At our shop, absolutely. Everyone that works here MUST have a current bloodborne pathogens training certificate, current First Aid & CPR training, & our autoclave is tested weekly.
We take great pride in cleanliness & safety for both YOU, the client, & for US, the artists. We adhere to strict protocols to avoid any & all cross-contamination & we provide new, sterile, disposable needles & tubes for every client.
You will witness the tattoo needles opened in front of you prior to your tattoo, as well as their disposal into a regulated sharps container immediately upon completion of your procedure to ensure they are never used again.
We also use disposable ink holders, disposable razors, & single-use barriers on everything that must be touched during the tattoo process.
We work closely with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) & the Ingham County Health Department to ensure that our methods comply with (or exceed!) the most current guidelines.
Yes, tattoos hurt – but for the most part it’s just mild discomfort…more of an annoyance than anything. Pain is relative & everyone has a different tolerance. Some people have compared it to a “hot scratchy feeling”. But rest assured, people would not be returning again & again for tattoo after tattoo if it hurt that bad!
Yes, some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, but there’s not a huge difference. Placement alone can elevate a so-so tattoo to greatness – so get it where you want it & where the design best fits your body.
You can handle it. Come on…get tattooed.
Scheduling an appointment ahead of time is suggested to ensure we have the date & time available that works best for you.
All TATTOO APPOINTMENTS require a time & price quote from an Artist before we can schedule you. Please email us here to receive a quote.
Walk-Ins are always welcome! We accept Walk-Ins on a first-come, first-served basis, as Artist availability allows. 🙂
If you’re interested in booking a TATTOO APPOINTMENT, please follow these steps in order for us to best assist you:
Shoot us an email thru our website contact form (https://splashtattoos.com/contact/) – or you may email us directly @ info@splashtattoos.com.
If you have any questions about an appointment you’ve already scheduled with us, please email the Studio (info@splashtattoos.com) & put “QUESTION ABOUT EXISTING APPT” in the subject line & be as detailed as ya can about your appointment in the body of your email.
You only have one body, so you want to get it right the first time! Our experienced staff of tattoo artists are capable of many different art styles, however, every artist has a certain style or technique that separates him/her from other artists of this medium. So keep in mind, not every artist will be suited to fit your individual needs. Check out their online portfolios & see who’s work appeals to you the most.
Our artist’s will put a great deal of time & attention into creating your custom tattoo, no matter how large or small. We want you to feel comfortable with both your artist & the environment in which you are getting tattooed!
Aside from delivering quality artwork, your personal health & safety is our main priority. Our entire staff receives annual Bloodborne Pathogen & Infection Control Training (which is mandatory for all body art practitioners by the State of Michigan & OSHA-federal law). Our staff also receives updated First Aid & CPR training.
Please understand there is a difference between professionalism & arrogance. Tattooing is viewed by professional artists as a sacred art form, not a passing trend. There are morals & ethics that will not be compromised. We want to ensure the composition of your artwork will stand the test of time. All professional artists will be up-front with you about what will or will not work for you as an individual. Every person is different, so not all design styles & pigment colors will work for all people. Skin type & tone will determine what style will work best for you.
Clients under 18 years of age must first schedule a consultation appointment with a tattoo artist to discuss the possibility of getting tattooed. Once the consultation is complete, a tattoo appointment may be scheduled.
In Addition
The parent or guardian must accompany the minor child to the appointment & be present throughout the duration of the procedure.
Presentation of the parent or guardian AND the minor child’s valid, government issued, photo ID (drivers license, passport or military ID) are required.
A tattoo is FOREVER! If you are indecisive about what you want to get, you may be asked to put more thought & consideration into your decision to be tattooed. We want your tattoo experience to be a positive one, so we’d hate to see you rush into anything & make a mistake you’ll regret later. Again, a tattoo is FOREVER! Do some research…Google image search is a great resource.
That being said, even if you don’t have a concrete idea, we will take the time to listen to what you have to say & we will make suggestions if we feel that our expertise might give you a better result than you even realize is possible. We have plenty of resources at the studio to help you out, but homework is your job, so please have some sort of idea to help streamline the process.
How much is your health & safety worth? If you’re shopping for a tattoo based on price alone, you’re putting yourself in a situation where infection control & sterilization practices are lacking, which leaves you open to potential infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or MRSA.
Professional tattoo supplies & equipment are expensive! The cost of your tattoo should be fair & consistent according to the quality of the equipment & the experience & education of the artist. You cannot put a price on quality; especially when it is something you will be looking at everyday for the rest of your life!
