Being a tattoo artist is a huge responsibility - people rely on you to correctly mark their body for life, with a design that needs to come out perfectly.

No pressure and all that, but Sydney Mulvaney, a tattooer based in Saginaw, Michigan, understands the importance of getting an ink design just right.

Known on TikTok as @sydneytattoos, the 31-year-old is known for her candid stories and experiences as an artist, which can range from the insightful to the outrageous.

While she has previously admitted to misspelling tattoos and getting the time wrong on a clock design as an apprentice, over a decade later, Sydney is extremely experienced and has seen it all.

But with several years of experience under her belt, the artist has a clear list of do's and don'ts, which she revealed in an exclusive interview with VT.

Tattoo artist Sydney Mulvaney is known for her candid stories on TikTok. Credit: Sydney Mulvaney

The one type of tattoo Sydney refuses

When asked about any tattoo designs which she may turn away, she admitted that anything hate speech-related isn't tolerated, but aside from that, she "rarely refuses to do a tattoo."

After 12 years of inking clients, the tattoo artist explained in an honest conversation: "I've gone through some trends.

"Millennials tend to get larger scale pieces - we want sleeves to connect, we want large planned out things, but the Gen Z crowd is getting little sticker style tattoos.

"It's a trend, and it can be cute, but it's so different from what we, as artists, objectively want to see as art," she admitted.

Sydney then admitted: "I think what they maybe shouldn't do is those little designs on fingers and hands, because they usually don't heal as well, especially on the bottoms or the sides of the fingers.

"I always try to sway people away from doing that, especially if they're not heavily tattooed already, because a lot of younger people are getting them on their hands, they're getting them on their neck, they're getting them on their face - these are places where we would call it a job stopper tattoo."

The artist added that she would "stay away" from these kinds of tattoos, adding that you may want to steer clear if "you haven't earned them yet."

Sydney explained that she isn't the biggest fan of "sticker tattoos." Credit: Sydney Mulvaney

Why "job stopper tattoos" aren't the best idea

"If you've got the majority of your body covered, go ahead and get the neck tattoo, get the hand tattoo, but if you don't already have that, you shouldn't be getting tattoos in super visible places, because even though tattoos are more acceptable, they still aren't held as professional in a lot of places," she highlighted.

"The first thing you do when you meet someone is shake their hand, and if you've got tattoos on your hand, they will make a presumption about you, whether it's true or not."

She added that while ink is "more acceptable" in this day and age in the workplace, there's a long way to go until it's fully normalized.

"You should still think about that before you get a bunch of little sticker tats all over your hands and face and neck," the artist further emphasized.

Sydney also warned about getting tattoos that you may not know the true meaning of - a more common occurrence than you'd think.

"I've heard stories of people getting like prison tattoos and not realizing that they had certain meanings, like the elbow tattoo of the spider web, which I think means you killed somebody," the artist shared.

"There's the tear drop on the eye too, but I feel like with the newer generation, Gen Z is getting tattooed differently than older generations."

The experienced tattooist doesn't refuse many tattoo designs. Credit: Sydney Mulvaney

Tattoo trends change over time

Getting a specific design, like a sticker or even a sleeve, says a lot about when you got the tattoo, according to the expert.

"The thing about trends, tattoo-wise, is they end up time-stamping you in whatever time period that you are in," she pointed out.

"For example, with the tramp stamps from the 90s and early 2000s - whenever you're at the beach, and you see a woman with a tramp stamp, you'll likely know how old she is, because that was around the time they were popular," Sydney said.

She added: "I also love that, because now Gen Z is getting tramp stamps again, they're bringing them back!"

Featured image credit: Sydney Mulvaney

Tattoo artists have taken to Reddit to let people know what designs they've had to refuse, even if a client is adamant about it.

And amongst all the answers, there's been one that has cropped up repeatedly...

Now, getting a tattoo is (or should be) a serious life decision. Not only will whatever you choose to get inked be permanently imprinted on your skin, but you'll also have to explain your choices to everyone else around you, including future partners.

While some designs you can get away with, others are harder to cover up, and some requests are so flat-out risky that tattoo artists refuse to do them completely.

Taking to Reddit, someone asked those who work in the industry what tattoos they've refused to do for clients, and let's just say their answers were nothing short of interesting and - in some cases - utterly hilarious.

"My dad is a tat artist and once refused to do the Disney princesses all down a 40-year-old mans arm, (this guy had other badass tats of skulls and women) he wanted to do it for his 6-month-old daughter but my dad 'just couldn't do it'. Later that week the man came back crying and thanked him because he found out that the 6-month-old was not his," one Redditor replied.

