The most asked question by far is, “Does tattooing hurt?”
Not for us but you are in for some pain for sure. Some places on your body are more sensitive than others. We recommend you start off with a muscular location for your first tattoo like the top of the arm or butt and work your way up to more sensitive locations like the wrist, foot or private areas. Everyone’s threshold for pain is different so the only way to find out is to go for it and see what you can handle. Keep this in mind for your first tattoo; start small and come back for more if you decide tattoos are for you.

Should I get loaded to ease the pain?
No! If you are obviously under the influence of drugs or alcohol, we will refuse to tattoo you. We do this for our own safety. Alcohol and some drugs thin the blood which can create a hazardous work environment as well as dilutes the inks which can cause a poor final product.

Do you guys do piercing, scarification, or branding?”
Nope, strictly tattoos.

Will hair still grow through my tattoo?
Yes, the skin will still be the same as before. If you have scars or long body hair it might obscure the tattoo.

Is it safe?
Of course. We use individually wrapped and sterilized disposable “setups” for each tattoo and we are Illinois Board of Health certified in blood pathogen safety. We take safety very seriously and pride ourselves on the sterile environment we create for our clients.

Can I bring in my own design?
Yes, it can be anything you like, but it will need to be converted into a tattoo design. Some styles of artwork do not work well as a tattoo, but we use our years of experience to guide you with the selection of the artwork and style. If you need inspiration we have literally thousands of tattoo designs for you to thumb through.

How much does it cost?
It is impossible to quote a price without seeing a design. Custom tattooing costs according to the time involved. Names and really small tattoos cost about $50-$80. Larger and complex tattoos can cost thousands of dollars. An average small tattoo cost about $100.

How old must I be to get a tattoo?
You must be 18 years of age and have a picture ID issued by the government. We do not tattoo minors with or without parental permission.

How can I pay?
We accept cash, Master Charge, Visa, American Express, travelers checks and money orders. Sorry, we do not accept personal checks or bitcoins.

Is it permanent?
Yes, but all tattoos will age gracefully. Sun, improper healing, and poor health, will affect the final results. Your skin is not a photo in a book, all tattoos age. How well they age depends on the size, and placement. Older tattoos can be redone and recolored. Unwanted tattoos can be covered with a new tattoo (cover up) or removed (laser).

What about healing?
A new tattoo takes about three weeks to look as if it was always there, but they heal like any other scratch or scrape, or approximately two weeks. Please look at our Tattoo Aftercare for more instructions.

How do the colors turn out?
Think of your skin as a canvas. We pride ourselves on our ability to match coloring with your unique skin tone so your tattoo will the best version of it possible. We use high quality ink by Eternal Ink™ and Unique Ink™ because we think you are worth it.

Can I be allergic to the colors?
It is possible to be allergic to anything, however allergies to the colors is very rare. If you do have allergies, you might want to consult your doctor, for the proper tests and for an explanation.

If I am pregnant, can I still get a tattoo?
Sorry, we will not Tattoo Pregnant women. Furthermore anyone with a chronic health condition, should get the advice of their doctor before getting a tattoo.

Where is the least painful spot?
Probably the upper arm, yet it is more important to get your tattoo where you want it as opposed to getting it where it might hurt 10 % less. If you never had a tattoo, how would you know the difference? The most important fact is your tattoo should be fun, and part of the fun is getting it where it will work the best for you. I have never had anyone stop in the middle of a tattoo, (although everyone thinks about stopping), because the pain was unbearable.

Do you have vegan tattoo ink?
Yes we do have glycerin free ink if you prefer this. Please let us know you want this ink before your appointment so we can make sure we have the colors you need in stock.

What if I don’t like the tattoo after it is done?
We do not tattoo you in the dark or keep the design a secret until we are done. You will have many opportunities to approve the drawing, placement and coloring long before we start tattooing. We strongly recommend you look over the book of work your tattoo artist has to see if his/her style jives with your own before you commit to working with them. With that said, we have over 50 years of combined experience between us all so you can rest assured we are not going to make rookie mistakes on you.

Do you spell check the lettering before you start?
Absolutely, we always do our best to make sure everything is spelled correctly.

What if I am not exactly sure what I want as a tattoo?
If you have a burning desire to have a certain tattoo but cannot find a picture of exactly what you want, we recommend you come in and have a consultation with one of our artists. They will work up a drawing based on your idea at no cost. This is a very common practice and we welcome the opportunity to create an original custom design just for you.

Is there a waiting list and if so how long will it take to get an appointment?
Our artists have very busy schedule and take appointments for as much as 3 months out however we do keep blocks of hours open for walk-ins so give a call or stop in and see if you can get in a chair right away.

Is there anything you will NOT tattoo on me?
Yes there many things we will not tattoo on anybody. Racist, sexist, bigotry or hateful phrases or symbols are not cool with us. We will also not tattoo gang symbols or gang milestones. We reserve the right to refuse to work on anybody for any reason so be cool and respect that our reputation depends on every one of our tattoos that leaves our shop.