HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TATTOOING? I’ve been tattooing professionally since 2005. Once I became familiar with the process, I began to lean into American traditional. I focused on that until about 2014, where I began shifting toward Japanese designs. Large-scale Japanese style tattooing has been my primary focus since.
DO YOU STILL DO SMALL TATTOOS? Absolutely. Availability for smaller tattoos (2 hours or less) is usually anywhere from 1-3 weeks. My minimum for these is $200. If you’d like to book for that, please click HERE.
DO YOU STILL DO AMERICAN TRADITIONAL TATTOOS? I absolutely do. My first focus in tattooing was American traditional, so I always enjoy the opportunity to revisit it.
WHAT’S YOUR RATE? My hourly rate is $250. I tattoo significantly faster than the average artist. Most of my sleeves are completed in 12-18 hours of tattooing, and full backs (shoulders to the backs of the thighs) average around 30-35 hours. This is 20-50% faster than most other artists.
DO YOU FREEHAND EVERYTHING? I draw all of my Japanese style designs directly on the skin. I reference paintings I’ve done, or custom drawings made specifically for certain projects. Every now and again I’ll use a stencil for American traditional designs.
DO I HAVE TO LEAVE A DEPOSIT? Multi-session pieces require a $500 deposit, and single-session a $200 deposit, to schedule any tattoo appointment. All deposits will be applied to the FINAL SESSION of the tattoo. No call / no shows forfeit the entire deposit, and will be required to leave a larger amount to make further tattoo appointments.
HOW FAR ARE YOU BOOKED OUT? My scheduling tends to stay pretty relaxed. Saturdays and Sundays tend to book out the furthest, while mid-week appointments usually remain no more than a few weeks out. Consultations are really flexible, so they’re usually able to be squeezed in between tattoo appointments.
HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO WORK ON A BIG TATTOO? Once the outline is done, I really hope for my clients to get tattooed for AT LEAST 2 hours, AT LEAST once a month. This is to say that a minimum of $500/month should be budgeted for the tattoo. If desired, I welcome longer and more frequent sessions.
HOW MANY SESSIONS DOES A ______ TAKE? The number of sessions is solely dictated by long each session is. As mentioned above, I work very efficiently. I can get a full back with background (kame no koh) done in as little as five sessions, and a full sleeve with chest (nagasode hikae) done in as little as two sessions. This is by no means the standard that I expect, so much as encouragement that we can do a very cool thing in a very short amount of time. My average client finishes a sleeve in four or five sessions, and a back in about ten. Obviously subject matter plays a significant role in howling any project will take. Please enter the process knowing that it will be painful, and that it doesn’t happen over night; it requires patience, determination, and perseverance.
WHAT IF I WANT MORE COLORS THAN JUST RED? I’m always open to color requests. I source a lot of my inspiration from Japanese tattooing from the 1900s-1950s (which is where to limited palette comes from) and would be glad to discuss this approach further.
WHAT IF I WANT TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN? I want the lines of communication to be open throughout the entire process. My opinion and approach isn’t the end-all be-all, and I’m happy to collaborate to achieve the right design. If we’re moving in a direction that raises questions, please don’t hesitate to ask about any part of the process. Your input is valid and welcomed.