FAQs

How much will it cost?

Our shop rate is $160 per hour and we have a one hour minimum. The best way to find a price is to call or text the shop, send your reference image or design idea to 780-945-1886 and ask for an estimate. You can also check out our pricing page for some examples of completed works with cost. The final cost is really dependent on a few factors:

• Size (note, smaller is usually BUT not always faster)

• Level of details

• Where on your body its going (some areas like the neck or ribs take longer as we have to time our movements with your breathing, swallowing, or legs which most often have involuntary twitches, etc.)

• How well you sit - YES this is a factor, the stiller you can sit (and stay off of your phone), the faster we can work

• How many breaks you take

• If you use numbing cream - although we sell numbing cream, we do not recommend it. See below for more details on that.

Do tattoos hurt?

Yup, some tattoo spots on the body barely hurt at all, like behind the ear, others, like on and around the knee or elbow hurt more. Tattoos are comparable to a cat scratch, usually you get used to the feeling and settle in to the feeling. Longer/bigger tattoos sometimes get spicy. For things like sleeves or really detailed work, often we break these into multiple sessions, the first being the line work, the second the shading or colour. This makes the process much easier to sit for.

Can I use numbing cream?

Yeah, but don’t if you don’t have to and here is why. Numbing cream is designed to be absorbed by the skin to numb the skin cells, sounds great BUT, the artist now has to work a lot more on the numbed area to get the ink to be absorbed by those cells. This competition for absorption leads to longer tattoo sessions which costs you more money, the numbing cream to no longer be working and now it really fricken hurts and the ink to heal out in spots. We find that tattoos that were done with numbing cream need the most touch ups.

Do you do piecework?

Not usually, if there is a design that we made that we really want to tattoo then we may put it out on our socials with a flat price. Instead, we keep our shop rate low and design to your budget.

Can I drink alcohol before or during my tattoo?

NO, this is not a good idea for several reasons:

• You not in a state of mind to make smart decisions

• You sit like sh!t and your tattoo will look bad and no artist wants to make bad art

• Your blood is thin and some of the ink may not hold. We have seen (and covered up) many a bad decision drunk tattoo and its not uncommon for there to be missing spots and they never ever ever look good

• Dealing with drunk people is not fun, we are professional artists and we take our art seriously and pride ourselves on doing the best work possible, if you show up intoxicated you will be denied services

Can I smoke pot or vape cannabis before or during my tattoo?

Yes, this you can do within reason. Cannabis has been used for pain management for decades for a reason. If that’s your thing, go for it. Just don’t do so much you get the greens.

Can I vape or smoke in the shop?

No, but you are welcome to vape and/or smoke outside the shop. There is a pole ashtray provided for your convenience.

Where is the easiest place on the body to get a tattoo/where is the least painful spot to get a tattoo?

Most people find the inside of the forearm the best place to get a tattoo. It hurst less for most people and the inner forearm is a great canvas for the artist. Behind the ear is another location that clients report hurts the least. The absolute best place for your tattoo is where the tattoo looks the best and sometimes that spot is a spicey one! In the end when the machine is put down and the area wiped clean with cold sterile water - its always worth it!!

What should I bring to my tattoo session?

If your session is longer than 2 hours, a good thing to bring is something to eat. We do provide a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages and we have little candies, but an actual sandwich or ordering in some skip the dishes is a great idea for longer sessions.

You should also bring or be wearing clothing that allows the artist to get to the area you want tattooed. If you are getting a sleeve done - wear a tank top. Getting your leg tattooed? Wear shorts. For back pieces, depending on the size and your gender, you may be able to get away with no shirt or a tube top. We do provide nipple covers and we have privacy screening.

Some people like to bring their headphones so they can tune out and listen to music or watch a show on their phone. This is a great way to distract yourself and much better then scrolling through social medias. Each time your swipe on your phone, your body moves, the stiller you can sit, the better your tattoo and the faster your artist can work.

Is there anything I need to do before my tattoo session?

Please eat something. If you are able to shave the area the night before, that is also good, however, it is not the end of the world if you forget or cannot reach it. The biggest thing is to come fed and well rested.

Do I need to purchase aftercare?

We want your tattoo to look as amazing healed as it did fresh on the day of your tattoo session so we are happy to provide aftercare products to our clients for free. All Flying Shield Tattoo clients are provided aftercare soap, aftercare balm and additional bandages free of charge.

How do I take care of my tattoo?

Please use the aftercare products provided at the end of your tattoo session. The first bandage can be removed after 24 hours or before you go to bed or earlier if there is any leakage. Wash well with the provided soap and and pat dry with a clean towel or air dry the tattoo. Once dry, apply the second provided bandage. Keep this new bandage on for 1 to 2 days max. Do NOT leave it on longer than 2 days.

Always remove the bandages under running water and peel away slowly - allowing some water to kind of pool at the top will help the bandage come off easier.

Once done with the bandages, you can start applying the provided aftercare balm. Hold to the skin for 3-5 seconds to allow the balm to warm and then apply a thin and even layer over the tattoo. Keep your tattoo hydrated with balm but do not smother it and clean often. A little bit of colour may come off with the bandage which is normal. During the healing process, more colour will sluff off. Do not pick at your tattoo, let this extra colour and dead skin sluff off naturally.

Tattoos can be very itchy when healing, if you have to, sleep with oven mitts or socks on your hands. Do not scratch your tattoo as this can damage it and yes we can tell.

Do all tattoos need a touch up?

Nope, many do not need a touch up at all, in the case that your tattoo does have a spot or two that healed out, we offer touch ups for the set up fee of $20+GST between 2-6 months after your final session. If you used numbing cream, you will likely need a touch up, depending how much you used and the amount of ink that healed out, you may need to book another session with your artist. If you are worried that is the case, please call or text the shop as we can sort it out together.