The consultation process is where a great tattoo starts. Here's how to come prepared so we can make something you'll love.

You don't need to have it all figured out

One of the biggest misconceptions about booking a custom tattoo is that you need to come in with a fully formed idea. You don't. Some of my favourite pieces started with a client saying "I want something dark and botanical but I don't know what exactly." That's enough to start a conversation. What I need is a direction, not a finished brief.

References are incredibly helpful

Pull together a small folder of images — tattoos you like, artwork, photography, textures, anything that captures the vibe you're going for. They don't all have to be tattoos. A photo of a forest at night, a painting you love, a pattern you keep coming back to — these all tell me something useful about your aesthetic. The more visual context you can give me the better.

Tell me what you don't want too

Knowing what to avoid is just as useful as knowing what you want. If you hate heavy black shading, tell me. If you don't want anything that looks cartoonish, say so. Ruling things out early saves us both time and means we land on the right direction faster.

Be honest about your budget

I know talking about money feels awkward but it helps both of us. If you have a hard budget I'd rather know upfront so I can design something achievable within it rather than present a concept that's out of reach. There's always a version of an idea that works at different price points — but I need to know where we're working.

Trust the process

Once we've had the consultation and I go away to design, trust me. I'll bring you something that takes everything you told me and translates it into something that works on skin. If you want changes we'll make them — but come to the design stage with an open mind rather than expecting an exact replica of a reference. What I do is interpret your idea into something that will actually work as a tattoo, which sometimes means making adjustments you didn't anticipate but will thank me for later.