Come prepared for the tattoo by reading this tattoo care page.

Follow the aftercare instructions!

Leave a review at my current studio The Artists’ Grove and on my personal business page Chai Sun Lee.

Sign up for my newsletter (bottom of the page!

Submit healed photos.

Be authentic! I want you to feel comfortable emailing or texting me if you ever have questions. Just know you’re not much of a stranger after I tattoo you~

Tattoo artists all have different opinions!

But check out my little page for tips on Pre, During, and Aftercare:

Chaisunlee.com/tattoo-care

So typically, I do touch-ups for free. I don’t mind fixing up my mistakes, darkening some areas, or making minor adjustments. Tips are nice to offset the cost of daycare and supplies.

However, if you obviously damaged your tattoo through improper aftercare, or if you want major changes, I will charge my hourly rate.

Request a touch-up here.

Most tattoo artists only get paid while they are tattooing.

We also:

1. Market Extensively

2. Design Tattoos

3. Communicate & Collaborate

4. Buy our own supplies

5. Give the shop a significant portion of our pay

6. Self-Educate

7. Do Community Outreach

8. Manage Digital Assets

9. Do our own Taxes

10. And in my case, pay a significant amount in childcare to accommodate popular tattoo hours.

What this amounts to is often about 15%-40% of our hourly rate. So if I charge $200/hr in tattooing, I am netting a small portion of that.

I hope that demystifies the price a little bit!

I, personally, do not expect tips. And I will never hold it against you. Tattoos are expensive!

I will say though, it does give me a little dopamine boost, helps me financially, and lets me know you appreciate the tattoo.

I typically advise a $40-200 tip to any tattoo artist, not just me. It can help offset meals, supplies, and just bring a little bit of joy into their lives— improving the stamina of their career.

If you want to provide an alternative tip, I currently would love to receive:

For my indoor/outdoor garden

• Large flattened cardboard with tape removed

• Bird Seed

• Wildflower Seeds

• Vegetable Starts

• Houseplants

• Large Pots

• Moss

• Garden Tools

• Large swaths of bark

• Mirrors

For my kiddos

• Bright, fun wall-art or trinkets

• Craft Supplies

• Funny Hats

• Child-Friendly Board Games

My Personal Wishlist

• Woodcutting Axe

• Big Mirror

• Hybrid Bicycle

• 401k

I don’t normally recommend numbing cream/sprays. It can cause these issues:

• Swelling of the skin, making it difficult to tattoo

• Late start time, as it takes an hour to set

• The stencil adheres poorly and does not have enough time to properly set

• Your own hormones do not activate to combat the pain, so when the lidocaine wears off, it can hurt way worse

• If we must continue to apply lidocaine spray, it can take 15min to soak in and wear off within 20 min

• Increased likelihood of ink loss and scarring

• More expensive tattoo, as I charge hourly

It’s ultimately your call, and you can provide your own numbing cream if you would like to. Do not apply it until you arrive at the shop, as I do not want it to sit for too long and make your skin too difficult to tattoo.

If you absolutely want to avoid pain at all costs, I just might not be the artist for you.

One-two chill buddies are great! They can hang out and hold your hand while you get tattooed.

Highly opinionated, coercive or persuasive friends/family should be left at home though. It’s your body, your choice.

As a mother of three, I know what a pain in the identity this can be. I do not want to tattoo a pregnant or breastfeeding person.

It can:

• Weaken the immune system, leading to potential miscarriage or intensifying illness

• Reduce the amount of ink that holds, since white blood cells are responsible for holding the ink in your dermis

• Introduce trace amounts of heavy metals into your placenta and breastmilk, which can be harmful to your baby

You must be 18 years or older to be tattooed in Texas. No, parents/guardians cannot sign off.

Minors can hang out at the studio so long as they don’t cause sheer chaos. We’re nice and family friendly here.

Yep! I’ve done it. Self-harm scars, accidents, and surgery scars. I’m happy to talk to you about it.

If you want to provide a design, I will typically encourage you to let me redesign it in my style. If you designed it yourself, I’m more flexible.

If you get explicit permission from the artist who made it, I can agree to tattoo it for you.

I will not tattoo other people’s artwork without permission, but I might tattoo photo references and even AI generated images (within reason).

Life happens. I’m flexible. Let me know as soon as you know, please. 24 hours or more is ideal.

If you no-call-no-show, I will not refund your deposit.

If you cancel multiple times in a row within 24 hours, even with reasons, I will not refund your deposit.

I take my job seriously, but also sometimes I am a socially inept clod or have a bad day. I am sorry if I have ever caused you distress, and I would love your feedback to help me improve as a professional and human-being.

Also, if anybody else in the local industry has harmed you in any way, you can let me know. I do not like drama whatsoever, but if it is a safety issue and you need someone to confide in, I am a listening ear.

You can leave me a note here:

CONCERNS/COMPLAINTS

If you are clearly drunk or unable to consent due to a lack of presence, I will not tattoo you. No tattoo artist, I repeat, no tattoo artist should tattoo you if you cannot consent.

In addition (not everybody is clear on this,) no tattoo artist should sexually/romantically coerce you while you’re being tattooed. (And I do not want to be hit on while tattooing you.)

Those behaviors are an abuse of power, and if you have ever endured that you can always reach out to me and ask me for advice.

I honestly don’t care what your political affiliation or gender identity is as long as you’re not an asshole. I always reserve the right to refuse service.

If you bring hate into the studio, like racism, transphobia, misogyny or misandry, or other forms of bigotry, I absolutely can and will escort you out. I have friends across many walks of life, and I do not appreciate blatant hatred.

It’s hard to overshare on my tattoo table.

I personally enjoy the short-term intimacy that tattooing brings. There’s a bit of a “stranger-phenomenon” where you can share your heart and bring home no drama.

I am highly empathetic, both affectively and cognitively. I will care for you to the best of my ability. Of course, there is no pressure to share and you can chill however you wish. I like learning from people too.

I also often share my life’s journey, if we vibe in that way. Life is complex, and I consider authenticity to be a public service nowadays.

That being said, we both should be able to ask for quiet time with no fear of reprisal.

Try to be socially appropriate if there are kids in the studio.

I’m very, very picky on my apprentice. The stars must align for me.

However, I do offer a one-time free consultation for aspiring tattoo artists to help demystify and empower them to enter into the industry in a more healthy and aware fashion.

TATTOO COACHING

Learn more with the link above.