This is a wonderful tattoo shop - one of the best in Portland. The space is clean, expansive and inviting. Every time I stop by I'm immediately greeted in a friendly manner. And there is beautiful artwork to peruse while waiting. This business has a high standard for their artists, and every one of them is incredibly talented. I've had several sessions with Gin Hicks, and most recently with Betty Marie, and I could not be happier with the end product - or the process. (When you're sitting for hours at a time, having someone you enjoy talking to is helpful.) My tattoos look excellent - rich in details and colors, and they've aged well. I'd highly recommend both artists and anyone in this shop. read more

Icon Tattoo - King David by Betty Marie, January 2017 - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I got my first tattoo here and I am so so so so so happy with it. Chloe did such an amazing job, I felt super comfortable. Overall it was a very pleasant and welcoming experience. :))) read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I just received my first tattoo and had a good friend recommend Laura Webster at Icon. First, the shop immediately inspires confidence. The staff is friendly, and every workstation is impeccably clean. I wasn't sure how the process worked, but I met with Laura first for a consultation, and she took my idea and ran with it. On the day of, there were some minor changes to the design (at her suggestion) that she could make on the spot. Her design was *exactly* what I was looking for. The tattoo itself turned out far better than I envisioned. Laura was able to implement a design that required a lot of skill, with high detail, shading, and lots of very straight lines. As a newbie to tattoos, I wasn't sure what to expect. Laura and Icon made the experience feel safe, very professional, and fun. I'm so pleased with the tattoo. Thank you so much! read more

I got my first tattoo at Icon today. It was a really great experience! Everyone was really nice and Willis was my tattoo artist. I loved the design that Willis made and I am super happy with the result! This picture was taken before the bandage was put on but I am so happy with the result!!!!!!!!! I will definitely refer Icon Tattoo to all my friends!! read more

Icon Tattoo - This is on my left hip and wraps around the side! - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Willis Van Pelt did my sunflower and it is absolutely gorgeous. I was visiting out of town from Humboldt County and would definitely want another art piece from them. This is my fourth tattoo and I had an overall comfortable experience. I will post another picture once the piece has fully healed read more

Icon Tattoo - The tattoo during the healing process one week later - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I have such a great experience with Alena! I felt super comfortable and love my tattoo! I hope to see her soon for another :) read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo by Alena Chun - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Because Icon is under new and great management I'm updating my post. This place needs a five star review. read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I am SO happy with my gorgeous elderflower tattoo from Willis and with the overall experience of getting the tattoo from them. I found it a pretty painless, quick, and fun experience chatting with them. I couldn't be more pleased. read more

Icon is a really well kept shop with tons of awesome artists, they do flash days often and have a kick ass atmosphere. Recently got tattooed here by Joakim Rosenberg. I am obsessed with my new lady head. It's healed now and looks perfect. Joakim was super nice, drew an amazing new piece (exactly what I was looking for) and made my experience easy and worry-free. He has amazing attention to detail and you can tell he really loves what he's doing. Shop help was really appreciated and they are very organized with bookings/deposits. Thanks again guys, you rock. read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Mckenna tattooed me for my first time ever getting tattooed. I was so nervous but she talked me through it, calmed my nerves so well. She's so professional, working with her was a treat. It also helped a little with her being so cute lol. She works quickly yet efficiently. The tattoo healed perfectly i could not be happier with it! The shop itself is immaculate & everyone working was super cool, not pretentious or too cool for someone with no tattoos. I will definitely come back for more from Mckenna! Thank you!! read more

I judge a lot of tattoo shops by their bathroom. The shop is amazing, clean, beautifully set up and have the classiest bathroom I have ever seen in over 100 shops worldwide. Am I weird...? Maybe. But don't judge me Judy, we barely just met. Anyway Susan, you have to come check this place out. Also Debra, can we talk about class and style? Cause this place oozes both, especially now that Joakim Rosenberg works here. read more

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I've LOVED my first experiences at Icon! Plenty of breathing room, clean atmosphere and warm feeling. Lucky is an incredible artist and super friendly. Also Paige was exceptionally welcoming. I'm looking forward to getting several more tattoos at Icon! read more

