FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ARTIST POLICY

TATTOO POLICIES

- You must submit a form on the Contact page to be considered for booking AFTER reading this page. If you submit and/or put down a deposit, I will assume you have read over the policies.

- My rate is $200/hr for custom work. Flash and pre-drawn pieces are flat rate and priced depending on complexity, size, and location. I take CASH ONLY for your appointment. I have a 2 hour/$400 minimum per session for custom work. I offer sliding scale for BIPOC and disabled clients. I also offer a discount for survivors of sexual violence who are getting a tattoo related to their healing process. Please let me know your needs in your submission form.

- I take a $100 deposit to book your consult and your tattoo appointment; $50 of that is a non-refundable drawing fee, and $50 counts towards your tattoo appointment and will be deducted off the final price. For multiple session tattoos, you will pay a deposit for each appointment.

- For custom work, you will have a phone consultation with Kai the week before your tattoo. You will not be scheduled until you have paid the deposit. Do not pay the deposit until you have read over all the policies and FAQs — part of the policy is that you must read it before committing to working with me! Once paid, the entirety of your deposit is non-refundable. (See more info on this below).

- Please contact me ASAP over e-mail if you need to reschedule your appointment. If you need to cancel outright, you will forfeit your deposit.    

-Flash and pre-drawn designs cannot be altered or changed. Custom work: If we are freehanding you will see some rough layouts and sketches, but not a fully rendered drawing. We will have time before we start tattooing to go over any revisions you might like me to make.  

- PLEASE READ!!!! THE ENERGETIC EXCHANGE: The practice of tattooing is, originally, an Indigenous form of art, medicine, and ceremony. It is also a practice that humans have used and cherished for thousands of years, all across the globe. It is truly a very special and spiritual exchange, and with modern tattooing as we know it, we have a tendancy to forget this. Many today think of this process as solely a paying client/hired worker relationship, but in my opinion, it is much more than that. While a lot of artists work that way, and that is just fine and their business— I don’t function that way. There is a deep energetic and physical exchange that happens when you tattoo/get tattooed, and I feel an intense responsibility to recognize that. With this being said, not every artist is meant to work with every client. I use discretion when deciding on whether to move forward with potential clients. I go about my business with kindness and love, and I must also provide that same understanding for myself, and protect my own energetic and physical boundaries. My chair is not just a space to be tattooed, but a space of empowerment. All with good intentions are welcome, and no oppressive shit is tolerated; NO racism, NO sexism, NO fatphobia, NO transphobia, NO ableism, NO homophobia, NO ageism, NO body shaming, and NO HATE. I expect that together, we will treat one another with the utmost honesty and respect. Thank you for honoring this, if you neglect to respect my policies at any point in our time together, I reserve the right not to work with you further.      

TATTOO FAQS

Where do you tattoo?

I am currently working out of my private art space/gallery/studio based on ancestral Chinook, Clackamas, Kalapuya, and Cowlitz land — or so-called Portland, Oregon. I do regularly travel for work, so please don’t hesitate to suggest your city to me to come guest in! Some places I regularly travel to are Minnesota, Montana, and Washington. Follow @knowfolly on Instagram for updates on my guest spots.

Will you copy another artist’s idea or tattoo?

No. Please do not inquire about this.

What do you mean when you say you 'freehand' tattoos? 

Freehanding is my absolute favorite! Freehanding means I draw on you directly with skin pens instead of placing a pre-drawn and printed stencil before tattooing the design. This means I work on some rough practice sketches for your idea beforehand and at your appointment we spend the first part of our day drawing the design straight onto your body. This is a wonderful process because it non only allows us to match your own unique anatomy, the location of where you want the piece (whether it needs to fill a perfect little spot, or flow freely through an open space), and create a truly organic outcome-- but I also have a chance to work with your personal energy, and channel it directly as I work on your body to create a piece of art that is without question, forever your own. You do have to be okay with trusting me greatly, though. Since you will NOT, I repeat, you WILL NOT see a rendered drawing on paper beforehand.    

What if I don’t have a fully formed idea? Will you come up with something for me? 

My favorite thing in the world is having creative freedom. A large majority of my tattoos so far, this has been the case. I am open to lots of different avenues of accomplishing a synergy between what you want and the vision I can help create! Words of inspiration, like space or magic or nature, etc. are great! You can send me color palettes, a photo, a memory, quote, or all of the above! I love animals, plants, goddesses, mythology, alchemy, astrology, astronomy, quantum theory, anthropology, natural sciences… all kinds of stuff! I am a fountain of ideas and love to get a jumping point from a client that I can subsequently run with, in an intuitive way.   

Do you ever do the same tattoo on more than one person?

No, not unless the clients know each other, like friends or family members that are looking to get the same piece done together. If that is not the case, what you get tattooed is only for you. I DO NOT allow other artists to copy or recreate my tattoos. 

What about tipping?

