According to a Pew Research poll, around 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo, and that number continues to grow as stigma around tattoos decreases.
With an abundance of shops in Athens, picking an artist and design can quickly become overwhelming. Knowing what to look for in a tattoo artist can help make the process much smoother.
Joee Green, owner and artist at Magic Tattoo, located on 26 W. Stimson Ave., does nature-inspired work. Unlike most artists, she specializes in one style only, high-detail botany. Because of her specialty, Green built a devoted clientele. She said working in one area makes her stand out among other artists.
“I'm really grateful people have stuck with me,” she said. “Actually specializing, I'm busier than I've ever been.”
She purchased and renovated the shop with her husband, Thomas Green. They opened the shop three years ago, and quickly found support in town. Instead of the darker atmosphere found in many shops, they went with brighter colored walls and lots of lighting to lift the mood of the artists and clients. She said they wanted to ease nerves as soon as people walk in.
“I've had the experience of going into shops in my life and (I’m) intimidated immediately, and it is a scary thing," she said. “Tattooing in general is scary, so I wouldn't want to impose that feeling on other people.”
Thomas Green has been a tattoo artist since 1998. Given over 25 years in the field, he said he has seen trends come and go because of social media.
“These days, (it’s) just Pinterest or Google,” he said. “One person gets (a tattoo), then 10 people get it, then 20 people get it.”
Green reminisces on previous tattoo trends, recalling what surrounded his view at the beginning of his career.
“When I first started, it was a lot of nautical stars, that kind of stuff,” Green said. “Now it’s fine line (tattoo style).”
Unlike his wife, Thomas Green works in various styles but mainly focuses on traditional pieces. He said he likes to add touches of comedy into his work.
“I like silly s---, something with a little bit of sense humor to it,” he said. “The weirder, the better for me.”
For people looking to get their first tattoo, knowing what style they want will help guide which artist to go with. Brad Taylor, an artist at Skin Hooked Tattoo and Piercing, said doing research is key.
“I would check out everyone's portfolios online, whether it be Instagram, Facebook or their shop websites,” he said. “And I would really think about how you want your tattoo to look at the end of the day, and then kind of look at their styles and compare and see if that's kind of your style.”
Taylor works mostly in a neo-traditional style, doing primarily black and gray pieces. He said he has to adapt his work depending on the client.
“Everybody's skin is different, every skin tone is different,” he said. “Some people take better care of their skin than others.”
Because every piece is unique in size, style and placement, prices can vary wildly. Some charge by the hour while others by the piece. Joee Green said to work with the artist on the piece to get the most accurate pricing.
“We all charge differently,” she said. “It depends on placement. If you're talking torso or ribs, it's going to be significantly more than a super easy area. Our shop minimum is $80, which seems to be the average.”
Recently, scams of people claiming to be artists have spread on social media. Thomas Green said to be wary of people claiming to work for a shop and do research on who really works there.
“In the last couple of years there's been a bunch of scams where people say they (tattoo) on Facebook,” he said. “A random person messages you and goes, ‘I work at Magic Tattoo,’ then they get a deposit and the person shows up here for their appointment. We're like, ‘Well, Cynthia doesn't work here, so you just lost $150.’”
Magic Tattoo can be found on Instagram and Facebook. Joee Green and Thomas Green can be found on Instagram at apackofwildbolognas and thomaspatrickgreen. Skin Hooked is located at 8 N. Court St., and information about the shop can be found at skinhooked.com. Taylor can be found on Instagram at brad_taylor_tattoos.
