I rarely write reviews like this, but I believe future clients deserve to know about my experience…read morewith this tattoo artist and this studio. This was one of the most disappointing experiences I have ever had with a tattoo professional, not because of the artwork itself, but because of the lack of transparency, accountability, and professionalism throughout the entire process.
My issue is not that a tattoo artist deserves to be paid fairly. I completely understand that tattooing requires skill, time, and experience. My issue is that the agreement I made with this artist was changed after the work had already started, and the responsibility for that mistake was placed on me as the client.
Before booking my appointment, I communicated extensively with the artist about a full outer sleeve tattoo. I created and provided a detailed visual map of exactly what I wanted, showing the complete design and placement. The artist confirmed that he understood the project and confirmed that the full outer sleeve would be completed for $900.
I did not assume this based on a simple conversation. I repeatedly confirmed the price and the scope of the project. I confirmed the $900 price again one day before my appointment specifically to avoid any misunderstanding. At no point did the artist tell me that the $900 was only for the first section, only for one part of the sleeve, or that another $900 payment would be required to finish the project.
The artist never explained that this would be divided into two separate sections. That information was never communicated to me before starting. The understanding was that I was paying $900 for a full-day session to complete the outer sleeve project that we had discussed.
The first time I was informed that I would need to pay another $900 to complete the tattoo was only after the first session was already finished. By that point, I had already traveled approximately three hours for this appointment, committed my time, money, and trust, and had a permanent tattoo started on my body.
This was not a small detail that could be ignored. The number of sessions and the total cost are some of the most important details a client needs to know before agreeing to a tattoo. A professional should never assume that a client can somehow "know" information that was never explained.
The artist later acknowledged that this was his mistake and admitted that he understood why I believed the original $900 price covered the complete sleeve. However, instead of fully taking responsibility for the misunderstanding, he offered a $200 discount for the "second section."
The problem is that this second section should have never existed in the first place because I was never informed that the project would be separated into two sections. Offering a discount on a second session does not solve the fact that the original agreement was different from what was later presented.
I did everything I was supposed to do as a client. I communicated clearly, provided references, explained what I wanted, confirmed the price multiple times, and showed up expecting the agreement that had been discussed.
I was not the person who changed the terms. I was not the person who failed to communicate an important detail. Yet I was the person who had to deal with the consequences of someone else's mistake.
The artist refused to complete the project for the price that had originally been communicated, and I was not willing to continue paying additional money for a situation that was created by a lack of communication on his part. This left me stuck with an unfinished tattoo and a situation I never agreed to.
The artist eventually offered a refund after neither side could reach an agreement. I accepted this because I believed it was the fairest resolution. However, after offering that solution, he stopped responding and never followed through.
That was extremely disappointing and showed a lack of responsibility. When someone makes a mistake, especially in a professional service involving permanent work on another person's body, the correct thing to do is take accountability and resolve the issue -- not leave the client dealing with the consequences.
What makes this situation even worse is that the studio owner also failed to handle the situation professionally. I contacted the studio expecting the owner to review the communication, recognize the misunderstanding, and help find a fair solution. Instead, the studio chose to defend the artist rather than address the fact that the total price and structure of the project were never clearly communicated before the tattoo began.
The studio and the artist had multiple opportunities to handle this situation with honesty and integrity. Instead, the experience became a situation where the client was expected to accept the consequences of a mistake that was not made by the client.
The artist also advertised that: "I work efficiently, and most pieces are completed in one session."
