I got a little heart outline tattoo by Ashley and I had a great experience here. Even though she knew this was just a small job, she was very accommodating and helpful when we were talking about what I wanted. She had to cancel my first appointment because of a scheduling issue with a previous appointment taking long, but that was fine since I had just a 15 minute tattoo. I made another appointment a few days later and it was great. She was down to earth, relaxing, and made me feel very comfortable.
When I get another tattoo, I'm going to make sure I come back to Ashely.
I had a stellar experience at SuperGenius Tattoo. Two of my friends and I had been planning on getting matching tattoos for years, and when one of us began making plans to move 1,000 miles south, we knew it was time our plans came to fruition.
Our tattoo idea was pretty simple, and probably would have taken an hour. We initially chose some other parlors on the Hill to get our tattoos done, but it being a Saturday night around 9 o' clock, most were closing up shop. We dropped into SuperGenius Tattoo and they were able to fit all three of us in at once. After helping us finalize the plans for our tattoo and coming up with a cool sketch, they sat us down and got to work.
Justin was my tattooist. I found him to be a cool, easy-going dude who knew what he was doing. I enjoy making small-talk with just about anyone I'm paying, and Justin was more than happy to accommodate, and we had a pleasant conversation for the one hour I was on the table. By the time we finished, it was a bit past their official closing time, but Justin was willing to stay late to do a good job, even when his counterparts had already finished up the tattoos on my buddies.
The price was right, and the tattoos came out great! My friends had slightly different experiences by their accounts (one of the tattooists didn't even make an effort to chat with one of my friends for the whole hour), but I'll leave it to them to write their own reviews.
Anywho, after my tattoo fully healed, some of the scabbing had caused bits to flake off and cause the fill to come out uneven. Three months after I got the tattoo, I went in on a Sunday afternoon to get it fixed up. Luckily for me, Justin happened to be working, and he fit me in almost right away. He filled in the gaps on the lettering for free (which only took about 20-30 minutes), and I was only too happy to tip him again for his work. Not only did he fix my tattoo, he was happy to see me again and remembered me at a glance.
Overall, a highly enjoyable experience. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to get a tattoo--first or fiftieth.
Pros: Great staff, quality tattoos, clean shop, the price is right.
Cons: Some of the staff seem a little stand-offish, but if you don't care about small talk while you're under the needle, their tattoo work looks great.
Axi is AMAZING!!! As a tattoo virgin I was completely clueless, indecisive, not to mention scared as hell! She was so patient and accommodating with me through all if the emails and tweaks and changes, and is a huge sweetheart in person as well! She made me feel completely comfortable and much less nervous immediately. As for her work, she is insanely talented! Super clean lines, flawless shading and though she seems to prefer black and grey in her portfolio, she rocks with color choice and placement too! She does all this with a very gentle hand and made the 3 hour sitting as painless as possible for ink being injected into one's skin with a needle. She is really great with dark and twisted tattoos, I would recommend her for guys and gals alike!
The shop itself is very clean with friendly artists and staff. What a great experience! I'll be back :)
I love it here! I got color work done on my forearm and Ashley did an amazing job. The vibe in the shop is super chill till it comes to the actual tattooing; Ashley is definitely a perfectionist, and it's awesome. She was super thorough and focused and I was totally confident to be in her hands. Very easy-going about changing sketches; she's not happy till you're happy. And while she quoted me for a two hour job, it ended up being a little over three hours, because she was being so meticulous. However, she only charged me for the original two hour quoted price! I thought that was pretty cool of her. My tattoo looks exactly how I wanted it to be and I couldn't be happier. Go here!
Review Source:I came here to get a tattoo by Ashley, upon a recommendation from a friend. Â It being my first time getting a tattoo, I was excited but really nervous. Â Ashley was very patient and helpful in working with me on the script that I wanted. Â I think we must of sent 20+ pictures back and forth, until it was perfect. Â I gave her an idea of the image I wanted, and she brought it to life. Â It is a simple tattoo, but beautifully done. Â She is very meticulous about her work, and obviously wants you to walk away with a tattoo you will be happy about for the rest of your life. Â She is very friendly and personable. Â
Everyone else who I interacted with at the shop was friendly and helpful as well.
