COVID-19 has thrown a gremlin in the works in many industries in New Zealand and around the world. As getting tattooed is a fairly intimate experience (aka: artists and clients are in close proximity to one another) it’s definitely hard to maintain the two metres of distance as recommended during the Coronavirus pandemic. Tattoo shops in Auckland, along with other service establishments like as barbers and hair salons have had to shut up shop to help do their bit and keep their communities safe from the devastating virus spreading further. So what can we do as clients, friends and art enthusiasts to help cushion the blow that our favourite creatives are feeling right now? Here are a few, easy ways in which you can show your favourite artists love right now:
Painted by Lucky Felix Tattoo.
SHARING IS CARING!
We know social media can be a bit of a groan or a major time waster sometimes, however it can be used for good, too. If you like so many others out there are glued to your screen right now, mindlessly scrolling, how about use that time to help show the world your favourite artists? Many tattoo artists are drawing, painting and creating so much cool art during self- isolation, and you can show your appreciation by engaging with them online, such as sharing a post to show your friends, family, and anyone who follows you. This is super easy, it takes hardly anytime at all and is free promotion for artists who may really be feeling uneasy about the current economic climate. Make sure you tag the artist if you repost, so people who see it on your feed or story knows where to check them out!
WIP: Healed front and shoulder project by Magali Corpas.
SHARE PHOTOS OF YOUR HEALED TATTOOS!
Tattoo artists LOVE seeing photos of their healed work. As well as showing your online bubble their creative isolation endeavours, you can also show off your healed tattoos from a pre-corona virus era.. Ahh, the good old days. Not only is it super helpful for artists to see how their work is settling in post healing, or how banging it looks a few years down the track, it can also give them content to share to their pages to help them pop up in peoples feeds or explore sections. Instagram is a really important tool for tattoo artists nowadays, as it’s essentially a virtual portfolio to show future clients their work. Much like line-drawing books, an instagram page is a way for people to scroll through and get inspiration for their next tattoo.
Healed collaboration from Manawa Tapu and Tom Tom.
MAKE FUTURE APPOINTMENTS!
Due to borders and regions potentially being closed for the foreseeable future, there’s a good chance you’re going to be stuck in Auckland or New Zealand for a little while. After a month no Uber eats, partying and online shopping, you could even be finding yourself better off financially than you were before the lockdown, especially if you’re fortunate enough to be in an industry that can easily operate from home. Been wondering when is a good time to start that back piece? Do it now! Love that piece of flash that’s still available? Book it in! When tattoo shops open back up when things are getting back to normal, there are going to be a whole bunch of people stuck in the area wanting to get tattooed, so skip the line and start making enquiries now.
BUY VOUCHERS!
We sell tattoo gift vouchers through our web-store. They make great gifts, either for yourself or somebody else. If someone you know loves getting tattooed and has a birthday coming up, vouchers are a great gift, as people can book in in their own time, with the artist of their choice. You can also buy yourself a voucher as a way to support the studio which is unable to operate, and help ease the burden of zero cash flow. A win win, as you get tattooed, and studios get to stay open! Consider it a pre-payment towards your next tattoo.
BUY APPAREL!
Keep your eye out for Corona-drip, in other words new apparel from your favourite tattoo artists! For announcements, be sure to be checking our facebook, instagram and website for up to date information.
Painting by Capilli Tupou, prints rumoured to be coming soon!
BE KIND!
The easiest and most important way you can show support is by being kind to one another. Make your interactions with artists positive, this weird time has got people feeling shaken up, and might be expressing themselves quite vulnerably right now. Feeling supported in a time of almost zero face to face social interaction can help people feel like they’re not alone in their uncertainty. A like, a share, a smile and a kind comment goes a long way right now. Treat yourselves and each other with kindness and respect, because at the end of it all, we are really all in this together.
Back piece concept painted by Horimatsu Bunshin, contact the studio for more information.
Sunset Tattoo is a friendly central Auckland tattoo studio, specialising in Japanese, Maori, western traditional
and black work tattooing. All welcome! To create a booking with an artist, an enquiry about a custom or flash design, or for any other guidance please contact the studio. We look forward to seeing you all again soon, stay safe and take care.
CONTACT:
www.sunsettattoo.co.nz
info@sunsettattoo.co.nz