Most unproffesional experience in a tattoo parlour

Hibrion

Hi all, don't wanna get banned or anything but I think this is the sort of stuff the forum is for... it might be beneficial to others. If any mods think I'm being too harsh feel free to delete the post.

Went into snakebite recently to see about getting some work done by Pawell having liked the look of his portfolio.
I wanted to get some work done on an arm that already had a tatto on it. So I went in, talked to a guy in the shop, who was really sound, said I wanted to talk to Pawell about getting some work done. He proceeded to take me up to Pawell and said "just tell him what your looking for", I got as far as, "I was looking to get some work done on this arm" and he literally shouted "NO!" and laughed in my face. The other guy, who was genuinely really nice and seemed very embarrassed by Pawell's behaviour just said, "It's ok, just tell me what you were thinking of and I'm sure we can do something". As nice as the guy was at that stage I was in no mood to even consider getting tattoed there. When talking to another guy in the shop I commented on how rudely I had been treated and his answer was, "well he is an artist". I said, "yes but I am a customer and to be honest, someone who talks to people like that won't exactly be getting that many people queing up, there are more good artists in Dublin." The guy's answer was, "do you really think so...".
If I had been a younger, more impressionable, and a less confident guy, someone like that could have really destroyed my confidence in the tattooing industry.
Wow, that was long...

Basically I'm posting this here so people who have an interest in tattoos aren't put off them by guys like this. It would be a shame to think of the amount of impressionable people who have went home dissappointed in similar situations instead of trying out another studio with more professional artists.

Once again, I'm not trying to spread slander or lies, this is my exact experience. I think we owe it to each other to let people know both the good and bad experiences, we can all learn from them.

Star Lord

TBH that sounds like he was messing to me. My own experience with Pawel was very positive, but I know that some people have complained before about him not talking much or anything.

Hibrion

Trust me, he wasn't messing. The other guy, the sound one said they have had this problem with him before amd was quite apologetic for his behaviour.

Will

If we are going to allow this thread to continue gonna have to make sure that the person posting has had the bad/negative experience first hand themselves as Hibrion above. Any of this "my friend of a friend said such and such" stuff can't be tolerated. If people abide by these rules then the thread could be successful.

A caveat - Studios do read this forum, owners have in the past come on and tried to rectify issues or people making unfounded remarks. So don't expect to just get away scot free if you decide to make ludicrous statements never mind us the moderators...

Hibrion - it's a shame that happened. Go talk to other artists around, I'm sure most will be more than happy to do something up for you.

Hibrion

Thanks Will. I'm not trying to exhagerate or anything, just putting forward the facts, people can take what they want from it.
I now have a very good artist willing to do the tattoo. I posted this to pass on an experience and to make sure that people who are met with a similar situation aren't pushed away from tattooing by it.

Sofaspud

My first tattoo was done by Pavel and that attitude doesn't really surprise me.

I'll admit, because it was my first tattoo, I went into snakebite blindly because I heard it was a good studio (which it is).

My tattoo was supposed to be done by Denise (because she happened to be in when I booked the appointment) but she couldn't come in on the day of the tattooing, so they got Pavel to.

On the day, firstly he didn't seem at all like he gave a sh!t about me or the tattoo, it was like I was just a chore, so he sat talking to his friend in Hungarian (I think) and his friend was friendlier towards me than Pavel was, even though he only asked me if it was my first tattoo.
Half way through, he went for a smoke, then printed up some stuff for somebody else, leaving me there for about 20 minutes.

And while my tattoo wasn't really his style, it was fairly minimalist, yet he still managed to do bits of it badly. Some lines are uneven / jagged, incomplete in areas, and there were blowouts in places.

I do realise that he's a great artist for his style, and some people have great experiences with him, but personally, it just didn't go well for me.

Dirk Gently

I really want to comment but can't say a whole lot because of Wills stipulation, which is only right in fairness. All I can say is the OP's story sounds very familiar, even down to the very sound, almost apologetic second artist. A pity, he has a fantastic portfolio.

I'm still planning on going into him to get work done because his work is so good but I'll be ready to look else where if I get a similar reaction. More fool me perhaps, but he has undoubted skill and I want a nice job done on this particular piece.

