Scapegoat Tattoo

Went down to Portland this weekend with some friends and got tattooed by Aron and really love my tattoo! Talent is definitely not something that is lacking here and the fact that they have vegan ink is wonderful. However I do feel a little taken advantage of because the session lasted a total of 30 minutes maybe 40 max and my total came out to $ 220. Considering the shop rate is $ 160/​hour I was very confused but apparently not all of the artists go by the shop rate and charge rather by «what the piece is worth according to shop standards» due to years of experience and efficiency. I can respect that because Aron clearly has a lot of experience and I’m really happy with his work, but it’s extremely misleading on the website as it has no mention of anything other than the shop rate and minimum. If you do choose to get tattooed at Scapegoat, be sure to ask about rates and have the artist give you an estimate. As an 18 year old girl with obviously not a huge income, had I had an estimate of how much it would be I still would’ve gotten it done, but I would’ve budgeted my money better on my trip so as not to leave my account near $ 0. Just food for thought!

Facts:
This is a vegan tattoo place in Portland, next to several other vegan shops. It’s an open studio, with several benches/​chairs in one common room while several artists work on customers at the same time. The waiting area is quite small with a small love seat and chair. I had to pay an $ 80 deposit to get on an artists schedule.
Pros:
–Vegan tattoo place
–when you email the shop, you get pretty quick replies
–Tattoo didn’t hurt too bad, and was quick
–John was friendly and relaxed.
Cons:
*Communication is lacking — A LOT*
–I originally emailed Silje and waited about three months for a reply before giving up on her and just emailing the shop. I did get a template response saying she was busy and to please be patient for a response, but 3 months is a bit long when if you’re that booked, perhaps should just say you’re not taking new customers.
–During back and forth emailing with the shop, I was asked what size of tattoo I wanted my design to be. I said about ½ the size of a dollar. Didn’t get any response back, but when I got there I showed a print out of a slightly larger scale of the art and was told it was impossible to be that small and had to go 20% larger.
–I expected to have my artist ask some more questions about the design — did I want the shadows in the clip I sent, did I want the lighter sketchings in some spots, did I want white as the photo has or just leave it as my skin, how these colors will work on my skin tone. None of these things were brought up by my artist
–This was my first tattoo, and I had to pull any information on aftercare from John. He offered up to stay out of the sun on his own, but anything else I had to ask specifically for information and work to get more than ‘put lotion on it’.
*Customer Service Issues*
— During my tattoo, my artist had a friend stop by and chat for about 10 – 15 minutes. During this time John, my artist, would stop working occasionally to turn and talk to his friend. I wasn’t super bothered by someone stopping by to talk, but I’m paying for time and for attention and it’s less than awesome to have the needle stop and start a bunch for chatting
— During my tattoo potential customers wandered in to look around and the girl at the front desk would be busy texting or something else and wouldn’t address them. John would stop working on me to ask if he could help or talk with them about anything, which is awesome for him to step up, but ideally the person working at the desk would do their job.
— John scheduled my brother’s tattoo, then mine, then someone else almost right after me. He was obviously rushing to get us both done and told another artist he’d be done in 5 minutes and he was super eager to eat before the next appointment came in 30 min after me. So when he told me to go look at my tattoo and I saw the gaps in the linework and that there was no white where I was expecting it, I didn’t feel like he would have the time or desire to do good work to talk about it/​fix it.
Overall, I feel like the whole experience was disorganized, with little communication. A 5 minute chat before I got there about sizing and more specifics on what I wanted and what he envisioned or recommended could have adjusted my expectations and less open discussion about what a hurry you are in to get done with me so you can eat before scrambling to your next appointment would go a long way in making the customer feel attended to.

Went in for the 100 $ flash day and it was a very long wait but 100% worth it. I ended up getting Allyson and her last tattoo of the day which was very lucky. The whole shop had been tattooing from 12 – 8 and everyone was still in great moods and very happy. They also gave half the money to a good cause. I would come back just to get tattooed by Allyson, she has an amazing personality and is easy to talk to so you can ignore the pain. She even customized my flash tattoo to say something else and added a few leaves to mesh in with my other tattoo well. Would recommend. Amazing shop!

I made a spur-​of-​the-​moment booking with Scapegoat for a tattoo, my first, a few days before my twenty eighth birthday. I identify most prominently with creativity & veganism, so I was quite glad to find the internet-​available work of each Scapegoat artist pleasing aesthetically as well as morally. I made an appointment quite easily via email. John Wilson was as sweet as he was diligent & talented.

