Federal Way’s newest tattoo parlor is serious about art.

Nestled in a strip mall on 320th Street, All Hope Aside Tattoo opened in September. Co-owners and veteran tattooists Peter Dominguez and Jose Camarillo honed their craft for several years in South King County, which is relatively void of top-notch tattoo shops.

After leaving another tattoo shop in Auburn, the partners are thrilled to be running their own business in Federal Way.

“It’s been a dream for all of us,” Dominguez said last week amid the buzzing of tattoo needles. “It’s something that’s ours.”

From simple touch-ups to multi-session skin murals that require dozens of hours, the artists at All Hope Aside Tattoo have seen it all. The only requests that are off-limits include tattoos related to racism, gangs and drugs. Otherwise, just about anything goes.

“I’ve done anything you can think of,” said Dominguez. One of the strangest requests from his 16-year professional career: a 65-year-old woman who wanted her boyfriend’s initials tattooed on her genitals — while the boyfriend watched.

A third tattooist at All Hope Aside is Eric Nash, a longtime friend and colleague of the shop’s owners. One of his stranger requests involved a heart with actor Dennis Hopper’s name, but the customer wanted the tattoo to look like a primitive scabby prison tattoo.

“To each his own,” Nash said.

The artists at All Hope Aside double-check spellings of names, phrases and passages before inking customers, who sign a consent form before the work begins. The shop’s artists recall past incidents where dads gave misspelled names and wrong birth dates for their own children.

The most popular body parts for tattoos are the ribs and feet for women, and the arms for guys. At one time, women preferred the lower back, but those tattoos fell out of style when people began calling them “tramp stamps.”

Customers who want a tattoo of a lover’s name, or a tattoo on the face, also receive a complimentary warning about the possibility of changing their minds.

“I’ll ask, ‘Are you sure you want to tattoo your face?’” said Dominguez, noting that cover-ups for names of ex-lovers are among his most common requests. “Some people just know what they want.”

Lake Tapps resident Joe Myers, a regular customer, said he would never go anywhere else. Last week, Dominguez touched up a tattoo on Myers’ ribs. (see slideshow)

“I give him the idea and let him do what he wants,” said Myers, noting that both Dominguez and Camarillo have done all his tattoos. “They’re going to make something way cooler than I could have come up with.”

Across the room, Camarillo performed cover-up work on apprentice Scottie Stopka’s thumb.

“You don’t see a lot of tattoo shops in the south end,” Camarillo said.

The tattooists also paint on canvass. All Hope Aside plans to unveil a public art gallery in January and showcase local artists. Several original paintings by Camarillo adorn the shop’s walls alongside dozens of tattoo awards for the owners.

“We’re trying to focus more on the art aspect,” Dominguez said. “Tattooing isn’t just about tattoos.”

SLIDESHOW

Check out a photo slideshow from the tattoo shop by clicking here.

LEARN MORE

All Hope Aside Tattoo is located at 2016 S. 320th St., Suite M, Federal Way. To learn more, call (206) 249-8124 or visit www.allhopeasidetattoos.com. Walk-in appointments are welcome.