Artisan Body Piercing and Tattoo — Local services in Norfolk

If it were possible to leave negative stars I would. I went in to get a tattoo and was told that the tattoo I wanted, the artist wasn't comfortable with doing watercolor. I respected the honesty and decided to go ahead and get the tattoo without watercolor. My friend was also getting a tattoo, as we travel and like to get permanent tattoos as souvenirs. We got prices we both agree on and he draws up the tattoos, and we ask for them to be a little larger, I actually asked for the three dots as they were missing in his original stencil. He adds them and increases the size. I approve of the stencil. He goes to set up and calls us back, I decide to go first. He does the tattoo and I ask for a picture and my friend takes a picture. He says he can take a better picture if I lie back down, to which I do. He takes the picture and as I am looking at it, I notice I do not like the look of the word life. I express that I am not happy about it. Let me also add we were made to pay prior to being tattooed. Also left a tip!! When I state I am not happy he immediately says " it's the L"? Hmm why yes it's the L. I get sorry bout that in those exact words. No sorry let me work on a solution to fix this, let me see what I can do. My friend starts to get her tattoo, and I am completely upset because the more I look at it the more I notice is wrong! Did I say it looks like a child wrote the life....yes. Did I say I might cry myself to sleep tonight, YES! This is permanent and no solution is being offered. Did I say I haven't drank alcohol in 5 yrs but might tonight, yes I did. I have multiple tattoos from around the world, and never encountered a problem like this.  Again no solution is being offered. No condolences. It wasn't until after all of my complaining, I am told I'm truly sorry and will notify my manager for a solution. Great thank you. I appreciate it. You know this was not what was asked for nor stencil approved. Fast forward I go in to the shop after speaking with the Manager Violet to arrange a meeting and she is immediately in the artist did nothing wrong it's what you asked for and you were rude and hurt his feelings.🤨 I hurt his feelings but yet he rendered a service that was not up to standard nor the service agreed upon. I asked to speak to the owner to which she replied I'm the manager of the 3 facilities and Kat is the owner and I've already notified her of the situation and you will not be given a solution and allowed back in the building. Also let me add allegedly another customer heard me complain...I only complained at first around him and wasn't that vocal. I did ask the other artist at the facility for his opinion, to which he gave and gave me the stencil. Also his client had already left. Im sure if his tattoo had been messed up he would have expected a solution. As anyone would. But I was rude and in the wrong. So if you go to this shop, are unhappy with the work, not offered a solution and express your dislike, you will be considered rude and your money will be taken. I suggest reading up on VA tattoo laws, because you are suppose to get what you ask for. I now have to pay a professional to fix this tattoo and make it presentable...and likely pay 3 times as much. I highly suggest picking a location that has better customer service and provides the consumer with what they pay for. The manager is not professional at all and as long as the tattoo says what you  want...it doesn't matter how bad it looks..even like a child wrote it.  Pictures included.

The first picture is what I requested, too which I was told he couldn't do the watercolor. Which was fine. The tattoo, the stencil and the...

TERRIBLE customer service. I’ve gone here several times, recommended many people but after today I will not be going back. This for me is sad since I’ve been in the area a little over two years and met a great tattoo artist here (Lefty) who I had planned to stick with for my time here. Today I walked in and asked for a titanium tongue ring. The lady disappeared for a bit and came back with one which she held with pliers across the room to show me. I saw it was silver and asked about changing the color. she gave me the color sheet and handed the jewelry to another lady, then proceeded to have me pay the 30$ no problem and waited. they brought the jewelry and went back to work. In the car i saw it was SUPER long. (i’ve had my tongue pierced for 7 years and have never had one this long except when it was first pierced) i instantly went back in (less than 5 min) and the lady was occupied smoking and mentioned she would be right with me. a few min later she came in and disappeared. when she came back she informed me they did have shorter but it would be 30 more since i walked out with it. i informed her i bought three bars a few months back and all came in the same size which was perfect. she mentioned that’s just how business runs and if i didn’t have the additional 30$ then she couldn’t help me because she showed me the bar. when i mentioned i briefly saw it held by pliers and couldn’t tell the length across the room she got a severe attitude. if this is how business is run then they will no longer receive my business or referrals. I wasn’t asking for a handout, I simply wanted what I went in intending to spend 30$ on. As having worked in places like this, there is always something you can do for the customer. even if it were a discount on the correct jewelry. it’s not like i was wanting to take both pieces either. i just simply wanted what i went for without getting treated like an inconvenience or with such attitude. I had never had this lady in my previous trips here, but she has ruined it for me. my advise, great tattoo artist, even the lady who helped last time was great. but this “new business way” is not for me. so if you still want to try it for yourself, i still recommend lefty… you just have to make it past the front desk person and maybe don’t go in on a random tuesday at 1400 when that...

I’ve had 3 piercings done at Artisan this year. My piercer was very kind and seemed knowledgeable so I felt I could trust her. For my first 2 piercings the room was set up by the time I got into studio, which was not what I’m used to. At other studios I’ve been to everything was opened in front of me. But my piercer seemed nice, and Artisan had so many good reviews I just went with it.

Recently, I went in for my 3rd piercing with Artisan. I had a consult first and stepped out while the piercer turned over the room. As I sat in the piercing chair my piercer grabbed the jewelry from a drawer on the shelf dipped it in a solution and proceeded to use that in my fresh piercing. I wasn’t sure what the solution was but I didn’t want to insult my piercer by questioning their practice. Again I was used to jewelry coming out of a sterile package, and that package being opened in front of me.

I felt uneasy about it so reached out to the shop. I was told all the jewelry was cleaned in an ultrasonic machine, autoclaved and then had a final “cold sterilization” in a disinfecting solution. I’m assuming this is what my jewelry was dipped in prior to my piercing. Autoclaving jewelry and then putting it loose into a drawer makes that jewelry no longer sterile, and dipping it into a disinfectant does not re-sterilize the jewelry, it disinfects it. Disinfecting is not the same as sterilizing and not using sterile jewelry is not ok. I sincerely hope Artisan reevaluates their procedures and begins autoclaving jewelry prior to each client. Fortunately my piercings do seem to be healing fine so far, but I certainly won’t be back.

Update: The shop reached out to me after reading my review and stated that I could have asked to have my jewelry autoclaved. While this is a step forward I don't think it warrants a better review for 2 reasons. This service should be offered to every client when they are picking out their jewelry. Not something that is offered only after making a complaint. This service shouldn't even need to be offered, sterilizing jewelry should be the standard. Not an option.

If you do choose to go to Artisan please ask them to autoclave your jewelry prior to...