No Idols NYC
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Send us Fan Mail This week we talk about the importance of choosing the right artist for the job, what makes a good portrait reference, lining at the end of a large, multi session piece, the cost of a good tattoo in Bali and what is goin on what that back piece? Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and Matt Buck talk with guest tattooer Charles Arizmendy and later Skylar Phung about how AI is affecting tattooing, especially as clients bring AI-generated references that look polished but often aren’t tattooable due to skin, body flow, aging, and detail limitations. They compare AI references to Pinterest/Google, discuss when AI is a helpful springboard versus when clients get overly attached to an exact image, and debate what feels acceptable (AI as reference) versus “dirty” (AI stencils/AI flash), plus whether artists should disclose AI use. They touch on environmental concerns, virtue signaling, the rising value of hand-drawn work, AI art accounts selling prints, and even a robot tattoo machine Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano sit down with Matt Buck and guest Fabian, a New York tattooer of 13 years with a graffiti background who now focuses on mostly freehand blackwork sigils—turning phrases into symbols by removing vowels and repeated consonants. The group reacts to a thread about what’s “cringe” in tattooing and debates whether artists who learned online, don’t build machines, and make lots of content are “less” of a tattooer, weighing respect for tradition against modern realities. They discuss influencers teaching without experience, AI and originality, social media marketing tactics, oversaturation, and whether being good at tattooing is enough anymore. The conversation also covers apprenticeships, mentorship quality, tool knowledge, cheap equipment, and the need for financial literacy, retirement planning, and longevity in the craft. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattooer podcast, hosts Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano talk with guest tattooer/shop owner Amanda Malia and her apprentice Jacob Satterly. They discuss blurred style lines, Amanda’s nontraditional early apprenticeships and how long it took to feel like a “real tattooer,” imposter syndrome, and how environment and competition affect growth. The episode covers how social media has changed perceptions of legitimacy, differences between Facebook and Instagram, and Meta pushing Reels. They share art and tattoo process habits, longevity-driven simplification, stippling/shading tips, and advice for getting an apprenticeship (draw/paint, get tattooed by the mentor). The conversation also explores shop culture, booth rent vs percentage, contracts, rising supply costs, and how to raise rent while maintaining a positive vibe. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and guests Joe Capobianco, Ermis and Matt Buck discuss who will shape tattooing’s future as outside biotech and tech companies push new products faster than the tattoo community. They react Pain-Free Tattoo microneedle stamp concept. They also cover Black Dot’s venture-backed automated tattooing system, its current limitations, and skepticism about small-scale fine-line results without long-term healed examples. The group critiques Melanoir’s costly single-use synthetic melanin ink and broader corporate cash-grab motives, then pivots to affirm the lasting value of human-made craft, coils, and tattoo history. Joe promotes the free, tattooer-only TAT Hoedown (Aug 30–Sept 1, Dayton, Ohio) Support the show
Send us Fan Mail This week we take a look at an instagram post that shows Michelle DiDonato Quinones' tattoos fresh vs healed as we learn what works and what doesn't. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and guest Aaron Davis (Atlanta-based tattooer specializing in Afro-Americana, tattooing 7+ years) discuss what makes a tattooer hireable if they had no reputation, including how shop hiring has changed, the importance of portfolio, attitude, reliability, and the ability to pay rent by bringing in clients. They weigh social media presence versus consistent walk-ins, emphasize professionalism and respecting clients’ time, and name major red flags like drug/alcohol issues and personal drama spilling into the shop. The conversation covers the value of peer critique and being around strong artists, how apprenticeships have shifted with information online, changes in needle and machine culture, and secondhand gear marketplaces. They compare illustration and tattooing economics, touch on AI’s impact, and close with advice for aspiring artists: show up, build trust, study fundamentals, curate only your best work, be humble, seek critique, and ask whether you’d hire yourself. