———————————————————————————————————–
How do I book an appointment? What is your availability
To book an appointment, check my schedule on my instagram or booking page. I’ll be guesting at tattoo studios all over Australia. Keep an eye out for announcements about upcoming locations and dates, and submit your appointment requests through the booking page.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do I need to put down a deposit?
Yes, a $200 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your appointment in my calendar and cover administrative costs. The deposit will be deducted from the total cost of your tattoo upon completion.. Read the booking confirmation & deposit policy here.
———————————————————————————————————–
How much will my tattoo cost? / How long will my tattoo take?
My minimum rate is $200 per hour. If the studio I’m guesting at has a higher rate, you will be notified in advance.
The amount time needed for your tattoo depends on size, color, location, your skin type, and how still you can sit. Coverups take longer than new tattoos. I give you an estimated time when you book in.
For a visual guide of how long some tattoos may take, please see this page here.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do I need to make any preparation for my tattoo appointment?
Preparation Tips for Your Tattoo Appointment
- Gently exfoliate and moisturise the area leading up to your appointment.
- Avoid sun exposure to prevent sunburn or peeling skin.
- Get a good night’s sleep before your appointment; fatigue can increase discomfort.
- Shower on the morning of your appointment, cleansing your skin with soap and drying off with a fresh towel.
- Do not apply moisturiser to the area on the day of the tattoo.
- Wear a clean outfit that allows easy access to the tattoo area, and that you don’t mind getting ink on.
- Eat a substantial meal with protein and carbs beforehand; never come on an empty stomach.
- Bring snacks, sugary drinks, and treats to maintain blood sugar levels.
- Bring headphones and entertainment (audiobooks, music, Netflix) for distraction.
- Avoid drugs, alcohol, and excessive caffeine prior to your appointment.
- Allow ample time for your session and plan to relax afterward, as you may feel tired.
If your tattoo placement requires partial undressing, consider wearing easily adjustable clothing or bringing a cover-up like a towel, sarong, or blanket. Suitable options include loose/stretchy garments, strapless tops, stick-on bras, string bikinis, G-string underwear, wrap dresses, or button-up shirts and vests worn backwards.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do I need to shave / remove hair before the tattoo appointment?
If it’s beard or head hair – Yes! For anything else you don’t have to, but it’s always appreciated if you can to save time at your appointment.
All hair in the area to be tattooed has to be shaved to ensure visibility, stencil adherence, and infection control.
You can have the artist remove the hair in the studio using a single-use razor, or you may choose to do it at home using your preferred method, which is always appreciated. However, please ensure this is done carefully to avoid skin irritation or damage.
WAXING: If you plan to wax, do so at least 3 to 7 days in advance to allow your skin to settle. If you’ve never waxed this area before, consider having it done a couple times well before your appointment, as the first waxing can be the most irritating for your skin.
DEPILATORY CREAM: Hair removal cream can be used the day before your appointment. If you’ve never used it before, perform a sensitivity test in advance.
TRIMMING: It’s appreciated if you can trim excess body hair with electric clippers the day before your appointment to save time. For thicker hair, such as beard or head hair, please remove it yourself beforehand or visit a barber, as we do not have the tools for that.
SHAVING: If you choose to shave, it is important to do this on the day of your appointment & keep the area clean to prevent infection. Use a new razor cartridge or single-use razor with shaving cream, and take care to avoid nicks, cuts, or razor burn.
For all hair removal methods, ensure you remove the hair beyond the tattoo area, leaving an approximate 10cm hair-free perimeter around it.
Once you have been tattooed, do not remove any hair that may regrow while your tattoo is healing. Avoid shaving, trimming, or using hair removal cream until the tattoo has completely finished peeling (approximately 3 weeks). Although the outer layer may appear healed, the tattoo will continue healing beneath the skin for a couple of months, so it is important to refrain from waxing for at least 6 weeks.
———————————————————————————————————–
When will I see my tattoo design?
I will show you the design on the day of the appointment, as my busy workload does not always allow me to have drawings prepared in advance.
My portfolio speaks to the quality and consistency of my work — if you like what you’ve seen, you can trust your design will meet the same standards. Most clients find that the design is spot-on when they see it, and changes, if any, are typically minor and easily made on the day. This keeps the process efficient and allows for clearer, face-to-face communication when discussing the final design, while also helping to prevent unfortunate instances of third-party interference or design theft.
———————————————————————————————————–
Can I bring a friend with me to my appointment?
To ensure your appointment proceeds smoothly and allows me to concentrate fully on your tattoo, I kindly ask that you do not bring additional individuals into the tattoo workspace. The area is limited, and extra people can create distractions for both of us and potentially interfere with other artists and clients.
I understand that having a support person can be beneficial during your appointment. It is perfectly acceptable for someone to accompany you or drop off food and supplies. If the studio has enough room they may be able to sit quietly in the waiting area, but please note it’s a pretty boring place to hang out for hours on end. They might find it more enjoyable to occupy themselves elsewhere during your session.
