I emailed the shop twice and it took a few days response, but I expected this as I assume it's a very popular shop. But when they did contact me, the person on the phone apologized, was so friendly, and got me hooked up right away.
The first time I made an appointment, I called back the next day and changed it to an hour later, and I was still late by 15 minutes, and they were nothing but accommodating and not upset at all (I felt really bad, sorry!).
I was extremely nervous, but Dillon was very professional. He calmed me down a lot. And he tattooed me so fast, it hardly hurt and I was in an out in under an hour. The actual tattoo took maybe 25 minutes, tops. He was very easy to work with, my tattoo was script and I loved that he made each line count- as in, he didn't have to go back over each letter when he finished the first time.
And a few days later, I keep getting compliments on how well it's healing and how beautiful the font is!
And on top of this, he and the team at Broken Art were the most professional artists I spoke to while looking for the right person to ink me. And on top of THAT, it was the cheapest AND best quality. I got a lot of people trying to squeeze my pockets because I'm not covered in tattoos but Dillon was very honest and that definitely deserves a few gold stars.
I'll be back to Dillon for my next!
You know that attitude that you get sometimes when you walk into a tattoo shop? The "what are you doing here?" stares? There's even my favorite- the ignore the customer maneuver. I've walked out of shops because of that before. So when my husband and I were first recommended to Broken Art by a friend, I thought that it would be insufferable. I mean, tattoo shop in Silverlake? I was just waiting for the attitude and bad service.
My husband wanted a vulture tattooed on his upper arm. After looking over Jeremy's work, he wanted to check it out. All four of us marched in one Sunday afternoon to set up an appointment for husband.
It was nothing like we expected. We were greeted as soon as we came through the door. Even the kids! That's bonus points in my book. Jeremy wasn't there, but another employee asked husband what he was looking for. He was so enthralled by the idea that he looked up the orignal poster art that Cameron was drawing inspiration from.While we were waiting, we were offered a drink and told to make ourselves comfy. The employee took down husband's info and passed it onto Jeremy to make an appointment.
When it came time for husband to get the tattoo, we stopped by as a family and the kids were welcomed by the staff and Jeremy. He made sure to get high-fives from both of them. Â :)
For my 29th birthday, husband booked me an appointment with Jeremy. I can say he is not only an incredibly talented artist, but he is also super nice. He puts you at ease and makes sure you're comfortable. I still can't get over how lovely and feminine my tattoo is. I know that nobody else could have done it!
It might be "pricey" for Jeremy to tattoo you- but it's worth it. Save your money and get your ink done at Broken Art.
I've waited over a week to write this review. I called last Saturday afternoon to schedule an appointment, with a tattoo artist who's name I wont reveal. Sure, he was incredibly unprofessional and rude, but I'm"m not about to throw off my karmic mojo.
First off, I knew exactly what I wanted, six words, on three lines, five words in English, one word in Hindi (yeah, I'm Indian), on my left wrist. The tattoo artist informed me that I really need to think about this, since it's my first tattoo. I'm sorry but I didn't call to make an appointment, b/c I wasn't sure or needed reassurance. I'm very certain of what I wanted written, the exact placement of the tattoo, the exact font, and anything beyond that (like a border/image(s)/additional wording) I'd entertain. Frankly, I didn't feel the need to justify why I wanted this tattoo, rather I wanted an artist would create it. After he decided to "allow" me to be tattooed, he said there were more than enough other talented tattoo artists at the shop who'd be more than happy to do it for me. What? I actually picked you buddy. I looked at your online portfolio, did some research, and wanted you. If I wanted another allegedly talented artist, I would have called them. Yet again, I spent a good few mins justify why I had wanted him specifically to do my tattoo. It got to the point where I was almost begging him to tattoo me. Yeah, I let the conversation get that far because I trusted the Yelpers who wrote these reviews and thought this was an establishment that actually cared.
Still committed to getting this tattoo, from this specific artist, he told me I needed to send him, via email, the exact words I wanted tattoo in English and the one word in Hindi since now this tattoo "might be too hard." Wait, you just told me these "other talented artists" could do it, and now you can't? This coming from the guy I just spent over twenty mins begging to tattoo me? Fine, I got, not one but two, email address from the Broken Art website, and submit a "Tattoo Inquiry" with the exact text I wanted and all methods of contacting me. This tattoo artist promised to return my phone call that same night to book my appointment, which never happened. I assumed he got busy and would call me back the next day or the day after. Nope, still waiting for him to call.
I'd like to distinctly mention to the owner Jeremy I presume, your tattoo artists are hurting your business. Sure I dont have sleeves or large scale tattoo's over my body that require intricate details, rather I'm a hard working professional with a disposable income ready to shell out top dollar for a tattoo. I would ask you to personally do my tattoo since it's your shop, but you've expressly written on your website that you dont tattoo wording. I understand that tattoo artist are actually artists, and I respect your profession but dont expect customers to be insulted and demeaned when they call to make an appointment. Or better yet maybe every artist on your website should have a list of things they will and will not tattoo? That will save people like me from even calling!
In conclusion, thank you Broken Art, nameless tattoo artist, and Jeremy for saving me from possibly the worst tattoo experience. Sure the conversation sucked, but I'm certain now the tattoo would have been worst and much more permanent.
I got my first tattoo here a few weeks ago and had a great experience. I was tattooed by Matt who is an amazing artist, but honestly I don't think you can go wrong with anyone at this tattoo shop. All of the artists are extremely talented and most have been trained by the owner Jeremy. The prices are reasonable considering every tattoo done here is a piece of art. If I get another tattoo in the future I will definitely be coming back here.
Review Source:My friend got a gorgeous detailed falcon on her arm from Derek a few weeks back and I was so impressed I had to ask her where she got it. I had a wonderful experience getting my first tattoo from Josue! It was painless, more like having a massage on my arm than getting a tat done. Personable, clean, wonderful communication, great shop all around. Everyone I've shown it to is impressed that my skin didn't even have a trace of swelling or redness, scabbing or any ill effects. Cheers gents, I will be seeing you soon for my Crow totem.
