Honest Tattooer Podcast

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Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano are joined by guest tattooer Edoardo Taglioretti, a 12-year artist from Italy who specializes in new school and bio-organic tattoos. They discuss whether current tattoo trends will become classics or future coverups, framing how tattoos “age” physically in skin, culturally, and personally. The episode critiques post-ironic meme/joke tattoos, brand and shock-value pieces, and the role of social media in spreading trends before healed results are seen. They also break down extreme micro-realism, its technical limits, readability, contrast, and long-term longevity, plus the popularity of patchwork/sticker-style collections and finger tattoos with frequent touch-up issues. The conversation expands into laser removal experiences, celebrity tattoo taste, and how styles like new school, Japanese, and bio-organic evolve and remain relevant. 
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This week we talk about the importance of choosing the right artist for the job, what makes a good portrait reference, lining at the end of a large, multi session piece, the cost of a good tattoo in Bali and what is goin on what that back piece?
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Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and Matt Buck talk with guest tattooer Charles Arizmendy  and later Skylar Phung about how AI is affecting tattooing, especially as clients bring AI-generated references that look polished but often aren’t tattooable due to skin, body flow, aging, and detail limitations. They compare AI references to Pinterest/Google, discuss when AI is a helpful springboard versus when clients get overly attached to an exact image, and debate what feels acceptable (AI as reference) versus “dirty” (AI stencils/AI flash), plus whether artists should disclose AI use. They touch on environmental concerns, virtue signaling, the rising value of hand-drawn work, AI art accounts selling prints, and even a robot tattoo machine 
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On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano sit down with Matt Buck  and guest Fabian, a New York tattooer of 13 years with a graffiti background who now focuses on mostly freehand blackwork sigils—turning phrases into symbols by removing vowels and repeated consonants. The group reacts to a thread about what’s “cringe” in tattooing and debates whether artists who learned online, don’t build machines, and make lots of content are “less” of a tattooer, weighing respect for tradition against modern realities. They discuss influencers teaching without experience, AI and originality, social media marketing tactics, oversaturation, and whether being good at tattooing is enough anymore. The conversation also covers apprenticeships, mentorship quality, tool knowledge, cheap equipment, and the need for financial literacy, retirement planning, and longevity in the craft.
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On the Honest Tattooer podcast, hosts Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano talk with guest tattooer/shop owner Amanda Malia and her apprentice Jacob Satterly. They discuss blurred style lines, Amanda’s nontraditional early apprenticeships and how long it took to feel like a “real tattooer,” imposter syndrome, and how environment and competition affect growth. The episode covers how social media has changed perceptions of legitimacy, differences between Facebook and Instagram, and Meta pushing Reels. They share art and tattoo process habits, longevity-driven simplification, stippling/shading tips, and advice for getting an apprenticeship (draw/paint, get tattooed by the mentor). The conversation also explores shop culture, booth rent vs percentage, contracts, rising supply costs, and how to raise rent while maintaining a positive vibe.
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