I came in with an idea of my tattoo and Da Wei made it into a reality. I wanted a chinese calligraphy proverb, and after speaking to him about it, he took out a pen and free handed the characters which was beautiful. He told me he had training in chinese calligraphy. Lily made me very comfortable throughout the whole process, and Da Wei was extremely professional. The tattoo came out perfectly, and I love that they text you the recovery information instead of giving you a paper, good for the environment, AND it won't get lost. I would recommend Da Wei Tattoo to everyone!
Review Source:I couldn't be happier. Da Wei is amazing and he's so quiet and kind, he gets really excited and actually really seems to care about your tattoo like its his own, he also really likes to take his time. I actually came to the shop 8 years ago and debated getting one done. 8 years later i came back and now I wonder why I didn't so it sooner . you pay for what you get
Review Source:ok so this review will be different as i haven't even step foot in the office yet.
i contacted Da Wei through a search looking to get my first tattoo EVER and fell in love with his aaaaamazing work. so i liked them on facebook and sent a message. he replied and asked me to contact Lily. I called her and told her what i wanted (right sleeve) and she asked me to send her a picture but i'm no artist and there's no picture of what i wanted, so i sent her a text of what i wanted....color and size and where......weeks pass. i understand that tattoo artist are busy but i was just looking for a quote as she said he charges by the piece not by the hour. so i had no idea what the price range would be. i contacted her again via text and she told me that they can not fit me into his schedule and told me to go to analogue and get some guy named ron.....are you fawkin kidding me???? and that he doesn't have enough time. that's ok that he doesn't have time but don't refer me to another artist. this is my first tatt ever and this is happening.....not cool. so i sent her a text back asking how long his waiting list is cause i expected to be put on one from the beginning. so i asked if it's 6 months or a year....i don't care i'll wait for this guy!!!! i just need to know a quote so i know how much to save, that's all. and by reading the other reviews i don't want her to give me my tatt so i'll wait.
Got tattooed by Dawei, he is the best. Â Totally got what I paid for. Â Perfect. Â Total gentleman, lots of male tattoo artists get weird. Â Almost makes you feel like you are getting tattooed by a total doctor. Â Lily was very kind to me and I came in a little carsick and she put some herbal remedy on me and massaged it in, so sweet of her. Â I just love them. Â Will go back at some point in my life!
Review Source:Lily's such a sweetheart and her work is nothing less than perfection. I've gotten all three of my tattoos from her within the past four years and I love them! I've also seen Da Wei's work, which is equally as amazing. They're both super welcoming and friendly. Most definitely recommend this place!
Review Source:I'm just going to say this review is for Da Wei and not Lily, whom I never met and seems like I wouldn't want to meet after reading some of the other reviews here.
Anyways, my dad took me here for my first tattoo on my 18th birthday. I had a design in mind for years, and we ended up deciding to actually go on a whim that day.
I read alright-reviews on yelp and thought I'd check it out and give it a try. From what I can tell in the shop it looked like Da Wei is a phenomenal traditional artist. His drawings have clean, smooth lines and I felt pretty confident that this would be a great guy for my tattoo.
I got a molecular structure tattooed on my ribs. What I feared the most about this tattoo is that it consists of letters and a LOT of STRAIGHT lines. Meaning, if any lines were uneven, crooked, or not completely straight, the whole tattoo would look like crap. Not to mention, it was on my ribs, which are bumpy -- yeah I was afraid my tattoo would get botched. Luckily, my tattoo came out PERFECT. The lines are all completely even, completely straight, and all the same thickness. The entire thing took about 40 minutes and I was only charged $75, which was a lot cheaper than the quoted $150 minimum I got from a few other tattoo shops before I came here. I haven't got any tattoos here since, but it's still a great place to check out and see if you like it.
July 5, 2013 my first tattoo from Lily
July 16,2013 second tattoo also from Lily
she do very good job and nice on my both tattoo, very patience and listen the way you wanted and how large you would like on your body....
all my coworker love the tattoo she done for me and said well done and great work !!!
positive will recommends to everyone around!!!
110% great great great job!!! very appreciated !
Moon
I just got the final phase of my TiggerTood  Skin Art done by Da Wei..... I am Shaking from excitement from seeing my piece come to life! I have three pieces on my body and each one has been done by either Lily or Da Wei and each one is a work of art! THIS one I just had done was by Da Wei and was created by seeing a Tattooed TIGGER while scrolling pictures on the internet. I added My Nickname 'FRED' (Female/RED hair), My sons Nickname 'BUG' and a few other items , like ttfn (tata for now), etc all over the Tattooed TIGGER. My son Picked out the Hearts below each paw and he picked out RED for his heart, blue is the other heart color for my other son Joshua who is not with me anymore. THIS piece is the most emotional piece I have and DA WEI captured all the Emotions , Tiggerisms , Tiggertude , Love , and Meaning,,, HOW DOES HE DO THAT? (smile) If you are Deciding on Artists to create emotion on your Skin , Lily and Da Wei should be the ONLY answer , because they ARE THE BEST!!!! ***** 5 Stars!!
Review Source:I called to schedule a consultation, and they were more than happy to accommodate me. However, I went there after work as scheduled and told them what I had wanted. She saw that I was Asian and began speaking Chinese to me. I understood what she was saying but didn't wish to speak to her in Chinese. However, she insisted. Then she went on to critiquing my previous tattoo and its quality, saying that she's been in the industry long enough to make a very accurate guess as to how much it cost me, how long it took, and how the tribal was not the best tribal that she has seen thusfar. I had asked her or for her to forward the message to Da Wei and see if anything could be done to liven up the tattoo and bring it out more. She said that she would get back to me and insisted that I get her number and keep it. I waited and waited and, as figured, she never gave me a call back as to whether or not Da Wei or she would be interested. Da Wei was not even there to see my tattoo that I wanted him to work on. She took a picture of it and said that she would forward the msg to Da Wei. Whether it be because they forgot, too busy, not interested, not worth the time, not comfortable working on a previous tattoo, they should have given me minimum courtesy of a vmail or text stating no. Customer service here is a joke.
