Darrell loves this stuff. A lot of people do. Native American tribute art has been a staple of tattooing since the days of Sailor Jerry Collins. The intensity the sheer size of this piece generates is intoxicating and those little pops of red make all the difference in bringing this piece to life!
This particular tattoo isn’t completely finished, being tacked-on to a larger session at the, um, END. Still, we think it’s a remarkably striking piece and wanted to share it with you. The light falling across the covers and the subject’s back add a film-noir-style feel that we just love.
Lighthouse Tattoo would like to proudly introduce you to young Hannah Wood. She started tattooing last year and she has showed much promise. We expect great things from little Miss Hannah. In order to help her progress in her apprenticeship, she is offering a tattoo special rate: $200 for a 4-hour session! This phenomenal rate is designed to help her build stamina and speed while working on larger-scale pieces that she hasn’t been able to access yet. If you’re interested in saving a ton of money on something that you think young Miss Hannah could tackle, feel free to fill out an appointment form on this website and request her, or swing by the shop with your references and we’ll make sure it’s a good fit for her. We’ll see you soon!
We get it, you want what you want and it’s your money, so why shouldn’t you get it that way? Well, to not sugar coat anything the best answer is because you may have your head squarely up your ass, that’s why. Doesn’t matter how long we’ve been doing this (it’s a long time) it never fails to shock us at how reluctant some people are to trust the person they’re asking to permanently alter the way they look.
Look, here’s what we’re getting at, and not just at Lighthouse Tattoo, this applies to tattoo shops the world over: If you don’t have enough confidence in the artist you’re working with to listen to their recommendations and take their opinion into account, it’s time to move on. Seriously. I know most tattoo artists look like the sort of beatnik throwbacks your grandpa complained about and George Carlin so beautifully personified, the kind of guys and gals that make you pull your children close when you see them bleary-eyed, stumbling through the grocery store in the morning hours after a late night, searching desperately for their beloved pre-made Starbucks(tm) iced coffee in order to somehow make it through their next work day, BUUUUT…we (usually) know what we’re doing. Specifically, the artists at Lighthouse Tattoo, with more than 70 years of combined experience, we definitely know what we’re doing.
So let us do it.
When you come into your respective tattoo shop with an idea for a larger piece, it’s in your best interest to approach it with a certain flexibility. We understand that you know what you want, but what you need to understand is that we’re the ones that know how to get it there and what will work and what won’t. You wouldn’t tell a mechanic how to fix your car, right? Wouldn’t tell a surgeon how to repair your heart? Nope. Then feel free to rely on our experience to give you what you want in the very best way that we can. If you don’t or feel like you can’t trust your artist with that, then you need to find a better artist. Might we suggest Lighthouse Tattoo?
Lighthouse Tattoo offers the very best in tattoo art that can be had. Period. We have a tiered system of artists to tend to the specific needs of our varied clientele, based on experience level, ability, and price. The choice is all yours: Save a few bucks with one of the young apprentices in training; score a great value with one of our novice artists; insure your satisfaction with the skills of our veterans; or have your mind blown by one of the best tattoo artists you will ever find.
The art and mind of Will Wood are the stuff of legend. If it is possible to tattoo, he can do it, simple as that. With 18 years of experience and more awards to his name than can be easily counted, his talent as an artist and his skill as a tattooer are second to none. Don’t believe us? See for yourself! Some of his work is in the online portfolio, which is now full, even more of it is on this blog. We can honestly say we will stand Will’s work next to any artist you can find and it will compare favorably. He charges $160 per hour, but has never charged more than $1100 in a single day, says more than that is just too much for a tattoo. He says good tattoos should be attainable for anyone who can save a little money.
Deuce and Diamond Dave each charge $400 for a 5-hour session. Dave only does a single session per day, while Deuce books one at noon and one at 5pm Thursday through Monday. Deuce has been tattooing for about 17 years now and Dave for almost 30. They both have solid followings of repeat clients so please plan ahead when you’re booking your appointment, as these fellas don’t do walk-ins. Both of these veteran artists are accomplished at color and black and grey, with Deuce focusing a bit more on brightly colored neotraditional pieces than Dave nowadays. If you haven’t been tattooed by someone with real experience under their belt yet, both of these consummate unprofessionals offer a wonderful experience.
Want something on the small side? Interested in a walk-in? Crystal and Hannah are here to serve you. Crystal has been tattooing for 3 years now and she sticks mainly to small, simple stuff like small lettering pieces, symbols, paw prints, and the like. Hannah is a promising up-and-coming apprentice quickly approaching her one-year mark. Her meteoric rise in ability should have been expected, she’s Will’s daughter, after all. Hannah currently specializes in blackwork and traditional American-style tattoos, but is interested in branching out, it seems like there’s nothing she can’t do!
Finally there are Caitlyn, Christa, and Nathan. Our newest additions, these young apprentices are looking for people who are interested in saving a significant amount of money in exchange for helping these young artists grow. With less than 6 months of experience, their skills are limited but improving almost daily. The real benefit here is if you are tight on cash and want something simple, these guys can take care of you without breaking the bank. Prices are VERY negotiable with these three, so make them an offer and let’s get you that new tattoo!