Review Source:First off I want to say that I've never been tattooed by anyone else other than my long time tattoo artist in Vegas. I've been loyal for 6 years! Well, I've been wanting to get a new tattoo for a long time but didn't have time to travel back home, so I decided last minute on the night of my birthday, to call Broken Art. I really needed to get something stamped on me for my new LA life, just a little memento. I read the yelp reviews and kept coming back to this shop, spoke to Dillon and drove down shortly after that.
I have never* had such a great tattoo session in my life, and I have 2 sleeves and a rib piece. Trust me, I've had a lot of hours in the chair of pain haha. Dillon was just the raddest guy. Sure he's professional and all that jazz but what got me was his endearing personality. I've never laughed so much in my life, it's amazing his lines stayed straight through all of that haha.
Seriously a GREAT guy and you should definitely go see him. He is light handed and very passionate and serious about his work. Everyone else in the shop were so friendly and cool, especially the owner who personally thanked me for coming to Broken Art for my tattoo. It was refreshing to meet good people in this city.
so yeah, Dillon is your man folks. Thanks again dude! LOVE my tattoo(s) ;)
Love this place. Recently got my first tattoo started, two weeks ago actually. Derrek has done a few of my friend's pieces and they look amazing, so I came in to see what he could do with my idea (a T-rex with two roses). He was super helpful and happy to explain things to me, and he said he'd have a sketch for me in two weeks. When I went back he showed me the sketch and it was amazing, exactly what I wanted. He was very accomodating when it came to size and level of detail, and though we started an hour after my appointment technically was, it was worth it for him to alter the sketch to make it perfect. I was pretty nervous because it was my first tattoo, but he went slow and checked every few minutes to make sure I was okay and ask if I needed a break.
I've been in for two of my three sessions and they've both been awesome and super reasonably priced. I'm super duper stoked to go get it finished next week!! His shading and style are amazing, I don't think I'll go anywhere else for my others.
So I had this idea for a tattoo I wanted, from an Edward Hopper painting. Â I showed the painting to a bunch of people, most of whom were well-versed with ink, and most of them said "that would be really hard to get." Â This included the woman who cuts my hair, who recommended Broken Art (specifically Jeremy), but who said "if anyone can do it, Jeremy can." Â
Well, she was right. Â
The tattoo that so many people said was a difficult one turned out fantastically, and I'm still getting compliments from friends and even strangers about how it looks. Â Jeremy was friendly, professional, and did amazing work. Â Was it expensive? Â Hell yes it was, but why on earth would you skimp on something that will be visible on your body for the rest of your life?
I got my first tattoo here over the weekend. On the wrist.
Clean and comfortable place. Josue brought out a massage table for me to lay down on since I was a newbie, he didn't want me to faint.
And I didn't! I didn't even move! It does hurt though, I'm not gonna lie. The wrist is one of the more sensitive places on your body.
If you have a friend or lover holding your hand through the process, it helps alot.
And talking to the tattoo artist while you are getting the tattoo done helps pass the time faster as well.
Pre-medicate with some motrin or aleve before you go.
after meeting with the artist with a copy of the art and instructions on how to augment it for me, I made an appointment to come back 4 days later for what would take about 2 hours.. I was told that the artist would email me a sketch. I never received it. I emailed him with no response. At my appointment he drew on the spot and it was not close. He'd lost my drawing and notes. Clock was ticking and I didnt want to rush a permanent addition to my body. No tattoo. Bad, unprepared, careless  service.
Review Source:Can't quite say enough about Jeremy Swan and his Broken Art crew - they are running a professional shop and they produce top quality tattoo art. Â I've been coming here for a few years now and I've sent a few family and friends in to get tattooed here as well. Â It would be hard to find a nicer, more dedicated group of artists. Â Their prices are very reasonable considering the level of quality. Â **Highly Recommended**
Review Source:Stopped in Broken Art as I was looking to get a nice set of sugar skulls on my back. Problem is, I had a really old tattoo that covered half of my back. I was referred to Matt Soderberg and he called me back to discuss the design and what I was looking for.
We talked about the tat I wanted and Matt suggested a cover up of the one on my back. One great thing was that I told Matt just a few things that I wanted in the tattoo and that he could basically conceptualize the rest on his own and sketch it out. A few days later he sent me a bad ass sketch outline and a week after that I was in the chair getting the ink started.
Matt's a really cool guy to get your work done by because he's easy going and just really a down to earth nice guy to chat it up with. I ended going to three different sessions for a total of nine hours. The end result is an amazing cover up piece on my back. I was out in Vegas and at the river and got a ton of compliments on the ink on my back. The best thing about it is that not one person who looked at it knew it was a cover up tattoo. The lines are so clean and color is damn near perfection. Couldn't have imagined that I could have such a great piece of art on my back but Matt and Broken Art came through with a beautiful piece of work.
I'll definitely be back for a few more in the future and will get them all done at Broken Art.
Just got my second tattoo done there and I was even more impress with the work & Â service this time than the first time.
Dillon did my tattoo on the side of my foot and it turned out great. His attention to detail and responsive service made me feel very comfortable as I was struggling through some of the more painful parts.
The whole team is great and I would certainly recommend this place.
Getting a tattoo, especially your first, is a pretty big deal. If you've found yourself on this page, my guess is that you're wondering 1. Will I get a great tattoo here? and 2. Are these guys nice guys?
The answer is unequivocally yes on both fronts, so give these guys a call, and stop worrying so much ;)
I have, over the course of 4 years, gone from mildly-interested-in-tattoos to guy-with-two-sleeves, and I have gotten all of my work done by Jeremy at Broken Art. He is incredibly gifted all styles of tattooing, and has become a dear friend as well. I have recommended Broken Art to countless people and never heard a bad review back.
It's also been amazing to watch Derrek (whom I met just after his apprenticeship was over) grow as an artist. His work is inspiring  and he is truly one of the nicest people I've ever met, which is a welcome change of pace from the mean-spirited crochety asshole Jeremy (totally, totally kidding, he's a sweetheart too)
Matt and Josue are amazing artists and good peeps as well.
Hope this helps.