If/when I get another tattoo, I will be back!
Let me start by saying Ashley is freaking awesome. I wanted to get some existing pieces (originally done by another artist) touched up / reworked a bit. Ashley made them look amazing, and impressed me so much that I came back three days later for a couple new tattoos. Her line work is super clean, shading is great, and she's just an all-around talented artist.
Everyone I talked to at SuperGenius was cool, and Ashley's great to hang out with, which is important when someone is sticking you with needles for a few hours :) I will totally be back when I'm ready for more ink!
Peter is the man! I went in about a week ago with my concept and made my appointment for the following week. When I showed up for my session, he had created a design that was much different than what I had envisioned, but it was awesome none the less! After making a few adjustments to the design based on my feedback we got down to business. I am really happy with the final piece. It was my first time having my neck tattooed and Peter was very sympathetic to the special kind of pain that comes with neck work. He was quick and friendly and has a great vibe. I will definitely be back for more work! Thanks, Peter!
Review Source:after checking out some other places and talking with some other people i felt it click with pete. i walked in - something i'm hesitant to do with tattoos - and asked to speak with whoever was available. and while i told myself to be patient and wait (to make sure i was letting the right person/place) do the work i couldn't wait more than a couple hours.
it helped that his online profile is a picture of him and his dog. and, as this was a birthday present to myself of MY dog, it just felt right. but still, proof is in the pudding. he listened to exactly what i wanted and made the appropriate adjustments as i asked. he was great at connecting the dots between what i said and what i had actually pictured in my mind.
he was quick and attentive. i felt completely confident in him from start to finish - hard to say when you're a walk-in. when it came for the big "reveal" it was all i could do to not cry. seriously. i'd managed to sit through the whole thing like a champ and was not about to loose my cred over my emotions. but, honestly, he NAILED IT! i am in love with my tattoo.
and, a side note. it was ultra-reassuring to have damon walking around the shop. knowing a little bit about who he is made me ever more confident in the quality of the shop and the artists who work in it. his presence was subtle and by no means overbearing. it was just nice to know that the guy is present amongst the shop.
I went to see Pete to get my fourth tattoo; a small piece on my foot. The shop is super clean, and everyone is super friendly. The art on the walls done by Damon is AMAZING. Pete came in, introduced himself and asked what I wanted to get done today. I showed him a picture, and told him the change I wanted made. I emailed him the picture, and LITERALLY within 5 minutes, he came out with a PERFECT piece. I could not have asked for anything different. He put the stencil on, and it was love at first sight! He is a really nice guy, and we talked about cars and stuff while he worked.
I'm OBSESSED with my tattoo! Thank you Pete!
So for an update I had Ashley W. and Peter place tattoos on me. Ashley W. tattooed a Teddy bear on me, which has Awesome shading with super clean lines. I am having Ashley W. tattoo my lower leg sleeve shortly.
Peter tattooed a Lucha Libre mask on me, he did a freaking Amazing job. It came out with a clean classic old school look. He came up with the design in short notice and he killed it. Freaking Stellar tattoo artist at Super Genius.
First tattoo! Checked around at all the different Seattle studios and spent a lot of time (like two years) thinking about the first tattoo and where I would go. Had a good friend come in to town and finally decided I was ready to do this. Called around to a few different studios on a Sunday afternoon. Super Genius was very helpful and super gracious about the whole thing. They talked to me over the phone about what I was going to get, then set me up with a time about two hours later and I was able to walk in talk with the same person I had talked to before and then a few minutes later she was the artist doing the job.
Ashley (from Boston) is an outstanding artist. She was easy-going and committed to what I wanted. She did a super straight job with the text on my arm. She was friendly and did a great job! She was extra patient while I picked out the font and made some great suggestions. I will be back!
Super Genius is a high quality, professional studio. Well worth the money spent and job done! I look forward to getting my next tat there and hope Ashley will be around to do it!
Super genius tattoo is the best shop in Seattle as far as I'm concerned. Big heidi (Heidi sandhorst) is so talented and great to work with. I've been to a whole lot of shops to get work done and super genius is the only shop I've gone to where I feel like the artists truley are talented and care about their work. Heidi is awesome about taking my ideas and making them ten times better than I'd ever imagined. This is not your typical tattoo shop run by a bunch of egotistical artists, super genius is full of down to earth people that genuinely care about you and their work and will always steer you in the right direction.
