Question 1

What are your specialties?

Accepted Answer

I tattoo in a style I describe as "illustrative neotraditional colour work", meaning I use heavier black outline and solid colour fill but all with a whimsical hand-drawn look. Every tattoo artist has their own unique approach to creating a tattoo and my work is always custom drawn. I do not tattoo other folks' designs. I do black and grey tattoos on occasion but always in dotwork only.

I specialize in covering older tattoos as well as tattooing over scarring due to self-harm, accident, illness, surgery, and more. Please send me an e-mail to chat more and check out my specific FAQ pages regarding scarring and cover-ups found at the top of the page! Consultations for cover-ups of scarring and old tattoos specifically are mandatory before I am able to accept your project.

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Question 2

What are you doing to give clients a safe service from start to finish?

Accepted Answer

I am very open to accommodating your specific needs. I am all about making my clients feel safe and comfortable. You can listen to music, watch movies, or do anything within reason to make yourself comfortable. I am a very patient person and take all the time it needs to finish your piece. Please do not be shy about asking for breaks or tapping out - I am not here to judge you! I am also very understanding of tics, sensory and mobility concerns. 
 
All bodies are welcomed in my chair and can be guaranteed a tattoo service that is completed by a gentle and patient artist in a clean and quiet environment free of hate speech.

All clients have a right to equal treatment from me before, during, and after the tattoo service regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, and health status. 
 
You have the right to use your preferred name and the right to have your pronouns respected.
 
My tattoo room is shared with my apprentice, Co, as we work side-by-side. Our other artist, Nat, works in her own private room. There are three permanent artists in the shop. If you would prefer I can tattoo you in our second tattoo room which would be semi-private, though my apprentice may need to come ask us questions. If this is an issue, please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate your needs.

I am as patient as need be. You always have final say on the tattoo and all its elements (size, location on the body, design, etc.). You will always have adequate time with me to consider the tattoo and all its elements before I begin. You will always be encouraged to ask questions and to consult with me beforehand.
 
I will always ask for consent before I touch you before the service. This consent can be revoked at any time.

You have the right to tap out (finish) the tattoo at any time regardless of how much time you booked with me. There is always another day and if your mental or physical health can not handle it, that is more than okay. I always ask clients to try to make it through the linework but if this isn't possible then accommodations can always be made.
 
I comfortably work with clients who experience tics, spasms, body twitches and shakes. I am slow going and patient and show you how I can work and time my tattooing process to your particular needs.
 
My TatSoul tattoo bed is rated to support a body weight of 400lbs.
 
Should you have particular concerns about the service or would like to share how I can make our appointment more accessible to you, please reach out! My e-mail inbox is always open: beckydtattoo@gmail.com!

Question 3

Where are you located?

Accepted Answer

In Bloom Tattoo Collective is located at 340 MacLaren street on the third floor in unit 304. Head through the glass doors at 340 MacLaren and take the elevator to the third floor.  Immediately turn right when you step off the elevator and proceed to the door with our sign on it at the end of the short corridor. Enter the door with our signage and then ring the black doorbell outside the main door to the shop.

Question 4

Where can I see your new flash and exclusive content?

Accepted Answer

Great news! I have started a Patreon (www.patreon.com/byronjtattoo)where starting at only 3$/month you can get access to all my flash three months early as well as discounted deposits, and all the best of my premium long-form video content about my life, art, and travels. Find me there!! (www.patreon.com/byronjtattoo)

www.patreon.com/byronjtattoo

Question 5

What should I know for my appointment day?

Accepted Answer

IMPORTANT: You must eat something carb-heavy at least 2 hours before your appointment. I will not tattoo you if you have not eaten. If you arrive and have not eaten your appointment will be cancelled and your deposit will be forfeit.  It is irresponsible and drastically increases your risk of fainting/going into shock to not eat. Please bring a sugary juice/pop as well as a salty snack to your appointment. It will help so much.
 
Please bring clothing appropriate for your sitting. We have a bathroom for you to change! Please make sure I have easy access to the area of your tattoo and that your clothing isn’t too tight. If you are getting your legs tattooed please bring shorts/skirt/briefs etc. Rolled up jeans, yoga pants, and leggings are not appropriate. Arms/shoulders/chest a thin-strapped tank top is best. For sternums and ribs, please either bring a string bikini top or I can make pasties for your privacy. Please do not wear expensive or precious items of clothing and avoid pale colours that could stain. I do my best to protect your clothing while I am tattooing you but it is not my priority during the process. Please note our current studio tends to run hot.
 
Cash or Interac E-transfer ONLY. I do not accept credit or debit cards. Payment is made at the END of your tattoo appointment. If it is the FINAL session of your piece (or you have paid deposits for multiple sessions) your deposit will come off the final price.

