Faq
***WE DO NOT OFFER PIERCING SERVICES OR BODY JEWELRY***
How do I go about getting a tattoo at Noodles Tattoo?
If you’re new to Noodles Tattoo, firstly: Welcome!
Secondly, it’s important to be aware of how the studio handles consultations, appointments, and walk-ins. To familiarize yourself with our shop processes, please read this page. To familiarize yourself with the work we produce, we recommend checking out our work on Facebook or Instagram (but note that we do NOT do appointment inquiries via social media, just by email).
FOR APPOINTMENTS:
FASTEST & EASIEST WAY TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT: come to the shop in person during business hours—that way we can see your reference images, talk with you, set up an appointment, and collect a deposit all in one fairly quick exchange.
Or you can email each artist directly…
Noodles/Emil: noodlestattooer@gmail.com
Rich: tattsbyrich@gmail.com
Josh: joshtattooer@gmail.com
Caitlin (Apprentice): caitlinbtattoo@gmail.com
If you have no preference, send inquiries to noodlestattoos@gmail.com and we will pair you with an artist. If you email our shop email address, you will receive an auto-response email containing a questionnaire. Please answer these questions thoughtfully and you will be paired with an artist who can then reach out to you directly.
If you don’t have a reference of exactly the tattoo you’re looking for, that’s okay! It’s also helpful to send photos of the style you’re looking for. Regardless of what you send, we will create a unique piece for you!
Due to a high volume of custom* requests, please allow us extra time to respond. Good tattoos last a lifetime and are worth the wait! *Custom means you’d like us to draw up a unique design for you, often consisting of several elements that you’d like us to bring together to form a cohesive piece. Because of drawing time and preparation, be aware that custom designs can involve longer wait times for appointments.
OR CHOOSE FROM OUR MENU! Tattoo flash = pre-made designs that are ready to be tattooed as-is. Flash can be chosen from any of the paintings on our walls at the shop, or if you find a piece of classic flash from a painting that you like, feel free to bring it to us! Flash can be done by appointment OR as a walk-in any Saturday, or if it’s a weekday feel free to stop by the shop to see if we have availability.
Do you take walk-ins?
Yes! You are always welcome to come in any day we’re open and take a look at our shop and what we offer. We take walk-ins on a first come first served basis and recommend this option for smaller, single-session tattoos. We can’t guarantee availability or wait times since they will vary daily based on the number of walk-ins we receive. Side note: please don’t bring kids or pets with you. On Tuesdays through Fridays, we may have appointments booked, but we can often take walk-ins for smaller/simpler tattoos or flash if one of us has some time. If you’re here at the shop and know what you want, that’s the best way to expedite the process! We reserve Saturdays for walk-ins for smaller/simpler tattoos or flash only, and we do not book any appointments on Saturdays. Keep in mind that there are limits as to what can be done as a walk-in. If you want a large custom piece or a coverup or anything like that, that can take several hours of drawing time so a future appointment may need to be made for something like that. If you’re unsure, just call or email us and we can help advise you.
How soon can I get tattooed?
Depending on the artist, we are typically booked a couple weeks out, with the exception of Saturdays, which we leave open for smaller tattoos. It can take the artists some extra time to sort through emails, but once they get to yours they can usually book you pretty quickly!
If you would like a smaller/simpler tattoo or a relatively small piece of flash (designs chosen from our walls that are ready to be tattooed as-is), just walk in any Saturday. If there is a wait at the time you come in, we’ll put you on the waiting list for that day and do our best to tattoo you that day!
How do Walk-In Saturdays work?
If you’re looking for a smaller, simpler tattoo OR a relatively small piece of flash, simply walk in on any Saturday. A walk-in is NOT an appointment and we do not make appointments on Saturdays. Please don’t bring kids or pets with you, they are not allowed in the shop. When you come in, we will collect information from you to determine whether we can tattoo you that day. If an artist is available right then, we’ll get started on your tattoo, and if there is a wait at the time you arrive, we will place you on our waiting list for the day and call you into the shop if/when one of our artists becomes available. We may ask you to AirDrop or email us some reference images of your desired tattoo imagery. Please communicate your tattoo idea, in full, to the shop assistant to expedite the process!
