Frequently Asked Questions
How can I book an appointment?
There are many ways! The easiest is to fill out our booking form in the Booking tab of our website. You can also stop into the shop any time during business hours, give our shop number a call, or shoot us an email, and we do our best to get back to you in a timely manner!
If I’ve never gotten a tattoo, or I haven’t been tattooed in a long time, is there anything I can do to prepare for my appointment?
Most definitely.
It helps us to do our job better if you do the following: drink lots of water, moisturize and lightly exfoliate the area you plan to have tattooed daily as far in advance as you can, be prepared to sit or lay for hours on end if it’s a large piece, make sure you dress comfortably and in clothes that are able to expose the body part you plan to get tattooed (you may also possibly get ink stains on your clothes), make sure you eat within an hour or so of getting tattooed because it can affect whether or not your blood pressure drops and eating could decrease the likelihood of passing out. We have a variety of snacks and drinks available for purchase, so no need to stop at a gas station beforehand!
Please also keep in mind that we currently are only accepting cash, but we do have an ATM for use inside the shop.
How do I take care of my fresh tattoo? Do I need to buy anything prior to coming?
Unless you have very specific allergies that we aren’t aware of ahead of time, you do NOT have to buy anything prior.
We will go over proper aftercare in person with you at your appointment, as well as give you an aftercare pamphlet to take home with you!
We have lots of different options for aftercare available for purchase that are top of the line products. Tattoo artist aftercare preferences vary from person to person, but we all make sure that you have the greatest possible outcome for your tattoo every step of the way. For every client (depending on your allergies) we provide a sterile/medical adhesive bandage to the tattooed area that ensures easy efficient healing.
Can I bring any guests? Can I bring my kids with me?
Each artist has their own preference about guests so it’s best to inquire personally beforehand - we don’t have an abundance of space in each artist station for a group of guests, but usually one additional person is acceptable.
We prefer any kids younger than 16 are kept at home or in the care of someone you trust, as it’s an unsuitable environment for them (potentially biohazardous material/floors, fun looking decorations that are delicate or shouldn’t be touched, constant distraction of client getting tattooed, etc)
There are specific situations where there may be exceptions, so please reach out to us if you’re ever unsure. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
How old do I have to be to get tattooed?
In New York state, you must be 18 years old to be tattooed - there are no exceptions to this, not even with parental or guardian consent. We do not want to put ourselves at risk with the law.
Can I do any sort of payment plan, or pre-pay for my tattoo in full?
This sort of scenario will have to be discussed with whichever artist you are getting tattooed by, but it’s not our recommendation to go this route. There are more chances of having issues keeping track of what amount is used per session, so we prefer to keep everything standard to doing a specific amount of work in a day and getting paid for just that amount of work. It’s more fair to the customer as well, as there have been situations when an artist is given a large sum of money, and then the customer runs into financial issues and needs the money back. It is considered a deposit at that point, and deposits are non-refundable, so it’s best to just avoid complications!
Do you sell gift certificates for tattoo or piercing credit?
We do! Please know that you must come into the shop in person to pay for the gift certificate, as it’s easier for us to direct the payment amount to the specific artist (if there is one), as well as give the physical paper certificate to you. Please specify if you have a preferred artist you’d like the credit to go to - if there is an artist’s name on the certificate, the credit must be used with that artist.
If you’re using your gift certificate for a tattoo, PLEASE let us know ahead of time/at the start of the appointment!
Gift certificates do have an expiration date of a year, so please keep that in mind when you’re buying/gifting to someone/planning ahead to making an appointment.
I can’t make it to my appointment/I’m moving away. Can I have my deposit back?
Unfortunately, all money given to the artist ahead of time is considered a deposit, and is non-refundable. Each artist has differing amounts that they ask for per project, and they won't ask for more than that ahead of time. If the project will take multiple sessions, the deposit will come off the final session’s cost.
We understand that situations may arise to where you aren’t able to make an appointment for any given reason, but there is a reason we take deposits - we need to ensure that you’re serious to set a date with us, because that would block out any other person from getting tattooed by us that day. If you don’t show up, that takes money away from us that we could’ve made. It also covers our time spent on working on drawing/creating/researching your project.
Regardless of the reason of not being able to make the appointment, if you can’t make it and don’t let us know 24 hours prior to the appointment, the deposit is void, and a new deposit must be placed to make another appointment.
I’ve felt uncomfortable in other tattoo shops for one reason or another. Is this a good space for me?
Every person at Andromeda takes pride in creating a comfortable environment for every client that comes in the door. We do not discriminate anyone based on sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, skin color, or disability. Many of us have experienced uncomfortable feelings going into certain tattoo shops that don’t adhere to any standards of professionalism (not kept clean, unfriendly/unwelcoming, crude, or too forward/crosses boundaries).
We do adhere to all of these standards of professionalism, and go above and beyond what’s expected of us. We also will never ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable doing, or not having privacy if you’re getting tattooed or pierced in an intimate spot. You have full bodily autonomy throughout the entire process, and we will never pressure you into getting a tattoo or piercing that you don’t want.
Would it be possible to come to the shop just to visit and see what it’s like?
Absolutely! Anyone is welcome to come in any time during business hours to check out our space and make sure it’s a place you’d like to come back to for anyone’s tattoo needs. We often have events that don’t require a cost to get in, as we would like to do more to involve our community.
Do I need to prepare any drawings for my tattoo appointment?
No, we don’t recommend any client doing any extensive design creation for their appointment for a handful of reasons. This step tends to be an extra cost to have a separate artist commissioned to create a design, when we will provide that for free/included in the cost of the deposit amount. There is also different tattoo design rules that must be adhered to, and often artists who don’t also tattoo wouldn’t be familiar with these specific rules when creating a design. Each artist has their own specific style or way to create their designs and ultimately it makes it easier for us to transfer into a tattoo. If you’re seeking out one of our artists, that indicates to us that you’ve seen their work in their portfolio and enjoy that specific artist’s work for a reason - please trust in the design that we create for you. We will communicate with you to be sure that you’re more than happy with the end result every step of the way. If anything, we will ask you if you have any photo references of what you have in mind (doesn’t have to be exact, just an idea, or a style to give us a jumping off point).
I want to become a tattoo artist but I don’t know where to start. What should I do?
First and foremost, being a tattoo artist is an incredible career to have - and we let everyone know ahead of time who asks this that it is also incredibly difficult. The best possible scenario is to inquire about getting an apprenticeship at a tattoo shop local to you. Please do not acquire any means to tattoo on your own, as it is extremely dangerous and reckless to perform what is basically a medical procedure in an environment that most likely is not sterile, and with equipment that most likely isn’t up to par. Bad tattoos will last forever, and the possibility of giving yourself or someone else an infection/bloodborne pathogen contamination is a great risk.
Research different tattoo artists (local and global), find styles that you like. Create lots and lots of art, and develop a portfolio. Bring this portfolio to a tattoo shop, and show this to someone you’d like to apprentice under. Make sure the portfolio has completed pieces, and not just sketches or rough drafts. Make it look professional - proper presentation shows attention to detail. Keep in mind that whoever you ask may turn you down. If that’s the case, and you still want to be a tattoo artist, keep trying. Ask them for criticism about your pieces, and learn from it. It will be a lot of hard work to get to where you want to be, but it is a very rewarding career, and you get out of it the amount of effort you put into it.