when all my artwork was more likely to be covered. As they should since every person, tattooed already or not, is a potential client (and source of income to them).
I think where I live tattoos are part of a subculture and you get two types in the shops, primarily: The non-serious: Little girls getting their first and only college tattoo, soccer moms getting dedications to their kids, and then on the other hand, the serious folks. I don’t like being categorized, especially when I don’t fit. Makes me grumpy as hell.
@GrayCatLove 134972 wrote:
There’s a nuance a person who doesn’t have English as their primary language may not get.
There’s a difference between asking someone’s history: Do you have tattoos?
And the snotty: You don’t even have any tattoos, do you? – Not by you, asshole. Bye.
Gathering a history is a must. Being rude is optional and can lose you from several hundred to several thousand dollars. These people are in the minority. I always tell people up front: I have a low threshold for pain. The decision is yours.
I’m fine with asking questions. Assumptions should be kept private.
I certainly want things explained because I am not a tattoo artist, but I don’t like being treated like I’m stupid.
This is what I thought you were talking about.
My wife, Andrea, gets work done by the same artist I do but we’re rarely there at the same time.
Last time she was there, the discussion in the shop turned a little “off color”. The female piercer noted that there was a lady present. Anthony asked, “do you know who this is? This is Sam’s wife. Then the discussion continued.
Do you think women get treated with less respect than men in tattoo shops?
@Sam-I-Am 134978 wrote:
This is what I thought you were talking about.
My wife, Andrea, gets work done by the same artist I do but we’re rarely there at the same time.
Last time she was there, the discussion in the shop turned a little “off color”. The female piercer noted that there was a lady present. Anthony asked, “do you know who this is? This is Sam’s wife. Then the discussion continued.Do you think women get treated with less respect than men in tattoo shops?
I know some women do. I have to say, where I’m primarily tattooed now, they’re respectful. Occasionally stupid, but respectful. (I once had two artists staring at me with my pants pulled down talking about Magic the Gathering. I didn’t have the heart to say, “You dumb motherfuckers, get out of here,” because I genuinely don’t think they knew better.)
I’ve reached a point where if someone’s going to treat me like a retarded co-ed paying with Daddy’s money, well, they don’t need my money or my friends’ money.
Ah right, I just read and responded in a bit of a hurry 🙂 But yes, that is uncalled for.
I remember we had a customer come in, who wanted to tattoo the name of his daughter. Gave him a quote on aprox the price, and set up an appointment.
He told us that he’d been to a shop in a different town in Norway, looking to get the same tattoo. They had quoted him 10x the price we gave him, like a RIDICULOUS amount, and the shop in question is sure as hell no huge, amazing artist who can do that.
The guy? He came in in an expensive suit, with his work-badge around his neck, telling that he worked as a financial expert. I’ve seen him on Tv several times.
So clearly that other shop figured he was an idiot with a lot of money and no ink..
In reality? He wanted then name on a certain part of his chest, because that’s the only spot he had any room left! The guy was COVERED in ink underneath his suit.
Amazing artwork, too. He sure as hell wasn’t anyone’s fool :p
So yep – that other shop showed their intentions and pre-judgement pretty clearly in that situation!
@poxphobia 134988 wrote:
Ah right, I just read and responded in a bit of a hurry 🙂 But yes, that is uncalled for.
I remember we had a customer come in, who wanted to tattoo the name of his daughter. Gave him a quote on aprox the price, and set up an appointment.
He told us that he’d been to a shop in a different town in Norway, looking to get the same tattoo. They had quoted him 10x the price we gave him, like a RIDICULOUS amount, and the shop in question is sure as hell no huge, amazing artist who can do that.
The guy? He came in in an expensive suit, with his work-badge around his neck, telling that he worked as a financial expert. I’ve seen him on Tv several times.
So clearly that other shop figured he was an idiot with a lot of money and no ink..
In reality? He wanted then name on a certain part of his chest, because that’s the only spot he had any room left! The guy was COVERED in ink underneath his suit.
Amazing artwork, too. He sure as hell wasn’t anyone’s fool :pSo yep – that other shop showed their intentions and pre-judgement pretty clearly in that situation!
Done the same thing many times, Pox. Don’t feel bad. One thing good about looking younger than I am, people (unless they know me from the hospital) don’t know who I am or what I do. I volunteer little information, tend to dress a little younger/more casually. One reason I like Alley Cat Studios so much is they’ve always treated me with respect. And that makes a world of difference.
I also had a good experience with the shop I went to in Knoxville called Vivid, and I’d consider going back there. My Tengwar still looks great. However, I just don’t get up that way too often.
@jerryatrophy 135036 wrote:
So who was the dickhead? We want to know.
Don’t know his name, but will not go to Roustabout Tattoo in Cookeville, TN.
@GrayCatLove 135144 wrote:
Don’t know his name, but will not go to Roustabout Tattoo in Cookeville, TN.
I love salesman who prejudge people. Back when I was a conductor working night shift I wanted to buy a color television. Getting off work at 7:00 am I killed time in a local bar that catered to “C” trickers until the store opened. I went to Silo (a former appliance chain) with $500.00 cash in my pocket. I really was looking my best in my work clothes, and I had worked all night and had beer breath at 9:00 AM. Only 1 or 2 other customers in the store, nobody would wait on me. After scrutinizing the television sets for about 15 minutes, I asked in a voice loud enough for all to hear: Doesn’t anybody want to sell a fucking television!
THEN all apologetically I got taken care of. Silo is gone. No surprise. Sears Roebuck was the same way.
@GrayCatLove 135144 wrote:
Don’t know his name, but will not go to Roustabout Tattoo in Cookeville, TN.
Hijack in progress.
I wont go back to Brandon bonds all or nothing in Atlanta.
The douchebag behind the desk (young punk) was more interested in showing me his “award winning” tattoos than setting up a consultation with Dave tedder. And I sat on the couch waiting for twenty minutes of being ignored before I finally walked out.
Front of house will definitely lose shops business.
@jerryatrophy 135154 wrote:
Hijack in progress.
I wont go back to Brandon bonds all or nothing in Atlanta.
The douchebag behind the desk (young punk) was more interested in showing me his “award winning” tattoos than setting up a consultation with Dave tedder. And I sat on the couch waiting for twenty minutes of being ignored before I finally walked out.
Front of house will definitely lose shops business.
Yep. I would absolutely hit our receptionists upside the head if they acted that way.
@Sam-I-Am 135150 wrote:
I asked in a voice loud enough for all to hear: Doesn’t anybody want to sell a fucking television!
THEN all apologetically I got taken care of. Silo is gone. No surprise. Sears Roebuck was the same way.
That’s awesome lol.:D
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