Please be advised that it is not possible for us to give any time estimates on what time you’ll be able to get tattooed on Saturdays, and we cannot always guarantee a spot. Each tattoo is unique and many factors can determine the length of time it takes. When you are next on the list, we will call you.
How does Get What You Get work?
We offer a variety of fun, small designs in our Get What You Get vending machine! Just walk in and let us know you’d like to do a Get What You Get design.
When you come to the shop, please communicate with us before using the machine. Remember, whatever design you get is what will be tattooed on you that day!
Any of these designs can be done in black and grey or in color.
Do I need a deposit for an appointment?
Once an appointment is made, the artists may require a NON-REFUNDABLE $100 deposit (or $105 if you use a card), though larger pieces may be more. The deposit is subtracted from the final cost of the tattoo. We will process your card info over the phone and send you a receipt through our secure processing. If you prefer, you can also come to the shop in person to bring a cash deposit. If you need to reschedule, you must do so at least 24 hours before your appointment time in order for us to carry over your deposit to the new appointment time. If you cancel and do not reschedule, your deposit will be forfeited. If you no-show, your deposit will be forfeited. Deposits are non-refundable.
Please note that there is a $5 fee on all credit card transactions.
How much does a tattoo cost?
The shop minimum is $100. Even something small will cost at least $100 (or $105 if you’re using a card to pay).
Tattoos that can be completed in one session are priced by the piece. Multi-session tattoos are possibly priced by the hour depending on the artist’s time and resources involved. Not all pricing can be quantified by the elapsed tattooing time; the intricacy of the design, the placement on the body, and the length of the sessions also factor into the price of the tattoo.
We need to know what your tattoo idea is before we are able to estimate a price. For example it is impossible to answer “How much does a full sleeve cost?” without knowing what kind of imagery you’d like your sleeve to consist of.
What payment methods do you accept?
At this time we accept cash, credit cards, and Apple Pay. Please note that there is a $5 fee on all credit card transactions.
Do you have gift cards?
Yes! This is a great idea if you want to give someone the gift of a tattoo. We encourage the gift card recipient to manage all aspects of their own tattoo appointment to ensure a clear line of communication.
How old do I have to be to get a tattoo?
You must be at least 18 years old to get a tattoo, no exceptions. According to Illinois body art code, any person who tattoos or offers to tattoo anyone under the age of 18 is guilty of a misdemeanor, regardless of parental consent.
Note: children (under 18) are not allowed in the shop. Please find alternative care arrangements when receiving your tattoo.
How do I budget for a tattoo?
Basically, there are two types of tattoo budgets: SIZE and PRICE. We have no preference as to which type of budget you have; we just need to know in order to start. The last thing we want for our clients is for them to be put in a financial bind and we do our best to be clear and straightforward so both parties are happy with the results.
If your priority is SIZE, then the price will be decided based on that. If your priority is PRICE, the size and placement of your tattoo will be determined by that parameter. For example, let’s say you want to get a tattoo that covers your entire forearm. We decide what your imagery will be and we draw the tattoo for that area. When the drawing is complete, we can tell you how much that tattoo is going to cost. Conversely, let’s say your mom gave you $250 for your birthday to get a heart with "MOM" in it. We’ll draw the tattoo with that price in mind.
Placement and experience are also factors when getting tattooed so staying open-minded is the best way to get the best tattoo for your money and one Mom will be proud of.
Do I need to pay for the drawing?
We may require a $100 NON-REFUNDABLE deposit (though larger pieces may be higher). This is your appointment deposit, so it's included in the price of your finished tattoo. Basically, the drawing is our property until we apply it to your skin. Then, it's your tattoo and you can do whatever you want with it. Keep in mind that we may need to draw the design at the time of the appointment depending on the complexity of the image. It must “fit” with your body aesthetically and will benefit the outcome of the tattoo if changes are considered at that time, so we may not have a final draft ready until you come in.
Can I see my design before my appointment?
We don’t release our drawings prior to a scheduled tattoo appointment. The main reason is that sharing and reproducing images is extremely easy over the web. We'd rather not have our artwork potentially taken to another artist by you or someone else. While we would never assume that you would do that (would you?!), it has unfortunately happened so we needed to institute this policy.
