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Consultations are the perfect opportunity to get quotes for custom projects, discuss project parameters to see if it's possible to execute as a tattoo, and to talk to an artist to see if your project could be improved upon based on your goals for the piece.
This is meant to be a fairly casual environment, and there's no strings attached when it comes to discussing budgets.
So let's answer some questions about what consulations can be like!
What are the stages of a consultation?
I would personally break it up like so:
Receive basic information about the project's parameters.
I.e.: size, placement, style, and subject matter.Ask questions that might be project specific.
E.g.: If there is a flower, is it important that the flower is a specific kind? If it's a coverup, how much flexibility is there to find subject matter that will fit the piece?Give a quote.
This can include discussing potential ways to edit or size down a project to fit a certain budget.
The next steps are optional, but if you are interested in booking an appointment at this point, we can take these next steps:
Put down a deposit.
This applies for your project for that date, and it both holds your spot and covers a portion of the drawing time I'll be putting in to refine your piece. You can reference the full deposit policy here.Start sketching for basic composition and gesture.
In non-fancy artsy terms, we'll start sketching really roughly at this stage. If there's a character or animal, we might experiment with poses. If there's many elements, we might play with how to compose them.
This stage is just about figuring out the overall composition and flow. You can see examples below of sketches that were done for real consultations and their results!Approve a sketch, and say our goodbyes for the day!
You'll see a more finalized version at least 1-3 days before your appointment day, if not sooner. And of course, questions are always welcome at any point!
What kind of questions will you be asking me during a consultation?
You'll probably hear questions like:
"Where do you want the tattoo to go?"
It helps to be specific. For example, saying something like "on the outside of the forearm, on the lower half" and showing the area is more helpful than simply saying "on the arm". Or "on my left shoulderblade" is more helful than "on my back", as backpieces can vary a lot in size and coverage!"How big do you want the tattoo?"
Inches is usually the measurement used. It can also be a range! Like 3-5in.
Relative measurements could also work fine for larger projects. Like "covering the entire front of the forearm"."What style do you want the tattoo to be in?"
There's no requirement to already know tattoo styles, and I'm super happy to show references of existing styles and explain each one! This question is mostly to include the people who already know what style their collection is in. :)"What will the tattoo be of? Is there a particular way you want these elements arranged, or can we sketch whatever feels best?"
This question would be aimed to figure out the subject matter. Is it a portrait? An animal? Flowers? Objects? Is there anything framing the main subject? Etc."Do you have any references? What do you like about each of these?"
Many people come in having already been inspired by a style or specific tattoo. Sometimes one reference is because they loved the color scheme, and another reference does a great job showing the expression on a face. Maybe we want to get as close to a reference as possible without copying 1:1. Having pictures is always helpful to communicate visual concepts!
What should I bring to a consultation?
Just bringing yourself and your full attention is more than enough!
If you do want to prepare some talking points, it could help to do a few things, including:
Ask yourself some of the questions above! Do you feel you have answers to them? Have you taken time to think about how you want your tattoo executed visually? Do you feel you have a good understanding of what style you want?
If you're flexible that's awesome, and I'm always happy to have some artistic freedom. But I would rather know if clients do have specific parameters.
Gather references. This can be done by having a Pinterest board you can pull up a link to, having a Google Drive link (that is shared to all with a link), or by sharing your screen. If you're in person, you can also show me photos on your phone or other device.
Take time to figure out what you like about each reference. Is it the size? The style? The level of detail?
Ask yourself if you have budget or timeline limitations to share with me. I am happy to work with people's budgets. Even if I might not be able to specifically give the prompted project at the needed price limit, I can always communicate ways to reduce the size or complexity while maintaining the same concept and impact of the piece!
Some people also have timeline limitations, like only visiting San Diego, or wanting a completed piece before a certain milestone. Or timeline restrictions can go the other way - needing X amount of months to save up, or waiting to finish breastfeeding. Understanding your desired timeline and budget is incredibly helpful when it comes to figuring out your project in practice!
What does the drawing time look like if I decide to book?
The sketching portion is a great time for us to figure out the larger elements of the piece, so that if we want changes, we're not redrawing the composition or pose from scratch unless we pick a new direction.
This is a rough sketching stage, meaning that the lines won't be refined, color won't be added (although we can look at color schemes online together and choose one). The goal is just to see overall how things are arranged, and if there are characters, how much of them we will see and in what pose.
To the left is an example of a sheet that was used during an in person consultation! The client wanted a merge of the Skyrim and Oblivion logos, split with a slash in a diagonal. I suggested we merge them either by overlapping them and using different colors, maybe even using some of the magic symbols from the game to form a ring.
We also considered the forearm and shin as a placement, and how it would work with his other tattoos. We discussed different approaches for patchwork tattoo placements, and how offsetting them often creates a nicer overall look. We talked to make sure there was enough space for his other future tattoo plans in other parts of the leg as well. You can see the quick first session (lines only, about 1h40min) that we completed as a result on that same day.
There are also examples below of other sketch batches done for other tattoo projects, along with another final result.
A coverup example. Can you see what the original tattoo was?
If our consultation is online, do I have to show my face on the webcam?
It's definitely not necessary!
That being said, if your project is a coverup or if we are working around a few other tattoos, or if it's a large enough project to where we might be drawing to fill an area of the body, I might ask to see the placement in one way or another. This can include methods like sending an Imgur link of a photo of the placement over chat, turning on your webcam, or having you come in person.
What makes for a successful consultation?
I would consider a consultation successful if:
I have answered any questions you may have about your project and the process.
If we have shared enough information to create fully informed consent to the best of our ability.
And if we have reached a conclusion that feels good for you and your collection.
A consultation can be successful regardless of whether it does or doesn't lead to a booking! It's really to assess compatibility between us as client and artist, and to figure out if this is the best time for your next project budget-wise and in terms of you loving the idea you're committing to. :)
Please feel free to email me any questions you might have about this process as well! I'm always happy to answer.
Feeling ready to schedule a consultation?
I'd love to chat about your project with you, and I'm looking forward to all of the awesome ideas that we can hopefully bring to life together!
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