seasan

I am about to vent, so hang in there. I really, REALLY dislike stupid people. I have a friend, who is a tattoo artist, he is a bit eccentric, wild, etc. But I love him anyway. Now admittedly, people are allowed to have their personal views and opinions of things, but I hate it when their views and opinions are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo far off the damn wall that it makes them look like an ass. Then I have to come in and say something.

So this is what my friend posted on his facebook:

Okay not for nothing and i'm just asking anybody else think that the suicide girls are wicked fucking trendy I mean when they first came out it was awesome now it's just like everything else tattoo related just a bunch of trendy posers with the same tattoos and same sorta "look" trying to live a life they could never really understand

and of course there were his little sheep of friends spouting "yeah they look the same!" and all the crap. So I reply with this, and mind you I was on the debate team, so I almost never lose my head in an argument:

i personally know quite a few suicide girls, and I can attest that they are not a bunch of emo whores, crack whores, etc etc. i love you vick, but i partially disagree with you when it comes to this statement. now for the website itself, it is just that a website, with a certain theme and look to the site. in no way do the girls that are suicide ... See Moregirls encompass all that tattooed females should be, they just cater to that specific website. when it comes to business and making money (and yes, tattooing is a business) you want to appeal to the masses, and not just the select unique few. to do that, you have to cut into the mainstream world just a bit. hence why the girls pretty much look the same, dress the same etc etc. its all about marketing. most guys, want skinny hot chicks, and that is what is portrayed when trying to market an item...there is no money being made when you are only tattooing friends and family, the money comes from tattooing everyone.

so then one of his crazy ass friends jumps in with this:

Erik Mercier

and all the suicide girl type chics all have the same match'n tattoos, the generic tattoos they always have= mexican day o'dead skull in a rose or a gypsy veil, a girls face with skull make-up & a gypse veil, a v8 symbol, cadilac logo, blank stars with pink or blue shading behind them, nautical stars, sparrows on the chest, but done to small, dice... See More, cards & wine glass, a mans ruin pin-up, lips, lipstick container, chicano style script lettering just under their belly button, ambigram, a poem or song lyric on their ribs, revolvers on the hips with red spider web handles, more stars, stars with those stupid curly lines with the tear drop ends, a pin-up girl thats supposed to be them with the same tattoos they have, except its always done in that horrible almost traditional style that looks horrendous, actually all those suicide girl types tattoos are always done in that ''almost traditional'' style, , and their pin-up girl tattoos the shading for the skin is always tattooed in with that ugly to orange or to yellow skin tone, never the true flesh tone tan like pin-ups are supposed to be done with. did i forget any type of tattoos they all get the same?

@ Marisa, actually the mainstream of tattooing due to trendy mainstream marketing of tattooing ISN'T making the real tattoo artists & community money, its costing us money and time, due to tattooing now being trendy with reality tattoo tv shows' clothing lines, silly products & trendy cliques like suicide girls & other nonsense has made tattooing ... See Morecheap & shallow, just like the suicide girl, who are just airhead mall girls with no sense of style or train of thought thats their own, they only know and follow whats the trendy fassion style and dress thats popularar @ the time, they only get tattooed because they think their supposed to so they can try and fit in with the ''cool crowd''. normally the majority of these type of girls wouldn't dare get or even want a tattoo, their not get'n tattooed cuz they like the art of it, their get'n tattooed under the same precept as if they got a new hair style or gucci purse, hence the generic cookie cutter imagary they get tattooed on them & where they get it on their body, MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO. these are the same type girls that go to tanning salons, tanning & fading their tattoos, they all get the same tattoos in the same spots, same goes for people in the hip hop wanna be gangsta scene, yo boys, jocks & jugalos, tattoos are just a images to them and they think their being different by all being the same, due to this mainstream tattoo ''trend'' its costing real and true tattoo artists money & aggravation, due to this being mainstream these people go shop to shop looking for the cheapest price, quality is not a factor with the mainstream types, i been tattooing for 21yrs and only in the past 3-4yr have i had people price shop tattoo's. the real true clients are willing to pay for what good tattoo work is worth, these type you defend Marisa are the same ones with the me, me, me attitude, they all expect to get their tattoos as a walk in even if its a custom design i need time to draw ahead of time, they either dont keep appointments if they even bother making one, they expect