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano sit down with special guest Joe Redding (@coyoteeyes), a fine line and black-and-gray micro realism tattooer who apprenticed in 2017 and went full time during COVID after bartending and other work. They break down misconceptions about fine line tattoos by reacting to a reel and its polarized comments, then discuss what makes fine line work last: consistent depth control, avoiding blowouts, using “bloodlines/train tracks” and “scrubbing” to create a pocket for ink, and often lining with diluted black or grey wash to reduce pigment spread while selectively adding contrast. They also cover limitations on darker skin or heavy sun exposure, crosshatching and ink choices, plus how Instagram algorithms, boosting fees, video frame rates, and AI are reshaping tattoo marketing and workflows. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattoo Podcast, Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano welcome guest tattooer Eoghann McGregor, a Scottish artist now working in New York, who has been tattooing about seven and a half years and describes his style as “weirdo trad” The group recaps the intimate Third Coast show in Chicago, talks about convention tattooing, walk-ups, and how body positioning can drastically change stencil size and placement. Eoghann shares how he got into tattooing through hanging around a shop, losing an early opportunity, eventually landing an apprenticeship, and then moving from Scotland to England and to New York after a visa sponsorship. They emphasize the value of constructive critique in shops, discuss shop culture versus private studios, and announce Ermis is leaving New York for Greece in five weeks with plans to return to tattoo in the U.S. periodically, Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano welcome guest Russ Abbott back to the Honest Tattooer podcast and discuss his major fitness changes, how improved health impacts tattooing, and the ergonomic setup he uses to stand while tattooing. Russ explains his magnifying dental-style glasses, reading glasses, and custom prescription polarized lenses with a polarized headlamp to reduce glare. The conversation shifts to the Abbott Color Wheel, why ink pigment transparency and lightfastness matter, and Russ’s plan to redesign the wheel by learning ink bases and building a more intentional palette. He also talks about focusing on Japanese kumiko-inspired geometric work, tattooing his son, Tattoo Smart’s slowdown, and concerns about AI and design apps becoming crutches versus learning fundamentals. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, Gabe (“G Money”), and guests Michael L. and Matt Buck play Heads Up Tattoo artist edition hosted by Vega to identify tattoo-related “personalities” taped to their foreheads—some real tattooers and some decoys. They debate messy rules, points, and whether questions should be strictly yes/no, while correctly landing names. Afterward they discuss how to refine the game with clearer themes and fewer points, then each shares recent tattoos and broader reflections on staying inspired, fundamentals, client popularity, apprenticeships, and adapting technique for difficult healers, before plugging the Patreon aftershow. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano talk with special guest Bunny about her path through tattoo culture from the early 1990s to New York City. Bunny recalls getting a first hand tattoo at 14 in Milan, then finding a safe community working around a Milan shop as a teen alongside misfits and bikers. She describes moving to Scotland and London, returning to Milan to see tattooing dramatically evolve, and how Instagram and shifting social acceptance helped tattoos become mainstream and trend-driven. After moving to NYC, she began working in shops including Armageddon, Magic Cobra, and Three Kings, discussing long shop hours, changing business pressures, and the challenge of managing personalities. Bunny shares why she prefers staying behind the scenes and advises shop staff to take the job seriously and respect the business. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail The Honest Tattooer podcast welcomes guests David and Dat discussing their backgrounds, preferred styles, and the realities of long back-to-back tattoo sessions, including managing skin trauma and the mental side of sitting. They talk about building deep client relationships through honest conversation, navigating fear of judgment around politics and religion, and the importance of expressing love and respect even with opposing views. David shares plans to serve overseas on a mission trip to Vietnam and explains his shift from industry influence to spreading hope through faith in Christ, ending with a concise presentation of the gospel. The episode also covers growth through criticism, humility in apprenticeships, social media’s impact, committing to a craft, and Dat’s journey from early “hot garbage” drawings to rapid improvement through work ethic. