oo begins. The tattooist sets up his small capfuls of ink and begins with linework. Once the outlines are established the color is filled in. The customer is allowed as many breaks as they need, and once finished the piece is sanitized again with green soap or in some very painful cases, alcohol. Of course no needles are reused, they are always broken and put in a sharps container. The gun is sanitized before and after a tattoo, and gloves are always used, and the seat is cleaned with disinfectant after each tattoo.The men and women who provide this service are exceptionally proud of their work. Not just in general, but personally. In many cases you will find a tattooist will not disturb or alter someone else's work, just as they would not appreciate the defacement of their own. Oftentimes it can be difficult to get the exact design you choose, so often they can't help but add their own personal flare to it. In rare cases a tattoo artist might refuse to give the same tattoo twice, once it is given it is crossed off the flash samples. It is a matter of honor; also one might find tattoo artists can sometimes be arrogant and elitist. They are fully aware of the great talent it takes to do what they do, and sometimes this can get to their heads. I think it is safe to say I have riddled the misconceptions of old with so many bullet holes that they no longer hold water. In the two hours I spent in the shop with Kevin Spainhour, and in my various other visits over the past two years I have yet to see that big bald biker guy with the beard to his knees that every thinks of when they think "tattoo artist." They are exactly what their name implies, artists, very skilled artists. They are not criminals, the shops are more sanitary than most doctors' offices, and the clients are not social retards looking for a way to blow their ill-gotten money. Tattoo is quick becoming a mainstream form of self-expression and I think it is only f...
