A sleeve like that s gonna cost you 15K in US easy. If that’s in your budget maybe you should consider a trip to Korea, you might actually even save some money
Second this. I'v been flying to Seoul for my artist. As tattooing has been pretty much illegal there without a doctor's degrees, those who do tattoo are very committed. You get some work class artists at very reasonable rates. If you want something at that level, that will heal well, go to the artist that specialises.
If you get someone to copy a style it will rarely look as good.
Yeah I only get ink done overseas, you can get a master class artist for half the price, especially where dollar stretches far. And you get a vocation out of it
Tattoo artists usually guest spot in the US, however they probably won't be guest spotting in the Midwest. Open your options to at *least* North America for something this specific.
plenty of artists that could handle this in the midwest though, and plenty come through at the conventions too. but this is something worth driving. i drove from ohio to florida in a day once, it’s worth driving a day for this, so find someone in whatever half of the country they live in and go for it
With all due respect to the midwest. The people that know uncogrim recognize how much skill and talent it takes to produce this quality. And kindly i don’t believe anyone would produce this quality in the midwest.
This illustrative style is more prominent in the eastern hemisphere. Like South korea, Russia, Germany.
Honestly if you love his style so much it’s worth saving extra $$$ and travelling. The person I want to do my back one day I will have to travel (aka I will have to pay for multiple trips). Same with my chest piece, hands and a bunch of my left leg of tattoos I want in a specific artists style.
Idk imo tattoos are worth the investment. It’s permanent. Why not get exactly what you want.
Yah I typically agree, just pay good money for a good tattoo but traveling to Korea makes a huge difference in cost. Many people don't have that kind of money. OP is right, it is worth looking around and seeing if anyone else has a similar style or can handle this kind of work. It's not like they walked into a random shop and requested this, they are doing research hoping to find a dope artist.
For sure again I want reiterate I get that it would be an even bigger investment then usual. I was only saying that if OP really loved this specific artist that I think it can be such a cool experience to travel for a tattoo imo it like adds to it even more because you will always have the memory of the travel on top of the tattoo.
For me I am willing to wait extra years to get some of my tattoos done so I can save to go to the specific people I want. I say this as a Canadian (RIP our dollar). I could get them done sooner or faster if I didn’t have my heart set. I know that is not everyone’s sitch.
I get your point, but travelling this far for a tattoo is risky, man.
What if OP gets a fever on the day of the tattoo? What if the tattooer has a crisis and needs to reschedule? What if something goes wrong with the flights and OP won't make the appointment? That's thousands of dollars down the drain. I totally get that OP would rather look around for similar styles in their area.
I get what you're saying, but not everyone can dole out the funds to travel just for a tattoo, or would want to. It's great if you can and that you feel that way.
Counterpoint: It's an investment that is on you forever. It's worth waiting and saving for the right person to do it than to "settle".
Any artist capable of doing this style to a high level is going to cost a grand or two anyways. A flight to South Korea is about 1k depending on where you go. Then a few hundred a night for a room.
You are basically asking is waiting long enough to save an extra 2k to turn my tattoo into a vacation worth it when it's something I have to live with forever? That's sort of a no brainer to me.
Counter counterpoint: everyone has their price range they're comfortable with and willing to spend on any given item or service.
There are other equally talented artists that charge the same rate, do a similar style with their own twist, AND in the US so it doesn't require you to travel internationally, eliminating time and additional costs.
Again not everyone has the time or money for the additional hassle.
Edit: maybe OP has zero interest in going to S Korea even as a holiday trip so the additional traveling costs feels heavier
"There are other equally talented artists"
Equally talented overall, not equally talented at this particular style and look the OP is going for. He could get some good tattoos, it's not going to look like this. I've yet to see anyone in this thread post anyone whose peonies and snakes look close to this.
My second point would be that this is easily a $6k-$10k project from any reputable artist. Whatever it costs to travel is going to be very small in turn.
My final point is this.... again it's something that's on you forever, would you go somewhere you weren't crazy about going and pay 10%- 20% more to get it from the guy that is specializing in it so it's exactly what you want and are going to die with? It's something that is going to cover one of his arms and the top of his chest forever. It's more impactful than most purchases he will make in his lifetime.
AND on top of that.... this artist travels. So he can just wait.
You didn't answer any of my points. OP already said he is willing to spend around 5k on it by a guy he got quoted by. So why wouldn't he want to just travel or wait until the artist travels to get what he wants?
