I’ve been talking to an old friend that’s a tattoo artist who’s pretty straight-shooting and no-bullshit in his attitudes about some of the trends we see among top artists these days. The one that I whole-heartedly agree with is this tendency to fill portfolios with pieces that couldn’t possibly heal well, but look great fresh. Tattoos that look incredible the day they’re done — bright color realism with almost no black-shading is a good example of stuff that often turns into a faded out nothing in time — but looks like garbage when it’s healed. I’ll quote some of what he said, keeping things anonymous because I’m not looking to point fingers here.
There is a very ugly tendancy today in tattoo business of taking pictures of fresh tattoos, doing realism that will look like shit in twenty years — or in four months even — and going from convention to convention, making 100% black money, with no touch-ups, no follow-up of clientele. Those are the most famous artists in the world. I have no problem doing tribal [edit: he is referring to an image I posted of a “less than inspired” tattoo that I spoke ill of] for people who ask. If I can’t change their mind, I’ll do it. It allows me to keep cool pricing for everybody, to keep tattoo art something it SHOULD remain, that is, a POPULAR art form.
You can build up a realistic tattoo that is stable — P*** A*** and J*** G*** can do it, so it’s possible, but when you see older tattoos from D*** or S*** [edit: he’s naming top artists here and I don’t need another lawsuit], it’s nowhere that impressive. As a matter of fact, the “convention” tattoo artists don’t give a fuck, at least, a solid majority of them don’t. When you work mostly in your shop, you see people again, and therefore you can’t afford to mess up that bad. I would even say that *** *** Inks, as a whole concept, are just done for that — put in a single-pass easy color that will look cool till you’re paid, took your photo, and took part in the “Best of Day” competition… but it’s just the worst shit I’ve ever used. It’s a whole culture that is taking over, and it’s a shame, because everybody feels forced to adapt to it.
I agree whole-heartedly. Although I can’t say whether “convention artists” doing these pieces that fail once they heal are willfully committing fraud when they fill their portfolio with fresh pieces that look nothing like the healed examples, but that is what it amounts to, intended or not. I want to show the example that my friend shared with me. This is a fresh tattoo on the left from a well-respected artist, and on the right, the same tattoo not long afterwards. And to be honest, this example isn’t even that bad. I’ve seen loads of tattoos that fresh look world-class — I mean, the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen — from “name brand” tattoo masters, that look like scratcher garbage when healed.
If a tattoo artist’s portfolio contains nothing but fresh photos, consider it a warning sign — to say nothing of being paranoid about Photoshopping to pump up saturation and levels. And if your tattoo artist can not show you well-healed examples of their work, they are not someone you should be going to. You do not have the luxury of wearing a photograph of the fresh tattoo. You will be spending your life with the healed version, and if it doesn’t stand up to what you were expecting, it is you that will suffer. Insist on seeing healed photos!
Click to see that picture a little larger of course.
Edit/Update: Because I am sick and tired of people STILL claiming this is deception on my part, here are screencaps from Facebook showing both images in the tattoo artist’s gallery, full unedited versions, including the name of the artist. They may well have pulled the images by now, but these screen caps are accurate. Damn all the haters for dragging the artist’s name into this, because that was never the point of this.
Comments
260 responses to “Fraud in Tattooing”
no, there’s the same amount of teeth, a couple of them are just blurred together
no, there’s the same amount of teeth, a couple of them are just blurred together
no, there’s the same amount of teeth, a couple of them are just blurred together
no, there’s the same amount of teeth, a couple of them are just blurred together
There was a mountain of debate on Facebook about this, with a lot of people claiming they were different tattoos. They are not. For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).
Anyone saying these are different tattoos, you are wrong. That’s a sad comment in a number of ways. First it’s a sad comment on people’s reasoning skills and understanding of how tattoos heal — to me, because I understand tattoos, I can EASILY see these are the same tattoo. Second it’s a sad comment on how badly this tattoo failed. Third it’s a sad comment on how common shit copies are. But the fact remains they are THE SAME TATTOO.
If anyone wants to message me for proof, I’m happy to provide it.
And if anyone wants to get a laugh out of the TRAINWRECK of a conversation on FB, here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151159524787170&set=a.41995722169.50020.558577169&type=1
There was a mountain of debate on Facebook about this, with a lot of people claiming they were different tattoos. They are not. For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).
Anyone saying these are different tattoos, you are wrong. That’s a sad comment in a number of ways. First it’s a sad comment on people’s reasoning skills and understanding of how tattoos heal — to me, because I understand tattoos, I can EASILY see these are the same tattoo. Second it’s a sad comment on how badly this tattoo failed. Third it’s a sad comment on how common shit copies are. But the fact remains they are THE SAME TATTOO.
If anyone wants to message me for proof, I’m happy to provide it.
And if anyone wants to get a laugh out of the TRAINWRECK of a conversation on FB, here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151159524787170&set=a.41995722169.50020.558577169&type=1
There was a mountain of debate on Facebook about this, with a lot of people claiming they were different tattoos. They are not. For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).
