From February 14th (Valentine’s Day), through the 16th, Lighthouse Tattoo will be closed to finish our most recent renovations! Those of you who have visited the shop have seen the work we have been doing and these three days will be used to tie things up nicely! We will be re-opening for normal business hours at noon on February 17th so everyone can see the work we’ve had done! Thank you for your patience as we grow our shop to better serve our loyal clientele!
For those of you who have been able to enjoy one of the parties held here at Lighthouse Tattoo we have good news, the next party is in the queue! It seems like the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has managed to split the uprights, seeing an uptick in infection rates weeks after our Ugly Christmas Sweater party and it looks like it will crest and subside significantly before our next party, which is something we can all be very glad for. As we reach the sort of equilibrium between vaccination and natural immunity that will afford us a resistance to Covid that will allow a bit of the last two years’ hysteria to fade, we will celebrate by getting our St. Patrick’s Day freak on!
On Saturday, March 19th, Lighthouse Tattoo will be hosting our famous St. Patrick’s Day party. Free Food and booze, great people, great music, all add up to a great time! We will be making further announcements in the future, we just wanted to make sure everyone knows what day to mark off their schedule now that it seems that we can breathe a little easier with Covid on the downside of things.
Well, it’s almost here. As people get ready for their Super Bowl parties, so many more of them will begin looking forward to receiving a refund from the IRS. It’s expected to be a bit delayed this year, but if you intend to use that money to get tattooed, we would strongly encourage you to go ahead and set an appointment now! Every year we run into the same problem: people wait until that have the cash in hand; then try to get a sleeve started as a walk-in (okay, it may not be that drastic all the time, but it has happened). An $80 or $100 deposit will get time reserved with the artist of your choosing (except Will Wood, he has limited his availability to existing clients and special projects only). So don’t wait! Schedule you appointment now!
Spencer’s sister told him about Lighthouse Tattoo. So for his very first tattoo, he flew all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada to get two sessions from Will in the same week! Since the Sleeve isn’t finished, we only managed to snag a couple of shots and this is the best one we took of this dead guy piece, we won’t try to spell that old pharaoh’s name here, but you know it, that Egyptian dude. Spencer has already scheduled a follow-up appointment to get more work done in June and we’re excited to be able to show you more of this amazing piece then!
Well, after everyone has has their fill of Christmas dinners and gotten rid of holiday travel jet lag, quarantined or recovered from Covid, we are finally all back to work for the first time since before Christmas! It took a bit of doing and we certainly appreciate your patience, but we’re back and ready to go!
So here’s the skinny on how things look as of right now:
Deuce is currently booking about a month out. He has a little bit of time here and there, but his weekends (as usual) book first, so hit us up if you want to get tattooed before the busy tax refund season rush.
Matt is booking a couple of weeks out, with little bits of time here and there for small stuff.
Dave has some time available and is returning to work after an extended hiatus
Crystal is also returning to work this weekend, she has plenty of time available for walk-ins and small stuff. Crystal doesn’t tackle the bigger stuff or do sessions, she’s strictly doing walk-ins and small stuff as we move to make our walk-in business more convenient.
Hannah is our newest addition and will be tattooing walk-ins during the week. This means that we will have walk-in artists seven days per week, but please keep in mind that they have limited experience and will only be doing small pieces. We will finally be able to fit in that spur-of-the-moment tattoo urge we’re always hearing about!
We are adding two additional piercers to make sure if someone’s out we can still serve you as well as a newly created position, a Client Manager, whose job is to tend to your every need.
Will, you ask? Will is currently only scheduling appointments for returning clients, his schedule has gotten so full managing it has become a full-time job and he needs to finish some of the large pieces he is working on in order to be able schedule any new clients during a reasonable time-frame. We will post on this website once he is booking new clientele. We encourage interested parties to submit an appointment application under the ‘set an appointment’ tab, as Will does take a look at them and gives priority to clients based on the quality of their ideas.
We hope that we can continue to grow and serve even more of you this coming year as we intensify our push to make getting a great tattoo more fun and convenient for everyone. We hope to hear from you real soon!
This years-old hairy portrait of Willy Wonka brings to mind arguments of ‘who did it better?’ Johnny Depp is truly a fantastic actor, but he’ll never really be able to compare to the original: The late, great Mr. Gene Wilder. Wilder’s take on the candy purveyor embodied his lightly menacing quirkiness. In fact, it’s his bold portrayal that made the role for Johnny Depp to step into even possible. The lighting isn’t great in this photo, but we’ll take the time to point out the level of detail in the delicate smile Wilder offers in this photo, as well as the depth and tangibility of the bow tie. Enjoy!
