From Idea to Finished Piece
How booking actually works at the studio: the free consultation, what happens with deposits and design, walk-ins against appointments, and what to bring with you.
Six steps, no surprises
Most studios leave people guessing about how any of this works. Here is the whole thing, start to finish.
01. Book a free consultation
Fifteen minutes, in the studio or over the phone, and it costs you nothing. Use the booking page to pick a slot that suits you, or call the studio and we will find one for you.
You do not need a finished design to book one. A rough idea, a reference photo, or even just the general direction is enough to start.
02. Talk through the idea
You will sit down with the artist who does the style you are after and work out what the piece actually is: size, placement, level of detail, and how it will age on your skin.
This is where you get honest input. If your design is too detailed for the size you had in mind, or the placement heals badly, you will hear that here - before you are committed to anything.
03. Get a firm price and a plan
You leave the consultation knowing the total cost, the deposit amount, and how many sessions the piece needs. No vague ranges, no surprises on the day.
If it is a large piece, we will map out the sessions so the work is spread the way your skin needs it to be.
04. Pay a deposit to lock the date
A deposit secures your appointment and comes off the final price of the tattoo. It is not an extra fee - it is a portion of what you were going to pay anyway.
Your artist then draws the piece between the consultation and your appointment. That preparation is what the deposit is protecting.
05. Your session
You will see the drawing and the stencil placement before any tattooing starts. Adjustments are normal at this stage, and that is the moment to ask for them.
Everything used on you is sterile and single-use. You get breaks when you need them. Tell your artist what you need rather than toughing it out in silence.
06. Aftercare and follow-up
You leave with your tattoo cleaned, covered, and written aftercare instructions. Your artist will walk you through it before you go.
Once the piece has healed, you come back for a look. Touch-up work on a piece we did is part of how we work, not an extra you have to negotiate for.
Which one you actually want
We are open 12pm to 10pm, seven days a week, and walk-ins are genuinely welcome rather than tolerated. Plenty of people come in on the day and leave with a finished tattoo.
Walk-ins suit small pieces, lettering, straightforward designs and anything where the idea is already settled. They do not suit anything that needs real drawing time. If you want a custom piece with detail and shading, an artist building it while you wait is not doing their best work, and you would not want them to.
Booked consultations suit custom work, large pieces, and anyone who wants a firm price before committing. It also means your artist draws your piece properly, in advance, rather than between other clients.
If you are making a trip to 6th Ave specifically for a walk-in, call first. We will tell you plainly whether there is space or whether you would be better off booking a slot.
What to bring
- Reference images. Anything that shows the style, feel or level of detail you want, from any artist anywhere.
- The real thing. If the piece involves a name, a date or a family photograph, bring the original rather than a description from memory.
- Your ID. We check, and we cannot tattoo anyone under 18 in California.
- Your questions. Written down, if you have them. People forget half of what they meant to ask.
- An idea of your budget. Not because we will spend it, but because it changes what is realistic.
Booking questions
Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?
Both work. We are open 12pm to 10pm, seven days a week, and walk-ins are genuinely welcome - subject to whoever is free when you arrive. Small pieces, lettering and straightforward designs are often done the same day.
For anything with real detail, or for a large piece, a consultation is the better route. It means your artist has time to draw the design properly rather than building it while you sit there, and you get a firm price before you commit.
If you are making a trip to the studio specifically for a walk-in, call ahead on the day. We will tell you honestly whether there is space or whether you would be better booking a time.
What should I bring to my consultation?
Reference images, if you have them - anything that shows the style, the feel or the level of detail you are after. Photos of work you like from artists anywhere are genuinely useful, and so are photos of the specific elements you want: the flower, the portrait, the lettering.
If your piece involves anything personal - a name, a date, a family photograph - bring the real thing rather than something you described from memory.
Bring your ID, and bring any questions you have written down. People forget half of what they meant to ask once they are in the room.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes, and there is no obligation to book afterwards. You are not signing up to anything by coming in.
If you decide the design is not right, or the timing is wrong, or you want to think about it - that is a perfectly good outcome. Plenty of people come back months later once they have thought it through.
How far ahead should I book?
It depends on the artist and the season. Walk-in availability is usually same-day or within a few days. Booked sessions with a specific artist can run a week or two out, and longer around holidays and in summer.
If you have a date you need the tattoo finished by - a wedding, a birthday, a deployment - tell us at the consultation so we can plan the sessions around it rather than discovering the deadline later.
What happens if I need to move my appointment?
Contact us as early as you can. With reasonable notice your deposit simply moves to the new date at no extra cost.
If you cancel at short notice or do not turn up, the deposit may be retained, because that time and your artist's preparation were set aside for you. If we ever have to move your appointment for reasons within our control, your deposit transfers or is refunded in full - whichever you would prefer.
Do you charge for the drawing or design work?
Drawing time is part of the price of the tattoo, not a separate charge on top of it. What the deposit covers is your artist reserving time to prepare your piece before you arrive.
For custom work, the design is developed with you rather than handed to you as a finished artwork. If you are expecting a full bespoke illustration to keep before you have paid for any tattooing, that is not how studios generally work, and we will be straightforward with you about it.
Can I get a quote without coming in?
For small, standard pieces we can often give you a figure over the phone or by email - shop minimum pricing covers a lot of small tattoos, and lettering by the word is straightforward.
For anything custom, nobody can quote it honestly without seeing the design and the placement. A photograph of the idea and a description of the size gets us close, but the accurate number comes from the consultation.