1. Why don’t you tattoo people under 18? Both the Toronto Health Board and Health Canada Suggest 18 as the cut-off age for tattooing. We also feel that 18 is the youngest a person should be to get tattooed. And we are legally protected us in the case of an angry parent etc…

2. I got my tattoo a few days ago and the skin is very dry and it looks like the tattoo itself is peeling off. Is this normal? Yes this is normal. The epidermis (top layers of skin) will shed due to the trauma of the tattooing process. The actual tattoo is in the dermis (your permanent uderskin) and is not affected by this shedding and/or flaking as long as you don’t pick at it or prematurely remove the skin. Follow your aftercare and it will heal fine.

3. Is it OK to workout or play sports right after I get tattooed? Yes it’s fine. Be your own judge and only do what is comfortable. If it hurts your tattoo or if you don’t feel up to it then stop. Listen to your body, it will tell you what it is capable of. Also be careful not to impact you fresh tattoo or you could damage it.

4. I know what I want but I haven’t seen it anywhere and I can’t draw. Can you guys draw it for me? How much does that cost? Yes all of our artists are fully capable of drawing your design for you. Bring us whatever reference material you may have, even if it’s just a verbal description. Depending on the design and the amount of drawing involved, a deposit of $20 to $100 will be taken and that comes off the price of your tattoo. We do not charge extra for the drawing.

5. The aftercare card my tattooer gave me said to apply “tattoo cream”-what is that? “Tattoo cream” refers to any water-based moisturizing lotion or balm that is usually uncoloured, unscented and does not contain Paba or Alpha Hydroxy. We carry a few very good brands at New Tribe, Tattoo Goo lotion, Lubriderm and TatWax.

6. The receptionist on the phone said I couldn’t book a tattoo appointment over the phone. I don’t live downtown, how do I book an appointment? If you cannot come into the shop to book an appointment in person and leave a deposit, then you can email your design with exact specs to us and we can quote it and book your appointment then. If it is a cover-up and/or requires extensive drawing, you will probably have to make the two trips….it will be worth it in the long run! We CAN book touch-ups and ongoing work appointments over the phone.

7. Why don’t you do touch-ups on weekends? Weekends are generally so busy for us that we need all available space to handle new work. We will do our best to accommodate you for your touch-up anytime during the week.

8. I plan on getting bigger and more muscular in the future. Will this stretch out or ruin my tattoo? A tattoo becomes part of your flesh- therefore if your skin grows or stretches, the tattoo does as well. If you are prone to stretch marks, you may see some in your tattoo. Otherwise it shouldn’t distort too much, especially if you grow or work out proportionally. If you know you will be getting A LOT bigger (building huge muscle mass or even getting pregnant) it is best to not get a very rigid shaped tattoo such as a perfect circle or square design, as it can show more distortion. Remember in most cases, a tattoo can always be touched up if needed as well.

9. Are there any things I shouldn’t do after getting tattooed? Try not to get it too wet after the initial wash, don’t pick at it, don’t get excessive sun on it in the first two weeks, don’t over exert yourself or harm your fresh tattoo.

10. How much do tattoos cost? Tattoos are priced depending on the detail, size and amount of solid colour in it. Our minimum charge is $80 and it goes upward form there.

11. Why do you only offer free touch-ups for the first year? We offer free touch-ups as a way of guaranteeing our work. If you feel that your tattoo requires a touch-up and haven’t gotten to it within a year then maybe it wasn’t that important. Having the year cutoff just makes it a little easier on us for keeping track as well as motivating the customer to come back sooner if the work needs touching up. There are always extenuating circumstances such as someone being out of the country etc… These can be discussed with your individual artist.

12. How far in advance do I need to book my tattoo appointment? It really depends on the amount of drawing that your design requires. Usually a few days to a week is fine, but it can take up to a couple weeks if we are very busy (summer months) or if there is substantial drawing to be done.

13. Do I have to book an appointment or can I just walk-in? We currently save time everyday for walk-in tattoos. Your design should be fairly small and ready to go, with little or no prep required, otherwise we may have to draw your design for another day. Keep in mind this is first-come first served, so best to get here early.

14. I’ve heard about a tattoo that only lasts a few months. Is this true? We have not seen anything like this. There are temporay stick-on tattoos, paint on tattoos and Henna tattoos, but all usually fade away after a few days to a week, depending on your bathing habits.

15. Does your studio do tattoo gun scarification or white ink tattooing? We will do white ink tattooing but do not offer tattoo gun scarification. That process is too brutal and damaging and the results are far too inconsistent.

16. Can I have a female do my tattoo? Yes we currently have two female artists on staff. You can call or email for her work schedule.

17. Do you do inside lip tattoos? Yes, as long as it is a simple design (letters / numbers) we can do it. It can be very painful and does not always stay in very well though. Unless you are getting it along with other tattooing in the same session though, we have to charge you our minimum tattoo charge.