The following paragraphs will answer many basic questions about my artwork, and how I conduct my normal tattoo client process.



TATTOO APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND INFO

Firstly, I am truly fortunate to have my work be in demand and have all the opportunities I do, and I appreciate any interest in my art. But due to the level of demand that seems to keep growing the longer I keep tattooing, it’s gotten harder to respond to all inquiries or be reliable with waiting estimates for tattoo appointments. I’m usually very selective with the tattoos I do, since there are other important pursuits I have in life that I like to give my time to. In fact, nowadays I don’t even get to ever tattoo most of the people who want work from me, let alone write individual replies to most emails. If this includes you, please don’t take it personally! It simply has to do with time, energy, and motivation/inspiration.



The most inspiring and appealing tattoo requests I get will usually receive a prompt personal reply from me in addition to this auto-reply message, with more concrete details about starting the piece. The proposals I accept don’t have to be big or crazy, but they do have to excite me in some way, whether conceptually (the meaning/ideas behind it, etc.), or just with fun subject matter with lots of artistic freedom.



Generally speaking I usually have to ask people to simplify their ideas to include less things at larger sizes, or to take a more abstract, symbolic approach to what they want. The work posted on this website is a good indication of what I enjoy, but I strive not to repeat themes and ideas too many times, or in too similar a fashion. However, two things I do usually enjoy no matter what are more abstract ‘bio-organic’ subject matter, or unusual abstract ideas that I can take in various directions—usually some sort of surrealist/realism hybrid. I do actually enjoy the occasional black and gray or traditional/neo-traditional tattoo project, but most of what I do is full color in a highly rendered, painterly style. It really just depends on the individual piece or idea, so if you have something in mind, feel free to run it by me and if I’m into it, you’ll know.



Types of artwork that I am usually not into doing are exact reproductions of other art, traditional Asian, Celtic, and tribal styles.



All that said, I’m still trying to find a system for booking my schedule that’s simple, fair to everyone (yet giving priority to unfinished work), and not overly stressful for me. There may not be a perfect system like this, and the larger my client base grows the more people there are to please, so I appreciate your understanding and patience.



If I have personally responded to you about your tattoo idea, it may still be up to a year wait or more, depending on current workload or travel plans and non-tattoo life happenings. I only book 2-4 months at a time, but I keep all time after that unbooked, so that I can cycle that group of people back into my schedule for whatever remaining sessions they need. This is why the wait time for new clients is so long, and hard to estimate. I take on new projects when I finish up old ones, as time allows. I usually ask people who are waiting for me to send me occasional email reminders or quick phonecalls at the tattoo shop in order to “stay on my radar” so to speak, since I keep no formal waiting list.



Most of the tattoo artwork I end up doing is larger, multi-sitting pieces—although I still enjoy doing smaller, single sitting tattoos as well. Most full sleeves end up taking anywhere from 20 to 60 hours, divided up into sittings that can span about 3-12 months, depending on how frequently a client comes in or how long they can sit for at one time (among other things). A full back piece could be even longer than this. Regardless, it all depends on the particular client and their individual project. Ideally, appointments will be scheduled from 3 weeks to 2 months apart until the project is completed. Generally speaking, the more time that goes by between sittings or until I get to finish an involved tattoo project, the harder it is for me to maintain the artistic continuity and inspiration needed to produce the best possible large-scale work. So please keep this in mind if you're thinking about starting a larger tattoo project with me. If you think that factors such as money reliability, job, distance, etc may drastically interfere with your ability to schedule tattoo sittings at fairly regular intervals, then you may want to consider getting a smaller, 1 or 2 session piece, or waiting until you're more sure of your logistics. Getting large work done is a commitment!



I like to thoroughly discuss the client’s ideas and artistic preferences before making any appointments or taking money. What I have found is that even when clients are offering “complete artistic freedom” they still do have some kind of expectations about how the finished piece will look, as well as certain aspects they definitely DON’T want. And although I do enjoy and ask for this artistic freedom, knowing these general do’s and don’ts up front avoids later disappointments. So please try to be thorough and descriptive, even if you’re confident you’ll like whatever I do, or all you feel strongly about is what you don’t want to see. You can also collect whatever visual or written reference material you need to help explain yourself, even if I won’t be referring to it directly in the creative process.