-aust
I enjoyed visiting Broken Art Tattoo, it's a great spot and I definitely will be coming back. Awesome, knowledgeable, helpful staff and very chill atmosphere. The place has really good vibes :)
Me and my sister got our tattoos from Josue. He's a really cool guy, helped us with a design and did a great job in general. Thank you Josue  )))
I had a great time and I adore my new tattoo
Called up asking about getting hand lettering, I was immediately referred to Matt. Â Got a quick call back to discuss details, etc. Â This was my second time getting work done here, my first time with Matt. Â Great experience, quick & easy communication ahead of time. Â He was also able to get me in sooner than I expected.
We worked out the details, got the placement just right and we were off. Â Super good guy to shoot the sh*t with while he's working, which always makes things easier. Â Exceptional work and I'll be going back for more later this year.
Want a tattoo? GO HERE. Â
The talent is great, every artist is phenomenal. Â Follow them on Facebook if you like art and ink. Â I went almost a year ago and my experience was perfect.
I got my tattoo from Matt Soderberg. Â My first visible (wrist) ink. (I have a horrid tramp stamp from when I was 17 that I will eventually get covered). Â Matt is so talented and so kind. Â I'd tried to walk in and make appointments at other tattoo shops but they all made me feel really uncool for the first time in my life since high school.... Â I left a message at Broken Art, was called back immediately, and Matt made time for me that week. Â You know how you get that itch for a tattoo and the need is urgent? Â Totally taken care of. Â He's funny and nice to talk to, which is great for taking your mind off the needle. Â During our conversation he even mentioned how he hates the way that other shops can make people uncomfortable or uncool - clearly an insecurity of mine - and he said getting a tattoo is half about the positive experience. Â So true. Â
The tattoo turned out perfect. Â Perfect lines, depth, everything. Â My PARENTS even like it. Â It's of my dog (RIP) and I'm in law school so Mom and Dad are pretty psyched that I might be known as "the lawyer with the dog tattoo" (both have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...haha). Here's to hoping I graduate and pass the bar....
After seeing my ink a friend made an appointment and I went along. Â He got a quote from his Grandfather on the inside of his bicep. Â Matt's design and talent in script was so great, I plan to go back in a couple weeks for some myself. Â He works to create beautiful aesthetic and customer satisfaction by balancing the perfect amount of artistic liberty and personal input against what you are looking for in order to make sure you are happy with the final result.
The shop in general is somewhere I'd just like to hang out. Â Leather couches, great books of work, calming bar-like ambiance....so perfect. Â Not to mention the name/logo/location is just so awesome. Â I'd been thinking about getting an anatomical heart tattoo for a while....perhaps Broken Art is just the place to get it!
Go. Here.
xo
First of all, if you are looking for an arrogant Hollywood type of place where you can point at a sample tattoo of a Pin-up Girl in Book #4, page 58, then look elsewhere. Â This is a custom shop with REAL artists who will make your vision come to life.
I looked for the perfect artist for about 6 years - I looked at hundreds of portfolios in many locations in the US and in Europe and I went to tattoo conventions to look for the artist to do my sleeve (my first tattoo) and then I stumbled upon Broken Art while walking by it in my neighborhood. Â I went in to chat with them and after looking at my design and my idea, they immediately referred me to Rosie, an award winning polynesian style artist who works in the shop, but is unfortunately moving to New Orleans in May of '11, so you will have to find him in the south if you want the most amazing tattoo. :)
The shop has been really nice to me, Rosie is FANTASTIC, we've even become friends! Â I've referred about 3 or 4 friends to Broken Art and all of them got their tattoos by Rosie and have been beyond impressed! Â I have been under the needle for hours while watching Derek and Jeremy work from afar and they are SOLID! Â I wouldn't go to any other shop anywhere in the world. Â This is the place to hang out even if you're just thinking about a tattoo. Â They have a great collection of art and tattoo books to look at while you hang out. Â And more importantly, there is no arrogance here - they really love what they do and there is a nice cozy feeling in the shop. Â Bring 'em some beer and pizza and hang out! :)
this is as good as its going to get. awesome staff. professional work. ive known the boys for a very long time now and have been getting tattooed here for about 3-4 years. derrek has really developed into an outstanding artist and so has josue. as always, jeremy produces exceptional work. no fish stories here people. make the trek from the holes you live in and get tattooed here.
its location is perfect. centrel to dtla hollywood the valley etc.
Wonderful shop from beginning to end. I have been to too many shops at this point in my life. This may be in the running for one of the top three.
I woke up with an idea of a tattoo, yes that is how I end up with many. No planning. I called them and asked if there was anyone there with time today. I had recently read great reviews on the shop via Yelp and was impressed and in the business of finding a new artist. They had someone the time I wanted to come in. So I came in.
I met Matt, sweet from the minute we shook hands. NO attitude in this shop at all, phew. This should be more commonplace. Anyhow, I gave Matt a sketch I drew up in a short amount of time of what I wanted, nothing too crazy, at all really. He took it and found an image and put it on me. All while engaging in conversation and making me feel comfortable and helping me forget about the many many needles piercing my hands over and over again.
SO happy with my experience and I think I may have just found my new tattoo shop, and artist.
Molto Bene Broken Art.
BEST shop I've ever been to. After 1 bad tattoo & a couple okay ones i finally went into broken art & am so happy i did! Both pieces Derrek gave me have been great & he makes it a very comfortable experience. I recommend this shop to everyone I know & so far everyone who's taken my advice with Derrek has LOVED their tattoo.
This shop makes every piece unique & amazing.
I can't wait to go back for more!!
No need to look any further for amazing, talented, respectful and all around wonderful guys to get tattooed by.
First and foremost: The Shop. It's beautiful, I want to just sit in there and zone out and read a book or something. In fact, thats exactly what I do every time I have an appointment. Come in, relax, feel welcomed and get to the magic of getting a beautiful tattoo completed.
Their work: Amazing, beautiful, one of a kind, patient, the best.
The guys that work at Broken Art: They have proper social skills! Holy hell its a miracle. I have been in a few shops in my time and there is a rudeness and arrogance that a lot of tattoo artists possess. I hate to stereotype the profession but it has always rubbed me the wrong way how some artists make you feel like a dip shit or that they are there to solely make $ and see you out the door with your half crap tattoo.