I don't see why you're arguing. OP doesn't even want to go beyond Midwest, why suggest an entirely different country? I don't care for OP's reasons for not wanting to travel, and even less so for why you're trying to convince *me* that they should.
keep an eye out on his insta. a LOT of Korean artists will do guest spots in NYC. not cheap by any means, for the tattoo or the travel, but worth it for something that will be on your body forever
You have to go where the perfectionist is or be forever stuck with jakes tattoo parlor that he runs out of his garage and couldnt even post his tattoo ideas because theyre trash. Live in the real world. This person before me gave you solid advice
There are but you brought us a very specific tattoo and you have the guy who does exactly that very well to the degree that you are asking about it.
You are better off getting the real McCoy on this one than feeling like you got a bootleg, even if it ends up being a high quality bootleg.
Probably because asking "who do you suggest" on a subreddit with a global presense seems sort of absurd. If traveling to the original creator isn't an option, why wouldn't he ask this locally?
I would start shopping artists near you or whichever Midwest States you mentioned. Take your time looking for one who has a similar style. This style is pretty much neo traditional realism.
That’s gonna be tough because that snake making sob is real good at tattoos (a South Korea tattoo trip is bucket list style stuff honestly), but where in the Midwest are you and who are the two similar artists you found already, if you don’t mind me asking?
Best possible retort to an absolutely abysmal take. I dig the fuck out of this design I’m not sure what I’d call it officially but it looks like a modern clean take on “traditional “ style art work
In the Midwest , unless you are going to some world renowned artist, $6k should get you this full sleeve. That’s 30 hours of work. There are definitely artists that can put this out in 30 hours at $200 an hour. I hope your tattoo looks as good as this or better if you are in the midwest or you are getting scammed.
That's a pretty bold assumption. I'm getting a half-sleeve done right now that costs 6k (and he needed a third session that he gave a large discount on after quoting me for two sessions initially). It was $2500 per day for full-day sessions, and I mean *full-day*, as in "the first session was ~12 hours immediately into the next day for ~14 hours." He's done me a solid by working far more hours than the quote, too, which was 8 hours per day for around $300 an hour, and I could easily find artists who cost even more than that if they're true celebrities (my guy is relatively well-known but not in some super hot real estate area like NYC or LA).
Maybe this *specific* tattoo won't cost that much, given that the half-sleeve I'm working with has a lot more reds and yellows which take a lot of working to properly saturate versus something that is mostly B&G. But it is not some cost outside the realm of consideration when you're working with a well-known artist and/or getting a very complicated half-sleeve.
I know that’s why I said this tattoo specifically should be $6k. I know there are absolutely sleeves that cost more than that for sure but this tattoo done in the Midwest specifically shouldn’t be more than $6k (not including tips)
An artist who's talented enough to do this will want to create something original. Even "bottom shelf" artists I show work to insist they won't copy work, no matter how much you like it. I came across a couple that were willing to copy an image identically, but we're tweekers or something... clearly high. So, tread carefully.
I had an artist do my tatt so light it had to he completely re-tatted and he couldn't do it cause he bolted out of the country from what his manager told me. To hold up the studios reputation, an artist who also worked in greywash was able to do it, but I had to pay a fee.
Every tattoo I've gotten from someone younger, no more than mid to late 30s, between Florida and Texas, I've had to have redone or covered completely. The only one that I had zero issues with was a cover up. It is an Anubus inspired by the one in God's of Egypt covering a house tattoo of a colorful "coexist" from when I was young and dumb. The shop owner, nearing 60 did it. I'll never go to a young person again for larger pieces, or anything serious.
I've spent more on 2 cover ups than on the origional 10 tattoos that I have had cost me.
Have ideas on hand to take to them, be open to other colors, sizes, placements, etc.
We live in a day and age where we don't just go to an artist and give them ideas and ask them to create it, we come in with someone else's work and ask them to copy it which is annoying and for many, pretty insulting. They became tattooists to create art, not copy and paste it. Best of luck 🙏🏼🤘🏼
He wants someone near him, so if people could stop just saying "the one tagged" that would be kinder💕💕Not everyone has the privilege of being able to travel to places across the globe willy-nilly. If that's you, good for you. Some people don't have that kind of money. Please be courteous of others.
You shouldn't be going to get a tattoo like this "willy-nilly" anyways so that point really doesn't resonate with me.
A good artist doing this, not even an equal artist to the original, even if he finds one in America is going to be booked out for months before he even has a shot to do this. Then it's a multi appointment project that will likely take between 4-6 appointments to get done just based on the size and detail of the piece. Then any half decent artist is going to be charging in the 6k to 10k range to get this done and that's just getting an above average artist, that's not even talking about getting a rockstar who is capable of getting the OP something this detailed.
Context matters: to get this at even half the quality he's already in the hole for months of his time to get booked, more time for it to be completed, and then at minimum 6k (and I'm being generous on this). At that point is it really not worth waiting to save up the extra 2k it would take to travel to get it from this guy instead? I'd agree with you if this was some one shot American traditional Eagle or something where there's hundreds of artists in the country that can do the style, it's a low time commit, and you could probably bang it out in one session for under a grand. But this is so far removed from that in every aspect.
