Lick The Brain

Will Lick the Brain stay tattoo focused or lean into ‘all things related’? (Vanesa couldn’t eat her candy quietly and apologizes for any plastic bag sounds you might be able to hear)  We’ve heard about how Vanesa and Ray got into tattooing but never discussed why! What were our host’s driving factors to become tattoo artists and why do they want to be good at what they do? Do tattoos make people f...

Ray got his nose pierced and Vanesa tagged along for moral support! Can you guess what Ray’s first ever piercing was? What type of piercing was Vanesa’s favorite to do? Our hosts discuss their experiences with piercing, getting pierced, and why Vanesa decided to just focus on tattooing. Is there a way to balance being a tattoo artist and body piercer? Ray starts networking with other business owne...

This episode of Lick The Brain starts off in the “all things related” category as Vanesa and Ray tell us more about their personal lives. Vanesa has experienced a lot of change but she is doing okay! Ray talks about the benefits he is already getting from therapy and Vanesa jokes about becoming divorcées. Ray has returned from his summer tattoo tour! Check out the list of places he visited below D...

Ray has some social media content ideas meanwhile Vanesa gets hit on at the grocery store. Ray is considering doing more fine line tattoos and asks Vanesa to talk a little bit about her drawing process. Can tattoo artists trust Ai images enough to use them as reference pictures for tattoo designs? Has Ai altered tattoos made it more difficult for clients to vet potential artists? What does it mean...

This episode bounces around a lot thanks to Vanesa’s and Ray’s’ low-key ADHD! Small talk about social media, and how Guy Aitchison commented on one of Vanesa’s posts, leads into a conversation about Ray feeling the need to switch up his style. Ray asks Vanesa about how opening her books to tattoo requests went and the general booking process. How much would Vanesa and Ray charge for a butthole tat...

Vanesa is dead lifting her dog and Ray is enjoying the rainy day vibes. What do Vanesa and Ray do outside of their careers? Would they still be tattoo artists if they won the lottery? After talking about plants, our hosts transition to a conversation around tattoos and the military, as well as mental health in the tattoo industry. Is there a correlation between experiencing trauma and becoming hea...

Ray talks about the mushroom chocolates he tried on 4/20 and Vanesa adds the catch phrase “make trouble” to her vocabulary. Ray refers to Vanesa as a fellow redhead but she refuses the title before moving on to discuss tattoo pain! Everyone experiences pain differently. How do you manage tattoo pain as the tattoo artist, versus being the client receiving the tattoo? How can your mental and emotion...

AATC Part Two Vanesa feels that she doesn’t look threatening because she wears glasses and doesn’t have anything to hide. Vanesa and Ray don’t always see their tattoos when they look in the mirror and briefly follow up a previously discussed topic about underaged tattoo artists. Vanesa asks Ray for story time and we get to hear about a fun convention related experience! Can tattoo artists maintain...

Vanesa meets up with Ray at the All American Tattoo Convention in Fayetteville NC! Vanesa and Ray got to record in a rather official feeling business suite and discuss the convention. Vanesa doesn’t feel legitimate enough to work at a tattoo convention and Ray talks about his experiences with imposter syndrome. Tattoo conventions provide the opportunity to compete against other artists, can this a...

Vanesa and Ray discuss how they do their best to juggle work life balance as tattoo artists. Vanesa started off working six days a week, full blown workaholic mode, and Ray’s been there before too. Work/life boundaries can be difficult to establish when getting into the tattoo industry. Somehow having a flip phone can make it easier to find this balance? Gesture Drawing References: https://line-of...

This episode is a little morbid but Vanes and Ray try to keep things fun! What would happen if someones passes out mid-tattoo? What would happen if they died?! How does the tattoo artist handle it? Ray wonders if he would need to take time off from work before tattooing another client and Vanesa tries to plan out her hypothetical reaction. Tune in to hear stories from Vanesa and Ray about clients...

Ray has been enjoying having a newer tattoo artist in the studio and Vanesa is still asking if they’re recording yet..smh Ray has been tattooing for eight years, meanwhile Vanesa is going on six years and forgets how hard it is to tattoo. Tune in for a discussion about tattoo touch ups, setting expectations with clients, and freehand vs stencils  Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/chanellejasmina...