Icon Tattoo - My first tattoo at Icon... it won't be my last! - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

So I went into this shop for my first tattoo, and it was a wonderful experience. Melissa was my artist, and she is so great at what she does! She made me feel very comfortable, which I needed considering I was internally freaking out. She was extremely patient too. Trying to get the stencil onto my arm in the right way was a difficult task because of the location, but she was eager to put it on perfectly, no matter how hard it was. She really does care about her work and her clients. She is very talented and super sweet- I would most definitely recommend this shop and her as an artist! read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've been to Icon twice to be tattooed by McKenna Carlisle. The shop is clean and has a rad vibe. I found McKenna on Instagram and thought her style fit what I was looking for (black and grey, bold lines). Booking was easy and McKenna was communicative and super chill to work with. She works swiftly without sacrificing quality or attention to detail (it sucks to pay by the hour when a tattoo artist works at a snail's pace). Super stoked on how both tattoos turned out and plan on going back for more! read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I haven't even gotten a chance to go in yet and I'm deeply unimpressed with my interactions at Icon. I called the shop in early July, wanting to schedule a simple, two-inch forearm tat in approx three months' time with a specific artist. I was told I should just walk in. I explained that I work with my hands and forearms, and need to take a few days off work for healing, so it was necessary to schedule in advance. The person I was talking to clearly wasn't listening, and I was again told to just walk on in whenever. Um, no-- I can't. Didn't I just say I can't? Confused, I directly contacted the artist, told her I completely understood if she was too busy, but could she fit me in for an hour-long session in three months? I was told yes, she'd love to. From that moment on, nearly every email I sent her took TEN DAYS to get back a response. It has been two months of back-and-forth emails, and I still don't have an appointment. If she just didn't have time to see me, I would have appreciated that information at the beginning of the exchange so I didn't waste all this time waiting for her responses. I've been nothing but polite and courteous, and I love her art. I've called the shop again, just in case, but hours later I'm still waiting on a call back. I think I'll be moving on, with sadness, to a different studio. read more

Did you know that tattoos are permanent? It's true! Consequently, this is one thing you might want to do some homework on. Are you thinking of going to Icon Tattoo, maybe? Because I think you'd be really, really happy there. Icon is the shop of my dreams. And Alena? Oh, my. This is what I gave her to go on: "Uh... some blackberries?" In the end, I walked out with the most beautiful, delicate blackberry branch on my back -- exactly what I wanted but couldn't quite vocalize. I was so impressed with her ability to take what I was saying and translate it into a drawing; she has an awesome talent for listening and bringing your ideas to life, but also isn't afraid to bring her own ideas to the table. Alena has such a light touch and is the sweetest, friendliest lady ever. I always looked forward to seeing her, even though I was there to give her money for poking me with a needle. I had to go in 4 or 5 times to finish my tattoo, and I always felt like she charged me fairly. She was a perfectionist and always wanted to make sure that I was happy with her work every step of the way. (And I was!) Everyone I saw at Icon walked out with beautiful, beautiful work, and the level of detail was sometimes unreal. Alena and Melanie, especially, do some of the prettiest, most delicate work I've ever seen. As a bonus, their new shop is amazing (!) and there is such a friendly, lighthearted vibe between everyone. I can't imagine a better or more welcoming place to go. read more

