Is AI Ruining Custom Tattooing? (Australia vs. USA Scene) | Jake Straat | Ep. 122

Are client-prompted AI designs taking over custom tattooing? Aaron Della Vedova sits down with Australian tattooer, shop owner, and podcast host Jake Straat (Rats Get Fat Podcast) to break down the global state of tattooing.

From navigating the post-COVID economy to handling clients who run artist flash through ChatGPT, Jake and Aaron discuss the fine line between technical execution and true artistry, modern numbing creams, and why classic watercolor painting remains the ultimate discipline for tattooers.

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 — Introduction & Australian Geography

00:04:00 — Australian Tattoo Styles: Realism, Trad & Japanese

00:08:00 — Post-COVID Economy & The Shift to Smaller Tattoos

00:15:00 — Running a 20-Artist Studio vs. a 2-Man Trad Shop

00:21:00 — The 30-Year Evolution of the Tattoo Industry

00:25:00 — Pricing Differences: USA vs. Australia

00:30:00 — Creating Identity: Tattoos in the Age of Social Media

00:38:00 — AI in Tattooing: Clients Using ChatGPT for Designs

00:45:00 — Will Handmade Art Become a Luxury Flex?