Review Source:Got my tattoo last night from Pete and it was a great experience. I had stopped by another shop like three times trying to get someone to help me out and finally just decided to go somewhere else. I'm so glad I went to Super Genius. Noah was working the counter the first time I went in and talked me out of a bad idea and laid out some better options.
A week later I went back and I'm so glad I met Pete because he was just really great and nice. He didn't mind my nitpicking or nerves. Everyone's been commenting on how cleanly he did the lines and I agree. He got the font down perfectly. I'm so happy with my tattoo and highly recommend Pete and Super Genius!
I can't say enough good things about Ashley at Super Genius. She was totally honest and straightforward with me about my design then worked with me to perfect it. As far as the actual experience, it was great! I would see her again in a second. I could not be happier with the final result.
Review Source:I've been wanting (but chickening out of getting) a tattoo for the better part of two decades.
Less than a month ago, I thought of a design I wanted - a 45 record adapter - and bragged on my Facebook page that I was going to get it... on my 45th birthday. That was it. I had to do it. No backing down, as I was reminded daily of my obligation to myself, my friends and family.
Two things left to settle - what studio do I choose... and what artist?
I scanned Yelp and found two shops near my home which were "walk-in" friendly, then checked them out in the early afternoon of my 45th.
The first spot was a bit snobby for my taste - their "philosophy" is that their artists should create for the client whatever they see fit, and that they prefer to do large, multi-session pieces to something as pedestrian as I wanted. Though they were well-reviewed, I got a bad vibe from this studio and left.
Next stop, another studio - huge, very clean... and very empty. Only one artist on duty at the time, and it looked like he was working on a complicated back piece. I asked the desk if there would be walk-ins available later, and she noted that a "guest artist" would be arriving later in the day, but might not be able to fit me in. I got the strong impression that, with one artist on staff, and a "guest" coming in later, that perhaps this shop, as nice as it looked, wasn't able to keep artists.
I was bummed. I texted a good friend who'd had a lot of ink done, and she recommended Super Genius. She went further by giving me the email address of Ashley (new in town from Boston). A quick back and forth via email and I was booked for an appointment at 5pm the next day.
I had never been inside the shop before, but when I went in, I immediately liked it. The studio and the people working there seemed to be totally non-pretentious. I filled out a little paperwork while Ashley got her station ready, then she came out with the line art for my design (which I'd sent her an idea of the day before). It was about 1/3 bigger than I had an idea of in my mind's eye, and the position she recommended was a little different than I'd thought about, but I trusted her judgement and moved forward. I am so glad I did it her way!
Ashley was very nice to this 45 year old first-timer. Very conversational. I was apologetic about the design I wanted, that is was a simple design, all black... as a creative person myself, I didn't think there'd be much challenge for her as an artist. Ashley reassured me that every tattoo is another experience for the artist, and that my choice was valid. After about an hour, the job was done. I was pleased to find that the pain was a LOT less than I thought it would be, and the result was fantastic! I'll be back!
I have had 3 tattoos done here and am extremely satisfied with the work I have had done.
I visited SG 3 months ago with a idea for a piece on my arm and ended up getting talked into  a full chest piece! I can honestly say that  wasn't the easiest 5 hours of sitting in a chair but, the final product was definitely worth it! Mike moved fast, and had a really light hand. I wouldn't see anyone else!
Thanks!
Got a large leg piece done By Damon back in 2006... No complaints what so ever. Damon is easy to talk to and was quick. As far as the reviews go that are calling the place dirty, I highly doubt it. I've spend countless hours in this shop and have yet to see anything that would classify this as unsanitary. Odds are the reason why some of your so called bad tattoos may have ended up "messed" up may be because you neglected to follow up on the after-care.
Review Source:I was incredibly disappointed by Super Genius Tattoo. I went in, got a quote for the piece I wanted to get done, they said it would only cost the minimum because it was very simple.
I was then made to wait about an hour, even though the shop was completely empty. And could hear the artists in the back joking around.