Late last year our resident realism artist, Will Wood made an offer to do a portrait of Pennywise at a significant discount. Here is the result of that session! The interesting thing is, Will made the offer as sort of a first-come, first-served deal, but he got so much interest in it he felt he couldn’t turn so many people down and just take a single winner. Besides, the whole reason Will wanted to do the piece was because he loves horror movies and he thought it was cool.
So here’s what happened: We asked everyone who was interested to get on this website and fill out an application to set an appointment. On that application it asks what your budget is. Will set a price that seemed reasonable and like a good deal, and anyone who listed an amount over that number would get the tattoo for the price Will picked. That price? $400. A phenomenal deal by any stretch of the imagination!
This Pennywise is one of the two pieces Will has done so far, completed in a single session over about 7 hours. The lesson here is to follow Lighthouse Tattoo on Instagram and Facebook, as well as logging in to this website weekly in order to get wind of some of the amazing deals we offer from time to time! We will have more to offer in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
Recently Pete Davidson announced his intention to have all of his tattoo removed. If you’re not familiar with Pete Davidson, he has a ton of tattoos, from the looks of it, most of them bad. Poor decision making coupled with poor execution has resulted in Pete deciding that he’d be better off without all those tattoos. Every. Single. One.
He says it’s because he wants to pursue a serious acting career, that the tattoos will keep him from getting good roles. While this is definitely possible, it hasn’t stopped plenty of other A-list actors from getting jobs, from Johnny Depp to Angelina Jolie to people like the Rock and Danny Trejo, whose tattoos have become an important part of their celebrity. Truth is, people like Pete want to get their tattoos removed because they made poor decisions and got bad work. That’s the problem, not ‘being tattooed’, but ‘being tattooed badly’.
We get hammered online for turning people away for various reasons. Ultimately it amounts to the fact that people don’t like being told ‘no’ and they especially hate it coming from someone in a service industry. The benefit of coming to a place like Lighthouse Tattoo is you’re less likely to end up like poor Pete here. If something doesn’t feel right about what you’re asking for or why you’re asking for it, we tend to strongly discourage moving forward with the idea. If we both decide to proceed, you can bet your sweet aunt Sally that your tattoo will be done at a high level and it won’t be something you want to have removed later.
Judging from his role on SNL and King of Staten Island, young Pete Davidson has a bright career ahead of himself. But if he doesn’t achieve what he wants to in life, it won’t be the tattoos that stop him, it will be his own choices.
If you don’t want to regret your tattoos in the future, make good choices and go to the best artist you can find. Simple as that.
Babies are selfish. They cry any time they don’t get what they want. It’s something we start training out of them almost immediately, ‘don’t be a crybaby’ is an admonishment we’ve all heard. Later we learn patience, then we learn the benefits of self-sacrifice, like once we establish lasting friendships, find lovers, or have children. We learn that doing something for others is worthwhile and feels good. Eventually we learn that helping others is one of the most rewarding things we can do.
. The world can seem like a very selfish place if all you ever do is take care of everyone else. It can grate on you and erode the patience you’ve honorably cultivated. Sometimes you just have to pour something back into that well you’ve been drawing from for everyone else if you want to keep being able to do just that. So we also come to understand that sometimes you have to do something for yourself.
We know you can’t pamper yourself all the time. You have responsibilities you have to attend to. We simply ask that in those times you seek to do something nice for yourself, to reward yourself for all your hard work, to pour back into that well, that you rely on Lighthouse Tattoo to take care of you.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is breaking box-office records and for good reason, it gives the fans what they want! This bright, beautiful Spider-Man is what Matt wanted and he got it! several of the artists at Lighthouse Tattoo are huge comic book fans, so if it’s comic-based work you’re interested in, swing on by Lighthouse Tattoo and get what you really want from the best artists suited for the job!
Here’s some of the best tattoo art Lighthouse Tattoo has had to offer in the last year. If you don’t see your tattoo here, you should probably swing by the shop so we can get a good photo of it! We’d also like to take this time to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us during this trying time. Battling an existential threat like COVID-19 and the ineptitude of government we have not only managed to survive, but to thrive and that’s all because of our clients, many of which we consider family. Thank you, we love you, and here’s to next year!
