What to Know Before Getting a Tattoo in San Diego

Everything gets booked through the site. If you already know what you want, go straight to the booking page. If you want to talk it through first, book a consultation instead.

Simple ideas can usually be sorted over email. Anything involving placement or a larger piece is better in person at the shop. If you're out of town we can do it over video call.

Sometimes. I leave gaps in the schedule for smaller work, so it's worth calling or stopping by to ask. Flash is the easiest thing to walk in for. Anything that needs planning starts with a consultation.

Usually no more than three months. Booking further out than that makes the schedule hard to manage and things change.

Yes, and they're some of my favorite work. Every one is different, so it starts with a consultation where I can look at the actual tattoo and tell you what's realistic over what's there.

That's fine. You don't need it figured out before you come in. One solid idea is usually enough to start, and the consultation is where we work out the rest.

My rate is $200 an hour. The minimum is $150, which covers the first 45 minutes. Pricing is based on how long the tattoo takes, not a per-piece quote.

If you send me a clear idea of what you want and where it's going, I can often give you a rough estimate over email. For bigger or more involved pieces it's better to sit down first, because without seeing the design and talking through the scope a number doesn't mean much.

Yes. $100 to hold an appointment, more for larger projects. It comes off the final cost of your tattoo. On multi-session work it applies to your last session.

Send it as soon as we agree on a date, otherwise the slot stays open to someone else.

It's a retainer, not a deposit. It's non-refundable, and what it pays for is me holding that time and doing the drawing before you sit down.

Five days' notice and your retainer carries over to the new date.

• No-show

• Cancelling or rescheduling with less than five days' notice

• Arriving more than 20 minutes late without a call or text

• Arriving without government-issued ID

• Arriving intoxicated

  That said, none of this is a trap. If you're sick, reschedule and your retainer stays good. Sometimes life just happens. Let me know as early as you can and we'll usually work it out.

No. Touch-ups are free within the first year.

Cash, credit, debit, Apple Pay, Zelle, and Square.

Some, and it varies a lot person to person. Most people describe it as manageable. The ink goes into the second layer of skin, so there's no version of this that feels like nothing.

Placement matters more than people expect. Forearms and outer arms are on the easier end. Ribs, feet, hands, and anywhere close to bone are rougher. If you're nervous about a spot, ask me before you book it and I'll tell you straight.

there's a longer breakdown here.

Different depending on what I'm doing. Lining is sharper, more like a hot scratch that keeps moving. Shading and color packing is duller and warmer, closer to a scrape or a bad sunburn being gone over again.

The first few minutes are usually the worst part, and most of that is anticipation. After ten or fifteen minutes adrenaline levels out and people settle in. Plenty of clients end up half asleep.

Longer sessions get harder toward the end, but it's more fatigue than pain. Sitting still for hours wears on you more than the needle does.

Some people get lightheaded, shaky, or a bit queasy, especially on a first tattoo. Usually it's nerves, an empty stomach, or a normal drop in blood pressure. It's common and it isn't dangerous.

Eat before you come in and bring snacks and a drink, especially for a longer session. If you start feeling off, say something and we'll take a break.

No. Alcohol thins your blood, which makes you bleed more and the tattoo harder to do well. It also affects how it heals.

I won't tattoo anyone who shows up intoxicated, and that forfeits the retainer. Come in sober and rested and you'll have a better time.

If you're on blood thinners, have a skin condition in the area, or anything else you're unsure about, check with your doctor before booking. I can tell you how tattooing works, but I'm not the person to give you medical advice.

I don't tattoo anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. That's standard practice and it's shop policy.

Small pieces are usually one sitting. Larger work gets split across sessions, spaced out so each pass heals before the next.

Most people sit comfortably for about three hours. Some go longer, some tap out sooner, and either is fine. It's not a test.

At the consultation I'll give you an honest estimate of how many sessions it'll take and we'll set a pace that works for you. Some people come every week, others once a month.

Eat beforehand, get a normal night's sleep, and skip drinking the night before. Bring your ID, and bring snacks and a drink if it's a longer session. Wear something that gives easy access to the area we're working on.

There's a full breakdown on the aftercare page. The short version: keep it clean, don't pick it, and stay out of the sun while it heals.

Start with what you actually care about. Interests, people, places, things you keep coming back to. Looking through flash or other tattoos helps, but pick something that means something to you rather than something that's trending.

Once you have a direction, that's enough to book a consultation. We'll build it out from there.

Depends on the design, your job, and how visible you want it. Some designs only work in certain places because of how the body moves. That's a big part of what the consultation is for.

There are also rules that come from the tradition and they exist for good reason. If a design has a direction it faces forward, with the top toward your head and the bottom toward your feet. It sounds obvious, but a tattoo placed sideways or facing the wrong way makes everything you add around it later fight against it. Getting the orientation right on the first piece is what lets a sleeve or a back piece flow properly years down the line.

Mainly traditional American, Japanese, and black and gray. Also floral and botanical work, illustrative, blackwork, and fully custom pieces that don't fit a category.

Honestly though, I like tattooing, drawing, and painting in a lot of different styles, and that variety is part of why I still enjoy this after nearly 30 years. If you're not sure whether your idea fits what I do, just ask.

Not really. Winter gets recommended because it's easier to stay out of the sun while healing, but any time works as long as you follow the aftercare and keep it covered.