Based on all of the glowing 5-star reviews, it annoys me even more that I had such a horrible experience at this shop. A year ago I received a "Merc Perks" gift certificate for $80 at this shop (purchase price was $40). Life happened and I didn't get a chance to schedule an appointment. Tattoo's are permanent so I'm not just going to go in and pick something out of a book or let a "tattoo artist" do whatever they want. My body; I choose what goes on it. That said, I walked into the shop one day and was ignored by several women sitting around talking (not tattooing). When someone did approach me, I merely asked if they would extend the expiration date on my gift certificate a few months. She simply said "No." and then an awkward fake cheery "Thanks for stopping in!" And that was it. I would have probably spent $500 in addition to the gift certificate amount on my tattoo. She didn't even entertain the idea of working something out. The gift certificate was to expire in the next few days. Didn't ask me when it expired so that I might be scheduled in the next few days. This is an obvious lack of customer service. There is a pretty basic business concept: It is harder and far more costly to get back customers you have lost than it is to keep them happy in the first place and returning. Now I'm never going back to this place and I am telling everyone that is looking for a place to get tattoed to NOT go here. They didn't have to honor the gift certificate, but at least make some attempt to work something out. Just pretend to go ask a manager if its okay and I'd feel like my business may have been worth their time. Or at least have some semblance of empathy when you deny me. No "I'm sorry, we can't." Just a flat out no, get out of here, you are not worth my time. Had an attempt to work with me been made, I may have had a wonderful experience like all of these other reviewers and would likely be a repeat customer. Don't want my money? FIne. Obviously whatever woman I spoke to has absolutely no knowledge of some pretty basic business techniques. read more

I have had only the best experiences here. I have been tattooed by both Melanie and Lisa and they are incredible. The artists that work at this shop are tops. The communication and adaptivity in willingness to find designs that are closest to my vision have been fluid and relaxed. They are understanding and patient. They have genuine skills in tattooing. I highly recommend Icon and all my friends that I have referred to them have been pleased as well. read more

Terrible servicce. Paige shoul dbe fire don the spot. She does not help and does not get back to you. They responded after 3 weeks. I Could have tattood an elephant in that time. read more

The studio itself doesn't immediately stand out at you from the street, looks more like a boutique. The space is lovely with high ceilings and exposed brick, and there are indeed some crafty things for sale. You will not find any flash here, just a legion of cool artists who are quick with a compliment. Not your typical tattoo spot, my friends. The shop's website was helpful as far as listing some examples that the artists have posted, as well as prices and bios describing the artists' style and what kind of tattoos they like to do best. Based on the artistry on the website, I found my artist that I felt could best do what I needed to be done. From the initial conversation to the final product, everyone at this shop was phenomenal and enthusiastic! My artist, Silje, was not only enthusiastic, but she was quick! I waltzed into the shop, gave her a drawing of what I kind of wanted, she had a beautiful drawing texted to me within 24 hours! I really respected her artistic imput--she didn't blow any smoke up my ass as to what she thought would look good, and what wouldn't. I liked the honesty. Luckily, she was available to work on me right away. I felt She was very patient, listening to me blather on nervously/annoyingly and pestering her about her tattooing history. She had the face of an angel, mouth of a sailor, and the quick hands of a seasoned sweatshop worker--which I think are three of the greatest traits of a tattoo artist. In less than 2 hours, I had an enviable (read: huge!) new tattoo. She stayed within the time frame of her quote, and I appreciated that as well. read more

I love love love the ladies (and men!) at Icon. Specifically, my artist is Alena, and I have been in love with her since day one. I went in without seeing previous work of hers (a big risk) but I have never doubted once that she would be giving me my wildest dreams in color. We are in the middle of a 3/4 sleeve and I look forward to much more! They all bring something really genuine and special to the Portland tattoo scene, and I cant get enough of them. read more

Icon Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I recently got a tattoo at icon (first at icon) second my Gin Hicks, I absolutely looooooove my new piece. I followed Gin from her last shop for this very reason, she is simply the best. I'm a wimp when it comes to tattoos but she is good at her job at the art pieces she does. I guarantee she will not let you and your ideas down. IF you get the chance get tattooed by this amazing woman!!!!!!! You won't regret it. My last tattoo was lettering and she made something that could have been so simple just amazing. I couldn't be happier with. Most recent was a sparrow holding a key that is tied to a ribbon and blows my mind every day looking at it and how beautiful it is. Thank you Gin Hicks. Can't wait to see you next!! read more

