I'm sure it's all in my head but I feel like a new person. I got a tattoo yesterday(it's September 18th as I'm writing this), and I'm still absolutely buzzing about the great experience I had. I found Hustler's Parlour online when I was searching for aftercare products. I knew that if I was going to get a tattoo, I would want to use aftercare products that were cruelty free. I found Hustle Butter Deluxe, which led me to Hustler's Parlour. All the reviews of the products, and the three Hustler's Parlour locations were awesome so I sent an email to Richie asking how to go about this process.
Richie Bulldog is the owner of Hustler's Parlour, and we corresponded about my initial idea, and the products. I met Richie in person after my tattoo was finished, and he was so friendly! He made sure I had a good experience, and was happy with the results.
Richie chose an artist for me based on the style of my design references. I had always wanted a Taino symbol as a tattoo but couldn't settle on one in particular. Last month my Abuelo passed away, and so I decided to do something in his memory. I settled on the Taino petroglyph for water. I see water as being a strong force of nature, and my grandpa always showed such strength through his ailments.
"The Spiral is a sacred symbol that represents the journey and change of life as it unfolds; taking a labyrinth-like passage that leads to Source. The spiral symbol can represent the consciousness of nature beginning from its center expanding outwardly. Spirals have been linked to nature, the seasons, and the path of life: birth, growth, death and reincarnation".(- Taino Age)
Pierre LotusOnyx was my artist and he was amazing to work with! He made the design look exactly how I wanted. I decided to make the lines more streamlined, since I like the idea of minimal tattoos. I also added "Vaya con Dios" or "Go with God" in the lines of the design. It was Pierre's idea to round out the edges, and I really think that made a huge difference in the design. Pierre had a light hand and encouraged me throughout the process. Going into Hustler's that morning, I was pretty nervous, but Pierre knew exactly how to handle things and made sure I knew what was going to happen in each step.
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| The Finished Piece |
I was told by various friends with tattoos and even Pierre that the ribs are usually quite a painful place to be tattooed, however I didn't feel like it was nearly as painful as I had thought it would be. I think the worst parts were the lettering, and the sections that I are directly over bone. I definitely recommend having someone there so you can squeeze their hand for those parts (Thanks babe!). The whole process took a little more than an hour.
I will definitely be back at Hustler's when I finalize my other design ideas. Thanks to Pierre and Richie for being so wonderful.
Stay tuned for a review of Hustle Butter Deluxe when my tattoo is fully healed.
What's your opinion?
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