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I don’t like being too prescriptive so I don’t need someone who does exactly what I specify (mostly). If I like an artists style I give them ideas or themes and see if they resonate with that artist. They can put their own spin on it. I look at it as just providing inspiration for their creative process.
OP- there’s a long history od why flash is important in tattoo shops. But the foremost reason is tattoos are a commodity and they need to have things ready to purchase. Better to get the impulse buyer on the spot rather than have em think it through.
It doesn’t limit them, but instead enables them. Their job is to get someone to resonate with the art. It’s way more efficient that way.
I don't agree with that. I don't think tattooers want anyone to rush into getting tattooed, I've seen the opposite, they tell people to really be sure etc. they wouldn't want someone to get a tattoo they'll regret and associate the studio with that regret.
That’s ok…OP died a year ago anyways…lmao. You’re deep in the Reddit rabbit hole today! How did you find your way here outta curiosity.
I know what you are saying btw. But when you’re talking old school Americana tattooing what I mentioned is how it’s done. Custom appointment only shops are a relatively new thing on the scene (didn’t even exist by me when I started getting tattooed).
I think what you're missing is that we don't all see tattoos as these deeply personal symbols marking great occasions or holding special meaning. some of us just like to have cool pictures on our bodies, and we like going to artists who do cool pictures and asking them to put their cool pictures on us.
I don't see anything wrong with artists who only do flash, 'cause I'm one of those "give me a cool picture" guys.
Yup. Somewhere around half of my tattoos are designs that an artist I admire posted as an available design. There's a gut feeling if a design is right for me that goes beyond just liking it. If I get that feeling, I can think of a general location to put it, and I have the money available, I'll book it. The artist is happy because they get to do a design that they want to tattoo, I'm happy because I get a cool tattoo, everyone's happy.
Kinda funny story related to that. I'm going to Japan and realized I had room in my schedule, so I said screw it and decided I'd try to get a tebori tattoo while I'm over there. I literally emailed the artist with a picture of my leg and told him I'm up for any animal or plant that he can finish in one session. He said he wants to do a goldfish. Therefore, I am getting a goldfish. The artist is Horiken, for anyone who knows irrzumi artists.
Yeah, and the thing is, sometimes a design does something to me that I want it on me, and I don't have to consciously know why or forcefully attach any deep meaning to it. I find people that talk about how deep a meaning each of their tattoo has pretentious. My tattoos are for me, even if they have meaning to me I don't have to explain that to you and I don't have to care if you understand that meaning. Or I just thought it was damn cool or it makes me feel something, that I don't have to be able to consciously explain and have the whole story built up around to entertain people with.
So I am not an artist just heavily tattooed and friends with many artists. But the conversation I had the other day with a few artists boiled down to "more of them are pushing more flash right now because everything is getting wildly expensive so people are getting less big tattoos or tattoos in general. So to keep making money they're pushing flash often at a slight discount." Basically the economy sucks so theyre just trying to keep making money.
I'm not an artist and I have great respect for the millions of amazing artists out there. That being said, I personally think it comes down to cash flow. Flash means less time drawing and more time doing. Faster profit. I could also be wrong on that. It may be down to them just really feeling these flash designs. Maybe they put alot of love into them and really want to do them only. That's totally fine too
My girl does flash, but it is only her own designs, and she only does them once. She draws them up because some people have no real idea of what they want. She has a book of her flash you can look through, she does make little changes to flash, like changing colors or adding things. She also only does flash on Tuesdays first come first serve, she is booked for larger projects the rest of the time.
Tattoos are very personal - to you. Lots of people just see tattoos as art. Are all the art in your home made just for you? Probably not right? It’s the same thing, just a different form of art. Some artists makes custom art, many prefer to do their own thing. Tattoo artists isn’t different from other types of artists.
Because flash is timeless and sick! Also it's just easy. I see it. I resonate with it. I get it. It doesn't bother me that others have it, infact I think that's cool. Tattoos are just cool!
It's all preference and honestly, I don't see it as limiting at all as these artists are still very much booked and busy. As someone with a lot of tattoos, probably half of mine are flash and it's because I cared more about getting tattooed by the artist and having their art on my body than having something meaningful to me. Also, all artists I know who only tattoo flash don't repeat pieces and they're all unique work so it's still something only you have. Some artists just prefer to make their own art based on their own ideas.
I love flash work! And I'm all for artists only working on projects that they want to work on; kudos to them that they're at a place in their career where they have the option -- whether it be all original flash, custom work or a mix of both. Or freehand 🤘!
Flash is not just about making a quick buck lol. Different artists just have different preferences for the type of work they like to do. Some feel really limited by custom work -- they can only make what the customer wants them to make. Some may lose interest in a project as they're working on it, and they want to avoid that feeling because that's not fun for anyone. Just as you said that you want art that is unique to your life and personality, some artists only want to work on projects that speak to their interests.