The guys at Broken Art tear that stereotype to shreds. Every single one of those guys make you think, "what the heck! You're amazing and nice! Let's be best pals! I'm going to buy you a BFF necklace and I would like for you to wear it. Thanks."
Seriously, these guys are wonderful human beings, welcoming, patient, hardworking, talented beyond belief, and treat everyone with respect. I highly recommend going here for a tattoo.
I will post the picture of my tattoo once it's finished! Jeremy Swan is the artist and he has created a damn masterpiece. I'm totally in love with it and even though it is not finished I have people stop me on the streets to compliment me on the work almost daily.
Thanks Broken Art for making me look way cooler!
I'm coming out of Yelp retirement just to write this review. I'll make it short and sweet...
I was referred to Broken Art Tattoo by Loc H., check out her "Los Angeles" thigh piece in the Photos link above. Pretty badass, and not to mention beeeautiful, right? I scheduled a consult appointment with Jeremy Swan for a tattoo on my back that I've been considering for about two years now. During the consultation, I mentioned that I was thinking about a small wrist tattoo also. To my surprise, Jeremy was super nice enough to fit that one in on the day of the consultation. (He just happened to have time, this isn't always the case.) So that's when things got serious, for really serious! But I was already there... and the infamous Jeremy Swan who is usually booked up at least a month in advance was willing to ink me ... right then and there... so why not? WHY NOT!
Jeremy was very professional and walked me through my first piece of body art. Everything from the type of ink he'd be using, what to expect and details of aftercare. Though I haven't frequented many tattoo shops, I can firmly say that I will only be comfortable getting tattoo'd by Jeremy and/or his artists at Broken Art because the people are nice, the vibe is cool, and the art is absolutely amazing. If you are concerned with price (you shouldn't be, this is permanent, remember?), I feel that the pricing here is fair and competitive. Ever heard that saying, "You get what you pay for." ???
Thanks a million Jeremy! My inner wrist is just a little cuter because of you. See you in December!
Just got a tattoo from Rosie last night. He was superb. Pleasant, friendly, cleanly, professional and just an overall good guy.
His work is pristine. The piece I had done was just black ink with multiple thin lines going in different directions. The lines are super clean. No flaws. If you're looking for someone to do a tat without color, Rosie's your man. Also, he's real creative and works with you on your design. You won't get out of the shop disappointed. You'll leave happy with your new ink.
I'd definitely recommend him to any of my friends. On a side note, he's got rad taste in music. Nothing like getting a tattoo and listening to blues.
Whelp, I finally did it.
After what seems like years of contemplating a tattoo, I actually got one tonight. By sheer kismet though, because I had ditched the idea awhile back thanks to laziness. But a friend who has been an apprentice at Broken Art for the last few years recently offered sessions, and being that it was my birthday, I decided to gift myself something different this year.
I ended up getting something fairly simple, a laurel wreath with gray shaded leaves, on the side of my ribcage. It was what I wanted, and I'm very happy with the result.
Josue, friend/artist, was awesome in preparing and informing a noob like myself. I didn't really know what to expect, but for whatever reason, I was not nervous at all, even though I knew the potential pain I'd be feeling shortly.
The shop has the best vibe I've experienced yet, as I've researched several shops in the past and never felt too comfortable. I suppose it helps that I know the artist, but even still, it's a great environment that exudes talent and professionalism within a clean, modern, laid back, artistic, and friendly atmosphere. Definitely a five star + experience.
For several reasons Broken Art Tattoo is undoubtedly my favorite tattoo parlour thus far!
It was actually pretty fun looking for this place. There is no huge "Tattoo" sign posted outside anywhere. The shop is located at the bottom of a sloped driveway. It was like entering a Speakeasy.. The decor inside is a combination of dark, inviting, and sophisticated. I loved it. Very urban and LA minus the pretension.
The shop is also part-bar, part-music studio-- another aspect of it I found to be really cool.
I met an artist named Rosie. He immediately made my friend and I feel so comfortable. For some reason before meeting him, every tattoo artist I had come across was arrogant/rudely sarcastic/cynical for some reason. Rosie is incredibly nice and definitely a breath of fresh air! I love that he is so willing to perfect his tattoo sketches to your preferences. Also, looking through his portfolio he is very talented--along with every other artist at this shop.
He tattooed my best friend and I. We both got simple Korean lettering/roman numerals that he sketched. We are both very pleased with the results.
The owner of this shop is the world record holder for most tattoos given in a 24-hour time span. I thought that was really cool. He also chatted with us and was incredibly kind as well.
Broken Art Tattoo is a top notch tattoo shop and I will definitely be coming back for future tattoos! I highly recommend.
I got my first tattoo from Rosie at Broken Art Tattoo a few days ago. Rosie is a pro - very accommodating to nervous first-timers (me) and as gentle as one can be with a vibrating needle in hand. He made sure I was happy with the design before he started, and he offered free touch-ups if I need them.
The place itself is hardly noticeable from the street. You walk down into a basement-like area that is outfitted with cool art, a ping pong table and of course - the bar! I had a free shot of rum before my tattoo to take the edge off (and to pretend I'm a pirate), and drinks were also offered to my friends (who were apparently only there to tease me and try to freak me out).
The tattoo was not terribly expensive ($90 - for an hour and a half's worth of work) and Rosie did a great job - he's very precise and gave me exactly what I asked for.
Oh - and one of the clients brought in their adorable bulldog, so that just made my day. There should always be dogs around when you're going to do scary things like get a tattoo for the first time!
I got my tattoo here done by Jeremy, the owner of Broken Art. I want to give a little bit of background - and I have to be honest. Broken Art was on my list of potential tattoo shops in the area, but it was not my first choice. I had been yelping for a really great place with a great atmosphere around the silverlake/echo park area and was planning to make an appointment somewhere for this coming weekend.
I am a pushover when it comes to spontaneity, so on Monday I was convinced to just suck it up and get it done on Tuesday by walk-in. As I have terrible terrible luck, the shop I was originally planning to go to was closed for the day (sigh, how predictable). My friend and I decided to trek over to Broken Art in hopes that they could take me in. Unfortunately, they were forced to turn me away because there wasn't an artist available that night. Even though they had to turn us away, the guys were really cool to us and made us feel super comfortable.
