I primarily do tattoo consultations by phone. I will open up consultations on my online consult calendar approximately every three months. In order to grab a consultation appointment, please sign up for the email list (located on the Booking page) and sign up for a consult when the calendar has open spots! Once you’ve grabbed a consult date/time, I will call you on that day/time and we can discuss your tattoo project.
It is always super helpful to plan on gathering some reference photos of tattoos or illustrations that you especially love for reference/style/layout inspiration in advance of your consult. Having those visual inspirations will help guide me to create a tattoo which reflects what you are excited to see! When you sign up for a consult there will be a window where you can upload images if you like, to make the whole thing easier!
Additionally (depending on the tattoo placement) I may ask you for some photos of the area to be tattooed.
If the project we are starting is especially large, or if it is a coverup tattoo I might ask you to swing by the shop to discuss in person, but usually the phone consult gets me what I need :)
Consultations
Deposits
A $60 deposit via Venmo is required when we book the appointment date for your tattoo.
The deposit will come off the final cost of your tattoo (i.e. if the tattoo is completed in two sessions the deposit will be deducted from the total cost of your second tattoo session). I only take cash for the remaining balance of a tattoo.
In the past I have required a minimum of 24 hours notice to reschedule tattoo appointments without loss of the deposit, however during the Covid19 pandemic I am eliminating that requirement in the case of needing to move your appointment due to a possible Covid exposure, a sick family member or co-worker, etc. If you need to move your appointment please try to give me as much warning as possible!
I do not send out sketches in advance of tattoo appointments. That said, if any changes or design tweaks need to be done I am always happy to do them in person on the day of your appointment!
Design Process
Coverups
If you are interested in getting a coverup, I will need to see a high-quality photo of the existent tattoo in advance of our consultation to evaluate what would work well to execute a coverup. I will never be able to commit to a coverup without first seeing what needs covering! Designing a coverup/re-work tattoo is very different from other tattoo design projects and generally speaking a coverup will need to be both larger and darker then the old tattoo tattoo it's covering. Flowers, birds, or furry creatures for example often make for good coverup subjects as they lend themselves well to texture and shading.
Depending on the coverup/placement etc. we may need to schedule an in-person consult in addition to a phone consult.
I know it's hard for clients to guess how much something will cost – especially if you've never gotten custom drawn or larger tattoo before! My rate is $180/hour, and many tattoos you see in my portfolios are 3-6 hours of work (or more!) to complete.
After having a consultation I can often supply a rough estimate of how long something will take to complete and therefore a ballpark idea how much it will cost.
Price & budget
On the day of your tattoo appointment
I like to think that getting tattooed is a lot like taking a test in school or engaging in a challenging athletic event. It is best to show up well rested, well fed, wearing comfortable clothes (which allow complete access to the area to be tattooed), and ready to sit still. Feel free to bring along earbuds to listen to your favorite music, a warm comfy hoodie etc. Whatever helps you sit still and relax will help me to do my job!
During the ongoing Covid19 pandemic it is more important then ever that we all do what we can to take care of one another. If you feel unwell at all on the day of your appointment, or if your child/spouse/roommate or family member is feeling ill please let me know and I will be glad to reschedule your appointment and honor your deposit in the future.
A well-fitting mask which securely covers both your mouth and nose must be worn in the shop at all times. If you do not have such a mask the shop will be happy to provide you with one!