We would also like to take the time to introduce Jake. He’s pretty quiet so you might have missed him during your last visit. We expect to start him tattooing by October and he will be in need of some volunteers for free and extremely cheap tattoos during that time so keep him in consideration if you’re feeling particularly adventurous or would just like to help out a young artist as he begins his journey.
Well, that’s the Lighthouse Tattoo crew. We’re not just the best because we have the best artists. We are the best because we have the artists to fit your specific needs, budget, and availability. We pride ourselves on providing consistent customer service, with good communication, in a safe and clean environment. And sometimes we party.
Think you have the best tattoo shop around? Give Lighthouse Tattoo a try and let us prove you wrong!
The ladies of Lighthouse Tattoo decided to take a hard-earned vacation for a while, so we have been short handed for a few days, and will continue to be for a couple more. Thank you for your patience while they take the time to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
If you don’t know what a Cholo or Chola is, well, Google it. This clown girl tattoo is the beginning of a mixed Hispanic and Asian heritage leg sleeve that’s lining up to be a real doozy. We hope you enjoy it and stay logged in to Lighthousetattoo.net for more!
Jeremy had his Harry Potter backpiece finished by Will after going to another shop to have it started and being dissatisfied with the outcome of the first session. After seeing Will’s completed piece, he decided to continue his collection with this Tolkien Villains sleeve, starring Azog the Defiler. Containing a couple of cover-ups, Jeremy has so far been happily impressed with the work being done. Cover-ups are difficult enough, with black and grey cover-ups being harder still. Black and grey realism cover-ups? Not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, Lighthouse Tattoo has one of the very best black and grey and color realism artists in the middle Tennessee area, in Will Wood, our founder and owner. Will’s work is quite sought after however, so please plan ahead when you wish to schedule you appointment, and please be patient, Will tends to book out several months in advance.
When Alex came in to start his horror sleeve, this is what he wanted to start with, and for good reason. This image of Jason Voorhees is one of the best around. It’s popularity is a testament to the quality of the original photo. During our next session, we will be adding a giant hockey mask for the background, bringing the piece forward and creating more depth. Stay logged in to LighthouseTattoo.net for more as we continue this amazing work of art!
Will doesn’t call bald Eagles ‘eagle’, he calls them Freedom Birds, which we love. In commemorating this Independence Day, we encourage you to think of your fellow Americans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. Let’s keep it that way.
Rosario Dawson played the leader of the women of O-town in the movie Sin City. Beautifully written and illustrated by Frank Miller, also of 300 fame, the style and over-the-top quality of these works is what brought people back for the sequels. This tattoo was done by Will for free on one of our Free Tattoo Day volunteers. He didn’t tell them they would be getting tattooed (that would be payment, not volunteering) but he wanted to show his appreciation for their very valuable help. Thanks Eric, we’ll see you again real soon buddy!
We thought it’d be fun to show off some of the proceedings from Free Tattoo Day. Most of these photos were taken a bit later in the day, once things had settled down, and at our afterparty. We had a lot of fun and made some great new friends. We also pissed off some real jerks, which was an added, though unintended, benefit. See you guys at Harry Potter Fan Appreciation Day on July 30th!
After our wildly popular Free Tattoo Day we have let our apprentice corps move forward to working with the public. It’s important for everyone to know that ‘Apprentice’ does not mean ‘Professional Tattooer’, it means student, novice, newb. We will have an apprentice on hand daily to offer affordable, small-scale, walk-in tattoos to anyone who is interested in helping one of these young artists develop their skill set while saving a ton of cash in the process!
For those of you interested and able to set an appointment, our Apprentice Special may be to your liking. Any tattoo that the apprentice is reasonably capable of performing in three hours or less can be had for only $100! That is more than a 60% discount from what the typical tattoo artist would charge. Tattoos for less than half price? YES PLEASE! This discount is for a limited time only, as these young artists improve their skills and the demand for their artwork increases, so will their prices! We expect to see some of our best performers ending their special offering by the end of July, so act now and save a ton on that small, simple tattoo you’ve been wanting but didn’t want to break the bank over.
Tattoo shops everywhere have had to increase their minimum prices in order to keep up with the increase in medical supplies and shipping costs. Lighthouse Tattoo has been no different in this aspect, we raised our minimum price to $80 in order to be able to make money on some of the smaller tattoos people want done. In fact, at one point we had to go so far as to just turn people down, as we were too busy to be able to tend to everyone’s needs. That is where our new Apprentice Corps comes in: Young artists, with anywhere from 3 to 8 months of experience, all working with the common goal of becoming the best artists they can. In order to do this, they need people to practice on, and that’s where you come in. If you are willing to give one of these young artists an opportunity, they are willing to give you a steep discount in order to further their learning. Not unlike getting a haircut at the barber college, you may get what you pay for, but these young people are trying and you can help them on their path to greatness while saving a significant amount on the easy stuff!