This type of discussion helps keep the work I do inspired, and ensures that it meets the expectations of both the client and myself. For long distance clients this discussion usually takes place over email or the phone, but whenever possible I’ll book an in-person consultation at the tattoo shop.



Once I am ready to book someone a tattooing appointment, I’ll take a $250 deposit in order to secure the spot. In the event of a no-show this deposit will be non-refundable. This deposit is taken 2 ways: by money order made out to me and sent to the tattoo shop, or in person with cash. Normally the deposit goes towards the cost of the first sitting, unless the art preparation is extensive, in which case I sometimes have it cover that part only.



I charge $125 per hour for tattooing (CASH ONLY). Prices for single-sitting tattoos are determined upon completion of the piece, unless the client tells me a spending limit in advance. Prices for large pieces are determined on a sitting-by-sitting basis only. Since I charge hourly, however long a project takes to be considered as perfect as I can get it is the only criteria I go by. This ensures the quality of the work, and that neither the client nor myself gets locked into a predetermined price that is no longer accurate by the end.



If for any reason you decide to try looking elsewhere, there are many talented tattoo artists out there; our profession is undergoing an enormous growth period, especially in terms of artistic talent. Feel free to check out links to other artists I have on this site, or go to a tattoo artist database like www.tattoonow.com to look at more tattoo artists’ work.



Once again, thank you for your interest in my work, and thanks for reading this.



TATTOO “BEGINNERS”

If you are completely new to tattoos and the process of getting one, there is a comprehensive article about the subject that I co-authored, called “How to Get the Perfect Tattoo” which you can read here:

http://www.offthemaptattoo.com/get-the-perfect-tattoo.html.



TRAVEL AND CONTACT INFO

Transcend Tattoo and Art Gallery is minutes outside of New Haven, Connecticut. It’s within a half mile of Interstate 95, and within 1-2 miles of several motels. It is also approx. 1 hour from Bradley International Airport in the Hartford/Springfield area, and 2.5 hours from NYC via MTA MetroNorth commuter railroad. Complete driving directions to the studio can be found in the F.A.Q. section of www.transcendtattoo.com



Nick Baxter

Transcend Tattoo & Art Gallery

906 West Main Street, fl. 2

Branford, CT 06405



203-481-9372



TECH ADVICE

To find out some of the tattooing equipment I use, or for tips and techniques, general tattoo artist advice, and things of that nature, please visit either my discussion forum or links page, both under the 'community' heading.



TRAVEL APPEARANCES

Any guest spots or conventions that I’m looking to book appointments for are announced in advance either on the front page of this website, or through my email newsletter. You can sign up to receive this occasional mass email in the 'community' section.



TATTOO/ARTWORK REPRODUCTION

All of the tattoos you see on this website are one of a kind, custom pieces designed only for the person who received the original tattoo from me. They are posted to advertise my tattooing style and artistic capabilities to the public. Additionally they are offered as inspiration for other artists, tattoo collectors, or anyone who simply appreciates body art, but they are not meant to be replicated. Please respect the original wearer of the tattoo by not having another tattoo artist copy it exactly. Use them for inspiration and ideas only. This same concept applies to the other artwork on the website as well. It’s all property of either myself or the client/collector. Please do not reproduce any of these images without permission. Thank you.



ARTWORK SALES

Many of the paintings, mixed-media drawings, and photographs on this site are for sale, unless they say “collection of...” somewhere in the description. Please call or email to inquire about specific pieces and their prices, or to ask about commissions. Limited edition prints are occasionally available, and are listed either on the front page of this site or in the 'commodity' section.



TATTOO DESIGNS

I do not draw tattoo designs unless I will be the one tattooing them, on a client who already has an appointment booked with me. If you’re in need of a tattoo artist who’s geographically closer to yourself, try searching on a tattoo artist database like www.tattoonow.com.