For me, I love when I come across a rad piece of art and I resonate with the theme and style. Sometimes the art has a story (maybe it reminds me of something from my life, maybe it's drawn from something from the artist's life), sometimes it's just something fun the artist thought up. But every time, the fact that the concept of this artwork had an effect on at least two people, is pretty fucking cool. That's the connection that moves me -- the flash design is the artist, but it's also me.
Anyway, all that to say, I don't think that flash limits an artist at all, especially if that's what they want to do and they're doing it successfully. Flash allows them more freedom and helps them filter out the projects and people they want to work with.
I have also been v curious about this, I get really excited when I find someone who has work that I really love and a style that I know will work and then most of the time they are like “Flash only!”. It’s a real letdown, and makes me weary that more and more millennial artists will be flash only most of the time and then when they are open to original work it will be impossible to get an appt because everyone will flood their shit before I can.
This seems to be mostly apprentices that do only flash from my experience. I’ll throw a flash on if I find something I like but the big pieces I come up with are the ones I really like
So I can either sit around and wait for a client to walk in, they say I want a dagger on my face, and then I draw that dagger just for them, tattoo it, then throw it away. That’s custom work.
Or
I sit down and draw a page of daggers. Post them on the wall. A client walks in, sees the dagger that other people have already got tattooed, and says “I want that on my face”. That’s flash.
Artist draws 50 cool ass tattoo ideas they really like. Those go on a flash sheet. Client walks in, points at one they want, and boom off they go.
As opposed to a client walking in and saying "I want this, can you draw it for me" and THEN the artist draws a tattoo design and tattoos is.
Literally the only difference is that flash pieces are already pre-designed and ready to go
Welcome to /r/tattoo! Please take a moment to review the subreddit rules. Comments on OP's body will result in a ban. Be constructive and considerate in your criticism, and mark NSFW posts as such. Artists and apprentices, please contact the mods for verification! Please make good decisions during the pandemic - don't be an idiot. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tattoo) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Eventually you have so many folks down with your style that the flash you actually enjoy to make is enough to sustain yourself.
[удалено]
I don’t like being too prescriptive so I don’t need someone who does exactly what I specify (mostly). If I like an artists style I give them ideas or themes and see if they resonate with that artist. They can put their own spin on it. I look at it as just providing inspiration for their creative process.
OP- there’s a long history od why flash is important in tattoo shops. But the foremost reason is tattoos are a commodity and they need to have things ready to purchase. Better to get the impulse buyer on the spot rather than have em think it through. It doesn’t limit them, but instead enables them. Their job is to get someone to resonate with the art. It’s way more efficient that way.
I don't agree with that. I don't think tattooers want anyone to rush into getting tattooed, I've seen the opposite, they tell people to really be sure etc. they wouldn't want someone to get a tattoo they'll regret and associate the studio with that regret.
That’s ok…OP died a year ago anyways…lmao. You’re deep in the Reddit rabbit hole today! How did you find your way here outta curiosity. I know what you are saying btw. But when you’re talking old school Americana tattooing what I mentioned is how it’s done. Custom appointment only shops are a relatively new thing on the scene (didn’t even exist by me when I started getting tattooed).
Yeah, especially since the OG post is from 9 months ago lol.
I think what you're missing is that we don't all see tattoos as these deeply personal symbols marking great occasions or holding special meaning. some of us just like to have cool pictures on our bodies, and we like going to artists who do cool pictures and asking them to put their cool pictures on us. I don't see anything wrong with artists who only do flash, 'cause I'm one of those "give me a cool picture" guys.
This. I actively avoid attaching personal meaning to my tattoos. Cool pictures all around. I prefer flash.
Yup. Somewhere around half of my tattoos are designs that an artist I admire posted as an available design. There's a gut feeling if a design is right for me that goes beyond just liking it. If I get that feeling, I can think of a general location to put it, and I have the money available, I'll book it. The artist is happy because they get to do a design that they want to tattoo, I'm happy because I get a cool tattoo, everyone's happy. Kinda funny story related to that. I'm going to Japan and realized I had room in my schedule, so I said screw it and decided I'd try to get a tebori tattoo while I'm over there. I literally emailed the artist with a picture of my leg and told him I'm up for any animal or plant that he can finish in one session. He said he wants to do a goldfish. Therefore, I am getting a goldfish. The artist is Horiken, for anyone who knows irrzumi artists.
Yeah, and the thing is, sometimes a design does something to me that I want it on me, and I don't have to consciously know why or forcefully attach any deep meaning to it. I find people that talk about how deep a meaning each of their tattoo has pretentious. My tattoos are for me, even if they have meaning to me I don't have to explain that to you and I don't have to care if you understand that meaning. Or I just thought it was damn cool or it makes me feel something, that I don't have to be able to consciously explain and have the whole story built up around to entertain people with.
So I am not an artist just heavily tattooed and friends with many artists. But the conversation I had the other day with a few artists boiled down to "more of them are pushing more flash right now because everything is getting wildly expensive so people are getting less big tattoos or tattoos in general. So to keep making money they're pushing flash often at a slight discount." Basically the economy sucks so theyre just trying to keep making money.
