How to book a custom tattoo: what to send, what happens next

Where do I book?

Through Venue, at venue.ink/@wacotattooer. The Book button on the main page opens a short form: your name, phone, email and the idea. Deposits, dates and scheduling all happen there, so nothing gets lost in a DM. If you'd rather talk first, message me on Instagram, in English or Spanish, and we'll move it to Venue when it's a plan.

What should I put in the request?

1. The idea, in a sentence or two. "A black and grey portrait of my grandmother from a photo from the sixties, on the outside of my upper arm." That is a complete request. Paragraphs of backstory are welcome but not needed; the sentence is.
2. A photo of the placement. The actual arm, thigh or chest, in daylight, from the angle the piece would be seen. It tells me the shape I'm drawing for and whether anything is already there.
3. A rough size, in inches. Hold a hand or a sheet of paper against the spot and say what it covers. "Palm-sized" and "the whole upper arm" are fine answers; I'll come back if the idea needs more room than that to hold up (there's a post on why realism needs size).
4. The reference, if it's a portrait. The one photo you love, plus a couple of alternatives. Sharp, in focus, lit from one side. For a custom design rather than a portrait, two or three images that show the feel you want, and a word on what you like about each.

What isn't useful: twenty saved images with no decision between them, a screenshot of someone else's tattoo asked for exactly, or "you decide" with no placement. The best requests have made the three decisions above and left the rest to me.

How does the quote work?

There's no fixed price list, because there's no fixed tattoo. Every piece is quoted on its own once the idea, size and placement are clear, which is why the request asks for those three. Flash days are the exception: the designs are pre-drawn and the prices are posted with the event. If the quote is out of reach, say so; there is usually a version of the idea, smaller or simpler, that isn't.

What does the deposit do?

Once the request is approved, the deposit holds your date, and the piece gets drawn for your placement. It goes through Venue, where the terms are shown before you pay. A date without a deposit isn't a date; it's a conversation.

When do I see the design?

The stencil goes on the day, and we adjust it on the skin until it sits right: a little bigger, turned a few degrees, moved up so it follows the muscle rather than fighting it. That's normal and it's quick. Big changes of idea are a different thing, and they belong in the request stage, before the drawing is done, not on the day.

How long does it take, and how far ahead should I ask?

A small fine line piece is a single short sitting. A portrait is one long one. A sleeve, a back, a chest piece is several sittings, and that's planned from the first request, with healing time between them. Ask as soon as you know what you want; big pieces need room on the calendar, and a request costs nothing to send.

What should I do the day before?

Eat, sleep, drink water. No alcohol, and no aspirin or ibuprofen, the night before; they thin the blood and the ink holds less. No sunburn on the spot. Wear something that gives access to it. And tell me what I should know: medication, skin conditions, allergies, anything that changes how I work. The whole list is on the main page under Before you come in, with what to do after.

Questions people ask