Frequently Asked Questions

How old do I have to be to get tattooed?

You MUST be at least 18 years of age. A valid state-issued ID, driver's license, military ID or passport is required to prove your age. I do not tattoo anyone under 18 for any reason.

Does it hurt?

This is the number one Frequently Asked Question. The simple answer is, yes it does. However, not as much as some people would lead you to believe. After a short period of time, your body's natural pain-killers (endorphins) kick in and help make things more manageable. How long endorphins last usually defines your natural "limit" as to how long a tattoo session you can reasonably handle (usually averaging about 3-5 hours).

The pain of a tattoo is often likened to a mild burning sensation or a cat scratch. Everyone's pain threshold varies. I always recommend getting the tattoo exactly where you want it, regardless of the pain factor. Because once the discomfort is long forgotten, the tattoo will still be there.

Do you accept walk-ins?

I work by appointment only.

How far out are you booked?

I'm usually booked pretty solid for 1-3 months at a time for tattoo appointments. But, most of the time, I can accommodate consultations within a couple of weeks after an inquiry.

What do you charge?

My pricing is based on an hourly rate of $175/hour, with a one hour minimum. I only charge for time spent tattooing. Set-up time, breaks (within reason) and drawing time are not "on the clock".

Can I bring my friends/kid(s) with me to get tattooed?

While I can understand the need for moral support or someone to share your tattoo experience with you, the studio is fairly small and it can be quite distracting to have more than a few people in there at any given time. Also, most of the time, it's pretty boring for the people not getting tattooed. They are not allowed in the tattooing area. That being said, I'm okay with bringing one friend with you to your appointment. As long as it doesn't get out of hand.

As for children, I don't believe a tattoo studio is really the place for kids. And asking them to be calm and quiet for hours at a time isn't really fair to them. So, please leave your small children at home. Older kids might be okay, as long as they are able to conduct themselves maturely.

Do I need to pay a deposit?

Yes, I do require a $175 non-refundable deposit to schedule a tattoo appointment. This secures your appointment date and time and guarantees my time for the drawing. The full amount of the deposit will be applied to the final cost of your tattoo, when it is finished.

Your deposit may be forfeit if you; 1) No-show, no-call for your apointment. 2) Show up more than 30 minutes late for your appointment without calling. 3) Contact me to reschedule less than 48 hours before your appointment.

Deposits are valid for 1 (one) year from appointment date.

Can I bring my own artwork?

I mainly focus on creating individual drawings for each client. I do encourage people to bring in whatever reference material they have that inspires their ideas for the tattoo they are wanting. But I stress to them that I will be creating their artwork based on their references, not reproducing someone else's artwork. But if there is a specific piece of art that you're wanting to get (not someone else's tattoo), let's talk about it and see if we can come up with something cool.

Is it safe?

Absolutely! My studio is routinely inspected by the Denver Health Department. My business and artist licenses are based on passing those inspections.

Cleanliness and sanitary conditions are of the utmost importance to me. I use only new and sterile equipment. The pigments I use are organic and vegan friendly. The studio's autoclave/sterilizer is spore tested monthly. And all sterile logs are on site.

And after your tattoo is finished, I will offer verbal and written aftercare instructions. As well as aftercare products (if appliciable) and will be available via phone or email should you have any issues with healing.

Head on over to the "contact" page. There you will find an email address (patrickshackley@gmail.com)  and a few questions about your tattoo idea. Just send me your answers and contact info. Be sure to mention any specific details about your idea. If you have photo reference, please include it.

Because my workload is pretty heavy right now, I'm giving priority to tattoo ideas and styles that I know I can really knock out of the park, so to speak. These include Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror, neo-traditional, Art Nouveau, ornamental, animals, floral, nature inspired, neo-Japanese inspired, dynamic pieces with lots of flow and movement.

I reply to request emails weekly. And if it seems like a good fit, I will let you know. Then we can decide if there needs to be an in person consultation or if we can flesh out the idea via email. With scheduling and deposit details to follow.

Can I see my artwork before my appointment?

Yes, kind of... Once you have a deposit paid and an appointment on the books, you're in line with everything else I'm working on. I usually try to stay a few days to a week ahead with drawings. During that time window, I will email you a rough sketch for your tattoo. It will be more gestural and loose. And will give you an idea of the overall flow and compositon. If you are happy with the rough sketch, I will have a final line drawing ready to go when you come in. If you'd like to make some changes to the rough sketch (within reason), we'll have a few days before your appointment to get that done.

Depending on the project, the artwork may have some areas that are fully rendered, other areas that are going to be drawn directly on the skin and may or may not have a greyscale/color study done.

I encourage input from my clients. As, I want to help them realize their vision for their tattoos. But picking a design apart and micromanaging the project really destroys the creative process. So, if there are specifics that MUST be included in your design, please let me know during the consultation phase.

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