Thank you, but no. We are an appointment-only studio. To ensure client safety and privacy, as well as my own, you will be turned away at the door if you show up without an appointment. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to email Rob at booking@tattoosbysunshine.com.
I typically book 2-3 months in advance, and no farther. We’ve found that appointments farther out than that tend to either be forgotten, or become downgraded in importance (i.e., a concert that someone learned about a week ago takes precedence over a tattoo booked 4 months ago). My books open to email list subscribers a week before the general public. Once all dates are filled for a given time frame, we close them back up, and no more appointments are taken until the next round unless a cancellation opens up a spot.
All of our scheduling is done with Rob via email. Simply message us at booking@tattoosbysunshine.com with a description of what you’re looking to get, where, and what size. We encourage you to include any reference pics/design ideas you have, links to Pinterest boards, or other files (e.g., Google Slides, Docs, PDFs, etc.) that help convey your vision. Once you and Rob nail down the details, he’ll send a selection of available dates/times from which you can choose. If none work for you, additional options will be provided, if available.
While the overwhelming majority of our consultations are done via email with Rob, we understand that some people may not feel fully comfortable with our process, and that some projects require an extra level of coordination between Sunshine and the client. In these circumstances we are happy to provide in-person consultations if we can. In-person consultations are scheduled just like standard appointments, and require the same project info, but are no-cost and do not require a deposit. If you’d like to book an in-person consultation, simply mention it to Rob when discussing your project.
Pricing is generally done by the piece, based on an hourly rate of $175. Though we strive to be as accurate as possible, quotes offered when booking are rough estimates only. The final price may vary at the appointment due to the inherent difficulty in estimating how much time/work a piece may take. Size, complexity, style, placement, and a client’s ability to sit all play a determining factor in the final price.
Yes, my current minimum is $350. As my focus is on larger projects (typically 4+ hours), smaller appointments are only offered when my schedule allows.
Yes. We require a $100-200 non-refundable deposit to hold your appointment, which will be applied to the total cost of the piece upon completion. For multi-session projects, your deposit will be carried to the next corresponding appointment through to your final sitting.
In the event that you need to cancel or reschedule, your deposit will carry once provided we are given at least 48 hours notice via email. Any subsequent reschedules/cancellations, or those with less than 48 hours notice, will result in forfeiture of your deposit, and another being required in order to secure an appointment. No-call no-shows and/or recurrent cancellations/reschedules will result in deposit forfeiture and denial of future services.
*Please note that deposits for November/December appointments do not carry. Cancellations/reschedules will result in forfeiture of your deposit, and another being required in order to secure a new spot regardless of reason.
While I appreciate you reaching out, I do not answer DMs on my socials. It’s just too difficult to try to keep track of clients, project info, and inquiries across multiple platforms. The best way to contact me is by emailing booking@tattoosbysunshine.com.
Barring emergency circumstances, we communicate exclusively through email. Not only does having everything in writing vastly reduce miscommunication issues, it allows for the conversation to continue at the best possible time for each of us.
No. We do not allow minors on the premises. No exceptions.
No. It is illegal in the state of Illinois to tattoo a minor, regardless of consent.
Absolutely! You are welcome to bring one (1) Emotional Support Human of your choosing, but they must be 18+ years of age.
Due to numerous adverse client reactions, I do not allow the use of numbing creams. Using one will result in being turned away, and forfeiture of your deposit. Not only do they generally not work (they are topical and only numb the top layers of skin, while tattoos penetrate deeper), they can actually make the tattoo more painful by altering the consistency of the skin, making it “rubbery” and hard to penetrate. The end result is that I am forced to overwork the tattoo to compensate, which can increase post-session pain and the likelihood of scarring. On top of all that, they are completely unregulated; we just have to take the manufacturer’s word as to the ingredients.
All pieces are eligible for one (1) free touch-up within the first year, after they are fully healed (6-8 weeks old).