Vanesa and Ray recall some of their early career experiences with clients and words are hard. When is it okay to touch another tattoo artist’s work? How does it feel when your client goes to someone else? Does it feel upsetting when another tattoo artist has finished art that you started? Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/yarafloresta Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to...

Vanesa has misophonia and allegedly talks in her sleep, meanwhile Ray shouts in his sleep sometimes?! Trigger warning: Ray will fall asleep to video game gun violence?? Willow tries to sit in Ray’s lap and Vanesa goes on an anti-confederate flag rant. Ray literally gets pinned down by someone who wants to have a tattoo consultation. Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep...

Ray gives us a lil update about his vision, mentions his love for Amish people, and bumps into the microphone (gracefully). Vanesa and Ray don’t like to talk about being tattoo artists in public. At what point can you consider yourself “heavily” tattooed? Vanesa and Ray talk about their cancellation policies but understand that sometimes life just happens. Vanesa has an organized black list and me...

Ray is on drugs (for his eyes) and Vanesa moved into a new private space! Ray doesn’t know what to call Vanesa, is the term co-host okay? Who should get the deposit money for tattoo appointments? Is booth rent or commission the better business structure? Tune in to find out what Ray and Vanesa think! Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/heleenatattoos Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/elisekather...

Vanesa and Ray tell each other about their eyeballs- Ray recently got lasik and Vanesa is freaked out by the flaps. Vision health is important when you’re a tattoo artist and so is selecting what references to use! How much do you need to change a reference? Is it ever okay to copy or replicate another artist’s work? Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/chrisrigonitattooer/ Artist Shout Out: www.in...

Technical difficulties, the rule of threes, making tattoos look good when they heal, plus the various factors influence tattoo prices. Can ‘style’ be used as an excuse for not learning technical skills? Are disappearing ink tattoos worth the pain? Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/permanent_pokes_ Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickth...

Ray and Danielle met Fletcher and her head is in a good place, but is Ray’s head where it should be? Bold will hold but it’s okay to be dainty. (Ray hasn’t seen The Labyrinth with David Bowie??!) Vanesa and Ray talk about switching from coils to rotaries, and choosing to specialize in a specific style. Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/taticompton Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lic...

Seeing your own skeleton, Ray’s crazy ex babysitter, and general storytime! Learn about how Vanesa and Ray came up with a weird podcast name that seems like it has nothing to do with tattooing.  Shoutout :  www.instagram.com/firesidetattoo Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickthebrain@gmail.com if you have any thoughts you’d like to share...

Ray doesn’t know how to social media and instagram gives Vanesa anxiety. Is it okay to desaturate or edit pictures of completed tattoos? We learn a bit about how to not give a critique and Ray’s upcoming guest spots! Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/kandacelayne Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickthebrain@gmail.com if you have any th...

Ray drinks alcohol less, Vanesa learns a little more about Ray’s religious background, and Ray learns more about tarot readings! Vanesa walks us through how her tarot tattoo design process works!  Artist Shout Out:  www.instagram.com/@lukas_smyku  www.instagram.com@brandon_herrera Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickthebrain@gmail.com if...

Vanesa and Ray talk about how friends and family reacted when they both decided to become tattoo artists! The vibes definitely changed between getting started and actually being a successful artist. Ray was really excited to get into tattooing and Vanesa still can’t convince her Dad to get a tattoo. Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickth...

Vanesa got a new passport and Ray enjoys documentaries. Telling lies isn’t cool but clients can ask for some crazy tattoos! Enjoy this NSFW story time and please pardon Willow’s ear flops. Artist Shout Out: www.instagram.com/somberallure Follow LTB on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lickthebrain to keep up with us! Contact Ray at lickthebrain@gmail.com if you have any thoughts you’d like to share o...

Vanesa wants to live a long life and Ray likes motorcycles! Matching tattoos with strangers, first tattoos, and Vanesa asks her husband to get tattooed on her behalf. Tune in to hear Vanesa and Ray’s thoughts about whether or not children should be getting tattooed or doing tattoos on other people. Is there a tattoo artist named Joe working in Raleigh? Let us know! Artist Shout Out:  www.instagram...