Real grown up, guys

[ShinyGreenApple]

Ok, so my self-esteem isn't the greatest so this could be me overreacting . . .

Had a friend talk me out of going to a local studio to get a tattoo done because the one she uses, an hour drive away, is really great. So today I drove out there to make an appointment because they needed to look at my design. When I walked in, no one acknowledged me and I didn't think anything of it at first, except when other customers walked in, they were greeted and approached immediately. After a few minutes I walked up to the counter and was asked if I needed any help, I said I wanted to make an appointment for Saturday and the guy who spoke with me told me that the cashier would do that for me. Okay . . . but then he looked at my design and while, admittedly being helpful about what would and wouldn't work with it (it can't really be downsized like I would have liked), he and another artist started laughing and said it looked like a penis. I won't be going back there ever, really unimpressed.

[MoonCat]

I don't think it was you. Sounds like they were rude, not very helpful and possibly a little too impressed with themselves.

[b2addm]

Those guys sound like assholes. I don't blame you for wanting to go somewhere else. There's no reason to treat people like that when it's completely uncalled for.

[ShinyGreenApple]

It's just that . . . geez. It took me a really long time to come up with something I fell completely in love with and was willing to have put on my body forever. Normally people do put such thoughts into these things. To just blithely look at it and say it looks like a penis I mean . . . what the ever loving fuck? I knew it was generally a geeky choice anyways but Eru's sake I felt really humiliated. I'm thinking I'll just go with something quirky or dweeby if I get one now so I don't have to explain it to anyone.

Granted, a friend of mine was laughing himself silly about the word 'agape' (greek) because he thought it sounded like "I got paid!", but then again he's one of few people I'll allow to laugh at me and I was already aware that he's an uneducated idiot, albeit a lovable idiot. If I'm offering you payment for services you offer, you don't get to laugh at me.

[Solumina]

Gah I hate people like that, there are enough people in this world that think tattoos are only for those with no class, if it is your profession wouldn't you want to try and change their minds or at least try not to actively reinforce it?

I'm sorry that you got treated like that, it was completely unprofessional and you shouldn't let it change your mind about the design.

Out of curiosity would you mind posting a picture of the design?

[ThirdGenRetail]

I second Solumina's notion - Any chance of showing it off here? I kinda wanna see, and see just how far in the gutter their minds have to be to think it's phallic. Because seriously, they were being gutter-minded dorks about it.

(Yes, I mean dork. Scientific meaning REALLY applies to these guys.)

[ShinyGreenApple]

No problem, although I'm kind of shaken about it now, even if I get it I'll always know in the back of my mind that some shithead thought it looked like a penis.

I just wanted the brooch, not all the brown background behind it, and I'd put the writing just underneath the leaf, and it was going to go just above my left breast. He said he'd have to change the silver on it to black if I wanted it any smaller and frankly the size it is right now is just way too large for that location. I was unwilling to change the location because the writing translates to the Greek word 'agape', hence the placement over my heart.

[Kaylyn]

Yeah, there's this one tattoo place in town that sponsors the rock station, and has all the big ads, and several locations around the city. I went there several years ago with a friend to get her tattoo, and I was highly unimpressed with their service. Because they were so popular (and high quality, yes) we didn't get seen for several hours. Like, we got there at noon, and she didn't get out of there until after 10 pm, and her design was extremely simple and required only a tiny modification to the original design.

When I started getting my own work done, I chose a small place recommended by a friend; and by small I mean they only have 2 artists working at any one time. The three that I have done are simple, more-or-less flash designs (I printed out a pic and said, "slap this on me somewhere"). I was very happy with their service; all three times I've been in and out within an hour, with no appointment.

My opinion is, I kinda want to stay away from the bigger places if it's just a walk-in, because bigger places are more popular and have little time for walk-ins. I might consider the bigger place when I get ready for some more custom work, where I actually need an artist to draw out a design for me, because then I'd have to make appointments for the work.

[wheeitsme]

Okay, I totally recognized that. LofTR, right?


(added)

And I just googled - lord of the rings brooch tattoo - and it looks like a good tattoo artist could totally do what you want.

[bainsidhe]

If it wasn't for their unnecessary comments, it would never even occur to me to think this emblem resembled a penis. And you're right, now you won't be able to get that thought out of your mind. It is pretty though. Do what I do. Realize their unwanted comments were probably because they were jealous. If this is what you like, I say go for it! I doubt I'll ever get a tat, but I've always kinda wanted a butterfly.

[LadyAndreca]

I recognized it too, and thought it'd make an awesome tattoo. You'd have to have your mind pretty deep in the gutter to get 'penis' out of that just because one end is pointy and the other end is wider.

[dbuzman]

I hope you informed them that you drove an hour to see them on a friends recommendation and that after the way you were treated they may have lost her business as well as yours.

I know if I recommended a business to a friend and that friend was treated like you were I would let them know they lost my business and why.

[mikoyan29]

That does look cool....

[Legal Eagle]

sorry but whilst they were unprofessional, unless you look closely at it, it's shape does resemble a penis,

if you walked past me with that visible on your shoulder, i would think you were wearing a green penis.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

It's a recognizable piece of art. So some shithead you don't like and don't respect, and who you will probably never see again, sees dicks in everything and saw a dick in your design as well.

So what?

In all honesty, I was thinking (before you posted it) "maybe it DOES look like a dick and she dodged a bullet.) But after you posted it I went "what??"

That's a freaking legit thing that people recognize for what it is. If someone sees a wang instead of a highly recognizable thing that has, at this point, entered the collective of pop culture, then the problem is not yours.

If that's what you want, get it. And stop worrying about what a couple of dickheads that mean nothing to you think.