turn away unoriginal tattoos?

does a true tattoo artist turn away all tattoo designs that are not originals? i think that it sucks to have to do someone else's design, let alone do a tattoo that you've already seen (or even worse done before) i realize that as a beginner you may not have much choice in what you do and don't do, but as you become more established do some or most tattoo artists only tattoo the designs that they themselves have come up with? i think that is when you know you're successful, you know? that's where i want to be. "either you take this design that i've created or go to joe shmoe's tat shop down the street!" peace. -artistim

i think a "true tattoo artist" can and will do what ever you put in front of him or her. when a great artist gets an attitude about what he or she dose, and will only do thier own designs, then i think they became a prick. don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with taking a peice of flash a customer has chosen and altering it or adding your own touch. But why turn a customer away for coming into the shop with a design that they bought from bullseye on the net. if thats what they want, then make the customer happy, After all thats what this industry is all about making the customer happy with the art you've givin them.

I agree, a "true tattoo artist " will make any design his/her own and satisfy the customer, thats what will make you a success ,happy customers. There are many reasons to turn away a tattoo ,but i dont think that not being YOUR original design is a valid one. 2 cent.

ok, making the customer happy is very important. so, maybe you convince the customer that you have a similar idea, but more original; then try to recreate the flash in your own way? it just seems like some kind of plaigerism (i don't know how to spell it) is being committed when someone does an exact copy of someone else's work. i feel like a cover band or something. anyone out there feel the same, or am i just being a "prick". peace.

When you tell another person what they can and can't put on their our body I call you alot of things mainly words that I try not to use since I had my kiddo. The thing is that tattoos are a by demand artform and by demand means that you try and create what the victim is wanting. It is not necesarilly wrong to make suggestions for alteration or design freedom or even a redraw in your style if they are interested, however if you impose your design upon them you become nazi like in the sense that no one has the right nor should they feel the need to impose their sense of art or style on another. Some artist do get the opportunity to one day open a custom only/appointment only shop where they plan only custom designs with high paying clientel and that's where we all want to be and then those who contract your designs know your style and want it on thier person. IF that's what you wanna do then more power to you just know without that circumstance/shop setup you are just being a dick.

bullseye online flash is getting to be a big thing, and when a client pays money to download something they want, that means they did thier research and paid. if a client gose that far i'll happily do what they want. i do offer sugestions about shading and color shading and lil tweeks to make flash look better, but most of us can probally make flash tattoos look alot better than the flash. what if someone has drawn up thier own design, it's not yours, are you saying you won't do it. what if they can draw ten times better than you. these are all things, you should think about.

you have to give the customer what they want, you're there to provide a service, not to dictate to someone what they want, THEY TELL YOU! i will always offer an alternative only if i think they will maybe end up regretting their decision. but this isn't for my benefit, it's for theirs. hardly any of the people who get tattooed are into the tattoo scene, they are normal run of the mill everyday people. they don't know or probably care that you don't enjoy doing certain things, why should they, they are paying you to give them what they want, and that's what they should get. thankfully we get clients that are into the scene, and are going to want your work on them. it's a balancing act. there already too many people in this business that have their heads up their own arses. i'd be careful not to join them.

I am lucky enough that I only do custom work, but that work is dictated by the customers desires...not mine...of course I have input...and of course every tattoo artist has had tattoos that they turned down for whatever reason...I am not a "tattoo nazi"...But I have refused such tattoos as a large marijuana leaf on a kids forehead....A dick with wings (dickbat) on a girls neck....A "copkiller" tattoo ....things of that nature.I have no qualms about turning down a tattoo and its very rare that I do...But saying that a tattoo artist doesn't have the right to refuse a tattoo is patently ridiculous...TAz

your right, i didn't take things like that into account. it was an oversight on my behalf, i was only refering to things like people bringing in pictures. your point is very well made and true. it wasn't so much that i discounted these situations, i was just talking in a different context (unoriginal instead of offensive). sorry for the confusion, cheers, dan.

Oh No Dan I understood your point and agree 100%...Just adding on a bit as it were!...TAz

ok ok ok, but i probably would have done the "dickbat"! wtf... no seriously, i know that it would take 10-20 years to get to that point, but i would like to do strictly custom work, not to be a jerk, you understand (maybe there would be other artists in the same shop that'd happily tat your run of the mill tattoo, and simply take the customer) it maybe far off, but it would be a goal of mine. i don't want to sound like a tattoo nazi. i do other people's flashes, but each time i wish that it was an original, that's all. peace.