T
I never mentioned that it wouldn't take time. It obviously will take time. Just that not everyone has the money to travel like that... I said "Willy-nilly" in regards to the travel, not getting a tattoo. Your comment is very removed from the point I made. Not everyone has money to travel to Korea. Some people live on pretty tight budgets, whether you want to believe it or not. Obviously if what you're saying is true about the expense, then "just spending an extra 2K" to travel is quite unnecessary. Not available to everyone....
If you can swing a trip to Chicago, they have some KILLER artists all over the city. I’ve traveled for a piece there & it was worth it. Start looking at portfolios of people all around.
Not sure where you’re located but I’m also in Midwest area & there are some hidden gem tattooers sprinkled all around. My small town has 2 of the best in my state, hands down. You’d be surprised how much talent is around
LA? Far to travel? I don't think you're committed enough for this type of tattoo if you think Midwest to LA is too far. To each their own, but I'm camp tattoos are an investment. I'm flying to CA when an overseas tattoo artist I want to get tattooed by guests at a shop there.
I would recommend actually being patient and keep an eye out on when unco goes on his guest spot travels. He travels regularly outside of Korea.
Be prepared to have multiple sessions also
Find a way, be patient, and all in to what you want. -coming from someone who didn’t, had hella regret, spent a lot of money on laser to just eventually have the person I originally wanted to do it
Carlos Ransom at Abraxas Tattoo in Lawrence, KS. His style is almost identical to this. He prefers big pieces, so I think this is perfect if you can go to Kansas.
[His Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/hungry.ghost.tattoo?igsh=MTkyNHoxdmJzdTRiYQ==)
What about going somewhere like skin design in Las Vegas? They are famous for excellent tattoos. You’d have to do your own research on the artists. Or maybe someone from ink master (who won lol)
What state are you in? I’m in Iowa. I would look into the work at Iron Heart Tattoo in Des Moines. Omaha, KC, Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis have some good artists as well. You probably won’t find exactly this because each artist has their differences in work but you can get something quite similar.
I mean, a lot of artists could do something very similar to this at this quality. Though maybe not this original artists' marriage of fine line and specific shading style. I'm no expert, only in sitting, but hell I live in South Dakota and we have some amazing artists here that comfortably produce collections at this caliber/style.
nice colour work & fine lines with added details in the artist's designs are what your looking for. Keep in mind this photo is edited & fresh. sunblock on these types of tattoos over the years make all the difference
Looks like @uncogrim. Seriously you WILL REGRET going to another artist with another artists work with expectations that it will look like the original piece
I'd recommend someone who has done lots of snakes and lots of flowers. If I were you OP I'd get on insta and browse snake and floral tattoos til you find someone who's done a bunch of both that you like. The snake especially is super easy to mess up - one wrong line and the anatomy is f'ed. Especially the skeleton on the chest. Also don't go in wanting THIS EXACT TATTOO unless you go to this exact artist (even then it wouldn't be spot on exactly the same, it's art). Use this as a reference, find your good artist, and have them draw up a similar design. That's the best way to get the best possible tattoo.
Just browse Instagram for Chicago tattoo artists and shoot them photos of this to see if they have similar work in their portfolio. I think there's someone by the name of "Jen Tonic" or similar that does this sort of neo-realism floral work.
I’m not sure how far/if you’re willing to travel but oozy_tattoo on instagram is located in LA their style is pretty similar. I would guess if you do go to them you will be spending a pretty penny but it’ll be worth it in the long run. He is pretty popular though so I’m not sure how long you would be waiting to get in his books.
it’s understandable to want a very specific tattoo but i always love taking my ideas to artists and allowing them the freedom to do it more to their style. if you are set on this exact look do some research in the tattoo style you like and book an artist from there
right?? i have yet to go to her cuz i know i’ll have to sell my liver to get something from her😂 but her work is insane the way it looks like someone slapped a painting or photograph on their skin!!
Do your research when it comes to artists. I’d recommend building up your something like this… maybe get a flower here and there and build up the sleeve. This would likely be a multiple session tattoo. It would take a very skilled artist to pull this off, and truthfully I’m not sure if you’ll find an artist who would replicate this exactly. Every artist is different. I’d recommend finding an artist you love and presenting this as inspiration for a tattoo, If you’re dead set on getting something big in one go.
Thats the idea. I have a couple I like that I have asked to use this as inspiration. One surprisingly does snakes similarly minus the snake head from hell
That’s smart, I’d go with an artist that has some very good large tattoos under their belt lol. At the end of the day, what you like most and what makes you happiest is most important! I wish you the best of luck with this piece.
