Now What?
If you’re reading this, then we’ve discussed your tattoo and you have a confirmed appointment.
…now what?
Well, really… nothing.
Mostly, you’ll just be waiting for your appointment. After you’re booked, you probably won’t hear from me until you see me at your appointment — this is normal. We should have already gone over everything when we booked!
I still get the, “now what?” question literally all the time, so let me elaborate!
NEW CLIENTS:
PLEASE read the first 3 sections, at least! Thank you!
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✦ Your Appointment (important!)
Confirmations / Contacting
Again, it’s normal to not hear from me between finalizing your appointment and your actual appointment. There shouldn’t be anything else we need to discuss!
There is no reminder email.
I don’t have an automated system for this and I don’t have the time to do it myself, so you will have to keep track of your appointment on your own!
There is no confirmation email.
Again, I don’t have anything set up for this and I do not have the time available. Please do not send a confirmation message — I might not see it / reply to it in time, which may cause confusion!
No need to worry! You are in my schedule and I will not cancel or reschedule you without notifying you first.
This doesn’t mean you can’t contact me!
You can absolutely ask questions!
I want my clients to feel comfortable and confident coming to their appointment. There will be some things you will have to trust me (and yourself!) on, but overall I want us on the same page for this process!
I encourage you to read over this page and my FAQs first to make sure I have not already answered your question, since I may not see your email right away. If this is the case, please do not think your appointment is cancelled!
You can make SMALL changes to the tattoo you’re hoping to get.
I prefer for this to be discussed ahead of time, but there is generally some time at the appointment for MINOR changes / tweaks, but a complete redesign will effectively cancel your appointment.
I cannot accommodate a complete redesign once you’re already at your appointment, or even short-notice, especially if it will make your appointment longer and more expensive than what we have already discussed.
This is why you being certain of what you want to get AND giving me all the information and reference images ahead of time is so important!
Your Design
I do not send art / designs to clients before the appointment.
There are no exceptions to this.
I draw for my clients the morning-of their appointment (which is due to my schedule and time-restraints) but that means I do not have anything to show ahead of time, ever.
As mentioned in the previous section — there is generally some time at the appointment for MINOR changes / tweaks, but a complete redesign will effectively cancel your appointment. This will also mean paying a new booking and design fee to reschedule.
This is why giving me all the information, details, and reference images ahead of time is so very important!
I will never force a client to get something that they do not like, are unsure of, or are uncomfortable with!
I never want that!
The design process is half my expertise, and half your preference / idea. I will always give you my suggestions and any reasoning I have for them, but my first priority is a happy client!
I DO NOT and WILL NOT use AI or generative AI — not in one single aspect of my design process or work in general.
I am extremely against generative AI. Besides being a slap in the face to any real artist in general, AI is destroying the planet.
I also will absolutely not tattoo an AI design given by a client.
In preparation for your appointment, I have a few “best practices” that I recommend to clients to make everything go a little smoother.
Your Appointment
BEFORE —
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PLEASE WEAR BLACK CLOTHES to your appointment!! Or something you don’t mind ruining.
I try very hard to make sure ink does not get on your clothing but it can happen. Tattoo ink stains and does not wash out of clothes!
Also —
Wear comfy clothes with your tattoo placement in mind, and again, make sure those clothes are black if you can!
Examples:
If you’re getting a tattoo on your thigh, please wear / bring shorts; if you’re getting a tattoo on your back, please wear clothing that will accommodate that or be prepared to take your shirt off. -
Eat something before your appointment, ideally 1-2 hours before so it’s in your system. Try to pick something you have eaten before and you know agrees with you.
Getting tattooed on an empty stomach is a risk for fainting, especially for first-timers or more painful placements!
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If you can, exfoliate the area a few days before your tattoo! Dead skin clogs the needle & makes it hard to get clean lines.
Moisturize (fragrance free lotion ONLY) for a few days leading up to your appointment! Dry skin has a harder time holding ink.
Get a good nights sleep! Your body needs energy to tolerate being tattooed and it needs energy for healing.
You can shave the area you are hoping to have tattooed but no later than the night before your appointment.
If you get razor burn or cut yourself, I can’t tattoo that area. If you do not feel confident shaving ahead of time, that’s okay!
