Worked with John and couldn't have been happier with my experience. He was SO patient and not once did I feel he was judging what I wanted to put on my body. He also gave his honest, professional opinion on what would look good now and over time. I appreciated that as some I've been to have the response of, "it's however you want," which isn't helpful at all. He was also very calm and made any adjustment I asked for. Best tattoo experience I've had.
Review Source:I have all the love for Scapegoat! Brian Wilson did a three quarter sleeve on me & my at-the-time partner & dang was it difficult ending a relationship in which all involved parties had the sexiest arms around.
I asked Brian to draw up a complex design that incorporated lots of separate components & the final piece is stunning. I've had the tattoo over a year now & am so satisfied. We had had a consultation & talked about size and composition. When he whipped out the final sketch a week later at my appointment, it was bigger and sprawling in different dimensions than we'd initially talked about. However, I chose Brian because I knew I loved & trusted his style so I had made it very clear from the get-go that I wanted to give him full liberty with this design, & that any changes he'd made were fine by me. I also liked the final shape of it more than the initial idea. Before showing me what he'd put down he said we could shrink it if I wanted but I wouldn't have changed anything (except maybe the figures in my bank account).
RECOMMEND RECOMMEND RECOMMEND. duh it's worth the wait you fools!
I was tattooed by Brian Wilson, the shop owner, on June 8th, after about a 6-8 month wait, when he agreed to take on my project. Â (Frankly, I don't understand why there are other reviews complaining about this. Â Brian is so amazing, he gets to pick who and what he wants to work on. Obviously, this is the type of tattoo artist you want to work on you.)
I sent Brian a series of reference photos via email and a few brainstorming ideas, put down a $160 deposit, and waited my turn. There was good communication through his assistant, Annie, and I felt good about the entire process.
I showed up at noon and Brian wasn't completely satisfied with the drawings he had done. He apologized for the delay, but let me know he was going to re-work some stuff. Â (Again, obviously this is the type of tattoo artist you want to work on you. Â Someone who takes pride in their work, and every piece needs to be good.)
We started tattooing after getting the station set up around 1:45, and took a break around 5:30 to eat lunch, then kept going til about 8:45.
The total tattooing time was about 5.5 hours, and I now have one of the most incredible 3/4 sleeves I have ever seen. Â I am so, so proud to have this piece of art on my body.
Brian's pricing is VERY fair, especially for an artist of his caliber, and he works quickly. Â He has a session timer attached to the power supply of his tattooing machines, which keeps track of the actual time spent tattooing. Â Unlike some artists I have been tattooed by, you aren't paying him to chat with his buddies, go get a snack, or take a piss.
The artists here who were working while I was getting tattooed were also fantastic. Â I saw two pieces of Aron's, and a large piece by Greg (aka Greggletron). Both were amazing. Â Brian has put together some great artists.
If you want a true piece of art on your body and are willing to wait for it to happen, go to Scapegoat.
I have wanted a tattoo from Ryan for years and years as he has some of the best tattoo work I have ever seen. Unfortunately, he is so highly requested now that he doesn't have a lot of availability to tattoo new clients and thus only works on projects he is personally interested in. While it is a total bummer, it is definitely understandable given his popularity (I don't get why another user thinks that is so outrageous?...) so I decided to contact another artist at Scapegoat, Greg, whose work I have also been following.
I gave Greg some loose ideas for what I wanted for a sleeve and he came up with something more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined and set me up with an appointment within a week. My arm is currently a work in progress with several sessions still left to go but even in its unfinished state I can't stop staring at it because it is THAT freaking beautiful. This guy has some serious talent.
Greg and everyone I interacted with at Scapegoat were super friendly and laid back which to be honest, is the opposite of what I was expecting in this town where I have heard a lot of stories about rude and snobby tattooers.
I highly recommend Greg or any of the other artists at Scapegoat. Everything I have ever seen come out of this shop is outstanding.
I have waited a very long time (over a year) to write this review. Â I went to Scapegoat back in February of '11 for a consultation to design a soft, feminine, colorful, no black tattoo. Â None of the established artists were available so someone new, Silje, helped me. Â Long story short, several sessions later I ended up with a TERRIBLE tattoo that is absolutely NOTHING like what I wanted. Â I got a harsh, badly colored, full of black lines, piece of shit with complete lack of detail or creativity. Â Many tears have been shed and I'm stuck with a tattoo that I don't like. Â
I have since spent a ton of money and several sessions with a different artist at a different studio to try to fix it. Â I can live with it now, but what a terrible ordeal. Â
This place is not worth the hype. Â At all.
If you don't like it here, it's not them; it's you.
