WE HAVE MOVED!!!!
Now at: Unit 1, Banwell Court, 169 High Street, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS22 6JA.
01934 522666
Open from 10:30 - 5:30. Closed Sundays & Mondays. Appointments not always necessary.
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WE HAVE MOVED!!!! Now at: Unit 1, Banwell Court, 169 High Street, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS22 6JA. 01934 522666 Open from 10:30 - 5:30. Closed Sundays & Mondays. Appointments not always necessary.
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Also visit:
For details of another great artist under our roof - Wendy Thomas.
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"Choose in haste, repent at your leisure............" When people don't know what to have, they often ask us "What do you recommend?" The answer might sound flippant, but we say "Do some research". Design choice is a very personal thing. Only you know what you really like and what you will be happy to wear for the rest of your life. Time spent now doing research in magazines and on the internet will save you having regrets later. Below we have listed some of the main styles and the pros and cons of each. These are our opinions based on our many years collective experience, both with our own tattoos and gained from talking to our customers. You may or may not agree with our views and that is fine. We just aim to provide you with information and our professional perspective so that you can make an informed decision.
Always popular, Japanese is usually large and bold, usually in colour but sometimes black 'n' grey. Shapes include dragons, koi carp, samurai warriors, geisha girls, snakes, flowers, tigers, masks, symbols and other images taken from Japanese art. Japanese work nearly always has a background, usually consisting of flames, water, "wind-bars" (black swirls giving movement), rocks, bamboo, sunsets, etc. We work with you to pick from these ideas and develop a combination and colour scheme that suits your taste and the area you're choosing to cover.
Heavily influenced by the Americans, this type of work is big, bold and colourful. It may include traditional imagery, like custom cars, flames, dice, cherries and other things that remind you of 1950s kitsch. However, it can also be any traditional tattoo (panthers, daggers, flowers, hearts) done in a wacky and unusual way. Examples are shown here. It can be really eye-catching and if you want something different from the norm, it's definitely worth considering.
In the past couple of years, traditional tattooing has seen a resurgence in popularity in the US and in Britain to some degree. Now that tattooing is seen as an art in its own right, more and more people are respecting the clean and simple designs done years ago. Just flick through some of the tattoo magazines and you'll see what we mean. Done well, these designs are timeless and reflect the history of tattooing.
Monochrome work is increasing in popularity. It has the advantage of taking less time to complete than colour (and therefore less time under the needle!), and can look very effective. Of course it will never be as bold as colour work and care has to be taken to ensure there is sufficient contrast in the shading, otherwise it can look dull. Black and grey is often used for dark images (skulls, etc.), portraits and nature (lions, etc). If you spend a lot of time in the sun, this might be a good option as any fading is less obvious.
Ethnic designs from New Zealand, Tahiti, etc. are normally black and quite detailed abstract designs. In the originating countries there has been much controversy about non-indigenous people wearing such tattoos. In these countries the tattoos are often carried out in a ceremonial manner and the combination of the ceremony and the design give the tattoos meaning, such as the coming of age for a young man. We have been asked for "the Maori design for warrior" but really this does not exist as we are not ceremonial priests and none of us belong to the relevant tribe.
The tattoos themselves can be highly decorative and look nice, but you need to understand that on your next trip to the originating country, you may not get the warm reception you might expect. The peoples of these countries are highly protective of their culture and may not take kindly to you "stealing" it.
David Beckham, Eminem and other celebrities have been responsible for the huge popularity of lettering, normally in an Old English style.
People often want tattoos with meaning and its an easy option to choose a name - just be aware that is very popular and therefore not original by any means. This can be overcome by choosing a different lettering style like you see here - we have hundreds available - just ask.
Names of partners is NEVER a good idea. Tattoos should be considered permanent and if you are going into it thinking "I can always get it removed (/covered)", then don't do it. Getting the wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend's name is considered the "kiss of death" for the relationship. For every one we do, we cover two up. If you MUST do it, keep it small and coverable. Even in another language, like Japanese or Arabic, YOU will still know what it means after the relationship has ended and it WILL bug you. When it comes to partner's names, Don't do it.
Done well, tribal is big, bold and has strong visual impact from a distance. It should work with the muscle tone and be neat and solid. Done badly, it looks AWFUL! People often confuse tribal with Celtic (see below) and have it because they have Celtic ancestry. Or people choose it because they think it is Maori or think has some meaning. Most tribal is black swirls designed by tattooists, with no meaning. In our experience, people often tire of off-the-wall tribal and come back asking us to "make it more interesting". Tribal arm bands, in our view, are to be avoided. They are old-hat, too common place and cross out the middle of the upper arm, so if you want to add more later, its not easy and can look like an obvious after-thought. If you want tribal, research it thoroughly and discuss it with us to make sure its the right size, shape and placement for your chosen area. Remember tribal cannot be covered like some other styles.
Celtic designs consist of knotwork, usually skin coloured knots on a black background. They can include colour, like you see here. Celtic is a nice idea if you have Celtic ancestry and some Celtic designs do have traditional meanings. If you want a specific meaning, try searching the net, e.g. "Celtic Love Knot". You will find designs on flags, jewellery, tapestries, fabrics, etc. and we can take the design off any of these. Large Celtic has the advantage of looking good from a distance like tribal, but including more detail, shading etc., which means you will probably get less bored with it than tribal.
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Contact InformationWe prefer you to visit the shop to discuss your needs because tattoos are a visual medium and its difficult - if not impossible - to do by phone or e-mail. However if you have general queries which are not answered in our advice section, by all means e-mail us or call us.
Send mail to
wendykustom@aol.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
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