I have so many people ask who did my tattoos that I now carry Silje’s (the lovely artist who has put four amazing pieces on me) business cards with me in my purse to give them.
Quality and cleanliness in this shop is of utmost importance. Every staff member I’ve encountered has been friendly and helpful.
Silje does beautiful artwork. I entrusted her to capture my beloved rabbit, Rex, in ink and she exceeded my expectations. I am going back now for a portrait of my dog this month. She also has a fun little book of designs that are up for grabs to be tattooed which is neat if you have some space and want something fun and spontaneous.
I won’t stop recommending Scapegoat and the rad artists who tattoo there.

I cannot say enough about the positive experience I had at Scapegoat Tattoo. This was my first tattoo and I was scared to death. I was on vacation from Virginia and hadn’t made an appointment or anything. I walked in and really liked how clean the shop was and how friendly the staff is. Allyson, the artist, was so nice and comforting. She drew something up for me and tattooed me the same day. Since I was a beginner, she was really nice and made sure I was comfortable. I was very distracted by the gorgeous art on the walls. Overall, it was a GREAT experience and I plan on coming back in next year for a pet portrait!

I had a good experience with Silje. She was clear about price before start and to my pleasant surprise she worked fast. She included all the elements I wanted in my tattoo and I left very pleased. Tattoo is healing well. I found all the staff to be friendly and welcoming.

Got my traveling tattoo finally! Loved it! Silje was super kind and love my cute and whimsical tattoo! One of the funnest times I’ve been tattooed as enjoyed the company conversation and professional interactions with Silje! Danielle the gal at the front was pretty rad too. Overall good times and I adore my tattoo, can’t wait to see it healed.

I’ve been tattooed more times than the typical person who still counts how many they have. Hate to do this, but I have to say this was hands down the most inorganic tattoo experience I’ve ever had. If it wasn’t the hefty deposit fee (more than a typical $ 40) then it’s for the email only communication with the artist. Apparently they are «too busy» to have an in person consultation. Not bad tattooing, but nothing to write home about. Thankfully on my part it was a simple piece. As life goes, I took a chance, and I’m not upset or regretful of the outcome I’d just like to inform anyone seriously looking for a tattoo to think twice about going here. There are plenty of other really great places to get tattooed in this town without the silly hoops this place asks you to jump through. That is my 2 cents, take it for what you will.

I recently traveled 10 hours round trip (within a 24 hour period!) to get a piece by Allyson Bennett, and it was so worth it. This shop is clean and open with a lot of natural light– a very comfortable and calm space with a welcoming team of employees.
Allyson knew exactly what I wanted from the tattoo with minimal explanation needed on my part. Her artistic instincts are remarkable, particularly when it comes to placement and size. I’ve always been a huge fan of her work, but I was especially impressed by this piece. She executed the delicate style & color palette I was looking for so well. I would recommend her to anyone looking for botanical work.
It’s really clear that the Scapegoat team is a family, and they treat you like one of their own when you’re getting tattooed there. In addition to the beautiful art I get to keep with me forever, I had a great time just hanging out in the shop that afternoon. I will definitely be coming back.

I got a tattoo from Aron. He responded to my email timely and there wasn’t a long wait to get in. He did exactly what I wanted, and did an amazing job. The quality of art here is incredible. They do charge a lot, but since you are commissioning them for their incredible artwork I think it is worth it.
I’ve seen a couple posts on here about how the artists are rude, and I had the complete opposite experience! The artists were very nice and friendly, as was the receptionist. I definitely recommend this shop if you want a quality tattoo.

A bit pricey, but well worth it if you are looking for beautiful custom work. I picked Scapegoat after reading reviews online and seeing the quality/​range of their artist’s portfolios.
Originally, I contacted Ryan Mason via email about my idea for a mountain landscape. Although he was busy, he suggested reaching out to Cody Zeek since he was a good fit for the design. Cody had lots of attractive work in his portfolio, so I wrote him and stopped by the shop a week later to set up an appointment.
I was able to show Cody a picture for inspiration during our first meeting. The next day, he interpreted it into a draft that captured my desired design while incorporating his unique artistic style.
I am very pleased with the end result! Not only is Cody talented, he was very accommodating, patient and humorous throughout the process.