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Start hydrating the day before your appointment (at minimum) and avoid drinking alcohol, even in small amounts. This is not a must but it is so, so helpful.
Any amount of alcohol can make you bleed more, make you more sensitive to pain, and effect the healing process.
Avoid excessive caffeine & energy drinks before your appointment. You’ll bleed more and it effects healing. Plus, if you’re shaky or fidgety, it’ll make my job harder. :(
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Or any other harsh chemicals. These are infection risks!
Plus, I will have to wipe off the fake tanner where you’re getting tattooed, which will look funny.
✦ Expand each item for more info!
Note:
Again, I am not able to send designs ahead of time. If you skipped to this section, please see “Your Design” (above) for more info.
AT YOUR APPOINTMENT —
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You must have a valid (non-expired) Driver’s License / ID with you PHYSICALLY. Photos of your ID will not be accepted. I cannot take any other forms of ID, such as school, work, or military ID. Passport is okay!
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You are expected to sit as still as possible during your tattoo.
This one might sound obvious but many clients don’t realize that nodding while talking, hand gestures, crossing and uncrossing your legs, texting, vaping, etc. can make your whole body move.
Please be mindful of these things!
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Please feel free to bring water / soda (no energy drinks or coffee) and something to snack on! This is strongly recommended for longer appointments. I do not recommend getting tattooed on an empty stomach!
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I want my clients to be comfortable and sometimes that means bringing some extra stuff with you (within reason)!
Feel free to bring air-pods / headphones, a pillow, a blanket, a phone charger / power-bank. If you are not getting your arms tattooed, some people have even brought in iPads or a Nintendo Switch.
Please keep in mind:
Whatever you bring, you must be able to sit still with. If you bring pillow / blankets, they are at risk for getting stained with ink. -
You may bring ONE guest with you to your appointment. They must be at least 18 years old — NO BABIES, NO KIDS, NO TEENS. If you bring a baby or an underaged child with you, I will consider your appointment cancelled. If your guest is too distracting, they may be asked to leave.
If you have a group tattoo scheduled, you may still only bring ONE guest total. It is NOT one guest per client — that would be too distracting for everyone!
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Once we are finished and you are wrapped up, you will pay for the tattoo. Accepted forms of payment will have been mentioned to you in our booking emails, so I will be expecting you to be prepared!
I DO NOT do trades of service and I DO NOT take non-money payments!
✦ Expand each item for more info!
Numbing Cream
The question is, “Can I use numbing cream?” and the answer is… yes and no. It’s complicated and there are a few things to consider.
Personally, I am not strictly against the use of numbing cream. However, certain types, certain brands, and even how you apply it can create problems with your tattoo.
✦ First and foremost — if you do not believe you can handle the pain of a tattoo without numbing cream, I would ask you to reconsider getting a tattoo at all.
Numbing cream is not bulletproof! Most of the time, clients can still feel the pain, it’s just dulled a bit. Everyone’s skin is unique and every numbing cream is different — there is no guarantee numbing cream will even work on you. If it does, it’s also not guaranteed to last the entire time you’re getting tattooed.
In both cases, you will still need to be able to handle the feeling of getting tattooed and sit as still as possible!
If it does wear off, you MIGHT be able to reapply, but this cannot be done repeatedly. Your skin has a limit and not only will it stop numbing, but your skin will become more sensitive than normal.
✦ How and when you apply numbing cream makes a huge difference — including how long it stays on your skin!
Most people think that the longer numbing cream sits on them before the tattoo, the more numb they will be. This is not true!
Most numbing creams have an optimal effectiveness window. After that, the numbing will become less and less. If you apply too early before your appointment, it could be wearing off by the time we are tattooing.
Having your skin soaking in numbing cream for too long will make the texture of your skin too “soft” or “spongey”. This can make your tattoo more prone to scarring and ink fall out as it heals (it can be too light or patchy). This is especially true with color ink.
You will have this tattoo for the rest of your life! I never want my clients to sacrifice quality if we can help it. Pain is temporary, a tattoo is forever.
✦ A tattoo feels different for almost every part of your body! There are “easy” spots and ones that are much more painful.
My best advice for anyone who is nervous about getting their first tattoo is to get something small and simple — no shading and with black ink only (color ink is more painful) — and in a relatively “easy” spot.
