Best (and FASTEST) Alberta Tattooers
 

I'm looking for suggestions for a new artist to try out. I've been to a few different people and have mixed feelings about all of them.


The 2 notables:

James Tex - I won't mention the shop as he was at a different shop when he worked on me than what he is now (Calgary)- nice work (except that it faded to the point that you can see bare skin in several spots), bad attitude. When asked to renew/touch up a a piece that he did for me 10 years ago, he replied with "I'm not taking on any new clients right now." New client? For a touch up on YOUR work? Right. Now I'm stuck trying to find an artist that will touch somebody else's work.

Anthony Orsatti - New World Samurai (Canmore) - Amazing! Fantastic work, and unbelievably fast. So fast that you wouldn't believe it until he tattooed you (or sombody else, and you witness it). My only issue with Anthony is that he's a 9 hour drive away from me. This is less than convenient. I'm booking an appointment with him now to add some colour and touch ups on my full back piece (into it for 8 hours so far... not much left), but since he's so far away I'd like to find somebody closer, ie Edmonton.

Anyways, looking for suggestions and recommendations. Knowing that there are artists out there that are as fast as Anthony, I have a hard time swallowing the pill that another artist would take up to 4 times as long for the same piece. At $150+/hour, that adds up in a big hurry.

Ideal replies to this would include a picture of the tattoo, and number of hours that you're into it for. Large pieces (sleeves and rib cages especially) are what I'm interested in, but I love tattoos, so feel free to post them all!!

Tagging along. I got a big piece started on my ribs a few years back and can't find a good place to do the shading etc. The guy took 4 hours and had a shaky&heavy hand wouldnt reccomend him. (dragonfx west ed) dumb idea going there.

I'm also looking for someone fast and someone who can fix his shaky outline, its not terrible, but the other tats I have had done are nothing like this one.

check out monty at monsters ink in med hat. dude is amazing

http://www.monstersink.ca/index.php?s=artists&c=Monty

Did Anthony originally do your backpiece, or did someone else do it?

I owned a tattoo shop for several years. If Anthony is willing to touchup someone else's work, that is truly amazing. We would do coverups, but there is no way we would ever touch up someone else's work.

I've reviewed Anthony's portfolio, and he is an exceptionally skilled artist. Maintaining your relationship with him could very well be worth the 9 hour drive.

Other than that . . . I've been away from the industry for too long and am very out of the loop. I can't, and won't, make any recommendations.

I've been going to URGE 2 myself, extremely happy with them. John did a tat for me 15 yrs ago when he was in his original shop in Victoria (Urge) which he's touched up twice now (hand tat) at no charge & I'm sure if I asked him to touch it up today, he'd have no issue. Last piece was done by Rich, initially he thought it was going to take possibly three hours to do the black but was done in an hour...the color was about the same, no touch up required so far on the black but I do need to go back soon and get the red touched up, guess I can be a bleeder. Anyway, great shop and atmosphere...

I had a tribal phoenix on my back from 12ish years ago. I wanted to do the rest of the back so I had Anthony incorporate it into the rest of the piece. He changed a few things and stretched the phoenix out a little, but for the most part he just did his own work. I'm going to post a picture of it as soon as I can figure out how (work computer won't let me go on photobucket). And yes, his work is phonomenal!!! SO FAST TOO!!!!

I do contemplate just getting him to do everything, but I also like the idea of having different artists/styles... and somebody a little closer. That said, I may be moving back to Edmonton very soon... drive is down to 5 hours! lol

Thanks, but if I'm going that far, I'm sticking with Anthony.

I've gotten a couple pieces done by Anastasia at Eye of the Lotus in Edmonton, I can pm you a pic when I get home (or text) if you'd like, I've had some of them for as long as 12 years, none are faded, but I keep them out of the sun as best as I can.

The lotus is where I got the tribal on my leg done, I believe it was anastasia as well that was 6 years ago and its all black, barely any fading i wear shorts everyday too. I just have a few tiny spot to touch up on that one. I can vouche for her, she is pretty quick and not very heavy in the hand. I should've had her do my ribs :P

Thanks for the input guys! I've got a few artists to check out for sure. I was looking at Anastasia's work actually... very nice.

I'm not going to lie though... I'm kinda dissapointed that nobody is posting pics! Come on people, let's see them!

I'm at work and I cant upload, but if you were looking at Anastasia's porfolio online, mines the toucan. I'll post a pic when I get home tonight, you can see the difference (theres no fading) and that tatoo is about 5 years old.

Can you see Photobucket at work...?

So I tried using tapatalk to upload a pic, but it didn't work... Will have to wait till I get home, but I've got 2 tattoos on my leg, one is 5 years old and the other is about 10 years old and they both look the same

Will post tonight as well.. gonna be tricky to get pictures of my back, calve, and ribs though :P "oh wifey! wanna help?"

Bummer on the James Tex thing. I'd definitely recommend him, but if you've previously had a 'bad' experience, then yeah...what can you do? He did a beautiful jellyfish peice for me earlier this year. I love his work, but attitude counts for something.

What ever happened to the guy here on Canreef that would trade tattooing for frags??

Smart a$$. I'm working on it!

Haha.... doesn't help me at all... I can't grow coral any more.

For thise with facebook, let me know if you can see this:

If you don't want to see part of my butt crack, don't look at this link!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php...type=3&theater

Best I can do for now.

As I was saying, Anthony didn't do the tribal portion of the phoenix, but he stretched it down (most of the orange). He did the rest though... in about 8 hours so far!

The experience itself wasn't bad (although it wasn't good), it's more that he doesn't stand behind his work. Unless you're a jail house tattooer, you need to stand behind your work. I'm almost tempted to leave it as is just so I can tell people who did it, and why it looks so bad.

Come on people, I need more suggestions... And some pics!

Here's one I got done at orchid 5 years agoneed a bit of touch up but mind you its always exposed to sun. I'll try to post the others tonight when my wife can snap pics for me.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0332.jpg

http://shawnoconnor.ca/Shawn_OConnor/Home.html

Shawn did my tattoo at Ink Machine in Edmonton. He works with Danny. I'm very happy with this artist and I wouldn't hesitate to go back. This tattoo is on it's second pregnancy now, and 7 years after getting it it looks as almost good as the day I got it. I take care of it with nothing but lotion when I remember to and sunscreen when I'm in the sun:

3 years ago on vacation:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...243_9789_n.jpg

Pregnant @ 28 weeks:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a..._3993228_n.jpg

Here's the latest piece.

after the black was done...(just under one hr.)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0144.jpg

two weeks later, adds red... (1/2 hr)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_IMG_0258.jpg

Now two weeks after the colour was added, red needs a little touch here and there but nothing major.