Please feel free to walk in or schedule an appointment with the apprentice of your choice. Please swing by the shop to check out their portfolios, as this website contains full-fledged artist’s work only. Apprentices tend to develop so quickly that posting their work doesn’t do them justice, since by the time we get everything posted, they’ve already shown significant improvements in their craft.
From now until our Free Tattoo Day, we will be including info and entertainment here so some of ya’ll can laugh and some can learn. To whit: this young lady whose head was in the wrong place when she asked about free tattoo day. She basically let us know if she shows up and doesn’t get tattooed she’s gonna be pissed. It’s a lot to infer from the first contact, but considering the answer to her question was readily available online and she chose to forego that, it seems obvious she was doing what so many before her had already done: Try to get a guarantee she could get a free tattoo. We told her simply not to come, she found that rude, even though it wasn’t. Her gas is obviously very important to her and we don’t think an apprentice-level tattoo that can be done in under 2 hours is worth driving 3 hours for. Seriously. If you want to drive for three hours, come for the party, not the tattoo. Also, telling someone they’re being rude is rude, so careful with that shit. You seem to want me to care about your feelings when all you want is something from me for nothing. Hard to find a fuck to give there, sweetheart! We’ll have tons of these inquiries over the next two weeks. Hundreds. for the sake of expediency, we’re going to be short with people. You’re going to have to get over it or you’re going to get your feelings hurt.
So what actually happened during this exchange? This young lady played her hand, we saw that she wanted a guarantee that we don’t offer and we told her she would be better off spending the gas money on a local tattoo. We cut down all of that info to ‘Just don’t come’ because we are trying hard to respond to everyone and it’s been pretty constant since our original announcement a couple of days ago. She responded by calling us rude, then telling us she was going to do exactly what we’d recommended, just not in so many words. We weren’t even rude, just straight forward in our response. This is the problem with that type of person, they feel the need to say something when they could just move on. Social media is destroying the mental health of its users, as evidenced by this young woman’s response. We’re complete strangers who just told her the event probably wouldn’t be to her liking, especially with current gas prices and her distance from the shop, so she decided to call us rude. You can’t win for losing folks.
We are back from vacation and are working hard to keep up with demand. It may be to no avail, but switching to an appointment-only basis has worked wonders to reduce unnecessary foot traffic and allowed us the focus on the people who are willing to do business in a way that helps us serve them best, so maybe it’s worth it. We have several things in the currently in the workings. On June 18th, we are planning our second annual Free Tattoo Day, please look through the Events tab to find more information about that as well as our Harry Potter Fan Appreciation Day; as well as several other prospective festivities, like the Bikini Bike Wash or maybe the addition of a Free Piercing Day, to complement the free tattoo day. Stay tuned to Lighthouse Tattoo as we have much more to come, don’t miss out!
We’re swamped. Overwhelmed. In over our heads. In other words, we’re too busy.
It’s a good problem to have, don’t get me wrong, but it does still present certain challenges. As such, Lighthouse Tattoo will no longer be offering walk-in tattoos of any size, for any reason. We have to do this in order to whittle down the backlog of appointments so we can get to a point where we can offer our services in a more timely fashion.
We have lost three people in the last three months and that has put our already very busy shop at a disadvantage. Rather than asking our existing clientele to wait longer while we deal with this backlog, we have decided to streamline the process by eliminating walk-ins and prioritizing those repeat customers. We hope everyone understands and we thank you for your patience over the next couple of months while we get everything worked out.
For those of you who are still interested in getting tattooed, please feel free to swing by the shop to set up an appointment, or fill out the ‘set and appointment’ form on this website and we will get back to you. Thanks!
Happy Mother's Day! We know this is a special holiday to celebrate all of the amazing mom's out there! We will be closed tomorrow, May 8th, so we can spend time with family and celebrate! And we will be open as usual on Monday, May the 9th! We hope everyone has an awesome Mother's Day!
Fuck the care Bears, this dude means bidnez! With enough teeth and bad breath to make Leo Dicaprio rethink his life’s work, this grizzly bear portrait is intimidating, even WITH a giant scratch running right through it like three weeks after it was done…(way to go Forrest). This whole thing was done in single five hour session by Will as the first session in a full leg sleeve.
He’s lean, he’s mean, he’s lime-green, he’s RattFink, Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth’s claim to fame. It’s okay if you don’t know who he is, not everyone can be cool, kids. RattFink is a staple in car culture and motorcycle culture, so squares won’t get it, they never do. Want to be one of the cool kids? Swing on down to Lighthouse Tattoo and we’ll change your life for the better, or worse, whatever!
That’s the whole point isn’t it? If you’re not living on the edge you’re taking up too much space, right? So move forward, put the hammer down, and lean into the wind, ‘cause whatever it is, it won’t last, might as well enjoy the ride!
This sweet traditional American-style piece was performed by our very own Matt Steele. Call 615 784-4500 or swing by the shop between the hours of noon and 10pm seven days a week to schedule your next appointment with him!
