Vegan Tattoo, Los Angeles
Where to get a vegan tattoo in Los Angeles?
+ Review
So you want to get a tattoo. If you’re vegan, trying to be consistent with your views and lifestyle you want to make sure to find a vegan tattoo artist. Why would you cut out animal products from all areas of your life just to then permanently carry some animal by-products under your skin?
It is not only the ink that one has to pay attention to. It’s the transfer paper, which if not vegan can contain lanolin. It’s the razor that may contain an animal-derived glycerine strip. It’s the soap and the aftercare. And last but not least it’s the artist’s attitude. For an all-around satisfying experience that won’t leave you second-guessing whether you really got a vegan tattoo or the artist just nodded at every question you asked, I highly suggest going to a 100% vegan tattoo studio/ artist.
In this post, I wanna share with you my experience of getting a vegan tattoo and recommend an amazing artist who’s based in Los Angeles.
Where to get a vegan tattoo in Los Angeles?
At Monocle Tattoo – check out the official website
Who’s a great vegan tattoo artist based in Los Angeles?
James Spooner, owner of Monocle Tattoo.
As stated on his website he “has been tattooing for over ten years. Being a vegan for nearly three decades, he pioneered a vegan tattoo procedure in Los Angeles in order to be consistent with his politics and lifestyle. He is a well-rounded tattooer, proficient in black and grey, dot work, cover-ups, and working with all shades of skin.”
That’s exactly what you’re looking for if you want a vegan tattoo. 100% guarantee and quality work, no bs. Plus you know how different the experience and a conversation can be with someone who shares a similar worldview (at least in some aspects) as opposed to with someone who offers vegan tattoos just to get more clients.
What James Spooner says about vegan tattoos:
There is more to a tattoo than a machine, needle, and ink. An artist chooses multiple products to use before, during, and after the procedure. Stencil paper, razor choices, soap and skin lubrication, aftercare, and of course ink, are all a matter of CHOICE. Each one of these elements has the potential to contain animal based ingredients or be a product tested on animals. I pick the highest quality products with zero ethical compromise, giving you bright and bold tattoos for a lifetime.
So you know upfront what you’re signing up for. Once, at the studio, you can relax and talk about your desired tattoo and come up with the final design. Rather than having to ask endless questions about the products and tools used.
Before we move on to my personal experience I also want to mention that Mr. James Spooner is a super interesting person. Not only is he a tattoo artist, but also an illustrator, a filmmaker (he directed the documentary AFRO-PUNK) as well as the co-founder of the Afropunk Festival.
“Afro-Punk (2003) is an award winning documentary film directed by James Spooner, exploring the roles of African Americans within what was then an overwhelmingly white punk scene across the United States of America.”
What is more, as a Los Angeles-based vegan he can definitely recommend some top vegan food spots, in case you’re not from the area.
To find out more about James Spooner, his vegan tattoo studio or his work check out:
If you stumbled across this post cause you’re interested in getting a vegan tattoo, however, you are not from L.A. nor do you plan on going there anytime soon, I recommend checking out Vegan Tattoo Studios to find one that is closer to you.
My experience of getting a vegan tattoo in Los Angeles
– Review –
Let’s keep it short and get straight to the point. I got my vegan tattoo done about 4 years ago by James Spooner and am super happy with the result till this day.
My experience was definitely a positive one. James is, obviously, very creative and was therefore very helpful as far as finalizing my desired design. The studio was clean. The work professional and stunning. I got my tattoo done in his private studio in Pasadena. However, as far as I know, Monocle Tattoo is still located in Downtown, LA. I went for a medium-sized, dotwork design on my ribs. I don’t see the need for sharing a photo of it, you can easily find a bunch of his work online. I got some aftercare, which turned out to be more than enough. My skin healed super fast, I had zero irritation- yay!
James is tattooing by appointment only, which I had, however, I came in with a friend and James was kind enough to also retouch his tattoo instead of making him get a separate appointment and getting rid of us asap. Much appreciated! Nonetheless, I do recommend respecting his time and not asking for extra work…get an appointment! In our case, it was very spontaneous and just something that came out in the conversation.
After getting the tattoo we went to get some donuts at “Donut Friend” an amazing spot recommended to us by James. And let me tell you, wow, it was delicious.
Getting a 100% vegan tattoo done by an amazing artist and then finishing the trip to the studio with some next-level donuts? What more could you ask for from an ordinary December afternoon?
When are you getting your vegan tattoo?
This post was about where to get a vegan tattoo in Los Angeles.
