Why No I will not tattoo your child...

When I was 12 I wanted "Bitch" tattooed across my upper back in old English font.

When I was 14 I wanted a dolphin lower back tattoo. (It was the 90's and they were super in)

When I was 17 a tattoo artist never checked my ID and I managed to get a fairy tattooed on my back.

At 27 I'm hoping to cover up that fairy soon.

What's my point?

Kids don't know shit.

They shouldn't, they are kids. Teenagers are still kids, they just think they are grown. Look back at your pre-teen and teenage pics. What's going on with that hair? Did you seriously listen to Hanson? (I did). We change out minds constantly and the younger you are the less likely you are at making good choices.

In my junior and senior year of high school fellow classmates of mine started getting tattoos. I'm not talking about the seniors that had just turned 18, I'm talking the 16, 17, and even 15 year old students. Naturally at that time we thought it was cool as fuck but now as an adult (sort of), and a tattoo artist, I just want to go to that artist and be like "Dude, seriously? Was business that bad? Were you that desperate?"

Most of those tattoos are regretted and covered up now. Why? CAUSE WE WERE KIDS!

Of course we're going to try to get tattoos and sneak alcohol and take our dad's car in the middle of the night (Shout to Kim!) and go joyriding. Teenagers, if the chance is there, they're going to take it. It's the job of parents and adults to guide and prevent huge mistakes and give life lessons to those wild and crazy bastards.

In the past 2 weeks working on the beach I have been asked by 4 PARENTS if I would tattoo their 15, 16, and even a 14 year old. I keep waiting for them to turn around and burst out "PSYCH! Just kidding!"... but they don't.

When I say no, sorry, I don't tattoo children. They storm out saying that they will go somewhere else that will. What's sad is, someone will. I'm not ok with that but its out of my control, but I can control is myself.

I haven't been tattooing very long. My work is decent but its not mind blowing and there is a lot of growth. I know this. People will say what they want about my work I have lovers and haters. Such is


life. But I will NEVER be labeled as the artist that tattoos kids. Ever.

If you're a parent that wants your kid to be tattooed as a teenager... you're an ass. That is all.

Forever growing...

-Casey