Review Source:First off, Have you ever wanted to feel like a celebrity? Well then, I would recommend getting a tattoo from Da Wei! I can't begin to tell you how many people stop and ask me about the work that Da Wei blessed me with. There have been countless people that have said, "I not big fan of tattoo's but your tattoo's are amazing/beautiful or look like a painting". Da Wei put his heart and soul into my piece and it shows. I guarantee he will do the same for you...That's the kind of guy he is. He takes pride in his work and i guarantee you will not be disappointed with any tattoo you get from Da Wei! Not only is his work amazing but Da Wei the man is super kind, friendly and a pleasure to be around. Â Da Wei...I can't thank you enough for making my experience a great experience and the amazing work that i will have for the rest of my life!
Let me tell you a little about my experience with Lilly. First off, Da Wei and Lily make a great team! Lilly will do you consultation and during my consultation she was so nice and informative. Not only was she very nice but she also made every effort in my opinion to accommodate my crazy schedule even with their crazy shop schedule. Thank you Lily for getting my sleeve done before my birthday!!! You are A+ in my book!
I see a lot of people saying the quotes were pricey, too expensive or whatever but with a tattoo, you get what you pay for. In my opinion, Da Wei's work is priceless and worth every penny that i spent! Again, you will not be disappointed with his work and will not need a cover up (more $) with in a few years or worse yet, need to have it lazered off (even more $$$$$). Just do it right the first time and go see Da Wei... and  remember, "you get what you pay for" but with a  Da Wei your piece it will become priceless! I know mine did! Â
Thank you Da Wei And Lily! I'll be back in a year when the Twins are two!
I finally got my first tattoo here by Da Wei after booking 3 months in advance! My coworker had recommended him for his detailed black ink work, and since i'd been wanting to get a tattoo in memory of my grandma for years... I finally bit the bullet and decided to get my grandma's Japanese crest (mon).
My friend came with me, and when we arrived Lily and Da Wei were incredibly friendly and comforting (they even had their daughter with them). Lily set me and my friend up to face a small portable TV while I got my tattoo on my forearm -- watching Black Swan, haha. Da Wei was quiet, but was able to modify the design to have the right amount of spacing quickly and extremely accurately. The process was extremely painless, and my tattoo's line work weeks later looks amazingggg and healed really quickly. I'm so happy with it (Sorry mom, I know you think i'm a "biker chick" now).
It was really pricey, but like everyone says the ink is permanent and you want quality and someone you can trust.
I recently went to Da Wei tattoo shop and I'm very disappointed in my experience with them! I have been thinking of getting a memorial tattoo for quite some time and chose to come here based on work Ive seen I called and asked for a consult appointment and the day I went in I assumed i would be speaking to Da Wei the actually artist, I didn't! Instead I talked to a lady there she said what I wanted was to small the lettering was to long and the sight wouldn't work, but was quick to quote me some outrages price! Needless to say I think she was very insensitive about the whole purpose of my tattoo. I would have appreciated to speak with the actual artist and get his artistic insight but since I didn't I have decided to take my business elsewhere. Its not about the money its about customer service sense and in this situation that lady who ever she is has none!
Review Source:Lily, you are truly amazing! Had a great first tattoo experience here, from watching Finding Nemo so I was fully preoccupied, didn't feel any pain as Lily was as gentle as can be, and happy with my results! Lily also answered all of my annoying rookie questions quickly via texts, and made sure I was happy with my tattoo from start to finish. So patient with me and my fickle-ness. Outstanding, and if I ever want to get another one, I will be going to Lily!
Review Source:I had an excellent experience with Da Wei and Lilly.
I had a large homemade tribal tattoo on my arm that had been there for 20 years and needed redemption. Da Wei did the initial corrections on my arm in pen and was able to fix almost all of the design problems of the original tattoo and Lilly did the actual tattooing.
The lines are beautiful and the fill is solid: Lilly wore jewelers glasses so you know she was paying attention to the quality of the lines. For me, having this tattoo fixed up was worth every penny.
Their shop is very busy with actual customers getting tattoos - they will always get back to you but it may take a day or two (as it did for me) and they will not drop the needle on a customer so they can answer the phone. If you were in the chair getting a tattoo you'd appreciate that right? If you want a consultation them send them an email and make an appointment.
Da Wei is the cream of the crop!! One of the world`s best Tattoo Artist if not the best in my opinon. I spent 5 years looking for a Tattoo Artist who can actually do a look a like portrait, finally I found Da Wei through a friend. The design I picked was a portrait of me and my wife, Me being a samurai warrior and my wife dressed as a geisha. The detail of the of Da Wei`s work is excellent to say the least, I came up with the main piece and Da Wei came up with the background. The price, well that`s kinda personal but I have no regrets whatsoever and up until now people think I really got a great deal for the amount of work that was done on my back. I went on vacation on a beach resort and people just kept stopping me to ask where I got my back piece done. I am so proud of my back and of Da Wei`s work. I have been to miami ink before and I think Da Wei does a better job than them. Even my wife who is not into tattoos really love my tattoo because of how artistic and detailed it is. It is really more of a painting than it is a tattoo. I will forever be greatful for Da Wei for taking me in and doing his best with my back piece. Lily, his partner is also very nice and accommodating with my very difficult schedule. Lily always made sure I was comfortable during my appointments, from movies to pillows and drinks. Lily is the bomb!!! She also does tattoos and her work is pretty damn good too!!! My sister loved my tattoo so much... she went there and got one too!!!
  Here is a link to Da Wei`s website where you can see my Tattoo... <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdaweitattoo.com%2Fhtml%2Fback%2Fback99.htm&s=758f7438f3a84d9eb6af1ef914212b66723a91618d9b206c8d14e32c06f42770" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://daweitattoo.com/h…</a>  or you can see him at work at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdaweitattoo.com%2Fhtml%2Fartist%2Fartist16.htm&s=b44ae58ab2d6af007e863e7de9966d1556fb2881122fa5cf764ec9d39cfe11d9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://daweitattoo.com/h…</a>  the faces that you see there looks a 100 percent accurate, its like he took the photo i gave him and  pasted on my back.
   To sum it all up,He did a way better job that I expected, I was shocked to see how awesome and life-like my portrait tattoo turned out. Da Wei made my portrait tattoo come to life. If you want a tattoo that you will love, go to Da Wei and get it done right, there might be a wait for an appointment as he does have a lot of loyal customer but I promise you its worth the wait.
