FAQ

 

How do I book an appointment? What is your availability

My workings days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.

I am usually book in rounds and take submissions for a nominated period of time (and location when I am travelling & guesting) via this page here.

Due to the volume of submissions received, I cannot guarantee an appointment for everyone, but I hope to get everyone with like-minded ideas in over time. I read through all submissions and select projects based on the projects that excite me the most. Things I most love to tattoo (but not limited to) are larger scale neo-traditional botanicals & fauna in colour and also negative black work.

Please keep an eye on Instagram for last minute appointments, updates and other bookings info.

Do I need to put down a deposit?

Yes, the deposit is a $200 non-refundable fee to secure and hold your date for you in the calendar and cover admin costs. The deposit will go towards the total cost of your tattoo. It is deducted from the total cost of your tattoo upon completion of the tattoo. If your tattoo takes multiple sessions it will be transferred to subsequent appointments and will be deducted on the last session.

Any date/time changes within 72 hours of your appointment will incur a loss of deposit and another deposit will be required to make a new booking.

Any cancellations will incur a loss of deposit and you will need to pay a new one if you want to book another appointment in the future.

You are permitted one date change provided at least 3 days notice is given. Further date changes will incur a loss of deposit. Your deposit is valid for 6 months from the original booking date.

Do I need to make any preparation for my appointment?

Gently exfoliate and moisturise the area leading up to your appointment.

Avoid sun exposure before your appointment as I can not tattoo sunburnt or peeling skin.

Fill up on carbohydrates the day prior to boost your body’s glycogen stores & get a good night’s sleep.

Clipper or shave the area. This saves time and your razor will likely be gentler on your skin than our disposable ones.

Eat a large, nutritious meal before coming in. DO NOT come in for an appointment without eating.

Wear loose comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting stained by ink and allows access to the area being tattooed.

Bring food, snacks, sugary drinks and some lollies or treats to keep your blood sugar levels up.

Audiobooks, music & Netflix are a great distraction. Bring your phone, some headphones & a charger.

DO NOT come in for your tattoo under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Avoid caffeine.

Allow plenty of time for your appointment.

The studio is open plan, so if your tattoo placement requires a state of undress (ribs, sternum, chest, hips, upper thigh etc) I recommend looking at options such as strapless tops, string bikinis, nipple pasties/stick on bras, wrap dresses, button up shirts/vests to wear back to front or bringing an old towel/blanket to use to cover up if you feel the need.

How much will my tattoo cost? / How long will my tattoo take?

This will vary on the size, colour, intricacy, location on the body, your skin composition and how still you sit. Coverups take longer than a new tattoo. A rough idea of how long the tattoo may take to complete will be given to you when you book your appointment.

Work is charged at an hourly rate of $200 p/h & many tattoos you see in my portfolio are 3 - 7 hours of work (or more!).

For a visual guide of how long some tattoos may take, please see this page here.

When will I see my tattoo design?

You will see your design on the day of your booking. Please ensure you only book in if you are 100% sure about the tattoo you want.

Artistic freedom is always appreciated. If you are unhappy with the design small changes can be made on the day, time permitting. If major changes are needed the appointment will be rescheduled and a new deposit will be required.

Usually, consults are not necessary but if I feel one is needed for more clarification about a design one can be scheduled a week or two before your appointment. Consults are also sometimes needed for cover ups or placements between existing tattoos so I can trace the area. Please let me know if you feel you need a consult.

Can I bring a friend with me to my appointment?

I prefer that you don't bring anyone with you to your appointment. That way I can give you my full and undivided attention and limit distractions that could break my focus while tattooing.

The space I work in is small and there is not much room for a support person to wait inside. It is also very boring for a person to wait around while you get tattooed.

If you have a legitimate need (medial reasons etc) to bring a support person, please discuss with me prior.

What if I get sick before my appointment?

The very minute you think you’re getting sick please get in touch as soon as possible in order to give us the option to reschedule you if need as the 72-hour cancellation/reschedule policy still applies.

If you are sick, running a fever or very recently getting over an illness, your immune system will be down, your pain threshold will be weakened, and the healing of your tattoo will be compromised. Bringing an illness to the studio may also compromise the health of the artists and other clients being tattooed. If you show up to your appointment sick we reserve the right to cancel your appointment and your deposit will be forfeit.

