FAQs

I am based out of Sageleaf Gallery, a private tattoo studio located on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia. Once your appointment is confirmed, the full address will be provided.

To book an appointment, please fill out the APPOINTMENT REQUEST Form. PLEASE NOTE, this is a request only and is not an appointment. Your appointment is NOT confirmed until you have paid your deposit invoice and received a confirmation of your appointment date. 

I would love to see you in the studio as soon as possible, however I am usually booked out months in advance. To avoid additional waiting times, please fill out the APPOINTMENT REQUEST Form.

Legally I cannot tattoo: Anyone under the age of 18, pregnant / breastfeeding women, or anyone under the influence of drugs / alcohol. I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone under any of these conditions at any time.

A consent form must be filled out and signed (with your ID sighted) for all appointments.

Tattoos are charged based on a day rate for larger pieces. The price of a piece is generally determined by subject, style, placement, detail and size, and by how long it will take to do the work. 

Submit an APPOINTMENT REQUEST if you’d like a quote on your project.

The best way to get an accurate price range is by filling out the APPOINTMENT REQUEST form for a free email consultation.. In order for me to quote your project, I will need to consider the subject, style, placement, detail and size, and by how long it will take to do the work. I will then provide a “window” of expectancy for how long your project will take to execute.

Tattoos can be uncomfortable, but in the best possible way. Your brain releases endorphins when you go through pain and your body loves endorphins, so yes, it hurts, but you’ll kinda like it, or at the very least will be manageable. 

The level of discomfort can vary from person to person. On average, the discomfort is mild and sometimes described as more annoying than painful. Some areas are more sensitive than others on the body, and some people take getting tattooed better than other people. If it were unbearable or extremely painful, you wouldn’t see so many people with tattoos.

I personally don’t tattoo on skin with numbing cream. Most creams can make the skin more difficult to tattoo and can affect the healing afterwards also. 

Numbing creams contain chemicals that tattoo needles will inevitably push deeper into the skin. This can cause an allergic reaction and increase the risk of infection. 

Numbing creams also create a barrier between the stencil and skin, altering the skin’s complexion and interfering with the overall tattoo process and how well the skin accepts ink. 

This not only makes my job harder, but will put the final outcome of your tattoo at risk.

The pain is one day, while the tattoo is there forever. I’d suggest having the best possible chance at a quality tattoo by not using numbing cream. 

If it is found that you have used a numbing agent, I reserve the right to cancel or halt our appointment immediately, with deposit amounts paid to be forfeited along with amounts owing for services on the day to be paid immediately.

This is assessed on a case by case basis depending on the size and darkness of the tattoo you would like to cover. 

I prefer to avoid working on existing/old tattoos as I strive to maintain a high standard of work within my own style. However, in some cases an existing/old tattoo can be salvageable and the finished product something I’d be happy to call my own.

I am happy to work around existing tattoos if needed.

To see if I am able to work with your cover up / rework please submit an APPOINTMENT REQUEST and I will get back to you about the possibility of working with your tattoo.

It takes a good 20kgs lost or gained to change a tattoo. It moves with your skin! So you can assume it will do whatever your skin does.

DO NOT expose your new tattoo to direct sunlight for up to 1 MONTH. It is best to keep it covered and away from the sun. It is annoying, but in the long run it’s best to make sure every bit of ink stays just as vibrant  as it should. UV rays can penetrate and bleach the tattoo and cause darker colours to spread. 

Maybe even worse is the fact that your delicate skin will burn more easily and is at a higher risk for scarring from sun damage during this stage. Not to mention upping your risk of melanoma and other not nice things.

DO NOT expose your new tattoo to direct sunlight for up to 1 MONTH. It is best to keep it covered and away from the sun. It is annoying, but in the long run it’s best to make sure every bit of ink stays just as vibrant  as it should. UV rays can penetrate and bleach the tattoo and cause darker colours to spread. 

