Hmm…well, Coney Island Vinny isn’t really on Coney Island. He’s in Sheepshead Bay, a few blocks away from the Sheepshead Bay B/Q train station. The operation consists of Vinny and his assistant, a large man with many tattoos done by Vinny.
No appointment is needed. But Vinny’s is always packed, even on a Monday. It’s first come, first serve, unless you give a $10 deposit the day before, and then you get moved up the line. A little. While you wait you sign forms saying that you are not drunk at this time, that you know this is not a removable tattoo, etc. If you don’t want to wait (much), visit the place and pay your deposit, and be sure to show up before the place opens.
Vinny’s assistant will gladly show you examples of Vinny’s work on his own body if you want to check the quality of the art. He’ll also help you with the sign in/ form-signing process. But Vinny handles all the money.
Coney Island Vinny prepares the tattoo paper transfer for my tattoo.
Vinny is fast, clean and cheap, and does good work with flash art.
I really liked the way this one came out:
Good trace of a guitar image by Coney Island Vinny with freehand flames
The only caveat is this: because Vinny is a business owner who doesn’t give much responsibility to his assistant, he is constantly interrupted while tattooing. So it is best not to give him complicated design instructions verbally. He’ll get interrupted and may forget the change you wanted. If the tattoo isn’t flash, have it drawn out as exactly, perfectly the way you want it.
The title of this is "White Light/White Heat." It's the Gibson SG used by Sterling Morrison probably used recording the song.
This one I was happy with the guitar outline and he followed the design to the letter, but I had asked him, verbally, to extend the white gradient wider into the black of the guitar body, because the gradation didn’t come out that well in the printout. And he followed the picture rather than my words. He also filled in the white flames on my white skin with white. Unnecessary? But it does lend texture. And it is 90% what I wanted.
If you have never heard “White Light/White Heat.” You can listen to it here. It is generally considered the real original of all punk.
Having 10 tattoos, at probably 6 different tatshops, I’d give Coney Island Vinny an A+ for flash and a B+ for original art.
Vinny’s Tattoo & Body Piercing Inc1669 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, NY 11235-3804(718) 368-0438. Closed Sundays. Call for hours.
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