Why didn’t I get an appointment?

Bookings are taken periodically and I often receive more enquiries than there are available spaces to book in. Unfortunately this means that not everyone who gets in contact will get an appointment. Appointments are taken based on design preference, preferencing the style that I am focusing on at the time.

If you are asking for something similar my recent work and are open to my input and creative freedom, you will be more likely to get an appointment. Books usually remain open for one week to ensure everyone has a chance to submit an appointment request. Appointments are not taken on a ā€˜first in, first served’ basis and I do not have a wait list. If you do not get a booking in a booking cycle you may submit again when the books open for the next round.

Why didn’t I get a reply?

Make sure you check your junk or spam folder as often my replies end up there!

When you submit a booking you will get an automatic reply. Due to the high volume of emails I am not able to reply to everyone and will notify via Instagram when I have filled all the spots.

It takes 2-4 weeks to complete the admin and reply to all emails for a booking period. Sometimes it can take longer. Appointments are offered out in phases, and it takes time to get responses and confirmations. Your patience during this time is appreciated.

If you have emailed requesting an appointment whenĀ books are closed, you may not get a reply. Any appointment openings will be posted on Instagram.

Please email me via the contact page if you have any general questions.

Do you use vegan ink?

Yes, all my inks are vegan.

I’m under 18, can I get tattooed?

No. It is illegal to tattoo a person under the age of 18, regardless of parental consent.

With the recent reforms these laws are now consistent Australia wide.

I’m pregnant/breastfeeding, can I get tattooed?

By law you cannot get tattooed if you are pregnant.

Getting tattooed while breastfeeding can affect your milk supply. It is recommended to wait at least nine months, until your baby is significantly weaned (that is, getting most of his/her nutrition from solids) before you get tattooed.

Will you do a drawing for me to take to another tattoo artist?

No, I will only draw tattoos for clients that are booked in to be tattooed by me. The drawings are shown to clients on the day of the booking.

Unfortunately, if you live overseas or are unable to make an appointment, I cannot draw something for you.

You are more than welcome to my work for inspiration but please make sure to find an artist local to you to create a beautiful new and unique design for you, so that you are not copying another tattoo / design.

Do you take artwork commissions?

I am not currently taking commissions, but I may be open to commercial projects.

How do you pronounce your name?

ā€˜Dray-ah’. Rhymes with John Mayer

Do you tattoo cover ups or tattoo over scarring?

I can and have done cover ups over tattoos. Each tattoo is assessed individually. Generally laser treatment is required before I can even consider tattooing over the top. The process can only begin 6 months after your last laser session. Laser providers I recommend are Lazer Eraser

I can usually tattoo over scarring. As with coverups they will need to be assessed first. Scars need to be healed for at least 2 years and are no longer pink before I can consider tattooing over them.

What is Drea most likely to pick to tattoo?

Large scale neo-traditional floral & fauna

✦ Large, because this style needs to be a decent size to fit all that detail in and keep it’s longevity as a tattoo.
✦ Consistency, continuing the same shapes and colours throughout a sleeve. Sticking to 2 or three elements or colours and repeating throughout a sleeve.
✦ Australian animals & plants (or any other plants and animals from around the world.)
✦ Full Colour
✦ Blackwork i.e. Solid black, Blacking out designs, Negative blackwork (blackwork filling behind designs).
✦ New and different plant animal species I haven't tattooed before. Especially the rare and unusual ones.
✦ Every skin tone is welcome! Tattoos are for everyone. Anyone can get colour! The technique changes a little for darker tones, I would be happy to talk you through it.

What is Drea less likely to pick to tattoo?

The most common reason I have to pass on a design is because a client's expectations of size is too small to accommodate the level of intricacy & detail I put into my work. To get better idea for the general sizing of my tattoos, take note of the size of the body part they are tattooed on.

Other than that I am generally happy to tattoo most things, however when I am spoiled for choice I will usually pick colour over greywash as it comes more naturally to me and I will choose subjects that haven't tattooed before over something I have tattooed many times as really enjoy a bit of variety.

My question is not here

For all other enquiries please email me via this page.