GENERAL INFORMATION

How long have you been tattooing for?

I have been in the industry for over a decade (since I was 18), and actively professionally tattooing for 7 years!

How much do you charge?

I charge $150 an hour. Starting in January of 2025, this will adjust to $180/hr.

What forms of payment do you take?

Cash is always preferred, although I can also do full or partial transactions through Venmo, PayPal, or Apple Pay as well. Please keep this in mind prior to coming to your appointment!

Where are you located?

I am located at Auspicious Tattoo, 635 S Broadway G, Boulder, CO 80305

How long will my tattoo take to finish?

Your tattoo may take anywhere from 1-3 sessions with 2-4 hours per session. This is all dependent on the tattoo itself, placement, and size. Price varies by the piece. Please inform me if you have a pre-determined budget, either for the whole tattoo or an individual session. I prefer having a heads up on how much you’re willing to spend so no assumptions are made.

Do you need a deposit for me to book a session?

Yes - a $100 deposit is required to book an appointment. I have been taking deposits through Venmo, so let me know ahead of time if a different form of payment is necessary. This will hold your appointment slot, and the deposit will go towards your final price at the completion of your piece/during the final session. The deposit covers up to 3 sessions for an individual piece.

The deposit is non-refundable. If you no-call no-show, your deposit is immediately void. After 2 cancellations, your deposit is void.

SUBMISSIONS & BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT

How do I book an appointment with you?

First, go to my homepage. One of the first things you’ll spot is either my books are ‘open’ or ‘closed’. If they’re closed, I am currently not taking on new submissions or clients at that time.

If they are open, great! Click on the link on the home page and it will take you to this page, the FAQ. After reading and acknowledging your understanding of my policies, you’ll find a link to the submission form. From there, you’ll receive additional instructions on the specifications I need to proceed with reviewing your submission.

If my books are closed, the submission form will not be available.

I want to make it very clear that if you make a submission, this absolutely does not guarantee that your entry will grant you a spot for a tattoo with me. Additionally, until I have my email newsletter set up, updates on my appointment status will be added on my ‘Updates’ page on this website or on my IG @deerhoax.

Is there a waiting list?

There is currently no waiting list. I will update this section during times that I create one.

If I have to wait with no guarantee of getting a tattoo, what increases my chances?

Solid suggestion would to be analyze my portfolio. I’m sure you can see a theme in what I take pleasure in doing, and how my style resonates. If what you want to get done is in my realm, that’ll for sure increase your chances. In general, larger projects and sleeves take priority.

How soon will I hear back from you after I create a submission?

When I begin round of booking, I typically take a few days to a week off to manage submissions. Depending on the volume of submissions, I may take anywhere from 1-3 days to respond to you and doubt it would be any longer than a week. Communication after this first response should be relatively consistent from my end until we can book an appointment day. Do understand that I am only one human and want to give everyone proper attention during this booking process!

ADDITIONALLY! I have been informed that many times my response to your initial submission gets sent to the spam folder - please be sure to keep an eye on your spam folder if you are waiting for a reply!

How much time do I have before I need to give you a deposit?

After we agree on an appointment day, you have 48 hours to get me a deposit to hold that day. If I don’t receive it by that point, the day will no longer be held for you and I will offer it to the next person in line. After that, we will need to find a different appointment day.

Do you tattoo minors (under the age of 18)?

No, I do not tattoo minors.

Do you do coverups?

Currently, no.

THE TATTOO

What do you specialize in/what kind of tattoos do you do?

Subjects I specialize in - animals, anything natural, organic, or botanical, flo’rs, mythological figures and creatures, fantasy, spiritual and esoteric subjects, faces (especially lady-faces), mandalas, sacred geometry, and most imaginative and fun ideas. Meaning, if you have a unique/fun idea, I may take it on due to concept alone!

I currently only work in black & grey. Mostly fine-line, soft shading, stipple shading, and blackwork. I like working on anything that has an illustrative feel, but I love doing bold, thicc pieces. Dotwork is great too.

Will you tattoo this design I found on Pinterest or this piece my friend drew?

No. I am a fully custom artist. I will draw your design for you and only you, and will not copy or replicate another person’s work, no exceptions! References are great and help me get a general feel for what you’re envisioning, but I will not do a 1 to 1 copy of anything you bring to me.

Can I see my design before the appointment? What about making changes?

I no longer send out designs ahead of time. You will be able to see your drawing when you come in for your appointment. Additionally, a good portion of my pieces are drawn-on via freehand when my clients come in, so depending on the subject, we will likely create your piece on the day of your appointment.

For pre-drawn designs, changes are acceptable close to the appointment day. For instance, if you have an additional idea to add to the overall subject or change your mind on a detail, communicate with me and we can discuss these changes - however, complete subject change, large design modifications, size, placement etc. are edits that may budge the time we have allotted, and therefore, may require a re-booking.

