I’m Jax Ransom, owner, artist, and occasional therapist at Black Vein Tattoo. I’ve been in the tattoo game for over 15 years, and no, I’m not gonna tell you I’ve “loved art since I could hold a pencil.” Everyone says that. I mean, sure, I drew a lot as a kid—mostly skulls and dragons—but I never thought art would pay the bills. Spoiler: it barely does.
Before tattoos, I had a bunch of jobs. Dishwasher. Bartender. Head chef at some hippie outdoor school in the mountains. (Yeah, picture me yelling at 19-year-olds who thought tofu could solve all the world’s problems.) I hated it—but also? I kinda didn’t. I’d sneak out of the kitchen at night with a melon or a chicken breast and practice tattoos with a janky kit I ordered off some sketchy website.
That was where it started. In a tiny camp kitchen that smelled like burned rice and bad life decisions.
FAQ
Q: Does it hurt?
A: It’s a needle going into your skin a thousand times a minute. What do you think?
Q: What’s your hourly rate?
A: Depends on the piece. But I’m not cheap. If you want cheap, there’s a guy named Louie in the alley two blocks down. He’s got a steady hand and a questionable van.
Q: Can you fix my bad tattoo?
A: Maybe. Depends on how bad we’re talking. If it’s your ex’s name in Comic Sans? Yeah, I can work with that. If it’s a full tribal sleeve done by your buddy who “practices on his dog,” you’re on your own.
Q: Do you do face tattoos?
A: Not unless you’re already tattooed like a walking coloring book. Don’t ruin your life for clout.
Q: What’s the weirdest tattoo you’ve ever done?
A: Let’s just say it involved a unicorn, a pile of spaghetti, and a very specific… anatomical request.
Q: How do I book an appointment?
A: Email me. Don’t DM me on Instagram. I won’t respond.
A Little More About Me
I grew up in a small town where nothing ever happened except high school football and bad decisions. My first job was flipping burgers at a dive bar my uncle ran. He paid me in beer and whatever was left in the tip jar. By the time I was 20, I’d bailed on college (art school dropout—shock, I know) and ended up cooking for an outdoor school where they taught kids how to tie knots and identify edible plants.
The chef gig paid like garbage, but it came with perks: free food, fresh air, and zero parents. I spent my nights doodling on anything I could find—napkins, menus, my own hands—and experimenting with a knockoff tattoo machine on melons and chicken breasts.
One time, a kid caught me tattooing a squash on the back steps and asked if I could do his name next. Told him to get lost. (Don’t worry—he’s fine. Grew up to be a lawyer, probably.)
Fast-forward a few years. I quit the chef life, moved to the city, and apprenticed at the sketchiest tattoo shop you could imagine. We’re talking flickering lights, questionable hygiene, and a guy named Rick who chain-smoked cigars while tattooing. It was hell. But it taught me the basics, and I clawed my way up from there.
Now I run Black Vein Tattoo—a studio for people who give a damn about good ink.
My Philosophy
Tattoos are permanent. Trends aren’t. I don’t do flash-in-the-pan designs that’ll age like milk. My goal? To give you something timeless. Something that’ll still look good when you’re 80 and yelling at clouds.
So if you’re here for a quick Pinterest special, move along. But if you want a piece of art that tells your story—one needle at a time—I’m your guy.
Black Vein Tattoo
No trends. No BS. Just art.