Another reason we don’t is we draw tattoos in order of appointment so our schedule dictates when we get a drawing finalized. We do our best to give equal care and attention to each client's work which takes as much time as it has to. A line drawing usually looks nothing like your finished tattoo anyway, so you're missing about 2/3 of the information needed to interpret the design at all.
Do I have to send you reference images? Should I send you pictures of tattoos that I like?
You can send as little or as much as you'd like! But we recommend three: Subject, Style, and Colors is a good rule of thumb when sending photos. We will take care of the rest. We feel like most of the tattoo images from an internet or Pinterest search will be mediocre at best, but it’s helpful to know what kind of aesthetic appeals to you. If you've found a specific tattoo(s) that we have done and you want something similar then DEFINITELY let us know. That will help us immensely in figuring out what you're interested in, even if it turns into a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” sort of thing.
I found a specific tattoo on the internet that I like, and I want it exactly.
You can have a design that is similar - be it similar in subject matter, style, or composition, but we won’t steal another tattooer's design. It's not fair to the person who crafted it or the person wearing it. Tattoo FLASH is intended to be used as inspiration for tattoos so it falls into an entirely different category than someone's custom tattoo. (We’re also pretty good at hunting down original sources of common designs). It’s a great place to start if you found a tattoo that you like but don't want to get exactly the same thing.
What if I want to make changes to my design?
No problem. If you want to make small changes, we can make them on the fly on the day of your tattoo appointment. If you want to make big changes or we need to re-draw your idea, we can just reschedule you. Both of these situations are fairly rare occurrences, but we won't make you get a tattoo that you aren't excited about. If you like the tattoos we make or the work of a particular artist, you’ll most likely dig the tattoo we draw for you if we have all the pertinent info.
We've also started scheduling large pieces with new clients on a day where we can take the time to discuss the tattoo and make adjustments. If we feel like we’re ready to make the tattoo that you'd like, we can take our time getting on the same page. This cuts down on time between emails/consultations and execution so information doesn't get lost in the shuffle.
How do I prepare for my tattoo appointment?
The days prior to your appointment: stay hydrated and keep your skin in reasonably good condition (moisturize dry areas, don’t get sunburned, and avoid using self-tanner since it can affect the tattoo process). Be mindful of the day when you’ve scheduled the appointment—we don’t recommend getting tattooed and then going to a wedding or some big event like that later that evening. For one, if we feel rushed and you feel rushed, the tattoo will likely not come out as nice as it could. For two, tattoos require aftercare and you’ll want to set aside time afterwards to do that aftercare and relax. Getting tattooed can be very tiring if you’re getting a larger piece! Also, if you’re about to go on a sunny vacation where you’d like to swim, don’t get tattooed until you come back home. No swimming or sunbathing with a fresh tattoo! These can negatively impact the healing process.
The night before your appointment: avoid drinking a lot of alcohol (getting tattooed while hungover is pretty miserable) and stay hydrated and get rest.
The day of your appointment: please shower and make sure you eat before your appointment! Also stay hydrated and feel free to bring a water bottle and snacks if you’ll be here for a while. Only eat in the front lobby area please. Don’t come in drunk. Be sure to eat after your appointment, and follow your artist’s verbal and written aftercare instructions. Aftercare is an extremely important part of taking care of your body as it is healing, and yields a much better tattoo result.
Always bring your government-issued photo ID to your appointment—driver’s license, passport, etc. When you arrive to your appointment we will give you some paperwork to fill out. Feel free to take your time to read through the paperwork, especially if this is your first time getting tattooed. If you have any questions about price, now is the time to ask your artist! Once they get the line drawing finalized and sized up to you, they can typically give you an estimate.
What you can generally expect: After filling out paperwork, your artist will show you the line drawing. Once you give them the ok, they will prep your skin by cleaning and shaving the area to be tattooed, then apply a stencil of that drawing to your skin. This will look like a temporary purple ink. Then they will have you check out the stencil in the mirror to see if you like the placement. If necessary, the stencil can be wiped off and moved. Once you are happy with the placement, they will get started with the tattoo. Once the tattoo is finished, your artist will give you aftercare instructions and collect payment.
Do you do cover-ups?