If you require a support person for medical reasons or other necessities, please inform me in advance so we can make the appropriate arrangements. Thank you for your understanding.
———————————————————————————————————–
What if I get sick/ injured before my appointment?
If you get injured or feel like you might be getting sick, please contact us immediately and we can discuss rescheduling options. Even if you’re not 100% sure and just want to give me a heads up that is totally fine. That way I can pre-prepare for alternative plans in case you can’t make it
If you attend the appointment while sick or badly injured, your immune system may be compromised, affecting both the tattoo process and your healing. Additionally, it could jeopardize the health of our artists, other clients and their families. In such cases, we may need to cancel your appointment, and the deposit will be forfeited. Your understanding is appreciated.
During traveling and guesting periods, deposits cannot be carried over for appointment reschedules as my work periods are limited.
———————————————————————————————————–
Why didn’t I get an appointment?
There is only one of me I can only do so many bookings as I humanly can. During busy periods I sometimes receive more inquiries than available spaces. As a result, not everyone who contacts me will secure an appointment. I prioritise design preferences, focusing on my style.
If you’re interested in something with a similar look to my recent work and open to my creative input, you have a higher chance of getting an appointment. Booking periods usually last one week to give everyone an opportunity to request an appointment. Please note that appointments are not on a first-come, first-served basis, and I don’t maintain a waitlist. If you don’t secure a booking in the current cycle, you can submit again when the next booking round opens.
———————————————————————————————————–
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 always able to reply to everyone and will notify via Instagram when I have filled all the spots.
It can take up to 2-4 weeks to complete the admin and reply to all emails for a large 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.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do you use vegan ink?
Yes, I have checked, all my inks are vegan. The vast majority of tattoo inks are vegan these days.
———————————————————————————————————–
I’m under 18, can I get tattooed?
No. It is illegal in Queensland and most of Australia to tattoo anyone under 18. Proof of age is required for every client. (further info)
The penalties for artists who break this law are severe: heavy fines, possible jail time, and suspension or cancellation of licence.
In some states it is technically legal at 16 with written parental consent. But no reputable studio will tattoo under-18s, and here’s why:
Health and safety: The law doesn’t care if a teenager “really wanted it.” If anything goes wrong, complaints and liability circle back to the artist.
Professional reputation: Even if it’s technically legal, many councils, licensing bodies, and fellow artists see it as crossing a line. It can harm licence renewals and damage credibility in the industry.
Risk of consent issues: Forged signatures or parental disputes leave the artist exposed to legal and professional fallout.
For these reasons, I will not tattoo anyone under 18 under any circumstance, anywhere in Australia.
If you are approaching your 18th birthday, you are welcome to plan and book ahead, provided your appointment is on or after the day you turn 18.
———————————————————————————————————–
I’m pregnant/breastfeeding, can I get tattooed?
No. I do not tattoo anyone who is pregnant. The safety of tattooing during pregnancy has never been studied, and it is not worth the risk. You must wait until you have fully finished breastfeeding before getting tattooed.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do you do art/drawing commissions?
I primarily take on commercial commissions. Personal commissions are rare, but I occasionally open them and will advertise if spots become available. I do not create tattoo designs for clients to take to other artists. Tattoo designs are reserved for my booked tattoo clients only.
———————————————————————————————————–
How do you pronounce your name?
‘Dray-ah’. Rhymes with John Mayer.
———————————————————————————————————–
Do you tattoo cover ups or tattoo over scarring?
I do cover-ups, but each case needs to be assessed individually. In many situations, laser treatment is required before a successful cover-up, and tattooing should only be done at least six months after your last laser session.
For scars, they must be fully healed before tattooing. As a guide, scars should be at least two years old and no longer pink. Deeper surgical scars may need closer to five years. Each scar will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
———————————————————————————————————–
I have dark skin, can I still get a colour tattoo?
Yes! Every skin tone is welcome. Colour tattoos can be tailored beautifully for all complexions.
———————————————————————————————————–
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 in my portfolio.
Other than that I am generally happy to tattoo most things. 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.
If I know another artist who I feel would do the design more justice, I will refer you to them.
———————————————————————————————————–
What kinds of tattoos do you take on?
My style sits between neo-traditional and realism in full colour, though I’m versatile and also work in greywash, blackwork, fine line, traditional, watercolour, portraiture, and more.
I’m most inspired by:
Large-scale floral and fauna pieces in my style
Consistent sleeve work with repeating shapes, colours, or elements
Botanical and fauna subjects from anywhere in the world, especially Australian natives
Full colour or bold blackwork (solid fill, blackout, or negative blackwork)
New species or designs I haven’t tattooed before
The main reason I might decline a design is if it’s requested too small for the level of detail my work requires. As a guide, compare the size of tattoos in my portfolio with the body part they cover. When I receive more requests than I can take on, I prioritise the projects that inspire me most — usually colour over greywash and new subject matter over repeats. If I believe another artist would better suit your idea, I’ll happily refer you.
———————————————————————————————————–
My question is not here
For all other enquiries please email me via this page.