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 Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2023 3:17 pm
Not once did Landry ever consider himself unattractive. Physically anyway. The longer he was away from Destiny City, the more he realized that maybe he needed a bit of an attitude adjustment. Ugliness was more than just one's looks was something his sister tried to shove down his brain time and time again. And for the most part, it worked. He was nicer, barely.
But something that did come from his sister's lectures, and occasionally modeling for her clothing store was a realization that he was.. Plain. So many other models had tattoos, piercings, something that made them stand out and show off that their body was also beautiful beside the clothing. Him? A blank canvas, nary a freckle in sight.
It was vain, yes, but who was he to deny his feelings of jealousy? And there was no shame in going into a place out of curiosity, just to see potential designs. A little look here and there, and he finally found somewhere that seemed decent enough. An appointment made and the next thing you knew, he was patiently waiting in the reception room, before his own work day begun. The perks of being a chef in a bougie place, you had most of the day off.
Hopefully this person that was recommended to him, Kiyoshi, would be good for design. The site said he was an apprentice but... The artwork was pretty enough.
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2023 4:22 pm
Kioshi being an apprentice took waht he could get, within reason, and he did more walk ins than he did appointments. He needed every appointment he could get so he had enough money at the end of the week when he got paid, though he did get hourly as well. Looking at the wall clock he had, something decrative and metal, he got up and headed o ut to the front.
he had an appointment due here, if they weren't already sitting and waiting, and he was curious what they were thinking of getting. The appointment booked had been vague in that regard. He could only assume they'd picked him for what he did as far as style went, since the appointment had been made online.
One hand in a pocket as he stepped out from the back and made his way into the front waiting room. "Someone here for me?" He asked looking to Ashley at the front, her purple and silver hair a lovely contrast with her olive skin tone, he nodded once when she pointed out a blond male to her. "Thanks."
And he headed over, getting himself ready to socalize and do buisness. Because dealing with people was never easy for him, it wasn't something he was good at, but it was needed for work and this was a job he enjoyed. The shirt he wore was layered, a white collared shirt with a black vneck sweater over it. He was well dressed but there was an edge to it, keeping him from looking preppy or like he was some well off trust fund baby, he held out a hand towards the other.
"Kioshi, a pleasure." Giving as much of a smile as he could manage, more than he did for most people, Kioshi was comfortable in this place because this was a place where body modification was the norm. he didn't worry about his looks even if they stood out.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 12:16 pm
Landry's own outfit was simple, as he was never too flashy outside of modeling moments, and especially not in this terrible heat. A simple thin, white, white, sleeveless button up shirt, along with a pair of forest green cargo shorts almost gave an air of beach bum, if not for the fact he refused to wear flipflops and sported a pair of tidy boatshoes instead. It gave him more the look of a rich kid cruising on his family's yacht than anything else, which wouldn't be entirely incorrect either.
Only that he honestly hated boating.
He had been busy on his phone, scrolling TikTok between checking emails for work when he was finally approached. When he looked up, well, he was neither surprised nor shocked. He was in a tattoo parlor after all, they all had a sort of look to them that all seemed very fitting.
Standing up with a small stretch, he gave that hand a small squeeze and shake, before withdrawing it and nodding along with the greeting. Pleasantries were never his forte, but this was still ultimately a business transaction, so he could atleast make an effort.
"Landry. I believe I made an appointment online? I saw a bit of your work and wanted to see the rest of your portfolio if you have it."
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 12:39 pm
That was something most tattoo artists, and even piercers, had now a days. Not only did they have a physical portflio but they posted things to instagram where they all seemed to have accounts. Not much for social media he'd had to make an exception. It was for work after all. It helped him get clients, like this one, and he would for that alone tolerate social media.
"Of course, if you want to follow me back." The front area was just that - the front area. It was a mix of victorian and modern with the front counter a nd a large section of wall behind it. A door way to the left and to the right led to the back where the rooms were; one side for piercing and one side for tattoo work. Where the two met, all the way in the back, was where they kept cases with jewlery. Everything was kept away for safety reasons. They didn't need people walking in and smashing counters and stealing jewlery and such. They wanted some seperation of things so everything was nice and private.
"I have my portfolio in my room." He was glad he had his own room, where he could hang his work and relax between tasks. "Do you want anything to drink?" Since they kept a mini fridge up front, where Ashley's feet were, incase a customer needed anything to drink.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 4:38 pm
This place was incredibly bougie, he'd have to give it that. One would be hard pressed to describe the decor except for eclectic, but still sort of working. Landry wondered whom exactly decided on this look, and whether or not they actually knew what they were doing.
No, stop being so critical off the bat, you chose this. He had to remind himself internally. Without much more words shared, he followed his maybe-to-be-designer to the back of the shop.