Loved this place. We called one Sunday Afternoon to see if they had any availability because I was looking to touch up and add on to my current tattoo, an open rose bud with some very faded yellow coloring. Their assistant said the artist wanted to look at my current tattoo first before making any decisions. Ellie Adams checked it out. I told her my ideas and she said she could help. She came up with an awesome drawing. We did the tattooing in two sessions. The first session added a gray stem, leaves and the outline of another smaller rose bud. The second session added the fantastic blue coloring. I was super happy with Ellie's artwork. The attention to detail on even the tiny leaves and the shading in the coloring was phenomenal. The tattoo is on my rib cage which hurt very badly, but Ellie was patient which me and checked in regularly to make sure I was okay. Love the customer service and finished artwork. Will definitely be back to Icon Tattoo and Ellie Adams for any future tattoo work! Thank you! read more

I have gotten 3 tattoos at Icon. I have been tattooed by Lisa and Alena. Both excellent at what they do. I always leave the shop beyond satisfied and happy. Amazing artists, super clean, everyone is wonderful and nice. Couldnt recommend more. read more

Icon Tattoo - By Alena Chen - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Before I actually sat with Melanie as she worked on the back of my friend, I hadn't given too much thought to tattoos. After a couple hours, I wanted one. Then another. Melanie's work is top flight, absolutely gorgeous. When I've shown her complicated, colorful, difficult designs, her eyes have lit up. The actual tattoos are something to behold--just amazing. Deep, nuanced color. Beautiful black and grey lines and shading. I can't wait to get more. Furthermore, the rest of the women (and Dustin) at the shop are talented and delightful. It is a comfortable, beautiful space, made even better by the talented artists at work. read more

I've gotten several tattoos from the talented owner, Melanie, and have always been incredibly happy with her work. So, a few weeks ago when I decided to get another, I stopped by the shop. It was my first time seeing Icon in its current location and I was truly impressed with how beautiful and welcoming the space is. As it turned out, Melanie didn't have any appointments available for quite some time. Normally I would have scheduled with her, as her work is worth the wait, but since I was getting my smallest tattoo yet I decided to try another artist. Silje was able to schedule an appointment for me the same week. When I arrived, she had a drawing ready for me based on the description I had given her. We went over it and made some revisions until I was happy with it, then did the tattoo. I was so surprised when she told me she was finished already- she is the fastest tattoo artist I've ever worked with. Now that it's all healed up, I'm very happy with my new tattoo, especially the color and shading. I'm already looking forward getting to my next one! read more

Icon Tattoo is easily my favorite tattoo shop in Portland. This dreamy spot is owned and operated by some amazingly talented women. So nice to encounter a shop that's not overly macho or "hard", but instead staffed by friendly and welcoming artists. The space itself is beautiful too, with lofty ceilings, lots of natural light, and some monstrous houseplants inhabiting the windowsills. My artist of choice is Alena Chun. She's totally rad, down to earth, and super talented. She always does an amazing job of interpreting my tattoo ideas. She does great botanical and animal work, and awesome American traditional style work too! I highly recommend Icon Tattoo and Alena in particular! read more

Icon Tattoo - My diver girl, done by Alena in October 2014 - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Icon is the most inviting and beautiful tattoo shop, and I am fortunate to now have two tattoos by Lisa Maurine. The first one was an awesome Art Deco style piece that a friend and I got on one of their walk-in flash days. And the most recent was my first custom designed piece of work and I could not be happier with it. Lisa is the most detail oriented, and light handed artist I have worked with, and I am SO in love with her creative designs. read more

Icon Tattoo - Art Deco piece by Lisa Maurine - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I don't just like Icon Tattoo, I love Icon Tattoo. Melanie did my first tattoo making an iconic image an original medallion on my back & hip. She is now working on my leg, my fave sci fi vessels with beautiful nebulas; fun, geeky & girly all in one. I am not a small person, what I really appreciate about Melanie is that she helped me realise that my body deserved and would look good with the art that means so much to me. Icon is beautiful studio with high windows & light & jewellery & chocolate, the atmosphere and attention make everyone comfortable. I'm having a tattoo with Dustin later this year too and already thinking of what I want from Alena & Lisa, these people are artists of the highest caliber and I'm thrilled as one of their clients. read more

