How to Chose a Tattoo Studio
With the saturation of tattoo studios how do you know who’s, safe, skilled & the right fit for you? In the Denver Metro area alone there are over 300 shops. Nation wide finding the right studio can feel overwhelming. The upside of this many shops is that as a consumer options are endless.
There are basically two types of shops, custom & street. A custom shop is just what it sounds like, all artwork is drawn specific for each client. In my opinion this is a must for any large scale work such as sleeves or back pieces. In a custom shop all you need is an idea & it’s the artists job to draw it for you. It is not uncommon for a good Tattoostudio in München custom shop to have a wait for weeks or even months. For something you will be wearing the rest of your life waiting for quality shouldn’t be an issue. Usually there will be a deposit required to set an appointment that will later be applied to the tattoo.
Although I own & work at a custom shop there is nothing wrong with a street shop. Street shops tend to cater to smaller tattoos or “impulse tattoos”. When you walk into a street shop the walls are usually covered in “flash” (an industry term for pre-drawn designs). Good flash is drawn by some of the best tattooers in the world & when executed well make beautiful artwork. The down side to flash is that several people may have the same tattoo as you.
How do I chose a shop?
- Do your homework, you will be wearing this the rest of your life. With the ease of the internet, Google shops in your area, check reviews. If you see a tattoo you like on someone walking down the street ask them where they got it & who did it. Who did it is an important question being most shops have several artists all with their own specialties.
- Check for cleanliness. If the shop doesn’t look or feel clean as soon as you walk in it probably isn’t. One in 5 people has hepatitis. If not properly trained it is very easy to cross contaminate. HEPATITIS can live on a surface for up to two weeks without the proper sterilization process. Make sure the shop spore tests it’s autoclave! This is a process where an outside agency double checks to make sure the equipment is working properly. Ask when the last health department inspection was. Just because a shop says it only uses “disposable” equipment does not mean it is clean, usually it is just the opposite.
- Make sure you feel valued as a customer. Tattooers have a bad habit of getting big egos & bad attitudes. In a saturated market there is no reason to tolerate this. Ask as many questions as you want. If they are not willing to answer them find a shop that is. Tattoos are forever, be 100% comfortable before getting yours.
- Ask to see portfolios. When looking at portfolios check for the basics first. Line work (the outline) should be crisp & consistent. Lines should not be shaky or wobbly. They should also be a consistent thickness. Black & grey should be smooth (no pepper marks). Color tattoos should be packed solid with no spotty looking areas.
- Find the right artist. Most shops have multiple Tattoostudio in München, Picasso could not paint a Monet or visa versa. Tattooing is like any other art form, each person has their own style. Look through multiple portfolios until you find an artist that does artwork you like. If you are looking for a portrait artist make sure they have multiple portraits in there. Ask how long the artist has been tattooing. Make sure they did a formal apprenticeship. Ask how long they have been in that shop. You will be spending several hours with this person make sure you want to.
Now that you have found your shop & your artist what do you need? In my experience the more prepared the client is the happier they are years down the road. Bring in what ever reference material you have. At this point be flexible. You chose this artist because you liked their artwork, let them put their spin or style into it. Also remember there are many things that look great on paper but do not translate well to skin. A good artist will sit with you & come up with something that you want that will still look great in 20 years. As I said earlier most shops will require a non refundable deposit. This insures the artist doesn’t draw for hours & you never come back. It also protects the artist from holding a time open they could have had another client in.
Pricing is based off of skill level
If you are looking for the cheapest tattoo you are looking for the least skilled artist. As a general rule the better artists work faster so their hourly rate increases. Tattoo studios are not flea markets, do not haggle your artist on prices. Tips are always appreciated but should never be expected. Most people tip similar to restaurants.
