planning your tattoo
research the style, subject matter, and think about the meaning behind your tattoo. collect pictures of artwork, photographs, or other tattoos that you’d like your artist to consider when designing your piece. bonus points if you use photos from our artists that you love the look of! choose your artist according to who has the closest examples to your references
book a consultation online with your chosen artist. they can meet in person or over the phone if you are out of town
together we will confirm size, placement, colours, style and go over any other details to design your piece. your artist will likely take a picture of the placement, so wearing accessible clothing is beneficial. this is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have for your artist, and really communicate what you are hoping for out of the tattoo!
your artist may charge a drawing fee, depending on the piece. our custom drawings often take between 4 and 12 hours to complete, please keep this in mind! usually the drawing fee is between $20 - $200, depending on the design complexity. if you need a re-draw, you may be asked for an additional fee.
the week before
exfoliate and moisturize the area that is to be tattooed daily
drink extra water and take multivitamins daily
apply sunscreen/avoid sun exposure, as any sun damage on the skin will affect the tattoo application
ensure you are in good health, and not taking any antibiotics (call your artist to reschedule until finishing prescription)
the night before & day of
plan to be well rested, and consider going to bed early the night before your appointment!
eat a hearty, protein and carb-rich breakfast. sometimes anxiety might make you want to skip eating before your tattoo, but it significantly helps blood sugar and endurance through the process. consider a smoothie or protein drink if food is difficult
pack snacks and a lunch to have during the appointment, as well as a water bottle! we have a microwave that we are happy to share, but no fridge at the moment
bring a blanket, pillow, comfy sweater, and warm socks. being cold is especially common and uncomfortable, I would even recommend an electric heating pad to be cozy! you may not need them, but many of our clients love bringing these items to be as comfortable as possible. especially for long sessions!
dress appropriately for your appointment so the artist can access the area. bring shorts, a bathing suit bottom, dresses, etc if you need to change into them. even a robe can be a great idea for access to tricky spots while keeping you warm. don’t bring clothes that you don’t want to be stained with ink.
headphones, audiobooks, handheld or mobile games, music, etc are always a great distraction while getting tattooed. make sure they are all ready to go if you need them.
shower before your appointment. avoid moisturizer or skin care on the area to be tattooed the morning of your appointment, as this can affect how the stencil sticks, or how the tattoo application goes. I don’t recommend make-up if you are going to be laying down face-first unless you want that classic post-tattoo ‘morning after’ look for your photos!
make sure you communicate with your artist! please let us know if you have any illnesses, allergies, etc that could affect the tattoo. if you feel faint, ill, nervous, happy, or excited, we want to know! we want to make sure you get the best experience possible, and it’s important that we are on the same page before, during, and after the appointment. we promise we are ready for all feelings, whether positive or negative, and we have your back!
alcohol, caffeine and medications
avoid drinking alcohol for 24 hours before your tattoo appointment
take all your normal medications, but please let your artist know if you are taking any blood thinners or any other medications that may affect the skin/tattooing process.
recreational and pain management drugs are not recommended, as they do not help the pain enough to make a noticeable difference, and in some cases, can make tattooing more sensitive. additionally, the side effects from many drugs outweigh any benefits, and create a poor tattooing experience.
cannabis use can make the tattooing process more uncomfortable. if it’s taken as a medication or daily habit it may not make a difference, but ‘getting stoned’ will unfortunately not help the pain in this case