I'm kind of a nerdy researcher (even with tattoos) so it took me months to finally land on an artist and shop that I felt like was a good fit for the art I wanted on my arm. There were several factor... Read More
I'm kind of a nerdy researcher (even with tattoos) so it took me months to finally land on an artist and shop that I felt like was a good fit for the art I wanted on my arm. There were several factors that went into my decision-making process and I could go on and on about what I looked for and how I happened upon Mile High Ink but here is what you're probably most interested in:
(1) Cleanliness: 5/5 - Mile High Ink was extremely clean, professional, and obviously concerned about exceeding health standards. We had a group of three people that got tattoos and Ben took the time to properly set up, break down, clean, and sanitize the entire space before we started, between sit-downs, and after we were done. I was highly impressed and didn't feel dirty or unsafe for even a second.
(2) Professionalism: 5/5 - I reached out to Ben via Facebook Message several days before our arrival in Denver from Dallas to give him an idea of what we were looking for and to see if he had any availability. He wrote back within hours and was very kind, professional, and accommodating. He moved some things around in his schedule to clear several hours for us to come to the shop for our art and never made me feel like an inconvenience for messaging instead of calling or coming in. Once we got there, he immediately made us all feel comfortable, gave us some snacks, turned on some music from the band we had travelled to see at Red Rocks, and just made us feel welcome, comfortable, and at home. I never felt weird, out of my element, or judged in his shop.
(3) Artwork: 5/5 - I came to Ben with a vague idea of what I was looking for and sent him 3-4 samples that I wanted to somehow meld together and integrate into a tattoo as well as a song with lyrics that specifically related to what I was looking for. Within hours he messaged me back with a "rough draft" of what he had in mind and it blew me away - it was exactly what I had in mind and was as if he reached into my brain and pulled out the details and artistry that I couldn't quite put into words. We didn't even have to edit it - we went entirely with his sketch and it was perfect. The number of compliments I have had on it is unreal.
(4) Price: 5/5 - I hesitate to even rate on price because it is so subjective. You get what you pay for and if you're shopping for a tattoo based on price you may want to reconsider whether you're looking for a piece of art or a good deal and what your "good deal" may end up looking like in 20 years. That said, my husband and I both sat for an hour each (tattoos are priced based on an hourly rate) and I expected to pay significantly more than what we did based on the level of professionalism and how awesome the art was. I would have happily paid it, too.
Bottom line: 5/5 - I would highly, highly recommend Ben and Mile High Ink if you have high standards and are looking for a quality piece of art. The shop is clean, the owner is accommodating, and the artistry was top-notch. I wouldn't hesitate to go back. Read Less