Maybe even worse is the fact that your delicate skin will burn more easily and is at a higher risk for scarring from sun damage during this stage. Not to mention upping your risk of melanoma and other not nice things.

Small to Medium sized designs are drawn up the night before and are shown to clients the day of the appointment.

I always offer the opportunity for small design alterations on the day – however I do reserve the right to refuse a tattoo if I don’t feel comfortable with the change.

Large Designs (ie Sleeves), I offer face-to-face design review consultations at an additional fee/cost for design time. As I hope you can understand, many hours go into this process. Providing there are no ‘Major’ alterations, 50% of this fee will be deducted from your final session.

If you need to make large changes to your design please let me know at least 7 days prior.

Last minute large changes may result in rescheduling your appointment and may require a new deposit.

Please understand that I (like many artists) do not allow photos/copies of our designs to be taken away from the initial design review consultation. Designs are digital draft concepts and may need further work prior to your tattoo appointment. This also protects us as artists and our artwork from getting into the wrong hands. So please feel welcome to bring anyone along to your appointment for that second opinion if you would like.

Unfortunately I do not have enough time to offer face-to-face consultations with every client. My APPOINTMENT REQUEST form is designed to cover all the information I need to create your custom design and book your appointment. Occasionally if clarification is needed I will schedule an in person consultation, usually for large scale projects.

Whilst we appreciate getting a tattoo can be an unfamiliar process for some, and that support from loved ones is appreciated, we unfortunately can only allow the person getting tattooed into the studio. We are an extremely friendly bunch, offering a safe space and will take great care of you.

I strongly recommend that you eat well before you come to your appointment, and remember to stay hydrated. If you start to feel woozy, sugar is your friend in this situation. It’s best not to drink heavily the night before as alcohol can increase bleeding for up to 24 hours. Blood also dilutes our pigments, affecting both the appearance of your tattoo as well as the healing process. Remember to stay calm and cool, you’re in good hands. There’s nothing to stress over – it’s just a tattoo !!

No. Only black and Grey

• Realism
• Portraits
• Black and Grey
• Illustration
• Abstract
• Brush Stroke
• Contemporary
• Geometric 
• Dotwork

This list is not all inclusive, these are just some of my favourite things to tattoo. I do however take on projects outside of these subject matters.

The visible part of your tattoo will gradually heal over 4 – 6 WEEKS. However, the deeper layers of skin will continue to recover at a slower rate over the next couple of months.

As a general rule, it’s recommended to wait 3 – 4 DAYS before any high intensity training. This is paramount if you are wearing a ‘second skin’ bandage, as when we sweat, we release toxins. This will put your new ink at risk of infection.

Then, it’s recommended to wait slowly with light exercise programs until the new tattoo is completely healed (2 – 3 weeks after getting the tattoo).

Remember, tattoos are for LIFE. Your body will be grateful and benefit from a few days of R&R, from both the gym and tattoo process. 

Open water, such as a lake or the sea, carries the greatest risk of a bacterial infection. Therefore it’s not recommended you swim in the sea until your new tattoo is completely healed.

Proper tattoo aftercare should be adhered to for at least 3 – 4 WEEKS  before bathing or swimming in any type of water in order for the skin to recover sufficiently. Skin that has properly healed over the tattoo will protect against chemical irritation, water saturation and infection.

It is advised to wait 4 – 6 WEEKS before applying any sunscreen on your tattoo. This time is given for the tattoo to heal fully, so that the epidermis recovers to protect the much more sensitive dermis layer of the skin. Apply a spf 50+ sunblock liberally to the entire tattoo every time you go out during the summer, and especially if you will be spending lots of time in direct sunlight – like on the beach.

Months and years later, tattooed skin will indeed be more susceptible to alterations in hues when exposed to UV rays. Sun exposure will always accelerate the fading of a tattoo, so to avoid discoloration, stay on top of your SPF routine all year round.

Yes. Depending on the service being offered, a deposit  is required to make an appointment. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and will come off the final tattoo price. Deposit fees vary depending on how long your service is for.