Frequently Asked Questions

How old do you need to be to get tattooed?

In North Carolina, you need to be 18 years old, no exceptions. The state does not allow parental consent.

Do you offer apprenticeships?

We do. Click Here for more information.

How much do tattoos cost?

This question is a brain-squeezer for many a tattooer. Costs vary between designs, locations and size. The larger, more complicated, and fundamentally the longer the tattoo takes, the more expensive it will be. Most tattooers have hourly rates, and that varies between artists. The best way to get a price estimate is to fill our our form and answer all the questions. The artist will give you a price quote, or range based on the information you give.

How to choose an artist?

The first step for picking an artist is to decide what style you prefer. The way you go about that is to look at Instagram, Pinterest, or other photo sharing sites, and/or simply google tattoo styles and look at the results. Then you can search artists and see which one matches your aesthetic taste.

It is best to choose an artist based on style and aesthetic choices rather than content. For example: If an artist does nothing but blackwork flowers, they are not the artist to get color realism flowers from, in fact an artist with mostly color realism portraits in their portfolio is better suited for color realism flowers than the blackwork artist, even though they may specialize in floral designs, their skillset is not in realism or color, but in blackwork.

Artists do specialize in specific areas, but some have broader specializations than others. When in doubt, feel free to ask. The only bad question in ultimately the unasked one.

Do you take walk-ins?

Yes, we always welcome walk-ins. We are often booked out and unable to take walk-ins, but there is always the possibility of a last minute opening, so it never hurts to try. Sometimes we may have availability later on in the same day as well, and can do same-day appointments also.

What is the Shop’s Minimum?

Our shop minimum is $100.

Do you do Piercings?

No, we currently do not do piercings.

Do you do Coverups?

Yes, we do, we have artists who are quite skilled at coverups. Some things to consider with coverups:

Coverups generally have to be larger than the design being covered
Coverups often need to have full saturation color (or opaque gray) to work, and so take longer than regular tattoos
Coverups often need to be gone over more than once to to the trick.
The best way to approach a coverup is to think about what you want tattooed without considering the coverup element, let the artist figure out how to make the coverup work. If your idea doesn’t work, they will inform and you can problem solve together.
Things that almost never work for coverups: 1. Lettering 2. Light and soft black and gray designs 3. Linework only designs

Can you get tattooed while sick?

It is best to avoid the tattoo shop if you are sick. You are in close proximity to other people for long periods of time at the tattoo shop and put them at risk by exposing yourself to them.

It is also best to allow your body only one problem at a time, when you’re sick, your body is focused on fighting off that illness. Your body will heal your tattoo better if healing the tattoo is all it has to focus on.

How should I prepare for my appointment?

First, avoid drinking the night before, or day of, your appointment. Alcohol thins your blood and make you bleed more which makes it more difficult for your body to hold the ink. Also Alcohol negatively effects your sleep and when you have a poor night’s rest your pain tolerance suffers.

Second, Get a good nights rest. As stated above, the better you feel in general, the less pain you will experience while getting tattooed.

Third, Eat a hearty meal prior to your tattoo. Getting tattooed is a taxing experience and takes energy to deal with it. Most people who pass out in the tattoo shop do so because of a blood sugar drop due to an adrenaline rush caused by pain. It’s basically a sustained fight or flight response. If you are well fed, then the drop in blood sugar is less likely to cause you to lose consciousness.

Forth, especially if you are getting a long tattoo, Bring entertainment. When you are getting tattooed for hours at a time, sometimes conversation dries up, or maybe your artist isn’t the talkative type. It is best to be prepared for that with prepared videos, movies, books, music, etc. Do Bring Headphones though, it is quite rude to make everyone else around you listen to your noise.

Fifth, please shower before your appointment. You are close proximity to another human, and they prefer not smelling you.

Six, Avoid spending a lot of time in the sunlight for 2 weeks prior to your tattoo. You CANNOT tattoo over sunburns.

Can I use numbing cream for my tattoo?

It is best to discuss numbing cream use with your artist. Not all artists are comfortable with numbing creams, and some have preferred products based off of their own experience.