   I not only got a great full back Tattoo... I also made a very good friend. I cant thank you enough Master Da Wei!!!
A long time ago, I walked into a tattoo parlor and there was a sign that read "Good tattoos don't come cheap and cheap tattoos don't come out good". Â That's really true. Â I've been a fan of Da Wei's work for years, but knew he was very expensive. Â So I've been putting off going to him until now. Â With him, you really do get what you paid for. Â Good tattooist never come cheap. Â
Well in a nut shell, I lost my daughter a couple of weeks before I came in for a consultation and really wanted to have her portrait inked. Â So the only person that came to mind was Da Wei. Â After explaining to them what had happened, they handled the situation with such empathy. Â They made me feel very comfortable, so we moved forward.
I just got my memorial tattoo done today and I am really amazed and happy how it turned out. Â It was faster than I expected and he covered a lot of the details within a couple of hours. Â I still have another session to put the finishing touches. Â I've never had a tattooist tell me to come back. Â Usually they do it all in one sitting if it isn't super big. Â But he takes his time and wants it to be perfect. Â I can totally respect that. Â
All I needed to do was describe what I wanted. Â Provided him a few pictures and he worked his magic. Â He knows what he's doing, so I just let him have free range on the other details. Â Although he would ask me what I wanted, I would ask him what he thought would look best. Â I put a lot of trust that he'd do an amazing job and he delivered. Â
He's light handed and extremely gentle. Â But tattoos still hurt when hitting some areas, so don't think it won't. Â He is well worth every penny and I am EXTREMELY HAPPY.
Da Wei Zhang is one of the best portrait tattoo artist in California. Former studio art teacher turned tattoo artist. What a great resume! The moment you walk into the shop you'll notice accolades from several tattoo conventions around the national hanging from the walls. The atmosphere is very welcoming. Definitely not your typical tattoo parlor and Da Wei is MOST definitely not your typical tattoo artist. Â A quite, humble man, with no visible tattoos, who literally looks like a college professor. There was something comforting about his look because it had an undertone that he was all about skill, technique, and precision when it came to his craft. None of that pretentious tattooed "bad ass" look.
Da Wei was booked for about a month before I got tattooed. Very light on the needle and he takes his time...maybe too much time. Be prepared for more than one session. Pricing is EXPENSIVE ($980 for a 6in x 4in portrait just to give you an idea) But well worth it, especially for something as difficult as a portrait on your skin. If you want the best you gotta invest!
After two sessions, my portrait tattoo came out DOPE! It was way better than what I expected. It's so realistic it's almost scary. If you're looking for a great portrait tattoo artist in the bay area hit this guy up!
The pros: Lily is AWESOME. she really helped me overcome the fear of getting my first tattoo. She was very happy and calm and even gave me some type of essential oil to smell when I started getting fainty. She gave me exactly what I wanted, and it was so quick!
if and when i get another tattoo (wow, know I know what people mean that they are addictive...) I will come here.
The only con is that the actual atmosphere of the place is a bit dingey. Its linoleum floors, fluorescent lighting... etc... I think that if they put a little more effort into the decor, it would be a better place!
Da Wei and Lily are great. My dad gets all of his tattoos here, including two amazing portraits and several other pieces including long stem roses and a crying angel. He also has his kids names (done by Lily) which are perfect. My own tattoo, a portrait of my Grandma on my back/shoulder, is such good quality. I get compliments from everyone who sees it (literally, people ask me about it when I'm standing in line at Safeway). Da Wei and Lily both make sure that the tattoos they perform will look good years down the line, pay special attention to sizing and usually have you come back a month or so later to touch up any places that need it.
I won't lie, yes, they are expensive, especially Da Wei's portraits, but the quality is worth it. This is not the place to go if your drunk and/or looking for a $40 tattoo on a whim. Â They are booked weeks in advance. When you're ready to make an appointment, I've found it's usually better to go in, picture or idea in hand so they have a good idea of how long it will take so they don't overbook, under/over quote you a price, etc. Lily does all the appointment scheduling, and will work out a payment plan if you need one. Â Also, once they know you and you've come to them a few times, they have been known to give discounts.
A word to the wise, they will not do any tattoos on the neck, face or head and they will also not "fix" any tattoo done by another artist (although they will work with you to cover it). Lily explained to me that this guarantees their name is synonymous with quality work (in case the previous tattoo looked so bad only covering/changing it drastically will make it better), and because neck and face tattoos pretty much cannot be covered up, not to mention are probably some of the most painful to get laser removed if you change your mind later. Â
I'm not sure if they have a different policy for the ever popular back of the neck, but if you call or go in to schedule an appointment, Lily will lay it all for you.
After much thought and extensive research, I decided to book an appointment with Da Wei to do a memorial portrait of my father. Â Although the drive was a bit of a long haul (45+ minutes one way), and you pay a premium for his expertise, I figured it was worth it because this tattoo was/is important to me. Â
Da Wei is a very meticulous and skilled artist. Â You can tell that he takes great pride in his work. Â I would have given a higher rating if the appointment for my second sitting wasn't double booked. Â I drove all the way over there only to find out that someone else was booked for the same time as me. I was very upset because my daughter took a day off from work just so that she could accompany me, and we ended up wasting the entire morning driving back and forth. Â But in the end it was worth it. Â I now have a beautiful tribute to my dad. Â I have received many compliments, the most recent from a total stranger during my vacation in Cozumel.
It's just a little over 4 months since I walked into Da Wei's and I wish with all of my heart that I could give this shop more than 5 stars. Â I'm getting a little teary-eyed even thinking about everything these people have done for me.
February 12, 2011, I had my first sitting for a very large, very colorful tattoo that I was getting to honor the memory of my grandfather. Â Da Wei wasn't just interested in my money and getting me in and out; this man has taken SO much time with me, from the elaborate drawing he created that brought my idea to life, to the very last drop of ink he put to my skin. Â Where most artists might have dismissed me after just a couple of sessions, Da Wei was insistent that I come back every few weeks so that he could layer the color, which made SUCH a huge difference in the way the piece looks; it's more vibrant than I ever could have imagined and, thanks to all the layers, it looks REAL. Â Seriously, it looks like a beautiful oil painting, and I can't even begin to tell you how many people--strangers, at that--have stopped me dead in my tracks on the street or in a mall or in a restaurant and complimented my tattoo.