We assess cover-ups on a case by case basis. We will need to see you in person to take a look at the tattoo and talk about what’s possible. Not every tattoo can be covered, and no tattoo will necessarily disappear forever—there’s always the risk that some of it will partially show though a new tattoo.
How small can my tattoo be?
Over time, all tattoo ink spreads slightly. Tattoos slightly change in appearance over time, they are not like images rendered on paper or canvas. The size of the tattoo will depend on the complexity and detail of the design. If tattoo lines are too close together, the space between them can disappear over time and start to look like one thicker, blurred line. Once this happens, it is irreversible. Generally, the less detail, the smaller it can possibly be, and the more detail, the larger it needs to be. Your tattooer will provide recommendations for the size of the tattoo; just know that we don’t do this to be difficult, we do it because we know how tattoos age and we want to provide you the best tattoo we can! Keep in mind that sometimes tiny tattoos you see on the internet are actually computer-generated line art photoshopped onto the person’s body at a super tiny size, so this isn’t always an accurate depiction of the recommended size for tattoos.
Can I bring a friend?
You may bring a friend with you, just keep in mind that our tattoo area is small and sometimes we may have guests wait in the lobby.
Do you do finger tattoos?
We will tattoo the tops of fingers in some cases, but we typically decline tattooing the sides of fingers. We do not guarantee any finger tattoos, meaning touch-ups are not included in the price of finger tattoos. Finger tattoos often do not hold up well over time and will often appear blurry, and some areas may “fall out” meaning the ink was not held by the skin, leaving open spaces in the lines. This doesn’t mean all finger tattoos will hold up poorly over time, but there is always a high risk that they won’t hold up well over time. The skin on your hands and feet is different than the skin on the rest of the body and does not hold ink as well. Finger tattoos never look as crisp as when the tattoo was freshly done, they often heal with slightly blurred edges. Plus, we are using our hands almost constantly, which means more wear and tear on the hands and fingers. All these factors contribute to a certain level of risk with finger tattoos, and this also applies to the sides and bottom of the feet.
Can my tattoo be done in colored ink or white ink, rather than black?
We recommend the use of colors and white ink within a tattoo that has a foundation of black outlines, rather than using these to outline the design or as the sole color of the tattoo. Outlines done in colored inks or white ink carry the risk of not aging quite as well as black outlines, and can sometimes appear “patchy” due to parts of the line being less saturated. We have done tattoos with red outlines for example, but we always give the disclaimer that it carries the risk of not aging as well. So, these tattoos are not guaranteed, and touch-ups are not included in the price of tattoos done this way. White ink can be successfully used for small accents within a larger tattoo, but when it is used as the only ink in a tattoo (“white ink tattoos”), it usually ends up not looking white anymore once healed. You’re always seeing tattoos through the melanin in your skin, so white ink tattoos often end up looking yellowish, pinkish, or brownish over time and can sometimes look like a discolored scar. Your tattooer can provide recommendations of the ways that colored inks and white ink can be used in ways that will age well and look nicely in your tattoo. Keep in mind that tattoos you’re seeing on the internet are often fresh rather than healed/aged, and they can look different once they’re healed and aged than they did when they were freshly done!
Do tattoos hurt?
Yes, tattoos can be uncomfortable. Pain level varies from person to person, and the areas of the body that are most painful to one person can be completely different for another person. Most people describe the sensation as a hot scratch or a scratch over a sunburn. It is not the same feeling as having blood drawn or getting a shot. If it were unbearable, you wouldn’t see many people with tattoos! To mitigate the level of pain, it can be helpful to avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol right before you get tattooed. Always be sure you’re well-hydrated and fed before you get tattooed. Also avoid coming to your tattoo appointment hungover, as this can lead to more discomfort. Be ready for discomfort and be prepared to sit or lay in the same position for a while without moving. Keep in mind that moving arms, legs, and head can and will cause other parts of your body to move, which can affect the tattoo application!
How long will it take?
It depends! Every tattoo take a different amount of time depending on the design, size, placement, complexity, how well you sit, etc. Once the tattoo design is created, and the placement and size are chosen, your tattooer can usually give you a ballpark idea of how long it will take. Sitting still and not moving without warning during the process will make things more efficient.