Tattoo artist shares designs they 'refuse to do' including most popular request

Daily Record

13-06-2025

Jo Chastney, who is based in Bournemouth, has some very strong opinions when it comes to the designs they 'refuse' to do
Tattoo enthusiasts get their skin inked for various reasons ranging from marking significant events, expressing themselves or simply for the love of art. In Britain, tattoos come in a multitude of designs including timeless roses and enigmatic dragons.
Yet Bournemouth-based tattoo artist Jo Chastney has specific boundaries when it comes to what they'll ink. They firmly refuse to tattoo "anything offensive", firmly rejecting any imagery that carries hate or racism.
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Jo clarified their position further on their TikTok account, emphasising their refusal to inscribe "negativity" such as "negative words or sayings". They advise against making such permanent decisions rashly, cautioning "You don't want that on your body,".
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Furthermore, tribal tattoos are another style Jo steers clear of; when asked why, they simply said: "Just not my style, I find it really hard to do!".
Occasionally, Jo encounters client ideas that are either too vague or convoluted, which leads them to respectfully decline the commission. This includes requests that attempt to incorporate an excessive variety of elements into "too many elements in one, simple, little delicate tattoo"
Committed to maintaining their professional integrity, Jo abstains from projects that fall outside their skillset, such as "full colour cartoon stuff", and they won't copy another artist's work in respect for originality. One request consistently denied is the inking of a partner's name – a service they prefer not to offer.
These points proved divisive, as readers reacted to Jo's policy of declining to create tattoos that don't match their artistic vision. One commenter wrote: "To be fair, I think I'd rather go to a tattooist who has standards like this than not. Shows that they are actually interested in doing good work rather than making a quick bit of cash."
Another shared their own regrettable experience: "Ah if only my artist had refused to do my partners name. The rest of the tattoo is fab but the name is just so embarrassing now."
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Yet, not all responses were supportive of Jo's stance.
One said: "I'll agree with the first one but I take issue with someone telling me what I want on my body. it's not yours. it's mine. and I reserve the right to be the ONLY person who gets to decide what does and doesn't get tattooed on."
Another added: "I have my wife's name tattooed on my face, gets a lot of looks but a lot of compliments too, and my tattoo artists are close friends, I don't get the stigma behind names of partners."
According to their website, Jo draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Otto D'Ambra, M. C Escher, and Rebecca Vincent, valuing both their creativity and technical skills.
They further stated: "When I first started tattooing I was focusing on traditional style tattoos but I found it hard to make them unique and personal, therefore I realised that I wanted to express my own creativity and that I was naturally predisposed for a style that would allow more freedom and individual input: dot and line drawings."