how long does a full arm sleeve take to complete?

A full sleeve is shoulder to wrist, inner and outer of the arm. Typically you can break the arm in quarters with a little extra time to go over the ball of the shoulder. each quarter takes approximately a day sitting and the shoulder depending on the design another 4 hours give or take.

if i mix tattoo styles will it look out of place?

If your looking to mix styles in any large scale piece you can rest assured that once healed completely it will all look like a single cohesive piece. you can put traditional next to realism and as long as the gaps are filled and healed completely it will look like one piece of body art.

do realisitic tattoos hurt?

The short answer is YES. All tattoos hurt but the way realism tattoos are executed means there is no dragging of the needles through the skin and there is almost no solid bold line work. Realism tattoos are done using a sweeping stroke motion so the needles are in the skin for a very short amount of time per stroke. Traditional lining for example is done by having the needles in the skin for longer to get consistent crisp line work.

should i use numbing cream?

NO. in some cases if the tattoo is small it may be tempting to use numbing cream however the skin will always have a reaction to it and so will the pigment (ink) being used in the tattoo. some reports have stated a lack of saturation when using numbing cream. in my professional experience numbing cream causes the skin to redden which means I can’t see my tones as well and am relying on memory and experience to gauge which pigments I need to use for each shade or tone within the piece. Numbing cream also causes the skin to swell, slowing the tattoo process down as every movement is deliberate and precise. having to navigate flat ground instead of hilly terrain will always be quicker. Typically the tattoo doesn’t start to really hurt until the 4-5 hours mark in which case the numbing cream has worn off and left you with what seems like a lot more pain than if you had primed yourself with from the beginning.

should i pay with card or cash?

Pay with any payment method you like. I prefer bank transfer over cash as cash means a trip to the bank to deposit it.

im under 18 can i get tattooed with parental consent?

NO. There is absolutely no chance of getting tattooed if you are under the legal age of 18 so save yourself the grief and don’t even ask.

is tattooing a lucrative proffesion?

Yes it can be. If an artist has spent years learning the skills and sacrificed those years of earning below minimum wage then it can eventually with perseverance become somewhat lucrative. Tattooing is a luxury service, no one needs tattoos, so the market is very competitive and the only way to stand out and make the profession lucrative is to heavily invest in your skillset until you can produce work that is in demand which converts to more clientele and consistent work. It also helps to dedicate yourself to a particular specialisation or niche within the tattoo industry.

how do i take care of my fresh tattoo?

many artists have their own recommendations for aftercare. In my professional opinion the key to a perfect healing process is as follows:

-Leaving cling wrap on for 1 hour post tattoo sitting.

-Remove cling wrap and have a warm shower, wash the tattoo with antibacterial foaming hand soap (as it is non exfoliant)

-After your shower let the tattoo air dry and when dry to the touch apply a clear layer of Bepanthan to the entire tattoo.

-Throughout the day reapply Bepanthan anytime the tattoo does not have a sheen on it. do so with clean hands or gloves.

-Do the above shower to shower for a minimum period of 2 weeks ideally 3 weeks.

The tattoo should look and feel healed after a week. 3 days into the healing process the tattoo will peel but it should never scab. Scabbing is a sign that you’ve let the tattoo get too dry and should take extra care to keep it moist.

After 3 weeks you can change to moisturiser to keep your tattoo looking fresh. it also helps to keep the area hairless.

can i use paw paw or coconut oil as aftercare?

You can use whatever you like but know that if what your using is not antiseptic then your chances of infection are higher than if you use an antiseptic aftercare like Bepanthen. Antiseptic aftercare is by far the best for a healing tattoo in my opinion.

why does the price of tattoos vary between artists?

the price of a tattoo is directly correlated with the values and confidence level of the tattoo artist. You can look at it like this: If a tattoo artist is pretty good but a lot cheaper than you’d expect then that artist has two things going on in their mind. 1. they are competing with the local tattoo market by offering lower rates in the hope of generating more business via being the cheaper option. 2. They aren’t yet 100% confident in their abilities so offer a lower rate as a buffer for a below average performance. A reason for the client not to complain if the artist over promises and then under-delivers. Providing you’ve thoroughly looked through the artists portfolio and are happy with the quality of work they produce you should book them regardless of their cost. Quality is subjective so as long as your happy and have done your due diligence you’ll have found the right artist for you.

What is the most important aspect of being a tattoo artist?

Integrity is by far the most most important aspect of any tattoo artist. Its not out job to take you’r money. it’s our job to lead you in the right direction based on what your wanting to get done. If we know there is another artist that will give you a much better result than ourselves in a particular style, its our job to recommend you to someone who will give you the best possible result. I am a photo-realism specialist so if someone requesting Ta Moko, Traditional or colour came along I will use my knowledge to guide you to the right artist for you. if what you want falls in the bounds of my expertise then ill do my best to lead you through the design process and produce the best possible result.

how do you design your tattoos?

I use a combination of methods and techniques. the start of the journey is always Composition. I start with forming a rough structure/layout for your tattoo that compliments the curves of your body or the limb it is attached to. I’ll then take the theme you’ve provided and use a mixture of A.I generated elements, Stock photography, google and pinterest and collect reference images that could work in your piece. this is the most time consuming aspect as its important not to reuse references and create unique designs as often as possible. Then ill us Adobe photoshop or Procreate in the Ipad pro to edit the reference images, pull them together and create a cohesive piece. Typically i try to show a design the week prior to your sitting but depending on workload it can often be a couple days prior or the day before.

Can i pay you for design and then book a date if im happy with it?

No. I design only tattoos that i will be tattooing. Every artist is different and understands tattooing in their own unique way. What I design is subjective to my skillset, my experience and my personal style. you could try asking McDonalds if you can taste a big mac before you buy it. Unfortunately you’ll be eating fresh air in that scenario.

can you tattoo this exact tattoo i found on instagram?

Nope. My wife may refer to me as a machine in the bedroom but unfortunately I’m not a photocopier or a fraudster. I can take inspiration from a design but i wont be giving you an exact replica.

what body parts wont you tattoo?

Reproductive organs, Faces, Palm of the hand, Bottom of the foot. Ill do everything else as required.