Base your decision to be tattooed on your own research & not that of what was best for someone else. This way you are not only assured quality artwork in a clean & safe environment, but a positive experience you will carry with you always & FOREVER
There’s really no cut-&-dry answer to this question. But as the ‘ole saying goes: “GOOD WORK AIN’T CHEAP & CHEAP WORK AIN’T GOOD!”
Understandably, cost can be a concern – but it shouldn’t be the determining factor in your decision to get tattooed. When considering a tattoo, it’s wise to focus on what you really want & not worry so much about the cost.
You only have one opportunity to make a commitment to each area of your skin – so don’t make sacrifices to a lifelong commitment due to being short on cash.
ALWAYS look for quality…& be willing to pay for it. If you can’t afford the tattoo you really want right now, try saving up until you can. Some clients find it helpful to bring in a little money here n there & add it to their deposit…sort of a “lay-away” plan of sorts for their tattoo. Another option is to get your tattoo completed in sessions, so you don’t have to pay the entire cost all at once.
A diamond – and a tattoo – are forever…but so is Hepatitis & MRSA. So if someone quotes you a price “on the low” make sure that the quality of artwork & standard of cleanliness (your health & safety) are not going to be sacrificed.
ALWAYS get tattooed at a licensed facility! It is ILLEGAL to be tattooed anywhere else (like someone’s home, a house party, dorm room, outdoor event, etc.) -unless the artist has been fully inspected, approved & has received a license from the Health Department.
Tattoo pricing depends on:
Rest assured we will give you a VERY FAIR, competitive price for the quality of artwork & standard of cleanliness you will receive. We value every client equally – be it a first-timer getting a small piece or a veteran collector getting a full sleeve.
There is a $100 minimum for all tattoo work, no matter how small. Yup, even for a dot. If we set up a machine, it’s $50 – because the cost of that set-up includes laying a multitude of various disposable supplies to keep the procedure (& you) clean & safe…all of which must be discarded after opening. If we do it for less, it costs us money..& that would not be a good business model.
For smaller tattoos & pieces that can be on in one sitting, we generally quote a flat price up-front. For large-scale or more intricate pieces, we charge by the hour. The hourly rate ranges between $125 to $150 depending on the artist. Consultations are offered @ no charge.
If you want a tiny lil tattoo – or to touch-up on work that was not done here – it’s much more cost-effective to wait until you get another tattoo & add it on to that session.
Collecting tattoos can be a pricey hobby for sure – but they’re certainly a most excellent investment considering tattoos are the only thing in life you can buy that you will use all day, every day, for the rest of your life…& you get to take ‘em with ya when you go.
If you schedule an appointment for a certain number of hours, BE PREPARED to pay for that number of hours. For example: if you have a 5 hour appointment, don’t arrive with only enough to pay for 2 hours. If finances are a concern, contact your artist in advance to discuss the situation & make arrangements for a shorter session. We’re happy to work with you!
In addition to being a Class A Misdemeanor, accepting tattoo services without having the money to pay for them is just a dick move. Please don’t be a dick 
Consultations are generally reserved for larger tattoos, custom designs, cover-ups, re-working existing tattoos, & for tattoos for anyone under 18 years of age. Consultations are offered & provided @ no charge.
A consultation appointment gives you the opportunity to meet your artist face-to-face & collaborate to put your ideas together into a tattoo design. Consultations help prevent miscommunication & ensure that your scheduled tattoo time isn’t used up for artwork preparation.
Be sure to bring as much reference material to your consultation appointment as possible (on paper, on your phone, in a book, photographs, etc.) so that we know as much about what you want to do visually as possible. You can leave the design work totally up to your artist but it helps to have as much input from you as possible. It is your tattoo after all.
The more notice & reference material you can give your artist in advance = more time your artist has to put into designing your artwork = BEST TATTOO POSSIBLE!
Once your artist determines how much time will be needed for artwork preparation & tattoo time, they will quote you a time & price.
If you’re cool with that, your artist will then map out & trace the area of the design. We can then schedule an appointment for you. We will take a non-refundable deposit for the drawing & to secure your appointment time. 100% of the deposit goes towards the total/final price of your tattoo.
Please keep in mind that our artists work with multiple clients daily, so it may take them some time to complete a rough draft of the design for you. Unless other arrangements have been made, the completed rough draft is shown to you when you arrive for your scheduled tattoo appointment. We know you’re excited & want to have a drawing right away, but we feel the creative process is more organic & just works better when the drawing is done the day of the appointment. You will then have the opportunity to approve it as is – or we will make any changes that are called for.
The best tattoos happen when clients retain an open mind to the artistic process. So please, though your ideas are valuable, leave the micromanaging at home.
If you have an appointment & you’re feeling ill, pleeeease call & reschedule for a time when you’ll be feeling well again.