I've been getting tattooed by Brian for over five years -- since way back in the Division Street days --and I couldn't be more in love with what he's done for me. Â Ok, except maybe in the summertime when I can't walk more than a block down the street in short-sleeves without someone stopping me to ask for a closer look at my arms, and gush over how beautiful his work is. Â "I've never seen anything like that" and "That doesn't even look like a tattoo -- it's like a painting" are two of the most common compliments I hear, and I have to agree with both. Â I can go to him with a few rough, scattered ideas and he'll turn them into something that's so far beyond anything I could have imagined/hoped for, I can never really believe it. Â And the really amazing thing? Â With every piece he does, he just gets better and better.
The shop itself is warm, inviting, and immaculately clean. Â The artists all do beautiful custom pieces in a variety of styles and charge fair rates for the high quality of their work. Â And that whole vegan thing? Â Bonus if you are, but don't let it scare you off if you're not. Â The shop is absolutely committed to it, but won't make you feel out-of-place if you're not.
How did I not leave a review after visiting here?! I must fix this.....
I walked in hoping to speak with Ryan about a tattoo I wanted that would be the start of an entire sleeve. I was told I would have to submit my design for his consideration and he would decide if it was something he wanted to do. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Whose tattoo is this? Why should something I want and I am paying for have to pass his approval? That's out.
Next I asked about Brian and was told he was busy. I could se him upstairs eating and I was the only one in the place. I now see a trend of overly self-important "artists" going on here.
Suddenly the young man speaking to me says "I have you booked for tomorrow". I told him I thought that was impossible- no one was willing to see me. He said "I booked you with myself". I asked who he was and why would he do that. He said "My book is over there- I am Henry". I went and looked through his book- UGH! He wasn't going to touch me, even if it was washable ink.
I told him no thank you and left. A friend of mine ignored my warnings and went there to get a very important tattoo piece done. Henry worked on her and it didn't turn out well. She had to go back to get if fixed, and it still isn't right.
I don't get the hype. They are not the only vegans in town- this is Portland folks. I got what I wanted, and cheaper, elsewhere. Stop playing to into this type of hyped up crap. Your money is better spent elsewhere.
it took me a long time to get a tattoo. Like, 5 years of knowing what I want and more or less where I wanted it. So I asked people who had beautiful pieces where they got them done. Scapegoat came up many times and I decided that was where to go.
I am so happy with my tattoo. Brian was fantastic. It was my first tattoo and I did not feel intimidated or anxious. It was all very comfortable and professional.
My tattoo looks beautiful, it healed really well, and I am showing it off to everyone and highly recommending Scapegoat!
As a self-proclaimed food snob, one can only guess how picky I am choosing a permanent piece of body art.
I deliberated my wrist tattoo for four years before making an appointment, mainly because I couldn't decide on the perfect font.
John was incredibly patient while drawing and redrawing my tattoo over the course of an hour (yeah, I'm embarrassingly picky).
He was professional, clean, and patient.
While sitting on a chair with my arm twisted, I asked if there was a more comfortable position, and he drug over a padded table I could lay on, even though the actual tattooing only took ~15 minutes.
A couple friends crowded nearby to take photos and talk, and he wasn't distracted.
I recommend John to everyone.
I am so pleased with the end result and glad he didn't give up on me.
Tattoos are certainly addictive, I want another already!
Maybe I'll only wait 2 years this time, knowing I'm in good hands.
Brian did my left leg from ankle to knee, all the way around, he also decorated my left armpit and left sleeve. As the proud owner of two big pieces from this shop, I can recall only pleasant experiences from being tattooed at Scapegoat.
The soft, rustic decor of the interior is strangely soothing, I spent several hours staring at the whirring fan and cracked ceiling. At the front desk you are offered vegan candy in a bowl, and since it's always good to stock up on sugars when being tattooed...
It's good to be patient, as they are usually booked for months ahead, but waiting is worthwhile.
It's a vegan tattoo shop, so refrain from wearing your leathers and furs, or you won't be so welcome! Duh.
My husband and I went here to get a piece done by visiting artist Cris Cleen. However, we were really impressed by the shop. I love the way they run their business and what the represent. The resident artists all have great looking portfolios. The folks that worked there were really nice and the shop has a great feel to it. I'll definately consider getting a piece here next time I'm in town.
Review Source:I just had my very first tattoo done by Dylan @ Scapegoat. Â I am SUPER stoked with the quality and the process. Â I would have ranked them 5 stars, but I didn't get to see the drawing until an hour before hand (it was late) and my appointment started an hour later than planned. Â Not a big deal, really, but as a nervous first timer, it was just a little odd and I felt weird just roaming around.
I felt comfortable through the experience and am really glad I went to Scapegoat. Â The vegan angle is very important to me (as a vegan) which was the primary reason I went to this shop. Â
It has only been 24 hours since being inked, I am really happy, and everything looks GREAT.
