I had the amazing opportunity to do tattoos at the Mar Me Quer Festival in Portimão, Portugal, which saw about 10,000 visitors each day. Being part of such a big event was very exciting.
During the festival, we had a very nice and heartwarming encounter with a Portuguese couple. They were traveling artists living the van life. Vasco got his first tattoo from me, and I feel honored to be part of his first tattoo memory - haha. Thank you both for the good vibes.
However, I also want to mention a few things that happened during the event that I found very disrespectful. A few people jokingly said they’d get a full leg tattoo for 50 euros and then walked off laughing. There was even a case where someone paid via PayPal and later canceled their payment. One woman asked Denise and me several times how much a small tattoo would cost, and we both clearly stated that it would be 50 €. After I fulfilled her request for a freehand butterfly on her arm, she handed me 15 € and was surprised when we clarified that the cost was 50 €, not 15 €. We then had to discuss the situation with her, which, unfortunately, was not in our favor.
By the way, a tattoo starting at €50 is exceptionally cheap, and that's not typically the norm. These prices are designed for super small, fun tattoos that don’t require a full setup or additional tasks. In fact, I often end up paying extra rather than making a living from it.
These moments were a bit frustrating, but we had to pull through.
On the bright side, it was really rewarding to see the smiles and happy faces of those I tattooed and those who appreciated getting a high-quality tattoo.
After 8 pm, the crowd started slowly moving around, and some people found their way to my chair or just watched while I was tattooing!
I was prepared, but I didn’t expect to do so many custom freehand designs - haha!
Luckily, I had my Sharpies with me!
Freehand tattoos are something I’ve come to enjoy. It’s fun and challenging, but I find it very comfortable. It feels more natural because you draw directly on the skin- the body is the best reference to work on, rather than a flat piece of paper or a tablet screen.
Would you be interested in a blog post about freehand tattoos? Comment below!
All in all, I can say that every experience is a good one. Would I go to a local festival again?
I think some time is needed to forget about the stressful and frustrating moments that came up before and during the event. :)
A big thank you to my girlfriend, who was a huge help with organizing everything. She made the whole experience much easier and more enjoyable - I couldn’t have done it without her!
A big thanks to all the wonderful people who stopped by to chat and share good vibes.
Never grow up, and enjoy the photos I took.
Vango
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