Heartbroken from double disappointment, my friend and I called a couple more shops in the area to see if they would take me in. The dudes who picked up were kind of a**holes over the phone, so we decided to just get drunk together and drown in the FAIL.
I called Broken Art yesterday to see if I could get an appointment for later that evening. There was a possibility that Jeremy was available, but they had to call me back to confirm. I waited anxiously for a bit crossing my fingers, peeing my pants, and got the call. Scored an appointment at 6:30 and could finally satisfy my tattoo urges.
I have to say everyone I met at Broken Art seemed very cool and not pretentious and judgmental which was totally refreshing and comforting. But Jeremy definitely came off as someone I could trust and feel safe under the needle with. He sketched out my type and sized it up, then I hopped on the table and I was done in a flash.
In summary: very chill people, a great environment/atmosphere, and hella f***ing talent. I highly recommend this place. I love my tattoo and will for sure be coming back to satisfy my pain fetish.
If you had the patience to read this entire review, thank you, and I'm sorry I babble.
I have many tattoos. And I love them all. Except one. The one that I hate with vicious fervor.
I took my cousin to get his first tattoo here, and it was a nice shop. He got the tattoo, a little Star Wars symbol on his wrist, from a young guy and it came out nice. I decided that I would get the tat I'd been waiting on here. So I got set up with one of the artists to discuss the piece an set up an appointment.
I explained that I wanted a tattoo of a bat, in outline, styled like the 1800s medical diagrams and plates. You know the ones? With the little lines thy point to things and say fig a. or b. in script? Well, he told me he knew what I was talking about and we shook hands and I came back a few days later to get tattooed. He showed me his drawing and it was perfect. So we got underway.
He did the outline and it looked great, so he said he was gonna touch it up and finish it, an when I looked in the mirror afterwards, I was horrified. It looked like a prison tattoo. Huge black and red veiny bat across the top of my back. Nothing nice or soft or remotely close to what I asked for about it.
On top of it, the whole thing took under two hours and cost me three hundred and twenty bucks. I don't know why I paid it. I think I was in shock. It's huge and black and ugly and there's no way to fix it. I can't get it covered unless I get something even bigger and blacker. It's huge and I doubt I could ever afford to have it lasered off. Even if I could, it would probably scar up my back. I hate it. I'm a girl. I have very light skin. And in the middle of my upper back is a huge ugly black THING. My only hope is to dumb hundreds into two years of Tat-B-Gone and try to get it covered if it ever fades enough.
The guy's name was Justin. He had a Burt Reynolds mustache (no joke, he told me that he got it because he saw Smokey and the Bandit) and a framed picture of Morrissey on his work table.
I wish every day I'd never gone to this shop. I wish I had pretty, soft, feminine pink flowers on my back. But I don't and I'm stuck with this for life.
UPDATE: The shop contacted me and Jeremy has offered to take a look at it to see if he can do anything to fix it. Whether or not he can, it still says a lot to me about the shop itself trying to satisfy its customers, so major points. I appreciate it greatly.
UPDATE UPDATE
Well, it's been weeks. After the initial email and a secondary email asking for a picture of my tattoo (which I sent) I have recieved no further communication. So I give up. I've had enough with this shop. I miss Danny Chan.
Second tattoo place I've been to in LA. I Love, love, LOVE this place! Got a really viny script done on my ribs by Jeremy. He was such a darling and made me feel super comfy from the minute I sat down in the studio. My friend even stopped by to keep my company halfway through and we had such a good time hanging out that we still wanted to stay when it was over and done with. He did some real quick and detailed work that, so far, has been healing beautifully. A great, friendly and welcoming spot with lots of amazing pieces of art throughout the studio. I was planning on another studio for my next bigger back piece but I think I might just come back to Jeremy instead! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Believe me, its really hard to find a place like this around Hollywood area.
Review Source:Can't believe i get to live by a great Tattoo shop as this one.
I did a walk in to this place & actually got what i wanted. No B.S. Came into this place to see about getting my first Tattoo in 10 plus years.
Luckily i got the prodigal son Rosie. He was very professional & help full of meeting my needs. My needs were a Wicked Octopus.
As you know what I'm going to say it came out sic. I was very happy with it. Everyone there was very cool. It seemed like i had already been there a million time's have been back twice & looking forward to thrice.
It is really hard near Hollywood to find a truly cool shop as this one.
See you guys there soon.
Met a girl through work with the most amazing swallow and cherry blossom tattoo and knew I had to get my first tattoo from Jeremy Swan. Â I had stopped into a few places prior and the artists were so aloof and sometimes bordered on arrogant because I didn't have any artwork yet and what I was getting was somewhat small. Â However, I was still extremely particular about how it would look, so they sometimes seemed downright annoyed.
The minute I walked up to Broken Art with its amazing anatomical heart metal sculpture over the door at the bottom of a non-descript driveway, I had a good feeling.  And walking in to see a Darth Maul, amazing artwork on the walls, and the various other decor, I felt at home.  The shop is incredibly clean and streamlined, but  warm and inviting so you feel like you're hanging out at that friend's place - the one where you always go to just HANG because you're favorite people are there and it always ends up being a solid, good time. Â
Jeremy was super booked and I'm a little too impatient for my own good so he introduced me to Rosie who was down for a stint from Nor Cal. Â Once I found out Rosie had not only heard of my hometown in Texas but had actually played with one of his bands at my favorite pubs, I knew it was kismet!
Rosie did the most AMAZING job on my Orion tattoo (the line work on the stars is impeccable and the color is beautiful). Â I also saw a picture he had freehanded for another client and it was INCREDIBLE - he probably could have done my stars with his eyes closed! Â
So next time he was back, I went in for my cheshire cat inspired tattoo and took a friend. Â He made her feel comfortable instantly. Â He pays the utmost attention to every detail, even if the design is simple and the piece isn't huge - he approaches it all with the utmost care, respect, and attention. Â He works with you to get exactly what you want and has a way of coming up with something PERFECT that just fits YOU. Â And ultimately, he is simply a calming, solid presence, extremely important qualities in your hair person, your bartender, your doctor, your priest (if you have one), and your tattoo artist! Â And to top it all off, we got a little show at the end when Rosie brought out his guitar and played a few songs for us!
he's coming back in a few weeks...i feel the need to get another!
