What are Walk-In Tattoos?
Although the name gives it away, we still think it is important to go over what it means to get a walk-in tattoo.
Getting a walk-in tattoo involves you walking into a tattoo shop and getting a tattoo the same day. You are probably wondering, so what? What do I really need to know about walk-ins? Well, there are a number of things that can make your walk-in experience awesome or not so awesome. It all comes down to the little details and managing expectations of what can occur when you step inside a shop.
First Come First Serve Basis
Walk-in tattoos are done on a first come first serve basis. Unfortunately, we cannot hold a spot for you if you plan on coming in later in the day. The reason we do not hold spots is to be fair to everyone that wants to get a tattoo. By holding spots we reduce the chair time that an artist has with clients that are ready to move forward with their tattoo process.
How much are your Walk-in Tattoos?
Our shop minimum is $150 + tax. As your tattoo gets larger and more detailed the price will change. The price your artist gives you prior to the start of your piece is the final price and will not change regardless of how long the tattoo takes to complete. This means if your artist takes longer than expected you do not pay more.
Best Tattoos for Walk-ins
The best tattoos for walk-ins are small to medium-sized tattoos that have simpler designs and don’t require multiple sessions to complete. When you come in to get a tattoo you should have an understanding of what your artist can create in the little time they have had to meet you and work on your design. You will be thoroughly disappointed if you come in to get a piece that requires hours of intricate design work.
Can you do a Sleeve?
This happens a lot more often than you would think. Our walk-in artist won’t be able to complete a half sleeve or full sleeve during a walk-in session. Sleeves take hours to design and multiple hours to tattoo with countless breaks throughout. Walking in and expecting to get a full Japanese style sleeve will definitely leave you disappointed. If you are interested in a sleeve you should email us your ideas, references pictures, and vision so that we can pair you with the perfect artist.
Can I come in to talk to an Artist?
Absolutely! If you aren’t sure what you want to get, you’re more than encouraged to come in and have a quick chat with one of our artists. A 15-minute consultation should give you a better idea of what you want to get and how the process will work. You will leave your consultation understanding how we approach the placement of a tattoo, execution, and pricing. This will also give you a chance to get familiar with our artists and see how they work.
Can I Book an Appointment with an Artist?
Generally, our walk-in artists leave their availability open on days they are on walk-in duty. However, we do have clients that want to get a tattoo on a specific day and would like to work with our walk-in artist. For those situations, we require a deposit to guarantee the chair time and appointment.
Unfortunately, in the past, we have had scenarios of booking appointments and having no shows. This is extremely disappointing for our artists, and our clients that decide to stop by the shop to get a tattoo. To avoid this from occurring, the deposit we take will remove the time slot from our artist’s walk-in availability. This gives everybody a clear timeframe in which our artists will be available to take walk-ins.
Calling Ahead
Calling ahead of time will ensure that you aren’t waiting around for an artist to be free. By giving us a ring before you plan on coming you will know if our walk-in artist is free or if you will have to wait. It can be frustrating walking in and having to wait 1 hour because an artist just started working a piece.
Wrapping it Up
Walk-in tattoos are awesome if you know what to expect before you go in. Hopefully, by the end of this little walk-through (see what we did there), you have a better understanding of that. If you have more questions you can give us a call, email us directly at info@playhousetattoos.com or fill out our contact form.