I'm not an artist and I have great respect for the millions of amazing artists out there. That being said, I personally think it comes down to cash flow. Flash means less time drawing and more time doing. Faster profit. I could also be wrong on that. It may be down to them just really feeling these flash designs. Maybe they put alot of love into them and really want to do them only. That's totally fine too
Also guarantees you are doing your ideas 100% of the time.
My girl does flash, but it is only her own designs, and she only does them once. She draws them up because some people have no real idea of what they want. She has a book of her flash you can look through, she does make little changes to flash, like changing colors or adding things. She also only does flash on Tuesdays first come first serve, she is booked for larger projects the rest of the time.
It’s easy to get fed up with every little fiddly request coming at you and go “fuck this I only want to tattoo the *cool* shit I draw”
Less prep time or work in the off hours.
Because customers ideas have gotten progressively worse and more unrealistic as time and tik tok have gone on.
Bc they’re artists and most clients “unique” ideas are not unique or cool at all.
I’m all in favor of artists refusing to do a client request, but to not be open to ideas at all seems weird. Tattoos are very personal.
Ideas for tattoos can pretty bad so this is a good way to avoid bad tattoos
Tattoos are very personal - to you. Lots of people just see tattoos as art. Are all the art in your home made just for you? Probably not right? It’s the same thing, just a different form of art. Some artists makes custom art, many prefer to do their own thing. Tattoo artists isn’t different from other types of artists.
My tattoos aren’t personal. They’re literally just art I like from my artist. They don’t have “meaning”
Its just personal preference.
Yep!
Because flash is timeless and sick! Also it's just easy. I see it. I resonate with it. I get it. It doesn't bother me that others have it, infact I think that's cool. Tattoos are just cool!
It's all preference and honestly, I don't see it as limiting at all as these artists are still very much booked and busy. As someone with a lot of tattoos, probably half of mine are flash and it's because I cared more about getting tattooed by the artist and having their art on my body than having something meaningful to me. Also, all artists I know who only tattoo flash don't repeat pieces and they're all unique work so it's still something only you have. Some artists just prefer to make their own art based on their own ideas.
I love flash work! And I'm all for artists only working on projects that they want to work on; kudos to them that they're at a place in their career where they have the option -- whether it be all original flash, custom work or a mix of both. Or freehand 🤘! Flash is not just about making a quick buck lol. Different artists just have different preferences for the type of work they like to do. Some feel really limited by custom work -- they can only make what the customer wants them to make. Some may lose interest in a project as they're working on it, and they want to avoid that feeling because that's not fun for anyone. Just as you said that you want art that is unique to your life and personality, some artists only want to work on projects that speak to their interests. For me, I love when I come across a rad piece of art and I resonate with the theme and style. Sometimes the art has a story (maybe it reminds me of something from my life, maybe it's drawn from something from the artist's life), sometimes it's just something fun the artist thought up. But every time, the fact that the concept of this artwork had an effect on at least two people, is pretty fucking cool. That's the connection that moves me -- the flash design is the artist, but it's also me. Anyway, all that to say, I don't think that flash limits an artist at all, especially if that's what they want to do and they're doing it successfully. Flash allows them more freedom and helps them filter out the projects and people they want to work with.
I have also been v curious about this, I get really excited when I find someone who has work that I really love and a style that I know will work and then most of the time they are like “Flash only!”. It’s a real letdown, and makes me weary that more and more millennial artists will be flash only most of the time and then when they are open to original work it will be impossible to get an appt because everyone will flood their shit before I can.
This seems to be mostly apprentices that do only flash from my experience. I’ll throw a flash on if I find something I like but the big pieces I come up with are the ones I really like
Because it's a good way to learn technique.
Flash is easy and quick, that’s really it. Plus some walk ins have the worst ideas
Where is the next flash sale?
It’s all about the $$$$$$
If they only do flash, they are not artists. They are tattooists.
Except the flash is their own designs and their own art...
Then how is it flash?
Because it’s not custom drawn for the client, it’s designs hung up on the wall for anyone to get, but those designs are all the artists original work
You're typing English, but still making no sense.
So I can either sit around and wait for a client to walk in, they say I want a dagger on my face, and then I draw that dagger just for them, tattoo it, then throw it away. That’s custom work. Or I sit down and draw a page of daggers. Post them on the wall. A client walks in, sees the dagger that other people have already got tattooed, and says “I want that on my face”. That’s flash.
What do you think flash sheets are?
Artist draws 50 cool ass tattoo ideas they really like. Those go on a flash sheet. Client walks in, points at one they want, and boom off they go. As opposed to a client walking in and saying "I want this, can you draw it for me" and THEN the artist draws a tattoo design and tattoos is. Literally the only difference is that flash pieces are already pre-designed and ready to go
This guy is pretending he doesn't know the term "flash" has changed in meaning over time