Behind The Scenes Of A Route 1 Tattoo Shop

Yes, I of zero body piercings and sans any “ink” (tattoos) really was sitting out back of Twystid Imagez Tattoo Studio, 8330 Richmond Highway, 703-360-8330, www.twystidimagez.com  recently shooting the breeze with Aryn (aka Mr. Twystid who wears the hats of owner/tattoo artist/piercer), Big Mike (the store manager), Mike (a piercer) and Geo (pronounced like the car, a tattoo artist).  I was surrounded by men who flaunted “sleeves” (full arm tattoos that run all the way around the arm to the shoulder), “gauges” (stretched circular ear piercings), “snake bites” (two piercings under the bottom lip), “industrials” (a piercing of the ear that is composed of two holes connected by a long metal bar), neck tattoos, customized fangs, stretched septums, etc. and  there wasn’t a miscreant in the bunch. 

“The whole---you’re a criminal or druggie.  Not true.  No one in our shop has been in jail.  I mean Aryn, Mike and I don’t even drink.  Mike has a family.  He goes home at 9.  He’s got two jobs.  He’s also a vet tech,” said Big Mike.  “Many shops are kind of into the rock star life.  We don’t see it that way.  We’re in it for the love of art,” offered Mike.  “We’ve only had to call the cops one time in our 6 years of business.  That’s why they like us.  We keep to ourselves.  We have a good time but we’re a professional business,” added Big Mike.

And with the growing popularity of body art (tattoos and piercings), thanks largely to many celebrities and high-profile athletes embracing it and making it more mainstream, Twystid Imagez has developed quite a following.   When asked for the profile of a typical client, Big Mike said, “you name it, they come in.  We’ve probably had half of the Fairfax County Police Department,  I guarantee at least 1/3 of Belvoir’s base.  We even had a 65 year-old lady come in here recently to have her belly-button pierced for her birthday.”  They also service a lot of bikers “because everyone in the shop pretty much rides” per Big Mike.  Mike chimed in that last Halloween, “I got a kick out of a guy who came in and I pierced his ear.  He was 98 years old!”  Geo also mentioned tattooing a big rose on the leg of a woman who was  60-something.

Of course what most people want to know is, does it hurt to get a tattoo?  When asked, Mike replied, “It’s not that they hurt.  They get annoying after awhile.  Have you ever been stung by a bee?  It hurts less than that.”  Specifically, the group offered up some of the more tender areas as the crook of the elbow, behind the knee and the bony part of the wrist.  Apparently, the ribs can be a little sensitive too.  In terms of piercings, lips and nipples tend to be the areas that make you flinch the most.  When I asked why people would knowingly get work done in an area that might cause more pain, Mike said, “You’ve gotta earn it.  It’s kind of like Boy Scouts.  It’s a rite of passage.”   Big Mike interjected, “because it’s cool.”

Although the shop does all kinds of tattoos, piercings and even custom-fitting fangs, certain services are more popular than others.  Big Mike, who keeps the books, said that “nostrils and navel-piercing” is what they do the most of.  Per Geo, “I get a lot of requests for stars.  And the LeBron James letters are popular.  The big, huge capitals on their backs.”  “Tribals” which is artwork of all one color usually of intricate detail are crowd favorites too.  In a misguided attempt to impress the group with my handle of the tattoo lingo (and trust me, I now know that it does exist) I asked if they did many “tramp stamps” (a tattoo a woman can get on her lower back).   They chuckled good-naturedly and Geo stated that they still get a lot of requests for those.  When I asked if there were any other tattoos that had slang names, he said, “Some women come in and ask for a ‘v-- badge’…you know, when you tattoo below”.  (Think female genitalia that begins with a v, shorten it to three letters and make it rhyme).  Was afraid to ask what the term for “below” piercings are called, but they do those too apparently.  And all of these services are provided in private, very sterile and clean cubicles that are enclosed with mirrored sliding doors.  Peering into one, it was comparable to my dentist’s office, the same kind of chair and sanitation.  Per Big Mike, “This is the cleanest shop I’ve ever been in.  Health inspectors have actually used our shop as an example.”  And Virginia is a state that requires shops to be licensed and regulated.  Many states and the District of Columbia do not.

