the official molehill guide to tattoo artists
new ink reveal + the artists i book on repeat.
Thanks to everyone who took out a subscription for the Powderhorn fundraiser—I rounded our donation up to $100. For the next week, all new subscription revenue will go to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund.
Yesterday morning, I threw a ziploc of ibuprofen and a stick of coconut deodorant into my bag and drove into the city for a tattoo appointment.
I can’t explain what stokes my desire to get inked. It’s not logical, that’s for sure. It’s just a gut feeling, a mood. Though, Harper Stern baring her arm tattoos at work in the latest season of Industry definitely did something to me. I mean, what a boss bitch move to show up in immaculately tailored designer clothes to the office and then buck traditional banking dress codes because well, you run the place.
My attitude towards tattoos is similar to how I imagine some people talk about having kids. I wasn’t actively planning to get another…but if it happens, it happens! After you cross the 5-tattoo mark, you stop feeling so precious about adding another. And another. And sure, tattoo regret exists—I surveyed 500 people about it—but regret is actually a pretty normal part of life and something you learn to move through.
So, when I saw that one of my favorite artists was guesting in SF this week, I messaged him immediately to reserve an appointment slot for two designs. My body was just craving something different, something new. Something to externalize the internal changes of the past year.
Which brings us the moment before the appointment.
I parallel park in a precariously tight space, cranking the steering wheel as a cluster of empty Waymos glide by. The address turns out to be an unmarked industrial building with no windows or signage. (But I already knew that, because my anxious ass looks up everything on google street view!).
I text the artist “a block away!” and he replies “super, coming down.”
All of a sudden it hits me that I’m about to get poked with a needle for two hours and my pits start prickling with artificial coconut scented sweat. My stomach sinks but I’m also really excited.
The rest of this newsletter covers:
my tattoo appointment diary
the 4 artists I’ve gotten work from, and who I’ve booked on repeat
a directory of 16 artists in my saved inspo/for future appointments!
I got my first tattoo four years ago from Yarik (IG: yarik.taboo) and it was honestly such a positive first experience—he does handpoke with a very light touch and works fast so it’s over quickly.
Tattoo artists are like therapists. Once you find one you work well with, you feel safe and comfortable booking them again, so at this point I have 5 designs done by him. The night before our appointment, I looked through the available flash designs and confirmed that I wanted the speckled yin yang and the wild horses.
We started with deciding on placement. My initial plan was to get the wild horses somewhere on my shoulder or the side of my torso. But that morning when I slipped into my comfiest low(ish) rise vintage Levi’s and a tank top, it occurred to me that a hip placement could be cute.
We moved the stencil around a bit, and then I was like yeah this is perfect—let’s lock it in.
I laid down and braced myself for the sharp pokes on my stomach. What I did not expect was HOW TICKLISH IT FELT. It took all my willpower to clench and try to stay still, but I occassionally would burst out laughing involuntarily and then I’d have to take a beat. Eventually, I was able to zone out and stare at the risograph prints on the wall. Time passed.
When I heard the words “all done” I unclenched and let out the biggest exhale of my life. I sat up and saw two large sweat puddles on the table liner where my armpits had been. Then I looked down and saw a pair of dark horse shadows with crisp prancing legs. I genuinely loved how it turned out.
Took a break before the next tattoo. I chugged water and flipped through a fun vintage magazine on 2000s celebrity tattoos.
The yin yang placement was a more straightforward decision. I have a pair of moles on my left arm, and the yin yang shape nestled like it belonged there.
This one was less painful and it was over fast. I looked in the mirror and felt like a changed woman. After a few spritzes of Bactine and a layer of second skin wrap, I was out the door. Picked up a hearty chicken shish plate from Beit Rima and headed home.
Here are the other artists I’ve gotten work from.
emilebernardo (los angeles): antique victorian goth mermaid vibes. I’ve gotten a large drippy gem starfish leg piece from her and an articulated fish charm on my wrist. Has a very light touch despite using machine needle.
_baby_cola (san francisco): good at delicate sheer textures, weird girl objects like loose teeth and creepy dolls. I’ve been to her once for an under-sternum design and she also has a light touch. Been meaning to book her again now that she moved from LA to SF!
pretty_heavy_(oakland/los angeles): does a wide range of stuff but seems focused on crochet filet designs right now. She did my bobby pin arm tattoo with machine and for some reason I remember this being quite painful—not sure why.