The forearm (not wrist) is great for this — it is very well tolerated and does not really need numbing cream. Doing this is a great way to gauge your tattoo pain tolerance, since now you have a baseline on how they feel.
Personally, I always caution against getting your first tattoo anywhere that tends to be a more painful placement, such as the ribs, foot, ankle, or wrists.
✦ If you must use numbing cream, this is what I recommend…
1. Always test your numbing cream ahead of time! And I mean like… weeks ahead of time and NOT in the spot you want tattooed. If you have a reaction to the numbing cream that day, I CANNOT tattoo that area.
I have tested several numbing cream brands and my personal favorite is “Painless Tattoo”, which is available online. Unfortunately, neither shop I work at currently stocks or carries numbing cream.
2. Prep the area by washing it with non-scented antibacterial soap and letting it dry completely. If that area is hairy, you will need to shave it before applying the numbing cream.
3. About 30 minutes before your appointment — apply a THICK, even layer of numbing cream in the area slightly larger than what you’re hoping to get tattooed. Do not rub it in — leave it thick. You should not really be able to see your skin through the cream. Cover the cream gently with plastic wrap (saran wrap, even a ziploc bag, etc.).
Remember — it is possible that we change the placement of your tattoo once you’re at the shop, which would make numbing pointless!
You will need to start numbing before you get to the shop. You can’t start the numbing process AT your appointment. I likely have clients after you, so I will not be able to accommodate adding another 40+ minutes of waiting while the numbing cream kicks in.
4. Once you’re here, things like set-up, paperwork, stencil making can easily take another 20 - 30 minutes, which should put your numbing cream at about an hour. This is the optimal amount of time for numbness while minimizing issues while tattooing.
HOWEVER —
If it is a large tattoo with shading / color, my most preferred method is to wait until AFTER I’ve tattooed the lines. Numbing cream works very fast on open skin so it does not need to sit long (maybe 10 minutes) which reduces any negative effects.
If you hope to use numbing cream for a long session then I definitely don’t recommend using it beforehand. I can’t guarantee how long your skin will remain numb and I cannot infinitely apply numbing cream as you are being tattooed!
It’s better to wait until we’ve been in the tattoo for a while or you need the relief to finish — this will have a better impact on healing and your experience.
✦ If it hurt that badly, no one would get tattooed!
I know this section has been long, but if it’s your first tattoo and you’re afraid of the pain, let me be honest with you...
There will be some discomfort no matter what — it’s needles piercing your skin repeatedly! It does hurt but it’s a different kind of pain… most people describe it as stinging and being annoying.
For longer tattoos, your brain will get used to the pain and most people naturally experience a type of “numbing” on their own. Some people end up kind of enjoying the way being tattooed feels.
But the way a tattoo feels is part of the process!
Getting tattooed is a special and unique experience, and I recommend that you try it at least once before numbing. Try to take comfort in knowing that I care about your experience and comfort, and that I believe in you!
Miscellaneous
“Can I change my appointment slot?”
For example — you’re booked for 4hrs but now you just want to do 2hrs instead.
This is something you need to tell me a week or more advance so I can try to fill that time with another client — not something you spring on me at your appointment.
I can try to accommodate things like this but there’s a chance you will need to cancel / reschedule. It’s likely that there isn’t a good “half way point” that I can stop and leave your tattoo at, which is why I scheduled you for the amount of time I did originally.
If this happens repeatedly, I may stop booking you!
“Can I prepay?”
Nope — I don’t offer pre-payment and I do not offer gift certificates. I don’t want to risk losing track of anyone’s money!
“What happens if I need to reschedule?”
Things happen, people get sick — if you need to reschedule once or every once in awhile, I totally understand! The sooner you let me know, the easier it is for me. The situation and time frame will determine if a new booking fee is necessary.
If last minute cancels or reschedules happen repeatedly, I may stop booking you. :(
“Do you expect people to read all of this?”
I wish people would… but truthfully, I don’t expect that!
My hope is to make things easier for myself and my clients — if it takes me a while to reply to a question over email, wouldn’t it be easier to just find what I would tell you here instead?
Wouldn’t you rather be more prepared for a permanent body modification than not? I would, but some people don’t view tattooing that way. And that’s okay!
Having this page also helps me get to replies faster if I can link someone to the info instead of typing the same things out over and over again.
Either way, I hope this information helps someone! :)