Shane Hart is a world-renowned tattoo artist that knows a thing or two about tattoo flash. Besides winning tons of awards from the National Tattoo Association's conventions for his tattoos and his designs, he has flash all over the world, including on TattooFinder.com! So what does he have to say about tattooing, the tattoo industry and everything in between? Take a look...

TattooFinder: So why don’t you tell us a little bit about your history. How did you get started in the industry?

Shane: Well, I started tattooing around ’89. I served an apprenticeship with a tattooist in Olathe, Kansas, Gary “Professor Inkslinger” Barber, and then went on to work with East Coast Al in Kansas City, Kansas. About that time I was doing some flash and kind of got into that side of the industry, and later opened my own studio in Lawrence, Kansas. I then signed on with Rand Johnson at Cherry Creek Flash.

Learn more about Shane Hart in his bio!

TattooFinder: How did you come to live in Colorado?

Shane: Oh, let’s see. I met Rich Ives at a National Tattoo Association Convention twelve or thirteen years ago. We had always talked about teaming up on some sort of project and it finally worked out to where we were able to move out here a few months ago.

TattooFinder: What shop are you working at now?

Shane: I’m at Steel City Tattoo in Pueblo, Colorado.

TattooFinder: Very cool! Let’s talk about the difference between being a tattooist and being a flash artist. What do you think some of the differences are?

Shane: Well, for me personally, the tattooing style often looks very similar to my flash style, but I do always try to take things as far as I can and make each piece as unique as possible. Doing pretty much all custom work I get to have a lot of fun designing things for people.

TattooFinder: Speaking of custom work, word on the street is that you’re doing a program of consultations with people to help them find the perfect tattoo. Is that correct?

Shane: Yeah, we like to do consultations with potential clients and find out the things that are important to them — why they want to be tattooed, what kind of statement they want to make, or just more about them, you know, personally. We use all that information to come up with something more like an illustration or painting ... something that really expresses what it is that they are trying to get across. The tattooing is usually scheduled for a later time, after all of the research and illustration is done.

TattooFinder: That’s an interesting point to bring up — custom tattoos. With the huge popularity that there is today - even more so than the 90s - people want custom work. They want something original, not something off the wall.

Shane: Right.

TattooFinder: What are your thoughts on the degrees of customization, maybe from taking something off the wall and altering it to drawing something completely fresh and new?

Shane: Well, at Steel City there are only pictures of our work on the walls and pieces are designed for clients as originals. However, there are a lot of people out there who like to combine things, use different pieces of flash to form new pieces. Either way, whether it is a “full on” custom design or, you know, putting parts and pieces of other things together, either way can do the trick. I figure it’s the end result that matters most.

Check out more of Shane Hart's tattoo designs!

TattooFinder: What does a customization or a consultation on an original tattoo cost?

Shane: We don’t charge for consultations or the initial illustration.

TattooFinder: Oh really?

Shane: Yeah, that’s just kind of a service we offer. We are more than happy to sit down with people and find out about them, see where they’re coming from, before we do the artwork. As for charging, we usually charge by the session, and sessions are various amounts. It depends on how long it is and what all we’re going to be doing, but sessions usually start out around $300.

TattooFinder: Sure. How big the tattoo is as well, correct?

Shane: Yeah. Usually the things that we’re going to be doing will be of pretty good size, at least two hours.

TattooFinder: How did you decide to start doing these consultations? What gave you the inspiration to do this sort of service?

Shane: Rich Ives is really the one who came up with that ... the whole “personal illustration” concept. His pieces are very, very personal to the people that are wearing them. Since I’ve been here, I’ve really been concentrating along those lines, as well.

TattooFinder: So you got started in 1989. One of the things we’re hearing a lot from people is that in the late 80s and early 90s there was a “Tattoo Renaissance.” That term is coined by Guy Aitchison. The rise of the Internet, the rise of a really art-influenced tattooist population, conventions, regulations being relaxed, etc. across the United States. How do you respond to that kind of theory of a Tattoo Renaissance?

Shane: Oh yeah, totally ... and that was around the time that Roseanne Barr, Tom Arnold and a lot of celebrities were out there in the media showing off their work. There were also a bunch of heavily tattooed bands popping up around then, as well. Guns N’ Roses were really huge and very tattooed. Yeah, it was pretty busy in the late 80s-early 90s.

TattooFinder: What do you think about the present day tattoo culture, especially with the influence into other mediums like fashion, TV, etc.

Shane: Hmm, that’s a good question. It’s definitely odd seeing tattooing being so mainstream! Definitely not used to that. Man, I’ve seen commercials for McDonald's that are set inside tattoo studios. You see it all over. Walk into a Walmart and all the t-shirts look like they’re tattoo-oriented. It’s definitely everywhere you look these days.

