For the past eight years, Gomez spent time sitting in a chair in an effort to pay tribute to his lost buddy. The latest session probably lasted a couple of hours but the tattoo is still far from finished.

He had a tombstone tattoo put on his right arm, but didn’t really like it. Now Gomez is working with San Bruno tattoo artist Jay Nieder to get it right.

Nieder designed a tattoo for Gomez’s left arm which has a grim reaper busting out of a tombstone with shamrocks escaping from him. Gomez’s friend, Brian Sullivan, was Irish. Down the road, wind marks will be added to show how the shamrocks are dispersed but right now it’s time to add the green coloring.

While the buzzing continues and color is added to Gomez’s arm, the men chat about old times in Catholic school together with a laugh. It’s not only friends who come to see Nieder for ink art.

Such specialty designs are what Nieder enjoys most about his job. He began doing his own work 15 years ago. A friend of Nieder’s put together a homemade tattoo machine. Nieder used the machine to create a low-rider type guy on his buddy’s chest. Afterward, he was hooked.

Despite the Catholic schooling background, Nieder’s father went out and bought him a full tattooing outfit so he could get started.

“They liked the [the tattoo work]. They didn’t like the people in the garage all night,” said Nieder.

It’s the trust of his friends during those long hours that allowed Nieder the practice he needed.

After years of doing tattoos in his garage, Nieder moved his work to San Francisco. It wasn’t long before he realized he wanted to be his own boss. A shop in Pacifica was up for grabs and Nieder took the plunge. But his eye was on the little San Bruno shop on El Camino right next to Interstate 380. For just over three years his creations are coming for his dream location.

Starting at $60, customers can walk into Jay’s Fine Line Tattoo and pick a tattoo from the books or work with Nieder or another artist to create something custom. Custom work might be done on the fly as a person walks in but could also be put off for a week depending on how busy the shop is done. Anyone interested in sporting original work to depict something specific remember to bring in any images or providing any details possible to help the artist.

“We could make suggestions all day long but anything they can bring in to help the process is great,” he said.

The tattooed man with a backwards hat said anyone interested in getting some work done can expect a few basic things when they walk into his shop. Everything will be clean and covered. Needles will be opened in front of the customer, with sterilized equipment and Nieder will always have a smile.

“We’re the nice tattoo shop. We’re not going to talk anyone into something,” he said.

While he won’t make anyone get something they don’t want, he does have a preference for creating skulls and Japanese inspired tattoos that include creatures like dragons. His work will be on display next weekend at the Tattoo and Body Art Expo at the Cow Palace. It was just six months ago that Nieder and his crew attended the last Expo where they won first place for a Japanese sleeve on someone’s leg.

At the Expo, not only can people in attendance see work produced at Nieder’s shop and chat with the guys, but also see the work be done live. At the Expo, Nieder will be just another person in love with ink. He admits the reaction he gets from people depends on where he’s at, but now he’s comfortable with who he is and the art displayed on him.

Some people aren’t so lucky, because years down the road the Tweety Bird tattoo branded on as a joke years before might be far from funny at 50 years old. The removal process can be a long, painful and expensive process. Everything depends on the size and coloration of the tattoo. Skin pigment also comes into play.

In San Mateo County, the juvenile probation department works toward giving people with visible tattoos another chance at being comfortable.

For example, maybe someone got a tattoo on their hands when they were younger and now they want to be a banker, said John Domeniconi, deputy probation officer.

In 1996, the Tattoo Removal Program started as a way to address the increasing youth-related violent crime in the county, particularly gang activity. Most of the removals are of gang related tattoos which cannot be covered up. The program is geared toward youth between the ages of 13 to 25 years old with no cost to participants. To qualify, participants must be attending school or working, must perform 20 hours of community services work, must regularly meet with a sponsor and agree to live a gang-free lifestyle.

“When [the tattoo] is gang-related it’s really serious. It’s a huge change in their life. They were really serious when they got the tattoo and they’re breaking away from something with really special meaning,” said Manuel Velarde, a juvenile specialist from the Redwood City Police Department.

The program is completely voluntary for both the participants and the doctors who perform the laser removal operation. Sessions are held on Saturdays, once every six weeks.

The laser breaks down the tattoo ink into small particles that dissipate into the blood stream. The ink doesn’t leave the body, but the laser helps break down the particles until they are nearly invisible. As painful as it can be, the participants endure for the ink-free future that lay ahead.

“They’re glad to come in for the pain. They’re grateful and very upbeat,” said Glenda Miller, probation services manager for San Mateo County.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.