Joel Hilgenberg is originally from Chicago and has tattooed in several cities over the past 16 years including San Francisco, Berkley, and Atlanta. In Memphis, he has worked for Underground Art. Joel specializes in Old Skool (40’s-50’s style) and Asian theme tattoos.
In 2012, Joel received his Masters in Art Education and currently teaches art for Memphis City Schools in addition to tattooing.
Rachel Ehemann: Tattoo Artist at Inked Memphis
Rachel Ehemann lives on the edge of what most consider “alternative” and is an amazing artist of many sorts. She has delved into the arts since childhood and finds great passion in expressing her artistic abilities. In addition to being a tattoo artist, Rachel is also a Tribal Bellydancer by the name Su Aine. In 2005, Rachel received a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University located in Richmond, VA with emphasis is Scientific and Medical Illustration. Her technical training came in handy for her tattooing career with a nack for perfectionism and realism. While in Virginia, she went to school with famous tattoo artist Jesse Smith who tattooed her matching hip pieces. Now settled in Memphis TN, Rachel is expanding her career as both a tattoo artist and a bellydancer. In 2011 she began tattooing under mentor Jose Quinonez and started her own dance troupe called Nava Sanctum who performs in the Memphis area on a regular basis.
While Rachel is good at many different tattoo styles, her favorite is black and grey work.
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Yes, tattoos hurt. No pain, no gain. Certain areas are more sensitive than others. Below is a list of the top ten most painful spots for a tattoo.
1. Ribcage
2. Hip Region
3. Feet
4. Throat
5. Head/Face
6. Spine
7. Lips
8. Chest
9. Back of the Calf
10. Elbow
Yes, tattoos are safe when going to a professional artist. Things to look for when dealing with your artist:
Are they wearing gloves? What type of training did your artist have and are certificates in sight? What is the overall health score for the shop? Is there a sharps container on their station?
Artists should always place used needles in a sharps container. New sterilized needles should be opened in front of you.
Take your time and shop around. This is your body that will be permanetly marked forever. It is important to have at least a general idea of what you are thinking about getting and the style you’d like it to have. So often people make the impulse decision to get a tattoo on a whim and head for the nearest local shop. Some are lucky enough to walk away with a good tattoo, while others will find themselves researching for cover ups later. Do your research first. And while we are on the subject of cover ups, NEVER, under any circumstances let your friend who just bought a tattoo kit work on you! Not only will you find yourself seeking the aid of a professional artist to cover it up, but you are also putting yourself at risk! It is imperative that you find a licensed artist that is trained and certified or a licensed apprentice with their mentor (master) present.
Other ways to choose your artist:
There are many artists out there, all with different styles. If you are looking to get a black and grey piece, it would be wise to look for a black and grey artist. Check out portfolios and see what they are capable of and be picky. Scrutinize their work and look closely for perfections as well as imperfections.
Visit several studios. If you have found or heard of a good artist, now you must check out the studio where they work. Make sure it is clean and take notice of their overall health score. Even if you found the best artist, it doesn’t matter if the shop is not up to par.
Overall, make sure your artist is a licensed professional with experience, talent and can pull off the style and the ideas you are going for.
The first step is to schedule a consultation with your artist to go over the design and ideas you have in mind. Your artist will help you come up with a design that works best for you and the location you’re planning on getting it done. Once you have gone over your ideas and location for the tattoo, your artist will schedule you an appointment to get the tattoo done.
Step 2: You’re appointment day. It’s important that you show up on time for your appointment. Artists stay busy and have alloted a certain time frame for your appointment. If you know you are going to be late or unable to make it, call your artist to reschedule your appointment as soon as possible. Once you arrive for your appointment you will be asked to fill out paperwork and present your ID to photocopy. (Your ID must be valid. If you do not have a State issued ID, you may use a passport or military ID). Please answer everything honestly, and DO NOT drink or use illegal drugs before or during your appointment.
Step 3: Set Up. During preparation for your tattoo, your artist will set up their station and create your stencil. All equiptment, materials and tattoo areas are sanitized and sterile. Your artist will shave the area with a disposable razor and apply the stencil. This usually takes 10-20 minutes to dry. Once the stencil is dry and machines are set up, your artist will begin the tattoo.
Step 4: The Tattoo Experience. Most, but not all, tattoos start off with the outline and then go on into color/shading. It is important to breathe slowly during this process and to make sure you eat before your appointment. If you need to take a break, tell your artist. And most importantly DO NOT move, squirm, or scream during your tattoo! If you are not able to be still during the process your artist will not be able to complete the tattoo.
Step 5: Completion. You have a brand new tattoo! Now what do you do? At the end of your tattoo, your artist will go over aftercare and will give you a take home sheet discribing how to treat your tattoo. Tattoos are an abrasion to the skin, it is important to follow through the aftercare to prevent any infections and for a better outcome. (See also aftercare)
Step 6: Clean Up. Once your tattoo session is completed your artist will dispose all needles in a sharps container, discard all disposable products used on your tattoo, sterilize equiptment and sanatize the area.
Step 7: Follow Up. Most tattoos take at least 2 weeks to heal. Once your tattoo is fully healed, let your artist know how it looks or stop by the shop to show him/her.
You get what you pay for! Good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good!
In general, each artist will set their own rates based on the amount of detail in the design, location of the piece, its size and estimated length of time the tattoo will take. NEVER haggle the price of your tattoo with your artist. We are talking about a piece of art that you will wear for the rest of your life! If you cannot afford quality, don’t bother.
There are several healing stages for your tattoo including a peeling stage. Once the peeling stage has completed (anywhere from 5-10 days), it regenerates a protective layer over your tattoo. At this time it is “usually” safe to shave again. To be on the safe side, you can test the area before you shave by running your fingers along the tattoo feeling for any irregularities, bumps, scabs, or abrasions. If you cannot tell the difference between the skin around the tattoo and the skin on your tattoo, then it should be fine to shave. Remember, your artist put alot of effort into making your tattoo look good. Now it is up to you to take good care of it. If you do not feel that it is safe to shave, then don’t. A little stubble is worth the wait if your tattoo is still healing. The last thing you want is to ruin the tattoo by shaving too early.
Blog Article Written By: Rachel Ehemann
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