Prices for services vary.  Piercings tend to run about $50 a hole.  Custom fangs have a set price of $100.  With tattoos, it depends, said Big Mike on, “where, what, what colors, how long it’s going to take to draw out.  Is it ‘flash’ (legally reproduced sheets of artwork that hang on the walls or are presented in books at the studio) or custom?  It all depends on the process.”  In terms of duration, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes for a really small, simple tattoo to multiple hours spread out over several sessions for a larger one such as a whole back piece.  Business tends to peak in the summer.  Per Aryn, “They’ll start piling in here real soon.”  But he cautioned that “you’ve got to stay out of the water and sun for two weeks after getting a tattoo.  So come back here after you’ve been to the beach.”  For optimal results and satisfaction, Big Mike also stated, “don’t bring us a picture on your phone of what you want.  Google your images and print it out.  Google is your best friend.”

For the customized fangs, Aryn said that “around Halloween I get swamped.”   The fangs are removable but molded to the teeth.  A cast of the teeth is made and then Aryn constructs them out of acrylic materials and they are very real-looking.  But he warned, “they’re not meant for biting.  They will break, they will crack.  They’re for theatrical use only.  Just for show.”  He then added, “I had one guy who thought he’d be funny and do the whole ‘Teen Wolf’ thing and bite into a beer can.  The can exploded and sliced both of his cheeks open.”

The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 1-9.  It is closed Sundays and Mondays and most major holidays.  Both appointments and walk-ins are accepted.  You must be 18 years or older to enter with a government issued picture id to receive any services.  Minors between the ages of 15-17 must be accompanied by a parent.  Kids (or “human larva” in tattoo lingo) are not allowed although Big Mike said that they regularly have to enforce this rule as many people try to bring kids along.  The reason for no kids is two-fold.  One, it’s a state law and two, some of the “flash” displayed entails nudity and the store merchandise (features  an acronym that takes the first letter of the shop’s name…reminder, Twystid Imagez Tattoo Studio) is for a mature audience as well.  Per Mike, “I have a 9 year-old daughter and I would never let her come in here.  It’s not appropriate for kids.”  Their other rules are:  “No drugs, no alcohol, no weapons, no attitudes, no b.s., no exceptions!”

And they are not afraid to turn away business when the guidelines aren’t met or they are uncomfortable with a request.  Aryn said, “We don’t do the gang style stuff.  If I think it’s anything gang-related, I just say no.  I had one kid who came in here and wanted 6-6-6 tattoed across his throat.  I wouldn’t do it.”   Mike also spoke of an incident of an accompanied minor coming in who wanted a large tattoo down her forearm that they turned away.  “For minors, we’ll only do tattoos that are covered by a t-shirt, shorts and socks.  We’re looking out for their futures.”  Geo said, “It’s got to look good 10 years down the road.  We want to fit it where it needs to go and we want to make sure it looks good and lasts.”

I inquired of each gentleman what their parents thought of all of their piercings and tattoos.  Mike said his mom “has always been cool with it.”  Big Mike said, “Mine hated everyone I got and they still do and I am 42”.  And Aryn said he had six tattoos when he was younger that he hid from his dad, a conservative military man, for a long time.  But after declaring to his dad that he wanted to be a tattoo artist, Aryn decided to do an unveil  on a family trip to Hawaii.  Per Aryn, “I didn’t want to hide my sh** for a week so I just decided to strip my shirt off.  My dad’s jaw dropped but he didn’t say a word because he didn’t want to ruin the vacation.”

Per  www.totallysweettattos.com , finding a “tattoo design you like and is meaningful, a good tattoo artist and a safe, clean environment are the key to the perfect tattoo”.  If you adhere to these guidelines, Twystid Imagez might be worth checking out for those seeking body art.  Just be sure to adhere to Big Mike’s advice and  “think before you ink”.