The main reason I have never had a tattoo despite spitballing about it since the grunge-days of my youth is because when I was 18, one of my friends got a rather large Kurt Cobain portrait tattooed on his back. Did I say large? Perhaps I should say massive. Fifteen years later, I regularly resist the urge to call him up and ask if he regrets it. Because really, how could he not?
Tattoos have come a long way since then. They hit the mainstream in the early ‘90s and their popularity has been rising ever since. No breaking news here, folks: tattoos are not just for bikers, outlaws and crazy roommates anymore. They have long since become the domain of the middle-class, educated and professional.
Wait, that’s me.
“You need a good job and money to get a decent tattoo,” says Doug Fink, owner of Bushido Tattoo & Piercing. Full-arm tattoos—known as sleeves—can take anywhere from 20 to 50 hours and cost in the neighborhood of $6000.
Given that I am a notorious non-committer and lover of the oxymoron, I was interested by recent talk surrounding permanent (yet removable) tattoo ink. This ink claims to “disappear” with one laser treatment should you change your mind any number of years down the road.
Fink just shakes his head. He really doesn’t see the point. Both he and fellow artist Shaun Hedley also seriously doubt the verity of its claims:
“It would take three different types of creams and a mini-sander over several months to remove a dime-sized tattoo,” says Hedley.
“It’s essentially dermal abrasion.”
Really, snorts Hedley, “who would want to sit around sanding their own skin?”
“If you are going to go through that much time, money, effort and pain to get a tattoo, adds Fink, “then why would you start the process if you weren’t going to want to keep it for the rest of your life?”
Fink clearly doesn’t do wishy-washy: “Our main goal here is to do permanent tattoos. If you don’t want a tattoo on your body for the rest of your life then don’t get one.”
If you are considering a tattoo, Fink’s advice is to do your homework. Most tattoo artists have portfolios. Find a style and artist that you like. If you don’t know them, then talk to someone whom they tattooed. Fink suggests taking your time and exhausting different possibilities for the design, size and placement of your tattoo.
Many artists book as many as 12 months in advance, so while waiting for your appointment, do as much research as possible.
Fink recommends knowing what you want, but trusting your artist:
“Not all artwork is transferable into a tattoo medium. Certain colouring and shading can’t be done,” Fink points out. So listen to the experts.
“We can tell you what will work best for size, symmetry and design, but I’m not going to tell you what kind of car to drive. So I’m also not going to tell you what kind of tattoo you should get.”
Fink also has a Go-Big-or-Go-Home philosophy. “Take your time and get something big and crazy. And then he adds, “Have faith in the tattoo artist and trust them. You are going to get the best tattoo that way. Let them do what they’re into at the time.”
Both Hedley and Fink agree that fewer people regret getting the big, wild tattoos because they have put their faith in the artists.
I wonder what their thoughts are on life-sized Kurt Cobain back portraits? Says Fink:
“Treat it as if you are only going to have one haircut or own one vehicle in your life.”
You can check out Bushido Tattoo at their new location at 218 17 Ave SE or visit
http://www.bushidotattoo.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment