I knew what I wanted to do with the tattoo on my shoulders, so I turned to you all, my trusty yelpers, to find a good shop. Although other shops in the area had good reviews, there was an occaisional ... Read More
I knew what I wanted to do with the tattoo on my shoulders, so I turned to you all, my trusty yelpers, to find a good shop. Although other shops in the area had good reviews, there was an occaisional mention in each of their review collections of arrogant attitude, which is an absolute deal breaker for me when it comes to tattoos. I have had a lot of tattoos over the course of my life, both in professional shops and in people's garages, LOL. What I have come to find is that the attitude of the tattoo artist has absolutely nothing to do with their skill level. I was out to find a quality, talented, tattoo artist who wouldn't treat me like I was lucky to have a few minutes of his time. Workhorse was the 1st on my list to check out. I had three shops I was going to visit that day and make my decision from there. After my visit to Workhorse, I decided there was no reason to go anywhere else. Eric greeted me at the counter with a smile and bouncy enthusiasm. He put me at ease with his years of experience and quick understanding of what it was I was going for. I made an appointment right then and there to get started.I waited until after my 2nd appointment to leave this review, because after my 1st appointment I wasn't 100% sure. During round one the conversation was amazing, he helped me keep my mind off the pain. In his words: tattoos don't feel like puppy kisses! The line thickness was a little bit more than I wanted in the 1st appointment, which I didn't really realize until later. I came in to visit with him before the 2nd appointment and explained, and he was completely understanding rather than defensive.In the 2nd sitting he made the tweaks that I had asked for to the design and altered his artwork to my exact specifications. I really felt heard, and I think it's safe to say he wants me to like his work as much as I want to like my tattoo!On the second visit I brought my husband to the shop, and they made him feel welcome as well. I don't really know the guys at the shop other than Eric, but they have been really friendly and funny with me. Despite me not being a first timer, I get a little nervous at tattoo time. I mean, Hey, these suckers hurt and they're perminant! The guys in the shop are all really funny and welcoming. Not a trace of attitude, just a few artists who believe in their work and enjoy what they do. They made me feel right at home!We definitely have a lot of work to go, and this is going to be an expensive process. But you definitely get what you pay for, and considering you have to live with it forever ever, I have to say hes totally worth it. It's going to take a couple of months to get all of this work done, but I will be sure to leave a follow up review and pictures at that time.It should also be said that this is an independent shop owned by the 3 artists who work there. The reason this is important to me is not just that I am a huge supporter of local business, but the artists really run the show here. There are no corporate bottom lines or cheap equipment being used because the artists are driving the train. Highly recommend if you need some fully custom work! Read Less