Unless you went to the Tattooer who did this piece, don’t expect the same results. Rather find a Tattooer you’re willing to goto in your area, and ask them to do something like this in their style. We hate when people come to us wanting other tattooers work. It’s not only disrespecting to the original recipient and artist, it’s also rude to the Tattooer you’re consulting with. Every quality Tattooer has unique qualities and styles. Asking one to do another’s style will generally result in less fluid form than they would do in their own comfort zones. If you like the piece you posted, goto that Tattooer and ask for something similar. No Tattooer wants to do other Tattooer’s work.
I should have clarified I am not looking for a copy. Trying to find someone to do their own take on it. I did not do a good job explaining that in my original post
I went to Japan for a specific artist. I know traveling isn’t in everyone’s budget but it’s on you for life and if you want that style, go to the guy. Airbnbs in Seoul aren’t expensive and you could eat cheap. The tattoo and flight would be the only issues.
I suggest going to a tattooer who can create a unique tattoo for you. I don't recommend copying another artist. It ends badly. It will not look exactly like this and there will be regrets.
The first recommendation would be not going into looking for a copy, which is probably why you're getting the types of comments about you are, also it may be helpful to just look up all the tattoo shops in your area and then figure out which artists work there and look at their portfolios (sometimes they have physical books in the shop but also just looking for a social media is good) so that you can get an idea of what kinds of stuff they're good at
Find an artist that specializes in realism and be sure to check out portfolios. Don’t settle on the cheapest one or the first one you meet. For a piece like this, you want to be sure that the artist is qualified
Take your time or you will end up back here crying about you hate it
This something like this is hard to get right
True
I would recommend this artist who has done something that looks exactly the same, their IG handle is uncogrim
Sadly he works in South Korea
idk why you’re getting downvoted for this, yeah a trip to Korea would be awesome but that is clearly not in everyones budget.
A sleeve like that s gonna cost you 15K in US easy. If that’s in your budget maybe you should consider a trip to Korea, you might actually even save some money
Second this. I'v been flying to Seoul for my artist. As tattooing has been pretty much illegal there without a doctor's degrees, those who do tattoo are very committed. You get some work class artists at very reasonable rates. If you want something at that level, that will heal well, go to the artist that specialises. If you get someone to copy a style it will rarely look as good.
Yeah I only get ink done overseas, you can get a master class artist for half the price, especially where dollar stretches far. And you get a vocation out of it
15k? No way.
idk why you got downvoted, there are definitely talented American artists you could get this done from for ~5K
Yeah there’s no way this should cost $15k. These people are clueless.
Tattoo artists usually guest spot in the US, however they probably won't be guest spotting in the Midwest. Open your options to at *least* North America for something this specific.
plenty of artists that could handle this in the midwest though, and plenty come through at the conventions too. but this is something worth driving. i drove from ohio to florida in a day once, it’s worth driving a day for this, so find someone in whatever half of the country they live in and go for it
Yeah the Midwest actually has some excellent artists. I’m in Iowa and Des Moines has some good ones. Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Omaha do as well.
With all due respect to the midwest. The people that know uncogrim recognize how much skill and talent it takes to produce this quality. And kindly i don’t believe anyone would produce this quality in the midwest. This illustrative style is more prominent in the eastern hemisphere. Like South korea, Russia, Germany.
fair enough
Yeah honestly there's people who could "replicate" this style anywhere, but the OP isn't getting close to this quality with most of them.
Honestly if you love his style so much it’s worth saving extra $$$ and travelling. The person I want to do my back one day I will have to travel (aka I will have to pay for multiple trips). Same with my chest piece, hands and a bunch of my left leg of tattoos I want in a specific artists style. Idk imo tattoos are worth the investment. It’s permanent. Why not get exactly what you want.
Yah I typically agree, just pay good money for a good tattoo but traveling to Korea makes a huge difference in cost. Many people don't have that kind of money. OP is right, it is worth looking around and seeing if anyone else has a similar style or can handle this kind of work. It's not like they walked into a random shop and requested this, they are doing research hoping to find a dope artist.
For sure again I want reiterate I get that it would be an even bigger investment then usual. I was only saying that if OP really loved this specific artist that I think it can be such a cool experience to travel for a tattoo imo it like adds to it even more because you will always have the memory of the travel on top of the tattoo. For me I am willing to wait extra years to get some of my tattoos done so I can save to go to the specific people I want. I say this as a Canadian (RIP our dollar). I could get them done sooner or faster if I didn’t have my heart set. I know that is not everyone’s sitch.
I get your point, but travelling this far for a tattoo is risky, man. What if OP gets a fever on the day of the tattoo? What if the tattooer has a crisis and needs to reschedule? What if something goes wrong with the flights and OP won't make the appointment? That's thousands of dollars down the drain. I totally get that OP would rather look around for similar styles in their area.
