F.A.Q.’s

Please do not contact directly to book an appointment, the only way to book an appointment with me is by submitting a form on my website during the time that my books are open. (This does not apply to unfinished pieces I’ve started and touch-ups). If you would like to know when my books are opening, follow my Instagram and sign up for my newsletter on my home page. The answers to most questions can be found below. However, if you have read everything on this page and still have a question, you can email me directly at em@elmpixietattoos.com.

** COVID-19 ** At this time, elmpixie tattoos is encouraging that you wear a clean mask to your appointment, we will be wearing k95s at all times in the studio. If you would prefer to have an appointment with only masked people in the studio please discuss in advance, this can be arranged. We also run a medical grade air filter at all times. Please don’t come if you have a fever. We ask for no guests or extra bodies in the studio, unless you have back to back appointments and are in each other’s bubble. We would request that only vaccinated people book appointments at this time. We are fully vaccinated and only bubbled with vaccinated people, and will be maintaining social masking practices to keep ourselves and our clients safe. Please bring a water bottle and snacks! Thank you!

  • My books are typically closed, but will open every few months, and while they are open, I will be accepting submissions and booking the following few months worth of appointments. Please be thorough with your submission, incomplete forms will likely be ignored. If you want to be sure you know when my books will open please follow me on Instagram and add yourself to the newsletter to be emailed directly with booking instructions. I will select the pieces I want to tattoo, with priority going to my original designs and flash, ears, larger customs, pieces chosen from my “inspiration” page under “booking” here on my website, or “get what you get” tattoos. If your tattoo is chosen we will text you the direct link to choose a spot on my schedule and pay your deposit. If I’m unclear about anything in your form I may ask follow up questions or for more references over text. Please be patient in this process and do not send messages asking about your submission. This system takes the place of any in person consults, and in fact, I rarely book any in person consults in advance of your appointment.

  • Please come into the studio clean, having eaten a meal, and hydrated. Bring a water bottle and a snack, as well as headphones — I have recently found a lot of benefits to listening to a book while I tattoo (including working faster!) as long as that is comfortable for you.

    Masks are preferred but not required. There are masks available at the studio if you need one.

    Please do not bring any guests (unless you have back to back appointments).

    ALSO, please do not come into the studio early. I have my schedule tightly booked with clients and cleaning. You are welcome to wait in your car until your scheduled appointment time.

    If the gate is closed outside the building (weekends), you can text at your appointment time and I will open the gate.

  • My hourly is $250. Custom designs have an additional $100 drawing fee. Original designs and flash are either pre-priced or done at my hourly (making original designs $100 less than any custom). I charge for needle-time only (stenciling and breaks are not included in total cost).

    I take a $200 non-refundable deposit for any custom design, $100 of which is the drawing fee, and the other $100 comes off your last appointment. (Deposits can be used for one reschedule as long as you adhere to the cancelation policy)

    All non-custom deposits are $50 which counts towards the total cost of your tattoo.

    Customs are $500 minimum.

    Earcuffs are $180.

    Full ear designs are $400 for one ear or $600 for two ears done in one sitting.

    Get What You Get designs are either $150 (small) or $250 (palm sized).

    ALL CARD PAYMENTS WILL REQUIRE A 3% TRANSACTION FEE

  • My studio is located in NE Portland. I am in the General Industries Building at 100 NE Farragut Street, Studio 08. Enter through the West door entrance with the large STUDIOS sign, and take your first left, then look for room “08” “Obsidian Tattoo.”

    IF THE DOOR AND GATE IS LOCKED please TEXT (my number will be in your appointment emails) and I can come swipe you in!