I think what touches my heart even more about this experience that I've had at Da Wei Tattoo is that Da Wei truly seems to understand and care about the reason WHY I did this in the first place. Â He took it very seriously and honored my grandfather's memory so, so beautifully by making this tattoo a responsibility to himself and a priority as well. Â Each time I saw him, he was clearly enthused and excited to work on me, and that has made all the difference in the world. Â I am a bit socially awkward so it can be said that I don't warm up to people very easily, but both Da Wei and Lily have made me feel comfortable and cared for.
People will say that Da Wei Tattoo is expensive but I stand by what I wrote before: Â you get what you pay for. Â If you want shitty work, go to a shitty artist. Â I paid a lot of money to get this tattoo but I was given SO much more than my money's worth in return. Â All my hurt, all my mourning for my grandfather...it's been greatly eased by the presence of this beautiful, exquisite tattoo I now wear proudly. Â And you know what? Â I think my grandpa would love it, too.
Thank you from the very bottom of my heart, Da Wei and Lily. Â You both have been so wonderful with me and you'll never truly understand just what you've done for me and my grandpa...but I'm happy you're there, and I will NEVER, EVER go to another tattoo shop again! Â I'm a Da Wei & Lily fan for life! :)
If I could give this place 10 stars I would. This experience was simply awesome from start to finish. I see alot of negative reviews about Lily, but I have to say she was so good to me from start to finish. I initially contacted them several months ago after doing countless hours of research trying to find a great potrait tattoo artist. I never actually spoke to Da Wei until my apointment...all of my discussions and planning was done with Lily and she was just great. very helpful and patient. Always able to take time to listen to any concerns and calm any fears. I had my first appointment this past Saturday (3/12). Da Wei des his potraits in 2 sessions. He has a flat rate for potraits and that was the exact price I was given.  This appointment was 3 hours...Da Wei is not as quiet as others mentioned...he talked to me throughout the process and was very calming. My tattoo is only 60% done and its frickin AMAZING! I'm in awe of this guys work, let me tell you.  I cant wait until its finished.  I would definitely recommend him to anyone...pricey, yes....but  you get what you pay for. The people who have seen my tatt so far are just amazed by the detail and how much it looks like my daughter. hands down the best!
Review Source:I went in to Dawei Tattoo. Â Lily was the artist who did the tattoo for me. Â I enjoyed it. Â I have to give a 5-stars rating to the AWESOME JOB which she did on me. Â It was some floral designs in colors with names and dates. Â I had it done in memory of my grandmom. Â I love it, the lines are CLEAN and BEAUTIFUL. Â Colors are vibrant. Â Happy with the work. Â I'll definitely go back. Â I highly recommend this place.
Review Source:I hate to do this, but I have to give a negative review.
First I'd like to say that I highly respect Da Wei's work, and he alone definitely deserves five stars for his artistic abilities.
However, Lily did two of my tattoos, and I was incredibly disappointed for a lot of reasons.
1. She wrote the WRONG WORDS on my arm. I wanted "Dear God, Please make me a bird so I can fly far, far far away from here". Instead she wrote, "Dear God, Please make me a bird so I can fly fly far, far away from here". Yeah, not only did she write the wrong word, but even the word was correct, the comma would have been in the wrong spot.
2. The lines were uneven. When I went back in to complain, they tried to convince me that the lines were straight and that the writing made it look uneven, but I saw the writing in the book and it did not look like that. I also went into other shops that ALL told me my tattoo looked sloppy and carelessly done. She also did text on my inner wrist at an earlier date...it was so uneven that the first letter is half an inch lower than the last.
3. The spacing between the words was uneven.
4. She put an end quote, but no beginning quote. I know that this is an easy fix, but it just goes to show that there was not nearly enough care put into a tattoo that she wanted $250 for.
5. The letters weren't consistent...the first "fly" looked completely different than the second.
Each individual word looks nice, but overall it looks sloppy.
They were very accommodating when I went back in, but I did not like that Lily kept trying to convince me that my tattoo was still "grammatically correct" and that the lines were perfectly straight and that she had me check to see if it was straight enough. I am not an artist, and it is not my job to know whether or not a tattoo on my  arm will be straight. And even if the way she wrote the tattoo could be okay, the point is she messed up BIG TIME, and she just got lucky that I can make it work.
They gave me $150 back, and Da Wei is a phenomenal artist...those are the only reasons I think she deserves the one star. I would highly recommend Da Wei, BUT DO NOT LET LILY TOUCH YOUR SKIN!!!
Lily did a beautiful job recreating some tribal butterflies my 7 year old son drew for me when he heard I wanted to get a butterfly tattoo. Lily reworked the drawings, making them symmetrical and adding detail.
She was extremely professional and I really appreciated her straight-forward advice.
The tattoos look great and are healing wonderfully. I have other artwork and after my experience with Lily she is my new regular artist
I highly recommend their shop- they take great pride in their work and are true, sincere artists
Lily did an amazing job on the compass rose I had done. She took the time to explain the recommended changes to the original design and the difficulty associated with getting work done on the top of my foot before starting. Her steady hand produces perfectly straight lines  and a uniform circle  that is perfectly round. The work healed quickly (I followed her directions carefully) and the ink has stayed put. I plan on getting another piece done by Lily soon (my M-Dot), which is the true measure of the quality of her work. I highly recommend!
Review Source:Really personable artists here... nice and clean environment (they use disposable needles).
They have a wide variety of images to choose from, can help design something special if you have an idea in mind, or can tattoo a design you create for yourself... Very flexible, and decently priced, great quality tattoos!
No pain. and they talk you through the entire process.
Way over priced! He charged me $1,000 for 3hrs of work and made me spread the three hours into two sittings, a month apart. To top it all off the Tattoo didn't even end up the way It was supposed to. I have many tattoos and plan on getting many more, but would never return to his studio. And Lily is just a BS artist...