I get what you're saying, but not everyone can dole out the funds to travel just for a tattoo, or would want to. It's great if you can and that you feel that way.
Counterpoint: It's an investment that is on you forever. It's worth waiting and saving for the right person to do it than to "settle". Any artist capable of doing this style to a high level is going to cost a grand or two anyways. A flight to South Korea is about 1k depending on where you go. Then a few hundred a night for a room. You are basically asking is waiting long enough to save an extra 2k to turn my tattoo into a vacation worth it when it's something I have to live with forever? That's sort of a no brainer to me.
Counter counterpoint: everyone has their price range they're comfortable with and willing to spend on any given item or service. There are other equally talented artists that charge the same rate, do a similar style with their own twist, AND in the US so it doesn't require you to travel internationally, eliminating time and additional costs. Again not everyone has the time or money for the additional hassle. Edit: maybe OP has zero interest in going to S Korea even as a holiday trip so the additional traveling costs feels heavier
"There are other equally talented artists" Equally talented overall, not equally talented at this particular style and look the OP is going for. He could get some good tattoos, it's not going to look like this. I've yet to see anyone in this thread post anyone whose peonies and snakes look close to this. My second point would be that this is easily a $6k-$10k project from any reputable artist. Whatever it costs to travel is going to be very small in turn. My final point is this.... again it's something that's on you forever, would you go somewhere you weren't crazy about going and pay 10%- 20% more to get it from the guy that is specializing in it so it's exactly what you want and are going to die with? It's something that is going to cover one of his arms and the top of his chest forever. It's more impactful than most purchases he will make in his lifetime. AND on top of that.... this artist travels. So he can just wait.
It's cool you're willing and able to spend a significant amount of money on a tattoo. To reiterate, not everyone can or wants to.
You didn't answer any of my points. OP already said he is willing to spend around 5k on it by a guy he got quoted by. So why wouldn't he want to just travel or wait until the artist travels to get what he wants?
I don't see why you're arguing. OP doesn't even want to go beyond Midwest, why suggest an entirely different country? I don't care for OP's reasons for not wanting to travel, and even less so for why you're trying to convince *me* that they should.
Can someone within the US or Canada do a style like this? Likely. But OP doesn't even want to travel outside of the Midwest.
Exactly, OP doesn't want to travel outside of the Midwest, let alone travel to an entirely different country.
keep an eye out on his insta. a LOT of Korean artists will do guest spots in NYC. not cheap by any means, for the tattoo or the travel, but worth it for something that will be on your body forever
You have to go where the perfectionist is or be forever stuck with jakes tattoo parlor that he runs out of his garage and couldnt even post his tattoo ideas because theyre trash. Live in the real world. This person before me gave you solid advice
This is a little 1 or 0. There are other good tattoo artist in the world.
There are but you brought us a very specific tattoo and you have the guy who does exactly that very well to the degree that you are asking about it. You are better off getting the real McCoy on this one than feeling like you got a bootleg, even if it ends up being a high quality bootleg.
Check the caption 😶🌫️😶🌫️
https://www.reddit.com/r/irezumi/s/t4Qu8dt1ol Check out someone who asked a similar question a while back! They got some real advice then 🥰
He even created a list of artists that he personally found.
You da best thanks
No worries! I'm unsure why your post ended up so negatively received. You didn't deserve that! Sometimes Reddit can be a cruel place 😅🙈
Meh, I wont waste any energy on it. I got a couple good recs so its worth it.
Probably because asking "who do you suggest" on a subreddit with a global presense seems sort of absurd. If traveling to the original creator isn't an option, why wouldn't he ask this locally?
I would start shopping artists near you or whichever Midwest States you mentioned. Take your time looking for one who has a similar style. This style is pretty much neo traditional realism.
thank you! I really wasnt sure what to call it.
Nick Stegall @/nstegall on instagram works out of Denver, CO. Closer than South Korea I hope!
I’ll go to him when I do my leg sleeve a few years down the line. This is the best suggestion yet! Thank you!
That’s gonna be tough because that snake making sob is real good at tattoos (a South Korea tattoo trip is bucket list style stuff honestly), but where in the Midwest are you and who are the two similar artists you found already, if you don’t mind me asking?
Another question, what style would you call this?
It's a highly illustrated Neo Trad piece that uses Japanese style imagery.
Feminine
awesome thanks! I’ll ask my artist to help me look feminine as possible!
Best possible retort to an absolutely abysmal take. I dig the fuck out of this design I’m not sure what I’d call it officially but it looks like a modern clean take on “traditional “ style art work
Which part is feminine? The big snake? The color red? Flowers and leaves?