If you do decide to use numbing cream, please understand that using numbing cream comes with risks and can cause issues around healing and/or an allergic reactions. There is no way for your artist to predict how your skill will react. Please do a test patch at least 24 hours prior to your appointment in an area you are not getting tattooed because if you do have an allergic reaction and break out in hives, your artist will not be able to tattoo over that.

What payment methods do you accept?

We prefer cash, but we can take card payment. There is a 4% convenience fee for card transactions, so you will save money by bringing in cash. We do offer Venmo for deposits for those who are unable to put down cash for their deposit.

Do you do free touchups?

Touchups are the responsibility of the artist who did your tattoo. Most artists do free touchups, some qualify that based on time, other offer touchups for life. It is best to ask this of your individual artist.

How do I take care of my tattoo?

We have two approached to aftercare. 1 is using Recovery protective barrier and 2 is the traditional aftercare approach.

Aftercare using Recovery

Recovery is a thin breathable barrier film that you can leave on for the first three days of healing.
Blood and plasma from you healing tattoo will build up under the film. This looks kinda gross but it is completely normal. Your tattoo is not smearing or moving, it’s just the plasma moving under the film.
If the fluid begins to leak out of the film and is causing discomfort or stress, you my remove it early.
If you experience any discomfort, such as burning, itching, excessive redness, or pain around the edges of the film, remove the film. It is uncommon, but some people do not react well to the adhesive. If you feel you are having an adverse reaction, please remove the film immediately. Even if you have used Recovery before, you can develop an allergic reaction at any time.
You can shower with the film on but avoid submerging it in any kind of fluid, i.e. no baths, swimming, hot tubs etc. Even after the Recovery comes off, avoid submerging your tattoo for at least 2 weeks after getting it.
When you remove the Recovery, be gentle, do not rip it off like a band-aid. This will not only be painful but may cause unnecessary trauma to your healing skin. You can remove the bandage in the shower to help loosen the adhesive.
If you find that some of the adhesive has stuck to your skin you can use coconut or oive oil to help remove it. Make sure to wash the area well with liquid, unscented soap to remove any oil residue.
Do Not scrub your new tattoo
After removing the film, give your tattoo a good wash with clean hands, warm water and liquid soap. Dial liquid gold is what we generally recommend. Avoid bar soaps and anything with dyes or fragrances.
After washing your tattoo, pat it dry with a paper towel, shower towels are more likely to harbor bacteria. Then apply a thin layer of unscented lotion. We recommend Aveeno or Lubriderm. Avoid heavy or medicated creams and ointments, they are more likely to clog your pores and cause a breakout.
Always wash your hands prior to touching your tattoo and avoid touching it unnecessarily.
Keep your tattoo clean and moisturized until it is fully healed.
It takes a minimum of two weeks for your tattoo to fully heal. You will know it is healed when the skin is no longer shiny or flaky.
Allow any skin flakes or scabs to fall of naturally.
DO NOT pick at your fresh tattoo.
Avoid sharing any aftercare products with anyone.
Avoid direct sunlight and tanning for at least 2 weeks after getting tattooed. The sun will age your tattoo and your skin faster than any other factor. I recommend using SPF on your tattoo after it is healed, that will keep your colors fresher and brighter longer.

Traditional Aftercare.

Remove the wrap within one hour of leaving the studio. Wash your tattoo with clean hands, warm water and liquid soap. I recommend dial liquid gold.

Do not use bar soap or anything with dyes or fragrance.
Do not wrap your tattoo again at any point.
After washing your tattoo pat it dry with paper towel (bath towels can harbor bacteria) then apply a thin layer of unscented lotion. I recommend Aveeno or Lubriderm. Avoid heavy or medicated creams and ointments, they are more likely to clog your pores and cause a breakout.
Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo and avoid touching it unnecessarily.
Keep your tattoo clean and moisturized until it is fully healed.
It takes a minimum of two weeks for your tattoo to fully heal. You will know it is healed when the skin is not longer shiny or flakey.
Allow any skin flakes or scabs to fall off naturally.
Do NOT pick at your fresh tattoo.
Avoid sharing any aftercare products with anyone.
Avoid direct sunlight and tanning for at least 2 weeks after getting tattooed. The sun will age your tattoo and your skin faster than any other factor. I recommend SPF once your tattoo is fully healed.