Review Source:I've wanted to get a tattoo here for the past 12 years. Â I've been in and out several times, and even saw an ex of mine get a decent cover-up from them. Â I was so excited to finally have a reason to go in and get my own tattoo that I literally felt sick and star struck just to be in there. Â
I had a botched tattoo job from a few weeks earlier that was a small series of star outlines. Â I wanted to get one or two of the stars filled in and the lines evened out. Â Lily took one look and started going on and on about how I chose the wrong kind of stars and the design which I had chosen didn't look like stars at all and THAT's why the tattoo was bad. Â She proceeded to draw out some of the irregular stars I myself had designed on paper, walk 10 feet away and say "See? Â They look like blobs and circles. Â There's only one way to do stars and make them look like stars" and the started drawing standard 5 pointed stars. Â I insisted that i LIKED my stars, I just wanted the one or two fuzzy ones thickened and made solid (they were just outlines) so they matched the others. Â She said there was no way they could work with it and started pressuring me heavily to get the whole thing removed so they could start over. Â
I told her I wanted it fixed because my wedding was coming up in 2 months and then she and Da Wei both shrugged and said "It's impossible." Â And walked me out. Â They offered no ideas, no solutions, and made me feel like they only wanted to work on tattoos THEY considered pretty, no matter what the client thought. Â
I think their work is beautiful, and I was really disappointed that they had no interest in helping me.
So check this out...
First is first... you pay for what you get at Da Wei. Yes, he is on the expensive side but his skills are with the best of them.
I myself have two different pieces from him, all of which are interpretations of portraits. This is where his skills really shine. Da Wei is able to take an image and place it on your skin as a near replica of the original piece. Â I highly recommend you check out his website so you can see for yourself his works. For this area I would highly recommend Da Wei for all and any portrait tattoos as this is where his skills shine through.
As for Lilly, she is an interesting one. After reading other reviews I can see where the negative comments of her come from, but at the same time it all how one takes it. Personally I find her to be nice and complimenting. I also have a tattoo from Lilly. It was a pretty simple tattoo and she did well, but that is in comparison to Da Wei.
Final comment... If you are getting a simple tattoo then I suggest that you take it to someone who charges less expensive but still skillful. If you are getting a portrait tattoo there is no one better in this area, go to Da Wei and pay the extra amount. You won't regret it!
I am using my bfs account so this is my review. Â I have 2 tattoos from this place. Â Lilly did both my tats. Â A chinese character on my lower back and moon and stars on my shoulder. Â First of all, they charge a ridiculous amount. Â A total rip off for the quality of work. Â Also, my lower back tat work is mediocre at best. Â My shoulder one was OK..however couple years down the line, the ink started to bleed together and you couldnt even tell what it was anymore. Â 8 years later I decided to get a whole back piece and went to a place in LA. Â I ended up covering up my shoulder tat. Â My artist also cleaned up my lower back tattoo. Â Thank god for my tattoo place in LA.
Review Source:I do a lot of stupid things in life...getting a tattoo was probably one of them. It's been over hmmm 5 years now and I am still quite content with my "sad fairy" tattoo on my back. Da Wei replicated the art piece beautifully, with the detail and shading, I was really satisfied. Â Although it was very pricey, it was definitely worth it, my tattoo has only faded minimally
They say you get hooked after your first tattoo but I guess I haven't got one since, I almost got another one a while ago but I think having one big tattoo on your back is plenty enough.
Once I find a picture, I will post.
After all the hype with Kat von D and her "amazing" portraits, I thought I'd try to book an appointment with her to get a memorial portrait of my mom done. Â It wasn't impossible to get an appointment with her, but I found the process to be too time-consuming, and plus I didn't want to drive all the way down to LA just to get inked by her. Â So I searched online for an exemplary portrait tattoo artist in the South Bay, and lo and behold, but who did I find? Â Da Wei! Â He is an award-winning artist, with portraits being his specialty. Â Just check out his online gallery, or go into his shop, and see examples of his artistry. Â
Lily, the shop manager and the other artist in residence may come off to some as a little abrasive, but I think you just have to know how to relate to someone with a "big" personality. Â Personally, I found her to be extremely affable, opinionated and direct -- and there is nothing wrong with that! Â
Da Wei is very soft-spoken, and does leave most of the talking to Lily, but he does speak English. Â He is a very sweet man, and like Lily, if you make conversation with him, he will chatter back. Â
The price I was quoted for my memorial tattoo of my mom was $1180 -- $980 being the flat rate, plus an extra $100 for a full-frontal view of her face, plus an extra $100 because she has long, wavy hair in the photo. Â
A little above my price range, but if you are a true tattoo art collector, then you know that you are not just paying for the ink, but the artistry and skill that goes into putting that piece on your body. Â
The first phase of my tattoo was completed on March 7, 2008. Â I was supposed to go back in 3 weeks later to have it completed, but I found out I was pregnant during those three weeks, so we decided to finish it after I had my baby. Â
You know that initial needle prick that you anticipate with every tattoo -- the one that sets the tone for the hurt that you feel during the session? Â Well, Da Wei's hand is very light -- the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of the hand of the artist who did my first tattoo, Pinky Yun (of Dragon Tattoo). Â I marveled throughout the entire session at how UN-painful Da Wei's technique was. Â Of course, it did hurt when he had to go over the parts that had already been inked, but that is par for the course. Â
My baby daddy watched on the sidelines as Da Wei worked, and every once in a while, he would shake his head in amazement and mouth little comments to me, like, "He spent FOREVER on her eyes -- they are UNBELIEVABLE." Â When Da Wei patted me on the shoulder and told me, "Okay, my friend, half done -- go look!" Â I sprang from my chair and scurried over to the full-length mirror. Â What I saw instantly brought tears to my eyes. Â There was my beautiful mother, in all her youthful glory, staring back at me. Â Any anxieties or doubts I may have had about the price immediately vanished. Â This was worth every penny -- and then some...
I've uploaded a photo of the first phase of the tattoo. Â Can you believe it was only 60% finished? Â Some portraits that are 100% finished don't look NEARLY as good as the portrait of my mom!
P.S. Â If you go to Da Wei's website and click on Portraits, then go to page 76, you'll see the photos of my mom's finished portrait.
I have 2 large pieces of art done by Da Wei. Both are featured on his website. After several years, people are still amazed at the detail and artistry of both pieces.
Yes - Da Wei isn't cheap. But you get what you pay for. If you're looking for a simple design with some fill, he's probably not your guy. His shading and fine lines are amazing. His portrait work has to be seen to be believed.
