What do tattoo artists think of doing lower back tattoos?

real butterfly tattoos pictures designs ideas image

Michelle C

So, I'm curious what tattoo artists think about doing lower back tattoos? Are you sick of doing them? Do you think they are dumb? I really want one that has a lot of meaning to me personally and I'm not the stereotypical "tramp stamp" girl. Does it make a difference if the tattoo is meaningful and not "just because?"

I'm 30 years old and stay fit. I go to a gym and just finished running my first half marathon back in November. I have been married 5 years and with my husband a total of 8 years. I have a masters degree and work as an accountant and plan to sit for the CPA exam within the next year. I'm telling you all this first of all to show you that I am not your stereotypical lower back tattoo candidate. My husband thinks that it will look really good and he has been encouraging me to "just do it". So, I did my research and the first artist was very dismissive, but the 2nd one took my idea and gave it a twist and made it completely original and unique for just me and I absolutely love it!!!!

First off, There will be a red roses in the design. I know that roses are typical, but "believe it or not" it has significance to me and there was a reason I chose this. The rose itself is in honor of my grandmother who died in January. She was known for her green thumb and before she died she wanted to smell a real rose. So, my church contacted a rose greenery down in Texas and they sent her a rose bush for free and my dad took a picture of her sitting next to it. That was the last picture taken of her before she died and the place in Texas has planned on naming a rose after my grandmother, "Claribel." A lot of people say that I have a lot of her strength inside of me! The red color stands for love, respect, and strength.

In the center there will be the Chinese symbol for water which stands for life, higher wisdom, transformation, renewal, intuition, and blessing. He made it look like water is swishing up around the symbol like the parting of the red sea! I love that! This part of the tattoo stands for all of the adversities that I have faced over the past year and overcome. My family has been through so much, but we are survivors and are moving forward! I also graduated and finished my college education (finally) this past year. It took me forever to do that! This tattoo will be like freezing a moment in my life that I never want to forget. A moment when the odds were against me and I persevered!!! Ironically, the water symbol is also my astrological sign as well since I am a Cancer. Also, there will be a ladybug and a couple of butterflies ( I know stereotypical, but its cool because they are pointed at the water symbol as if watching in anticipation or in awe of some kind of spectacle!)

Anyway, Here is my design:
http://s903.photobucket.com/albums/ac231/She11ybeanz/?action=view&current=IMG_0036.jpg

Answer
Great idea, and congrats on everything you've achieved. But whether a tattoo artist likes doing them or not its their job, Unless they wanna lose business. I would say go for it anyways. You'll love it. People who first say it will probably say tramp stamp, but who cares. You know what it means. Ribs also look great on a woman! Best of luck and i hope you enjoy your tattoo.

Am I wrong or was this tattoo artist a jerk??!!?

Michelle C

Okay....so here is the deal!!! I'm 30 years old and stay fit. I go to a gym and just finished running my first half marathon back in November. I have been married 5 years and with my husband a total of 8 years. I have a masters degree and work as an accountant and plan to sit for the CPA exam within the next year. I'm telling you all this first of all to show you that I am not your stereotypical lower back tattoo candidate. I'm not a tramp and haven't been with many people in my life. I've always had nothing but the highest of morals. Anyways, I have been thinking about getting a lower back tattoo for a while and my husband thinks that it will look really good and he has been encouraging me to "just do it". So, I put a deposit down on the design that I want and the I didn't research the artist well and he dismissed me and would not communicate with me, so I decided to go elsewhere.

Then, I went into another parlor after I did a TON of research and got recommendations and this guy's work is phenomenal. I thought, surely, my tattoo will be a cinch for him and I will feel so honored to have his art on my body. His collegue interrupted him while he was working even after I told him that I was fine waiting until he had time to talk to me and there was no rush. I told him my idea which is below and he just turned into a real ass. He said he was booked up for 3 weeks and I said I was fine with waiting until he had time. Then he said he was a real artist and has seen tattoos like this his whole career and he has been trying to get away from them and wanted to put me off on one of his apprentices. He said that he hated wasting his time on me when someone else could be getting a portrait, a sleeve, or a more unique tattoo done instead. He admitted that he was a "pompus asshole" and that he hated my fucking tattoo design and hated tribals. I told him that I didn't want a tribal and that the design I showed him just was a foundation for my idea. I wanted the artist to have creative capabilities and run with them. He insulted all of the pictures I brought to him and said that the idea could mean the world to me but that I would just be a paycheck to him and he would hate doing it. But, he would fit me in anyway because he could tell that I really wanted him to do it (GEE.....don't do me any favors....) He said I'm sorry I'm cranky but I don't like being interrupted when I'm working! HELLO....I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU....YOUR COWORKER DID!!!! UGH!!!! They were the ones that told me to come into the shop to speak to him directly. I called first!!!

