19 July 2021

Tattooist in Canberra?

| Miss_Casey
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I’m looking to get a tattoo done in Canberra, and all the threads I’ve read are fairly old.

Looking for an updated view on who people think is the best in Canberra.

READ ALSO The best tattoo studios in Canberra

Opinions please!

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Just last week I got inked up at Freestyle – it was my first, but was a big piece and they were awesome about it. May was clean, fast and talented. Would definately go back! Only problem is the waiting list for that place!

Also… Anyone had work at freestyle know if they offer free touch ups in case the scab gets knocked while healing?
My GF without thinking grabbed my arm and peeled up a few scabs. Le sigh.

our-interface3:16 pm 03 Jan 11

I went with my friend to get her first tatt by one of the guys at Freestyle. He noticed my tattoos and asked about where I had gotten them ( In Sydney) and once I told him he spent a good deal of time slandering my tattooist. He proceeded to do an awful job on my friend’s tattoo which has now faded so badly that it looks like someone has drawn on her with marker and the put soap and water over it. She’ll need it redone. This is a similar tale to another mate of mine who’s work from freestyle faded very quickly. My work however still looks the same as the day I got it and it’s 2 years old. So I can’t help but feel that guy from Freestyle had no idea what he was talking about with regards to my tattooist. I think Freestyle are also very quick to do designs that might be advised against doing for example small thin lines on high exposure areas of the body (ie foot) are always going to fade faster than other areas, but unlike my tattooist who warned against this, the guys from Freestyle don’t really take that into consideration. I would prefer an artist who knew more than me about tattooing and proved that, rather than one who slanders other artists then does a shoddy job.

What I think Thumper is trying to say JustThinking, is that getting tattooed 20 years ago carried some ‘edge’ to it or was even seen as a right of passage. In my case I was a young (i.e. 17 year old) sailor and got tattooed together with several of my mates as we thought all good pussers had tatts. Basically, 20 years ago they weren’t seen as the fashion statement that they are today. Best summation of this I’ve heard was “I got tatts before they were cool”.

As for regretting them, I had a brief period where I really wished I didn’t get it done but the regret vanished as quickly as it arrived. I hardly notice them now and when I do, I like them again.

Miss_Casey, I’ve a few friends that swear by the tattooist down the Bay. Good luck with whoever you decide on.

200 years ago it was pretty much just soldiers sailors and crims in Australia.

JustThinking8:08 pm 02 Jan 11

Yep. Got mine 20 odd years ago when only soldiers, sailors and criminals had them, now every f*cker has them…
YOU FKEN kidding me??
I had mine before then and I not a soldier,sailor or criminal…

I dunno where you ppl get your ideas from,,,,but it freaks me out….
FKK,,,””Got mine 20 odd years ago when only soldiers, sailors and criminals had them””
You kidding me,,,,people were coming into Australia 200 years ago with tatts,,,,and not all of them were soldiers, sailors or crims…..

Thumper I usually like and agree with your posts,,,,,but this one is pure bullshit

Don’t do it – but not because everyone else is doing it.

There is nothing – nothing – that looks worse than 40-year-old tattoos on a 65-year-old woman. I am acquainted with a women “of a certain age” who can’t wear jewellery that suits her, because it looks ridiculous next to her tattoo. There may well be the occasional character (like the amazing Ex de Medici) who can wear their tatts into late middle age – but suburbanites (bogan or otherwise) shouldn’t go there!

georgesgenitals4:03 am 26 Dec 10

“wow you want to get a tattoo, so you can be like every 18 – 24 year old girl out there…”

I tend to agree. I kinda liked the idea of tatts once but it seems everyone does it now, making it a lot less appealing.

JustThinking2:24 pm 25 Dec 10

hahahahaha,
Funny as.
I have tatts and am certainly not a bogan….also not sorry I got them after more than 20years.
No idea where I’d go now though.
I’ve been into Tattoo Xtreme in Queanbeyan and had a look. A few years ago people weren’t impressed with the place but it seems to be getting some higher regards now.

Just make sure you look and look for ages until you find the right one. (then have it somewhere that won’t sag and look like mush in a few years)

Good Luck,,

Don’t do it, unless you’re a bogan.

All of my friends had their tattoos at Freestyle in civic, it’s so amazing with the work..super clean lines, colors and custom tattoos. I’m also having my first tat there too next week..really like the atmosphere and how helpful and friendly the tattooists are.

At freestyle they are also specialized in Japanese oriental style, if you are going to have one like mine should go there.

“Good tattoos ain’t cheap, cheap tattoos ain’t good”

“All the tattoo parlours in Canberra are “looked after” by the Rebels biker gang. They take a cut in profit and decide who can and cant open a tattoo shop in ACT, QBN. Plus they demand get free tattoo’s from ALL of the parlors”

Puzzlepunk, how do you know this? Anyway, I have been tattooed once by the girl at Lyneham and twice by May at Freestyle. I would never go back to Lyneham, as the tattoo faded after about six months. I would highly recommend May, as she fixed the crap one up and designed a custom for my shoulder blade. Everytime I go in there, they are welcoming and friendly. Give Freestyle a go….