In the US, it is customary to tip your tattoo artist 20% of the cost of your tattoo. I have also been tipped with stones, herbs, tea, cider, garden vegetables, art… there are many ways to show your appreciation besides money! There are multiple reasons for this. First off, tattooing literally WRECKS our bodies as artists. I not only put my whole heart into my work, but my body too. And we pay the price. The money we put back into taking care of our bodies just to be able to work soundly, plus the cost of supplies and workspace ends up being a serious chunk of what we make. Also, keep in mind, we are not getting paid for every hour we work, nor do we have benefits like health insurance, etc. Tipping is how to let your tattoo artist know that you enjoyed working with them and had a great experience. It makes our day when you do, and makes us a little bummed (not going to lie) and question whether you had a positive experience when you don’t. And I’m pretty sure I speak for most tattoo artists when I say that. It means a lot. Seriously.

Why do you take my deposit before the consultation? What happens if I change my mind after the consult?

It takes time and resources to book you, even just for a consult. I am committed to my clients from the first moment I choose your submission form. You should be 200% SURE you are ready for ME to do your tattoo. My style is very distinct, so a consultation is an opportunity for us to tune things in for your idea, not for you to test the waters and see if MAYBE you would like to work with me. If you change your mind after your consult, its totally fine! I do, however, need to make sure that we are compensated fairly for the time and effort my assistant and I have put into booking you and showing up for your appointment.

Do you do consultations?

Yes! I absolutely do! Over the phone the week before your tattoo.  

How do I book with you?

If my books are open, there will be a submission form on the Contact page of my site. Please read all FAQ's and my Policy before submitting. If my books are closed, Instagram is the best way to stay updated on when they will be opening again. 

When will I see my design? 

You will see your design the day of your appointment, in rough, sketch format if we are freehanding. We will have plenty of time at the beginning of your appointment to work together on any details or minor things you might like to change in your design. You will have one set of revisions the day of your appointment. If you want to change more than is reasonable for me to alter about the idea in one day, we will need to reschedule your appointment so I have more time to work through it.  Keep in mind that I am an artist and when you book with me, you are trusting my vision-- though I will always do my best to accommodate your specific requests in a collaborative way.

Do you do scar cover-ups?

I definitely do scar coverups! Let me know if that is what you are looking for when you send your submission form.   

Do you do cover-ups or reworks of old tattoos? 

This is a case-sensitive question. Send a photo of the tattoo you are looking to be covered or reworked to bookings.knowfolly@gmail.com, and I will get back to you on whether it is a possibility or not. 

Do you tattoo darker skin tones? What about colour ink?

Yes! Absolutely. There is a lot of bullshit in the tattoo industry surrounding whether you can or can't tattoo dark skin, especially with colour. Flat out racism of white artists has been traumatizing to lots of people, and its more than a shame. So, let me give a brief technical explanation, and if you have any further questions about this, go ahead and shoot me an email. Working with different skin tones is just a matter of colour theory-- we all have different tones and shades and colours in our skin already, no matter how dark or light we are, everyone is extremely unique. As we deposit the inks into the second layer of skin during the tattoo process, the healing over of the top layer will play a role in how the colours end up looking in the end. (This is also why tattoos change colours with sun exposure). Whatever colours exist in your skin already will lightly 'overlay' your tattoo. For this reason-- we can absolutely do colour on all shades of skin-- the main thing to consider is choosing them with intention, and using tones that create contrast in beautiful harmony with your skin tone! I hope this helps explain it a bit more, but like I said, feel free to ask further questions if you feel the need. 

How do I prepare for my appointment? 

First things first! Make sure you drink lots of water the day before and of your appointment to prevent dehydration/dizziness. Eat a good meal before you come in. I cannot stress this enough. Proper nutrition the day of your appointment will help to greatly prevent unnecessary twitching, shakiness, dizziness, and possible fainting. Pain is also worse when you’re hungry! I also encourage you to bring a (hopefully reusable) bottle of water, and a snack! Remember, caffeine tends to make people shaky/twitchy. Avoid it the day of your appointment if possible.  

Please make sure to bring your valid driver’s license or passport that verifies you are over the age of 18. 

Please do not take any medications that thin the blood (like Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen, etc.) before your appointment. Do not come while under the influence of alcohol, recreational drugs, and/or narcotics. 

Please come to your appointment in good hygiene. This is important to prevent infection (I take every precaution to do so in every way) and helps to promote a healthy and clean healing process for your skin as well as prevention of sicknesses like Covid. Comfortable clothing is also really wonderful for tattooing days. Make sure to wear something that will allow easy access to the location we will be working on. Do not wear clothing that fits tightly around the tattooed area. 

Don’t forget to bring cash! 

What is the healing process going to be like?

For complete aftercare info, click HERE. The cost of your tattoo will include the use of a bandage product called Saniderm. For more information on this product, check out this link: Saniderm. This is a great way to heal your tattoo! It is low maintenance and takes away a lot of hassle in very fresh work. I will apply your first Saniderm bandage at the end of your appointment, and supply you with a second piece to take home with you. When you do remove the Saniderm, you will move on to regular aftercare: rinsing and washing once in the morning and once at night (or if the area gets dirty, sweaty, or contaminated throughout the day) with gentle lathered soap and lukewarm water. Air dry completely before applying a mild, unscented, preferably natural, salve or lotion in a very thin, even layer. I love using pure shea butter, but I also recommend coconut oil, apricot oil, sweet almond oil, or cocoa butter. There are an array of natural products that are great for healing tattoos. See what works best for your skin type. If you are sensitive to adhesives, we will use a traditional bandage instead of Saniderm.