Is this rude?

Okay so I'm currently looking for a good tattoo artist and I'm looking through the portfolios they have online and I'm wondering if it's rude to ask an artist if he or she is good at what I want done. I know some artists have their strong points and weaknesses and I really want to find the perfect artist. I just want to ask basically if they're good or shit at something without making myself look stupid or ignorant.I'm extremely picky and when something looks awful I hate it, and I just want the tattoo to be perfect cause it's gonna be there forever. Is it rude to ask them to draw my tattoo beforehand? I already have one tattoo and the guy was an amazing artist but lives 18 hrs away from me:'( , he just free handed it and it turned out amazing .

 

If your paying I would ask. Its your money and if you want it done the way you want it then ask. I think artist prefer clients who ask questions challenge there skills besides if you ask and they get offensive then just don't use em. Just go back to the guy who did your first TaT.

 

Ask the tattoo artist if he is good with the style of tattoo you are going. Like american traditional or new school etc.. Google the different styles of tattoo's to compare to the one you want then ask if he/she is good with that style and compare there portfolio to it.

 

There's no shame in wanting permanent ink that'll be on your body to look good - I'm sure they deal with comments and questions that are a lot more rude than something like, "Hey, are you big into freehand _____ tattoos? I'm looking for something cool but clean looking."

 

This is pretty much what I want done. http://zhippo.com/SecretLakeTattooH...squid-tattoo-pirate-ship-tattoo-jesse-rix.jpg size and everything but I want my Grandpas model ship he left me when he died. This is what I don't want it too end up looking like. http://www.tattoostime.com/images/173/big-ship-tattoo-on-thigh.jpg I want it to look really realistic, so far I found 2 good artists that I'm gonna call tomorrow and ask questions.

 

I wouldn`t care. As Frugal said, you pay it for it. And you need to be sure cause it is not like you can wash it off if you don`t like it.

 

I have three tattoos. The second one I got I wanted to be realistic, I asked the artist if he could create it and he said yes. Next thing ya know I have a racetrack with some planets on it-__- not at all what I wanted. Make sure to check out the portfolios

 

Tattoo artists will definitely draw up the tattoo you want to give you an idea of what it will look like it is in no way rude to ask if they can draw it up first or even ask if they are experienced in what you want done as some tattoo artists have specialties e.g. portraits n such. At the end of the day its going to be on your body for the rest of your life so dont feel like you are being a dick lol

 

I have two tattoos and I gave the artists my drawings of what I wanted and they both drew it to the best of their abilities. From personal experience and experiences of others most artists draw their own version before inking it on. So no, I don't feel that it's rude, it's almost like going to a fresh produce market and asking when the produce was harvested. A lot of the stall owners would gladly tell you if it meant you bought the items.

 

No you're paying their bills not the other way around. You are smart to ask the questions you want to know about.

 

Just got off the phone, the girl who I wanted to do my tattoo is booked until next September....

She said to come in though and she'll look at what I want done and refer me to someone whose good for the job.

 

A tat's going to be a part of your body for forever. Hell, make them draw it and make them draw it another 10 times until it's perfect. If not, go elsewhere. They appreciate people who take time to use their art than people who skip in on their 18th birthday and get tramp stamps or stars or something. Shop around, absolutely. Book it for months later, that way you have time to consider everything to make sure it's not something you just like for a few weeks and get bored of. All the good artists are worth waiting years for.