Tattoo artist shares inkings they ‘refuse to do’ including most popular request

A tattoo artist based in Bournemouth has shared some designs they refuse to do if a customer asks for them, and one is one of the most popular inkings they get asked to do

People have all sorts of reason to get a tattoo – from commemorating significant events or people, to personal expression, or just because they like the way they look. In the UK, there are many popular designs people like to ink on their bodies, from roses to dragons.

But there are some requests one tattoo artist always refuses to do, and one is actually their most popular request to do. Tattoo artist Jo Chastney, whose studio is based in Bournemouth, explained they refuse to ink “anything offensive”, including hateful or racist tattoos.

Taking to their TikTok, they explained they also refuse to ink “negativity”, including “negative words or sayings”. “You don’t want that on your body,” they added. Jo doesn’t agree to ink tribal designs on their customers. When asked in the comment section why they didn’t do them, Jo replied: “Just not my style, I find it really hard to do!”

If a customer comes in with an idea “so out there” they “can’t get their head round it”, Jo will decline. This also includes if it’s a mashup of too many styles or different ideas.

Another one they refuse to do is if the customer asks for “too many elements in one, simple, little delicate tattoo”. Jo also won’t ink anything that’s not in their style, for example “full colour cartoon stuff”.

Also, if a customer asks for a tattoo of another artist’s work, Jo refuses to do it. And lastly is the most popular design they get asked for – someone’s partner’s name.

A debate followed in the comments section, with some respecting Jo’s choice to refuse designs they’re not comfortable with. However, others found it hard to understand.

One person said: “To be fair, I think I’d rather go to a tattooist who has standards like this than not. Shows that they are actually interested in doing good work rather than making a quick bit of cash.”

Another added: “Ah if only my artist had refused to do my partners name. The rest of the tattoo is fab but the name is just so embarrassing now.

However, another said: “I’ll agree with the first one but I take issue with someone telling me what I want on my body. it’s not yours. it’s mine. and I reserve the right to be the ONLY person who gets to decide what does and doesn’t get tattooed on.”

Another added: “I have my wife’s name tattooed on my face, gets a lot of looks but a lot of compliments too, and my tattoo artists are close friends, I don’t get the stigma behind names of partners.”

On their website, Jo explains what influences their work: “Jo takes inspiration for their art from many different artists such as, Otto D’Ambra, M.C Escher, Durer, Victoria Violence, Alphonse Mucha and Rebecca Vincent for their creativity on delivering the concept of their ideas as well as their technical abilities.”

They added: “When I first started tattooing I was focusing on traditional style tattoos but I found it hard to make them unique and personal, therefore I realised that I wanted to express my own creativity and that I was naturally predisposed for a style that would allow more freedom and individual input: dot and line drawings.”