I can't imagine EVER going anywhere else...
Broken Art is the place I got my first tattoo, by Justin Dion to be exact. To be honest, I was very nervous, not about getting the tattoo, but my previous experiences with tattoo shops and artists were not too great, either the guys were too macho to be polite or friendly, or too elitist to care much about what you're really wanting. This place is anything but that, Justin was super friendly as were the other people working there. He wanted to know exactly how I wanted my tattoo and even offered to fix it up for me.
After we got the sketch on my arm, which I had adjusted once with no complaints from Justin, the tattooing began. He went easy on me and was very easy to make conversation with, which definitely helps when you're trying not to think of the pinch of the needle! Not only that but his framed picture of Moz definitely was comforting.
I definitely plan on going back to Broken Art for my next tattoo, even if that means a 6 hour drive (yes, they are that good).
This shop has a top notch crew of tattoo artists. I have known Rosie, Jeremy Swan & Matt Soderberg for a number of years now. There's not a lemon in the bunch!
The shop itself is very unique & it's a very clean, comfortable and professional workplace.
 Rosie has been tattooing me for about 6 years---he did both of my sleeves, both hands and both of my chest panels. He did my wife's full back-piece as well. He is a very versatile tattoo artist, he can do it all, and his Polynesian tribal tattooing is beyond reproach. I've posted photos of his work here on myself as well as my wife, so you can judge for yourself.
 When I had first met Rosie, through some friends of mine, I already knew of his sterling reputation, artistic ability & great work ethic. I had also known of his extensive tattooing experience around the world, including Polynesia, which helped greatly in my decision as well.
 What I wanted was a traditional, hand drawn, Polynesian sleeve & chest piece. He spent a lot of time going over things with me about Polynesian designs, their meanings, placement & the way the tattoo flows with the shape of the body, etc.
 Well, I made an appointment and when I showed up he had drawings to show me, as well as a game plan. I told him to "go for it, you have full reign", "do it however you want to & have fun"  When I said that he was even more excited about the idea. He drew the tattoo freehand on my skin with a pen then proceeded to tattoo the outline. The tattooing of the sleeve itself, from start to finish took a number of sessions that usually ran between 3-5 hours each.
 We were nearly done when I mentioned a big, international tattoo convention in San Francisco. I asked him what he thought about it, he said  "sure, we can it get it done".
 Well, I entered his Polynesian tattoo work that's on me (only my sleeve at that point), and lo & behold, his work took First Place!  I called him during a break in the show & told him what happened, to say he was happy is an understatement. My Polynesian sleeve was featured in International Tattoo Art magazine after that show. I have entered that sleeve for him at different shows on multiple occasions, and every time, without exception, brought back a First Place trophy or plaque for him & for the work he did. He gets to keep all of the awards, he did all the hard work, I just had to sit still.
 Rosie is very easy to work with; he's patient,  very receptive to your ideas, as well as providing his own, and he'll educate you too as the process takes place.  I've been tattooed by others as well, so I think I can give a fair comparison, and Rosie has a "light touch", which makes getting tattooed by him, especially during long sessions and over a long period of time, an even more pleasant experience. On top of all that he's a super nice guy!
 Since then, he has done a full sleeve & chest plate on me of a Traditional Japanese dragon. It's awesome. He's also tattooed my wife's entire back (neck to butt) with a traditional scene of St. Patrick casting the snakes out of Ireland. It's very detailed & colorful as well. We both get stopped & complimented often about our tattoos that Rosie's done.
 If you've made it this far, I'll just sum it up by saying--You can't go wrong with Rosie, or any of the other tattoo artists at Broken Art Tattoo. Period!
Just came to my attention i wrote my review for the wrong place....woops my bad!!! thx Lindi! anywho i really enjoyed this place and still waiting to get my next tattoo.....So I was looking for a clean and inviting tattoo shop for a while and i came onto yelp and found Broken Art Tattoo... I only have a couple tattoos so a lot of other places  usually don't give me the time or day and can be rude and Broken Art Tattoo is complete opposite... They are very welcoming guys and know what their doing. Justin is one of the best tattoo artist! He helps you get comfy and has amazing work... i gave him a sketch of what I wanted and he made it 10 times better... i love love love my tattoo and i get so many complements on how the color is so bright and all the detail on it... anywho this place is the sh*t and i will def. be going back there for my next tattoo...thanks justin!
Review Source:Just had a cover-up tattoo done on my birthday by Matt. I went in a few weeks prior and told him what I wanted. He had it ready to go when I got there and it was just what I wanted- simple & dark.
The tattoo is on my left side so of course it hurt but Matt was very accommodating about setting up a table so I could lay down and not pass out! Also, he was fast so I didn't have to suffer too long, but very detail oriented so the black parts are solid and the shading is detailed! Matt is a great artist and easy to talk to while you are enduring the pain!
Great atmosphere- "magical" ;). Friendliest tattoo shop I've ever been in. I will definitely be going back for future tattoos =)
thanks!
This place was recommended to me by my friend Zack who has a Music studio there ( which by the way they make awesome music in ). When I got there it was a little hard to find because the door is in a hidden spot. Thankfully I was able to find it and all I have to say is OMG this place is amazing. First of all I have to say that the atmosphere in the tattoo shop was great and the music even better. The guys were so friendly and laid back that it made me feel comfortable being there. I came in to get my first tattoo which was a little frightening because I was getting a big side tattoo. I went in and I had an appointment with Jeremy which was the funniest and most awesome guy I have ever met. He drew my perfect tattoo and we started the process. OK so who says tattoo's don't hurt because they do. Thankfully Jeremy hooked me up with the best Pomegranate Tequila ever which calmed my nerves. When the tattoo was over I was the happiest girl ever. Thanks Jeremy for making me look hotter than before lol. I recommend this place to anyone who wants to get a great tattoo by very experienced dudes.
Review Source:Alas, Yelp steered me wrong!