Here’s just a few of our favorite tattoos by Will over the last year. What a year it’s been. This blogger thinks I speak for everyone when I say 2021 can go fuck itself. Here’s to a better 2022!
This Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our our Lord and Savior, please take the time to remember those less fortunate than yourself and give to a charity of your choosing, or possibly donate your time if you can. Thank you and Merry Christmas from Lighthouse Tattoo!
At Lighthouse Tattoo we want to be the best. We want that for a lot of reasons: We’ll make consistently more money and live better lives because of that; we’ll be able to provide education and influence the greater industry and clientele for (hopefully) generations to come; but most importantly, if we are the best, then we’ll be able to give YOU the best. The best service and experience at the best prices, resulting in the best tattoo you could ask for. That’s our dream.
We have some ingredients for that. We have an accomplished master tattooer in Will Wood, who believes that people are more important than money, to train us. We have an ever-evolving 4000 square-foot facility in an easily accessible location minutes from one of the fastest growing cities in the country, Nashville. We have an experienced team of veteran tattoo artists and piercers to help guide a small group of talented young artists on their path to greatness.
But we can’t accomplish anything without you.
Without clients who are willing to trust their artist’s expertise and skills, to challenge us, and build lasting relationships that lead to wonderful bodies of work (pun totally intended) we can’t accomplish our goals and we can’t grow to give you what you deserve: The very best.
So, this Christmas season; this tax refund season; or just the next time you think about getting that new tattoo, please think about giving Lighthouse Tattoo a try.
Here’s a quick (slightly blurry) shot of a portrait of an indigenous person. We’ve seen several versions of this on the INTERNET and we think this one stands up well against those. Please keep in mind this is only after the first session, the headdress was completed in a second sitting. If you love this artwork and want a similar quality for yourself, know that Will is currently booking for March and doesn’t book more than three months out at a time, so please let us know immediately so we can put you in the queue! Call 615-784-4500 or click the Set An Appointment tab on this website to start the process of getting your next great tattoo form Lighthouse Tattoo!
Good ole’ Fred Krueger. The life of the party. Quick-wit, a wry smile, and let’s not forget, great on the grill! Will has done some staggeringly good portraits of Freddy over the years, exhibiting one of the most comprehensive Freddy Krueger tattoo portfolios in the world. Like horror movies? Visit Lighthouse tattoo to indulge your dark side! Appointments can be made by calling 615-784-4500 or by clicking the Set and Appointment tab on this website.
Man, I have to say that was the best party we’ve thrown this year! Everyone got to see the new shop decor (a surprise meant for partygoers); we smashed 15 pizzas and enough booze to muster up a little holiday cheer; listened to some great live music and even sang some karaoke, just for fun.
Then there’s the contests.
Britney (Brittany, Brittney, etc) won the Naughty nighty contest in impressive fashion with her formidable pole dance routine (it’s okay moms and dads, the pole’s removable, so it won’t be here when you bring the kids by to get their ears pierced!), but Will made sure that everyone who participated won- All participants received $100 for their efforts, even Scott, who went above and beyond to give us all nightmares for the rest of our lives. Special shoutout to the Krampus who arrived a little late, keep in touch, we’ll take care of you, great outfit!
Our Ugly Christmas Sweater of the night went to Tora, for her sweater with Santa asking ‘Where’s my HO’s at?’ The crowd loved it. Honorable mentions would have to include Shane’s Baby Jesus sweater, which was ugly and adorable at the same time!
We had a young man who came all the way from Huntsville, Alabama to enjoy the festivities and he ended up staying in the shop over night. We trusted you man, thanks for not stealing anything! Some other revellers stayed around the corner with miss Kelly. Hey, if you’re going to throw a party, you need to make sure everyone can be safe!
Well, that’s another one for the record books, we’re considering hosting a crawfish boil in February for our next shindig, what do y’all think? Give us a shout and stay logged into lighthousetattoo.net, or follow us on facebook or instagram to keep up with our future events. Merry Christmas!
