about the work.
custom.
the majority of theo’s tattoos are designed custom for clients. this ranges from clients bringing vague ideas that he designs from scratch to clients coming with sketches and references that he refines.
theo will occasionally translate the work of other artists into tattoo, but he asks that, if you’re interested in a piece designed by a working artist, you reach out for permission first.
theo’s main emphases are botanical, illustrative, pinups, and etching, but he’s open to most styles except color realism, largescale blackwork, and cultural/heritage styles such as polynesian, traditional philipino tattoo, and eastern european tattoo.
if there’s something you’re interested in but don’t see represented in theo’s portfolio, feel free to reach out! consults are always free, and he loves to make something new.
flash.
flash and pre-drawn designs are all posted to instagram and are offered up first come, first served. most smaller flash designs are repeatable, while most larger designs are one-offs. if you’re curious about a specific design’s repeatability, feel free to ask!
all flash and pre-drawn designs are booked through the booking form, and aren’t reserved until a deposit is received. if a deposit isn’t received within 24 hours of offering a timeslot for a design, it goes back up for grabs. additionally, if an appointment can’t be booked within the following four weeks, the design goes back up for grabs.
theo is almost always happy to adjust flash, but it often cannot be tattooed smaller than it was designed for. any design that includes figures can be changed to have any body type or features.
coverups.
theo loves the unique challenge that comes with making coverups and reworks, and there’s a section of portfolio dedicated to them.
coverups, however, require a massive amount of trust and flexibility from clients. they are almost always a big commitment in terms of both time and size. most coverups will take longer, take up more space, and be visually darker than the original tattoo—and often, there are limitations in what subject matter will work well.
many of theo’s coverups are freehanded directly on the body to fit, and he’s happy to offer reduced-rate drawing sessions if you’d like to see potential freehand options before committing to tattooing.
theo isn’t able to take on every coverup request, but is always happy to refer requests out to other artists he trusts.
policies.
deposit.
theo asks for a nonrefundable $100 deposit/drawing fee within 24 hours of selecting an appointment time in order to secure slots. if this isn’t provided within that timeframe, the slot is once more up for grabs.
for single sessions, this comes out of the final cost of the tattoo. for multi-session projects, this will be held and subtracted from the final session.
if you reschedule within 48 hours or are more than 30 minutes late to your appointment time, this deposit is forfeit. if you no-call/no-show, your deposit is forfeit and theo will not be able to work with you in the future. no-call/no-shows are incredibly difficult for tattooers to work around, so please, please send an email if anything comes up—even if that’s simply “i changed my mind.”
if you reschedule more than twice, your deposit is forfeit. if i reschedule more than twice, i’ll return your deposit to you.
if a design is rejected and must be fully redrawn, i keep the deposit as a drawing fee to compensate for my design time, and will collect a new deposit before i begin on a second design.
deposits must be applied to a tattoo session within six months of sending them.
if you don’t bring legal, non-expired, government id with a photo of your face on it in addition to a full covid vaccine record (currently meaning one full initial series and at least one booster), you will be turned away and your deposit will be forfeit.
i collect deposits digitally, and will send payment details when i offer appointment times. please do not send a deposit without being offered an appointment time first.
artist policies.
theo is a cash only artist, and asks that you prepare ahead of time for this. he currently charges a sliding scale hourly rate of $200-250. sliding scale is no questions asked—please pay whatever feels right for you within that range. there will never be expectations or questions about your payment.
theo generally does not provide exact quotes for larger works over 2.5 hours, and instead treats the budget submitted via booking form as the quote. this does not mean that you will be charged the top of your budget; it does mean that theo has the freedom to design with a broad range in mind, and it gives more freedom to make changes last minute or day-of without surprise price changes.
when theo does give a quote, he will never exceed it unless size, placement, or significant design elements are changed day-of, in which case he willl communicate any potential price changes.
drawings are not shared ahead of time, but all appointments are padded with additional time for any adjustments. if drastic changes are needed, you may be rescheduled. if the design is changed completely, you may be asked for an additional deposit/drawing fee.
theo offers one free touchup within the first year. thereafter, they’re offered at his normal rate.
theo does not tattoo anyone under the age of 18, even with consent of a parent or guardian. there are no exceptions to this whatsoever.
theo does not tattoo with numbing creams as they can affect the skin in unpredictable ways. if you need numbing cream for a tattoo, that’s perfectly okay! he will simply refer you out to other artists who are comfortable working with them.