The Great American Tattoo

So. Much. Conflict. That's how I feel writing this review. On one hand, Pete is a brilliant portrait artist. Kat von Dee ain't got nothin' on him. If you want someone's face etched into your skin, this should be your first stop...

...and there's the sticking point. It SHOULD be. However, Pete likes tattooing what Pete likes ... if your interests don't match up, you may be disappointed. He is all about the horror/macabre genre, so if you're thinking you want a big ol' realistic Frankenstein's monster or a girl with Dia de Los Muertos makeup, I would tell you to run, not walk to TGATC. The awards all over his booth speak for themselves

However, I emailed him prior to my appointment with very specific ideas for my custom half-sleeve, and when I got to his shop (over an hour away), he'd just printed some pictures off of Google image search. I probably should have taken the hint right then, but I went ahead and trusted his judgment. I wasn't disappointed at all with the quality, but after the linework and one other shading session (that he cut short), I decided to go another artist who was more interested in the style I was looking for.

So my experience is really a matter of not connecting with the artist, which is probably the exception rather than the rule. Like I said, if you want a black and white portrait, especially if you're into horror films, don't waste your time going to anyone else. He even offers discounts if you do something on his "wishlist."

Peye Carreno is one of the most gifted artists I've ever seen, wether your interested in getting a tattoo or not, you have to stop in this shop in see some of his works on display...