Important Information
Please make sure to read this all before booking
°ƸӜƷ•°*””*°•.ƸӜƷ•
Contact: Email bugspikes@proton.me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugspikes/
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
There’s a couple ways you can do this. If it’s your first time getting a tattoo from me please fill out the Tattoo Enquiry Form - I will read the proposal and then email you a price estimate. If you have not heard back from me in 7 working days feel free to send a follow up email to bugspikes@proton.me.
If you want to book in for a consultation, touch-up or patch test (all free) please ask by email at bugspikes@proton.me these normally take one hour and can be booked at any studio I’m working at.
PRICING
There are a few types of tattoo processes I use. All of which can be chosen through the same Tattoo Enquiry Form . Each one is charged hourly at £60/hour and examples of each can be seen on my instagram.
Flash - a drawing I have already done and has not yet been tattooed from my flash pdf’s / sketchbooks (view in person at a consultation or on the day) / my illustration instagram. I can give fixed prices for these if you know how big you want it - please let me know this in your enquiry form along with a screenshot of the piece.
Custom - I love drawing custom designs if you have an idea in mind of what you want! There is a £60 custom fee for this which I take by paypal or bank transfer. Where possible I will send the drawing to you ahead of the appointment. Changes can still be made on the day, it can just take some more time. Please note that I will still hold the rights to the design as my intellectual property so unless otherwise agreed you cannot take it to another artist to tattoo. (I am open to this tho pls just ask!). Reference images are much appreciated for custom designs but don’t just send me another tattoo artist’s work. If you have a design already made please send it to me to ask if I will do it.
Freehand - You decide where on your body you want a piece and together we create a spontaneous one-of-a-kind artwork. The process for these is very individual but I ask that you collect a few references for the piece. These can be any form you like (visual is the most helpful). Either your own or from my flash as I have many drawings to pick from! You can mix and match many elements. As an estimate it takes an hour to go through flash, discuss and draw a design on you for small/medium pieces and 2 hours for large freehand pieces.
£60 an hour
This starts from drawing with markers on your skin/placing the stencil up until the tattoo is wrapped up. I often give a range of hours in a quote, especially for freehand pieces as these vary hugely in timings. The quote you are given by email is based on the information you write in the Tattoo Enquiry Form, please note this is an estimate that may change by an hour or so on the day. If the tattoo ends up taking longer than expected because you choose to modify the design / decide to make it bigger it could require an additional session and that will be reflected in the price. I will communicate this with any changes on the day too.
If you have a max budget please make this clear in the comments section when booking - I don’t want to turn anyone away for lack of funds, we can always make something together! If you are a sex worker, POC, trans and/or disabled - I offer more price flexibility for tattoos please just ask.
DISCOUNTS
I offer a 10% discount to all trans women and transfems.
I offer a 10% discount on JK Rowling / Neil Gaiman / Fascist scum related coverups.
Please ask for these if you would like them applied in your quote.
DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
Only pay the deposit when you are absolutely set on getting a tattoo from me!
The deposit payment is taken online via bank transfer when you choose your appointment time. The remainder is due in cash on the day. This is because I have to pay for the studio whether or not you turn up. Only in exceptional circumstances will this be refunded.
RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLING
To reschedule you'll need to give at least 72 hours notice. If you reschedule within 72 hours of the appointment you will need to pay another deposit to rebook. If you cancel your appointment you will forfeit the deposit.
If I need to reschedule the appointment I will offer you a full refund or the option to reschedule your tattoo and carry over the deposit.
DISCLAIMER
Tattooing is a permanent body modification, and an imperfect one at that. I will do my very best to work with you and make something we both love that you can keep forever, bringing to life a design of your choice. It will however show my hand movements in its textures, this is something I love and why many clients pick me! My body of work focuses more on composition and lifeforms rather than airbrushed rendering. Please also note that you will be getting a healed tattoo, not a fresh one. I offer a free touch-up session for every tattoo (or multiple touch-ups for tattoos on palms and scar tissue) in case anything happens during the tattooing or healing process which affects the final outcome. These can be booked in 6 weeks to a year after your last appointment.