You MUST present a government-issued photo ID with your birthdate at your appointment even if I have tattooed you before or are well above the age of majority. I accept passports, provincial ID (photo card or driver's license), and Indigenous Status cards. Should you forget your ID you can either go home and get it (you will be charged for my waiting time) or we can reschedule your appointment with an extra 150$ deposit paid to make up for my lost time. This will count as extra deposit and is subject to my regular deposit policies.
 
NO SHOW POLICY: 15 minutes late is understandable with a phone call or e-mail. 15+ minutes late with no call or e-mail is considered a no-show and your deposit is forfeit. In order to rebook after a no-show you will need to pay the entire price of the tattoo in a non-refundable payment at the time of booking. This is up to my discretion, though, and I may choose to not rebook depending on the circumstances. Life happens though! I am always understanding of last minute cancellations or rescheduling due to illness and extenuating circumstance.

Question 6

Is there on-site parking?

Accepted Answer

Street parking only. There is a paid parking lot directly across from 340 MacLaren and street parking on all streets around the shop. I strongly recommend taking public transit to your appointment if you can - the closest LRT stop is "Parliament" and is a 10 minute walk. The bus is also very conveniently accessed from Bank street.

Question 7

What are your scheduled hours?

Accepted Answer

Winter Hours (Nov - May): Monday - Friday @ 11am ; 2 clients per day Tuesday & Wednesday (11am & 3pm)
Summer Hours (June - October): Tuesday - Friday; 1 client per day @ 11am.

* PLEASE NOTE: I only tattoo in half day sessions (3 hours). This is due to a neck injury and will hopefully help me to keep working for many years to come!

Saturdays can be booked on occasion for a surcharge.

Question 8

When can I book in with you?

Accepted Answer

My books are ALWAYS open to new clients and new tattoo projects!
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Going forwards, my books will always be open for new tattoo clients and new tattoo projects. In order to book in, please head to the "book in!" page and fill out the new tattoo request form. From there I will get back to you to book your consultation and sessions.
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In the meantime, please read through my booking policies. General questions can be forwarded to
byronjtattoo@gmail.com.

My books are ALWAYS OPEN as well for pre-drawn flash tattoos. Please check out the 'Flash' page for available designs. If you see something you like, e-mail me at byronjtattoo@gmail.com!

Question 9

How do I schedule a consultation?

Accepted Answer

In order to start the consultation process I ask you to please contact me via e-mail at  byronjtattoo@gmail.com (byronjtattoo@gmail.com.)or fill out a new tattoo request form on the "Book In!" page and I will get back to you from there. I am a great communicator and all of my consultations are done virtually via e-mail or Zoom. If we decide during the virtual consultation an in-person would be best we will schedule you a date. Consultations require a 50$ deposit to book. This deposit will be applied to the final session of your tattoo if your first tattoo session is booked within 12 months.  Questions and casual inquiries can be made at  byronjtattoo@gmail.com!

Question 10

What are your rates?

Accepted Answer

I accept payment by interac e-transfer or cash only. 
 
Flat Rates:
Almost all my work is booked by the half-day (up to 3.5 hour appointment) though full-days are available upon request (3.5+ hour appointment).

Half-Day (anything under 3.5 hrs): 650 - 850$+tx 
Full-Day (anything over 3.5 hrs): 1200 - 1400$+tx

Hands, Neck, Face, Feet:  150$ extra for half-day, 350$ extra for full day. 
* Please note I only tattoo feet in the summer and only the flat area on the top of the foot. No toes, soles, or sides of the feet.

Chest, sternum, stomach, back, ribs: Booked at my FULL DAY RATE for HALF DAY sittings. These spots are extremely challenging to sit for and for me to tattoo and this new rate will allow me to take care of myself and serve you better.

Cover-Ups:
Cover-ups are always completed at the highest end of the pricing spectrums for half and full days.
 
Hourly Rates:
I am a very efficient tattoo artist with ten years' tattoo experience. I don't charge by the hour for this reason. Almost everything is booked by the half or full day, but if we are to run over-time on a half-day or full-day session the hourly will apply to each hour eaten into.
Hourly: 200$+tx/hr (min. 450$+tx charge)
 
Flash Rates:
Flash all have unique pricing. Please check my flash gallery for each piece's specific information!
 
Minimum Charge:
250$+tx

Touch-Ups:
Minimum charge if scheduled outside the 3 months of your appointment.
Free of charge if scheduled within 3 months of your appointment.
I am always happy to touch up a tattoo of yours when you book with me for a new piece for no additional cost!

Question 11

Can you give me an estimate for sleeves, chest pieces, back pieces and leg sleeves?

Accepted Answer

The simple answer is unfortunately no... Every piece is wildly different.  You will need to consult with me either via e-mail or in-person to get an idea of what your project will cost. Below I have attached a few examples of my work with how long each piece took.