Brian is currently working on my arm. I've flown up twice now for three sessions. Gettin' closer!
When he first showed me the drawing, my thoughts were, "Wow, that's freaking crazy."
He's a very hospitable guy, and has an awesome/unique style. I've already gotten compliments on his work from other artists.
Everyone else at the shop seems pretty nice, and lots of good food in the area. They also have a bunch of crazy stuff on the wall that's neat to look at.
When I saw Scapegoat's online portfolio I was impressed and thought I would give them a try, even though I'm very picky about my tattoo work. I called the shop and was told I couldn't make an appointment over the phone... okay, that's a little weird; so far I'm not thrilled.
I rode my bike over on a weekday when I figured they'd be less busy. There were two tattoo artists working and nobody at the front desk. One guy looked up from his work and went back to tattooing. Not a big deal, I kept waiting. Nearly 15 minutes go by so I eventually said "Hey guys, is there somebody I can talk to?" and one artist rudely snapped "I'm busy." OKAY. I was about to leave when a girl finally came out from the back of the shop, looking extremely stoned. Whatever. I asked about making an appointment and she told me they needed a $60 deposit JUST for a consultation. And they would only accept cash for it - which I understood to be non-refundable??? Please!
The best part was when I was told that the artist I had been considering was booked out for the following SIX MONTHS. Apparently that includes consult time? No thanks!!!
When I realized I wanted to stay in Portland a while, I wanted to create more bonds with the city itself. One way I do that when I move around, is by getting tattooed and connecting the timeline in my head to the one in the physical realm. I went around to several shops on the East side, and did not feel comfortable, welcome or heard until I came to Scapegoat.
I am not a vegan, but really like that they have vegan ink and are being conscious about every aspect of that lifestyle. I set up a consultation that day with Dylan, who was kind and willing to listen to what I wanted, but unsure of how I wanted the elements of the tattoo to work together. He was kind, respectful, and knowledgeable.
The tattoo which is in a tender place on my stomach and ribs was very beautiful (and more painful than I remember), and when I needed a minute to focus on my breathing, he was non-judgmental, extremely patient and understanding with me, and we set up the next and final session.
Though the initial discomfort is fading, my attitude about the shop itself and the guys there is not. They are wonderful!
When I came here last year, I took a picture of PDX's Vegan Mall (made up of Sweetpea Bakery, Herbivore Clothing Co., Food Fight Grocery, and Scapegoat). Â I cut out Scapegoat from the picture, because it was irrelevant to me. Â I thought I would never visit. Â Who knew that I'd be back almost a year later for a tattoo at this very place?
It's been a few days, and so far so good. Â I had to dock a star because I emailed them a few months in advance for an appointment and recommendations (once to Ryan, the other to their general address), and never got a response. Â But they got confirmation of my PayPal deposit!
The space is clean and inviting. Â I waited a half hour for my artist, Dylan, to get set up, which I didn't have a problem with. Â It gave me a chance to calm my nerves a bit. Â Dylan was easy to work with, patient and friendly. Â I loved the wall art, which I had stared at in pain. Â I knew what I wanted, and it was fairly small, so I was in and out in no time. Â All in all, not bad for $70.
The big thing here is their use of vegan ink. Â Even though I try to reduce the use of animal products in my everyday life, as a vegetarian, I'm still not anal enough to care that the ink is made up of cow dung or horse intestines. Â But I do appreciate their conscious effort to provide a service to those who do... Â
Really, their vegan shop was just my excuse to get another tattoo. Â There, I said it.
Upfront: I'm more of a "white-collar" tattoo guy and less like one of those "biker" tattoo guys. By no means am I a tattoo parlor aficionado, having visited only a handful of them in my life. I have two tattoos and both are easily covered by my shirt. If that qualifies me as a pussy in your book go ahead and skip this review.
That said, Scapegoat is a pleasant and clean tattoo shop. Absent is the annoying buttrock that normally blares through the speakers at other shops. There were no fat tattoo artists nicknamed "Tiny" either - just regular guys. The atmosphere worked for me, in other words.
The individual artists have their portfolios on display for you to peruse while they prep, and I noticed that there weren't as many Skull & Crossbones and "My Momma didn't Love Me" type tats that are common in other parlors. Their art seems to be a bit more sophisticated.
The experience was good. Dylan was quick and steady-handed. He touched-up an existing tat and added a bit on. I was in and out in about an hour and a half, for about $120 cash.
I travel here from San Francisco to get tattooed. Brian and the other guys are not only great tattooers, but they strive to be a environmentally-conscious business and use absolutely no animal products. There's not a shop like that in San Francisco (or anywhere that I know of, frankly). You Portlanders are lucky!