When my tattoo artist finally emerged, he was incredibly unwelcoming. He didn't even introduce himself to me, so I can't call him out by name. I don't need my tattoo artist to be the friendliest guys in the neighborhood, but he could of at least feigned interest in the piece I was getting. We ended up sitting there in total silence, other than when he would yell at me "I said look straight ahead."
In the end I was charged more than twice the original quote, and the tattoo I got is faded in places from him doing a less than desirable job. I will definitely never go back there, and advise all my friends not to go there either.
Little Heidi did my tattoo. It took me years to finally get the idea that was in my head onto my skin, most of the time was spent finding the right person for the job. After looking at Heidi's portfolio and then discussing the idea I had, what sold me was her enthusiasm and lack of hesitation. Great portrait... great color. The staff is fun and friendly.
Review Source:For my first Tattoo Super Genius rocked! I was blessed to get my half sleeve from Chris Adams Aka Fat Chris. He (and I) valiantly were constantly going for five straight hours. I was exhausted and in extreme pain at the end but the results speak for themselves. They aren't the cheapest tat shop but they are among the best.
I had a drawing done by a professional and took it to Chris and wanted it done exactly. But I didn't understand the essence of tattoo and pictures on paper don't always match up on skin. So let them work with you and give you ideas. Chris did a great job of taking my ideas and changing the design so it worked for me and the shape of my arm.
If you are in the market for a tattoo don't skimp yourself due to monetary reasons. Don't put cheap art on your body. Super Genius is professional and awesome. Im really glad I went there.
I am the customer from hell. I asked for an artist to draw me something up... then I surrendered the deposit and canceled the whole piece, then I scheduled another one and missed about three appointments due to my hectic schedule. And what did I get in return for being the worst customer ever?? Nothing but absolute kindness and one kick ass tattoo. Big Heidi told me on my way out that because I have a tough time scheduling appointment I can just play it by ear and come by in a few weeks to finish my piece. Where does she get off being so nice? Doesn't she know this is capital hill?? If you want smug artists who scoff at your ideas and treat you like an inconvenience, this is NOT the place for you. Stop by and look at the portfolios. Ill post a picture of my finished tattoo in a few weeks.
Review Source:Little Heidi is the best. She did an add on to my back piece and is in the middle of blending the old and the new together. You can't tell that there are two different artists which was a HUGE concern of mine. I am a perfectionist and I like my artists to be, well, artists- not just tattoo artists. All of my tattoos are custom and very individual, so I don't mess around with just anybody. Plus, she's funny and intelligent. Talks when you want to & doesn't when you don't, which is a plus. I don't want anybody asking how my week is going or about the weather after a few hours of pain.
Review Source:This place was recommended by a friend of a friend. I did not have fun.
I showed up at the time for which I'd made the appointment. They said they didn't have me on the schedule and they must have forgotten to write it down. A tattoo artist asked me to follow him back to his station, and because I thought we were about to have our consult, I followed. He then proceeded to show a bunch of his new artwork, quickly told me my tattoo "wouldn't work", then continued talking about his art.
His tattoo art consisted of dead babies, dying babies, severed and bloody baby heads on ice cream cones, and babies slitting their own throats. He spoke of how fun it is to tattoo dead and bloodied babies on people who also hate babies. I understand that everyone has his or her own world view. And I respect that fact. But anyone who thinks it is normal to talk to complete strangers right off the bat about baby murders and baby hatred might need to rethink how to approach customers. Perhaps his artwork was outstanding, but the fact that he didn't think twice before talking to me about killing babies worried me.
Oh, and he still didn't help me with my tattoo ideas. Also a problem. As I walked out the door, they suggested I schedule another appointment. I declined.
Horrible! Â My cousin and I went in and got simple stars on our arms. Â The artist's name was Heidi... Â The linework is messed up and the coloring in the middle ended up having huge splotches in it on both of us. Â My cousin ended up with a huge raised spot in the middle of hers (probably from needles going too deep). Â I've since had two tattoos done by someone at Lucky Devil. Â I would urge you to go to Lucky Devil first. Â They're just a couple blocks away from Super Genius and actually know what they're doing.
