If Critics Were Assholes I Couldn’t Buy 2 Ply

If Critics Were Assholes I Couldn’t Buy 2 Ply.

I may be a crusty old fuck- maybe I have been doing this too long. But I am tired of hearing “why did you do this that way? Thats not the way I would do it.”

Well guess what! It ISNT you doing it. You are not uploading an image into my brain that I will regurgitate and apply my experience to. It is me doing it with decades of experience and tens of thousands of performance hours executing thousands of finished products.

For every hour of performance has been spent dozens more preparing to perform.

Think of all the time you spend singing in the shower- would you be prepared to record a song and post it on your page?

How many hours would it take before you were ready?

Would you be able to sing that song to the person who wrote it in a room with just them?

Would you be willing to sing it to them and all their loved ones once a day for the rest of their lives?

On average I do that 3 times a day.

If you tell an artist you ‘love what they do’ and to ‘do [their] thing’ -but then question what they do or their processes; then you DONT love what they do… and now you are limiting their repertoire into trying to guess what you want based on their limited exposure to you.

You want me as a tattooer to approach your art the way you- as a Doctor, Lawyer or Grave Digger SEE it?

Well I’m sorry but that isnt possible.

You want me to take away more of my personal time to draw for you on the odd chance I may stumble across it the way you want to see it?

That is a losing bet I’m not willing to gamble on.

I will guarantee to use my knowledge, experience and repertoire to the best of my ability so I may provide you with a product I can stand behind.

If the project is outside my understanding or ability I cant in good concious take it on.

That being said- if you are the kind of client who will stroke your discontent, picking apart the processes, imagining what you would have done differently and rehearsing your dissatisfaction-

NO piece of art is going to make you happy, and I will NOT take on the project.

Theres a reason the average three-legged-race is only a few yards.

Theres a reason for the expression ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’

Theres a reason why I am doing this and you are not… But maybe you’re the next tattoo superstar.

Please: blow our minds.

Or better yet- buy an art print for your wall.

I am not Photoshop and a printer, and I am ok with it.

I am ok with not being what you think I should be. I wont suffer your discontent because you didnt do your research.

Allow me to paraphrase Lyle Tuttle-
“Tattoos aren’t for everyone any theyre too goddamn good for some people”

Gatekeeper

Hi there! I'm Taylor, you may know me as Sterling Skull reception, or gatekeeper, or most recently Tater (thanks Chris). I love writing, creating and I love tattoos; so what better way to use my passions than to bring you a personal experience of our studio via a blog! Welcome, please stay a while!