Tattoo fixers

[SurlyCue]

Is anyone watching? I think I'm a little bit in love with Sketch

I love the tattoo artists. I can't stand Paisley, though. I feel irritated as soon as she comes on the screen.

The cover ups have all been good apart from that gas ask one. What the fudge happened there, Sketch?!

I love the receptionist.

I swoon for Big Gus and Tommy from the American version of the show, although the British format is a bit better.

I want to know if they get pissed off when they all show their sketches and the customer doesn't pick theirs.

The customers are never rude 'God no, that's vile'. I wonder if they are prepped to say 'I like this one best'. They never look at the two or three sketches and say 'none of them' either. Surely given the place they are in, they would not rush a tattoo decision.

They all seem really nice, especially when people get upset telling the stories behind their nightmare tattoos.

Jay always looks a bit upset when his design isn't chosen.

He has gorgeous eyes.

I assumed Sketch was gay until he said that his daughters played with Barbie when they saw that horrendous Barbie and Ken tattoo.

I have shit gaydar.

My favourite tattoo so far was the Jim Carrey one that looked like a bellend when the guy was wearing shorts. Imagine his face when he realised!

I don't think the tattoos on this show are particularly good. The American version has way better artists and results.

I had a cover up done last month and after watching the show the other day DH said he had amazing respect for my artist as the stuff they seem to do is not great.

Agree with Sycamore - it does cause tattoo itch. Though not from them.

Yes Jays eyes are beautiful. he is beautiful!

I reckon they must have talked to them before they come to the shop so they know what ideas to "suggest" some of the ideas they come up with have been a bit odd as there doesnt seem to be any indication from the client that they'd like that. But they like the drawings so i can only assume theyve had a chat that wasnt on film.

Do they pay for the tattoos?

Are they actually not good, or just not to your taste? I don't like many of them, but then I don't like tattoos in general. Why are they not good?

Sketch has four daughters! Could still be gay though he's not. He's mine.

I think a lot of them look very blocky and flat, and as if they've shoehorned something over what was there originally. I don't know, there's not much nuance in them. It seems really obvious that it is a cover up. DH describes it as "often the people are heavily tattooed and they seem to put a block coloured cover up that doesn't work with the rest of the art they have, like using heavy oils to cover something that doesn't quite work on a watercolour painting".

Jay is mine then Surly

DEAL koalafications

Love this programme. The story with the guy who lost his leg was incredible. you just couldn't make it up

Sweary, I agree. There's many other tattooists out there doing much better work. But then, the majority of them perhaps wouldn't want to go on national TV.

I know of one who was emailed by the producers of that crap Ink Masters show. Her work is incredible but she (quite rightly IMO) told them to fuck off.

The guy with the creepy baby Hole tattoo who got the flamingo cover up is a friend of a friend though I'm glad he finally got that covered! Some of his other tattoos are lovely.

Tell me about your favourite tattooists then. I have a few on Instagram (not that I have any tattoos - I just love a really beautiful tattoo and haven't ruled out having one someday) and I'd love to add a few more.

This show has definitely given me the itch, any recommendations for tattoo artists in London?

My cover up was done by Kelly Violet in North London. I think she does beautiful work (well I would as I let her do it on my body).

Ooh I'd not heard of Kelly Violet, her stuff is lovely.

Depending on what styles you like, in/around London I like (can't do tidier links as on phone!):

Keely Rutherford (I have a piece by her) - instagram.com/keelyrutherford/?hl=en - really cute/girly stuff

Amy Savage - instagram.com/amyvsavage/?hl=en - stippled/colour neo traditional

Tiny Miss Becca - instagram.com/s6girl/?hl=en - massive waiting list I believe but well worth it

Harriet Heath - instagram.com/harrietheathtattoo/?hl=en - solid traditional - was Eastbourne/London but now on the road (I'm getting tattooed by her in August hopefully )

Little further out but Cassandra Frances (Hastings) is also excellent - I have a couple of pieces by her - instagram.com/cassandra_frances/?hl=en

I know more Manchester/Leeds way tbh but there are some excellent artists everywhere!

Further out I also really like:

Angelique Houtkamp - instagram.com/angeliquehoutkamp/?hl=en

Kim-Anh Nguyen - instagram.com/kimanh_n/?hl=en

Susanne Konig - instagram.com/suflanda/?hl=en

Hannah Clark - instagram.com/hlctattoo/?hl=en

Thanks for the links, some really amazing work.

One of my favourites, incidentally, is:

instagram.com/harriettattoo/?hl=en

Paisley is annoying me already and she hasn't really spoken

Gash is gash. Nice.

Very trivial... But are they wearing the same clothes each time? Really confused how this was filmed, considering how long each tattoo must take. Or does Lou only have one, admittedly beautiful, skirt?

Poor Jay does always look a bit put out, bless him. Not usually a fan of beards, but he pulls it off nicely.