Very talented artists, vegan ink, and they accept credits! My girlfriend and I stopped in while vacation and they made time to do small tattoos on both of us. Make sure you stop by Sweet Pea either before or after to grab some delicious treats.

The best work I’ve personally seen in Portland so far. Not only the needle work but the effort that goes in to design. It’s absolutely clear that you get what you pay for. Wait until you can afford it!

This is by far the best experience I’ve ever had getting a tattoo. I’m from San Diego, CA and flew up to Portland to get tatted by John Wilson. All the artists there are worth the trip for.
I was inspired to come to scapegoat bc 1, it is VEGAN and 2, a friend of mine from NY that also flew to Portland from NY had an amazing piece done too by scapegoat that I fell in love with!
If you’re looking for legitimate, top quality tattoos done by knowledgeable, experienced artists, this is the place to go.
The cost is worth it considering that you’re paying for great quality art and professionalism of artwork that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
John Wilson did an amazing job on my tattoo. I came in to do a crane bird on my bicep and he understood everything I was looking for. Very detailed oriented person and is the super sweetest and non-​intimidating tattoo artist I’ve ever met.
Everyone at scapegoat is mad friendly and so talented. I agree with the rest of the comments of people who rated this place a 5. I definitely recommend John Wilson and know for a fact that I will be going back for more work done by him. Double thumbs up for the shop and John.
Scapegoat is a great staple of what makes Portland, Portlandia.

Ryan Mason is THE man! I gave him the subject matter and free reign to do his work, and he knocked it out of the park. This was my first tattoo. This man knows what he is doing. I highly recommend submitting your ideas to him.
As for the people of Scapegoat Tattoo and the shop itself, 5 stars as well. Clean shop, and awesome people. I could not have asked for a better experience.

This place is the best. The artists are of the highest caliber, and they truly care about each other’s work also. During my session they were walking around giving feedback, congratulating each other on sweet pieces, etc.
Cleanliness is a big deal here, being vegan and compassionate is a big deal here, and creating unique art true to both the artist and the customer are a big deal here. They’re known to turn down work occasionally that doesn’t fit into their individual style, which I think is awesome; it means whatever you get done will be what that artist is best at.
You will need to book out a while in the future. You will need to save up some money for it. And it will be worth it to work with these crafts men and women and have something exceptional on your body.

I had such a great experience until it was time to pay. I was told the hourly rate was $ 160 which is already a little steep but I did it anyway. After the tattoo was done, it took one hour and 5 minutes, the artist told me the price was $ 350. I asked why since she told me the hourly was $ 160, and she said that was only if the piece was over two hours (which the total would be $ 320). I was dumbfounded and told her I only brought $ 30@ because she told me in a rough estimate that that was the absolute max it would be, and she simply said I can put the rest on your card? I handed her the card and walked out in absolute shock. I will NEVER return to Scapegoat tattoo after being taken advantage of in such a disgusting way. Shame on you.

Support your local Tattoo Parlor!
This is the place to get inked up if you are a vegan. Great environment and friendly staff. Vegan inks and the in house books showcase the talents of the artists.
They specialize in animal themes, but am sure they could come up w/​anything if you bring an idea in.
After getting your Scapegoat on… check out nearby Herbivore, Food Fight, and Sweet Pea baking company to get your groove on at this unique vegan mini mall… a must to any visit to Portland.

Ok: I just want to start by saying… this is a great shop. They have great (–ish) ethics and do great work. Really talented people work here.
Unfortunately, they also charge for touch-​ups on tattoos of their own work (not kosher) and their prices are REALLY high. $ 150/hr…I can deal with. $ 170? Never again.
I love the work I’ve gotten done here but not for the price, especially when I felt kind of bullied into getting my tattoo not exactly the way I wanted it. I got a tattoo that only took an hour and five minutes, and a 12 minute touch up on a tattoo that the artist did the new tattoo had done months before, and he charged me $ 225. That’s a lot for an hour (, although I know my tattoo took an hour and five minutes).
I’m really nice too. I tip really well. I don’t like being screwed over and when I notice I am getting screwed, I won’t even say anything, and I will still be really courteous and tip super well, but I am never going back. I will also talk a lot of shit to everyone I know.
F U scapegoat. You aren’t a TV show tattoo shop that needs to charge a million dollars an hour so you can travel all over the world and be fancy. Stay true to your people who work hard and don’t make much money. Tattoos aren’t supposed to be for rich people. You can still make a living wage and charge a little less.
That’s all I got.