why some shops are cut rate, who drew the lion?

the reason some tattoos/piercing shops have really low minimums or hourly costs:

  • little experience or inconsistent abilities,
    substandard, imported inks (could be risky to you),
  • don’t provide follow up
    like good aftercare and personal answers to questions (this should always be available!),
  • don’t care about touchups or fixing a piercing that healed improperly,
  • substandard materials in jewelry, (dangerous!)
  • inconsistent machinery or other actual tattooing gear,
  • not paying for licensing or training (legally required but people will cut corners),
  • not paying taxes, insurance, or other necessities
  • they have known you for twenty years and actually are your real life friend.

my minimum/hourly ensures that I cover the shop’s commission, my equipment (good stuff), and a living wage for a professional in a trade. it also covers any and all time you need to ask me questions afterward via text or email, touchups if needed, aftercare info and good bandaging, continued contact with me in case you have questions, and twenty years of experience.

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it’s my hope that everyone I tattoo, even when they get tattooed by other artists besides me, ONLY ever gets AMAZING tattoos after they get work by me. I want all you guys to get worked on by great artists that treat you well and value your patronage. I know the piercers I work with are the same, they use the best, modern, safe, high quality things and will always help you after.

If you’ve been tattooed by me you can always contact me with questions about anything tattoo related. I’m always here. even if I only did a dot on you. You guys are my people. I want you all to look and feel good.

This is what my hourly and minimum cover, and they’re cheap at the price.

(also, I have PUMPKIN SPICE)

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Below, the first kind lion with cherry blossoms and lotuses, was drawn by Guen Douglas. It’s a really good drawing.

She drew it as a custom tattoo for one of her clients. Since then, tons of people have fallen in love with it. That’s fine. A lot of people have copied it exactly though, and that’s not fine!

If you want an amazing lion tattoo it’s OK to say “look, like this, amazing” and bring it as reference or an idea that appeals to you… then have your artist draw you your OWN lion and flowers. Pick your favorite flowers. Make the lion have the kind of look on its face that you want to feel. Hell, pick an animal you identify with instead of a lion! All these things are possible.

The second picture is a fierce lioness with acacia and freesia that I drew for someone. If you pick a good artist they will make you something amazing that is YOURS, not a copy of someone else’s. If you don’t have a good artist… GO GET ONE. If you’re completely fixated on that lion that Guen drew… may I humbly suggest that you contact her and GET TATTOOED BY HER.  She drew it! She’s really good!

Of course if you find a tattoo online that you love, I’ll use it as the basis for your idea. YES. I won’t copy someone else’s tattoo exactly, line for line. that’s THEIR tattoo. We will come up with changes so that it fits YOU .

xox

by Guen Douglas

by Guen Douglas

 

by me, anji marth

by me, anji marth

Seminar: Passive income and social media use for tattoo artists

13912592_10153856265657712_6602799035210498873_nSeminar: Passive income and social media use for tattooers.

Even though we all make our daily bread tattooing, we all are also human beings, living inside bodies that can get broken or worn. When you’ve got slow times or an injury or illness, passive income is a good backup, and if done properly it will complement and improve your work on skin.

If you’re using social media at all- to share your tattoo work – or if you would like to start selling your other artwork online to reach a wider audience- this class is for you.

If you see the internet ad social media as a chore, hate pinterest, and fear theft- this class is for you.

Learn to use social media properly — without compromising your copyright.

This class relates to the sale of secondary mediums beyond tattooing, and will go over the relationship between your existing client base and the collectors who will buy your work on paper rather than skin.

We’ll cover print-on-demand services, pros and cons of social media use, networking as a strategy to find collectors, consolidating your media management, and getting more reach with your work online.

Seminar text and cheatsheet handout packet, aftercare instructions, and legal consent form templates included.

spidermonkey, and mom’s

My last two stops before I go east for six weeks-ish. I spent last weekend at Spider Monkey in Olympia- I LOVE that shop and everyone in it. What a great time!

I spent the morning today building a portfolio page within the site; you can view that HERE if you like.

This coming weekend (thurs the 4th through sunday) I’ll be at Mom’s Tattoo in Spokane. Can’t wait- they’re such lovely people, and the shop environment is so light and airy. I’ll be taking walkins every one of the days I am there!

Here are a few recent photos to keep you entertained.

13895274_10153856265747712_456710720003568398_n 13880352_10153856266092712_3992414512164910295_n 13912592_10153856265657712_6602799035210498873_n 13879448_10153856218062712_3798681287447786070_n 13886415_10153852248402712_6145645714715297175_n 13887109_10153851832187712_6608001836638671559_n 13879468_10153849803352712_2457823942259291474_n 13879402_10153849486002712_4517810167854914450_n 13658948_10153849209972712_1394668401369690484_n 13654292_10153836811937712_537538749441844114_n 13692506_10153827865742712_8555719222718815456_n

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