Iron Thorn is a Private tattoo studio but how does that differ from a standard tattoo shop?

Most tattoo shops are store fronts that cater to walk-ins / foot traffic but here at Iron Thorn we are strictly by appointment only. You can still stop by the studio to check it out, talk to a professional in person, buy apparel, and other tattoo related products during shop hours but tattoos will need to be planned ahead with your artist along with a deposit down to hold your date and design.

Do you guys offer piercings?

This is one of the most asked questions we get and unfortunately we do not have a piercer in our studio.

Is a deposit required and how much?

We require a minimum $100 deposit (some artists require more) when booking your appointment. The deposit secures an appointment for you and a custom drawing. The deposit is non-refundable and will be applied to the price of the tattoo upon completion. The non refundable deposit is to help ensure our aritists that you won’t no show them. When a client does not show up to their appointment the artist does not get paid so they have a small deposit to fall back on. Most of our artists are very understanding for emergencies or if you reschedule your appointment in ample time.

What is your minimum for a tattoo?

We have a strict $100 minimum here at Iron Thorn (no matter how small the tattoo is). If you previously put your $100 deposit down when you booked your appointment and the artist confirmed it will only be a $100 tattoo you will not owe anything when you come in on your appointment date.

What do I need to do to prepare for my tattoo?

Make sure you are well hydrated before coming in and please don’t come to your appointment on a empty stomach (this is especially important if you’re getting a larger piece). Alcohol consumption the night before can thin the blood and make it difficult to tattoo as well, so please keep that to a minimum. We suggest being well-rested before coming to your appointment as well. It’s also important to make sure you’re wearing something comfortable/accessible (and something you don’t mind potentially getting ink or ointment on) so the artist can access the spot in which you are getting tattooed. Also a valid form of government-issued identification will be required of you for paperwork prior to getting started. If your ID is expired, we can not accept it so please come prepared!

How long does a tattoo take to heal?

Most of the healing process will be complete after the first 2 weeks but your skin could take from 4-6 weeks to be back to normal and 100% healed. Our aritists will go over aftercare with you at the end of your appointment and give you a panflet with all the necessary information for healing for you to reference after you leave. We also offer a 2nd skin bandage for clients that prefer to heal with that over the traditional healing process. If you have never healed a tattoo with a second skin before we HIGHLY recommend it! (Unless you are allergic to adhesives.)

Why are some artists not booking? “I don’t mind booking further out”

Some of our artists that are in high demand close their books once they are fully booked for a couple of months out. If they book out too far out in advance and get sick, want to go on a vacation, or a family emergency pops up rescheduling a handful of clients can be a nightmare if there is no room to put a client 6 months to a year out.