I'm a "frequent flyer" of Brite Idea Tattoo, so keep in mind I might be biased a bit heavily in the positive direction. The studio itself is very modern and professional, with wooden floors, comfortable seating and ample space. The walls are adorned with pieces of art by Zera Anderson (who owns the joint and tattoos). Also, it is a small business owned by a local resident of the community. Over the summer, Jodi (who owned Ink For Life, formerly down the strip) is in town doing work, which long-standing customers are happy to take advantage of, but the majority of the year Zera herself is the only acting artist. This means two things necessarily - first, there is generally a wait time between when you come in to make an appointment and when your appointment actually is; second, Zera is talented enough to warrant being the only artist working out of the studio. Of the six tattoos I have, she has done five and they are each elaborate, unique and incredible. On many occasions I have been asked to pass on "regards to my artist" on behalf of random bystanders who saw them and were impressed. If you want quality ink done, Brite Idea Tattoo is definitely worth checking out. If you don't live nearby, it would still be worthwhile to travel out to visit. I have no doubt that I will have many future inking adventures here. read more

I can't believe I have not reviewed this place before! This is the gold standard of tattoo shops here in Michigan for sure. Woman owned and doing incredible work, the artists here (Zera who owns it, along with Janet and Sarah) are absolutely phenomenal and do brilliant work. Their custom pieces are miles beyond anything you could have imagined, and their beautifully created flash pieces are stunning as well. Great for first timers and those covered in ink alike, I cannot recommend this place enough. I usually see Sarah, and she is particularly good with those who are brand new and/or those who have chronic pain (like me!) and may need accommodations, extra breaks, etc. read more

I CANNOT say enough great things about Zera and Brite Idea Tattoo. She was recommended to me by EVERY single friend I know that has a tattoo, who is from this area. Literally every one of my tatted friends in Michigan has been inked by Zera at one point or another; most of my friends are extremely loyal to her as their artists...and now I know why. I got my 4th, and by far BEST, tattoo done by Zera in the summer of 2011. Not only did she take a simple design and completely take it to the next level, but she completely exceeded all of my expectations; I am more in love with the design she came up with than I could have ever imagined. EVERYONE who sees my tattoo LOVES it and is completely blown away by Zera's artistry. Besides the fact that her work is beyond amazing, she is also very reasonably priced and absolutely wonderful to work with. Sitting through a 2.5 hour session while someone is running a needle across your skin can't generally be considered a "good time" however Zera made it comfortable as possible. She books up quickly so you may have to wait some time to get an appointment; and this is a one-woman shop, so you can't just walk in and get service right away, because she is probably busy working with another client, so keep this in mind and understand where she is coming from. Believe me, it is worth the wait! read more

Janet Nelson is a goddess, her professionalism and attention fo detail is refreshing. She took my ideas and made them come true. I needed an old tattoo covered up, definitely going back to her! She is willing to give you suggestions but works with your ideas too. Her prices are on point, but it's cash only! read more

Zera is a wonderful artist. I got my tattoo done by her when she was still at Ink For Life - she was recommended by a co-worker - and it is still one of my favorite tattoos. She did a great job fitting the piece so that it laid perfectly with the contours of my foot. She's trained in fine arts (she has her BA from UofM), and it shows! She also helped me elaborate on a ...less than impressive tattoo, we'll say - that I had gotten done elsewhere (my first...and oh how uneducated I was!) Anyway, I'm pretty picky about tattoos, tattoo styles, and artists, but I can definitely recommend Zera - you're in good hands! read more

I got my very first ink-ling from Janet at this location. She was real easy to chat with about the whole process which took away the anxious ants about getting tattooed for the first time. I've received 8 tattoos at this shop, and every experience has been a rewarding and perfectly tailored piece of art. Go to this shop! read more

Five Stars all the way!!! Before I met Zera I would never ever in a million years consider allowing anyone to tattoo on me what they envisioned as an interpretation of what I wanted. I got to know Zera as an artist and think that that is why I trust her so much in creating a work of art for my body. She is an amazing artist and very versatile. I have two huge tats that I got this year that take up the top of each arm, little under a half-sleeve style on the front of each arm. They are Japanese-style tats, but totally original at the same time. I allowed Zera to interpret what I wanted instead of micromanaging the process or giving her something some other artist had done. We talked over the general style, what I wanted and she produced two works of art that now grace my arms. This place is CLEAN as a whistle, VERY spacious and very chill and just an all-around great place to hang out. And, Zoey her dog could not be sweeter. She's the shop pooch and super sweet and chill. If you want true art, done by someone first, with the soul of an artist and second with the education of an artist to back it up and third (but not least) the great attitude to do work on people- go see Zera. read more

Clean space great location. Two incredible artists! Beautiful work would definitely recommend.