(Be certain of your overall design idea BEFORE you make a submission and send a deposit! As I said, small detail changes/additions are perfectly fine. However, I accept submissions based on the subject and concept that is brought to me in your original submission and book appointment days based on ballpark timeframes. If you change your mind on the design, it may no longer be a piece that I would work on or require booking a new day!)

How do I prepare for my appointment before I come in?

First and foremost, be sure to wear clothes that are appropriate for the area we are tattooing on (for example, bring or wear shorts if we are doing a piece on your thigh). If you’re unsure of what would be appropriate for your piece specifically, you are welcome to ask me.

Shaving the area we are tattooing is not necessary, but you are welcome to do so!

Bring plenty of water/drinks and some snacks, especially if you struggle with blood sugar issues, lightheadedness or fainting. Tattoos typically take hours and in many cases we will be at the shop for quite some time! We will take breaks during your session (for both of our benefit) and will have opportunities for you to get some food in you. There is a King Soopers, Whole Foods, a cafe, and other food options around the shop that you’re welcome to take advantage of if necessary. We have a water cooler available for hydration as well. Feel free to bring a blanket or pillow if you feel you’ll need a bit of extra comfort!

I love connecting, having conversations and getting to know my clients. Not only do I find this fulfilling, but it also serves as a good distraction while you’re getting stabbed. However, we may have times where we don’t talk while I’m getting into the flow of the piece. That being said, plan to bring distractions of your own if it would help you - headphones, a Switch, a book, etc.

Please let me know if this is your first tattoo as well!

Lastly, bring cash if possible, or have Venmo ready. There are ATMs around the shop as well.

Do you begin charging the moment I walk into the shop? How about for breaks or time spent freehand drawing a piece on?

I only charge for skin time on a tattoo. I have a stop watch recording our progress and stop/start the timer during breaks or large lapses in actual tattooing time. At the end of the session, I will typically verbalize how much time we went for and calculate your price with you instead of throwing out some seemingly arbitrary number.

Can I use numbing cream before or during our session?

I used to allow numbing cream, however, after much thought and consideration I have decided to reject numbing cream for the time being. My thoughts may change in the future.

CANCELLATIONS, RESCHEDULING AND LATE POLICY

What happens if I am late to my tattoo?

If you are 30 minutes or more late, you forfeit your appointment. If you need to reschedule, notify me at least 48 hours in advance. Please be aware that if you cancel, you may have to wait to get into an open slot. It all depends on my current availability. As mentioned earlier in the deposit section, your deposit will still be valid after 1 cancellation, but after 2, it will be forfeited. 

I’m pretty understanding that life has a tendency to be unpredictable. All I ask is that you communicate with me. That being said, I will take patterns of behavior into account - if you are late to every appointment or have a history of cancelling the day-of, this will factor into whether or not we can continue working together.

What happens if I no-call no-show an appointment?

If you no-call no-show, the chances of you getting another appointment with me are very low, likely non-existent. After a no-call no-show, your deposit is IMMEDIATELY forfeit, as well as additional appointments that have been scheduled. I regard a circumstance as a no-call no-show if I have had zero contact from you by 30 minutes after your scheduled appointment.

(I know many of you travel from the Springs or other locations in Colorado, which can make for a long drive. If you decide to travel, please plan accordingly with the weather.)

CONTACTING ME

How can I contact you if I don’t have an appointment or if your books are not open?

I no longer take submissions or discuss tattoos through text, phone call, or DM’s on social media. If you try to reach out with questions about getting a tattoo through these mediums, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll respond. Please don’t take this personally. I need to keep everything organized and my clients in one place.

All that being said, you can contact me with inquiries at deerhoaxink@gmail.com.

How do I contact you if I have booked an appointment?

Email is the standard for my appointment and communication process, so your submission discussion will be held over email. You are welcome to email me at any point before your appointment. In some cases, I may contact you through text, typically for time sensitive communication.

(Please be mindful of the fact that I do take time off and I am not working 24/7. If I don’t respond after awhile, keep that in mind. If you have a time-sensitive inquiry regarding a currently scheduled appointment, I keep a priority list that I keep track of more regularly with communication in mind.)

Anything else I should know?

I need your trust! In my experience, many people don’t work well if they’re being micro-managed and restricted. Of course, you want your tattoo to be the best it can be. So do I! I’m on your side, and I hope you will choose me as an artist BECAUSE you like my style of art. Keep that in mind as we go through the process. I of course will give you my honest and professional input with the mindset of what will work best for your tattoo. I have your best interests in mind. And also, that does not mean you shouldn’t speak up if you want to change something. I encourage direct and honest communication - we are collaborating, and that can’t happen if I don’t know exactly what you want. Communication is key and neither of us should have to mind read. Let’s pool our ideas together, let’s brainstorm how this can be the best result for YOU, and let’s make some dope art (:

Thank you for taking the time to review my FAQ! The button below will redirect you to the Submission Form.

BY CREATING A SUBMISSION, YOU AGREE TO MY TERMS AND HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE POLICIES DISCUSSED IN THIS FAQ.

Last edited on September 11th, 2024.