With new-ish films about Ted Bundy and H. H.. Holmes, popular culture has found itself smitten with the macabre. Stories about psycho killers have always thrilled, but with the release of the new Halloween movie and the success of serial dramas such as Dexter and the more recent American Horror Story, it seems the nation’s taste for the dark and dubious has been piqued. At Lighthouse Tattoo we are committed to those who should be committed! We tend to prefer the allure of more fantastic horror film stars, like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, or even the Leatherface seen below, but we understand the impact even real world psychos have had on the American imagination. Elisabeth Bathory, Lizzie Borden, Jack the Ripper have all drawn interest from antiquity. Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, and Jeffrey Dahmer have all inspired motion pictures in modern times, even giving birth to the creation of characters like Hannibal Lecter and the aforementioned Leatherface of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs fame. People have always had a fascination with serial killers, if not with their deeds, than with their tactics or motivation. It would seem more odd if it weren’t for the overwhelming interest so many of us have for these deranged individuals.
Interested in satisfying your fascination with serial killers or horror movie villains? Swing by Lighthouse Tattoo for a consultation anytime between the hours of noon and 10pm , Wednesday through Sunday or call 615 784-4500 to leave your deposit over the phone!
For decades now, custom tattoo artists have had to be mindreaders. They’ve had to take a handful of sentences in explanation for your next tattoo idea and translate that into a masterpiece that you would adore forever. The process was often about as fun as pulling teeth. Breakdowns in communication could lead to frustrating deadends and after endless redraws and consultation sessions, patience grew thin. Sometimes, through sheer fatigue, either the artist or the client would simply give up and quit the process altogether, ending what should have been an exhilarating experience with a dull thud. Far too often, prospective clients would be soured on the tattoo experience forever, never getting the piece they really wanted because they couldn’t find an artist that could read their mind.
That is where the internet comes in. With an infinite resource of images, any client can quickly collect images that represent what they want or at least a strong direction to point their artist to. These images also provide the artist with a jumping-off point for their questions as opposed to trying to decipher vague language. References provide the artist with a map of not only which direction the client wants to go, but what they don’t want as well. A great way to use your references is the ‘I like this and this, but not this’ format. That way, the artist has a more concrete version of your idea from which to start their original drawing.
Feel free to email your references to info@lighthousetattoo.net or simply bring them in on your cellphone, although emailling them with a written description provides the artist an idea that they can reference at will, so it’s preferred. Also, this sort of correspondence is preferential during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Please remember to be as thorough as possible when writing the description of what you want. Someday soon we will post about the laughably inadequate descriptions some people offer us through email: ‘I want a tattoo, how much?’ with no name or picture is particularly difficult to figure out and usually gets ignored. Ah, the life!
We sincerely hope this description of the tattoo artist as amateur mind-reader goes far in helping new clients understand how they can help us become more efficient at giving them exactly what they need! Hope to see you at Lighthouse Tattoo soon!
Jason was referred to Lighthouse Tattoo by Neil, a client and mutual friend, who understood we had exactly what Jason needed: A frim grasp on visceral, macabre realism tattoos. The ‘see no’ portion of the tattoo is fresh, the ‘speak no’ part is healed, about a month old. We like to let people see the difference as the tattoo lightens a bit and the contrast becomes more clear. Stay logged in to LighthouseTattoo.net for updates on Jason’s dark art sleeve.
Now THAT’s and ugly sweater! This December 11th, at 7pm, Lighthouse Tattoo, in association with MASS DESTRUCTION CLOTHING will present our version of the office Christmas Party and all of our clients are invited (hell, who are we kidding, this thing’s open to the public, we ain’t proud!)
Here’s the deal, we’re asking folks to don their favorite PJs or put on an ugly Christmas sweater for the fun of it. We’re going to be having some fun giveaways for the best sweater/jammys and we’re also going to see who can get themselves on Santa’s Naughty List just in time for Christmas! With our Naughty Nighty contest and model search!
Interested parties need to bring a Christmas-inspired nighty to wear (could be lingerie, could be a sexy costume, use your imagination!). We’ll have a dressing area so you don’t have to wear the thing all night, and cash prizes are on the menu, starting with a $400 first prize! $200 for second place, but the fun part is, you can double your money by trading the cash for DOUBLE YOUR MONEY TATTOO GIFT CERTIFICATES! First place will also win a free photoshoot with MASS DESTRUCTION CLOTHING as a sponsor of this model search! Third place will win a $100 gift certificate to Lighthouse Tattoo. Honorable mentions will also be eligible for prizes. We want people to take part in this and we want them to go hard into the paint, so be creative! Fellas, you’re not gonna want to miss this!
If you’re still not interested then we’ll go ahead and mention the live musical guest will be Bellsenberg, followed by our guy Kevin at DJ and karaoke. There’s also the matter of the disputed Twister Championship that has yet to be resolved, so be ready for anything!