I made a Yelp account just so I could review this shop! I had a great experience there today. First of all, the shop is beautiful, clean, excellent selection of flash and art everywhere, even the bathroom was lovely! Everyone was welcoming and friendly, which is rarely the case at many tattoo shops. I got tattooed by a guest artist named Lucky, and I absolutely love my new tattoo! Lucky is kind, easygoing, and a very efficient tattoo artist (a great quality, since tattoos hurt)! His line work is strong and clean. I highly recommend this shop and Lucky as well! read more

I have 5 tattoos (now 6!) All from different tattoo parlors in different states... Icon Tattoo is BY FAR the best! I was in Portland last week on vacation and did some research (thanks Yelp) on area tattoo parlors, I really liked the vibe of what i saw and read about Icon. I emailed the shop on Thursday morning- that afternoon Melanie called me back and I scheduled my tattoo for the next day with Silje. Silje rocks! I came in with a picture of what I wanted, told her I wanted to tweak a few things and a few minutes later, she had my design. 45 minutes (and no pain) later, I had a gorgeous butterfly tattoo on my back. When she told me she was done, I thought she was kidding with me. Silje is lightening fast. Since I've been back home, I've gotten so many compliments on my tattoo. I'm in love with it. Run- don't walk to Icon... you will not be disappointed. read more

This place was so awesome..and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I have been waiting YEARS to get a tattoo finished but had been putting it off for no particular reason. I am SOOOO glad I waited because I now have a tattoo that I had perfectly envisioned for a great price and with minimal pain. Silje is a goddess! I don;t know how she did it but she fnished my tat up in a fraction of the time of what it would have taken a mere mortal artist to do. She is fun, cute, and super interesting. Although she charges a bit more per hour, she is so quick that the overall cost will end up being the same. The decor in here is sweet and funky, and everyone is so supportive of each other. There were so many times while I was getting my tat done that the other artists came over to compliment the work that Silje was doing....I love that! I hear that ALL of the artists here are just as good, which is reassuring. There are hundreds of places to get tatted up in Portland, but I will def be coming back here. read more

I absolutely love Icon tattoo. I had a tattoo done by Heidi and it's by far my favorite tattoo of mine and I can't wait to add on and complete my sleeve with her. read more

Icon Tattoo - Mermaid tattoo done by Heidi. - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Icon Tattoo seems to be a home for numerous artists of a very impressive caliber. Everyone I've interacted with has been extremely friendly, knowledgable, and welcoming. This place has humble, talented artists who clearly love their job, their clients, and each other. I was recently lucky enough to meet, and work with Clio Sady. I cannot begin to express my gratitude and elation for the beautiful piece of art she has adorned me with. From email correspondence, to actually being tattooed, Clio upheld a professional yet extremely personable vibe. She was extremely friendly, precise, and accommodating - not to mention amazingly TALENTED! I approached her with a loose idea: a theme, colors, and a few key elements. She listened, offered ideas, and genuinely seemed excited to execute my idea, and tattoo me. She was booked about 2 months out, but when my appointment to approve her drawing finally arrived, I was BLOWN AWAY. She is definitely worth however long you have to wait! Clio created something better than I could have ever imagined. She added elements to my tattoo that were so intimately personal, without having any knowledge of their meaning. It was AWESOME. All of my thought and research definitely led me to the right person! As I write this, she has not yet completed my tattoo, I have only had a 3 hour session, on what will eventually be a half sleeve on my upper arm. I may be somewhat new to the world of custom tattooing, but I never thought I could have something this impressive. I cannot speak highly enough of Clio! read more

My friend saw that they had last minute availability because someone canceled last minute and we took up the offer. We spoke on the phone with this woman that was so beyond generous and she was so helpful when we arrived. They did such a good job at enforcing covid rules, without being pushy or rude. Willis did my tattoo and they did such an amazing job. They had no problem with my friend and I's design and whipped it up real quick. Another thing that I appreciated is when I mentioned I'm a type 1 diabetic, they reassured me that they will take good care of me. They also let me know they had fast acting glucose tabs, granola bars and other snacks. I feel very lucky that everyone at Icon was so welcoming and friendly. Icon tattoo is definitely a place I will recommend to all my friends and family because everyone there is so wonderful. I finally found the tattoo shop that I will no doubt make all my appointments at. read more