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail The hosts interview Ses about how tattooing was harder to enter in the early ’90s without the internet, leading him to start underground as a “scratcher,” build a mail-order tattoo supply/flash hustle, and eventually learn by hanging around Fat Mike’s biker shop, where he began tattooing with a homemade machine and later inherited clients after Fat Mike died. Ses describes the importance of flash to shop identity, collecting and drawing flash, and meeting key artists like Jack Rudy and later collaborating with Boog and Nemo on a major flash set after connecting via Myspace, including Boog’s demand to see him draw in person and his intense travel/work ethic. They discuss hand-drawn vs digital flash, algorithm-driven “timeless” trends, AI references, client guidance, numbing products, and the need to respect and preserve tattoo history, ending with the host presenting a NYC Tattoos coloring book project and Ses showing framed gifts and original flash pages. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon, Matt, Ermes, and Pony read listener letters about common tattoo shop problems: shops favoring artists with big social followings, two artists dating and bringing relationship tension into the workplace, and a shop owner whose talented friend drives away managers and staff through harsh communication. They discuss balancing shop promotion across artists, encouraging simple, consistent content for introverted tattooers, and separating business from friendship when addressing behavior that harms shop culture. They also talk about posting frequency and algorithms, show examples of a fresh-to-healed tattoo with online criticism differences between Instagram and Facebook, debate pricing and logistics for a convention collab tattoo, and end with thoughts on daily practice for drawing and creativity. They mention attending the Third Coast Tattoo Convention in Chicago. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail We back guest Joshua Bowers about a year after his last appearance, this time with show-and-tell including the Steel Driver rotary that emulates a coil stroke, the Heavy Hand weighted pencil grip (plus an Apple Pencil prototype), and a battery adapter that turns a battery into a power supply and can shift weight off the machine. They discuss foot switches vs wireless/constant-on setups, cord management, and why many artists return to coil-style performance after starting on pen machines. The conversation shifts to how social media escalates tattoo drama into public “movements,” online validation, and public therapy, including examples of inflammatory accusations and appropriation debates. They also warn about corporate consolidation and looming regulations that could price out small makers. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail In this podcast episode, tattooer and fine artist Vincent Castiglia explains how he began using blood as a medium, describing its unique kinetic energy and personal connection. He details the technical process—collecting blood (initially via diabetic lancets), preventing clotting, storing it refrigerated in airtight vials, diluting only with water, and using decomposition stages to control hue and value. Castiglia discusses public reactions, misconceptions, and the spiritual and historical context of blood in art, including cave paintings, and shares commissions using others’ blood. The conversation covers imagination, synchronicity, trauma, Giger’s insight into a painting linked to Castiglia’s near-amputation accident, artistic influences, advice for finding an authentic voice, and closes with commentary on modern tattoo content trends and contact information for his websites and Instagram pages. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail This week we welcome guests Stevie “Crazy Stevie” Wells and Phil Luck. They discuss the overhead of large shops, a global slowdown in tattooing, and how social media has changed community and communication. The conversation contrasts street shops and private studios, arguing tattooers should educate clients and that younger generations struggle with in-person communication and expectations of permanence. They define a good tattoo as readable and built to last, compare tattoos to fast fashion, and share stories about consent forms, safety practices, and handling difficult walk-ins. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail On the Honest Tattooer Podcast, we talk with special guest Jeremy Schad from Syracuse, New York, who started tattooing in 2019 during COVID through an informal mentorship that drilled clean linework and helped him become known for fine, crisp lines. Jeremy shares his background in digital art and music, how a blown-off tattoo appointment led him to meet his mentor Michael Conklin (now his shop co-owner), and how he transitioned from working at Apple’s Genius Bar to full-time tattooing with support from his now-wife while facing skepticism from a previous marriage. The group discusses learning methods (fake skin vs real people, watching tattoo livestreams), critiques viral social media takes like “coil machines are obsolete,” reacts to ultra-fine single-needle work and a botched tiger coverup to highlight why coverups are difficult, and talks about what drives engagement in tattoo content. Jeremy plugs upcoming convention work in Baltimore and shares how he tattooed the band Holding Absence after “shooting his shot.” Support the show