I've gotten 5 of my tats from Zera; the first of them while she was still inking for Jodi...about a million years ago! lol She has only gotten better over the years. I took both my son, and my bestie, here for their first tats, because I wanted them to have the best! Try to remember, as with any art, it takes time. Zera always takes her time creating just what you want; this is not a an assembly line parlor. Plan ahead, stop by to chat with her before scheduling, and if you want a custom piece, give her your vision and she'll make it a reality... only better than you could have hoped! As for me...I'm scheduling for my birthday tat right now! read more

I've gotten three tattoos from Janet so far and they'll prb be more soon! I l love them all. The shop is beautiful, clean and laid back. Janet is not only super talented & easy to communicate with via email but so chill to chat in person and always makes you feel comfortable even when the tattoo itself isn't always painless! Highly recommend coming here if you want a really quality piece of art and a solid tattoo shop experience. read more

Best tattoo shop and artists I've seen! Simply amazing! read more

Brite Idea Tattoo - Awesome new shop! - Tattoo Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

I recently got my first tattoo at Brite Idea. I looked around long and hard before making my decision. When I saw photos of Zera's work on Brite Idea's Facebook page I was sold. Zera was great - she has such a light touch and is so remarkably good at what she does that it was worth the price to just watch her work. She did a great job on my eagle - the colors are brilliant and gorgeous. In the photo I showed her the eagle has a little smirk and she reproduced it exactly. The shop itself is also really nice and makes you feel right at ease. I've been recommending Brite Idea to everyone I know - even people who don't even live in Michigan. :) Come to Ypsi! Zera does amazing work! read more

Zera is an amazing artist, very professional and friendly. Appointments are walk in only, and there is no phone to call. I had my first and only tattoo here. This is the nicest tattoo studio I've seen in southeast Michigan. Zera has an MFA, and her drawings are framed on the walls. I especially loved the huge pencil drawing of her dog. If you want a real artist to do your tattoo, come here. The place is extremely clean and spacious. She even has chandeliers up! I have come across other customers, and everyone I talked to has been really happy with their body art. read more

Came here for my first tattoo today and words cannot express how happy I am with the result. I brought a picture of a compass I found on the internet, but I didn't want the exact design. Janet traced it and made some small changes to it to make it uniquely mine. I absolutely loved her vision and interpretation of it. Her line work was amazing and she was entertaining to talk to throughout the whole procedure. Now that I got the first one out of the way, I can confidently say I'll be getting a few more down the road and I'll definitely be asking for Janet again. read more

Zera gave me my first tattoo and I'm totally in love with it. I went in to talk with her on a Saturday, thinking I'd have to come back in a few weeks, but she fit me in a few hours later (because I was getting something small). Zera made me feel very comfortable and was fun to talk to during the process. The design was all lines, and her precision was amazing. I'm very happy, and I'll definitely come back to her for more. Highly recommend! read more

Zera is AMAZING! I will never let anyone tattoo me again. Her art work is stellar. She is welcoming and friendly. I recommend her to anyone that asks about my piece! read more

I had heard about Zera from my daughter so I got in contact with her through FB. I had a general idea of what I wanted but Zera took it to a whole new level. She is the best and worth the wait. As soon as I save up, I'll be back for my next one. read more

I am still looking to get a tattoo done,and checked out Brite Idea. I loved the work on her website, and she did some work for a friend of mine. I however; declined to get work done here because during the meeting I had with her, we got to talking about where I work and life and etc etc, the usual. But after I mentioned where I worked as a waitress, she went on and on about how she hated it, and she had such an awful experience, and that she would never go back. Not that I plan on being a career waitress, but I was not at work when I met with her, I did not want to feel like I had to defend where I worked, or feel like I needed to go get my manager. I felt like she was blaming it on me, and I work really hard when I am at work to make good things happen.When I left her shop, I lacked the confidence to come back and look her in the eye, because I felt like she wanted me to do something about her experience there. I guess just don't mention where you work, or she'll rip you to shreds. read more