Review Source:I went in today wanting a tattoo and Chris talked with me about what was possible and what wasn't. I never felt like he was being condescending or trying to push me into something I didn't want as I have in some other shops. He drew up my tattoo twice without complaining and was very friendly throughout the whole process especially since I was being super picky. Overall the shop was clean and the staff helpful. I look forward to my second visit to get color added!
***UPDATE*** Â
Went in today to get my color added. Â Chris did a fantastic job with the color (I uploaded a photo - The Red Fairy). Â Even when several people came to speak with him, he never lost his focus. Â Someone even brought him food - and even though I asked him if he wanted a break to eat - he kept going!
Also, he quoted me a price at the original sitting for the color and even though the time it took for the second sitting went well above that quote - he still didn't change the price!
The tattoo is amazing- he even touched up the original tattoo that is above the fairy. Â It was 10 years old and faded/muddled up. Â It now looks amazing as well.
The whole tattoo looks very organic - like the two tattoos originally were meant to go together. I'm very impressed overall!
I got a tattoo from Chris Adams here a little less than a month ago when I was visiting  Seattle and it's INCREDIBLE! The colors he chose are insanely awesome, I get compliments on it from everyone who sees it! The tattoo is so solid and bright, and the design is sooo cool, something he drew for me based on a painting of his I really liked!! He's a really funny too so he's fun to get tattooed by! And this tattoo healed the fastest of any I've ever had, wow! Go see Chris if you know what's good for ya!
Review Source:There are only three tattoo shops in Seattle that I would recommend and Supergenius is not only the first place that I would recommend, but it's also the shop that can claim the most hours put on my person.
I've been in a tattoo shop or five and the thing I find to be the biggest turn off is how pretentious some artists can be, which happens more often than not. I've never felt that way at all at Supergenius. The staff is, quite frankly, some of the friendliest, if only slightly crass, people you'll ever meet.
Another facet that I love about the people who work there is that they're honest. They'll let you know what will work in your favor, but not in a dismissive way; it's explained in a way where you feel like you can avoid one of those horrible "Here's a tattoo I regret" war stories.
I've been going to Supergenius since 2004 and I really don't see myself going anywhere else.
Very, very professional and competent. Â I've had two small pieces done here as parts of a larger torso piece, and I've been totally satisfied both times. Â When the first one needed touching up, it was a cinch to get the appointment and it was free to boot. Â Their aftercare advice is sound, and I've always felt comfortable with the tattooist doing the work. Â These are obviously people who care about their craft and I intend to give them my patronage for years to come.
Review Source:I went to Damon Conklin for my half sleeve- and could not be happier. Â There's a reason why he's booked out almost a year these days (from what I hear). Â He's expensive, but he works FAST and for something that's going to be on my body the rest of my life- it's well, well worth the cost. Â I loved my appointments with him- I was comfortable and he kept me laughing most of the time. Â His work is absolutely stunning- my arm looks like it was done in watercolor, and I get compliments on it constantly. Â I wouldn't go in if you're looking for something small and silly on a whim. Â Go in if you're looking to get a serious tattoo from a serious artist.
Review Source:Came here last Christmas and got a small design that I drew together. I always have the artist sharpen up my designs (except 1 of my tattoos). I forget who did mine, but he was cool. He wasn't one of those talkative types, you know? Sometimes you get a real open, "bubbly" person and other times there just chill.
I like really secretive, small tattoos that no one can see and he did a great job on my design. It hurt a lot more than I thought it would. I was surprised, usually doesn't hurt, but I got in a sensitive area. I would come here again, it's clean and the service is professional and laid back.
Note: CASH ONLY.
hubby and i walked in looking to get some ideas for his new tattoo...the place looked pretty dirty and unorganized, but we went ahead and talked to one of the tattooist's there. a young white dude with brown hair, didn't give us his name...
anyway my husband tells him what he's looking to get and he walks away and says he'll be right back. ok, i guess he's drawing something up? we don't know, he didn't say anything. he comes back like 20 minutes later with a drawing of what looks like an idea of what my husband was wanting but not quite, and the tattooist is ready to put the stencil on and go to work...lol. when we told him it's not really what he had in mind and if we could talk more about what we wanted he got some major attitude, and walked outside to light up a smoke..lol...we asked if he had a card out of politeness and he said "no"...so needless to say we were turned off that place.
they should keep it cleaner too...all the other parlors we went to were emaculate...super genuis had crap all of the place...nasty.
