Question 1

I'm 17, will you tattoo me with the permission of my parent/guardian?"

Accepted Answer

No, it's against the law to tattoo anyone under the age of 18. Parents/guardians cannot give permission.

Question 2

Do you do cover ups?

Accepted Answer

I regularly do cover ups! Before giving a definite answer though, I would need you to send me a clear photo of the existing tattoo, taken in natural light. I need to see the size of the piece, the space available around it, and whether there is any scarring. Sometimes I will advise a consultation so I can see it in person.

If I'm not 100% confident that I can give you a fantastic, worthwhile cover up - I won't book you in. Some tattoos need laser removal in order to achieve the best results. It may be tempting to just "put anything over it", but remember how unhappy you are with the piece you already have - it would be much better to do it right the second time and get the best possible outcome!

Question 3

Will you come and tattoo me at my house?

Accepted Answer

No, and I would strongly advise you don't get tattooed by anyone who will.

Question 4

Can my children come with me?

Accepted Answer

Children cannot be left unattended in the waiting area, nor can they enter the tattoo area. Please make appropriate childcare arrangements for when you are being tattooed.

Question 5

Can I bring my friend/partner?

Accepted Answer

If it is your first tattoo and you are particularly nervous, it may be possible for you to bring someone along. Please get in touch and chat to me about this, as there's not always enough room for extra people in the tattooing area.

It's important to point out that while being tattooed you need to be as still as possible - often people can get very animated when talking to friends and this can make tattooing them much more difficult. Please bare that in mind when considering bringing someone.

We're a friendly bunch at the studio and always do our absolute best to keep you as relaxed as possible. We can always stick a film on to keep you occupied :)

If there is a medical reason for needing someone with you, I will make sure this is accommodated for. Please let me know when booking in so I can make the arrangements.

Question 6

Can you draw something up for me to see if I like it enough to book in?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately I simply do not have the time to do this. If I'm not at work I'm usually drawing up designs for appointments or doing admin (and sometimes I try to sleep). Drawing up a design can sometimes take longer than the tattoo itself, which is time lost if the person didn't book in. Therefore, I only draw designs up once a booking has been made and the deposit has been sent over. I do not charge you for design time.

Question 7

Will you tattoo my ___?

Accepted Answer

Maybe.

If an area is safe to tattoo, then I am happy to discuss whether I can do this for you.

Some areas of the body do not heal well or will fade/blur excessively over time, and I can talk you through this. Although I appreciate that it's ultimately your decision, I need to keep in mind my own reputation too.

Highly visible areas like hands/fingers/necks/face will absolutely have an impact on the public perception of you and therefore can affect job prospects. I won't rule out tattooing them, but I would need to have a proper discussion about this with you to make sure you're completely happy with potential issues before making a decision.

Lastly, yes, I will tattoo genitals providing you're not a creep. As long as you remain respectful and professional, then I have absolutely no issue dealing with intimate areas. However, a chaperone would always need to be present.

Question 8

What won't you tattoo?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely nothing racist, homophobic, transphobic etc. Honestly, if you're the sort of person who would even consider anything like that anyway, then I do not want your money or your custom.

"Offensive language" i.e swearing, is totally fine.

I can't really create an exhaustive list here, so I reserve the right to refuse a piece based on the required contents of a design.

Question 9

Will you mix ashes into the ink for me?

Accepted Answer

Although I understand that some artists will do this, unfortunately this isn't something that I will do personally as it's not something that I believe to actually work in practice. Ashes are quite large particles, even when they seem very fine. Once mixed with the ink, most of them would sink to the bottom of the ink cap and not be picked up by the needles. Anything that did manage to make it into the skin would likely be pushed out by the body during healing, like a splinter would. 
   
Most of the ashes added to the ink would ultimately end up being discarded with the rest of the set up at the end of the tattoo, which also doesn't feel appropriate for a loved one.

For general enquiries and portrait bookings, get in touch here...