Jump to:
Rates
Tattoo appointment minimum is 125$ (except for touch ups and special promotions)
My hourly rate for handpokes is 150$/hr and for machine is 175$/hr
I do not charge for breaks or time spent stencilling
Some Flash pieces are priced per piece, and I do discounts for events like flash days and conventions. My standard hourly rates apply unless otherwise states.
Occasionally, I may offer an “experimental” hourly rate between 100-120$/hr when I am developing new styles or techniques that require practice and may take more time to tattoo as I learn new skills.
Payment
Payments can be made either in cash, by e-transfer, or by debit/credit through Square at the time of the appointment. Taxes are included in all design quotes.
A 15-30$ fee may be applied if the client is more than 20 minutes late to their scheduled appointment time.
Deposits
Deposits can be made by e-transfer or by square link. All communications concerning deposits will be made via email correspondence
Flash
Flash pieces require a 50-100$ deposit depending on the size of the piece.
Please check my instagram for flash design availabilities and contact me before sending a deposit
Customs
Custom pieces require a 100$ deposit after I accept the idea for the project and before I begin sketching the first draft.
Deposits are non-refundable, but can be transferred to claim any available flash design for the same appointment time.
Appointments rescheduled or cancelled with less than 5 days notice before the session are subject to either a cancellation or rescheduling fee between 25-70$ (depending on the size of the piece and proximity to the date).
In the event of a cancellation or a no-show, deposits will not be refunded, and an additional fee will be required should the client wish to purchase the flash design for personal future use.
Tip Policy
Tipping culture is complex and constantly evolving. As a self-employed artist, I have the privilege to engage with tipping culture on my own terms
At its core, tipping straddles the line in rewarding good service and supplementing the wages of service workers whose employers don’t compensate them fairly. Its oxymoronic role as both an expectation and a perk is problematic to say the least. I believe that we should not depend on customer generosity to fill the gap between what an employee is paid and what they deserve. In my opinion, this system is flawed. While I would like to change it, I acknowledge that trying to inflict change as a consumer will harm my fellow worker, so it is more impactful for me to initiate change as a provider.
I am a sole proprietor of my tattoo business. I am my own employer. There is no middle man taking the profits of my labour for themselves. The cost of my work already reflects my desired compensation, so there is no inherent need for additional tipping to ensure fair pay.
I set my own wage such that I am not dependent on tips to survive.
At the end of my appointments, I like to clarify that tips are not expected, but I will always accept them as a reward for particularly exceptional service. Tips in the form of cash are awesome, but artwork, knick knacks, plant cuttings, or any other sentimental gifts fulfill the same role to me if you wish to thank me by leaving something extra 🙂
Health & Safety
I am Blood Borne Pathogen certified. My vaccinations are up to date.
My safety practices reflect the BC guidelines for body modification, including, but not limited to the following:
- Nitrile gloves are worn throughout the appointment and changed when necessary
- Non-sterile single-use supplies (razors, gauze, ink cups, and all table/workstation coverings, etc) are used only for a single client appointment and are immediately disposed of.
- Reusable equipment (massage table, lighting fixtures, arm rest, squeeze bottles, etc.) are sterilized with either bleach or cavicide and covered with disposable materials during the appointment which are immediately disposed of afterwards.
- Inks, soap, vaseline, and other fluids are transferred into single use disposable or sanitizable containers at the beginning of the appointment and before coming into contact with a client’s skin so as not to contaminate supply stocks.
- Only sterile needles are used for tattooing, and are opened from sterilized packaging in the presence of the client
For questions or concerns please contact me.
Trauma Informed Tattoing
My practice has been significantly influenced by the work of Tamara Santibañez, especially through her workshop “Trauma Informed & Justice Centred Tattooing” based off of her book and years of experience as a tattoo artist.
In short, trauma informed tattooing acknowledges that the process of tattooing can be linked to traumatic experiences for many clients, and works in turn to be considerate of the potential ways in which trauma could negatively affect one’s tattoo experience. Whether such trauma has been inflicted on individuals in their previous tattoo settings or in other life experiences, permanently changing one’s body through this process of pain and blind trust can be harmful or triggering for many. Trauma informed tattooing provides tools to help artists prioritize their clients’ health, their sense of agency, and their comfort, so that their tattoo experience can avoid further damage and ideally provide a service that helps clients deal with their own trauma.
In my own work, this means that I:
- Prioritize informed consent at each stage of the process
- Keep my clients informed about the plan, process, or trajectory of my appointments
- Am forthcoming about my experiences with the techniques and styles I utilize
- Aim to create a comfortable environment for clients, which includes multiple options for physical positioning, entertainment and distractions, fidget/stim toys, frequent check ins, etc
- Provide options for aftercare that accommodate different lifestyles and personal habits
- Send out anonymous feedback forms to all my clients, so that I can better myself as an artist, practitioner, and provider
- In my intake form, I provide options and create space in advance for clients to express their desired approach getting a tattoo, particularly in terms of social factors.
Many people, myself included, have felt uncomfortable, exposed, and disrespected in shop settings which often fail to accommodate the concerns, opinions, and preferences of clients who don’t share the same privileges, identities, or life experiences as the traditional tattoo parlour’s intended clientele. Additionally, in my opinion, there are several prevalent social norms within the tattoo industry that contribute to harmful bodily practices and the unnecessary gatekeeping of tattooing as an art form (such as keeping information about the tattooing process secret; the idea that tattoos must be painful in order for the client to “earn” them; ridiculing other artists’ styles; etc.)
My practice works against these messages that have wrongfully discriminated against already marginalized people and stifled so much curiosity and creativity within art form. I want my clients to feel comfortable asking questions about what I’m doing to their bodies. I want to hear about what their design means to them and why they have chosen their specific style. I want them to feel respected in an environment that treats their pain and their bodies with dignity and kindness
For more information on Trauma Informed Tattooing, see my resources page on the topic
Touch Ups
Touch ups are ALWAYS FREE (though tips are always appreciated)
I recommend waiting at least 3 months before coming in for a touch up, since handpokes take some time to settle in and I never want to oversaturate a design that is still deepening in tone and contrast.
I want my work to be in its best shape. I treasure the opportunity to see how my tattoos are aging and settling. Plus, I love checking in with my clients and seeing how each of y’all are 🙂
Send me an email to enquire about a touch up anytime
NOTE: I will try my best to accommodate touch ups for tattoos done while travelling at guest spots, though I cannot guarantee availability as surely as I can when at home in Vancouver.
Age
You must be 18+ years old to get tattooed by me, regardless of parental consent.
While I appreciate and deeply empathize with the desire to get tattooed as soon as possible, I firmly believe that tattooing a minor creates an unsafe and inappropriate power dynamic between client and artist. While, admittedly, 18 is an arbitrary number to choose for a strict policy, it’s important to me that my clients know what they want for their adult bodies and have the confidence and skills to communicate clearly in the studio space.
Privacy
Photos taken at the appointment may be kept private to the artist, shared anonymously, or published with the client’s name according to the client’s preferences solicited in the appointment intake form.
Information given through intake forms will be kept confidential. Information given through feedback forms may be used anonymously on my website.
I will not, and am not required by law, to report any information discussed with my clients to civil authorities without a warrant, subpoena, or court summons.
I will keep any references to the conversations and content disclosed within appointments anonymous, should they be referenced outside of their original context.
Andy Pollard 