"Just a water. It's quite hot. Other than that, no, we can continue with the review. I've a few ideas, but I'd like to run them by a professional, just incase."
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:21 pm
Passing by Ashley he reached a hdn out, glad she'd heard the request for water ,as a bottle was passed to him as he walked by. Offering the bottle to his maybe client Kioshi headed back down the well lit hall and to the room which was his. The room was gfilled with Japanese drawings, words, and other ideas he had.
He had pictures of tattoos he'd done, some a few months healed, the clock on his wall looked like some sort of steam punk idea as it was all gears and cropper and dark metal. It was an interesting thing but it worked, as observed bythe ticking hands of the clock face, the room was mostly dark colors with a few hints of other colors here and there.
"Ok, so tell me what you're thinking." Taking a seat he motioned the other to sit as well, reaching for a cubby towards the ground where he kept his portfolio. Taking it out he offered the large object towards the other. It was nearly all asian art, from words to caligraphy, to all the various pieces he'd skletched out but not finished. He had even the ivy he'd worked on for someones wrist piece and the headless horseman designs - all of them. He'd had several renditions of it that he'd decided to keep them all in here, since it was very different from his usual style, it showed versatility if you asked him.
"I can see if I can do what you're thinking of."
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:32 pm
A polite thank you was offered to the receptionist, then to Kioshi, though he didn't make any move to open it. It was simply rolled between his hands as they went around a hall and into another darker room. Curious....
Taking the seat he was eventually offered, a calculated gaze went all about the walls, focusing on the clock, then the random bits of color. Landry was ultimately a man of few words, especially in an unfamiliar environment, though he did murmur another thank you once handed the portfolio.
Barely a smile was offered as he flipped through page after page. Varied, but there was a clear theme here, one that made him frown. He couldn't be a stereotype of a very pale, very Caucasian man with random Japanese text or imagery on his skin. Thankfully there were other examples, but nothing seemed to fit him all that well.
"... While I like your colorization, especially with the water color work, It's hard to find a design that resonates with me. Something Asian inspired sits unwell with me, as I often wear clothing that shows skin and seeing something that is not following my own descent could be seen as offensive. And yet I've no desire for flowers or butterflies or birds, or anything so trite... Hmm..."
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:37 pm
Biting his tongue, litterally, he held back saying what he wanted. This was a client and he needed to mind his maners, to keep polite, this was a job and not where he got to voice personal opinions. So he simply settled for nodding his head, while he worked to wrestle his tongue back under control, once he figured speaking was safe he did so.
"I'm open to other ideas, I'll let you know if I think I can do something, I can look up ideas for whatever you have and see if I can't quick sketch something here and go from there." He could have to detail it out, easy enough to do, it would take time but first he needed an idea to work from. He'd need to know what the other wanted and then a sketch, quick and easy, to work on further. Time to see what the other had in mind.
"If you model do you want it somewhere that's ocvered mos tof the time or are you looking to show it off on occasion? Are you looking for a certain look or theme to go with whatever look as a model you have?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 1:54 pm
Landry studied that expression the man was making quite closely. Yes he was pretty harsh, but that's what this world was. And anyone who would lose their temper quickly was not worth working with.
Seeing as there was no negative response, his own tense shoulders relaxed a bit into his seat, and he properly crossed his legs. Tapping his chin in thought, he simply sat quietly with a soft 'hmmm...' now and then.
"I'd rather be able to show it off now and then, yet not make it the centerpiece of the image. After all, when one is modeling, you aren't simply selling yourself, you're selling a product. And certain things may take away from the product. So... Nothing massive, nothing that would take up the entirety of a limb, or cannot be covered by a standard shirt. I was thinking perhaps across the shoulder. And as I said, your colors are very nice, it's a theme. The Theme is the hard part. And Ideas for one, well, I had hoped I could come in and be struck with inspiration, but sadly, it still evades me."
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:53 pm
"So we want the shoulder, not too big, which I can understand and you want color. Water color or just color?" Since there was a difference between the two. Water color lacked when it came to linework, it had some but not as much, where as color had lines which held the color and kept it from fading as badly as some water colors could.
"Is there anything you like or anything which means a lot to you? Something you'd want on your body for life?" Because that was the thing he tried to remind people - it was for life. It was why he didn't do face tattoos or hands, neck as well, unless the person was already blasted or had a job career which didn't care. He wasn't going to potentially ruin someones life down the line. He wanted clients to remember this and act on that, not have regrets later one.
"If you can tell me things you like or that have meaning maybe I can work out ideas."
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:33 am
"Water color." Landry knew the difference, having done his research into the design methods of the way the art was done, but there was still that minor designer to be polite. Had he acted up too much, the likelihood of something unbecoming, or even ugly being left upon his skin increased.
