Pro Tips

Choosing an artist

Change of plans? No big deal, but let us know asap

When it comes to choosing your artist, be sure that you are seeing good examples of the type of work you are looking for in their portfolio. If you are looking for a portrait or some fine line black work for your collection, make sure you see a portrait in the portfolio of the artist you like. Looking for something freehand and totally original?

Ask your artist if it’s something they’re comfortable doing for you.

Change of plans? No big deal, but let us know asap

If you need to cancel or change your appointment, let your artist know ASAP.

24 hours notice is the LEAST amount of time you should try to give them.

You will also likely lose your deposit, so be sure to communicate with your artist.

We are looking forward to your session as much as you are, give us a heads up if you think you might not make it, so that we can potentially schedule a client who is on our wait list.

Your artist will thank you for respecting their time.

Meal-skipping is a bad idea before a tattoo...

Eat something.

Like seriously, we cannot stress this enough. It is not a super idea to get tattooed on

coffee/energy drinks, or worse, alcohol- and no food. Your body will need real nutrition to assist you in managing discomfort during the application process.

Avoid the spins, passing out, and puking by having some real damn food first.

Arrive for your session clean, rested, and fed, and you will have a much better experience.

Or you could always opt for the smelling salts…

Don't drink and get tattooed

Drinking alcohol before a tattoo is never recommended.

You want to be well rested, hydrated, and have had a meal for the energy you will need to make it through your procedure with the least amount of discomfort.

Alcohol dehydrates you, can thin your blood in excessive amounts and it's bad for your liver. Don't be drinking before getting tattooed. It's bad form.

Also, it's a f*cking miserable experience to do anything with a hangover- I don't even want to think about a tattoo...and if you smell like alcohol and are acting funny- we're gonna send you home.

Don't put any of us in that position please. We hate it and you will hate it.

Water is your friend.

Even if you don't drink water "like you should" if you do it the day/night before your appointment, it helps. It hydrates your skin and makes it easier to work with which gives you a better result.

Drink the water.

Pain management

Don't hold your breath!

You can ask your artist if they use or recommend any pain creams- but it is not recommended to show up to your appointment numb without consulting your artist. There are safety/health issues with using the creams incorrectly- so be sure to communicate questions/intentions with your artist.

Remember, people have been getting tattooed without these creams for thousands of years. The discomfort you feel during the process is part of it. You learn your strength- you find out you are tougher than you thought- and it is good.

Also, your brain is going to produce crazy amounts of endorphins for you- you have all the drugs you need in you already.

What you will want to do is relax and breathe through the pain, you'll be alright. That's how you manage the pain. You just feel it and don't die.

DO NOT come to your tattoo appointment under the influence of any chemicals.

If you are visibly "high" or not in the right state of mind, your artist will ask you to come back when you are.

Don't hold your breath!

Some tattoo spots are more painful than others. If you have extensive work, you have experienced this. A good trick to manage the discomfort is to try to match the length of the inhale and exhale to one another. Focus on that evenly matched exchange of breath, and it will help you focus less on the pain you’re experiencing. Meditation is a powerful tool for coping and moving past the moment. Also- sometimes- just complaining helps x.x

Either way- holding your breath can make you light-headed and that is something we don't want. The next step from there is flop sweat and passing out.

All bad.

Keep breathing.

Wear appropriate clothing

Our shop does not have private rooms, and to be respectful to your artist and other clients, there are some simple tricks for wardrobe alteration that will help everyone stay comfortable. While it's true that the client ready to complete a body suit or the client looking for the classic "underboob" tattoo has probably made peace with their level of required nudity during their tattoo procedure, the client coming in for a memorial tattoo might not be fully prepared to stare down a dude's junk or a chick's chest. We simply want everyone to have the best experience they can in our very shared space.

Charge your phone, and maybe even bring a cord or extra battery...

We have outlets for your phone to charge, but it won't be right by the chair- so if you want to use your phone for a distraction, or to snap an image of your fresh tattoo, make sure you have the power.

Take a snack break

We keep a little basket with granola bars and some chips and fruit snacks or whatever- so If you know you're going to be in session for a few hours, a good idea is to have a little snack. Just a few bites of something can help bump your blood sugar back to normal after your body has been burning through everything you've got to manage your discomfort. It helps with long sessions. Big meal breaks aren't as great, because sometimes it makes people sleepy and grumpy- so a little snack every few hours is a good idea.

What do you need to stay still and comfortable for an extended time?

For some people, getting tattooed is a form of therapy. It's a time for you to go to a place, sit still, and endure something for a positive result that you get to keep- forever. Everyone has their own formula for sitting for a tattoo. Some people like to put headphones in, and disappear into their music. Some people like to be in their phones- most people actually, so please remember to charge that thing. Some people talk, some people meditate, they might bring a blanket or pillow from home- especially if they're sitting for a large piece- to keep warm while they have a large area of exposed skin. Go ahead an bring whatever makes you comfortable- we've seen just about everything. Oh, also, make sure any blanket or pillow you bring is washable- travel size stuff works great and can be thrown in the washer in most cases.

A few words about the sun...

It is not your tattoo's friend!!!

Absolutely nothing goes on your fresh tattoo except for Saniderm. We will provide you with it, and explain the healing process when that time comes, but while your tattoo is healing you will want to avoid sun exposure as much as possible. Once it is healed- it's going to be SPF One Million for you from then on unless you keep those tattoos out of the sun! It's most painful AND damaging when your tattoo is fresh. It's also a lesson you don't want to learn the hard way. UV light is not good for ANY works of art, especially those on your skin. If you're going to have them exposed, remember that sunblock!

Shave- but don't use lotion the day you get tattooed

Part of most people's daily routine is lotion. On the day you are going to get tattooed- go ahead and skip the lotion the part of the body that will be getting tattooed.

Wherever you're about to get tattooed, you're also about to get shaved. Yes, even if you have fine/blonde hair that you can barely see. So if you already know you're getting your arm tattooed that day you can give it a shave as well. Your artist will do it if you didn't with some alcohol to get the oils off of the surface of your skin and the area clean and ready to be tattooed.

You might not be able to reach easily or are not used to shaving that area of your body (guys and legs- I'm talking to you) so don't try to shave it if you are not comfortable using a razor on that area of skin. Do not worry, your artist will absolutely do it for you.