Polynesian Turtle

Polynesian Turtle by Trevor Kennedy.

"Watch the turtle. He only moves forward by sticking his neck out."

Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.

Turtle

Turtle by Adam Considine.

"Take a walk with a turtle. And behold the world in pause."

Bruce Feiler

Compass

Compass by Trevor Kennedy.

"Set your compass to beauty, humor, and grief; stay the course no matter what, and I'll support you with everything I've got."
Chris Jordan

Anklet

Anklet flowers & hummingbird by Trevor Kennedy.

"Don't look at your legs and think: 'They're fat.' Think: 'These things carry me around all day, and I don't have arthritis. Oh, and I've got great ankles."

Trinny Woodall

Shaka Hibiscus

Shaka Hibiscus by Adam Considine.

"I want to stay in Hawaii a little while. I'm kind of liking it over there."

Josh Holloway

Baby sea turtle

Baby sea turtle by Trevor Kennedy.

"I would love to go help baby sea turtles back into the ocean after hatching..."

Tamara Feldman

 

Sunset Wave

Sunset Wave by Trevor Kennedy.

"Cirque du Soleil means Circus of the Sun. When I need to take time to reenergize, I go somewhere by the ocean to sit back and watch the sunsets. That is where the idea of 'Soleil' came from, on a beach in Hawaii, and because the sun is the symbol of youth and energy."

Guy Laliberte

Polynesian Hook

Polynesian Hook by Adam Considine.

"Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish."

Ovid

Anchor

Anchor by Adam Considine.

"Have an anchor so that life doesn't toss you around."

Debby Ryan

Anchor with Plumeria

Anchor with Plumeria by Adam Considine.

"We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope."

Epictetus

Plumeria

Plumeria by Adam Considine.

"The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are."
John Burroughs

 

Orion

Orion by Trevor Kennedy.

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

Harriet Tubman

Blackhawks

Blackhawks by Adam Considine.

“I’m the biggest Blackhawks fan ever. I’ve been going to games since I was 6 years old.”
Al Jourgensen

Plumeria Cross

Plumeria Cross by Trevor Kennedy.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
Desmond Tutu

Redwood Trees

Redwood Trees by Adam Considine.

“Son, never throw a punch at a redwood.”
Tom Selleck

Sailboat & Turtles

Sailboat, Anchor, & Turtles by Adam Considine.

"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Polynesian

Polynesian by Trevor Kennedy.

"I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds."

Mike Tyson

Polynesian Shark

Polynesian Shark by Trevor Kennedy.

"By nature, I keep moving, man. My theory is, be the shark. You've just got to keep moving. You can't stop."

Brad Pitt

Hibiscus Turtle

Hibiscus Turtle by Trevor Kennedy.

"Try to be like the turtle - at ease in your own shell."
Bill Copeland

Aloha

Aloha by Adam Considine.

"It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure."
Ernie Harwell

Ohana Hibiscus

Ohana Hibiscus by Trevor Kennedy.

"If every plant and flower were found in all places, the charm of locality would not exist. Everything varies, and that gives the interest."
Richard Jefferies

Bow

Bow by Adam Considine.

"Just because you wear a bow doesn't mean you're a nerd."
Dhani Jones

Intro Video

Check out our Introduction to Sweet Trade Tattoo Video.

Lotus Ohm

Lotus Ohm by Adam Considine.

"The lotus comes from the murkiest water but grows into the purest thing."

Nita Ambani

Polynesian

Polynesian by Trevor Kennedy.

"I love tattoos. And mine symbolise who I really am."

Virat Kohli

Polynesian

Polynesian by Trevor Kennedy.

"You have to defend your honor. And your family."

Suzanne Vega

Happy July 4th!

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Polynesian

Polynesian by Trevor Kennedy.

"Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."
David Ogden Stiers

Getting the Perfect Tattoo: Finding an Artist

Also see:  Getting the Perfect Tattoo:  Choosing your Tattoo Design.

Finding the Perfect Artist:

Finding a great tattoo artist is even more important than finding the perfect design.  A good artist can easily copy your perfect design.  But the perfect tattoo artist can take any design or idea and make it an amazing piece of tattoo art.  

What you should look for in a good tattoo artist:

*Clean and sanitary

*Technical ability to apply good tattoos

*Artistic talent

*Professional demeanor

*Good reputation 

Finding the right artist for you will take time and patience.  

