Is AI Ruining Custom Tattooing? (Australia vs. USA Scene) | Jake Strath | Ep. 122 — Chats & Tatts

9/23/26

Is AI Ruining Custom Tattooing? (Australia vs. USA Scene) | Jake Strath | 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 Strath (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 - Introduction & Australian Geography

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

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

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

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

25:00 - Pricing Differences: USA vs. Australia

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

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

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

52:00 - The Truth About Numbing Creams & Modern Healing

01:15:00 - Why Young Artists MUST Paint Watercolor Flash

💬 STANDOUT QUOTES:

"Every single client is bringing in AI imagery now... It’s no longer Pinterest, it’s fucking AI." — Jake Strath

"We’re at a crossroads right now. Are you technically just going to rip tats and do what’s asked of you, or are you going to say, 'No, I’m going to draw something'?" — Jake Strath

"I don't think there's a lot of people fighting it as much as I thought there would be... Everyone should be able to do anything they want as long as it doesn't hurt people." — Aaron Della Vedova

"The iPad art is cool, but it’s just ones and zeros at the end of the day. You’re not making an artifact when you create iPad art. Paint more flash." — Jake Strath