Buzz Club Tattoo Studio – Tattoo Shop Leeds
BUZZ CLUB BLOG
You can book in with Tina here or click on any of the images to be taken to her portfolio
All the images below are available to be tattooed on the 31st October and Friday 1st November. Have a browse through at some of the fantastic work our artists have produced and send them a DM to book in!
Or- we’re also open 10-6 tomorrow! Feel free to walk in at any point during the day at our City Centre studio to meet our artists and get some new ink!
How much do tattoos hurt? What areas hurt most?
Tattoos can and do hurt, after all, a needle is being pushed into the skin and depositing ink. However, where exactly you get the tattoo, can dramatically differentiate the amount of pain you feel. Factors that can also affect pain is preparedness, diet and the individual.
A tattoo can never be pain free, but in this blog, we’ll share some of our tips and tricks, to help prepare and help manage tattoo pain!
As a general rule of thumb, based on our personal experiences and those of our tattooists, these are the least and most painful placements,
Least Painful: Outer Arm
Painful: Back, Shoulders, Outer Leg
More Painful: Inner Thigh/ Arm, Hip, Ear, Hand
Most Painful: Lips, Fingers, Knee, Armpit, Ribs, Chest, Neck, Stomach, Genitals
How everyone experiences and feels pain is different, but tattoos are typically referred to as a sharp/ stinging pain, often compared to that of a cat scratch.
What makes a difference in the amount of pain you feel, is how many nerve endings are on the placement of your tattoo. Nerve endings are what feel pain and pressure, and send signals to your brain, telling you you’re in pain, body parts with the most nerve ending are often more or the most painful, i.e, the back of your knee, your palm, the bottom of the foot.
Moreover, areas with less nerve endings are therefore, less painful, this is your upper back, shoulders and arms.
Different types of tattoo can also affect how painful they can be, tattoos that take longer I.e. when they’re darker, more detailed, can mean going over the same spots again and again, meaning a more painful experience.
For example, with these tattoos above. The one on the right will take a significantly less amount of time than the one on the left, and despite them being in the same spot, the lantern will hurt more, as it will take longer- and meaning the needle will be going over the same spots repeatedly, in comparison to the fine line hands.
How to Prepare
Preparing for a tattoo is the most important part of the process, to ensure as little pain as possible for you, and that your skin is easy to tattoo for your tattooist! To prepare, it’s important to:
- Get a good nights sleep, getting an early night will help you manage the pain.
- Drink plenty of water, staying hydrated will help your skin be easier to tattoo, and will help with the pain. Avoid alcohol the night before if you can.
- Eat a good meal beforehand, keeping your blood sugar high will help with the pain! We recommend having a sugary drink and snack on hand when you arrive.
The Tattoo Process
It’s important you communicate your feelings with your artist, if you need a break- that’s okay! If you need to stop for a snack- that’s more than okay too! A tattoo is a permanent piece of body art and the last thing your artist will want is for you to be pushed past your limits and you have a bad experience. Furthermore, the last thing we want is you passing out, so if you feel light headed or faint, it’s important you tell your artist as soon as possible.
Numbing Cream
Numbing Cream is a lotion that can be applied prior to your appointment that numbs the skin, a good numbing cream will mean that you feel significantly less or no pain when getting tattooed. This can seem like an obvious choice for those extra wary of the hurt a tattoo may bring. However, it’s important to note, that due to the way numbing cream works, it completely changes the consistency of the skin, and can make it significantly harder to tattoo. It’s always important to ask your artist whether they’re comfortable with you using numbing cream, as many artists will refuse to tattoo numbed skin.
Aftercare
Once you’ve been tattooed, the pain is over! You may experience some itchiness as it heals, and it’s important to note not to scratch a fresh tattoo, but there shouldn’t be any pain in the healing process. It’s incredibly important you follow the artists aftercare instructions, and get in touch if you have any questions at all, your artist and/or Buzz Club is always happy to help 🙂
Now we’ve covered what to expect, are you ready to book your first tattoo? Click on the pink button below to book in with us, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
First and foremost, tattoos are a form of expression, so it’s no surprise that mythological and fantasy tattoos are often a popular choice. With the rich history that comes hand in hand with the mystical tales, and the stories and meanings that certain stories and creatures hold, it’s a strong choice for those that want a tattoo with meaning, without being too on the nose.
This blog will explore some of the mythical tattoos we’ve created at Buzz Club, and what they can and/or mean to the client and artist.
Dragons symbolise power, health, wisdom, health and longevity, and are a timeless piece of art. They are often done as back tattoos to allow the tattooist a larger canvas, to ensure all those little details have enough space to breathe! Whether they’re Chinese dragons or one brought from western folklore, dragon tattoos never age- and will always be on trend.
Phoenix’s symbolise birth, renewal and transformation. They represent the ability to rise from adversity stronger than ever before. Phoenix tattoos are often free flowing, with free hand work coming hand in hand, to twist and cater to the body canvas, as you can see in the images above. Like the dragon, a phoenix tattoo is timeless, so always a good choice for those that have had to see through to the end of hard times.
Animals/ people from greek mythology are also incredibly popular, we’ve gathered some of our favourite examples to show you how these grecian tales can come to life on skin. From greek god to Medusa, our artists are fantastic at bringing your ideas to life.
To book in for your next mythology tattoo, you can book via your chosen artists Instagram (linked on the images) or by filling out our enquiry form below!
