faq

General Information

  • My private studio is located in downtown Portland.

    1722 NW Raleigh St, Unit #414, Portland, OR, 97209.

  • You can fill out a submission form under my book now page. I am open to custom designs as well as flash. Please see my flash gallery for available flash.

    Once you have submitted a form it can take me up to a week to respond. Always check your spam! I respond to all inquiries, even if I do not accept the proposal. 

  • Stylistically: bold, illustrative, color, gradients

    Thematically: life cycles, surreal, fantasy, spooky, dark, magical

    Subject matter: animals, plants, bugs, mushrooms, anatomy, bones, decay

  • My current rate is $150/hr with an hour minimum. I also charge a custom design fee of $50-$100 depending on the design. I require a non refundable $100 deposit to book your appointment. I can provide a cost estimate if you submit a booking form. I am always willing to work within a budget if you have one. This means I can modify a design or change size/placement to fit your budget.

  • I accept cash, Venmo, cashapp, and credit card; cash is preferred. Credit has an additional 3% processing fee. 

  • I always send a rough draft custom design a day or two before the appointment. This is rough, not refined. This helps confirm the general composition and detail before I spend more time refining. If you request excessive changes or redraws there will be additional fees. The more specific details you provide regarding your design, the easier it will be for us to create a design together without unnecessary redraws. We can always also make changes in person as well at the appointment. 

  • I typically provide a time/cost estimate based on the size and placement you provide. Typically the appointment requires 1-2 additional hours for placing the stencil, breaks, aftercare, etc. You are only charged for the actual tattooing time. If you have a specific time you need to leave, please let me know ahead of time because we may need to reschedule in order to have enough time to complete the tattoo. 

    We can also always break up tattoo sessions for larger tattoos. I typically do not tattoo more than 5 hours at a time. 

  • Please let me know at least 24 hours before your appointment if you need to reschedule. If you do not let me know prior to 24 hours, or no show, you will forfeit your deposit. You can reschedule one time per deposit. I understand life happens so please just communicate when possible.

  • Yes you can bring one guest, please just let me know ahead of time. My studio is very small and I don’t have enough space to accommodate more than one guest.

Pre-tattoo Instructions

  • I recommend coming to your appointment well rested, hydrated, and not hungry. I have water and snacks at the studio if you need it. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol 24 hours prior to the appointment. Feel free to bring anything with you that will make you more comfortable such as headphones, stress toys, gaming device, etc. as long as there is no sound. 

  • Please make sure you wear clothing that allows me to easily access the area we will tattoo. Know that there is a risk of ink or stencil potentially staining any clothing in the immediate tattoo area. Feel free to ask if you have further questions. 

  • Please let me know if you are going to be more than 10 minutes late via phone or email. If you are more than 30 min late we may need to reschedule.

  • The studio is currently mask optional, but that can always change. If you would prefer I do wear a mask, or would like to further discuss COVID protocol please just let me know!

  • I typically use a numbing spray called bactine in between linework and color/shading. Numbing sprays work by absorbing through the skin that is already broken, so it cannot be used until most of the outline is completed. It usually only lasts for 15-30 minutes for most people, although it is ineffective for some. 

    Numbing creams are used prior to the tattoo and absorb directly though the skin. I prefer to tattoo without the cream because it can change the texture of the skin for some people. This may make tattooing more difficult and healing less predictable. Some people with sensitive skin may have reactions to the cream as well so you need to test the cream on your skin prior to using it for the tattoo.

    That being said, I am still open to clients using it if we discuss it prior to the appointment. You will need to purchase the numbing cream and apply prior to the appointment, please email me and I can advise on brands and application. 

Aftercare Instructions

  • I offer either a clear adhesive bandage (also known as second skin) or a traditional padded bandage. Most people prefer the clear bandage because they find the aftercare is easier. If you have sensitive skin or sensitivity to adhesives I recommend a traditional padded bandage. We can always discuss the options more in person based on your specific needs. 

  • Keep bandage on for 4-6 hours. If it falls off early it’s okay, do not rebandage it. Once ready to remove, simply pull off the bandage and begin aftercare, see post bandage aftercare below. I recommend using a thicker lotion (such as aquaphor) for the first couple days as an additional layer of protection. I recommend having the tattoo covered with loose clothing for the first couple days to avoid additional exposure to bacteria. 

  • Keep bandage on for about 2-5 days. It is normal to see discharge in the bandage, but if it is leaking or falling off, remove the bandage early. Some people do experience a skin reaction to the bandage, which typically looks like red hives around the edges of the bandage. If you start to see this, take the bandage off early because scarring can occur. You can shower with the bandage on, but do not submerge it. When ready to remove it, let the bandage sit under warm running water in the shower for a few minutes. Then you can carefully peel away from the tattoo, and begin aftercare (see post bandage aftercare below).

  • As soon as your bandage is removed, clean off the tattoo with warm water and unscented antibacterial liquid soap. Clean the tattoo very gently with only your hand. While healing do not use anything abrasive to clean the tattoo, such as a washcloth or loofah. Let the tattoo air dry or dab with a clean paper towel, do not use a cloth towel.

    Let the tattoo dry and apply a thin layer of unscented lotion. I recommend a water based lotion.

    Soap recommendations: Dr. Bronner’s unscented, Dial clean & gentle

    Lotion recommendations: Cerave, Cetaphil, Aveeno

    For the first week after removing the bandage, clean and moisturize the tattoo at least twice a day.  If the area is exposed to anything dirty, make sure to wash it off immediately. After a week, you can moisturize as needed. With larger areas of color and shading sometimes the skin will be more irritated. This can include scabbing and cracking. If you notice this starting to happen try to moisturize more frequently, or apply a small amount of a thicker lotion (like aquaphor) to those areas. 

    Your tattoo should be healed in about 3-4 weeks. During healing do not have your tattoo in direct sunlight, and do not swim or soak. Once healed, you can treat it like your normal skin again. It is always recommended to wear sunscreen over your tattoos because UV will cause your tattoo to fade.

    Feel free to reach out if you have any questions during the healing process. If you see any concerning signs such as swelling, pus, discolored discharge, severe pain, or anything else unusual please contact a physician immediately.