Understand you entirely pal....doing strictly custom is a goal I think all tattoo artists should be seeking...it just takes time. Hey Artist Tim...where do ya work?...where can we see some of your stuff?...Inquiring minds want to know!...TAz

i understand eveyones point but, i've only been tattooing for 2 years, and i any happy doing whatever. i really love to do custom black and grey, or new skool work. but, i'm happy doing what a client wants, because i love to tattoo and hear the kudos from a happy customer. maybe i haven't been slinging ink long enough to be burnt out on those damn butterflies yet.

well, i've only been tattooing for about a year, and have done several butterflies, a couple flowers, some tribal, a couple band logos, but i love to do my original designs, which i've only had the chance to do a few times, and i love to do portraits, which i only got to do 2 faces on one arm. i want to specialize in portraits, i've been drawing peoples portraits for a long time and it translates easily into doing the tattoos. it's really fun for me, and that makes a big impact on my decision making HOWEVER... i asked my wife what she thought about the idea, and she agreed with a couple of you and said that i sounded like a jerk, turning away unoriginal tattoos! she said that not only would she go elsewhere, but she would tell everyone that i suck! well, after a short discussion i understand the customer is the reason that i'm in this business, but still down the road i'd like to specialize in custom art and portrait tattoos.

oh yeah, taz, about posting your work, how do i (i have a scanner) get a picture onto this site? do i export it from photoshop or something?

I completely disagree with this whole "we are just servants of the customers" thing. Yes, it's going on someone else's body, and they should have input into it. But as a tattoo artist, I have a way better grasp than the average customer about what will and won't work as a tattoo design. Almost on a daily basis I have to tell people why they need the tattoo larger, or with less tiny details, or why the tiny tattoo they want in the middle of their back looks like a sticker on a piece of fruit-totally random and out of place. If someone wants something I really don't want to do, I send them elsewhere. For instance, I hate doing celtic. To do good celtic, you need to really be into it, to make all the lines perfect, and I would rather not do it. Here in NYC, there are several fully custom shops that will not do a tattoo unless they are totally into it. I respect that, I was at Paul Booth's shop and saw them turning down a fireman badge. They didn't insult the guy, and I'm sure he will go to a more flash oriented shop.

Artist Tim go to www.photobucket.com....open an account.... using the instructions on the site upload photos then simply post the link to your account on here!...Simple!!! Dan Henk!....My hero!!......Hope yer thumbs fall off ...then us human tattooers wouldn't look so BAD!!!! But yeah I agree 100% on the celtic stuff...takes a special artist for that type of art. TAz

NO PROBLEM DAN ,NEXT TIME SOMEONE WANTS A SKETCHY SEMI-REALISTIC TATTOO, I WILL SEND THEM YOUR WAY!

Its great to take part in this cause I dont tattoo anyone! :-P Theres a scale out there somewhere balancing three ideas I think. one is art, another side $$$, and the last has some weird grey blob called ethics on it. Every artist throws down a little ethics (a tattoo artist should't tattoo anything they arent PROUD to have their name attached to or some such) a little $$$ concerns (Might as well do it cause I need the money and someone else will vs Im living large and have the luxury of solid cliental for $$$) and lastly the art (Doing what is artistically sound vs giving the customer whatever they want). I try to think less about the money(though I have to more than I like) and balance out ethics and art. I feel the artists job is to give the public the best possible tattoo they can, but also not (necessarily) tattoo anything they aren't 100% proud of. There is a bit of compromise from the public and the artist to insure this happens, and if that deosnt click, I dont think an artist is bound ethically to tattoo anyone. We're not taking away someones right to a good tattoo, we are using our right not to tattoo something we aren't 100% into. I feel like an artist should be into the tattoo they do 110% and would never fault one for not tattooing if they dont have it in em. Basically, I dont believe the customer should necessarily get anything they want. Or, maybe I should re-phrase that. I believe everyone has the *right* to get any tattoo they want, I dont believe they necessarily have that right at my studio. I want every piece that comes out of here to be top notch the best tattoo that customer could get. If that means they cant get what they want and go somewhere else, so be it. Sure, we could do the bad idea better maybe even, but Im not gonna lose sleep over a compromised tattoo missed. Im lucky to have some great artists put out great work so that even the butterflies and "unoriginal" tattoos still ooze originality and character. Our customers leave excited to have that bad ass new tattoo, and if we miss a few bad ones along the way it hurts more in the short run but is better in the long one. When a client walks out the door because the artist wanst going to do a good job I may have lost that client for the studio, but we didnt make an unhappy one, and tattoo artists make good tattoos when they are happy not uninspired. So, the goal for me is to keep everyone inspired! Lastly, every tattoo artist needs practice practice practice and banging out flash tattoos all day and night for a few years is a great way to get the hang of the tools. While doing this the artist should also realize that just because the tattoo may be unoriginal there are *always* ways to make that tattoo the best one you did like it.

I want to stress half the fun part is working with clients and helping them make the best of their idea. There are always ways to spice up tattoos big or small and the fun is bringing a clients idea to life. While I dont find anything morally wrong with turning down clients, every client turned down is a failure, and artists should work hard to learn how to better educate future clients about the possibilities that the artist is capable of. Sales is normally a dirty word, but if you truly believe in your art sales is really just another word for education. And if an educated client walks out the door, no harm done, you tried everything. If an uneducated client walks out the door the responsibility does lie on the artist. Lastly, theres no such thing as failure, only lessons... if someone walks out who could have had a great tattoo, learn from what didnt happen right and try yer damnedest not to let it happen again.