Yikes.

Others outlined more serious refusals, such as one user who wrote: "A friend of mine is a tattoo artist. Won't do any of the really well-known gang symbols - his reasoning is that the gangs have their own people to do it and someone coming into his shop is probably a poser who's going to get killed for it."

But overall, there was one design that kept coming up... Names.

"Girlfriends and boyfriends names. Even husbands and wives names are kind of a bad idea as its not unusual for the relationship to go south after getting the tattoo," wrote one user.

Another agreed, saying: "I know a lot of tattoo artists and a lot refuse to do couple or name tattoos because most people regret them."

One Redditor added: "Currently with a tattoo artist, and yes, couple's names are on the never, not doing it list."

However, that doesn't stop some from following through with the risky request.

One amazing reply read: "A guy came into my work the other day with one of those traditional loveheart tattoos on his arm, but with 'NUTELLA' where the name was. When we asked him about it he said it was a cover up, his ex girlfriend was called Ella. Best tattoo ever!"

And another user explained how an artist "tattooed my name on my boyfriend's arm... after we'd been dating for all of 3 months."

But thankfully she has no regrets as of yet because they're still together.

The moral of this story is: No matter how much you love your partner, don't tattoo their name on your body.

Featured Image Credit: FG Trade / Getty

A woman dubbed "the world's most tattooed doctor" has opened up about the stigma she faces due to her appearance and how she wants to combat stereotypes.

Dr. Sarah Gray - a former Miss Ink Australia winner and now a medical professional - received her first tattoo when she was 16 years old, and now, aged 33, she's hoping to change perceptions of tattooed professionals.

The model and orthopedic service registrar from Adelaide is challenging the idea that being inked has any bearing on an individual's ability to perform in the workplace.

The 33-year-old owns a tattoo studio called The Grim Raptor alongside her work in the medical industry.

In an interview with the Daily Star, Dr. Gray revealed her thoughts on those who judge others based on their tattoos. "Tattoos don't make you a bad person, and anyone that thinks that is just a representation of their unconscious bias, not of who I am as a person," she said.

Dr. Gray went on: "There shouldn't be any stigma around tattoos. It's literally just color in your skin. It doesn't definite you or your skill or capabilities to perform any task. We should actively encourage diversity and creative self-expression. We weren't born to be sheep."

However, Dr. Gray has faced a lot of negativity when it comes to her ink.

The most negative treatment she's had to face has been in shops and restaurants, she says. In one recent incident, she was ignored by several shop assistants while waiting to buy a pair of designer heels on her birthday.

"They all served other customers first and wouldn't even make eye contact with me," Dr. Gray explained to the Daily Mail. "I waited politely for ages and eventually gave up and left. They did themselves out of a sale and I saved myself $1,000, so I guess that's one bonus!"

On another occasion, she was actually asked to leave a restaurant because of her appearance.

"I was out for lunch in a restaurant with my partner on the Gold Coast when we were seated at a table," she said. "After being seated for lunch, management then came up to us and asked us to leave as they had a 'no visible tattoo policy' for diners. That was a little disappointing to say the least."

Nevertheless, Dr. Gray has also revealed that her tattoos can prove to be a tool for keeping younger patients at ease, as it can be common ground.

Speaking to Sunrise, she said: "I find it’s a good talking point, especially a lot of the younger generation of patients that we see, I guess its a bit of a barrier break-down between what it is traditionally thought a doctor would look like."

"I've worked really hard to develop good professional relationships as I'm fairly memorable, so I've made sure I'm memorable for the right reasons through hard work, determination, and an always positive attitude," Dr. Gray went on.

"For those that don't like tattoos, that's entirely their prerogative, I just urge them to at least consider the artistic skill that goes into creating body art."

The medical professional is almost entirely covered in tattoos, minus her face, with the designs being bold and colorful and most certainly a work of art.

Tattoos are definitely becoming more accepted in professional environments, and we are all for people being allowed to express themselves!

Featured image credit: Lesley Johnson / Alamy

A woman has shared how she believes she was rejected from getting a job at T.J. Maxx because of her tattoos.

In a digital age where first impressions can make or break careers, one content creator's experience with a major retailer has ignited a heated debate about hiring biases.

Ash Putnam, a 23-year-old from California, took to TikTok to share her frustration after being rejected by T.J. Maxx. Her visible tattoos, including a skull design on her neck and solid black patches on her arms, were at the center of her concerns.