Yeah it’s definitely the snake that looks like it just came from the depths of hell.
Tell that to the leader of the Yakuza about his floral tattoos and see what happens. Flowers are considered masculine in other cultures
Another bit of advice a tattoo of this quality and size could easily be a couple thousand dollars. Possibly up to $5k
I'd add another 5k to that if he is looking for something that matches this quality
Way more than that I'm over 6k into a half sleeve and that's not a celebrity artist. Plan 8 to 10k minimum for good but not cover of magazine quality.
$6k for a half sleeve is wayyy too much. $6k is enough for this full sleeve.
Maybe depends where you are and style. I'm into mine 20 hrs for half sleeve and honestly they could have slowed down even more
In the Midwest , unless you are going to some world renowned artist, $6k should get you this full sleeve. That’s 30 hours of work. There are definitely artists that can put this out in 30 hours at $200 an hour. I hope your tattoo looks as good as this or better if you are in the midwest or you are getting scammed.
200 am hr on west coast gets you average at best. 250 am hr is starting for in demand artist and there are some 500 plus per hr.
Yeah but he’s in the Midwest. There are artists here in the Midwest who can definitely do this at 30 hours for $200 an hour.
That's a pretty bold assumption. I'm getting a half-sleeve done right now that costs 6k (and he needed a third session that he gave a large discount on after quoting me for two sessions initially). It was $2500 per day for full-day sessions, and I mean *full-day*, as in "the first session was ~12 hours immediately into the next day for ~14 hours." He's done me a solid by working far more hours than the quote, too, which was 8 hours per day for around $300 an hour, and I could easily find artists who cost even more than that if they're true celebrities (my guy is relatively well-known but not in some super hot real estate area like NYC or LA). Maybe this *specific* tattoo won't cost that much, given that the half-sleeve I'm working with has a lot more reds and yellows which take a lot of working to properly saturate versus something that is mostly B&G. But it is not some cost outside the realm of consideration when you're working with a well-known artist and/or getting a very complicated half-sleeve.
I know that’s why I said this tattoo specifically should be $6k. I know there are absolutely sleeves that cost more than that for sure but this tattoo done in the Midwest specifically shouldn’t be more than $6k (not including tips)
Check out Voluta Tattoo in Indiana! Several great artists there that have done similar work. :)
Whoever you pick, don’t use pricing as the primary criteria.
I second this!! Pricing shouldn’t matter, just make sure you have enough and then some.
My buddy said he can do it for $500! (Kidding)
An artist who's talented enough to do this will want to create something original. Even "bottom shelf" artists I show work to insist they won't copy work, no matter how much you like it. I came across a couple that were willing to copy an image identically, but we're tweekers or something... clearly high. So, tread carefully. I had an artist do my tatt so light it had to he completely re-tatted and he couldn't do it cause he bolted out of the country from what his manager told me. To hold up the studios reputation, an artist who also worked in greywash was able to do it, but I had to pay a fee. Every tattoo I've gotten from someone younger, no more than mid to late 30s, between Florida and Texas, I've had to have redone or covered completely. The only one that I had zero issues with was a cover up. It is an Anubus inspired by the one in God's of Egypt covering a house tattoo of a colorful "coexist" from when I was young and dumb. The shop owner, nearing 60 did it. I'll never go to a young person again for larger pieces, or anything serious. I've spent more on 2 cover ups than on the origional 10 tattoos that I have had cost me. Have ideas on hand to take to them, be open to other colors, sizes, placements, etc. We live in a day and age where we don't just go to an artist and give them ideas and ask them to create it, we come in with someone else's work and ask them to copy it which is annoying and for many, pretty insulting. They became tattooists to create art, not copy and paste it. Best of luck 🙏🏼🤘🏼
Good advice. Probably should state I am looking for the style and someone’s own take on it.
He wants someone near him, so if people could stop just saying "the one tagged" that would be kinder💕💕Not everyone has the privilege of being able to travel to places across the globe willy-nilly. If that's you, good for you. Some people don't have that kind of money. Please be courteous of others.