Icon Tattoo - Willis did an amazing job - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Great tattoo studio- everyone who works there is super nice and the studio is really clean and pretty. Both my dad and I had Gin as our artist and she was amazing, super sweet and did two beautiful pieces. I'll definitely be back. read more

Icon Tattoo - my dad's beautiful tattoo by Gin Hicks! - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I am always nervous when walking into any tattoo shop, because I am a minority, female, queer, introverted, and don't look cool-- had my share of rather racist and sexist experiences around PDX. I'm glad to say this is a very inclusive shop whose staff that I spoke with were responsive and welcoming (prior reviews about anything otherwise are no longer relevant, although I ain't mad reading about the responses provided to customers who were throwing an adult temper tantrum-- lookin' at you expired-coupon and person-who-had-no-idea-what-they-permanently-wanted-on-their-skin). The shop itself does not have an ATM and the ATM across the street limits each transaction to 200 as a heads up-- will remember to pull out more cash at my bank. Got a tattoo by McKenna who is very good at what they do-- an excellent eye for design and placement. Clean lines to die for. read more

Working with Icon Tattoo was the second tattoo I have on my body but my first in Portland. Before going with Icon I did quite a bit of digging on-line looking at various shops and artists. I had a good feeling after looking at Alena's work on the website and decided to give her a try and shot her an e-mail with a vague idea of what I wanted. After a couple of days she e-mailed me back and scheduled a consultation for a week later. Both over e-mail and in person Alena was great to work with and I felt really confident that I had made the right choice. During the tattoo process Alena was very gentle. Well, as gentle as a tattoo can be anyway!! She was patient, friendly, and dedicated and did a fabulous job. As I type this review my arm is healing and I can't wait to go back and get another one. The final result is wonderful to look at and I'm looking forward to the day I can show off the new ink. As for the shop itself, Icon has a great vibe. A lot of other reviews describe it as having a "boutique" feel which I can't argue with. This is not a bad thing mind you. The atmosphere is relaxed and clean. It feels like the kind of place you could hang out in for an afternoon and just shoot the breeze with folks you know. I've been to other shops that feel very chaotic which is not my speed at all. So yeah, obviously I recommend Icon and encourage anyone thinking about a tattoo to give them a look! read more

I recently worked with Lisa to design a tattoo and couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. It was my first tattoo in 20 years so I was nervous and needed some extra hand holding. She listened to my half formed ideas and came back with something I really loved. I trusted her to guide me when I was feeling indecisive about certain things but she allowed me to make changes when I felt necessary. She is a very talented artist and a lovely person which made sitting and chatting for hours during our appointment so much more enjoyable. read more

Icon seemed like an awesome shop to get a tattoo at. I ended up having a bad experience though. From the first time I went in I felt disregarded. I had been waiting for an appointment and the artist was chatting with her coworker and ignoring me. I work in customer service so I'm not going to freak out about something like that, but it was just slightly off-putting. My first consult seemed to go fine, but things went downhill from there. I emailed the artist a bunch of images of the kinds of design I wanted. There was no back-and-forth or even one question asked about the images. When I saw the design draft she had drawn I was a bit taken aback about how it didn't look like any of my images, and didn't reflect a lot of things that we had talked about at the first meeting. Honestly I didn't think it was a very good drawing. I had already paid a deposit so I decided to just go with it and reasoned that it was just a draft so it would probably get a lot better. She promised to send me the final draft the day before my tattoo apt. The morning of the apt I hadn't gotten it, so I emailed her to ask for it. She didn't get back to me until the afternoon, an hour before my appointment. The drawing looked the same, exactly like the first draft. I wasn't ready to get it with such short notice. I told her that, and she said she wouldn't be able to get me in again until four months later. That seemed ridiculous to me, because this was a small tattoo that she thought would take about half an hour. I asked for my deposit back but she refused. I didn't feel like I was treated with consideration at all. I am very understanding but I never felt like I was valued in any way as a customer. read more