After reading several reviews, some people complain that Da Wei doesn't say much and leaves everything to Lily. Da Wei's English is not good and Lily does a good job but still has some problems. Personally, I've never had a problem with Lily but I could see how you could interpret her as being pushy. Treat her as you would any other person and you'll get respect in return.
The studio is very busy and booked weeks/months in advance. Putting a deposit down is standard business practise. You can pay by the hour or by the piece. You definitely get a better deal by paying for the entire piece. Expect results. You WILL get what you pay for.
My first piece is from a photo. It looks EXACTLY like the printed piece. Da Wei told me that it won 1st place in a European Web Contest. My second piece was designed by Da Wei. I told him what I wanted and trusted him to design something. I never saw the design until it was transferred onto my arm. Again - AMAZING work!
Both pieces took 15 hours each over several sessions. During that time, I saw people pass out, cry or have panic attacks. Each time, they treated the person with respect and made sure they were ok before going on. I was impressed with their caring demeanor. Â
While there are piles of books with design, his best work is custom work. Allow him to create something special for you rather than something you can get anywhere.
My mother and I came here to get matching tattoos for my 18th and her 50th birthday. We met with Lily and gave her our idea and she designed the piece for it. Originally we were going to get different designs but I loved the one she drew up for my mom so we got the same one. They are very professional there but its very overpriced in my opinion, thus minus one star. Lily made sure I was happy with the placement and even had a television and some movies to make it more enjoyable. I would go back, but only for a smaller piece.
Review Source:20 years old.
I was 20 years old when I decided to get my first tattoo, which was a back piece of a tiger. It took 8 hours, 4 sessions, painful as heck, but worth every moment. The price itself is painful, but totally worth it because you can trust he will give you the best he possibly can. He's a quiet guy with light hands but his work screams quality work!
Thanks to him I've been lucky enough to be on the cover of a tattoo brochure. And even till this day, I'm still getting compliments on it..
It is such an honor getting work done from him...he is worth it!!!!!!!
I have no doubt that Da Wei is a talented artist with a long history of fine work. However, his receptionist (Lily) is his biggest downfall. This woman is so full of hot air I don't know where to begin. From the hard-sell attitude to the "da wei is an artist" speech, I knew we were going to leave. Da Wei himself never said a word... I've never actually heard him speak!
If you can somehow do an end-run around this woman, good on you. If not, prepare to roll your eyes at the endless nonsense.
i LoOoooVE Da Wei and Lily! i've been coming here for almost 10 years, ever since i was 18... when my love affair with tattOos began...
Da Wei is such an amazing artist... his attention to detain and shading and dark/light contrasting skills are just outstanding. he is a perfectionist.
Lily is a great artist as well. She is sO sweet, and entertaining with her magnetic personality.
I've had tattoos done by both Da Wei and Lily, and I LoOve every tat. Clean lines, great artwork.
I have 2 koi fish on my left hip, done by Lily
and a full back piece, dragon and pheonix (pic posted), done by Da Wei...
my boyfriend got his arm sleeved by Da Wei, and it LoOks amazing!
if you are thinking about getting a tattoO, i would definately recommend Da Wei and Lily! a TaTToO its FoOoRever! sO splurge and get one from the best in the industry...
their shop is super clean, and you can pick DVDs to watch while being tattoOed!!! =)
First, i have to admit that Da Wei as a Tattoo artist is freaking awesome, his work is incredible.
The reason why i give them such a low rating is because i think he has a problem with his ego and that lady that works with him is very rude.
I stopped by to see if he could continue a piece that i had already started, and when i asked him he kinda got upset or offended i think, and told me to go and get it done somewhere else, i kept my cool and tried to joke around to see if he would do it, but he refused and then that other lady that works there got involved in the conversation, she was very rude and kinda yelling, she pretty much ask me to leave.......not very nice of them......i am kinda disappointed, cause i tough he was cool......
I got my very first tattoo at De Wei from Lily when I was eighteen. I was happy with it until it finished healing and I realized the lines were uneven widths and the overall line quality was so poor that my current tattoo artist actually laughed. Â Lily charged me $225 for a tattoo that is about two square inches.
The tattoo is a photocopy of a necklace pendant I have. It is a cluster of three stars. Just the outline. She only had to enlarge the picture. We were supposed to have a design consultation before the actual tattoo ate and Lily was late to the appointment and had also forgotten the design to show me. I live about half an hour away so, needless to say, I was unhappy about driving there for nothing.
So not only did Lily waste my time, she also overcharged me for a dinky tattoo that should have cost maybe $60. Â Another one of my friends got a tattoo from her with the same problem. Too much money for too little quality.
My new tattoo artist has since touched up the old tattoo.
let me start by saying that Da Wei himself is the shit. he can do a portrait for you that looks like he just stapled a picture to your skin, he's that good. expect to pay out the ass for it, but HE is worth it.
now let tell you why my review is so low. i did not get a portrait and Da Wei did not do my tattoo, Lily did. and it looks like crap. the lines are uneven, the ends of the lines dont match up evenly, she barely spoke english, and she charged me $180 for a tattoo that is only 3" long and about an inch and a half wide. it has no color and isnt filled in, its an outline. and not a detailed outline either. also, she didnt even have to draw out my design. i had a necklace pendant that she photo copied and blew up to the size i want.
so to summarize. if you want a portrait and are willing to pay or it Da Wei rocks. BUT DO NOT GO TO LILY!!!!! she is over priced and under talented.
Da Wei & Lily are great!
Though I don't live in the Santa Clara (I live in Seattle), I decided to get tattoo'd during a family trip to the San Jose area. Â I found Da Wei through some internet searching, and after a phone interview and some e-mail exchanges.
When I finally met Lily and Da Wei in person, they were very professional and friendly during the consultation - unlike a lot of tattoo artists, Lily and Da Wei are honest about their work and will tell you if a certain design/ color won't work.
Da Wei is a true artist, and combined the ideas I brought with his own expertise, creating an original work of art - a half-sleeve Chinese lion-dog with my father's name written in old Chinese "seal script". Â In total, it was a 14+ hour project spread over 4 sessions.
As others have mentioned, here are some tips if you decide to get inked by Da Wei & Lily:
1. Â Have an idea about you want done, and bring in some samples! Â It'll help you a lot during the consultation.