Review Source:I'm going to be completely honest: most tattoo shops are pretty inhospitable and run by total douche-lords. I've been in a lot of them, and the vast majority are insufferably uncomfortable -- and this is before any needles even come near you. The usual crap that you have to brace for is trashy flash art on the walls, a lot of bad/corny rockabilly bullshit all over the place, and the horrible, ever-permeating reek of "cool-guy" syndrome.
So you basically have to let a lot of really intolerable things slide just in order to get that sick tribal tat or lower back stamp or whatever other stupid thing you want to imprint on yourself forever.
To be fair, tattoo artists also have to deal with plenty of idiots (see 'Debe B.' or whatever below) and in a lot of ways I sympathize with them for having to spend so much time around people who are completely clueless. Let me explain something before I get on with the actual review:
'Bad tattoos' can be the result of many different factors. Sometimes the tattoo itself is poorly rendered, and the artist rushed through it without actually caring about the end result. This is usually the case with tattoos applied at carnivals, motorcycle festivals, and cell-block 4.
Some people have adverse reactions to certain ink pigments (similar to allergies) and result in poor healing or scar tissue around the tattoo. The pigment can look washed-out or 'bled' because your body simply doesn't know what to do with the red color that was needled into your epidermis. Similarly, certain parts of the body simply don't hold ink very well, regardless of technique or individual reactions.
And finally, some people are just total morons and don't follow the after care advice that their artists give them.
So, moving forward.
Scapegoat Tattoo is none of the above things. The shop itself is incredibly clean, comfortable, & unique, and inhabited by a group of very dedicated and talented artists. While the whole vegan, Earth friendly, cruelty-free ink thing is certainly something to feel good about, it's really the cheerful and relaxed atmosphere coupled with amazingly creative artists that makes Scapegoat one of the best shops Portland has to offer. And it doesn't hurt that you can go buy a vegan cupcake and a cup of joe at Sweetpea Bakery while you are waiting.
My suggestions would be to hunt down Ryan Mason (the youngest & scruffiest, yet arguably the most talented artist at the shop) or owner Brian Wilson (you can't miss him). All the guys are great, though, so you will be in good hands no matter who you end up with.
post script: If you are the type of person that actually complains about the price of tattoos, do the world a favor and just don't get any, ok? Otherwise just go to prison and get them for free like everyone else.
I'm old, cranky, and mostly unhip. Because of this, I didn't want to get tattooed in a place where I'd get eyerolls for not having a zillion piercings or tattoos already. As soon as I called Scapegoat, I knew they were going to be cool. The shop is beautiful and clean, and Henry did a fantastic job on the design and execution of my tattoo. Everyone was friendly and professional. Whether you're vegan or not, I'd definitely recommend this shop.
Review Source:This is THE place to get a tattoo in Portland. My tattoo isn't even finished and I'm raving about my experience. Brian is an amazing artist and he seems like a really cool dude. Not only did he look at all sorts of pictures of the wood ducks he tattooed on me, but he learned little facts about woodies too. I thought that was neat. Everyone I have proudly showed my tattoo to has been wowed. And of course the shop is decorated awesomely and it's super clean. Most of all, it's cool to have an animal tattooed on you by someone you know doesn't eat ducks for dinner. Yay for vegan tattoos!
Review Source:Brian Wilson- Owner, Artist, MANIMAL.
You could go here for ethical reasons, and you would be justified. I have to imagine that the research and work that goes into keeping a tattoo shop vegan must be time-consuming, to say the least.
You could also go here because Brian Wilson is a great artist. Especially when it comes to custom interpretations of weird/creative stuff.
And its vegan. By a dude who legitimately believes in the cause, not in capitalizing on it.
When the portland vegan mini mall is up and going it will almost be enough to make me move to oregon. Don't worry, I said almost. Scapegoat is definetly in contention for the most awesome vegan business in portland. The dudes are awesome. The shop is vegan. AAANNNND... Its right next to snacks.
Ryan mason, the aforementioned "dreamy" one did an amazing job with a portrait of my puppy on my thigh (see pictures). He does super good animal tributes, so get one!
Brian and john were good company keepers too.
All in all a solid shop and I will be taking many trips down to portland to get tattooed in the future.
Damn you portland.
Since September of '05, Scapegoat has made a name for itself in Portland for being the first and only vegan owned and operated tattoo shop. Â (Did you even know that not all tattoo inks are vegan???)
Ask for Ryan Mason--he's the dreamiest tattoo artist there, but if he's unavailable, any of the three resident artists will do.
Prices are normal--$120 an hour. Â All of their work is custom and appointment only. Â Call ahead--they are generally booked out a few months in advance.
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