The Priceless Value of A Free Consultation

We are often amazed at how clients, both newbies and seasoned collectors, fail to take full advantage of the consultation process. Most studios offer this service for FREE, and the extra time put in up front to get your ideas together can make all the difference between getting the perfect tattoo, or getting one you wish you'd thought through a little better.

Use our experience and expertise to your advantage. Most tattooers live and breathe body art. We study art and reference books. We scour artist's websites, social media feeds, and tattoo magazines (yes, they still exist—barely), studying the best and most cutting edge work the tattoo world has to offer— and we want to share that knowledge with you, so you can get the best piece of body art possible. A piece you will love forever and be proud to show off to the world. 

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with pre-drawn or flash tattoos, they are the foundation of American tattooing. That's what some clients want, and there is nothing wrong with that. They will likely always be a part of the landscape of tattooing, but many people these days want something original or unique to them. And that's what a custom artist wants to provide. That's where the consultation process comes into play-- getting the artist and client on the same page so that you can both arrive at the best finished piece of art for the client. 

Give your artist an idea and let them advise you based on years of experience. Sometimes it's something as small as choosing a different placement that works better, or modifying or embellishing an idea with something you haven't thought about, but we have found that a thorough consultation almost always results in a better finished product and experience for both the client and the artist. It's where you really get to flesh out (see what i did there) the overall idea so that both parties are solid.

Another big consideration is time. Custom artwork takes thought and time. So many times we have clients who come in during the late evening on a weekend without an appointment who want something designed custom for them. This just isn't all that practical. We want to give you a great tattoo, which means we need to work your piece into our particular workflow, and each artist works differently. 

Many artists schedule consultations at the beginning or end of their days. Often it is pretty hard to switch gears mid tattoo to get into consultation mode. It can throw off the momentum and focus of a tattoo session. Some artists don’t mind at all, and may see it as a welcome break, but to be safe it’s usually better to schedule a consultation so that you have your artist’s undivided attention and they can focus on your particular project.

Artists may book weeks or months in advance and having a good consultation helps them gather all the information needed and arrive at a general concept moving forward. Often we’ll chew on big ideas in our heads before we sketch anything. Having time to contemplate how to approach a project most often makes for a better final result, and often gives the artist the opportunity to find new ways to make your project unique. 

So don’t skip or sell yourself short during the consultation phase. Let the artist help guide you toward the best tattoo outcome possible. You’ll be glad you did!

happy collecting you weirdos,

lin