Hibrion

Hope you get a more favorable reaction than I did. For me, the thought of having something permanently on my skin that reminds of such a negative experience made the decision to go elsewhere more than easy.

blacon9

Very disappointing to hear.

I regard kind attitudes and general manners from my tattooist as being pretty damn important, especially since youre trusting this person with your body.

Cheers for the heads up guys.

MizButtonz

Jeez, that sounds very unfair. What were you looking to get done?

Hawk Wing

blacon9 wrote: »

Very disappointing to hear.

I regard kind attitudes and general manners from my tattooist as being pretty damn important, especially since youre trusting this person with your body.

Cheers for the heads up guys.

Exactly

Hibrion

I didn't even get a chance to say what I wanted... as soon as he saw there was something on that arm at all he just said NO, and started laughing.

Ne way, was looking to get a sleeve done, combination of japanese style with some old school, kinda hard to explain.

Cookie Jar

I think tattoo/piercing parlour places are intimidating for new customers.
Customers are nervous usually so what may seem like a joke to artist seems rude to a customer as they are anxious.
Thats from my experience anyways.. had a similar experience as op just other day... went into ask about a tattoo (don't want to name shop) ... when I went up to the counter there was 3 artists standing around.. I asked can someone help me out with a tattoo, one of them literally laughed at me and said I wont find much help there. I thought it was very rude and made me feel unwelcomed. He then came over and talked to me and all was grand then.
I think I was nervous and imtimidated and took a simple joke up the wrong way.

blacon

I'd love to hear what shop youre talking about.

I really want to avoid any of them that treat customers that way.

Hibrion

It was snakebite, but I don't think they are all like that, just Pawell. One of the guys was actually very nice.

With regards to the experience being a joke from the artist... it wasn't, wish it had been. His rude manner and the embarrassment of the one sound guy there make this very clear. Not to mention the fact that he said directly to me, "we've had this problem with him before"!!

blacon9

Oh when i said "what shop youre talking about", i was referring to Cookie Jar who had a similar experience in another place, other than Snakebite.

I wana know what place that is so i can add it to my avoid list :P

Edgedinblue

I have to admit, and i know its not exact unproffesional but i dont like when artists just dont talk to you while doing your tattoo or even before hand.

While getting my stars done on my back by a polish guy back in navan he didnt once speak to me only to his friends in polish. I started gettin twitchy and not bored as such but kinda fidgety. It wasnt so id be distracted or anything i dont mind the feeling of tattoos being done i just like having a good aul natter. Saying that my stars are horribly off and badly need to be straightened out, all 21 of them! :rolleyes:

Hibrion

Sorry bout that blacon 9, my bad.

Cookie Jar

blacon9 wrote: »

Oh when i said "what shop youre talking about", i was referring to Cookie Jar who had a similar experience in another place, other than Snakebite.

I wana know what place that is so i can add it to my avoid list :P

I dont want to say as I dont think the place should be avoided. I was just trying to get the point across that sometimes things are taken the wrong way.

Ive had two tattoos and 2 piercings done in the place and have nothing bad to say about them!

Raze_them_all

Edgedinblue wrote: »

I have to admit, and i know its not exact unproffesional but i dont like when artists just dont talk to you while doing your tattoo or even before hand.

While getting my stars done on my back by a polish guy back in navan he didnt once speak to me only to his friends in polish. I started gettin twitchy and not bored as such but kinda fidgety. It wasnt so id be distracted or anything i dont mind the feeling of tattoos being done i just like having a good aul natter. Saying that my stars are horribly off and badly need to be straightened out, all 21 of them! :rolleyes:

Tbh I'd rather a tattooist not talk at all and fully concentrate on the job at hand

Edgedinblue

well true enough, and i understand that. but not even before hand? its a bit rude. a simple "hello how are ya?" would do. but saying that he didnt mind yapping away to his polish friends and fcuk up my stars!

stochen_gesicht

I've heard some negative things about some artists in Snakebite but really, I never take other people's experiences as my own! If I do decide to go there I'll make the decision out of my own judgement but it's no secret that some artists have a cockiness about them which can be described as - unfriendly!

I'm wondering if some of the artists just have language/culture difference goin on which means we can misinterpret stuff coz I went to another studio before (not naming names) and the artist I was talkin to came across as bein really rude and just generally uninterested! It was only when I discussed it with someone else that they mentioned his English wasnt the best and maybe that was the readon fr the vibe I got... Who knows!