Walked in with a very basic design. It was my first tattoo, so I was a bit uncomfortable, but the whole experience was great, non-judgmental, put me at ease the whole time. I didn't realize it was cash only so Thomas was patient as I went to the ATM and came back.
Thomas was also super-detailed about cleanliness and sterilization, which I appreciated for my first experience as well. It's nice to feel like the details are taken care of, it avoids the awkward questions.
I can't speak for the super-detailed artwork that some folks are looking for, but based on the artwork and talking to friends it seems like they can do it all, so I'd recommend them for just about anything.
For my second tat I went to Super Genius. I honestly made no research about this place. None. The design was simple, anyone could do it. The only reason I really came here is because I've seen it passing by on my way to and from the Wild Rose.
Rich did a good job, manage to have a good conversation and later became my friend on myspace. The tat is almost done healing, it hasn't even been 2 weeks. Overall - no complaints.
Oh, and remember - CASH ONLY!
I just had my first tattoo completed by Thomas Graham at Super Genius, and I'm blown away by the results. Based on a basic description of what I wanted, and a copy of the poem that inspired my idea - Thomas created a drawing that not only perfectly captured my idea, but looked cooler than I imagined.
The color is absolutely incredible, and so far everyone I've shown has been pretty blown away by the quality of the work and the originality of the piece. (It's a bluebird flying out of an anatomical heart).
I'll definitely be seeing Thomas again for any additional work I have done.
i cannot remember the name of the cat who did my tattoo...
but he was extremely unfriendly and didn't say anything while he was tattooing me.
i tried to be friendly and initiate small talk to alleviate the awkwardness but he wasn't having it.
plus the place was NOT clean. that doesn't put your mind at ease when someone is basically injecting a needle in you a million times. why did i stay and have my tattoo done there? great question.
my tattoo was decent but jesus...you have to learn some social skills buddy.
Damon Conklin - the purveyor, super genius and renter of chairs in this place - just ROCKS. Â He has created a great space for artists of all schools to do their work and does some damn fine work himself. Â
He is also the Bad Mamajama who brought us the Seattle Tattoo Convention. Â He's just a smart man who should be an inspiration to us all - he figured out how to do what he loves and even gives a little back.
If you're looking for some fresh ink - hit this place up. Â Rates vary by artist, there will be someone there who is an expert in the style you desire most definitely.
Ryan Rodgers rocks! (How's that for an alliteration!?)
I seriously don't think I could get a tattoo from anyone else. Ryan is really nice and patient. I think I had him change the placement of my first tattoo at least a few times. No grumbles came from his end. I got my first tattoo from him and he made me feel super comfortable. I recently decided to add more ink to my chest and came to him with just three words. He drew my tattoo up even cooler than I had imagined it. He definitely deserves the title of tattoo ARTIST. Plus, he does free touch-ups. So, you don't have to keep dishing out loads of cash if your tattoo fades or gets spotty.
Also, my friend told me she wrote a paper on tattoo shops for school and this said that this one was always highest ranked in cleanliness scores, as well as other things.
I think they charge about $125/hour. Which I'm sure is more than those tattoo shops that are staffed with old crusty dudes who wear cut off shirts, listen to butt-rock and don't give a shit if you like THEIR tattoo charges. But, if you're going to get something on your body for-ev-er, make sure you go to a place that's going to do it right. Go here.
********************************
Update 7/23/07:
I just got my quarter sleeve finished this weekend. It looks amazing. Again, Ryan drew up something special for me from just an idea I threw out there. He's super nice and makes me feel comfortable. He's willing to do what I want, but also offers advice of what would look the best. Lucky for him, I'm now "addicted" and will be back when I get some extra money again!
Lots of awards on the walls. Â That's all I really need to have my confidence inspired in someone who's about to permanently alter my body.
I minused one star because my "h" came out looking a little bit like a "b". Â Other than that, everything was rad. Â I'll be going back for sure...
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