Home to so many tattooed individuals, London has one of the world’s highest rates of tattoos per capita. That status gives the city a significant standing as a global centre of the art, which is reflected in the number and quality of tattoo conventions in London, and the high standard of accessible studios. No matter your style, budget or time frame there is a studio in London for you to get that next piece of artwork. With so many options available it can be difficult to decide which studio and which artist to go with. Let’s start with the studio.
There are a few key things to keep in mind – location, rate, atmosphere and reputation.
Location
The location of a studio can have a huge impact on your overall experience and the quality of work that goes into your tattoo. Unlike some of the best dive diners, if you walk into a sketchy-looking tattoo studio the chances are it actually is a sketchy tattoo studio.
Look for studios in reputable venues in well-known parts of the city like Islington, Brick Lane and Camden.
Camden is the most common area for getting tattoos and piercings as it was one of the founding hubs for the industry. But the fact that Camden helped launch the trend does not necessarily mean that every studio in the area is as good as it predecessors.
The Family Business located in Angel for example is a high calibre, long-standing tattoo studio and is home to Mo Capella, one of the fathers of the industry. They have a fabulous team, and while their style may be a bit more traditional no matter what type of tattoo you’re looking for they have an artist who will make it look incredible.
Rate
While tattoos may be considered a type of fashion, they are also a form of fine art and come with a fine art price tag. And just like most things, when it comes to tattoos you get what you pay for. The average going rate for a tattoo in London is £100/hr. Be mindful of any studio that is willing to charge you below £80/hr as that means they may not be paying enough for their equipment or their clinical sterilisation of supplies, and they are undervaluing the skills of their artists.
Atmosphere
O
n your initial visit to the studio were the staff friendly and attentive or did they ignore you? When you chatted with their artists about your concept did they listen and acknowledge what you wanted, or were they dismissive and overbearing? If you are uncomfortable within the first five minutes imagine what spending five hours in there would be like.
You want to make sure you’re feeling looked after and that the studio will ensure you leave loving your tattoo and your experience in their shop. After all it is their reputation on the line as well as your skin.
East Side Tattoo Studio is one studio that has always been friendly and welcoming. When you walk in it feels like you are walking in to meet a group of your mates rather than complete strangers.
Reputation
Look for studios that have a great reputation. It takes time to build a good standing in the industry and if the studio you have chosen has a good name it means they have worked their butts off to get it.
But keep in mind the fact that the reputation of a studio does not necessarily mean that all of their artists deserve the same standing. If you’ve found a place you’re happy with, your next step is to do your research and find your perfect fit among its artists.
by Natasha MacKenzie
The post Tattoos: Finding the Right Studio in London appeared first on Felix Magazine.
No comments:
Post a Comment