Getting tattooed while your immune system isn’t at 100% is never a good idea…ever.
Your body needs its strength & white blood cells to heal that new tattoo – something it won’t be able to do as effectively if it’s already battling against a virus or bacteria in your system.
Plus, it’s quite inconsiderate to bring your illness into the studio & risk passing germs onto others, particularly your artist.
Although moles are usually benign (cancer-free) & we go through life ignoring them, there is always the possibility that a mole could serve as an indicator of cancer. This makes the preservation of a mole important.
One of the ways a mole can indicate a problem is by changing color. If it has been tattooed over with pigment, it may hinder your ability to spot any color differences.
For your safety, it is best that a mole not be tattooed over…ever. However, a mole can be tattooed around. Sometimes moles are even incorporated purposely into the design to serve an artistic purpose.
Be sure to keep an eye on your mole for any changes in size or color & see a doctor immediately if it does.
We reserve the right to refuse service to any client that appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Pain killers, aspirin, ibuprofen & anesthetics are not required prior to being tattooed. In fact, most will usually compromise the experience & may possibly cause problems, such as increased bleeding.
Indeed, there are.
We can not & will not tattoo:
Sunburned or otherwise damaged/compromised skin
Anyone that is pregnant or breast feeding
Anyone that is intoxicated
Anyone under the age of 16
Post-tattoo, you must wait at least 2 weeks (yes, 14 days) before exposing the area to direct sunlight, swimming (pools, lakes oceans, etc.), soaking in a hot tub, hanging out in a sauna, getting a massage, or receiving any kind of spa treatment on the affected.
Your new tattoo is an abrasion wound, so use common sense & don’t expose it to any unnecessary chemicals, bacteria, dirt, etc.
ALWAYS wash your hands BEFORE & AFTER touching your tattoo while it is in the healing phase!!
We will provide you with very detailed aftercare instructions for handling your new tattoo. If you follow them, your tattoo will heal as quickly & hassle-free as possible Yay.
We absolutely, positively NOT do tattoos that:
Aren’t safe
Will fall out
Don’t read well
Won’t hold up well & stand the test of time
Are racist in any way
Are on any person visibly intoxicated
Are on assholes…figuratively & literally
This includes:
All white tattoos
Inside of the mouth, including lips
Eyebrows, Eyeliner, Lipliner, or Areolas
Fingers and Knuckles
Tattoos with no black outlines (at each individual artist’s discretion)
Genitalia.
We WILL, however, advise you of our reasoning for denying a service along with any potential problems & longevity issues that may arise from your decision to have any of the above performed.
YES, we do!
Laser Removal services are performed in-house by Lansing Laser’s awesome staff of Certified Laser Technicians …all of whom have received certification as both a Laser Technician & a Laser Safety Officer from The National Laser Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Lansing Laser uses state-of-the-art Quanta Evo Q-Plus Laser Technology, which is safe for all skin types & incredibly effective on removing all color spectrums…including those pesky yellows & greens.
Absolutely NOT. Would you ask a dentist to come to your house? For real?
Not only is this practice ILLEGAL in the State of Michigan – underground tattooing (& body piercing) is the epitome of unprofessional & unethical practice – the majority of the time it’s also unsanitary (putting your health & safety at risk)….gross.
Most people ask about this because they think it would be cheaper than going to a licensed studio. Ummm, no. In order for a tattoo artist to create a suitable, sanitary environment (& have it be worth their while), it’d actually cost you MORE. Not only is cleanliness & infection control severely compromised in this scenario, odds are that lighting will be inadequate, furniture will not create the proper body positioning necessary to get a good result, & there will not be access to proper drawing/reference materials, photocopiers, etc. It’s just something that any true professional would not be willing to do….period.
If you find someone willing, be wary! Guaranteed they’re in it for the quick money & give zero fu##ks about your health & safety, nor the quality of the artwork. – There’s gotta be a reason why they haven’t been successful in a licensed shop & have to resort to going underground. Artists that can’t get hired at a reputable studio often resort to this. It’s gross & it tarnishes the entire industry. Think about it
If you’d like to do an event involving multiple people for a birthday, bachelor/ette party, memorials, frat initiations, etc. – call us ahead of time & we’ll be more than happy to make arrangements to accommodate your party properly at the shop. We can even arrange for on-site catering, etc.
Off the Map Tattoo in Easthampton, Massachusetts put together an extremely informative essay on “Getting the Perfect Tattoo.” It covers a lot of ground from Artist Loyalty vs Collection, Subject matter & projecting energy, to Commitment & Healing. It’s really great. You should read it.
Hey…No problem…It’s what we’re here for