Erik Mercier
us real tattoo artist to stop mid tattoo & draw a custom design and tattoo it on them on the spot AND ALL these types try to argue over cost of real tattoo artists work AND ALL of the want a cheap price or a deal, so yes they cost us time and money as their the only type that cares bout cost over quality, and due to the new wave of to many new ... See Moreshitty artists and shops we gotta deal with both of these trendy assholes costing us money as theres more shops charging half price of what good tattoos should cost, and almost all these new shops work is barely passable and their mainstream trendy clientelle expects us to do work on them at the same price as the shitty shops charge them, but thankfully the trends near its end, they'll stop want'n tattoos when a new fassion fad starts they can jump on & they can start get'n their lazer tattoo removal done when the trendy type starts regretting get'n a tattoo cuz the fads over with, and us real tattoo artists can work in peace again without trendy price shoppers coming in wasting our time, i've seen it happen before and i'll see it again

Erik Mercier
and NO Marissa WE DONT wanna appeal to the masses, the masses are NOT WILLING TO SPEND MONEY on tattoos, they ALL want a instant bargain & discount, just like the stuff they shop for @ walmart & the mall, tattoos are just a instant gratification commodity to them, NOT an art form to respect and truly love because they don't truly want a tattoo, they want the coolness they think having a tattoo brings

This is what grinds my gears. I HATE it when a person can make such a broad generalization about a group (The SG's) when he has 1-probably NEVER even been on this site, and 2-may have watched the HBO special, and that is his only exposure to SG's. I really dislike people that cannot hold a logical argument without using generalizations and flying off of the handle like a baby. Perhaps the truth is too much for him to deal with? Maybe that is why he sounds so childish. But it really does annoy me. I'm not sure when he became the authority on tattooing and who appreciates it vs. who does not, but dude seriously needs to step off his damn high horse.

So then, I reply with this:

Erik-1 calm down honey. 2-you just proved my point without me having to even say it:

The way you say that "you" don't want to appeal to the masses, is just as bad as saying "all" suicide girls all the same. Don't generalize everything into one single group just because you don't like them.

Would it be fair to assume that all people with ... See Moretattoos do drugs and live a life a crime? Or how about assuming that tattoo artists are lazy bums without skills to get a real job? THAT is what most people think about people with tattoos/tattoo artist. It is a generalization, and not a true one. So don't be as close minded as those asses, and assume certain facts about a group as a whole.

Now being that you say ALL want an instant bargain, etc, don't appreciate it as an art form. Who are you applying that to? Just SG"s or people who are not completely covered in tattoos. I have 1 tattoo on my back, and it may be little, but it means a lot to me, as it symbolizes very important things in my life. Now, no disrespect, but who are you to state that ALL people do not appreciate the art form that tattooing is?

Now from a business aspect, yes, most tattooing now in days, excluding the dedicated artists and wearers is about appealing to the masses. Because the masses are sheep, and those sheep have money. In the end, people want to make money, money pays the bills. Admittedly, tattooing has become mainstream and trendy, with shows like L.A. Ink, and Kat Von Dee, but they are making money. Yes you can still be a true tattoo artist, tattooing only those unique individuals that understand the value of a tattoo and whatnot, but at the end of the day, you still need money to pay your bills.

As far as bargains go, damn near everyone loves a bargain. Hell! I know I do. You mean to tell me that you are willing to pay full price for everything you buy? If so, then kudos to you. But at the same time, just because someone is looking for a bargain, it does not negate their understanding or appreciation of the artistry that they are getting. For instance, I am a wedding photographer. I have a wedding coming up, with a bride who is an art major. She understands and appreciates art. When she came to me, she wanted to know if I had any specials on my packages, and I did. But just because she was looking for a bargain does not mean she does not appreciate art.

In any type of artistic sub culture, you are going to have your phase of trendy and fashionable. There are always going to be those who are the "artists" and those who are the "posers". That's all fine and dandy, that little bit of competition makes your work even more appreciated. The trendy phase of tattooing may go out, but it definitely will come back in again. And those phases of in and out, is what makes YOUR work more appreciated. So in a way, you have to take the good with the bad.

I HATE stupid people. I really really do. I just woke up, and read all of this shit, so it has annoyed the hell out of me.