So.....my idea is below.....and I know that it is cliche' and unoriginal....and typical.......HOWEVER.....it has meaning behind it even if the location and the actual design are typical to someone outside looking in.......does it matter except to the person who is wearing it?

First off, it will be a red rose in the middle of a vine design (the picture I showed him was tribal, but I wanted vines with leaves, thorns, maybe some butterflies or a ladybug for accents). I know that roses are typical, but "believe it or not" it has significance to me and there was a reason I chose this. The rose itself is in honor of my grandmother who died in January. She was known for her green thumb and before she died she wanted to smell a real rose. So, my church contacted a rose greenery down in Texas and they sent her a rose bush for free and my dad took a picture of her sitting next to it. That was the last picture taken of her before she died and the place in Texas has planned on naming a rose after my grandmother, "Claribel." A lot of people say that I have a lot of her strength inside of me! The red color stands for love, respect, and strength.

Beneath the rose, the chinese symbol for water will stem down (possibly in green with thorns and possibly just stay black) and it stands for life, higher wisdom, transformation, renewal, intuition, and blessing. I may have a drop of water falling off of the bottom of this symbol. This part of the tattoo stands for all of the adversities that I have faced over the past year and overcome. My parents of 32 years split up, I graduated college and fought unemployment for 6 months, and my 95 year old grandmother died. My family has been through so much, but we are survivors and are moving forward! This tattoo will be like freezing a moment in my life that I never want to forget. A moment when the odds were against me and I persevered!!! Ironically, the water symbol is also my astrological sign as well since I am a Cancer.

Anyway....Here is a link to my idea. The water symbol would replace the bottom of the tribal picture in the link and would have an additional drop added to the bottom.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/wings%20rose%20tattoo/tribaltattoos/Tattoo%20Designs/Rose%20Tattoos/Rose-Tattoos.jpg

http://chinesecalligraphystore.com/images/calligraphy-symbols/xc-symbol-for-water.gif

Anyways.....I stood strong and was nice to
I stood strong and didn't get angry with him or cry in front of him until I got out of the shop. I did get upset because I really was excited about finally getting my tattoo and now he has totally turned me off to the idea. He made me feel stupid and cliche' for ever wanting it in the first place, despite what it meant to me. Both of the artists that I have run into turned into the very stereotypes that they have strived so hard to avoid! They put me into a box with other naive girls who just get a lower back tat for the hell of it and judged me. I thought they would have been the last to judge. I would feel honored that people would want to wear my art on their bodies for life. That's a big deal, but now I'm just hurt and insulted. I don't know if I will get a tattoo or not if that is how I am going to be treated. It definitely has not been the positive experience I thought it was going to be.
HAHAHA!!!! That's awesome!!! My husband said he was a dick too!!!
I understand that tattoo artists have seen a lot of the same things over and over again. That is fine. Maybe I would just like to be treated fairly and have a decent first experience with getting a tattoo. I don't think that is a lot to ask. My idea might be typical, however, it has significance to me and THAT is what matters. I don't care if it means anything to him. Its called respect. I give it and just wish to get a little in return, that's all.
Thank you to those of you who have sympathy. I appreciate it. I put a lot of time and thought into the meaning of my tattoo. It wasn't just a fleeting whim.
Wow...you guys are awesome! I was really about to give up on getting my tattoo, but I might keep the faith!!!
Yeah....I'm frustrated now at the treatment I have gotten by these two different artists. One could care less and won't communicate with me and the other one was just an ass. I'm getting discouraged about getting a tattoo at all now after the horrible experience that I've gotten!! These guys really screwed up too because my husband wants a tattoo too and we were an easy $1,000. Oh well.....I don't know what I'm going to do now. They gave all tattoo artists a bad name.......even the decent ones!!!

Answer
Yeah, the guy was being a jerk. I tattoo stuff all day that I don't really want to do, that's just part of the business. But another very big part of the business, is not upsetting the clientele. My guess is that you walked out of his studio and have no intentions of going back. It really is too bad that there are so many shallow people in the business. We've fired many artists, over the years, for attitudes just like that. Our number one rule is not to spoil the ambiance of the studio. Happy customers become regular customers. People who have bad experiences with idiots tend to tell the world. So be it. Take care.

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