Stuff

A little tattoo humor from the crew of Art Attack Tattoo

1. Do not EVER call a tattoo a "Tat", you don't sound cool and it's annoying.

2. Do not move or talk with your hands, tense your muscles or sing out to your friend to get you a beer.

3. Do not fart or burp in the tattoo artist’s face, you'll probably get severely hurt.

4. Do not ask the tattoo artist how long it took to get his/her tattoos done or how much they cost.

5. Do not ask your tattoo artist who's the "best" artist in the shop- you're looking at him.

6. Unless you can, do not EVER use the term "slinging ink" or any variation of the term.

7. Do not ask the tattoo artist if it’s going to hurt- it is, probably worse now!

8. Do not ask the tattoo artist if he can ‘numb’ the area first- he can’t, but the needle will.

9. Do not ask the tattoo artist if anyone has ever stopped in the middle of a tattoo-why, are YOU planning to?

10. Do not call a tattoo machine a "gun!" There is no such thing as a "tattoo gun."

11. Do not ask the tattoo artist how many tattoos he does a day or how much money he makes.

12. Do not ask the tattoo artist what the different machines are for, he knows you don't.

13. Do not ask the tattoo artist what sort of ink he uses, it's the good stuff, like you'd know the difference.

14. Do not ask the tattoo artist if he tattoos dicks. (He may say "I'm doing one right now.")

15. Do not text or use your cell phone while you’re getting tattooed. In fact, turn the damn thing off unless your wife is ‘expecting.’

16. Do not tell the tattoo artist that you have a friend who can draw really ‘good’ and would make a great tattoo artist, if only someone would give him/her a chance. If we got a dollar for everytime he heard that, we could all retire.

17. Do not tell the tattoo artist the story of the guy who made a tattoo gun out of a cassette, motor, toothbrush, and a guitar string. He probably has Hepatitis and him and his dumbass friends probably won't be around much longer!

18. Do not tell the tattoo artist that it doesn't hurt anymore, they can and may make you piss yourself.

19. Do not look directly into the eyes of your tattoo artist, and Please Do Not Attempt To Heckle The Artist, As He Is Likely Armed, Under The Influence Of Prozac, and Extremely Volitile.

Finally it is done! You look at the finished tattoo and it exceeds all your wildest expectations. It shines like gold and you marvel at the precision, the artistry, the skill in application, and the bright colors.

You may at this point tell the tattooist any of the following:

1. Its Beautiful, its Excellent, its Brilliant, its Fantastic!

2. You are the most brilliant and talented artistic genius in the whole world and I will be eternally grateful to you for the rest of my life!

3. Here's a $100 tip for doing such a great job!

All Other Dumb Questions Are Subject To Charges As Follows:

Answers- $10

Correct Answers- $20

**Dumb Looks Are Still Free.

SHOP SUGGESTIONS AND POLICIES

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!

Although we do take walk-ins, a majority of our work is done by appointment.

Our schedules fill up several days sometimes weeks in advance, especially for weekends,

so come in at the beginning of the week.

We do not charge extra for custom designs, unless it's rather large. We do however require a $20.00 Non-Refundable Deposit when an appointment is booked.

NO appointments are made without a deposit, or over the phone.

You will want wait to get your tattoo until you are finished with all

sun and water activities as there is no direct sunlight, or swimming for 2 weeks on a new tattoo!

BRING PHOTO I.D.

North Carolina requires you be 18, to be tattooed or pierced, you must be

18 years old and prove it. If you are under 18 a parent or

legal guardian must be present to sign for you for piercings ONLY!

Piercing a minor is at the piercer's discretion.

If you forget your I.D. you can forget your tattoo or piercing.

NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL PERIOD!

No smoking, drugs or alcohol are allowed in our studio.....EVER!

It is illegal for us to tattoo anyone under the influence

and we will refuse service to you if you are.

EAT WELL AND BE RESTED!

