WHAT DO I NEED TO BE TATTOOED?
Adults: You have to be 18+ with an ID to get tattooed (see acceptable forms of ID below)
Minors: You have to be 16+ with parental/guardian consent
Acceptable forms of ID's are:
Minors: You have to be 16+ with parental/guardian consent
- Photo identification is required from BOTH the parent and/or legal guardian and the minor (see acceptable forms of ID below)
- The original copy of their birth certificate (Long Form Birth Certificate) needs to be present!
- Legal guardians will need official paperwork to prove relationship.
- If the parent has a different last name than the minor we will need paperwork to prove the relation (divorce decree etc.)
- The parent or guardian MUST be physically present with their ID to sign paperwork
Acceptable forms of ID's are:
- Adults: Driver’s License, Passport, DMV non driver ID, or Military ID
- Minors: DMV ID, DMV photo permit, Passport, School photo I.D. (in some cases)
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Since we are a completely custom studio, the final cost of a piece will depend on multiple factors. Those factors include the size of the piece, placement, detail involved and artist you end up working with. Some pieces cannot be completed in one sitting. You will be given a quote once you meet with your artist and go over the specific details involved in your custom piece of art. Remember if another studio is willing to do your tattoo super cheap- BEWARE! Sometimes you get what you pay for and this is going to be on your body forever. If you do opt for the super cheap tattoo shop, see the question on fixing a bad tattoo!
CAN I BRING MY OWN REFERENCE OR DRAWINGS FOR A TATTOO?
Yes. The more reference and ideas you have for our artists the better. This tattoo will be on you permanently so we want to be sure you are totally happy. Bring anything you think might help to capture exactly what you're looking for your tattoo to reflect. We also have plenty of reference books available for ideas. No matter whether you know exactly what you want or don't have a clue, we will always work with you to design a custom piece of art that you will love.
WHAT IS YOUR DEPOSIT POLICY?
It is our policy to collect a deposit when booking an appointment. We accept deposits via cash or credit card and the amount of the deposit required is decided upon by the individual artist. The deposit you leave will come off the final price of your tattoo. Artists carefully schedule and book their appointments based on blocks of time. If you do not show for your appointment, they often do not have adequate time to fill your vacancy and it hurts them. Deposits serve as a good faith gesture to hold your appointment and to compensate the artist if you fail to show for your appointment time. Deposits are NEVER refundable and NEVER transferable from artist to artist. If less than 24 notice is given for a cancellation, you lose your deposit and must leave another deposit if you wish to reschedule. If you cancel your appointment with more than 24 hours notice, you may apply your deposit towards your rescheduled appointment with the same artist. If you choose to work with a different artist than the one you left a deposit for, you will lose your deposit and must leave another deposit to work with a different artist. We NEVER under any circumstances will refund a deposit. We are sorry if this policy causes any inconvenience but is necessary to protect the interests of our artists.
I HAVE A BAD TATTOO, CAN YOU FIX IT?
Our artists can usually cover up or fix most tattoos-even really bad ones so you would never even know they were there. We are always honest though. If we don't think it can be successfully covered we will let you know and work with you on what options you do have so you will ultimately be happy. We never do a tattoo just to make a buck. This is a really good group of artists who take tremendous pride in their work and art. Be assured that the artwork on your body and how you feel about it is a reflection on them - meaning your satisfaction is VERY important!
ARE YOU A DISPOSABLE STUDIO AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Yes, we are an all disposable studio. That means we NEVER EVER reuse or re-sterilize a needle. When you are tattooed, the needle we use will be brand new and sterile. After your tattoo, that needle will be discarded in an approved biomedical waste container. Everything (ie: pigments, ink caps, razors, etc.) are all discarded after each tattoo. Absolutely nothing gets reused between clients.
HOW DO I CARE FOR MY NEW TATTOO?
Your tattoo has been done under clean, professional conditions using the utmost modern sterilization techniques and the finest tattooing pigment available. Now it’s up to you to take proper care of it. The chance of infection or damage to your new tattoo is minimal if aftercare instructions are followed correctly.
FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS:
FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS:
- -Leave the bandage that you received after the tattoo for 2-6 hours (No more than 10 hours). This bandage is there to keep air-borne bacteria and other contaminants in the environment from invading your wound.
- -Before cleaning or touching the tattooed areas, wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Treat your new tattoo as an open wound.
- -Carefully remove the bandage. If it sticks, gently wet any applied bandage and gently pull off so as not to damage any scabs or dried matter. Don’t force it’s removal!
- -After removing the bandage, cleanse the area with Hartford County aftercare soap and water, then rinse. (purchase here). If you do not have our aftercare soap, make sure you are using a scent free.color free soap. Do not scrub the tattoo or rub with washcloth or towel. Pat dry with a clean dry towel and let the tattoo dry completely (aprox. 10 min). Yo do not need to rebandage.
- -Lightly apply a thin layer of a mild medicated ointment such as :
- Bacitracin
- Don’t panic if you have a reaction to your aftercare product. You may be sensitive to one of the ingredients. Although not a major problem, it does happen. The skin can react in a few ways from redness, to irritable itchy skin, to white pimple like spots. If this occurs, stop using your aftercare product and lightly wash off the remaining product from your skin. A reaction to a product should settle down within 24-72 hours.
- -If you are still experiencing a problem after 14 days, it would be doubtful that the aftercare product was to blame and it may be you have had a reaction to the ink. This is possible even if you have been previously tattooed without any problems. Should this occur, contact the studio for advice from the artist. It may also mean a visit to your physician if the problem persists.
- -Make sure the tattoo is kept very clean and apply ointment 3-4 times a day by cleansing any old ointment and applying a thin layer of fresh ointment (only enough to make the skin shiny). Do not allow your tattoo to become dry. If a scab does form, do not pick at it, but allow it to heal on it’s own.
- -Switch to our aftercare lotion or balm (purchase here). If you do not have our aftercare products, make sure you are using a fragrance free & dye free lotion as needed until completely healed. It is best to use a moisturizer with aloe or vitamin E as this will help heal damaged skin.Regularly moisturizing a tattoo helps to keep the skin soft and the colors bright.Also, the sun can irreversibly damage even a well healed tattoo so remember to use a good sun block with strong SPF when spending time outdoors.
- Healing generally takes 14 days in a normal healthy adult. As it heals, expect peeling similar to sunburned skin.
- Itching is expected. Do not scratch the tattoo!
- Do NOT use Vaseline or other petroleum jellies
- Do NOT use heavily medicated antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin
- Do NOT use iodine, peroxide, or alcohol based product
- Most problems or irritations occur from:
- Scratching or itching a new tattoo.
- Tanning or swimming before the tattoo is healed.
- Using inappropriate amounts or types of aftercare products.
- You may expect some slight swelling, redness and discomfort around the site.
If any of the following symptoms appear promptly consult a health care provider: - Unusual drainage
- Excessive bleeding
- Excessive pain / discomfort
- Excessive swelling/ redness/ feeling that skin is hot to touch
- Temperature greater than 101°F within 24 hours of the tattoo
- Your tattoo has been done under clean, professional conditions using the utmost modern sterilization techniques and the finest tattooing pigment available. It’s up to you to take proper care of it. The chance of infection or damage to your new tattoo is minimal if aftercare instructions are followed correctly.