Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Phone calls...texting...etc!

   When coming to get tattooed, please either leave your cell phone in your car or have the common courtesy to TURN IT OFF while being tattooed. You can check it when we take a break if it is actually that Important.
    I realize that at times there are actual emergencies and understand if this is the case, but as of yet I have not seen one. Just people being rude and making our jobs even harder by moving around constantly while the tattoo artist is Trying to give you a beautiful tattoo. Please consider the fact that this is Permanent... and if you cant take a break from your phone for a few hours, then maybe you shouldn't be getting tattooed that day.
    So, please consider this and make the choice if you want your tattoo to be it's BEST! Thanks!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The "Secret" to Tattooing

   For years I talked to other artists that I admired to try and break the secret code. What "magic" inks were they using? What "magic" machines are the best? What's the "secret" that some of these artists know and the rest of us struggle to find? The "secret" I am referring to is...are you sitting down?...it....is...Patience!
Shhhhhh...don't tell anyone! Now, obviously this means after you have learned to apply a proper tattoo without scarring etc. There are machines and inks that are "better" for a specific artist or purpose by by and large the only other secret is to Calm down and take your time. Now, there is a fine line between "taking your time" and "overworking" something so know the difference in advance please. But, other than that, when you consider a tattoo done, look over every tiny little area of it again and really go thru and fine tune it again. And lets not forget, things ALWAYS come out better when you relax and Truly Enjoy what you are doing!

Accepting change

   Well, most of us don't like change, including myself...I like to know what to expect most of the time and when change does come along, I can hear my inner caveman mutter "Ugh...Change Bad!" But as of lately, I have been put in many situations where I have no choice but to accept it. Which I absolutely hated at first but have been trying to just accept and roll with it. I am trying to teach myself to loosen up and let things "flow" a bit more, which in itself frees up a whole lot of space in my mind that used to be filled with frustration from trying to "force" life to go my way...which accomplished nothing other than keeping me on edge ALL the time. I have spent almost All of my life angry, scared and constantly uptight...walking around tense, waiting for the "anvil" (a looney tunes reference) to fall out of the sky and land on my head. So, I am sure this will be a never-ending journey for me, but I am gonna keep working on letting Life happen and trust that it is gonna deliver to me what I need. I can't say that I am gonna be successful at this all days but there is always tomorrow...at least until my tomorrows run dry. Give it a shot...cause for me at least, when I do succeed, things seem to be a bit easier, colors a bit brighter and for a short time...everything seems to be in it's place. Or maybe I am just losing my mind...but if that's the case please don't spoil it for me by telling me. Hahaha!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Un-Reasonable People...

   So, what is it anymore with un-reasonable people? Why do most people these days think that the world owes them something? I don't understand it. I am impatient myself at times but can't understand yelling and swearing at someone and expecting them to be nice to you or give you any kind of service afterwards.
   Ok, well, last night apparently a customer was in talkin about getting 2 tattoos by an artist here. She was told that she could get the 1 done later that night but would need to set up a time tomorrow or in the future and at this point was OK with that. She was told to come in at 7pm. So, 20 minutes later she calls and speaks to the artist again and again asked about getting both tattoos at 7...she was told again that this wasn't possible and that he was already running behind schedule so he needed to get off the phone if he was gonna be able to complete what he was working on and get her done.
   At 6:15 she shows up with her husband and 2 children. They sit in the lobby, the apprentice asks them if they would like refreshments while they wait and puts on a kids movie for their children. She brings them snacks etc when the woman asks about filling out her paperwork. She is told that the artist will bring it to her when he's done. They wait , watching movies nand eating snacks and they are told that he is runnig behind but will still get the 1 tattoo done. So, around 8pm the artist comes out with the drawing for the tattoo to check it against her body to make sure it fits. She then asks where the other drawing is...he tells her again that he only has time to do the one but would be happy to set her up for tomorrow for either both tattoos or the 2nd. She begins to yell, saying that this is "Bullshit and we are Fucking out of here" etc etc.Just then the husband stands up and starts yelling " This is no Fucking way to run a business and they have been waiting for 2 hours" which would have only been one hour had they shown up on time instead of 45 minutes early and would have been even less than that had she not kept the artist for 30 minutes talkking while his previous client was waiting...and then another 10 or so minutes on the phone. At this point they are asked to leave, the husband is now yelling so loud other artists and clients come out of their rooms to see what's going on. He yells, This is Fucking Bullshit...this is no way to treat good customers" ...the artist shakes his head and again says "Just leave"...the husband says" Don't you shake your fucking head at me"etc etc...I WISH I would have been here for this...
   So, not only are these people out of control, they are raising 2 kids to be the same kind of arrogant pushy assholes that think the world owes them something. What goes thru someones mind that they think it's OK to act this way , especially in front of their children. I am also assuming that though she wanted to disregard the importance of the client that was currently being worked on when she took up the artists time and then called again she wanted to be tattooed without interruption and treated as if she were important. It really blows my mind the way that people think THEY are the only ones that matter.

   With that said, we DO have a lot of Awesome clients, so don't get me wrong, I REALLY Appreciate them but all of the INGRATES can go to their tattoo parties or some of these random SHIT SHOPS popping up everywhere and get some crappy scarred up piece of Shit tattoo cause that's what they DESERVE. Now just for the record, I believe the artist showed GREAT restraint in not Screaming at these people or worse. And just in case the couple that did this ends up reading this...my name is Ron Antonick, I am the owner of Gen X Tattoos and would happy to "discuss" this IN PERSON with you!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

St. Patty's Day

  Well, alright, a reason to celebrate! I am 50% Irish and my mom and sisters really get into this but it has never really done much for me other than an excuse to cut school when I was young and go to the parade. But as of lately, with all the bullshit in the world, any excuse for people to celebrate, relax and smile a bit is OK with me. May you all find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow today...god knows if I see a leperchaun I am straight mugging his ass! And I will share the wealth with all my friends...haha. Anyways, be safe and don't drink too much green beer!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Custom backpiece and King Diamond

   So, got to work on Rays backpiece again today which is a super cool custom piece I drew up of a creepy guy with a gas mask on morphing into some bio-mech. It also has reflections of what he is seeing in the eye pieces of the mask including a mushroom cloud etc. He sits like a champ and I am really stoked about this piece and will share it as soon as it is finished.
   I also got to work on an old friend of mine, Joe. he is getting an awesome portrait of King Diamond on his chest, upside down crosses and all.Again, I will share when its done. It is based off of the pic below. Super fun day, Total metal...Devil Horns to All! \,,/...Hahahahaha

Friday, March 11, 2011

Ice Cube

   Just had to share this pic since I mentioned Cube...Hahahaha