From the moment I walked into Authentic Tattoo Company, I was met with a warm greeting and a…read moregenuine smile, which immediately set a great tone for the session. I was back to work with Jason Dugan to finally finish up my back piece, and once again, he managed to completely exceed my expectations. I went in with one idea of how the tattoo was going to come out, but after giving Jason some general guidelines, he expanded on the concept to make it even better than I could have hoped for.
The final result is truly breathtaking, and looking at the finished photos, the level of imagery and color depth is just astounding. The entire piece flows seamlessly, anchored in the center by that incredible Tree of Life design where the spine itself transforms into the trunk. The vertebral segments are defined perfectly, emerging from fiery, saturated red roots and branching out into that massive, vibrant green canopy spreading across my shoulders. On the left side, the female Harlequin face is hyper-detailed, her mask and complex neck ruff filled with deep, rich violets and crimsons that absolutely pop. The smaller, mischievous puppet she is holding balances perfectly with the figure on the right: the skeleton knight in full blue plate armor. Jason expertly detailed the armored suit, making the steel-blue plating and the bold red cross on the chest plate look distinct, balancing the 'carnival' vibe on one side with the 'martial/undead' vibe on the other. Every element is distinct, yet integrated perfectly.
Jason took technical elements into practice that I never even considered, such as which specific colors would hold best with my skin tone and how the shading needed to be executed so the entire piece flowed seamlessly with my other tattoos. Despite the difficulty and complexity of the work, Jason was incredibly fast. When he gets in the zone, it is truly best to just let him "cook" without distractions because the results are phenomenal.
What really impressed me was how much of this was done freehand. There wasn't a clear map on my back, yet Jason knew exactly where he was going. Because of that skill, he was able to contour the tattoo to move naturally with the muscles in my back, adding a whole other dimension to the art. Beyond the talent, Jason is a total professional. It never felt like he was trying to sell me on something or get more money out of me; he genuinely cared about the piece and wanted to make sure I loved it. That kind of authenticity is rare and shows he's not just trying to get paid and get you out the door.
The shop environment made the long hours much easier to handle. Artists Delaney, Austin, and Nik were also in that day, and when the pain was becoming difficult to ignore, they were all there to help with distractions and great conversation between working with their own clients. Pro tip: don't even try to test Austin on his Magic: The Gathering knowledge--that man seriously knows his shit and it made for some great shop talk.
As always, the shop was very clean and well-maintained. If I had any critique at all, it's just that the space feels a little small. It has a very cozy feel to it, but I could see the artists wanting a bit more personal space to work in--though that might just be my observation. Overall, I am beyond happy with the finished piece and the experience. If you want an artist who actually gives a shit about the work, this is the place to go.
