F U Tattoo

I don't usually write reviews, and when I do, it's because I've had a horrible experience and feel a responsibility to warn others.

However, FU Tattoo is exceptional and at the very least deserves exceptional feedback. I've been to several tattoo shops all up and down the coast, from Oregon, Nevada, and of course, throughout Northern and Southern California. I was searching for a tattoo shop in the city I just moved to and was reminded of why I love FU and was inspired to finally write this review.

Firstly, the staff is friendly. I know that word gets thrown around a lot in reviews, but a lot of shops I've been to are simply not nice. The absence of that whole, "I'm a cool tattoo artist and don't need to be agreeable because your tattoo ideas are lame" vibe was a pleasant change from the other shops on the coast. I'm not saying that tattooers are not artists, and are not entitled to respect regardless of whether or not they return it, but it's nice to not worry about getting turned away for wanting something that doesn't fall into typical tattoo categories (I've had a tattooer tell me they wouldn't tattoo me because they're really into Japanese and Americana right now, and my tattoo idea was neither).

Secondly, they are creative geniuses, but are willing to ask each other for help when necessary. I was unfortunate and silly enough to receive a tattoo that was frankly not well thought out, and required a cover up. It took me a long while to decide where to go for the cover up, because I've seen bad tattoos turn into absolutely shitty messy blobs when people attempt to haphazardly cover them. However, the crew really pulled a team effort and literally sat and brainstormed collectively on how to tackle my piece. It is an amazing relief to look down at my body and once more be satisfied with what I see.

Lastly, they are honest. I am not an artist at all, and while I appreciate art immensely, I do not have an eye for whether or not something would make an appropriate tattoo, or what it takes to take a painting, for example, and make it jive with a tattoo idea (which is how my need for a cover up began). But these folks will not merely take your half cooked idea, slap it on your body and take your dollahs- they'll actually let you know if it's realistic and if it is not, will not shoo you away, but will work out a few ideas with you. Again, I've had some less than friendly encounters with various tattooers either telling me "no" without explanation or "yes" when they should have told me I'm being impossible.

K, that's it.

I went under the gun here for n almost full back piece of a video game character.  They were EXTREMELY friendly and extremely helpful.  5 hours of work with one short smoke break later, I had this beautiful piece of art on my back.  I'm impressed with the service and the prices.  If you're looking for really cool guys and really wonderful work for a decent price, I recommend FU Tattoo.

I got my first (and thus far only) tattoo here a couple years ago, so I don't have other experiences to compare it with, but it was pretty awesome and I have no complaints. I didn't have to shop around long for an artist because once I looked at Hudge's portfolio I was sold. A lot of the work displayed in the shop is American old school and pin-up styles (which I can appreciate but don't want permanently on my body), so at first I thought I might not find the right person there for the art I wanted. But flipping through Hudge's work, I saw he had done a sleeve of angels and a sleeve of demons on this dude's arms and it looked like friggin Michelangelo himself decided after doing the Sistine Chapel that he'd get into the tattoo business. I thought, "if you can do that you can do anything." And Im pretty sure Hudge can.

I may have asked for Hudge at a busy time or maybe he always has a wait, Im not sure, but it took a couple weeks or up to a month to see him. I didn't mind because it gave me time to visualize and commit to the piece and for him to draw up a killer sketch.

Hudge knows what he wants as an artist so you might have to compromise with him, but he really knows what he's doing so I'd follow his lead. He wants to do justice to his work so don't ask for a small phoenix like I did at first, haha, because with some subjects you should go big or go home, and he'll pretty much tell you so.

After two sessions I had a beautiful, amazingly detailed and shaded (and to my parents' dismay, very BIG) phoenix tat. Hudge would have made it even bigger if I'd let him with lots of clouds for a background but he let me tone it down. It would have been even more epic Im sure but my parents may have disowned me.

All in all its a bunch of goofy and fairly friendly dudes who really know what they are doing. It runs $100/hr as I recall but I think thats standard for good artists...a big thumbs up for these guys!