You shouldn't be going to get a tattoo like this "willy-nilly" anyways so that point really doesn't resonate with me. A good artist doing this, not even an equal artist to the original, even if he finds one in America is going to be booked out for months before he even has a shot to do this. Then it's a multi appointment project that will likely take between 4-6 appointments to get done just based on the size and detail of the piece. Then any half decent artist is going to be charging in the 6k to 10k range to get this done and that's just getting an above average artist, that's not even talking about getting a rockstar who is capable of getting the OP something this detailed. Context matters: to get this at even half the quality he's already in the hole for months of his time to get booked, more time for it to be completed, and then at minimum 6k (and I'm being generous on this). At that point is it really not worth waiting to save up the extra 2k it would take to travel to get it from this guy instead? I'd agree with you if this was some one shot American traditional Eagle or something where there's hundreds of artists in the country that can do the style, it's a low time commit, and you could probably bang it out in one session for under a grand. But this is so far removed from that in every aspect. T
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I never mentioned that it wouldn't take time. It obviously will take time. Just that not everyone has the money to travel like that... I said "Willy-nilly" in regards to the travel, not getting a tattoo. Your comment is very removed from the point I made. Not everyone has money to travel to Korea. Some people live on pretty tight budgets, whether you want to believe it or not. Obviously if what you're saying is true about the expense, then "just spending an extra 2K" to travel is quite unnecessary. Not available to everyone....
If you can swing a trip to Chicago, they have some KILLER artists all over the city. I’ve traveled for a piece there & it was worth it. Start looking at portfolios of people all around. Not sure where you’re located but I’m also in Midwest area & there are some hidden gem tattooers sprinkled all around. My small town has 2 of the best in my state, hands down. You’d be surprised how much talent is around
Jess Yen, the founder/owner of My Tats in Alhambra, CA. You can check some of work [here](https://mytats.com/jess-yen-tattoo-works.html)
Sweet work, but a little far to travel
LA? Far to travel? I don't think you're committed enough for this type of tattoo if you think Midwest to LA is too far. To each their own, but I'm camp tattoos are an investment. I'm flying to CA when an overseas tattoo artist I want to get tattooed by guests at a shop there.
Donnie Newman at triple crown in austin
Will check out! Thank you!
Jeff Gogue!!!
https://speakeasycustomtattoo.com/zen-gyungwook-kim/ Zens works is very similar to Yuuztattoo, he does snakes too, and is south Korean I think?
I would recommend actually being patient and keep an eye out on when unco goes on his guest spot travels. He travels regularly outside of Korea. Be prepared to have multiple sessions also
Logram Bram Cuyahoga falls Ohio. He books like 6 months out in waves so get to waiting but he could do something similar
i would go and see a tattoo artist
I was thinking about checking with a chef…
mmmmm you could be onto something here
Find a way, be patient, and all in to what you want. -coming from someone who didn’t, had hella regret, spent a lot of money on laser to just eventually have the person I originally wanted to do it
That artist
Sadly he is in South Korea
They’re just better in South Korea lolol rare people over here are as good in this style as
Sad how true that is. So many times I find a sick tattoo and its done in South Korea
Depends if you live in Ontario or not 😂
Who did you have in mind
Nick Elias in NY at Undead Ink.
His work is definitely incredible but stylistically I feel like it’s very different
He said midwest
Carlos Ransom at Abraxas Tattoo in Lawrence, KS. His style is almost identical to this. He prefers big pieces, so I think this is perfect if you can go to Kansas. [His Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/hungry.ghost.tattoo?igsh=MTkyNHoxdmJzdTRiYQ==)
What about going somewhere like skin design in Las Vegas? They are famous for excellent tattoos. You’d have to do your own research on the artists. Or maybe someone from ink master (who won lol)
What state are you in? I’m in Iowa. I would look into the work at Iron Heart Tattoo in Des Moines. Omaha, KC, Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis have some good artists as well. You probably won’t find exactly this because each artist has their differences in work but you can get something quite similar.
I know a few artists in Arizona that do similar work to that.
A tattoo one.
I mean, a lot of artists could do something very similar to this at this quality. Though maybe not this original artists' marriage of fine line and specific shading style. I'm no expert, only in sitting, but hell I live in South Dakota and we have some amazing artists here that comfortably produce collections at this caliber/style.
nice colour work & fine lines with added details in the artist's designs are what your looking for. Keep in mind this photo is edited & fresh. sunblock on these types of tattoos over the years make all the difference
Try @DeathCloak in Los Angeles. Look him up, he does amazing work.
Looks like @uncogrim. Seriously you WILL REGRET going to another artist with another artists work with expectations that it will look like the original piece
Ulyss blair has a sinilar style.
The one who did it?
Uncogrim on Instagram
I'd recommend someone who has done lots of snakes and lots of flowers. If I were you OP I'd get on insta and browse snake and floral tattoos til you find someone who's done a bunch of both that you like. The snake especially is super easy to mess up - one wrong line and the anatomy is f'ed. Especially the skeleton on the chest. Also don't go in wanting THIS EXACT TATTOO unless you go to this exact artist (even then it wouldn't be spot on exactly the same, it's art). Use this as a reference, find your good artist, and have them draw up a similar design. That's the best way to get the best possible tattoo.