2. Â Check out their online gallery. Â That'll also give you ideas, especially about placement as well - where you want the tattoo done will definitely affect the size and shape of the art.
3. Â If you're serious about your project, pay on time! Â Da Wei & Lily charge a fair price for the business that they run - people balk at spending money to set-up appointments and get more detailed drawings done, but for tattoo artists, time really is money! Â Paying part of the project fee is a sign of respect and shows you're serious about getting it done.
Thanks again, Da Wei and Lily! Â When I'm ready to get more ink in the future, I'll definitely be back.
Oh and another bonus for those of you who might have some Chinese American background - Da Wei speaks fluent Mandarin and Lily speaks fluent Cantonese. Â ;)
All i have to say is Da Wei is the shit and IMHO one of the best tattoo artist out there! I got a half sleeve done by him and it turned out beautiful. It was a memorial for my pup that passed away. He was able to take my very vague idea and turn it in to the greatest tat i could ever imagine. People might think that its a bit pricey there but like that old saying, you pay for what you get and i feel every cent spent at Da Wei's is worth it. So much worth it that i have an appointment to get another half sleeve on my other arm.
Review Source:My dog Jack passed away on April 5th and it's been one of the most painful things I've every gone thru in my life. Â He was like a son to my wife and I and I decided to honor his memory and keep him close to my heart forver by getting his portrait tattooed on my chest. Â I researched portrait artists in the Bay Area and Da Wei Zhang was the only choice for me after seeing his website. Â I had a consultation on the phone with Lily who explained how it would work and how much it would cost...she even tried to talk me out of getting color because of the price but she understood why I wanted it done that way. Â The cost was worth it to me...I honestly don't think anyone else could have given me the tattoo I got. Â Da Wei did a fantastic job and couldn't be a nicer guy...definitely took time to explain things and make sure I liked how it was going and looking. Â It took 3 months to get in and two 2-3 hour sessions. Â Yeah, it hurt some but it wasn't as bad as I thought I would be and I honestly didn't think it would feel good. Â :) Â If you want to see my tattoo I'm on page 25 of their website under Animals. Â Honestly, it was an honor to get my first tattoo from Da Wei. Â I highly recommend him if you want to get a tattoo that really means something to you...he'll take care to make sure it's perfect.
Review Source:lily has done three of my tats and one for my buddy. Â all of them look tremendous. Â she is very detail oriented (not a bad thing) and tries to make you very comfortable. Â my last tat she did goes down the length of my spine which hurt like a motha since it is right there on the bone and there are tons of nerve endings there. Â but i sucked it up and took it like a man.
you get what you pay for, period. Â costs more than most but the quality is better than most. Â got one at marks of art and paid less but it also looks like crap. Â it's time for another one!
Awesome! Da Wei is one of the best tattoo artist money can buy. Lily is the coolest and she's got some skills too. If you want a good tattoo and are willing to pay the price, all I can say is "you get what you pay for." Besides, a tattoo will be there forever so you should get the best one available! I can't wait to go back and have Dai Wei fill up my arm.
Check out their online portfolio too!
I found this place for my first tattoo through Yelp reviews and from a co-worker. It's a husband and wife team who are both artists. Lily is ultra convincing and a very, let's just say expressive artist. Trust her with your idea and she will turn it into a really cool piece. She is so convincing that she will make you think that thier VERY high prices are worth it. Originally she wanted to charge me 480 to get a piece on each foot.  EACH! She talked me out of getting them on my feet to my upper behind instead. I was beyond satisfied with the end results. Definately not as painful as I thought, she was very gentle with her needles. They give you your own personal DVD player and TV, as well as a selection from thier DVD collection so you can block out the uncomfortable noise of the needle branding your skin.  Da Wei and Lily are pretty busy people, so  by the time you call to make an appointment, giving them your idea, and getting an appointment could take up to 2 weeks. If you're getting your very first tattoo, get it here cause it will be a pleasurable experience and worth the extra money.
Review Source:Me and my boyfriend got our first tattoo here. Da Wei is super talented and did my boyfriend's tattoo. It looks awesome! Lily did mine and she made it look exactly the way I wanted it. The downside is that their price is way expensive. But it was worth it. It's going on your body forever so you might as well invest what you put on it! Should give this place a try!
Review Source:Lily successfully threw my fear for tattoo shop needles out of the window, for good. Â Thanks to her skill and half a dozen Tylenols taken in advance, Â it was nowhere near as painful as I envisioned (blame my overactive imagination coupled with my belonephobia).
Three hours and one movie (Legally Blonde - a safer alternative to The Departed) later I was a proud owner of a 5X4" tattoo. Â And no, I do not think $200 (including tip, excluding cost of Tylenol) is steep at all for the experience (and the lack of pain).
I just had to respond to the person who seems to feel tattoo shops should offer tea, scented candles and meditation "duckies and bunnies" music in the back ground. Â
These folks (Da Wei and Lilly) are tops, AAA, No BS. They can be pricey, but you get what you pay for here, and that is stunning perfection. Da Wei is at the top of the talent chain! People spend thousands on a car, then get cheap just before deciding on permanent ink as half sleeves and back pieces, silly rabbits!!! Â My wife has had two very tasteful and phenomenal pieces crafted at Da Wei, and I have one half sleeve. I put my skin where my mouth is! My next will be done there also. Â
* I also really, really like "Tattoo John's" (San Jose Tattoo) work and pricing. He is on San Carlos Blvd. in San Jose.
Try this, go to Da Wei or "Tattoo John", the BEST in the Bay Area, and DEMAND IMMEDIATE service, see how fast they move!!! Â LMAO Â When in Rome, make like a Roman, not an idiot.
*** YES PEOPLE YOU TIP YOUR ARTIST ***
I have two tattoos and both were done by Lilly. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She has a VERY light hand which is good. If you have a tattoo you know what I am talking about. They are both extremely talented and very professional. Da Wei is pretty quiet but Lilly will chat your ear off while she works. Hehe. Lilly has a small television you can watch while she works. My first one took three hours so I got to watch the fellowship of the ring. Hahahahaha. She even asked my two friends to join me so they could give me "support". Oh, and watch the movie too. When I got my second tattoo, my brother was in town so he came with me. He is over six feet tall and close to three hundred pounds but I thought he was going to pass out while he was watching me get inked. She looked up at him and said "It's OK, today you are a butterfly but one day you will be a dragon". I had to make her stop so my laughing wouldn't mess up her lines. I thought that was the nicest way I have ever heard anyone call my brother a baby. hahahahahahaha Â
I am currently putting another piece together and I definitely want Lilly to do it. Be aware they have a huge list of people wanting to get tattoos and there are only two people working there. Lilly handles all of the counter work as well as her tattoos. Be patient. They will work you in. I had to wait over a week to get mine. It's OK because they both do amazing work and you won't be sorry.
