Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  Why should I get tattooed by you?

A.  Getting tattooed is a very personal decision and will forever change your life. We strive to give each of our clients exactly what it is he or she is looking for. That means that we may spend several hours drawing and redrawing your tattoo until it is precisely what you have envisioned. We guarantee our work and touch ups are always free, unless the tattoo has been damaged by your own negligence. Come in and check out the studio. We provide a clean and friendly environment for you to take the permanent step of getting a tattoo. Take a look at our portfolios either online or in the studio. We think the quality of our work speaks for itself.
Back to the top.

Q.  What are your sterilization procedures?

A.  We sterilize our equipment in a Statim 2000, the world's fastest autoclave.  Each tube is individually packaged in sterilization pouches that have indicators that change from light to dark to provide evidence of steam processing.  When  finished with each tattoo, we dispose of  the needles in a biohazard sharps container.  The tubes are decontaminated and cleaned in a state of the art Hydrim Instrument Washer, packaged, and re-sterilized.  Our needles are sterlized by the manufacturer and stored so as to maintain sterility. We use barrier controls on our spray bottles, machines, and RCA cord to prevent cross contamination between clients.  All inks and other materials used are dispensed into disposable containers and are thrown away after each client, even if they are unused.  Our work surfaces (counter tops, chairs, etc) are made of non-porous materials and are disinfected between each client to prevent cross contamination as well.
Back to the top.

A.  We are artists, not just tattooists and the artistic aspect of tattooing is what is most important to us. While we could make more money doing flash tattoos, we take a lot of pride in our work and feel that tattooing shouldn't be done in assembly line fashion. We just wouldn't get the same personal satisfaction doing the same tattoos over and over. It's fine to pick your lunch from a picture on the wall at McDonald's, but we think that a tattoo should be decided upon with more care and consideration. After all, lunch will last you 20 minutes, but a tattoo will last your lifetime. Flash takes all of the creativity and individuality out of tattooing.
Back to the top.

A.  There is a saying in the tattoo world, "Cheap tattoos are not good and good tattoos  are not cheap."  We have a $50 minimum charge to cover the expenses for materials used, autoclave spore tests, rent, utilities, and other necessities to keep the studio running in a safe and sanitary manner.  People who tattoo in their houses as a hobby, or "professionals" who don't have standards as high as ours can charge less because they are cutting corners with all of these things. When you get tattooed at Artifex, you pay for our knowledge and experience as artists.  It doesn't matter how cheap your tattoo was if you catch a disease because of it. Tattoos are permanent... and so is hepatitis, HIV or syphilis. In the long run, it will cost you more to have a good artist fix a bad tattoo than to have a good tattoo done the first time around.
Back to the top.

A.  NO.  Artifex is not taking on any apprentices at this time.  If you are a tattoo artist who is looking to learn advanced skills, you can attend a seminar or workshop by an artist whose work you admire. Many tattoo conventions across the nation offer such seminars to professional tattoo artists. They will cost anywhere from $100 - $300 and they will require you to prove that you are a professional tattoo artist (a copy of your business license, order invoices, business card, etc...). As far as needles and ink go, a professional tattoo artist knows where to obtain tattoo supplies.  We are not a manufacturer, distributor, or supplier of tattoo equipment.  The companies we deal with won't sell equipment or supplies to people who work from their homes or who do not have professional references. We don't condone people tattooing out of their houses or out of "shops" with no training or knowledge about tattooing.  It's those people who spread disease and give tattooing a bad name.
Back to the top.

A.  You should wash your tattoo 2-3 times a day with a liquid antimicrobial soap such as Provon (availoable at Artifex). Perfume and dye-free antibacterial soap may be used, but tends to be drying to the skin. After a few days (or when your skin begins to look dry or starts peeling), apply a gentle hand lotion such as Curel, Cetaphil, Merry Hempsters Vegan Lotion, Moisturel or St. Ives Collagen and Elastin Lotion as often as needed. DO NOT apply Neosporin, Bacitracin, triple antibiotic, A and D ointment, or any other products to your tattoo. These ointments have a petroleum base which prevents oxygen from reaching your tattoo. In addition, your skin cannot fully absorb the petroleum, which results in a sticky residue over your tattoo. This residue can trap dirt and provides and excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Topical antibiotics cannot PREVENT an infection, they can only treat an existing infection. Unless your tattoo becomes infected, do not use them. If you suspect your tattoo is infected, please come in to the studio. For large tattoos, you may apply a small amount of Merry Hempsters Tattoo Balm a few times a day to heal your tattoo.  The balm comes in a handy stick form so you do not need to use your hands to apply it. Your tattoo may scab or peel.  Do NOT pick the scabs or peeling skin.  You may notice that your tattoo looks shiny.  That is the new skin regenerating.  When the shininess goes away, your tattoo is done healing.  During the healing period (1 to 2 weeks) do not take baths, go swimming, use hot tubs or submerge your tattoo in water of any kind (showering is fine).  Always cover your tattoos with spf 45 or greater sun block when exposing them to sunlight.  If you use a tanning bed, cover your tattoos with a bandage. Although most touch ups are free, tattoos that have been exposed to sunlight or tanning beds, and those that were neglected during healing will NOT be touched up for free. Trust us, we can tell when you've followed aftercare instructions and when you haven't.
Back to the top.

A.  NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU BE 18 YEARS OLD TO GET TATTOOED.  It is a misdemeanor in the state of New York to tattoo a minor. Regardless of the law, we feel that it is not appropriate to tattoo minors. We don't care if your parents will sign for you, don't care if you already have a tattoo, and don't care if so-and-so in another shop will do it. Most reputable studios will not tattoo minors, regardless of legality.  Be cautious of someone who doesn't care how old you are.  Who's to say that they care about proper hygiene or sterilization either?  They only want one thing, and that's your money.
Back to the top.

A.  You may call or stop by Artifex during regular business hours, Monday through Saturday 12 PM to 7 PM.  We are closed Sundays.  We cannot schedule tattoo appointments via email. All  appointments require a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit of $50 per hour of scheduled time.  The deposit is deducted from the price of your tattoo.  If you need to reschedule, you must contact us at least 2 business days ahead of time for your deposit to be transferred to your new appointment date. If you do not give us 2 business days' notice, you will forfeit your deposit and will be required to pay in full before a new appointment can be scheduled. We have had a lot of people ask why we require deposits. We work by appointment and when you cancel at the last minute or no-show for an appointment, we're left with nothing to do for that time. We don't get paid just for showing up, we earn money doing tattoos. If you cancel or no show, we're left hanging with nobody to work on, which means we lose money. Tattooing is our JOB not a hobby.  Even though we do enjoy it, we have bills to pay and families to feed.  Having a deposit partially compensated us in case you back out without giving us enough notice to fill your time slot. Artifex does not accept checks!  Please see our Studio Policies for more information.
Back to the top.