Dirk Gently

stochen_gesicht wrote: »

I'm wondering if some of the artists just have language/culture difference goin on which means we can misinterpret stuff coz I went to another studio before (not naming names) and the artist I was talkin to came across as bein really rude and just generally uninterested! It was only when I discussed it with someone else that they mentioned his English wasnt the best and maybe that was the readon fr the vibe I got... Who knows!

Yeah, this is very true. Over the past few years I've dealt with a lot of foreign nationals. You notice after a while and learn to tell the differance between what at first appears like arrogance but is really just something as simple as dialect, use of language, culture etc. One of the most misunderstood groups is Nigerian people I feel. Sounds like they are making commands all the time and can sound very negative at first but when you learn to tell the differance between genuine arrogance or hostility and culture / language / dialect I find most people are generally sound enough. A lot of the misunderstanding can be put down to Irish peoples own ignorance of other cutures tbh.

This is one of the reasons I'm willing to give this guy a go dispite what's said here and from one or two of my friends. I know how easy it is to mistake a foreign nationals intentions, whether it be humour or even just people who express themselves more freely (honestly) than us reserved Irish. Everyone should have an open mind and give people a chance themselves before forming an opinion.

Having said all that he could still be really unfriendly, people should decide that for themselves after meeting the guy is all I'm saying.

Hibrion

Of course everyone should make their own minds up... but I don't care where your from or what you're used to, shouting NO at someone and then rudely laughing in their face before they even get to tell you what they want is not polite!!!

eviltimeban

My tattoo was also done by a non-Irish person, didn't have a problem with it myself, but it was kinda the same. A bit surly, would go off for a smoke occasionally (which I didn't mind, after 2 hours work I needed a break), and have conversations with the other artist from the same country as him in his language. But because I was getting a big work done eventually we became quite friendly and I got his humour and his style. To the point where I'd be able to slag him back Irish-style. But I'm in my 30s, pretty thick skinned, so I can only imagine how intimidated a younger person would be, especially as tattoo shops can be pretty intimidating to start with.

Will

Been waiting to reply to this and have my own personal experiences. Also maybe a view people haven't thought about.

I lived in France for a year. French isn't my native language. I had to speak it though as it is after all France. With fluency comes manners and a finesse, which I would imagine most aren't aware of or maybe haven't thought about. I would go into shops and say as best as I could "could I have some bread please" or whatever. When I first moved there and for along while after all I could say was "bread, please". I'm sure this came across as very abrupt and possibly even rude to native French speakers. As I got on with life over there I learned more but even still I was abrupt. Not through rudeness but a lack of vocabulary. I'm sure foreign artists over here are in the same boat as I was in France. I was shy about speaking French, I wasn't confident in my ability to converse properly with native speakers and I'm damn sure I came across very abrupt maybe even rude on many occasions.

Just food for thought about those saying that some artists are being rude.

Now was in snakebite myself today. Getting tattooed by Pawel. Have been tattooed by him previously and will be tattooed by him again next week. The first time he was very jovial, happy and chatty. It was clear (to me) that he isn't very confident in his English abilities, but he made an effort to chat and joke with me. As I did with him. We won't be bosom buddies or anything but it was a pleasurable experience and he seemed like sound guy. I was apprehensive the first time as I had heard that he wasn't the most chatty guy in the land, but my first experience was as I said a good one.

Today I was getting tattooed by him. He wasn't very chatty, he spoke to his Polish mates and went out for a rare smoke. He also talked with me a bit, not as much as the first time but he did. I asked him about what colours he was thinking about putting in, design ideas etc. He asked me was I ok etc. etc. It went both ways. To most he may have come off rude but having been in the same boat as him in a foreign country I know what it's like to try chat with locals even about simple things and not have the finesse I was talking about.

Ah I see other's have pointed out the language barriers, shoite I'm tired. Anywho thus far my experience with Pawel has been a nice one. I've had more rude encounters with Irish staff in studios tbh. Rock star attitudes and such.

Hibrion

lads i think ye are focusing on ethnicity far to much, it really doesn't come into BASIC manners.

Will

Main focus for me was language barriers. Pawel is taking time out from tattooing now, from next Saturday.