YOU WILL NEED TO BRING A VALID PHOTO ID WITH YOU TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
No matter your age, this is a legal requirement. It will need to match the name you put on your consent form on the day of your appointment - please let me know how you would like to be addressed if this is different from your ID. You can put your chosen name and pronouns on the Tattoo Enquiry Form. If you do not wish for me to see your legal name, book in with me at Fort in London as they have an online ID checking setup so that I do not see any deadname documents :)
IMPORTANT:
Tattooers are not medically trained - if you have any of the following medical conditions you should consult with your doctor and get the go-ahead (before booking in and paying a deposit): diabetes, psoriasis, eczema, cancer, blood disorders (including excessive bleeding or clotting), heart disease, high or low blood pressure, epilepsy, if you have a pacemaker, are taking blood-thinning medication, are on antibiotics, are immunocompromised, are prone to keloid scarring, or are on anti-rejection medication following an organ transplant.
If you have any allergies (nuts, metals, aloe vera, adhesives, plasters, lavender, latex, lanolin, etc) please let me know about them in advance so I can prepare the studio and my materials accordingly.
It's best to avoid tattooing directly over moles - this is so that they can continue to be monitored for changes in size or colour. Keep this in mind when you are choosing a placement.
It is possible to tattoo over fully healed scar tissue (18-24 months minimum). If there is significant scarring please email me a photo of the area or add it to your booking form. Please also specify if you would like the scarring/texture to be covered up, highlighted, or a mixture. That way I can customise the design/placement to best suit you.
If you are concerned about potentially having an allergic reaction to the ink, or would like to see how colour heals in your skin, please book a free patch test before booking the tattoo. This is available to everyone. Please note it will result in permanent dots of ink in the skin, and it's important to test it in a similar area to where you would like the final tattoo (especially in terms of skin tone and the level of sun exposure).
Let me know about any accessibility requirements in advance - wherever possible I am happy to modify the booking process or physical space to better meet your individual needs. I regularly take lateral flow tests, and am more than happy to mask up for our appointment. Please request this ahead of time so I can make sure everyone in the space masks up too. FORT’s accessibility information can be viewed here. Studio Baby is wheelchair accessible except the bathroom is too narrow to turn a wheelchair around in. If you have any questions or concerns at all, email me at bugspikes@proton.me
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
IMPORTANT:
PLAN THE ROUTE
I work at Studio Baby, 11 George St, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1RH. This is a 20 minute walk from Brighton Station, or you can get a number of buses from right outside the train station to the Morrisons on James Street. Use the Brighton & Hove bus app for more information. You can tap on/off with contactless payment.
PAIN MANAGEMENT
If you are taking pain relief medication in advance or during your appointment please make sure it doesn't thin the blood (e.g. paracetamol is okay, but don't take ibuprofen or aspirin). I have a numbing spray (bactine) at the studio I work at in Brighton which can be used once the skin is broken.
I recommend against using numbing creams as they can change the skin's texture. If you wish to use one please inform me ahead of your tattoo so I am prepared. There are a lot of fake and unregulated numbing creams, the use of which can lead to complications (including severe blistering requiring skin grafts). If you want to use a numbing cream: consult a medical professional, buy it from a pharmacy or reputable seller, do a patch test a few days before your appointment, and inform me you'll be using it. Please follow the directions - most of them need to be applied hours beforehand, so you would need to plan and do this at home before coming to your appointment - allow for at least 30 mins of stencilling and preparation before we start tattooing a flash design or an hour for freehand pieces.
All tattoos are painful to some degree. The experience of pain is very subjective, so please communicate with me during your tattoo if you are struggling and I will do my best to help.
ON THE DAY
IMPORTANT:
AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT
Looking after your tattoo is just as important as the tattooing process, if you would like yours to heal well, please follow these instructions detailed by the amazing Ems (@alien_ink_):
BANDAGE STAGE
There are several ways I wrap tattoos, please follow whichever one I have used on you:
1. Second Skin - 1-6 days
This is a medical bandage originally developed for treating burn wounds. It's a sterile breathable membrane, and unless you have a sensitivity to adhesives this is my preferred method of wrapping a tattoo.
The first piece can stay on for between 3 and 24 hours - I recommend keeping it on overnight at the very least, as this will protect your bedding from plasma and ink. Carefully remove this piece in a warm shower by lifting the edge of the plastic and pulling it away from the centre (rather than backwards on itself). Wash the fresh tattoo with warm water and an unscented antibacterial soap, and pat dry with a clean towel, a piece of clean kitchen roll, or let it air dry. If you are experiencing any sensitivity to the bandage (redness, itchiness, swelling) don't continue to use it and move on to the Healing Stage.