"I hate that my tattoos are such a defining factor for me getting a job or not," she lamented in a TikTok video. "Just because I have tattoos doesn't mean I'm not going to be a good worker."

Following her rejection, she returned to the store for answers.

She said: "I went in today and I was like, 'So, what was the reason I didn't get hired?'"

According to Putnam, the hiring manager at T.J. Maxx cited lack of experience as the reason for her rejection, denying that her tattoos played any role.

"I asked her if it was about my tattoos, obviously, because I know a lot of places don't like tattoos," Putnam continued. "She said that wasn't the reason... I don't feel like that's true, but, whatever, I'll leave it at that."

Putnam then questioned how teenagers and others with little work experience are expected to find work when so many workplaces are adamant that all employees are hired with plenty of years under their belt.

However, her apprehensions about whether or not her tattoos led to her rejection from the role sparked a fierce debate in the comments section.

The viral video garnered 7.4 million views and drew a mix of opinions. "There is no way any company would put you in front of customers like T.J. Maxx," one commenter claimed. Another, claiming to be a former hiring manager for the store, attributed the rejection to Putnam's facial piercings and tattoos.

A tattoo artist then shared their thoughts, writing: "I’m a tattoo artist of 15 years, you have to have a set career path before you go big on face and throat tattoos."

Others suggested alternative roles for the TikToker, such as working in a call center or at a bar.

But as Putnam put it herself: "My tattoos and piercings have nothing to do with me being a good employee or not."

Per Business Insider, a LinkedIn survey conducted in 2018 showed that 40% of respondents admitted to rejecting job candidates solely based on the visibility of their tattoos. Additionally, a staggering 88% of recruiters and human resources professionals believed that tattoos could significantly hinder a candidate's chances of securing employment opportunities.

However, according to a 2023 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, nearly one-third of American adults now sport permanent tattoos. This trend signals a significant rise in the popularity of tattoos across various demographics, including individuals of all genders, races, and political affiliations.

So, is it time tattoos were more accepted in the workplace? Let us know your thoughts.

Featured image credit: andreswd / Getty

A mother who is covered in tattoos is having a hard time finding a job, as she claims businesses aren't willing to hire her due to how she looks.

Tattoos have long been a subject of disagreement, particularly between generations, but as time progresses people are becoming more open to body art.

Increasingly, tattoo art is now understood to be an expression of one's self in the form of permanent ink.

Though one mother in the UK has found it pretty hard to convince employers to give her a chance, as she has over 800 tattoos covering her from head to toe.

As reported by the Daily Star, 46-year-old Melissa Sloan from Wales has at least three new designs applied to herself every week.

The majority of the tattoos are applied "prison style" by her partner Luke in the comfort of their own home.

Discussing her employment options, Sloan said: "I can’t get a job. They won’t have me. I applied for a job cleaning toilets where I live and they won’t have me because of my tattoos.

"The first job I had was cleaning ages ago, cleaning toilets. People have said I have never had a job in my life, I have had one once and it didn’t last long. But, if someone offered me a job tomorrow I would go and work - I would take that offer."

Sloan remains unemployed and is currently living off of government allowances to get by - but she has been making a clear effort to gain employment.

This isn't the only environment where the mother is judged for her looks, as she sadly revealed that she is unable to attend her children's school plays.

Exclusively speaking to the Daily Star, Sloan revealed that Christmas is a particularly hard time as her children's school makes her stand outside and watch the annual nativity performance through the window.

"No Christmas parties and when I go to my child's school I don't get invited," Sloan revealed. "They said once for me to go to the back garden and look through the class window."

Due to the treatment she receives, the tattoo "addict" stopped going to the school plays completely because she didn't appreciate how the teachers and other parents reacted to her.

Not only this, but Sloan revealed that she had been barred from various pubs due to her tattoos so can't partake in the Christmas tradition in the UK of spending it in the boozer with family and friends.

To add to her woes, tattoo shops will no longer let her in and that's why she's had to resort to her partner Luke giving her the weekly dose of ink.

Sloan said: "Tattoo shops shut the door on me - tattooists won't let me in. When I had this done [my face], there's one about five miles up the road and they won't do it."

She finished off by joking: "They won't do it because I'm beyond help because I've gone too far."

Despite all of this, Sloan is proud of her body art and has no intention of slowing down.

Featured image credit: seksan Mongkhonkhamsao / Getty