The majority of my tattoos have been done by one artist, but last year I got lazy and didn't want to drive all the way to Huntington Beach for a rather simple tattoo and I thought it might be good to branch out. I read the reviews for Broken Art and thought this would be a great place to go.
They were very accommodating and I felt very comfortable with the artist (Matt, I believe was his name). We talked about what I wanted (an all white tattoo) and he asked me to come back in a few hours when he had some time in his schedule.
When I came back, he showed me the finished image and we talked a lot more to make sure it was exactly what I wanted. He was really good about saying "this needs to be what YOU want; it will be with you forever." Finally, the drawing looked really good to me and he was ready to place the stencil.
I reminded him at this point that it was to be an all white tattoo. He looked a bit nervous and went to talk with someone else in the shop about some special equipment. He came back, placed the stencil, and got started.
When it was finished, it was really dark. Really, really dark purple/grey. I asked if that was from the stencil and if it would lighten and was assured it the color would wash off.
It didn't. And this tattoo keloided -- and I'm someone who never scars. Never.
I went back when it was completely healed and explained what had happened. The artist had moved on to a shop in Hawaii. I was told someone would call me to set up an appointment to make it better.
Never happened.
I've gone back to my original artist and will never stray again. He explained that when white ink is placed with a metal barrel, some of the metal transfers and can discolor the tattoo. There are plastic barrels that can keep this from happening. Guess that's what Matt was looking for but didn't find before he started my tattoo. Yes, I would have been disappointed if I'd been told I couldn't get my tattoo because the right equipment wasn't available, but I would have gotten over it. It's been almost a year, and I'm still not over how bad an experience I had at Broken Art.
ahhh shit you want the best artists in the best atmosphere? go here. you will come back, i guarantee it. check out the myspace too ;)
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fbrokenarttattoo&s=3436fce7ca5a38908710aee2c733e381a266d69ab7545611b061e26a48ecc772" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.myspace.com/b…</a>
My husband just got his first tattoo from Jeremy and it was wonderful! Â Very relaxed atmosphere, and Jeremy did everything he could to make sure my husband was comfortable. Â The tattoo is fantastic, Jeremy took the idea my husband gave him and made something truly unique and beautiful that he will appreciate for the rest of his life.
Thanks Jeremy and all the rest of the gang that made us feel welcome!
What a cool bunch of guys, zero elitist tattude. (best term ever) Â I got a little something on my back by Jeremy,
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/WfkktZSrgtdbU7-fZ48EEA?select=7xnCnEsi5UsY8BPwEUS8Vg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
not only did he seem excited to draw out the design but took my simple idea and ran with it making it ten times better. Â Having only one crappy tattoo i was nervous about getting anything else done that might suck so i took quite a while finding someone who's portfolio was beyond good. Jeremy was a legit guy who seemed to genuinely like what he does and does it well without being cocky. Â I will def be back to get more done.
I already have a few tattoos and had heard Jeremy was very skilled. Â After looking at his art online, I thought he might be the right guy to help me out with a piece so I gave this place a call and chatted with the manager. Â He almost immediately told me that it didn't matter who did my tattoo and impiied that all the other guys were just as good if not better than Jeremy. Insisting there was no way Jeremy would tattoo me anyway as he was just too busy. Â Needless to say I kept asking questions and said I didn't mind waiting months if I needed to. Â I ended the call with the manager telling me to stop in later that night and Jeremy would have a look.
That night, I popped in and said hello to the manager, reminding him of our conversation and how i was hoping to talk to Jeremy. Â He took a piece of pizza out of one hand and shook my hand. Â Then said, "here take alook at this guys book, he can help you". Â I glanced over the book and realized it was not Jeremy's, but rather a younger tattoo artist. Â His art wasn't bad but not what I was looking for. Â
From there, I never saw the manager again. Â I sat with my friend for fifteen minutes while no one said hello. Â Needless to say, it was a wasted fifteen minutes and even though this place is super close to my house, I will never go back. Â Bad customer service and overall the vibe was just too casual. Â I've been to much much better places.
**EDITED ON 3/28**
To their credit, the manager sent me a very nice email after reading my yelp review and offered to correct the situation. Â I don't think I'll go back but I thought it was a nice gesture and a sign of good tattoo shop.
Where do I start??? Â I met Jeremy Swan through a friend years ago and decided to go to him for my back piece. I wasn't hesitant at all, and gave him full creativity with the drawing. Jeremy has the most unique designs to the point that when I'm out I have had strangers on the street recognize his work. Although my piece ended up being about twice as big as I had originally wanted, I wouldn't change a thing about it. He definitely knows what he is doing and has since become a good friend of mine. I refer everyone to him and even carry his business cards in my purse to hand out to strangers when they ask where I got my tattoo. So if you have an idea and don't know exactly how to draw it out, make an appointment NOW... He is amazing.
Review Source:I first heard about Broken Art from a guy at Intelligentsia. He had this wicked piece on the inside of his forearm and the line work was mindblowing.
I went to see Justin Dion with the most awkward, pain in the ass, what-the-fuck-are-you-thinking piece. He talked me through what the design would entail to come to fruition, went over the pro's and con's of the design and the end result. Rad guy.
I now have the most phenomenal piece with sweet sweet line work on my arm. I loves it, and wouldn't have done it any other way.
Broken Art is chill, laid back, and have the best people you could ever ask for to work on you. They also don't get offended easily which I fuckin need on a daily basis. Justin is the shit. Simple as that kids.
I've had tattoos from around the world, Justin Dion, was the first tattoo artist EVER that gave me a tattoo that I did not keloid, or scar (yes I'm super caucasoid but only on the outside, other artists don't understand this and continue to scar me in some places, look I dig Seal's look but not for me, he was the only one that was able to do it the size I wanted and the exact fading which seems to be quite a challenge to even the "best" out there, and luckily I just moved back to the neighborhood after a decade hiatus, so it's now my only U.S. tattoo shop I'll go to......
