"NOT" so NICE.
I let things go.... But, I feel obligated to share my experience. NICE Tattoo, you can keep the $100 dollars and perhaps use it to train your associates in communications.
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I reached out to NICE tattoo last year. I was looking for a very simple design. It was right after a traumatic, life changing incident. I wanted to capture something from that experience on my forearm.
I did my research and NICE looked like a good place. In my initial submissions, I told them that it will be about 6 months or so before I am ready to commit to a date due to my health. They were ok and asked me to deposit $100 dollars. Which I gladly did. They asked for some references re: the look of the tattoo. My partner is a designer. He is "NOT a tattoo designer" but a designer. So he designed what I had in mind.
NICE parlor suggested an individual (you know who you are) and give me her email address. We started email correspondence in March of 2022. I updated her again on my survival story along with what I had in mind for the tattoo. She seemed very nice and empathetic to my story. Again, she asked me to share any ideas or references I have for the tattoo along with a deposit of $100 dollar. I send her some drawings that my partner had sketched out + Zelle payment. I also said "this tattoo is a start... can you work with this and we can collaborate and refine as needed". I mentioned to her that my schedule is a bit hectic with work travels / triathlon races. Plus, I needed blood work done and get ok from my Doctor for a tattoo. She was ok with the timeline.
I asked her to send me an updated version of the tattoo so I can review and see if anything needed to be changed or revised. For some reason she would not update the tattoo. Her exact response "An exact price is hard to give without having a consultation in person, but I can assure you that what I design will be within your budget and we can definitely discuss all of that the day of your appointment as well. Once I have a final design, and we know the exact size and placement I will be able to give you an accurate price before we start the tattoo to make sure we are all on the same page." and added "it's small design and we can do this when you are in the studio".
In April we started corresponding again for dates for my tattoo. I asked her again, "can you share what you have done so far" - again, she would not send me the revise version. Ok, fine. She told me once I am in the studio she can show me the design. That made no sense to me but again, ok.
So, on April 29th I went to the studio in Brooklyn and was very excited to see what revision she came up with..... to my surprise; it was literally my partners design on a tablet. I was taken aback.
There was no creativity from her. She didn't even pay any attention to details on the design. I sat there trying to refine it. She played on the tablet and moved things around /revised them according to my responses. It was a good 30 min when all was said and done. She printed the paper with 3 revisions for me and I took it home. Fuming as to why she didn't even try to revise it. Kept saying "there is so much detail in this tattoo, I will have to eliminate some stuff". I am thinking, "so do it...." that is why I asked you to put your creative spin on it. Maybe I had high expectations, but, isn't her job to tell me what will work and what doesn't?
I got home and showed it to my partner - he picked it apart. Hate to admit it, but, he was correct. The lines didn't match up - the spacing was incorrect among other stuff. So, I packed it in and researched again. My partner helped again and this time we got it smaller and less complicated. I sent her a note and told her that I am re-working the tattoo and that it will be much simpler.
In May of 2022 I sent her the revised version. There was no response re: tattoo but, just some dates for the next appt. On they day of the appt, she was running late and sent me a text saying that she was late. I appreciated that. I got to the studio, met her and she printed the piece of paper that I had sent her. Again, she didn't do anything to the artwork and said "well, you have already done the work for me" with an edge. I told her that I wanted something simpler and the 1st tattoo was too busy. Again, she played around with the simpler tattoo and said "the details will be hard to capture". She proceeded to tell me "I will reconfigure it and send it back along with some times to actually get this tattoo done. That was June 6, 2022 and I am still waiting for any communications.
I have sent her an email, a text. Plus, I made a phone call to the studio and spoke to someone, & NOTHING. As I said, its not about $100 dollars, its about professionalism & courtesy. I don't need the $100 dollars... i can get a tattoo from another place. What I need is for NICE tattoo parlor to learn how to communicate. read more