  • As outlined below, I will not be sending your design in advance of our appointment. When you arrive, you should have already filled out the intake form which will be linked in one of the last reminder emails you receive , and then I will show you your design. I may have options for you to look at, or suggestions for ways to change or improve it, or just a really solid drawing, but in any case you and I will go over the details of your design, fine tune it to your liking, make any changes needed, specify the size and location of the tattoo, and apply a stencil which you can see in the mirror before we begin. We will select the colors for your design together, go over any risks or allergies, make sure you’re happy with your design, and then begin. Depending on the details of your specific piece we may be doing just lining, lining and shading, or lining, shading and color all together in one session. Please be flexible about this but if you CAN’T come back for a second sessions (ie you’re traveling and won’t be returning to Portland anytime soon) please make sure you communicate that with me in advance of your appointment or better yet in your original booking submission. We will keep careful track of time, take whatever breaks are needed, and I’ll do my best to keep you as comfortable as possible while we work. When we are done for the day we’ll go over your aftercare instructions, take photos, and you’ll be expected to pay (card, cash only) and tip if you wish. It is industry standard to tip 10-20% on either the total cost of your tattoo, or each session. I’ll send you home with instructions for caring for your specific tattoo and book a follow up appointment if necessary.

  • I am comfortable and experienced with tattooing on darker skin! I offer free color tests to BIPOC who want to see how color inks heal in their skin. These are small, easily coverable designs that will give you a better idea of how a larger piece would look. It includes testing 7-10 colors in a small pattern of your choosing in a location of your choosing (no feet, palms, faces, or other highly sensitive areas), an assessment and touch up after it’s healed, and can be done in advance of a future, planned tattoo with me in a place that will be covered if you wish. If you are white, I’m happy to give you one as well (especially if you have skin allergy issues it’s a great idea to get one) but it will cost $100.

    Tattoo pigment is naturally transparent, like watercolor paint. In a tattoo, pigment rests in a thin layer of skin between layers of your skin. Therefore, your natural skin pigment is often darker than that of the tattoo pigment, but that doesn’t mean it won’t show up at all, a color tattoo with enough contrast and saturation, with careful color selections can show up beautifully on any skin tone.

  • The General Industries Building is entirely ADA accessible! My studio, elmpixie tattoos, is located on the ground floor. If you have concerns about accessibility in advance of your appointment please reach out.

  • You bet! I take these on a case by case basis. I also am sometimes willing to work with you to improve and touch up/rework older pieces done by other artists. Please still fill out a form under the booking tab when books are open.

  • If it has been under a year since I gave you the tattoo, I offer touchups for FREE! If it has been over a year, I will do touchups to your piece for $100 per hour.

  • Yes. They do. However, we understand that tattoos hurt, and we will do everything we can to make sure your experience here is as comfortable as possible. Pain tolerance, placement, even what kind of mental space you’re in all play a factor in just how MUCH each tattoo hurts.

  • Adornments, landscapes, flora, fauna, abstract, fantasy content, neo-traditional style, lady faces, esoteric/witchy stuff, nerdy things, surrealism, psychedelic imagery, fine art reproductions, and geometric (especially colored) are some of my favorites. Please check out the “Inspiration” page under the “booking” tab see more information on what I want to be tattooing each booking round.

  • I will not tattoo another artists work unless it is approved by the artist. I will create a custom piece for you based on the images and information that you give me. You can absolutely have ideas prepared, but I will change things to work with my style, and to ensure that the piece looks good and works well with your body. If you are looking to get a replication from another 2D artist that is alive, you must have proof that the artist okays the piece being on your skin.

  • Generally, you won’t see the finished design until you show up for the appointment. Sometimes in very rare cases and at my discretion, (depending on the piece) I will have options for you to choose from at your first appoint, and always there is plenty of time to work on editing, tweaking, sizing, color choice, etc. in the beginning part of your appointment. I never want to tattoo anything that you are not thrilled with.

  • I do not offer walk-ins or same day appointments. Please submit your design ideas when my books are open which happens every few months. Watch my instagram and sign up for my newsletter for updates on when booking is open!

  • Cash or Card only! No app payments at this time.

    Card payments will require a 3% transaction fee.