Anyone saying these are different tattoos, you are wrong. That’s a sad comment in a number of ways. First it’s a sad comment on people’s reasoning skills and understanding of how tattoos heal — to me, because I understand tattoos, I can EASILY see these are the same tattoo. Second it’s a sad comment on how badly this tattoo failed. Third it’s a sad comment on how common shit copies are. But the fact remains they are THE SAME TATTOO.
If anyone wants to message me for proof, I’m happy to provide it.
And if anyone wants to get a laugh out of the TRAINWRECK of a conversation on FB, here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151159524787170&set=a.41995722169.50020.558577169&type=1
There was a mountain of debate on Facebook about this, with a lot of people claiming they were different tattoos. They are not. For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).
Anyone saying these are different tattoos, you are wrong. That’s a sad comment in a number of ways. First it’s a sad comment on people’s reasoning skills and understanding of how tattoos heal — to me, because I understand tattoos, I can EASILY see these are the same tattoo. Second it’s a sad comment on how badly this tattoo failed. Third it’s a sad comment on how common shit copies are. But the fact remains they are THE SAME TATTOO.
If anyone wants to message me for proof, I’m happy to provide it.
And if anyone wants to get a laugh out of the TRAINWRECK of a conversation on FB, here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151159524787170&set=a.41995722169.50020.558577169&type=1
The “count the teeth” argument is the funniest by far, because it makes be think people can’t count.
The “count the teeth” argument is the funniest by far, because it makes be think people can’t count.
The “count the teeth” argument is the funniest by far, because it makes be think people can’t count.
The “count the teeth” argument is the funniest by far, because it makes be think people can’t count.
Krystof – The way we know it wasn’t the client’s fault is that the healing is consistent. It’s not patchy or cracked like you’d have if someone got it wet and picked scabs and so on. More importantly, look at the healing in the eye. That’s the biggest tell. Anyway, I don’t have the energy to explain this again here, I’ve literally explained it a good hundred times in the last few days via messages and posts, but follow the link above for a lot more info that explains clearly how this happened.
Krystof – The way we know it wasn’t the client’s fault is that the healing is consistent. It’s not patchy or cracked like you’d have if someone got it wet and picked scabs and so on. More importantly, look at the healing in the eye. That’s the biggest tell. Anyway, I don’t have the energy to explain this again here, I’ve literally explained it a good hundred times in the last few days via messages and posts, but follow the link above for a lot more info that explains clearly how this happened.
Krystof – The way we know it wasn’t the client’s fault is that the healing is consistent. It’s not patchy or cracked like you’d have if someone got it wet and picked scabs and so on. More importantly, look at the healing in the eye. That’s the biggest tell. Anyway, I don’t have the energy to explain this again here, I’ve literally explained it a good hundred times in the last few days via messages and posts, but follow the link above for a lot more info that explains clearly how this happened.
Krystof – The way we know it wasn’t the client’s fault is that the healing is consistent. It’s not patchy or cracked like you’d have if someone got it wet and picked scabs and so on. More importantly, look at the healing in the eye. That’s the biggest tell. Anyway, I don’t have the energy to explain this again here, I’ve literally explained it a good hundred times in the last few days via messages and posts, but follow the link above for a lot more info that explains clearly how this happened.
Shannon: It’s surprising the number of “experienced” tattoo artists that can’t tell they’re same. Although given the language which they use, it shouldn’t be too surprising. I seriously got a headache trying to decipher the text-talk that some of them are using.
Shannon: It’s surprising the number of “experienced” tattoo artists that can’t tell they’re same. Although given the language which they use, it shouldn’t be too surprising. I seriously got a headache trying to decipher the text-talk that some of them are using.
Shannon: It’s surprising the number of “experienced” tattoo artists that can’t tell they’re same. Although given the language which they use, it shouldn’t be too surprising. I seriously got a headache trying to decipher the text-talk that some of them are using.
Shannon: It’s surprising the number of “experienced” tattoo artists that can’t tell they’re same. Although given the language which they use, it shouldn’t be too surprising. I seriously got a headache trying to decipher the text-talk that some of them are using.
there is no way these are the same tattoo. Just like other people said, count the teeth, look at the structure of the nose. You say you “know tattoos”, well your credibility just went down the shitter. The one on the left is obviously a horrendous copy of the one on the right.
there is no way these are the same tattoo. Just like other people said, count the teeth, look at the structure of the nose. You say you “know tattoos”, well your credibility just went down the shitter. The one on the left is obviously a horrendous copy of the one on the right.
there is no way these are the same tattoo. Just like other people said, count the teeth, look at the structure of the nose. You say you “know tattoos”, well your credibility just went down the shitter. The one on the left is obviously a horrendous copy of the one on the right.
there is no way these are the same tattoo. Just like other people said, count the teeth, look at the structure of the nose. You say you “know tattoos”, well your credibility just went down the shitter. The one on the left is obviously a horrendous copy of the one on the right.