Solid Design Sleeves:
Sleeves that are one solid design with full colour connecting the entire arm you are looking at 5 - 10 full day sittings. Solid design sleeves MUST be worked on monthly for the best healed results. They are a colossal amount of work to design and come with a larger deposit price.
Nelson's ocean sleeve took approx. 6 half days + 2 full days.
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Piece-by-Piece sleeves:
Sleeves that are added on piece-by-piece are faster to complete. Most come in around 5 full day sittings. You must book each individual piece separately with me. 
Jason's fruit sleeve took 4 full days + half day
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Chest Plates:
Chest plates are full coverage chest tattoos from throat to shoulder to sternum. Please note chest plates are booked at my FULL DAY pricing for HALF DAY sittings due to the difficulty of tattooing them.
Kate's chest plate cover-up took 6 half days.
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Chest Pieces:
Chest pieces vary wildly.  Please note chest plates are booked at my FULL DAY pricing for HALF DAY sitting due to the difficulty of tattooing them.
Trinity's floral chest piece took 2 full days.
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Stefania's chest piece took 2 full days.
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Vic's chest piece took 5 half days.
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Leg Sleeves:
Leg sleeves are massive undertakings - they can take anywhere from 5 - 10 full day sits to complete.
Tabitha's leg sleeve is on its 5th full day.
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Back Pieces:
Full back pieces are the single largest tattoo you can get and the biggest commitment by far of any tattoo project. There is no way to give a time estimate as everyone's pain tolerance and the design affect the time it takes. I only take on 1 - 2 per year.
Francis is on his 4th full day.
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Question 12

Can you get me in on a Saturday or Monday?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on occasion! I can come in on a Saturday or Monday at a slightly higher daily rate to see you within 30 days when my schedule will allow it. Please e-mail me to learn more!
Half-day: 1000$+tx
Full-day: 1500$ - 2000$+tx

Question 13

What is your deposit policy?

Accepted Answer

I will require a deposit within 24 hours of choosing the date for your tattoo. Deposits are completely non-refundable for any reason including COVID-19 closures and same-day illness cancellations. Please read my "rescheduling/cancellation" policy section below for information on deposits and rescheduling.
 
NEW CLIENTS: Deposits for each project booked are between 250$ - 400$ depending on size of the piece.

RETURNING CLIENTELE: Deposits for each project booked are 150 - 250$ depending on size of the piece.

Deposits can be sent by interac e-transfer only to beckydtattoo@gmail.com. The deposit will go towards the final session of your piece. For Desjardins clients, please make the security answer "tattoo" if it requires one. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable to another client should you not be able to continue your booked project. If rescheduling is done with 48 hours notice or more you will be asked for the remaining balance of the price of your session up front. The second time I may choose to not reschedule you depending on circumstances and all deposits will be lost. Rescheduling or cancelling within 48 hours of your session will result in a lost deposit and you will have to pay the entire balance of the tattoo up front in order to rebook with me. Please see more under "rescheduling/cancellation policy".
 
Large-scale multi-session pieces (large thigh pieces, halfsleeves, full continuous design sleeves, chest pieces, sternums, etc.) will be required to come in every month or every other month until the piece is complete. This ensures a timely completion with the most flawless healed result. The deposit will come off the final session of your piece.
 
If you choose to send more than the amount I ask please be aware that it is considered a deposit and subject to all the same policies as above including that the deposit is completely non-refundable for any reason and will only count towards your final session.

Deposits paid for the months of August, December and January are non-refundable and non-transferable meaning that your deposit will be lost in the case of cancellation or rescheduling for any reason. You will need to pay a new deposit to pick a new date.
 
Deposits are honoured for 12 months from date of payment only. Deposits are non-transferable from one person to another.

Question 14

What is your rescheduling/cancellation/no-show policy?

Accepted Answer

Deposits are completely non-refundable for any reason including COVID-19 closures and same-day illness cancellations.
Due to the current situation, scheduling has become extremely difficult for small, appointment-based personal services and I can not fill same-day cancellations easily. I ask that you be honest and give me as much notice as possible if you are experiencing symptoms or have come into close contact with a positive case of COVID-19. In the case of a same-day illness cancellation your deposit will be used to cover my loss of income.

*NEW as of 2023*
Deposits paid for the months of July, August, December and January are 200$ and will be non-refundable and non-transferable meaning that your deposit will be lost in the case of cancellation or rescheduling. You will need to pay a new 200$ deposit to pick a new date.

Your 1st reschedule:
With 48 hrs notice: You will have to pay the balance of the tattoo session you are rescheduling to choose a new date. 
Without 48 hrs notice: Rescheduling within 48 hours of your session will result in the loss of all deposits paid up to that point.