It's no fun to do anything on an empty stomach or a hangover.

DON'T OVERDO IN THE SUN!

Prior to your appointment, use sun block on the area to be tattooed.

If you are sunburned (even just a little) we will not tattoo you.

When skin is irritated or peeling it is impossible to do a perfect tattoo. Always use sunblock on your tattoos, this will prolong their beauty.

FOR YOUR COMFORT...

We do have privacy rooms, and we suggest you wear loose clothing or

a bathing suit if you are getting a tattoo within the tan line. We do protect your clothing, but please try not to wear white clothes to get tattooed.

Thanks for your cooperation,

Art Attack Tattoo Crew

Now, you have your fresh new tattoo, and you want to take good care of it! From this point on, your artist is not responsible for any infection or problems you may have with your tattoo if you don't take proper care of it. It is very important that you follow these guidelines. A really beautiful tattoo can turn into a disaster if the proper aftercare is not taken.

Leave That Bandage Alone!

Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason - to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Yes, as pretty as your new tattoo is, it is still a wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the bandage on for a minimum of two hours. Excitement of having a new tattoo will make you want to remove the bandage so you can show your friends, but your friends will just have to wait until later.

The only exception to this rule is if your artist covered your tattoo with saran wrap or some kind of plastic. This is extremely detrimental to a tattoo, and it's just plain nasty, so it should be removed immediately. You're better off not having any covering than to be suffocating your new tattoo with plastic wrap.

Wash and Treat

After you remove the bandage, you will want to wash your tattoo. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap (Satin and Provon are my highest recommendations. Dial is ok, but may to be too harsh - generic brand antibacterial soaps are actually better) to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive. Your hand is your best tool in this case. (If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. Try to gently remove as much of this as possible - when the plasma dries on the skin surface, it creates scabs.)

Specialty Products and Lotions

If you prefer, you can use a specialty product to heal your tattoo, such as After Inked. Use these products as directed and until healed.

After washing your tattoo, pat (do not rub) the area firmly with a CLEAN towel or paper towel to dry. Give it a few minutes to completely air dry before applying a very light application of your choice of ointment. After Inked is our first choice, but if you don't have any, A&D vitamin enriched ointment, Bacitracin, or a similar antibacterial ointment is acceptable. Use the ointments for no more than 3 days!

*****Do not use Neosporin. This is a wonderful product for cuts and scrapes, but not for tattoos. Some can have an allergic reaction to the Neosporin, which causes little red bumps. When the bumps go away, so does the ink, and you end up with a polka-dotted tattoo.**

After that, continue to keep it clean, you can use lotion or cocoa butter after the first 3 days when needed instead of ointment, to keep the skin soft. Whatever lotion you use, it should be dye and fragrance free. We have had great success and excellent results with After Inked and we highly recommend this product for healing your tattoo. There are many views on what product is best, see what works best for you and your skin type.

Bathing, Showering, Hot Tubs, and Swimming

Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo. It's OK to get your tattoo wet - just don't soak it. Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid those for at least 2 weeks, but showering is perfectly fine as long as you don't saturate your tattoo for prolonged periods. Just make sure you wash and rinse it well. Swimming - whether it be a pool, fresh water or salt water - should be avoided for at least 2 weeks also.

Peeling

After a few days, you will notice some peeling. You will also start to itch, just like a sunburn when it begins to heal. The advice here is, don't pick, and don't scratch! If the skin itches, gently slap it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. Your tattoo is almost healed, and now is not the time to ruin it!

Protection from the sun

After your tattoo is healed, from now on, you will always want to protect it from the sun's ultraviolet rays. These can fade and damage a brilliant tattoo very fast. Before spending a lot of time in excessive heat, protect your tattoo with a minimum 30SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.

ANY PROBLEMS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ARTIST.......NOT YOUR FRIENDS! WE DO THIS EVERYDAY....THEY DON'T!!!!