Info & FAQs

Pre-Appointment FAQ

  • No, I do not send designs beforehand, which is a common industry standard.

    This is why submitting a complete and thorough inquiry email is important. If you have any strong design preferences, PLEASE be sure to articulate that clearly and send reference photos. It is helpful when clients indicate what they like/dislike about a certain reference photo and what elements they definitely want me to include.

    The more the merrier! I will NOT get offended if you send other peoples’ work as inspiration (just please do not expect me to copy existing designs verbatim).

    At the end of the day, I am trying to tap into the mind of someone I’ve never met before to bring their vision to life. For that reason, if there are strong design preferences, please let me know! We can always schedule a free consultation to discuss an idea further.

    If an email inquiry is broad and general, I will assume I have artistic freedom based on my portfolio of work. If this is not the case and we have to make substantial changes to the design, we will have to reschedule.

  • No, I will not tattoo existing tattoos or designs.

    Please keep in mind that when I ask for reference photos, it’s with the anticipation that I will use them solely as references. I will not tattoo the exact design so as to be respectful of my own artistry in addition to the works of others.

  • YES!

    On the day of your appointment, I will present your design to you. You are more than welcome to let me know if there are any changes you’d like to make. I do not take offense to this at all, as I want to ensure you feel 100% comfortable and confident with the tattoo.

    If there are minor changes, I can quickly tweak them during your appointment.

    If there are major changes, we will have to reschedule for another time, which will require a new deposit. Usually major changes arise when there was not clear communication about design preferences during the booking stage, which is why it is very important to provide all that information in the beginning.

    Despite this, I would much rather reschedule and rework a design after discussing it further than give a client a tattoo they are not happy with.

  • I tattoo almost exclusively with grey wash and occasionally with black ink. The only exception to this is red.

Appointment FAQ

  • There are no guests allowed in the tattooing area unless they are also getting tattooed.

    Guests are welcome to remain in the front desk area to wait, and there are many coffee shops and restaurants to visit around the neighborhood in case they want to occupy their time.

  • Before Your Appointment:

    -Do not consume alcohol 24 hours before your appointment.

    -Eat before your appointment and make sure you are hydrated.

    -Keep the skin moisturized. If your skin is too dry, I might be unable to tattoo you and will have to reschedule. Dry skin makes every step of the process harder, from placing a clean stencil, getting ink well-saturated in the skin, and even having a worse heal, as tattooing dry skin oftentimes results in more trauma on the surface of the skin.

    During Your Appointment:

    -Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the tattooed area.

    -Bring water and a snack in case you get thirsty or need a snack break during your appointment.

  • The time it takes to complete a tattoo varies significantly and is contingent on many factors, including the design, sizing, placement, skin, and pain tolerance. To elaborate on a couple of these points:

    • Design: Certain designs will take longer than others. Despite what it might seem, linework-only tattoos take significantly longer than dotwork tattoos of a similar size. Along with that, designs that require perfect symmetry and/or alignment will take longer because placing the stencil accurately can be tricky. Stencil placement can take upwards of 30 minutes depending on the design.

    • Placement: The placement of a tattoo will greatly impact the timing. Harder-to-reach areas (e.g. neck, inner upper thigh, chest, etc.) will naturally take longer because it is much harder to get the correct angle to tattoo the area.

    I will do my best to give a rough estimate on how long I believe a piece will take, but please keep in mind that this is merely an estimate.

  • I want to ensure you are happy with your tattoo, so I offer one free touch-up with every tattoo within six months of your initial appointment. If you are requesting a touch-up outside of the 6-month timeframe, you will be charged a fee.

    Touch-ups are a good idea when the integrity of the piece is compromised due to the way it healed (e.g. small gaps in between lines that need to be filled or if certain spots of shading look inconsistent compared to the rest of the piece). When it comes to shading, I will always use a lighter hand and see how the tones settle into the skin, as we can always add pigment, not take away.

    If you would like to schedule a touch-up appointment, please email me a picture of the healed tattoo so I can get a better idea of how much work needs to be done.

  • YES! I offer free in-person and virtual consultations that usually take no longer than 15 minutes.

    Consultations are helpful for larger-scale project, such as a sleeve or back piece, and for fleshing out ideas verbally.

    If you would like a consultation, please email me your general ideas and indicate that you’d like to talk more about the project during a consultation.

Pricing

    • Minimum: My minimum is $200, no matter the size or design.

    • Pricing Estimates: Please review my pricing guide here.

    • Budget: Please let me know in your booking form if you have a specific budget for your tattoo. I will try my best to accommodate by adjusting the size, complexity, and/or placement of the tattoo.

    • Deposit Info: To secure an appointment with me, you must pay a non-refundable deposit of $100. Please note that your appointment is NOT guaranteed unless this deposit is paid.

    • Non-Refundable: This is a non-refundable fee that will go towards the overall cost of the tattoo.

    • Forfeiting Your Deposit: If you fail to show up to your appointment, or if you do not give at least 48 hours’ notice of your intent to reschedule, you will automatically forfeit your deposit. Being late by over 10 minutes (unless otherwise agreed upon by me) will constitute a no-show. If you want to book a new appointment, you will have to pay the deposit again.

    • Payment Method: I can take payment via credit/debit card or cash.

    • Tipping: Tips are never expected, but they are always appreciated! I make my pricing, so please do not feel obligated to tip unless you want to.