So you finally decided to get a tattoo or body piercing, what happens now? This is an excellent question. With so much information at our fingertips thanks to the internet it can be a bit daunting knowing the rest of the process. Don’t worry though, we have you covered. Here’s a brief step by step to help your prepare for that special transformation.
- Decide on what you want to get. For piercings this can be as simple as browsing some reference in a quick Google search or on Pinterest. For tattooing it may become a little more complex than that. Let’s say for instance your new body art has some intention behind it, you may need to gain special reference before going much further. When I was a much younger man I had a girlfriend whose mother designed floral print for furniture upholstery. It was her deep desire to honor her mother’s talent and have a piece of her artwork to wear. It took some time and ingenuity to find old swatches of the original patterns the mother had designed before finally settling on the perfect piece, but in this instance it was important to the wearer to have something very specific recreated in a tattoo. Whether your idea needs to be so specific or not is entirely up to you, but keep in mind the more specific reference you have the easier it will guide the artist toward designing something you love. It helps to find photos of tattoos that you like even if the design themselves are not what you want, just so stylistically the artist can understand your desires. It’s also a great idea to find examples of the specific characters or items you want in the piece if possible. All of this will be reference for the artist to create something new for you in a timely fashion. The more direction you give us, the less guesswork we have to do, don’t worry if we have a great idea or are inspired we will share those thoughts with you as well.
- Have an in-person consultation. It’s totally possible to usually get a piercing or tattoo same day and often as a quick walk in. Sometimes though the artist or piercer cannot achieve what you want on the spot. For larger tattoos time must be spent drawing and customizing the piece. For piercing projects sometimes it is best to pierce part of the project and allow it to heal before completing the rest. Sometimes custom jewelry may need to be ordered, or perhaps the very common jewelry you had hoped for sold out prior to you arriving. Consulting with the artist or piercer is the way to make sure everything needed for your special day is ready on the studio’s side of things. If the procedure can not be performed same day, an appointment will be booked for another day so that all parties are prepared.
- Book an appointment. Here at Adohi we offer online booking with no deposit for body piercing. It’s as simple as following the link and clicking a few options. After you submit your appointment request we will confirm or decline it based on availability and other factors. When you receive your confirmation, you can rest easy knowing the piercer expects you. If you have not had a consultation yet, you may still end up needing to reschedule the appointment after having a consultation but in most cases we can perform most piercings without a prior consult. For tattooing, we only book appointments in person after having a consultation. Tattoo appointments do require a non-refundable deposit to cover the artist’s drawing time and the studio taking the risk of you not showing up while they turn people away. There is a whole form of the agreement terms when taking the deposit and setting the appointment. If you show up for your appointment having met the agreed upon terms your deposit will be subtracted from the total of your tattoo (the final session for multiple session pieces). It’s not worth your time to call and ask pricing about tattoos over the phone because we honestly have no way to price what you want without talking to you in person and asking a bunch of questions to understand what you truly desire. It is imperative to have a consultation in person before getting any price estimate on tattooing.
- Show up to your appointment on time having gained a good night’s rest and eaten recently (within the past couple of hours). We want your experience to be the best it possibly can, if your body is fatigued or not properly fueled your experience is likely to be more painful and less tolerable. It’s fine to bring tablets and headphones for a distraction during tattooing. Some client’s like to engage in conversation with their artists, some prefer to tune out. We find both approaches work great. Do not partake of any substances prior to getting pierced or tattooed. Some substances do not allow the blood to clot well and can be detrimental to the final product. Some products intensify the painful feelings by making you over analyze and focus on every single second of the experience. Even anesthetics can cause unforeseen reactions and misplaced body art because of swelling and irritation. If tattoos or piercings were unbearable, they would not be so popular. Please arrive sober or we have to refuse your service. Also be sure you bring proper Government issued non-expired ID. Driver’s License, Passport, Green Card, etc. If a minor is receiving a procedure their legal guardian must also be present and BOTH parties must have photo ID. We also need a legal verification of relationship, for most people the minor’s birth certificate is fine. In some cases court custody papers, adoption papers or other official legal work may be required to prove the relationship between guardian and minor.
- Listen to your artist. Most piercers and tattoo artists are not big meanies. If they suggest something it is with the intention of making your idea better or making the procedure easier on you. You don’t have to blindly agree with everything they say but definitely listen to their suggestions and consider them with an open heart.
- Follow the aftercare given by your practitioner. I can’t tell you how many times I see problem piercings and tattoos and when I ask how they are taking care of them they’ve either been told horrible advice or just simply not followed the advice given. In fact online forums on Facebook and other social media avenues often spout outdated and bad advice from other enthusiasts. Sometimes clients get lucky and heal things no matter what they do to it, then they turn around and think that’s the proper way to take care of it. Just because something worked for you in the past does not always mean it is the best or proper approach. If you are choosing wisely then you should be confident that your artist or piercer is a skilled technician and will give you the most accurate information for how their procedures heal. Follow it, show up for check-ups and bandage changes, get touch-ups in a timely fashion. We want you to have the best healed body art so you’re happy and so you are representing our work accurately as well.
Here at Adohi Body Art we pride ourselves on giving you the best service and personal attention possible. We encourage you to follow up with us during healing and let us know what you are experiencing. No issue is too small. We want to see our clients when they look their worst as much as when they look their best. Stressing out about a piercing or tattoo just slows the healing process. If you think you’re ready to take that leap into the world of body art contact us today and let’s get the ball rolling. We love being a part of those moments when clients take ownership of their bodies and decorate them in whatever fashion they see fit!
-Brett Perkins
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