FAQ

Tattoo Day!

Please arrive at your scheduled appointment time, with a state or federally issued ID, in order to fill out the necessary paperwork. Make sure to have eaten at least three hours before your appointment, and feel free to bring along a small snack or drink with you. We have a water cooler and juice boxes available at the shop, if needed.

Be sure to wear clothing that allows your artist to easily access the area to be tattooed. You clothing is likely to get permanently stained, so dress accordingly. Be comfy, we won’t judge!

You’re welcome to bring a friend with you, but please be aware, they may need to sit in the waiting room, depending on how many tattoos are being performed in the service area. We will always do our best to be accommodating, but tattoo sessions can be quite long, and are not always the most entertaining thing for guests. Luckily, we’re surrounded by cafes, bars, and excellent shops, if they need to kill some time while they wait.

Unfortunately, Oregon state law requires that minors cannot be in the service area while tattoos are being performed. Please arrange for child-care during your appointment time.

If you are sick or suspect you may be getting sick, please call and reschedule your appointment. Your body cannot properly heal a tattoo if your immune system is already stressed, and we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who is showing symptoms of a cold or the flu.

While we do our best to estimate the length of your tattoo appointment, they sometimes run long for reasons beyond our control. It’s best to clear your schedule for a few hours afterwards, so you can be relaxed throughout the procedure.

Booking

Please see your artist’s portfolio page for their individual contact information. Many tattoo appointments may be booked through e-mail, but some may require an in-person consultation, depending on the complexity and size of the design.

A consultation is a short appointment during which you and your artist will discuss the specifics of your design. These can take anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your concept. Please be sure to e-mail any relevant reference pictures to direwolfpdx@gmail.com or your artist’s personal e-mail address beforehand. You’re also welcome to bring print outs, but digital is preferred.

All tattoo appointments will require a non-refundable deposit, which is subtracted from the final price of the tattoo. Depending on your artist’s preference, the deposit may be taken through PayPal, card, or cash.

Deposits

We generally require a deposit of $70-$100, depending on the size of the tattoo. Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable, if appointments are rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice. Deposits are good for six months after the original appointment date.

Rates

All Dire Wolf artists set their own rates, but in general, keep their prices close to $160/hour with a $100 minimum. Some single-session tattoos may be charged by the piece, as opposed to an hourly rate. All artists are happy to give an accurate quote before a tattoo session is booked. Please contact them directly for more information.

Designs

Most tattoo appointments are booked with enough time to allow for some revision of your design before application. Dire Wolf artists do not e-mail tattoo designs. However, when possible, an appointment may be set for you to review the drawing in person before your tattoo day. Please discuss your options with your tattoo artist during your initial consultation.

Rescheduling

If you must reschedule your appointment, please give as much notice as possible. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required, or your deposit will be forfeited, except at your artist’s discretion.

Late Arrivals

Please arrive promptly at your appointment time, in order to fill out the necessary paperwork. If you are going to be more than a few minutes late, please call or text the shop phone at 971-983-7039. Clients arriving more than fifteen minutes late for their appointments may need to reschedule, depending on their artist’s availability for the day. Clients arriving over thirty minutes late for their appointments may need to forfeit their deposit, at the artist’s discretion.

Aftercare

See our aftercare page for detailed instructions, or follow those specified by your artist.

Touch Ups

We’re here for you, if something doesn’t heal right. Please allow at least 6-8 weeks after your appointment for your skin to full recover - if there’s something you’re not happy with, all artists at Dire Wolf guarantee their work. You get one free touch up for each tattoo. Please note, there are few body parts that are exempt from this policy, but your artist will fully clear this with you beforehand.

If you have a question that is not answered above, feel free to e-mail your tattoo artist or direwolfpdx@gmail.com, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.