Y’all are seriously retarded. These are obviously different tattoos.
How blind are you really Shannon? Get a little ink in your eye?
Id love to see your “proof” of these being the same.
BME has seriously gone down the drain. never coming back.
Y’all are seriously retarded. These are obviously different tattoos.
How blind are you really Shannon? Get a little ink in your eye?
Id love to see your “proof” of these being the same.
BME has seriously gone down the drain. never coming back.
Y’all are seriously retarded. These are obviously different tattoos.
How blind are you really Shannon? Get a little ink in your eye?
Id love to see your “proof” of these being the same.
BME has seriously gone down the drain. never coming back.
Y’all are seriously retarded. These are obviously different tattoos.
How blind are you really Shannon? Get a little ink in your eye?
Id love to see your “proof” of these being the same.
BME has seriously gone down the drain. never coming back.
I concede that they could be the same but only with a touch up. that isn’t purely a healed photo, if they are the same he has been back into it. black doesn’t pop up out of nowhere.
I concede that they could be the same but only with a touch up. that isn’t purely a healed photo, if they are the same he has been back into it. black doesn’t pop up out of nowhere.
I concede that they could be the same but only with a touch up. that isn’t purely a healed photo, if they are the same he has been back into it. black doesn’t pop up out of nowhere.
I concede that they could be the same but only with a touch up. that isn’t purely a healed photo, if they are the same he has been back into it. black doesn’t pop up out of nowhere.
Shannon would you extend the ‘fraud’ comment to scarification artists who generally keep a majority of only fresh cuttings in their portfolios and where the final product is often difficult to foresee as a desirable outcome?
Shannon would you extend the ‘fraud’ comment to scarification artists who generally keep a majority of only fresh cuttings in their portfolios and where the final product is often difficult to foresee as a desirable outcome?
Shannon would you extend the ‘fraud’ comment to scarification artists who generally keep a majority of only fresh cuttings in their portfolios and where the final product is often difficult to foresee as a desirable outcome?
Shannon would you extend the ‘fraud’ comment to scarification artists who generally keep a majority of only fresh cuttings in their portfolios and where the final product is often difficult to foresee as a desirable outcome?
now we’re crying over tattoo-convention-frauds…..but what about the travelling bodmod “artists” that ask big $ to leave you with unfinished mods, never healing, never replying emails, not believing my pics etc etc…..i’ve had 2 unlucky encounters but heard nothing but silence from this board lol …..
now we’re crying over tattoo-convention-frauds…..but what about the travelling bodmod “artists” that ask big $ to leave you with unfinished mods, never healing, never replying emails, not believing my pics etc etc…..i’ve had 2 unlucky encounters but heard nothing but silence from this board lol …..
now we’re crying over tattoo-convention-frauds…..but what about the travelling bodmod “artists” that ask big $ to leave you with unfinished mods, never healing, never replying emails, not believing my pics etc etc…..i’ve had 2 unlucky encounters but heard nothing but silence from this board lol …..
now we’re crying over tattoo-convention-frauds…..but what about the travelling bodmod “artists” that ask big $ to leave you with unfinished mods, never healing, never replying emails, not believing my pics etc etc…..i’ve had 2 unlucky encounters but heard nothing but silence from this board lol …..
Damn, that facebook discussion is a total clusterfuck. I can’t believe how many people have ignored previous comments before posting. That said, the difference between the healed and fresh is insane, and something I’d have never considered before.
Damn, that facebook discussion is a total clusterfuck. I can’t believe how many people have ignored previous comments before posting. That said, the difference between the healed and fresh is insane, and something I’d have never considered before.
Damn, that facebook discussion is a total clusterfuck. I can’t believe how many people have ignored previous comments before posting. That said, the difference between the healed and fresh is insane, and something I’d have never considered before.
Damn, that facebook discussion is a total clusterfuck. I can’t believe how many people have ignored previous comments before posting. That said, the difference between the healed and fresh is insane, and something I’d have never considered before.
“For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).”
Not true! I asked politely multiple times, and haven’t seen proof.
“For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).”
Not true! I asked politely multiple times, and haven’t seen proof.
“For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).”
Not true! I asked politely multiple times, and haven’t seen proof.
“For every person I sent them proof (the uncropped photos, and showing them the pictures in the artist’s portfolio as he added more work over time).”
Not true! I asked politely multiple times, and haven’t seen proof.
My big pet-peev is artists that cover dark, and even black tattoos up with light, even white tattoos. These artists must know full well that when healed the old tattoos will show. In essence they just added to the mess, but all they care about is getting paid. You can only go darker, never lighter. Unfortunately too many artists forget or even ignore this rule…..
My big pet-peev is artists that cover dark, and even black tattoos up with light, even white tattoos. These artists must know full well that when healed the old tattoos will show. In essence they just added to the mess, but all they care about is getting paid. You can only go darker, never lighter. Unfortunately too many artists forget or even ignore this rule…..