Got the itch to get inked?
Whether you're in the market to get "Mom" on your bicep, your family crest on your chest, or some Backstreet Boys' lyrics on your, uh, back (we don't judge), Austin is stacked with studios and artists who are nothing short of inkredible.
We sat down with Austin artists, Tony Hundahl and Thomas Hooper of Rock of Ages Tattooing, and Kady Wilie of Resurrection Tattoo—and talked tat trends, tattoo do's and don'ts, and how they're making their mark.
If tattoos are a passion of yours, be sure to check out the 15th Anniversary Star of Texas Tattoo Art Revival at Palmer Events Center from Friday, January 27th to Sunday, January 29th.
UPDATE: Kady Wilie has since left Resurrection Tattoo to pursue work at Royal Tiger Tattoo.
Thomas Hooper — Rock of Ages Tattooing
On tattooing in Austin…
Hundahl:
Austin through the decades now has been a really influential city [for tattooing]. A lot of the best tattoo artists in the country come from here. Austin has a long history of being pretty tattoo-savvy. It's always been more prevalent and accepted here than it has in other places.
Hooper:
For me, people here…tattooing is very accepted here and it’s Texas, so everybody doesn’t do things by halves. If you like something here, you’re not afraid to really like it. You don’t feel very judged being here having tattoos so you can come get tattoos without worrying about it. The wearer or the client is a lot more ready to go for it.
Wilie:
Here everyone is tattooed, [whereas] in Dallas, you walk down the street and people look at you funny if you have tattoos. Sometimes I’ll forget and ill go home [to Dallas] and wear shorts to the grocery store and people are shielding their kids’ eyes.
I think traditional tattoos are really big—everyone here does really good traditional stuff. I do a lot of floral work—bluebonnets, wildflowers. I do at least three or four bluebonnet tattoos a week.
Kady Wilie at Resurrection Tattoo
On tattoo trends…
Hundahl:
I don’t even like the word “trending”—that’s terrible. That’s a ton of stuff that will date itself and the wearer forever. We try to avoid that stuff as much as we can to give someone something they’ll like for the rest of their life.
There’s a lot of that stuff that’s really popular now that I try to discourage people from getting—stuff on their hands and faces. I don’t know if people see a photo of a tattoo when it’s brand new, but they rarely get to see it after someone’s had it for 10 years. Your body is decaying daily, so the tattoo is going to be doing it right there alongside it. We always try to advise people on their best interests, but in the end, it’s their decision to make.
You walk a fine line between making the customer happy in the moment and what’s good for them for the rest of their life.
Tony Hundahl — Rock of Ages Tattooing
On selecting an artist…
Hundahl:
Go meet people in person, look through their portfolios. Almost every [artist] under the sun is on Instagram now—that’s a good resource. Look at current work. The BEST thing you can do is just go into some shops, talk to the people, see what the quality [is like]—how seriously they take their craft. I guess that’s the best way to say it. There’s a lot of jokers nowadays.
Hooper:
In Austin alone, we’re blessed with this abundance of amazing tattooists in so many amazing shops. Go, visit them all. Why not check them all out, rather than try to get one artist to do something that’s not their thing.
Find someone you feel comfortable with. We’re not all a good fit for everyone. It’s a human interaction—it should be enjoyed, I think.
Wilie:
Look at people’s portfolios. Look at technique—the shading, their linework. Then go to that person and trust them. If you’ve picked them, let them guide you. This is what we’re doing for a living. In the long run, we’re trying to give you the best tattoo. The way to get the best tattoo is to let the artist do their thing.
On choosing a tattoo…
Hooper:
Get off the internet, walk into tattoo shops. Don’t look at tattoo designs on Pinterest. The world is a big place—there are probably 20,000 people that printed it off and got that too. If you go on Pinterest and get a tattoo and print it out and bring it into a tattoo shop, chances are there are three other people in the world getting it done at that moment.
Try and get something unique…go to the shop and find the artist that does the type of work you like and then trust them to do something. If you just want someone to replicate a design on Pinterest, you’re going to be disappointed. Your artist should just need you to come up with an idea and then they draw it for you. Make sure you like the way they draw.
Wilie:
A lot of times people will bring in images that are really cool as a screensaver but not as a tattoo. Especially landscapes. People always want sunsets and stuff.
If you’re looking for ideas, the best place to go is the tattoo shop. All of us have books and books of stuff that we’d like to do, and you can just flip through and look for something that speaks to you. I think a lot of times people think they have to have a ton of reference photos or find it on the Internet. In reality, if you have an idea, just take it to your tattoo artist.
On definite tattoo don’ts…
Wilie:
We all get the email that’s “I want a gypsy girl with a fire hat and she’s going to have…” People try and combine like 50 ideas into one tattoo—you can get more than one.
[Also], don’t do it too small. If it’s worth getting on you forever, it’s worth doing right.
Hundahl:
The number-one thing you shouldn’t do is shop by price. You’re not buying a discounted pair of shoes; you’re buying the last pair of shoes you’re ever gonna have. You might as well get a nice pair.
On tattoo aftercare…
Wilie:
Trust your body—you don’t need to put 10,000 crazy ointments on your tattoo. Listen to exactly what your specific artist told you. The number-one issue I see is people over-moisturizing. Your body knows how to heal something like a tattoo—it’s like a scrape, basically. Don’t freak out.
Hundahl:
The best advice is "don’t listen to any of your friends"—just do what the tattooist says. That’s the only way to have any definitive answer. Every person is different, every tattooist is different, every tattoo is different. You’ll get the best advice from them.
On tattoo misconceptions…
Wilie:
I think people do think that it’s dirty still, but it’s incredibly clean and sterile. Everyone constantly thinks their tattoos are infected when in reality, it’s as clean as possible. The methods have changed completely. I think that’s a misconception with the older generations as well—they think that tattooing is what it was 50- 60 years ago.
On tattoo placement…
Wilie:
Don’t tattoo your fingers and don’t tattoo the sides of your feet. There’s a higher exfoliation rate there. You’re just gonna end up with half a tattoo. I would suggest searching “healed finger tattoo" because the results speak for themselves.
On getting your partner’s name inked…
Hooper:
Get it done for someone you know is going to be in your life forever. I'd rather see someone get their best mate’s name than their girlfriend’s name.
Wilie:
My advice would be "don't get your partner’s name at any cost." I always try to convince people to do matching tattoos instead. At least then if it doesn’t work out, you still have a cool tattoo. Also, it’s bad juju.
Contributed by Sam Sumpter
Photos by Roger Ho
2310 S Lamar Blvd #105
2108 S Lamar Blvd
Know a great place to get a tattoo in Austin? Let us know! [email protected]