Clean and Sanitary:

Tattooing is puncturing the skin with a small foreign object and can be considered minor surgery.  Therefore, it is vitally important to have a tattoo artist that will keep their work area clean and has been trained to avoid contamination from blood-borne pathogens.  Below is a list of things to look for in your artist’s studio:

*Clean and neat appearance

*Sharps container for needle disposal that is clearly labeled

*Plastic on all tattooing equipment and surfaces

*Sealed, dated, single-use packaging are used on all tubes and needles (for shops without an Autoclave or ultrasonic cleaner)

A good tattoo artist will happily answer any questions you have about cleanliness and safety.  No artist should ever seem annoyed that a client is asking such questions.  If an artist can easily and confidently answer your safety questions, you are probably in good hands.  After all, an artist doesn’t want to contract a disease from the tattoo process any more than you do.

Technical Ability:

Being a talented artist does not necessarily mean they are a good TATTOO artist.  A talented tattoo artist with be both an artist and have good technical tattoo ability.  

Some ways to tell if your tattoo artist has good technical ability when looking through their portfolio:

*Consistent, crisp outlines

*Color that is evenly saturated

*Smooth shading and blending

WARNING SIGNS of Poor technical tattooing ability:

*Inconsistent, blurry outlines

*Patchy, faded colors

*Irregular or choppy shading and blending

*Any obvious scarring 

Artistic Talent:

Tattoo artists vary drastically when it comes to artistic ability.  To recognize artistic talent, remember to do your homework.  Having some basic art knowledge will help you do this. An Artist’s portfolio can give you an opportunity to look at what this artist has done, how they may have improved over time, and if you like the overall look of their art in general.

Courtesy, Honesty, & Ethics

As with any profession, tattoo artist come in all types of temperaments and personalities.  A quality tattoo artist will be courteous, honest, and ethical.  A tattoo artist should be honored that you wish to have their personal artwork on your body for the rest of your life.  But this relationship goes both ways.  It is also equally important for the client to be courteous, honest, and ethical.  This means that if you book an appointment, you show up on time.  Furthermore, do not have an artist spend hours drawing an amazing design for you then take it to another artist.  A good and healthy tattoo relationship is based on trust and respect from both the artist and the client.

Getting the Perfect Tattoo: Choosing a Design

Getting the perfect Tattoo:  Choosing a Design

Wether you are getting a new tattoo with your friends, working on a large custom piece, or you’re getting one to remember your fabulous vacation, your goal is the same:  to get an amazing tattoo that you will love by a great artist.  To get the perfect tattoo for you is as simple as matching the right tattoo design to the right tattoo artist.  

Many first-timers want to keep it small or just “test the waters.”  Although a good artist will encourage you to get what you want, they will also encourage you to get something that looks good, fits your body well, and will last in the long run.  It is very important to take your artist’s opinion into consideration when planning your tattoo.  A good artist will give you the best opinion when it comes to size, placement, and color.  Although you should have a good idea of what you are looking for, being open to your artist’s opinions and suggestions is important to guarantee that you really do get the “perfect tattoo” for you.

When first starting to plan your new tattoo, it is best to find someone in the tattoo industry to talk to.  Go to a tattoo convention or stop in several different tattoo shops.  Look around and get ideas; ask questions.  You can even talk to people that are already tattooed to get more insight.  Be careful here.  Many heavily tattooed people complain about other people randomly grabbing them or touching their tattoos.  Most people will be happy to show you what they have, but you must be respectful.  Use common courtesy and ask if they wouldn’t mind talking to you about tattoos before engaging them at random.

Most importantly, be patient.  Getting the right tattoo is about being prepared.  Do your research.  Search online for tattoo pictures and other reference materials that will help you develop your idea.  Search and learn about art, not just tattoos.  Although pictures of previously tattooed images are great for reference, you should never just copy someone else’s tattoo.  This is disrespectful to both the person who has the tattoo, and the artist who created and tattooed it.

The Perfect Design

Only you can truly know the perfect design for you.  Again, do your homework.  Plan ahead.  Research the web and find as many different references as you need or want.  Good reference material can help you illustrate to your artist exactly what you are looking for in your tattoo.

Tattoo Reference Material Suggestions:

*Photographs

*Original artwork

*Pop Culture

*Tattoo flash

*Your own sketches or drawings

Again, finding the perfect design is about finding the right references for what you are looking for in a tattoo.  

The Perfect Artist:

Finding a great tattoo artist is even more important than finding the perfect design.  A good artist can easily copy your perfect design.  But the perfect tattoo artist can take any design or idea and make it an amazing piece of tattoo art.  

What you should look for in a good tattoo artist:

*Clean and sanitary

*Technical ability to apply good tattoos

*Artistic talent

*Professional demeanor

*Good reputation 

Finding the right artist for you will take time and patience.