My wife had always wanted a Tattoo which would properly express the love for and loss of her Mom and Brothers and the inspiration they are to her in her life moving forward every day. For years we had met shopped around for the right person to do this ultra important work and finally we met the master himself Rick Trip.
From the moment we walked in the door we knew this was the right shop and having the owner himself do her first Tattoo was very reassuring. Before we had committed to anything he spent over an hour in the super busy shop just talking to us and understanding the motivation for and meaning of the work he was hoping to do.
He made several sketches, did some online research, and then went on a "Trip" closing his eyes and breathing in and exhaling like in some trance visualizing what needed to be expressed. Since it was very late we set an appointment on his day off Sunday morning 10AM when we showed up early he was already there and had the final artwork ready to go and it was perfect.
Now drawing on paper and putting a Tattoo on a live human being are two very different things and of course my wife was a bit nervous but Rick talked her through it with a soothing demeanor and soon they were just talking like she was getting her nails done. She had no complaints about pain partially because she was relaxed and comfortable but also I think due to Rick's smooth touch and top notch equipment.
In total it took a little over 5 hours and the result was just perfect. Perfectly conceptualized and positioned, clean line work, brilliant color, and some "Trip" shadowing made it look like the Tattoo was jumping off her arm. He talked her through care instructions and gave her a sheet as well.
Then it was my turn to play my part i.e. to pay the bill and I was absolutely shocked at how affordable it was. We had been quoted almost $1000 to do lesser quality work at other shops but here we got a masterpiece at half price.
Every day that goes by the Tattoo looks even better and she finds peace, inspiration, and happiness in what Rick created. We are so lucky and grateful to have found Trip Ink and most highly recommend that anyone wanting a personalized Tattoo contact Rick Trip you will not be disappointed,