To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo: A Significant Other’s Name
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, the topic of tattooing significant others’s names have come up in conversation a bit more lately. A few days ago Lucky and I were discussing the recent separation of some friends of ours, which just so happens to coincide with the recent inking of (now separated) wife’s initials on hubby’s chest. Was it “The Curse?”
“The Curse,” as it has come to be known in the tattoo industry, is the never-failing chain of events after a person gets a tattoo representing their spouse or significant other. It doesn’t matter if the couple has been together for 10 years or 10 days. The moment one person puts a name or initials permanently into skin a breakup is on the horizon. Like clockwork.
Tattoo artists come across this dilemma over and over again. The reactions of artists, when asked to do this type of tattoo, exists in stages:
Stage 1.) The “no big deal” stage. This normally is the attitude of an apprentice or beginning artist who hasn’t been in the industry for long. All they have to do is start to get repeat business and will begin to see a pattern after doing these tattoos.
This is also the attitude of the old schoolers (older tattoo artists that have been in the business for 30 years), who don’t believe in the myth, or don’t feel it’s the responsibility of the artist to steer the client in one direction or another. They believe it’s the choice of the person who is paying the money to get the tattoo.
Stage 2.) The “hesitant” stage. The artist is beginning to see a few repeat clients come in and need a cover up of their “love of their lives’” name. They begin to try to talk the client into getting a different tattoo but in the end still do name. The artist starts to feel bad about taking their money for a second time but will still take it. Money’s money, right?
Stage 3.) This is the “Hell No” stage. When someone comes in, whether they’re a regular or just a walk-in, and asks for their girlfriend’s name right on their chest above the cool tazmanian devil tattoo they got in the early 90′s, the artist adamantly refuses. No matter how much pleading the potential-client does it still won’t get them a name tattoo.
There is one other stage but it can either be stage 2.5 or stage 3.5, depending on who you talk to. It’s the “I will do your name tattoo but for AT LEAST three times the normal price.” This is the stage Lucky is at right now. For him I think it’s probably stage 3.5. He has seen “The Curse” happen so many times he’s starting to charge at least $200 for a simple name – just to try to deter the person. Does someone really want to spend that much money to get a name? Is it really worth it?
This overcharging didn’t work with our friends who ended up splitting but we’re still secretly hoping they will get back together. It might happen. This is definitely the last time Lucky’s going to be a part of this, however. He would rather be more like Eros than Ares. 