Review Source:so I went to this shop with my boyfriend at the time...and I think it was worth every mile. We went on a whim and just showed up to the shop before it opened and were so happy that Jeremy said he could work us in. getting tattoos was the whole purpose behind the trip and we had really wanted to get them done at this shop so score. The shop was amazing I am still yet to see anything like it. It is part lounge part bar part studio and there is a ping pong table there!!! Yay!! You just have to scan the guys' workstations to see the caliber of the artists working in this shop. Derek, Jeremys protege, helped us out I had wanted to keep the tattoo I was getting secret from my boyfriend and he was more then helpful in aiding in the secrecy. He gave me a beautiful sparrow that I love to this day. I want to definitely make the trip back here one day but probably make an appointment the next time.
Review Source:So me and my girlfriend decided to take the trip to LA from San Jose and Fresno, respectably. We showed up a little before opening but Jeremy made us feel welcome right off the bat. Taken aback by finding out we drove all the way to LA just to get inked at his shop, he was still able to fit us in despite being a busy Saturday. He set us up with Derek who I consider a Tattooing prodigy. The staff is very friendly, the shop is very clean and the decor is very artsy as well as the atmosphere being very relaxed. As far as the work, me and my girlfriend are very satisfied with the job "D-Rock" did on us. Chances are we're coming back for more, although I recommend using common sense and making an appointment.
Review Source:Absolutely in love with this place and the talented tattoo artists that work there. Justin did a beautiful, beyond beautiful, job on my tattoo - which holds a tremendous amount of sentimental value. This was not my first tattoo, but I will definitely be trusting the rest of my tattoos to these gifted folks. I came in with some pictures for reference and Justin came back with exactly what I had envisioned. The color on my tattoo is beautiful - a gradual fade from dark blue to green - just like the ocean.
The place itself is super chill - heck, they offered me a beer when I got there. But don't let the laid back atmosphere fool ya, they are very professional, clean and skilled at what they do. I recommend Broken Art to everyone who asks where I got my ink and will surely be a patron of theirs for years, and many tattoos, to come.
Very impressed. Â I was actually tattooed by a guy who had apprenticed there (I'll update the review when I remember his name). Â It was an easy tattoo, but it was also the only non-painful tattoo experience I've ever had (and I'm a wuss). Â The piece healed beautifully. Â Will gladly go back there for the next tattoo.
Review Source:so impressed. justin did a beautiful and very meaningful tattoo on my back in february and i'm going back for another lovely piece next week. both he and jeremy are so talented. i'm so happy to have found a place that is so awesome. i always feel like i'm going to hang out with friends everytime i go in. hooray tattoos.
Review Source:Just got my first tattoo here. Â I would say it was a good experience :) Â What I wanted was a super-simple text job, so I can't personally talk about skill level, but Justin gave me exactly what I was looking for and I am super excited to start working on the design with him for my next one.
I did think it was quite expensive for what I got...I know people who have gotten similar size ones for half as much, but the experience of getting a tattoo here is way better then a little storefront walk-in type place. Â No trashy pictures all over the wall with generic boardwalk-tribal-stencil looking shit. Â
All in all, I will be back in a month or so for a more in-depth one...we'll see if I feel the same after that :)
I love this place so much. To the point.. where I want to come and hang out all the time..but I dont. I wouldnt wanna cramp the Bro-down thats always going on at Broken Art.
Justin Dion is my tattoo dude..as I refer to him. So far he's only done two pieces on me, but I plan on having all my future tattoos done by him. You can check out my Maneki Neko (good luck cat) on Justin's myspace page under the tattoos section.
This place is legit. Jeremy and Justin are awesome. Theres a ping pong table, bar, and sofas for your friends to chill at while you endure the needle. Theres always hot tattoo guys hanging out there.
best. tattoo. shop. ever.
I initially chose Broken Art because I really enjoyed the vibe that I got when I visited.
What I needed done was fairly complex; to cover a fairly medium size tribal tattoo (that I got when i was 18). This was no easy feat, mind you, however I did have a few guidelines for what I wanted. After meeting with Jeremy several times prior, he came up a design that not only covered it completely but is amazing (1/3 of my back).
The funny thing about it, is that he did it in full color, old style, which when newly done, doesn't have quite the same effect, as it does the older it gets.
After 4 sittings and 5 months of healing, I LOVE IT. There are a few colors I may get touched up, but most likely not.
Jeremy Swan does a stellar job of being in tune with what you like / your personal style. His shop also has a really dope/laid back vibe, stocked with a full bar (which I took advantage of 2 out of 4 sittings), and GOOD music (key for when you're all tensed up).
GO!
I no longer trust anyone with my arms, but Mr. Jeremy Swan. The man is a genius. The shop is comfortable, professional and clean. Everyone is friendly there and the place gives you a feeling of ease before those hours of needling pain. His colors are bright and lines are tight. The man is a true artist who can make changes on the fly if needed.
Review Source:I got my first tattoo here a few months back at broken art and couldn't believe how comfortable I felt. I found this place by luck... (looking for a tattoo shop close by to the Glendale, LA area). When I saw that it was in Silverlake it all made since. Echo Park for life! Anyhow, I got my back done by Justin and my manwhore got his arm done by Jeremy. Both guys are just amazing artists. Jeremy can smoke you at ping pong! If you want genuine dudes that do a damn hell of a great job, come by. It's a good sign when the people that walk in are alllllllllll tatted up, and good looking.
Some +'s-
-There is a nice couch to sit and chill on while you wait
-Ping Pong table, they welcome beer pong
-Stocked Bar
-Great music
-in Los Angeles
I'm coming back at the end of the month to get more work done. That's for shurns.
After a really crappy experience with my last tattoo artist, Jeremy (and everyone else) at Broken Art was a godsend. I've never seen a staff at a tattoo shop that was this genuinely friendly and professional. When I set up my appointment, (which is 3 days from now, so I should be editing this soon...), I was actually emailed an appointment reminder! Jeremy and staff have contacted me more than once to go over the specifications for the tattoo and each time went out of their way to make sure that I was getting what I wanted.
On a side note, the studio is the coolest I've ever been to. It has a great vibe to it... a place you could just hang out in and play ping pong... because they actually have a ping pong table.
With the amount of professionalism and customer service, a phrase I've never used before to describe a tattoo shop, I really hope that Broken Art serves as a model for other shops.
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