TattooFinder: How does that make you feel? Do you think it’s a good thing for the industry or do you think it’s a bad thing?

Shane: Well, anytime things get super popular, whether it be motorcycle building or house renovation, there’s definitely going to be people getting involved with it that probably shouldn’t. I think overall it’s kind of hard to tell how it’s going to work out, whether it is for good or for ill. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see to find out that one.

TattooFinder: Do you do much with tattoo conventions?

Shane: I’ve been attending the National Tattoo Association’s annual convention for years. I really enjoy it. It’s more like a family reunion-type situation. I do other things every now and then, but primarily just the NTA’s show.

TattooFinder: You brought up something interesting about the family reunion. Rand Johnson from Cherry Creek Flash said that one of the pitfalls of the widespread growth of tattoos is that there’s not really camaraderie anymore in the tattoo industry. Do you agree with that? Do you think that because it’s so widespread now there’s no longer a sub-culture feel where we have to stick together?

Shane: Yeah, a lot of that kind of feeling is gone. I find that when I do go to shows, outside of the NTA, I don’t know too many of the people tattooing there. It used to be that, even if you didn’t know everyone personally, you still knew who they were and where they came from. It was just a lot closer knit before the industry grew so much. More like, you know, friends all getting together to hang out.

TattooFinder: Talk to us about what you think about the difference between having flash on the walls in tattoo shops and single sale designs either via TattooFinder.com or your customizations?

TattooFinder.com artist Shane Hart

Shane: I think it’s good to see a lot of different things, but sometimes that can be a bit overwhelming. One of the things that I didn’t like about having flash on the walls was that it makes it harder to get people thinking outside of that “this is what’s available” box, you know what I mean? Sometimes people have a hard time stepping out of that mindset. I really don’t like people feeling that they’re limited. There are so many possibilities with what could be done!

TattooFinder: What kind of advice would you give to tattoo virgins coming into your shop?

Shane: The main thing is that they take their time and think about why they want tattooed, as much as the subject matter of the design. People shouldn’t feel like there is any rush — their skin isn’t going anywhere. It’s much better to look things over and maybe toss it around for six months, or however long it takes, before they decide if they really want to move forward with the idea. A lot of times I tell people, especially if they’re looking for something small, that those are going to be the things, the less elaborate, “testing the water” type tattoos, that people tend to regret.

TattooFinder: Really?

Shane: Yeah, not so much the things that were well thought out, the things that they really considered more. What was just right for them, not necessarily what looked cool on their buddy or any of that. Yeah, I would much rather say, “You need to think about it for awhile, don’t commit just yet.” It’s better to have someone happy that they didn’t get a tattoo than regret that they did.

TattooFinder: What about your own tattoos? What kind of tattoos do you have?

Shane: Oh man! I haven’t been tattooed in probably 12-13 years!

TattooFinder: Really! Do you miss it?

Shane: No, tattoos hurt and I don’t want to end up looking like some kind of freak! [Laughs] Well, that’s actually one of the really good perks of moving out here to Colorado. I plan on having Rich do a quite a bit of work on me.

TattooFinder: Oh great!

Shane: Covering up a bunch of old stuff and getting re-worked, so to speak.

TattooFinder: So, what about the difference between tattoo cover-ups and tattoo removal? From our research it’s a very heated debate.

Shane: Well, I figure that if people can afford it, it can be a pretty useful tool. It really just depends on what they’re using it for. I think that the largest part of the debate on laser removal would be that with the loss of the idea of a tattoo being permanent. It kind of lowers the respect for it, gives it that disposable vibe and removes the responsibility of making a wise choice on the matter.

TattooFinder: So why do you think people get tattooed? What are some of the common things you hear?

Shane: I’ve heard all kinds of different reasons — some pretty odd! My favorites are people that really have something to say or they want to do a tribute to someone or a concept or an idea — we really feed off of that artistically. Some people come in because maybe they just saw a design on someone and thought, “Hey, I think that’s what I want to look like.” There are a whole bunch of reasons, but getting tattooed to look cool is probably not a really good reason. Those tend to be the more “seemed like a good idea at the time” kinds of things that are often regretted in the end.

TattooFinder: What inspires you when you sit down to draw flash that isn’t custom? Just generic flash that you’re going to sell. What inspires you?

Shane: Well, I try to be pretty diverse when it comes to that and think of the things that someone would want if it were custom. I try to do a real “gung-ho” version of whatever the piece may be, whether it’s dragonflies or a pin-up model or whatever, but getting as many things in a set that will appeal to the most people is definitely one of my big priorities when I do design sheets. After all, a design sheet that doesn’t make you money is just some really expensive wall paper!

TattooFinder: Totally! Well thanks so much for talking with us, Shane. We really appreciate you taking time out to chat with us!

Shane: All right, Take care!