what tattoo styles do you do?

While Carlos is known to be a very versatile artist, there are a few styles that he will not accept. The following tattoo styles are NOT currently available through Carlos:

  • Tribal

  • Celtic/Knotwork

  • Japanese Traditional

  • American Traditional

  • Lettering/Script

  • Watercolor

  • Bio-Mechanical/Bio-Organic

Carlos generally accepts tattoos of a more illustrative/newschool, or realistic style. You can find his portfolio on this website to get a better idea of the style of tattoos you can expect from Carlos.

 

Will I need an appointment?

Yes.

Due to high demand and numerous large-scale projects, getting a tattoo from Carlos generally requires an appointment. Carlos tends to be booked out for at least a few months at a time, so if you are interested in getting a tattoo from him be sure to prepare accordingly!

If you are interested in getting a tattoo, please either send an appointment request (The ‘Booking’ tab on this site) or call the studio to find the best time to talk about your tattoo idea and start making it a reality. After a consultation with Carlos, we will be able to search for the soonest available dates that work with your schedule and be able to book a tattoo appointment with him.

 

how much does a tattoo cost?

Carlos charges an hourly rate of $200 per hour of tattoo time. There are a number of factors that determine the final, overall price of your tattoo and can come in the forms of size, placement, complexity, color vs. black/grey, and several other variables. If there is a specific budget you have in mind for a project, it’s always best to mention that during the consultation so that Carlos can have an idea of what to draw; if you are unsure about some details or sizing, it’s always best to have a consultation to help everyone have a better understanding of what all may be needed to complete the tattoo.

 

How do I make an appointment?

You can use this website (There is a link at the top and bottom of every page) or you can call the studio to speak with someone about setting up a consultation time.

After you have had a consultation, a deposit is REQUIRED to have an appointment booked with Carlos. Until you place a deposit, you DO NOT have an appointment set to receive a tattoo.

 

Cover-Up Info/Questions

 

There isn’t a one-size fits all answer to cover-ups; each one must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Some of the basics will be covered here:

COMPOSITION

  • Not every idea or concept works best for a cover-up. Since the most important part of a cover-up is to hide/cover/obscure an old tattoo; having an open mind to different concepts, positions, or compositions can give a bit more flexibility and possibility to what is feasible in a cover-up. Sometimes adding a little background or composition change has the largest impact on covering a tattoo.

SIZING

  • Generally speaking, most cover-ups will NEED to be larger than the old tattoo. Consider this analogy: If you have a small penny and you want to hide it, stacking another penny on top doesn’t do much to obscure the old object (the first penny). But if you used something a bit larger, like a quarter, it would effectively prevent anyone from knowing that you’ve hidden a penny underneath! Coverups are somewhat similar in concept: a smaller or same-sized design simply will not hide your old design. It will need to take up at least a bit more space than your previous tattoo.

DARKNESS/COLOR

  • First and foremost, a few sessions of laser tattoo removal is the ABSOLUTE BEST way to lighten your tattoo enough to give yourself more options. The darker or more complex your old tattoo is, the fewer options you start to have when considering a new cover-up tattoo. Lightening your old work with laser greatly opens up your options for what can and cannot be done as a cover-up; even if your old tattoo isn’t completely gone, a few sessions to lighten the old tattoo goes a VERY long way in making other options possible.

  • Typically, a design that is either darker or more complicated can obscure many aspects of an old tattoo. If your old tattoo is very dark, this can reduce what is possible as a cover-up. A consultation is typically required for the final say on what can and can’t be done, but as a general rule: the darker your old tattoo is, the more dark/complex areas your new tattoo will require. To repeat: A few sessions of laser tattoo removal can GREATLY open up what options you have.

  • Color tattoos tend to be the best cover-up option, as opposed to black/grey. With color you have a greater ability to fully saturate the skin, whereas black/grey typically uses the lighter tones as your skin which, in the context of a cover-up, means these areas are not tattooed, and CANNOT cover a tattoo. There are some potential options for black/greyscale tattoos, but in a general sense, color tattoos give you the most options and flexibility in a cover-up.

  • Color tones are very important in tattoos, but especially in cover-ups. Lighter colored tattoos, like a polar bear, most likely will not cover up a darker tattoo, like a black bear. Please keep this in mind when considering possible cover-up options.

SCARRING/RAISED SKIN

  • If your old tattoo has heavy scarring or the skin has raised, please consider the fact that these are irreversible. A cover-up tattoo can absolutely distract from some aspects of your old tattoo, but if the skin itself is raised/sunken/etc., a new tattoo cannot change the old texture of your skin. Even if you put a solid black fill on the entire body part of your old tattoo, the raised areas will always remain raised, therefore slightly more visible due to the texture of the skin itself.

  • Some lighter scarring can be covered up, but all scarring is considered on a case-by-case basis. Minor lightening of the skin isn’t an issue for a cover-up, but heavier scarring and damaged skin typically can’t be disguised or changed by tattoo ink.

SESSIONS

  • It is generally a good idea to work on cover-ups in more than one session. Obviously, with travel or other circumstances this may be more difficult, but allowing the tattoo time to heal and have a ‘second coat’ in some areas can vastly improve the overall effectiveness of the cover-up.

 

Touch-Ups and Reworks

 

Sometimes a tattoo might not heal perfectly. There are a lot of factors in play for this, but if your tattoo doesn’t heal quite right, no worries! Please contact Carlos IMMEDIATELY and we will find time to make the necessary touch-ups for your tattoo.

We ask that you let us know WITHIN THREE MONTHS of receiving your old tattoo so that we can arrange a time. A call, an email, in person, anything to let us know. If you reach out within this time frame, your touch-up will be free!

However, waiting longer past this point starts to enter the territory of natural aging: over time your tattoo will age and look different than the day you got it. Sure, it may look as good as new for many years, but after some time a minor touch-up to one area will be notably different than the rest of the tattoo: it could look darker or brighter than the rest of the ink due to the natural aging process of your skin and the tattoo. Going back into a tattoo, say, ten years later is a completely different scenario than going back into the same tattoo when it’s fresher/newer and would require more reworking.

Reworking a tattoo is a bit of a lengthier process that requires going over all of the old lines/colors/tones to freshen up the piece and keep its overall consistency: This is NOT a free procedure that is offered. So please, if you notice any part of your tattoo may need a slight touch-up or tweak reach out ASAP to prevent paying extra.