On most work days, I arrive at the tattoo parlor around 11:30 before the doors open at noon. I check messages and call people back. I clean up whatever I may have left lying around the night before and get the shop organized — at least relative to my standards. Those who have sat in my chair probably noticed that I’m somewhat lacking in the orderliness department, but I assure you, there is a method to the madness. I sort everything into two piles — things to do, and things I’ve done already.
Once everything is in working order, I take a stroll to Cumberland Farms and buy a coffee, which I like scalding hot (see story on page XX for more coffee run stops). When I get back, I drink it slowly over the course of drawing for the day’s appointments, which is why I like it so hot. I usually have to microwave it a few times. I shoot the shit with my boss, Mike, while he does the same. My first appointment of the day is usually at 1pm, and I am typically giving the drawing final tweaks when my client walks in the door.
Like clockwork, the mail lady comes by and delivers us a bunch of bills, advertisements and restaurant menus. We also have a healthy array of magazine subscriptions that come through. Time, Smithsonian, Playboy and Entertainment Weekly are on the current roster. When the shop is busy, there is no time to read them all, and they end up in the ‘to do’ pile. Being caught up on the magazines is a sign that business is slow.
Some tattoos require a serious amount of planning before the application, and I may need a lot of reference material to draw from. If someone were to request an anatomical heart, I would have to Google search images of one, or flip through some of our various reference books as I do not know off hand how to draw one correctly. There are, however, certain images I know like the back of my hand. Roses, daggers, and clipper ships are among the classic tattoo images that I don’t usually need references to draw, though it never hurts to get inspiration from other sources.
Tattooers often moonlight as music critics, philosophers and psychologists. We spend lengthy amounts of time in close proximity to people while we inflict pain on them. We have a built-in audience for whatever tirade we decide to go on or opinion we decide to express. Sometimes the clients take the floor and open up about the intimate details of their personal lives. The divorce they are going through, a loved one who died or a terrible boss are common topics we use to pass the time. The conversation is usually light, however, with everyone engaging about TV shows or movies. The tattoo parlor is often a club house for the regulars.
I usually book two or three appointments per day. I try to reserve an ample amount of time to put the bells and whistles on each drawing and to make any changes that need to be made when the client comes in. Some days are totally swamped and I do not get a chance to eat. I always like the feeling of closing up the shop with an empty stomach and a pocket full of money. I feel like I have earned my dinner on those days, and go all out when I order it.
Tattooing is a seasonal profession for most of us. The nature of the daily grind changes throughout the yearly cycle. As I write this article, we are at the end of the slow season. By the time you read it, people will have received their tax returns, and many will spend the extra money on tattoos. We will suddenly find ourselves busy again. Summer follows, which always seems to stay busy, or at least steady. I assume all the exposed skin inspires people to talk about tattoos, and in turn, remind them that they want them.
I do most of my work from March to September. The first “Oh shit” moment always hits me in October. Usually by then, I have saved enough to get through the next few slower months, but it is still a little jarring when the time comes. There is always a burst of business right before and after Thanksgiving, which tides me over to the next burst, which is right before and after Christmas. After that, year after year, it is a matter of scraping by until tax returns come in again. Aside from a few vacations and a major recession, I have been able to budget myself according to this routine for 14 years. And with any luck, that won’t change any time soon.