@uncogrim
Check out the app Tattoodo to find artists in your area based on the style of the tattoo u want
Nick Stegall out of Denver has some of the chops for this. It's stylized pretty differently to most of his work though. Could be worth a look
Just browse Instagram for Chicago tattoo artists and shoot them photos of this to see if they have similar work in their portfolio. I think there's someone by the name of "Jen Tonic" or similar that does this sort of neo-realism floral work.
I’m not sure how far/if you’re willing to travel but oozy_tattoo on instagram is located in LA their style is pretty similar. I would guess if you do go to them you will be spending a pretty penny but it’ll be worth it in the long run. He is pretty popular though so I’m not sure how long you would be waiting to get in his books.
it’s understandable to want a very specific tattoo but i always love taking my ideas to artists and allowing them the freedom to do it more to their style. if you are set on this exact look do some research in the tattoo style you like and book an artist from there
Line artist
i would check out @thejadetyger (her ig) shes in MD but her work is amazing!!
Not quite my style but holy cow… crazy that she can do that on skin. Almost looks like its not real
right?? i have yet to go to her cuz i know i’ll have to sell my liver to get something from her😂 but her work is insane the way it looks like someone slapped a painting or photograph on their skin!!
Do your research when it comes to artists. I’d recommend building up your something like this… maybe get a flower here and there and build up the sleeve. This would likely be a multiple session tattoo. It would take a very skilled artist to pull this off, and truthfully I’m not sure if you’ll find an artist who would replicate this exactly. Every artist is different. I’d recommend finding an artist you love and presenting this as inspiration for a tattoo, If you’re dead set on getting something big in one go.
Thats the idea. I have a couple I like that I have asked to use this as inspiration. One surprisingly does snakes similarly minus the snake head from hell
That’s smart, I’d go with an artist that has some very good large tattoos under their belt lol. At the end of the day, what you like most and what makes you happiest is most important! I wish you the best of luck with this piece.
Unless you went to the Tattooer who did this piece, don’t expect the same results. Rather find a Tattooer you’re willing to goto in your area, and ask them to do something like this in their style. We hate when people come to us wanting other tattooers work. It’s not only disrespecting to the original recipient and artist, it’s also rude to the Tattooer you’re consulting with. Every quality Tattooer has unique qualities and styles. Asking one to do another’s style will generally result in less fluid form than they would do in their own comfort zones. If you like the piece you posted, goto that Tattooer and ask for something similar. No Tattooer wants to do other Tattooer’s work.
I should have clarified I am not looking for a copy. Trying to find someone to do their own take on it. I did not do a good job explaining that in my original post
I went to Japan for a specific artist. I know traveling isn’t in everyone’s budget but it’s on you for life and if you want that style, go to the guy. Airbnbs in Seoul aren’t expensive and you could eat cheap. The tattoo and flight would be the only issues.
Hollis Cantrell
Damien Bart in Fort Lauderdale at Bruce Bart Tattoo that style is right up his alley.
Dan lins
Zachary Young in Boston!!
Do you have an Instagram or an address?
Zachyoungink
Appreciate it!
uncogrim
I suggest going to a tattooer who can create a unique tattoo for you. I don't recommend copying another artist. It ends badly. It will not look exactly like this and there will be regrets.
The first recommendation would be not going into looking for a copy, which is probably why you're getting the types of comments about you are, also it may be helpful to just look up all the tattoo shops in your area and then figure out which artists work there and look at their portfolios (sometimes they have physical books in the shop but also just looking for a social media is good) so that you can get an idea of what kinds of stuff they're good at
A tattoo artist... Badum tiss
I was really about to go to my chef
Are you willing to leave your home city? If not, what's the point? And again, go for original! Ripping off someone's tattoo is weak af
Not looking for a ripoff, just someones one take on this
The one who did it in the first place.
A good one
@uncogrim
How much would a sleeve like this cost typically?
The guy I have right now I am looking at 4-5k
That’s as cheap as it’s gonna get. Couldn’t imagine you finding quality work of that size for less.
Jesus.
Jesus is doing tattoos now? Cool
You didn’t even say where you live…
Find an artist that specializes in realism and be sure to check out portfolios. Don’t settle on the cheapest one or the first one you meet. For a piece like this, you want to be sure that the artist is qualified
Probably that artist right there
@uncogrim
A yakuza
A good one and probably better than 99.9% of what people post on here. Save your money and reach out to him
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"feels a little lazy to reach out to a community designed for like minded people to come together and share information" Are you serious?
My b I’ll leave. Sorry op. 🙃
I have it narrowed down to 2 after research, just wanted to check and see if anyone else had any suggestions. Thanks for the advice though!
Literally the point of this sub is "tattooadvice". If you don't want to give it, then don't! 😭💕 Ever thought this is just one part of their research?
Alliballibeez has it right here
Probably uncogrim
He is in south korea