So
I got a tattoo today.
It's
something that I've been wanting for a couple of years now. It's an image
from the inlay of Current 93's album, "As The World Disappears". Well,
Rob opted to give it to me for Christmas.
This
meant going to a tattooist in Chicago, which I had reservations about.
First,
let me give you a brief history of myself and my tattoos.
The
first piece I ever got was from T. in Austin. T. was a slightly grizzled
fellow with a lot of tribal work all over his body, including his face.
He had an altar right next to the chair. T. was great for calming the amateur
jitters. He did a beautiful job on a piece designed by my dear friend,
Nate. A month later, I came back with another piece: it was
a Posada woodcut (the one of the bishop) and I got it the night before
I left town. T. did a fast job yet accurate and gentle, as I got into a
meditative state.
After
I moved to Chicago, I was a bit undecided about who I wanted to do my next
piece. I knew there were a lot of tattooists that were supposed to
be very technically good but I didn't want someone who just had a good
hand, I wanted someone who cared as much about giving a tattoo as I did
about getting one. I looked around, but most of the studios had an
assembly line feel. One of them was in a touristy area of town and while
I got an okay vibe from the artists, I didn't want suburbanites gawking
at me.
N8
and Bekka recomended a tattooist from Wonderland, in Detroit. His name
was Rob. I wanted an image from Jhonen Vasquez's comic, I Feel Sick. I
made an appointment. So, we braved Rob's mom's teasings and suggestions
of a little butterfly instead, and went to get the piece done. Rob absolutely
loved the piece. Wonderland was a great place. It's the kind of shop where
you expect to see a "no wimps" sign up. There was a sign which read
"Good tattoos are not cheap. Cheap tattoos are not good." He got to work.
If I started to get dizzy (I suspect I have low blood sugar, so this is
not an uncommon thing. It's why I seldom am without candy.) he happily
took a break and brought me candy. Then he got back to work. At one point,
a sorority girl was picking the flash design that she wanted. One of the
tatttooists said to Rob (about me) "you're taking a long time with
that piece."
"Sure,"
he said, loud enough so everyone could hear. "These people came all the
way from Chicago. I'm not going to rush through it. I'll save that for
people who pick shit off the walls!" Rob is a man who had a profound commitment
to tattooing. He was a very real person, no time for bullshit. He spent
three hours on that piece. Only charged $140. too. I can't sing his
praises loud enough.
So
why didn't I go to him this time?
Impatience
I guess. The Current 93 image was fairly simple in design. And I didn't
want to wait a couple months to get it.
So
I picked a place near Katerina's. I'd been referred by a waiter at a local
hang out spot.
I walked
in. It was an okay place but there wasn't anything that really screamed
"character". It was a nice shop, clean, and it had some interesting paintings
on the wall. I met the artist and showed him the piece. He looked at it,
asked a few basic questions about what I wanted and worked on the stencil.
He was a bit younger than I'm used to, which isn't necessarily a bad thing,
but I am more used to the weathered, biker types. We talked
a little, but not much. He did good work, but there was never anything
particularly enthused about him or for that matter, anyone in the shop.
Everyone there seemed to just be doing their job, not their passion. I
couldn't picture any of them as tattooists. At one point, I overheard one
of the tattooists saying "you don't have to be good at art, just be able
to trace." Trace? Trace?!? He just reduced his profession to tracers?
If I hadn't been under the needle, I would have fallen out of my chair!
Afterwards, I looked at the piece. It was beautiful. I'm very happy with
the tattoo. But I have to say, I was disappointed with the bedside manner.
It was good work, but I would have liked to see the tattooist enjoy the
piece as much as I do.
Ah
well. My next piece will be in July. I'm going to get an etching my late
sister did tattooed on my left shoulder. I figure it would be a nice way
to remember her, and besides this particular piece has inspired me for
years. I think I'll go to Wonderland when I get it.
january
pontifications