All the tattoo parlours in Canberra are “looked after” by the Rebels biker gang. They take a cut in profit and decide who can and cant open a tattoo shop in ACT, QBN. Plus they demand get free tattoo’s from ALL of the parlors.

DO NOT get your tattoo here, unless you don’t mind supporting criminals and extortionists.

There are some nice joints in St Kilda in Melbourne Voodoo I think it s called. All the award wining parlors are in Melbourne or Sydney it seems.

smiling politely9:00 am 21 Dec 10

Trix’s comment about Freestyle struck a minor chord with me – they’re a professional outfit that do great work, but when it came to a relatively simple piece I just got the feeling that it was well beneath them. “Cooler than thou”, so to speak. Key thing is if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.

I was extremely happy with my tattoo I had done at Tattoo Power Lyneham.

Chris at Lyneham. He did my first one maybe around eight years ago now and I always go back to him even when they are years apart. Had my most recent one done in March.

Freestyle? Is that the one in the City?? I’ve heard some real horror stories about that place.
The Lyneham one is kind of a luck and chance tattoo if you aren’t willing to wait in line a couple months for Chris.
My Brother went there and one of the girls made the design for the wrongarm and with her own “touches”
when he went in she said “I’ve made it for your left arm but you’ll be fine with that won’t you?”
Don’t go somewhere where they couldn’t care less about what you want and more about your money.

I got my first at Forever Art in fyshwick.
Biro was a true aussie legend.
Laid back but reliable. The kind of atmosphere you want when getting your first tat which can be extremely daunting.

Heard a Lot of good things about Queanbeyan too but haven’t yet experinced it for myself

i’ve had friends get work done at Freestyle and they’ve all been happy with the work.

wow you want to get a tattoo, so you can be like every 18 – 24 year old girl out there, who regrets it in 5 years.

Tattoo extreme seem to do good work, but if you want to stay healthy, maybe not the place for you.
I have heard awesome things about Freestyle, but I had mine done by Tattoo Power in Lyneham.
It was a custom design that they were able to tweak a little to make it even more amazing.

No matter what you decide, always ask to look at their other work. Some artists are great at portraits, some do exceptional Black and White. You need to find the artist that specialises in your type of tat.

Don’t do it you’ll regret it later

I’d recommend making the trip to Sydney – have had a few tatts done in Canberra and a few in Sydney at Mischief Moon in Darlinghurst and the quality is better by far.

I heard most of the ACT tattooists are associated with bikies. Go elsewhere.

+1 for freestyle, the tattooists I have dealt with there are always polite and have done excellent work om me and other people I know who have gone there.
At the end of the day you should shop around. Someone may have had a great experience at one place and someone else a horrible one. Go in to several tattoo places and have a chat to the tattoists. You will soon find the right one for you.

Had my first three in queanbeyan, fourth in tuggeranong, and fifth and sixth at freestyle. After going to freestyle I wouldn’t go elsewhere- ever again. Big difference in the tatt quality and service plus there’s private rooms. I can say from personal experience that both may and luke do exceptional work and Rush is supposed to be amazing too.

Freestyle do do nice work, but can’t be much arsed about customer service. Being told that drawing a few rings around a forearm is difficult and “boring” (ok, granted maybe the latter, but it’s a quick job) doesn’t really make me want to bother going back for the full backpiece I had planned. I mean, I’ve got several rings tattooed around various extremities one way or another, and no-one in kiwiland or Hawaii had any problem with them. Oh well, maybe it’s good to know your limitations.

Also, can people note whether the place is owned by a “motorcycle club”? I make a point of avoiding those (no problem if gang guys frequent a place from time to time).

If its Tattoo Xtreme see Matt he has done my Koi sleeve and its incredible.

And seen very nice work from Freestyle I’m yet to visit.

If you want something done well, you’ll be willing to go to a little extra time and effort.

This means waiting a while to get in to see the best tattoists in Australia that reside outside of Canberra – Sydney’s a short drive.

Josh – tatudharma.com
Les – artintimidatinglife.com

Or you could get a lovely Coi fish design traced onto you somewhere in the Canberra region.

I make the trip to Free Spirit in Batemans Bay, always happy

I have found Freestyle on Northbourne to be a good place to go. Friendly staff, private and hygenic tattooing areas.

I always recommend Tattoo Xtreme out in Queanbeyan.

I also had my tatt done there and it was good work. I also do hear very good things about Freestyle Tattoo in Civic.

DarkLadyWolfMother8:58 am 20 Dec 10

I always recommend Tattoo Xtreme out in Queanbeyan. I, my housemate, and a few friends have had work done by them and we’ve always been happy with the quality. We’ve gone to them with custom designs, and with ideas that they’ve designed around. They did exceptionally in both cases.

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