Great customer service and fantastic custom art!When I knew I'd be in Portland twice in one month, it seemed like a good opportunity to find a shop and plan a new piece. I researched several tattoo sh... Read More
Great customer service and fantastic custom art!When I knew I'd be in Portland twice in one month, it seemed like a good opportunity to find a shop and plan a new piece. I researched several tattoo shops online and decided to visit Martian Arts first. Everyone in the shop greeted me with a smile and a hello, and Jerry jumped up to help with the staff portfolios and answer questions. The shop was super clean, well organized, and had plenty of character. The next day I dropped by to talk about the concept I wanted, and Jerry Martian and Dan Donaldson took great notes and asked lots of questions. Since I wasn't sure which artist would be the best fit, they agreed to discuss it with the staff and see who was most excited about the concept. Dan contacted me the next day to let me know he'd be doing the work, and he asked a few more questions before starting his research. His first draft was even better than I was expecting, and over the course of the next three weeks, we emailed back and forth to tweak the concept. Knowing exactly what I was getting in advance was so much less stressful than settling for whatever can be drawn up while you wait.We scheduled my appointment for my second trip, and Dan blocked off the whole day just in case. When I arrived, all the artists were getting into full swing, and the shop was a pleasant buzz of activity, with good background music. Though the session was about five hours, the conversation was enjoyable, and Dan took his time to get everything perfect. Since I was flying back home the next day, Dan and another artist took special care to apply a breathable but waterproof adhesive wrap that can be kept for up to 48 hours, and the result was great.As we were wrapping up, a couple of my friends dropped in to see the end result, and they were shocked at Dan's mastery of the watercolor/shading on my comic-inspired piece. And they were more shocked that at the end of a long day, he took time to talk with them about the technique, show them the staff portfolios, and make some suggestions about a cover up one of them was considering. She'll be back this week to start planning a piece.I'm already thinking about my next visit. With any luck, we can come up with something that involves a collaboration of several Martian artists. They all do great work, and you can tell they love it! Can't wait to get back! Read Less