I had a flesh colored tattoo inside my left wrist that read as the number 69.
Now obviously, at least I HOPE it's obvious, that the person who did this tattoo made a mistake. What really happened is that I asked for a light pink cancer sign tattoo 2 years ago, the guy mixed together hot pink and white on the spot, and a week later when my tattoo healed, it became obvious that it was flesh colored and not pink, except for one line which my co-workers just recently confided to me they mistook as a suicide attempt (jokingly I hope) when I told them I was going to Da Wei's to fix it.
Da Wei's shop is very conveniently located. I'm sure everyone knows where Tofu House on El Camino is? They're right next door.
Lily, (probably his wife? didn't confirm) was a trip! She is super sweet and asked if I ate bc she's scared I would faint, probaby thought it was my first tattoo lol. She did kinda remind me of a HK pop star with the way she dressed. She was also excited that I spoke in Cantonese and started to talk to me about Hong Kong, etc, until Da Wei was ready to help me. She is also a really good tattoo artist, I watched her work on another girl's back while I was getting my tattoo fixed.
Da Wei was definitely a surprise. I expected a gangsta with tattoo sleeves, instead I got a sweet middle-age Chinese man who is super soft spoken and wears glasses, more like an engineer than anything really. This time I chose a more "tribal" cancer design which CANNOT be mistaken as a 69. We applied, reapplied, then applied the markings again on my wrist to line it up with my sad mistake, (I swear if it was me I would've thrown me out of the shop but he was uber patient), then he proceeded to spend HALF AN HOUR when any other artist would've spent 5 minutes.
Da Wei is extremely detailed, and is careful to go over every little bit of his work to make sure it's absolutely perfect before he will let you go. If you need more proof of his tattooing prowess, just check out all the portraits he has up on the wall of the realistic full back tattoos he's done, along with the tons of recognition he gets from different tattoo magazines.
I'm extremely happy with my wrist now, after scowling at it for 2 years, and would recommend anyone to Da Wei if they want a tattoo done right, new or otherwise!
i got my first tattoo there a few weeks ago.
the lady lily was pretty nice. very funny. I got the phrase love never fails on my back in chinese and the whole time she was saying how beautiful that was.
she fit me in that day even tho i didnt have an appointment.
her husband da wei himself did my tattoo. He allowed for my sister to come into the tattooing area and hold my hand while he tattooed me. He was very professional and made sure that everything was done correctly and completely.
He told me he looked forward to seeing me again since he knew that once you felt the prick of a tattoo gun...you want another...they're addicting.
He is an amazing artist.
Let me start off by saying that I do NOT have any tattoos. However, I must admit that I have always been a fan. I just never knew what to get. The common practice would be to have your zodiac sign etched onto your skin, and it just so happens that mine is the coolest, most majestic of them all. This is actually what lends to the problem.
The thing is that EVERYONE and their grandma has this design, even though they were not born in that year. I know many others of my birth sign who are all irritated by this as well, but what can we say? They all want to be cool like us. Of course, I am talking about the ever so popular dragon.
Besides, it seems like these days you are more rebellious by NOT having any ink on your body. I don't think I know of more than five people under the age of 25 without at least one piece of art somewhere on display. Having a single tattoo won't do anymore. In order to stand out, you must literally be bombed out from head to toe like Crying Freeman to garner any attention. I'm not sure if I'd be willing to go that far.
With that being said, should the day ever come that I make up my mind, Da Wei Tattoo is the place I will visit. Let me give you a bit of background. I met both of the owners, Da Wei and Lily, at one of the real estate developments I used to work at. They were both some of the kindest and professional clients I ever had. I would have never guessed that this was their line of work (not that most tattoo artists are bad). They are definitely NOT your stereotypical Carey Hart/Ami James lookalike tattoo parlor owners.
For starters, they are both Chinese, which is a rarity in the industry. Lily is your middle-aged HK pop star diva type, all decked out in flashy attire and perfectly applied make up. Da Wei is a Northerner, very tall with a commanding presence, but extremely polite and respectful.
It all started a few years back, when Da Wei was visiting the US to showcase his art - traditional Chinese canvas paintings. Lily, whom he had never previously met, already being the savvy business woman that she is, saw plenty of potential in his skill. What exactly did she have in mind?
Obviously, as we all know, painters don't make jack until they are pushing up daisies, so Da Wei wasn't exactly ballin' out. He was willing to listen to what she had to offer. Now, tell me, what is the only type of artwork that you can actually make money doing? Comics? Well, other than that...
Yes, you got it, and the rest, as they say, is history. Although initially unsure if it was the career field he wanted to delve into due to negative stereotypes, Da Wei soon discovered that he was a natural at tattooing, especially since his specialty lies with lifelike portraits. In addition, he is just as talented with many other facets of art. Just a small sampling from his website will indicate that he is rather proficient at what he does. Before long, Da Wei Tattoo rapidly ascended the ranks to become one of the more popular tattoo parlors in the South Bay, having been featured in countless magazine articles and trade shows.
I don't know when and if the day will come that I go under the needle myself, but whenever someone mentions a slight interest, I always give a recommendation in Da Wei's direction. None of them have ever been disappointed. Getting a tattoo at some other parlor can be a daunting experience, especially when bombarded by freaks covered top to bottom with demonic caricatures. Fortunately, Da Wei and Lily make sure your experience is nothing but a pleasurable one. In the world of tattoos, they are definitely one of a kind. Isn't that what it's all about?
P.S. For those interested in getting Chinese character designs, wouldn't it be advisable to have it done by someone who actually knows what he is writing? You certainly don't want to end up on Hanzi Smatter (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hanzismatter.com&s=2adad559671646adf7280a2313c7d8e23d169b0e7166c7935a1b923353ce3660" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.hanzismatter.…</a>).
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