If you’ve ever booked a tattoo appointment, chances are you’ve asked the questions, or at least thought it. You’re committing to something permanent on your body. Of course you want to see what’s going on to your body before you walk into the shop, and it’s valid. It’s your skin, your time, and your money. But if your artist tells you that you won’t see the design until the day of your appointment, it’s not because they’re being secretive, difficult, or trying to stress yo

When I started working in the tattoo industry, I was wildly surprised by the number of clientele that didn’t understand the art of tattooing. And no, I don’t just mean the impressive abilities to pull clean lines or saturate that dreaded yellow to perfection. I’m talking about the moment that clients can look at a complex, detailed arrangement and say, “Wow. That’s art .” Tattoo artists are here to bring a client’s vision to life. It is our job to give you what you’re loo

In September of 2025, the State of Michigan updated its Body Art Facilities Rules (Mich Admin Code, R 333.13101-R 333.13118), rolling out a wave of new regulations that set the tattoo industry ablaze. While many of these changes were necessary to improve safety for tattoo and piercing clients alike, one rule in particular sparked major conversation amongst both artists and tattoo fanatics: numbing cream. Michigan officially outlawed the use of numbing creams and sprays witho

As a tattoo artist, I’m asked on the daily if the placement my client chose is going to hurt. Usually I reply, “How honest do you want me to be?” — especially when I know that shit is going to suuuck. But honestly? That fear is completely valid. The pain is real, tattoos do in fact hurt, and anyone who tells you otherwise has nerves of steel or is straight up lying to you. But coming from the artist herself: I hate getting tattooed. Yes, it’s ironic. Why do I hate it?

We see a number of people filtering in and out of the shop every day. Some are regulars who might as well be put on our payroll, and others are first-timers nervously twiddling their thumbs and asking, “Does it hurt?” Whether you’re a tattoo veteran or proudly telling your friends you finally are taking the leap, a lot of you still show up unprepared. So today we’re breaking down Client Tips 101: How to Prepare for Your Tattoo Appointment — for your sake and your artist’s. T