Bookings can be made by completing the tattoo enquiry form. It is important that you provide a clear idea of what you want when filling out your form. I check requests daily, but it may take me longer to respond, especially during busy times. I will reach out via Email for any further clarification, reference images, and to arrange a consult or book in your tattoo appointment!

Yes, you can book in for a free 15 minute consult to sit down with me and discuss your tattoo ideas. I like doing this, especially for larger work, as it means we get to meet in person before your appointment and I can get a much better idea of exactly what you want from your tattoo.

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The most important thing is to make sure you are well rested, comfortable, hydrated, and feeling your best! Have a shower, a good breakfast, and make sure you are wearing comfortable loose fitting clothing for your appointment. The tattooing process can be a little messy, especially with larger tattoos so make sure you are wearing clothing that will not get in the way and you don't mind a spot of ink on! Leading up to your appointment it is good to moisturise your skin but avoid applying moisturiser on the morning of your appointment. 

Don't get sunburned before your tattoo, I cannot tattoo over sunburn. Don't drink heavily the night before your tattoo. Don't show up to your appointment drunk or otherwise intoxicated. Try to avoid doing anything that might scratch, burn, or otherwise damage your skin. Playing with kittens and pruning rose bushes have both caused skin to be damaged and appointments rebooked in the past! Don't wear spray on tan or any other hard to remove products on the area to be tattooed.

Most of all though, don't worry. The moments leading up to a tattoo can be a little scary, especially if you don't know what to expect. But rest assured, you are in safe hands. 

I generally book out a full day for $1000, a half day for $600, and smaller tattoos are priced by the size and placement. My minimum charge is $170, if you want something really small or simple, like a word, date or little symbol you may be able to get two small simple tattoos for that price. I will let you know if that is the case. I will usually quote a fixed price or price range when accepting a booking so that you know what to budget for.

The minimum age is 18.  However, with a parent or guardian present at the appointment to fill out a consent form, the minimum age is 16.

Yes, but do not be offended if I try to talk you into a different placement for your tattoo, or straight up refuse to do it! I generally refuse to do these types of tattoos for people who are not already heavily covered in tattoos. 

Yes, upon finding a suitable date for your tattoo I require a $100 deposit to secure your place in the calendar and start working on your design. I cannot hold a space in the calendar for you without a deposit. The deposit is non-refundable and comes off the total price of your tattoo. it can be paid in the studio by cash or eftpos if you come in for a consult before your tattoo, or online by internet banking. For people traveling from overseas, I do accept payment via paypal, but please let me know in your booking form if this is the case.

If you come into the studio for a free consult before your appointment, quite often we will get a rough sketch drawn up together at the consult, just to make sure I fully understand what you want. Then you can expect a final version of your design the week of your appointment. This allows time for any minor changes before your tattoo appointment

Let me know as soon as you can. The sooner you let me know the easier it is for me to fill that space in my day, and find a space for you at a future date! If you don't let me know at least 24 hours before your appointment or just don't show up to your appointment, your deposit will be forfeit and I will require another deposit to rebook.

On the day of your appointment please get to the studio on time! If you have never visited before, we are around the side of the building and upstairs. You can bring any snacks, drinks, blankets, and electronics that you want to have with you. We do have free Wi-Fi in the studio and there are power points if you want to keep things charged. When you arrive we will go over your design together and sort out the exact sizing and placement for your tattoo, I will make your stencil and apply it so that you can view the design in place. It is important that you are 100 percent comfortable with the design, size and placement of your new tattoo before we start. I am always happy to make adjustments and re-place the stencil as many times as you need. The studio is partitioned so that you have your own space to relax but it is still open enough that you can see what else is going on in the studio. Your booth can be made completely private upon request. During the tattoo you can take a break, reposition, or hop up for a stretch at any time you like, just let me know. Please don't hop up mid tattoo without any warning! After your tattoo I will wrap your tattoo and go over aftercare instructions with you.

We allow one support person to sit with you during your tattoo. Any additional people will be able to wait in the waiting room, however we are a busy studio and it can get quite crowded, so please keep extra guests to a minimum. It is also worth noting that we do not allow children in the studio.

I would recommend against using numbing cream. Numbing cream can react with your skin negatively, cause excessive redness that makes tattooing more difficult and in rare cases it can also cause the tattoo to heal badly or appear discoloured when healed. If you feel like you need to use numbing cream, please let me know before your appointment and carefully read and follow the warnings and instructions of the product you are planning to use. I would also recommend trying it out on a small area prior to your appointment to make sure it does not cause an allergic reaction.

After your tattoo is finished I will go over the appropriate aftercare for your tattoo and give you specific instructions. But generally, keep the area clean and moisturised with an appropriate tattoo balm. Do not rub or scratch the area, keep it out of the sun! Do not fully submerge your fresh tattoo in water and don't stretch the area of the tattoo excessively. You basically want to give your skin a little rest from anything that might damage it and let it recover fully!

I'm based at Soular Tattoo, a professional private studio with multiple artists, in Christchurch, New Zealand.

You can find the address and a map with directions at the bottom of this page!

If you didn't find answers to your questions here, you can just add your question in the enquiry form.

Alternatively you can email me directly with any questions at aiyotattoo@gmail.com