Frequently Asked Questions
How do I book a tattoo?
Please fill out the booking form found here, or please send an email to roashetattoo@gmail.com with your request.
I will need to know your idea, the size and location of the tattoo on the body, any reference pictures you have, as well as photos / screenshots of my work that you like. I will also need photos of your body where you would like the tattoo. The photos need to be clear, in focus, well lit, show the whole area and be square onto the body. Please make sure the camera is not at a diagonal angle to the body as this is not useful.
I will draw directly onto the photos you provide to get the main structure of the tattoo worked out, so the photos of your body need to be good. It would be useful to describe as best you can what you would like, and please feel free to include anything you think might be useful for me to know.
Finally, I will need to know an idea of your budget.
Once I have all of this information, we will have a discussion over email and work out the exact design you want. I will then take a drawing deposit, and once I’ve got some ideas down I will refer back to you to check I am on the right tracks, then once we are confirmed I will then finish the drawings. When I am close to finishing the design, we will book in your appointment / first sessions.
I do not book in appointments for large scale projects until the drawings are fairly complete as this gives me time to make sure the drawing is perfect without unnecessarily restricting my drawing time by booking you in too soon. We can PENCIL in loose dates to give a rough time to aim for, but this is not set in stone until we confirm dates with close to complete drawings.
Do you do walk-ins or are you appointment only?
We are an appointment only studio, however we do occasionally do walk-in days on certain weekends or holidays, so keep an eye out on our social media @sebastianroashe & @redcairnstudio for any news on walk-in days.
Can I give you my own designs?
Yes you can certainly bring your own design, however it does not mean I will tattoo the exact design you show me. Sometimes designs need a little tidying up beforehand, and sometimes the designs clients bring in are not designed with tattooing in mind. That is - they are unaware of how ink and skin interacts and therefore how tattoos must be designed for this medium.
I am happy to look at any design that you want to share with me, and we can have a conversation about what it is you are wanting to achieve with your tattoo, and how we can go about giving you the best possible tattoo.
Please bear in mind I will not copy other artists work. We can use someone’s work as reference if there’s a particular part of it you like, however if you want me to tattoo you just like how someone else tattoos, my recommendation will always be to go to that other artists and get work directly from them.
How long will my tattoo take?
How long is a piece of string? How long a tattoo takes depends on a number of factors, such as the size and style of the design, the intricacy and complexity of the design, how well you sit, how well your skin accepts the ink, your pain tolerance etc.
I do not like to give guesses on how long a tattoo will take because of these vagaries, and a part of the tattoo experience for me is the interaction between us as individuals. I do not like to treat the tattoo process as a transaction, I like to treat it as a human experience. In this manner, I like to not feel there’s any pressure on either of us, and that includes time. I like to take my time with the tattoo, hang out, and have a relaxed day for both of us, allowing for any desired breaks for either party.
When we book in a tattoo, I will kindly ask that you give me the honour of clearing your schedule for a reasonable amount of time. If you are having something small that will only take a couple of hours, give me the morning, or the afternoon. If we are doing a day or multiple days, don’t make concrete plans for dinner or drinks in the afternoon / evening, just give me the whole day to do my best work for you. I will never speed up the tattoo to accommodate other plans, including my own.
The tattoo is forever, dinner or drinks are fleeting.
I will of course do my best to accommodate you where I can, just please be mindful that I need time to do my best work, and feeling rushed will not produce a better tattoo!
How much will my tattoo cost?
Again, this question depends on several factors. The size, placement on the body, complexity of the design etc. As a general rule, I charge a price range, and do not charge for time. This means that when we are discussing a design for you we will work out how big it is, the complexity, and the level of detail you are after. Once we have worked all this out, I will give you a price range for the tattoo. This will be the upper and lower limit of the cost of the tattoo.
No matter what happens, the price will not exceed the upper limit of the tattoo, nor shall it be lower than the bottom of the price range, except in exceptional circumstances where the tattoo ends up being much smaller than we originally planned. Everyone’s bodies are unique, and therefore the tattoo we actually end up doing often needs adjustment to find the right fit for your body, so it’s easier for both of us to agree a price range, and then depending how we decide to proceed on the day for the tattoo, we can find the right price for the day within the pre-agreed range.
So for example, if we plan for a small tattoo that should be done in a few hours, then no matter how long the day goes on, even if it requires coming back another day, the price of the tattoo will not exceed the upper limit. We agree a price we are both happy with in the beginning, then after that we don’t have to worry about the time. I don’t need to worry that it’s taking too long or going too fast, and you don’t need to worry about it going too long or fast either. We can both relax, take our time and work in a pressure free environment.
The same applies for multi day projects like sleeves. We agree a price range in the beginning, then each day you come in, it will be between the upper and lower limit for the day, depending how long and complicated the day ends up being.
I charge a drawing fee for all tattoos, no matter the size. This is also your deposit, and is generally £100, unless the total cost for the tattoo is less than £100, in which case the deposit / drawing fee is the total cost for the tattoo, to be paid in advance. The deposit is included in the cost of the tattoo, so for example if the tattoo costs £300, then a deposit of £100 will be required for drawing, and the remainder on the day will be £200, giving a total of £300.
How do I pay for the tattoo?
I take deposits via PayPal, but if you are local and want to pop in with cash, you may. If you are international, please contact me and I will give you bank details for a bank transfer.
You can pay on the day by either by Cash, PayPal or Bank transfer. You must pay before leaving the shop, so please be prepared to pay on the day.
What happens to my deposit if I don’t turn up or I cancel last minute?
Deposits are also drawing fees for me and so are not refundable or transferable if you cancel within seven days. If you need to change an appointment and it is more than seven day ahead, you can change the booking at no cost. If you have a reeaally good reason to cancel last minute I will consider transferring your deposit to a new appointment, but that is down to my discretion depending on your circumstances.
How do I look after my tattoo?
All clients are given aftercare instructions on the day, and I will go through all of this with you at the end of the session whilst I am cleaning and wrapping your tattoo. If you have any questions for me once you leave, you are welcome to message me on Instagram or email me.
But in general, hygiene, sensible care and moisturising with natural products is the way forward.
Any other questions?
If you’ve got a question I’ve not answered here, please email me at roashetattoo@gmail.com with your question and I’ll do my best to get back to you.