However, if you aren't experiencing any sensitivity to the bandage and would like to rewrap it, I will have provided a second piece. Make sure you have cleaned the area thoroughly with the unscented antibacterial soap and patted it dry with something clean. Wash your hands, and use alcohol gel to sanitise your hands if you have it. It's very important not to introduce bacteria or dirt into this second piece. Do not add in any creams or lotion.
The back (white opaque side) has a seam where you can pull the paper apart and apply the sticky side to the tattoo. Lay it as you would a phone screen cover, leaving no air bubbles. Then there will be two sets of green arrows on the top layer - pull these apart from each other and your tattoo should be covered as before. This second piece can stay on for up to 5 days. It is important not to sweat excessively into this bandage, please refrain from strenuous exercise while using it.
If there is any leaking from the bandage this means the seal is broken and you should remove it immediately and move on to the Healing Stage.
2. Cling Film - overnight
Keep the first piece of clingfilm on until you get home. Before changing the clingfilm make sure you have thoroughly cleaned your hands. Remove the clingfilm and wash the fresh tattoo with warm water and unscented antibacterial soap, and pat dry with a clean towel, a piece of clean kitchen roll, or let it air dry. Apply another piece of clean clingfilm and tape it down around the edges (micropore is great for this, unless you are sensitive to the adhesive).
Change the clingfilm every 3-4 hours until you go to bed (or as needed, if it is leaking plasma). Before bed, wash it and apply the final clingfilm layer - ensure this is as securely fastened as possible, but be aware it may still leak ink onto your bedding. Ensure your bed sheets are clean to reduce the risk of infection. From the next morning remove the clingfilm, wash the tattoo, and move onto the healing stage.
HEALING STAGE
Keeping in mind that YOUR FRESH TATTOO IS BASICALLY AN OPEN WOUND I recommend keeping it as clean and dry as possible. Wear clean, loose-fitting clothing, and ensure it is covered from the sun. Brief showers are fine, an unscented antibacterial soap is ideal to wash your tattoo in the morning and evening (with clean hands). Roughly 2-5 days after the bandage is removed it will start to feel tight, dry, scabby, or itchy.
At this stage if you would like to start using a cream you can - it must be the tiniest amount, you don't want to leave any visible moisture on the surface. It should be a lotion you know your skin gets on with, that's unscented and gentle (e.g. cetaphil, eucerin, hustle butter, dream cream, coconut oil, etc). There are a wide range of specific tattoo balms now. I do not recommend petroleum/paraffin based products such as vaseline or bepanthen.
If it’s a pot (rather than a pump bottle that dispenses the cream), use a new unopened product and ensure you only touch it with clean hands, so as not to insert bacteria or contaminants.
IMPORTANT:
SUPER IMPORTANT:
If you have any concerns about infection, please email me immediately with photos. Symptoms may include: redness that spreads wider than the tattoo, the area feeling hot to the touch, fever, chills, sweating, inflammation, rashes, or pain that worsens over time.
If I have used a second skin product on you it's possible for the area under the bandage to remain red even when you remove it, for it to cause wrinkles in the skin that may be stained with ink, and for it to feel itchy (depending on your sensitivity to the adhesive). In most cases this won’t affect the final appearance of the tattoo. Please send me a photo if this happens.
Any time you open the skin you run the risk of an infection. We minimise this by using single use items, and anything we reuse (the tattoo bed, arm rests, etc) is wrapped, covered, and sterilised with a hospital grade cleaner before and after each tattoo. The skin is cleaned thoroughly with alcohol. The needles, cartridges, and grips are gas sterilised and disposed of after each procedure. We have a biological waste company remove our clinical waste and sharps containers safely. We take every measure to prevent infection and contamination.
You can also help reduce risk by washing the area with an unscented antibacterial soap before your appointment, making sure you have clean bedding and towels for afterwards, avoiding any strenuous activity that could cause sweating while the tattoo is healing, and following the aftercare advice.
TOUCH UPS
I offer a free touch up appointment for every tattoo! It's really helpful for me to see how the tattoo has healed, fix any little bits if needed, and to get a healed photo. This is free for the first two years after you get the tattoo. °ƸӜƷ•°*””*°•.ƸӜƷ•