New Ink
I have 2 tattoos. I'm sure that someday I'll have more because I've become one of those tattoo people. I'm fine with this. I am comfortable with my need to inject ink under my skin. Maybe it's a desperate cry for attention. Maybe it's because I always think I'm too pale, and tattoos darken my overall average skintone.
I'm not really writing this to wax poetic about my tattoos. I actually just wanted to relate my experiences of getting a tattoo at 2 different tattoo studios, both located relatively near where I live.
I got my first tattoo on February 15, 2003. I got a small celtic cross tattooed on my ankle. It was done by Joe at Lucky Devil Tattoo Parlor in Seattle. Joe was professional in every way and worked quick and clean. When I got that tattoo, it hurt like you wouldn't believe. I think that this had much more to do with the location of the tattoo on my ankle than it did with the skill of my artist. Joe drew a nice sketch of what I wanted, based on a photograph I brought in. He showed it to me and made sure that I liked the proportions and the size. Then he transferred the image to my leg, and made sure I liked the placement. All of that done, he started working. He checked frequently to make sure I was doing okay and that it didn't hurt too bad. In the end, he charged me a more than reasonable $50. I felt a little like he saw my tattoo as a boring job, wasting his abilities as an artist. Or maybe he was just having a bad day. Either way, whether he saw my tattoo as a great work of art or not, he worked carefully and did great work. When people see that tattoo, they sometimes don't believe that it is real because the lines are so crisp and perfect. For anyone who needs a tattoo in Seattle, I have nothing but praise for Joe and everyone at Lucky Devil.
I just got my second tattoo (pictured above) from Hubba at Seattle Tattoo Emporium. Hubba was also a consummate professional. He was friendly and very likable. My second one didn't need as much prep work in the way of sketches and planning. I had brought in a computer printout of what I wanted, pre-sized to the size I wanted. He treated my little plain black alchemy symbol as if it was the only thing he wanted to be doing with his time right then. Hubba has years of experience and it shows. He had the whole thing done with minimal pain in only about 15 minutes. It cost me $65.
Between the two, I prefer Joe. But if you're nervous about getting your first tattoo, go to see Hubba. Hubba has more experience and is an expert at making you feel good about your tattoo, no matter how simple and silly it is. It is a more personal experience than Lucky Devil Tattoo. Because my next tattoo will be my third, I would most likely go back to Joe. From him, I didn't get the same friendly personal service I got from Hubba, but I got a beautiful tattoo at a good price.
This is all based on one experience at each place, so take it with as many grains of salt as necessary. And before you pick a tattoo place, always check out their portfolios and their shop. If the art sucks or just isn't your style, find someone else. If the shop isn't at least as clean as a dentist's office, find somewhere else.
That's my two cents about tattoos and the tattoo places I've been in Seattle.