This week, we’re highlighting one of our most talented artists, Lara has been with us since April 2022, and has been tattooing for 11 years. Her old school methods mean that Lara draws up every design with a pencil and paper, no technology, no iPads, just her and her tools. This means Lara’s work has a very illustrative feel, as if it’s sprung straight from the page. As you can see, her work is detailed, emotive and flowing.
To book in with Lara, you can either message her directly on Instagram here, or select her name when booking in via the link below!
One thing about Leeds, is it’s always been home to the best gigs and concerts and this autumn sees some of the best new Indie acts taking to our venues, including Katy J Pearson, Fat Dog and CMAT, and moreover, the famed Live At Leeds In the City is taking place on 15th November. In celebration of our infamous music scene, we’ve put together some of our greatest art influenced by songs and musicians alike.
From left to right:
You Me At Six by @deathandbloomtattoos
Deftones by @Nannon.anon
Mac Miller by @hayl.tattoo
MF Doom by @yugi__bee
Smashing Pumpkins by @wiktoria.tatts
Car Seat Headrest by @bitchpokes
Mac Miller by @tinacarusodot
Stevie Wonder by @wiktoria.tatts
David Byrne by @titz.4tatz
Paramore by @yugi__bee
Billy Joel by @titz.4tatz
Gorillaz by @nannon.anon
Mac Demarco by @nannon.anon
Harry Styles by @bitchpokes
My Chemical Romance by @deathandbloomtattoos
To check out the artist of the tattoo you like best, you can simply click on the image to be taken to their Instagram.
We’d love to book you in for your next music tattoo! To enquire, you can click on the link below.
See you soon!
Money is always a tough subject to bring up, and always seems especially tricky when discussing tattoos. Especially as every individual artist can charge differently depending on a variety of things, some artists charge by hour, some by piece and some by day, and even then they can fluctuate based on the artists relationship with the client, the style of work and so many more external factors. And really, tattoos do often cost a lot, but more often than not, this is for the best.
Let’s break it down…
There are many factors that go into the cost of the tattoo, this includes
- Your artists knowledge and experience, the time it took them to master the art of tattooing.
- Equipment! Needles, Ink, Machines, Power packs, all of the items it takes to actually tattoo you- they don’t run cheap.
- Chair rent, artists pay to use the space their in, so a portion of their earnings every month go back into the studio.
- Admin & Marketing, all the time put into answering emails, managing social media, advertising their business etc. After all, the majority of tattoo artists are self employed, so only have themself running the ship!
- Their time, the time they took drawing your design and curating it perfectly for you, reapplying your stencil, making sue you’re comfy and content and ensuring you have a good time.
Phew! So a lot of factors do actually come into play when pricing up a tattoo, and it’s important to keep these all in mind when you’re quoted for your next ink.
What can affect the price of a tattoo?
Size, placement, ink colour and timing can also all affect the price of a tattoo. The bigger the tattoo, the higher the price, as it takes up more of the artists time and materials, some placements can bump the price as they’re more difficult to tattoo, such as, neck or stomach, some artists will need to purchase specific ink colours depending on the tattoo, which can play a factor and typically, the longer a tattoo takes, the higher the price.
Anything else?
Above all else, experience will be what bumps that price up, after all, a 6 month apprentice will be charging significantly less that a seasoned tattooist of 10 years. At Buzz Club Tattoo Studio, the majority of our artists have been at work for 5+ years, so the high prices are often to reflect the time and dedication our artists have spent perfecting their craft.
Although tattoos on a budget may seem handy and the best option in the moment, this often means the tattooist isn’t experienced or doesn’t value their own work very highly, this can often lead to blowouts*, ink falling out, shaky lines and poorly proportioned work that you’ll probably need covering/ touching up anyway, so it’s often best to just bite the bullet to begin with, and ensure you’re booking in with a seasoned professional.
Transparency
If you’re worried about pricing, ask you artist for a quote, any respectable artist should have no trouble offering you a rough price range to help you budget for your tattoo, it also means no surprise for you when you hear the total. If the artist can’t give you a rough price in advance without reason- avoid!
Why do I need to pay a deposit?
Deposits have become fairly common place in the industry, and are often necessary to secure your appointment, but why?
Deposits are there to protect your artist, and always come off the total on the day without them! They’re essential for artists because if they are no-showed* or have a rescheduling last minute, they would have lost all their expected profit for that day without them, so deposits ensure they are still earning a profit, even in the worst case scenario. Most artists will transfer deposits onto another appointment if you have to reschedule- but this isn’t always the case, so make sure to read your artists policies!
Do I need to tip?
Tipping is always appreciated, and is the perfect way to show your artist you’re happy with the work they’ve produced, but is definitely not essential, so no pressure !
Overall, in the fine words of Sailor Jerry, “good tattoos aren’t cheap, cheap tattoos aren’t good.”
We hope this blog helped you understand tattoo pricing a bit more and next time you’re given a price, you understand all the factors that help create that sum!
*blowout. Where ink is pushed too deep into the skin and spreads beneath the surface, causing a ‘fuzzy’ or ‘blurry’ appearance.
*no-showed. client not turning up to an appointment without contacting the artist.
We’re so happy to announce that the wonderful Emma Burton will be joining us at Buzz Club from October 2nd, and she will be working Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Emma specialises in blackwork tattoos, and is inspired by anime, video games and gothic themes. To get an idea of her portfolio, please feel free to browse some of her fantastic work below:
Emma is booking up fast so make sure to get in touch while she still has space, you can book in with Emma, by contacting her on Instagram here
We can’t wait to see what she does while she’s here, see you soon Emma!
Recent Comments