Your 2nd reschedule:
With 48 hrs notice:  You will have to pay 100% of the balance of the session you are rescheduling up front before I book you a new date. 
Without 48 hrs notice: Rescheduling within 48 hours of your session will result in the loss of all deposits paid up to that point. You will not be re-booked and it will be the end of our professional relationship.
 
NO SHOW POLICY: 15 minutes late is understandable with a phone call or e-mail. 15+ minutes late with no call or e-mail is considered a no-show and your deposit is forfeit. In order to rebook after a no-show you will need to pay the entire price of the tattoo in a non-refundable payment at the time of booking. This is up to my discretion, though, and I may choose to not rebook depending on the circumstances. Life happens though! I am always understanding of last minute cancellations or rescheduling due to illness and extenuating circumstance.

Question 15

When will I see you if I reschedule? When will I see you if you reschedule?

Accepted Answer

Deposits are completely non-refundable for any reason including COVID-19 closures and same-day illness cancellations.

In all cases I understand rescheduling needs to happen due to life changes and the uncertainty of the world right now. In most cases, the client will need to wait til the next opening in my calendar in order to see me (3 -6 months).

Please note when booking with me that I am chronically ill and should I need to reschedule your session you will be offered the next open dates that I have available. It is exceedingly rare these days to need to reschedule your session due to my conditions, but if it does happen I understand that taking time off work can be difficult and in those cases I will consider coming in on a day off to see you sooner.

Occasionally rescheduling needs to happen due to factors outside of our control - working in a heritage building in the heart of the downtown core can present its challenges in many ways. I ask that you be gentle with me should something occur that impacts my ability to safely tattoo you and we will find you a spot to get tattooed without issue during my regular business hours.

Question 16

Do you do cover-ups?

Accepted Answer

Yes! This is a specialty of mine. Please check out my "cover-up" FAQ page by clicking the link at the top of the page! Consultations for cover-ups of scarring and old tattoos specifically are mandatory before I am able to accept your project.

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Question 17

Can I have my scars tattooed over?

Accepted Answer

Most likely, yes! This is a specialty of mine. Please check out my "scarring" FAQ page by clicking the link at the top of the page! Consultations for cover-ups of scarring and old tattoos specifically are mandatory before I am able to accept your project.

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Question 18

What is your drawing policy? When will I see my drawing?

Accepted Answer

Due to the heavy quantity of custom work I do you will see a rough sketch the night before your appointment. It is often sooner depending on my workload :) You do not have permission to post the drawing I send to you anywhere on social media including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. My line art from tattoo sketches has been stolen by online merchandise companies and by other artists.  After approval is done I will refine the sketch and you'll see the finished line art at the appointment. I do not send colour renders ahead of time and don't always do them. Once the stencil is on ya feel free to post pictures of it and the final tattoo as much as you want!
 
Please do not give me full creative freedom on a piece if you actually do have requirements. Major re-draws or drastic changes to a drawing means a reschedule to your appointment or a charge for drawing time depending on scale of changes made. I do my own custom work only and am happy to work with the client as much as possible to the limits of my artistic vision. In the rare case we are not be able to come to an agreement on a design, you are not forced to have it done. Your deposit is paid to cover my drawing time and that is non-refundable, but you are free to cancel and go elsewhere at any time.

Question 19

Can I get tattooed with parental consent under the age of 18?

Accepted Answer

I do not tattoo or communicate with anyone under 18. Please wait until AFTER your 18th birthday to contact me. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I am often hesitant to tattoo anyone under the age of 20, but I will do it for the right client and project.

Question 20

I am worried about being allergic to tattoo ink. What can you tell me about that?

Accepted Answer

Many years ago tattoo ink was not standardized like it is now and often contained metals like nickel which would react strongly with clients' bodies, particularly red. Modern tattoo inks, however, are free of metals. It is excessively rare for clients to have issues with modern tattoo inks. It does happen, but in all my 7 years of tattooing I have never seen a true ink allergy... Unfortunately what is more likely the underlying reason is overworked skin resulting in scarred, raised bumpy skin that then reamains hyper-reactive and gets puffy/raised/rashed when the body is in a state of inflammation (allergies, heat rash, sun exposure, etc.). Modern tattoo inks are also safe for MRIs.
 
Here are the SMDS sheets for each of my major ink brands:
ETERNAL INK: https://eternaltattooink.com/?act=view&page=MSDS%20Information.
SOLID INK: https://thesolidink.com/pages/msds
STARBRITE INK: https://www.starbritecolors.com/tattoo-inks-info/msds-sheets.html

Question 21

Can I get tattooed if I am pregnant or chest/breast-feeding?

Accepted Answer

For the safety of you and your baby, I do not tattoo those who are pregnant or currently breast-feeding.

Frequently Asked Questions