"Hmm... While I'm fond of baking, the idea of a cupcake or a cookie being a choice doesn't sit well with me. It feels too.... Childish. Photography is also a hobby... But a picture frame seems a little.. Odd..." The idea of something representing him made it all the more difficult. He just wanted beauty, no deep meaning behind it... And he was not instagram model whom posted random 'feel good' nonsense, so wanted words on his skin with inspirational uselessness.
Ugh... this was much harder than he thought.
"I might just ask for a swatch of color, or just random splashes. That's plain enough without deeper meaning."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:04 pm
Ok, so now he knew what style the other was interested in. Water color he did do, he'd picked u pthe style again after realizing he'd done it in his past life. It was a style he found easy enough, easier than the usual style he worked in, so it wouldn't be as difficult for him and less strict rules to follow.
"Yes, I can understand that." Not wanting food inked into your skin he understood, especially deserts, it did seem childish to him as well. But he was rather picky with what went onto his body, and how he modified himself, that would not be something he'd do for himself. He was fairly certain he'd send a client to someoen else for such a piece, ashe wouldnt be conformtable with it, it wasn't something he was interested in.
"We could do that, splashes, a swatch, even brush strokes of colors, some combination as well." It didn't have to mean anything to him but most people did go with things which meant something to them, even if it was simply something they liked, there was typically a reason why something was picked out and wanted. Not always though, as he'd learned early on, some people would just point out random s**t because they just wanted a tattoo and didn't care what of. He wasn't sure he wanted to even understand those sorts.
"Any colors you know you'd want? Favorite colors, anything?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:32 pm
Landry found himself simply... Thinking. There were thoughts floating around in his mind that had ideas, but it seemed so... Lazy to just accept the idea of random splashes across his skin.
"... I enjoy greens and golds... Blues and purples. Though I doubt that's any help." This was much rougher than he had originally conceived. If anything, it was beginning to become clear he shouldn't be trying to push into it.
"I'm almost tempted to say to just... Draft something that seems fitting, but I hardly know you so it would be strange to ask. Then again, strangers often have a clearer quick perspective by sight alone. And that's what I'm going for, as it will be strangers seeing it first."
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Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 10:19 pm
At least they could list some colors they liked, that was some progress, but it really did seem like they were trying to dive into a tattoo without a clear idea what they wanted.
"It would be strange but more so because I don't know you well enough to just design sometghing for you, using those colors, as it could be something which you won't like in a few weeks from now...or a few months or years." That was always a worry with clients - regret. Some people did get random things or thigns they were into but grew out of and than needed a cover up, laser removal, or other solutions to the problem. To ask an artist, who didn't know you, to just come up with ideas was almost asking for something you'd regret later on.
"Strangers might see it but you are the person living with it and seeing it every day. It needs to be something you can find appealing enough to want for life on you, and to see it all the time. You have something of a color pallet to work with, if you wanted to keep to those four colors, and I'm assuming you want water color for the style. But you don't have an idea really on a concept of what you want done in that style and those colors. I worry that if I offer you up ideas you'll just pick something, anything that looks ok right now, and not like it later on." And he would have offered up ideas, as in plural, but he didn't think that would help here.
He liked to work with people who had an idea of what they wanted, aside from the style, because if left to pick something for someone than it wasn't likely to be something they'd like. "Were there any pieces I'd posted that you wanted or liked? To give me an idea of where this should be going as far as wants?" Or was this just a wash for the appointment, which it was starting to feel like really.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 9:29 pm
Why was this so difficult? Maybe he had over fantasized about this experience, especially with how he was told people just 'knew' what they wanted when they saw it. in a way, it made sense. He never was a very decisive or expressive person. And anything that seemed pretty enough seemed just so... Repetitive. Not that he blamed the artist, it was more like these people who came up with these ideas lacked creativity.
Or he was being a snob about it. Most likely the snob part.
"You aren't wrong with that. I'm starting to think that this is the wrong time to pick anything at all. I have colors, I have a swatch, essentially, but nothing speaks out to me. Your work is impeccable. I enjoy everything I see, but to simply go 'I want this one' feels like I'm not trying very hard, and am simply copying what someone else wanted." Landry flipped through the portfolio again, more and more, until his eyes lingered a bit on an image of a doll.
"Ah what of...." While he was no artist himself, he had a steady hand for drawing, and quickly doodled something on his phone. Gears against the skin, overlayered by just random splashes of color. It was by no means professional, but it got the point across. "Mechanical settings, gears, automatons, robots... Something along those lines might work."
Sleet Tempest Snape Here's an idea of what I was thinking he drew, but way more basic.
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