Q: Where are you located?
A: In San Francisco’s Mission District at 3150 18th Street in suite 336 (and Treat Ave In the ACTIVSPACE Building)
Q: Do you take walk-ins?
A: Tattoo work is by appointment only. Appointments allow me to fully concentrate on an individual without distraction. This creates the best environment for me to tattoo.
Q: Why don’t you take walk-ins?
A: A tattoo is a permanent form of body modification and I believe a proper amount of planning and dialogue should take place to have a good outcome.
Q: How do I book an appointment?
A: Schedule a consultation by emailing [email protected] with your name, brief description of your tattoo idea, and phone number. During your consultation you can book your first appointment for tattooing if you have a tattoo design ready to go. If your tattoo requires design work, your tattoo appointment will be booked after a completed design is confirmed by you. A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the estimated cost of your tattoo is due at the time of booking. If you miss your appointment without 72 hrs notice your deposit is forfeit. (Barring exigent circumstances that can be substantiated.
Q: Do you charge a fee for custom designs?
A: Yes, there is a 10% design fee based on the estimated cost of the tattoo. The fee is separate from the cost of applying the tattoo.
Q: What if I want to alter the design you come up with? A: A change fee will be assessed at the time of alteration request based on the time taken to make the adjustments, if the alterations require a complete revamp/redraw of the design, a new design fee will be charged to re-design.
Q: How should I prepare for my tattoo?
A: Get a good nights rest the night before, don’t consume alcohol or blood thinners. Wash and shave the site to be tattooed prior to your tattoo. Bring water and light snack to maintain your energy during the tattoo session.
Q: How do you charge for a tattoo?
A: $250 per hour of tattooing, 10% of forecasted cost for design fee of custom work.
Q: What is your minimum?
A: $500
Q: Do you cover up tattoos or add to existing work that isn’t yours?
A: Yes, the caveat being that I am given the freedom to decide the artistic direction the add-on/cover up will take. Generally speaking, a cover up tattoo is going to be much bigger than your old tattoo. If I cannot produce a good outcome through a cover up I will have to refuse the project.
Q: How do I care for my fresh tattoo?
A: For a period of 3 weeks avoid direct sun, tight clothing, soaking, sauna, swimming. When you leave the studio, your tattoo will be covered by a waterproof bandage, often referred to as “second skin.” Leave the bandage on for 24-48 hours. (until ink and blood leakage subsides)
Carefully remove the second skin in the shower by peeling slowly from the top and away from yourself. Wash with an antibacterial soap and water. Gently dry by dabbing and re-apply waterproof bandage. Leave the Waterproof bandage on for 5-7 days.
After removing the second bandage, apply a thin layer of hustle butter deluxe vegan ointment (provided to you as part of the tattoo service). Do not pick at scabs, apply a thin layer of fragrant free lotion to dry skin for comfort after you run out of hustle butter.
Q: Do you provide topical numbing creams?
A: I don’t usually work with topical numbing creams, but there are many available on the market that you can purchase (I can’t speak for post healing results or effectiveness of usage) Generally, the effectiveness subsides after 30min and has reduced effectiveness following each application. For tattoos that require a complex stencil, applying a numbing cream mid section can ruin the stencil. I permit usage that doesn’t interfere with the tattoo application process.
Q: Can you translate something into Chinese for me?
A: No, Chinese is my second language and some things don’t have a direct translation. I am only responsible for the application and styling of text. The actual contents of the text is the responsibility of the client. And my suggestion is that if your not 100% sure about the meaning of something, I recommend not tattooing it on your body.