The best way to contact Blackwood Tattoo is through email. We are unable to book over the phone and will not have time to answer the phone during the day. Please, no phone calls unless it is to let us know you are running late or for an emergency last minute cancellation.

Send an email to the artist you would like to get tattooed by with your rough ideas or sketches.

Send any pictures that will help us get an idea of what style you would like.

Give us an approximate size of the tattoo in inches and where you wanted it placed on the body.

If you have an existing tattoo we are working around, take a picture of the area you want to get tattooed and send it to us.

Let us know if you would like the tattoo colour or black & grey.

Email us as much information as possible about your tattoo idea so we have a clear vision of what you want done. With this information we can work with your ideas to design a custom tattoo.

Keep in mind, the minimum age for getting tattooed is 18 with proper ID.

We are a busy shop and only reply to emails once per day. So if you don’t hear back from us immediately, don’t be alarmed, we will reply as soon a possible.

All tattoo appointments require a deposit. This deposit is subtracted from the price of your tattoo on your last appointment date.

If you don’t show up for your  appointment, if you don’t give us 48 hours cancellation notice and reschedule your appointment for a later date, or if you cancel the appointment entirely after your custom drawing has been started, then you will lose your deposit.

It is extremely difficult to provide exact tattoo quotes. We can only give you a rough approximate of how much we think it may cost. It may cost less, it may cost more.

Price is determined by size and detail or for larger pieces, tattoo time. Our minimum fee is $150 + tax and for larger pieces, each artist has their own hourly rate.

If you have a budget in mind, please let us know and we can design something in that price range.

For the comfort of other clients, we prefer you come to your appointment alone, but we do allow a friend or family member to come with you. Space is limited to one guest per client in the tattoo area. All we ask is that your spectator remains calm and quiet and to please turn off all cell phones as they can be a distraction during the tattoo process.

Children are not permitted. Please arrange for babysitting prior to your appointment.

Our artists reserve the right to refuse any tattoo.

Tattoos are permanent and we want our clients to happy with their tattoos even into their old age. For this reason, we will not tattoo faces, necks or hands.

An exception to the rule would be if you are already heavily tattooed. For example, we will only tattoo hands if you already have full sleeves.

Be well rested.

Eat a big meal beforehand.

Drink a lot of water.

Avoid alcohol, painkillers and illicit drugs the day before and the day of. Any of these = more pain & more blood = more difficult tattoo.

Bring snacks & water.

Wear deodorant, don’t douse yourself in perfume or cologne, your artist will appreciate it.

Dress comfortably, appropriately and in dark colours to avoid ink and blood stains.

Stretch or do some light exercise beforehand, you will be in the same position for a while.

Stay calm. Breathing normally and not tensing up will make it hurt less.

Set aside more time than you think you’ll need, you don’t want to rush this.

You can not get tattooed if you are sick, pregnant or nursing. Keep in mind you are going through trauma and can't be sure how your body will react.

Now that you have a tattoo, you’ll want to take good care of it. The first week of healing is critical to how your piece will look for the rest of it’s life. Here’s a look at some things that should be avoided during this time.

There’s a fine line between over-caring and under-caring for your tattoo.

After removing your bandage, gently wash the tattoo with an antibacterial, fragrance free soap & hot water. When you exit the shower, be certain not to rub your tattoo with a towel, gently pat it dry.

If you find your tattoo is getting unbearably itchy and so dry that it is starting to crack, use a dab of fragrance free lotion or coconut oil for sensitive skin types. Rub it in well and avoid the temptation to slather it on.

Do NOT use ointments like Vaseline, Polysporin or any tattoo aftercare products. Your skin needs to breathe to promote the healing process and ointments such as these will suffocate the pores, making it hard for the skin to breathe.

For example, if you get a tattoo on your back, you need to sleep on your belly for a few days. If you can sleep with your tattoo exposed, that would be best.  If not, wear a form fitting, cotton T-shirt to bed to protect your tattoo from sticking to the sheets. In the morning the cotton T-shirt will be stuck to you, don’t peel it off, wet it off with cool or lukewarm water.

Do not touch your tattoo unless you have freshly washed your hands. Keeping your tattoo clean is paramount to the healing process and keeping your tattoo clean and dry will avoid a potential infection.

You will want to avoid prolonged water contact during your first 2-3 weeks with a tattoo. You can shower, washing your tattoo is encouraged – but you shouldn’t submerge your tattoo in baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, lakes or salt water. Standing water = unhealthy bacteria & irritants.

No sun or tanning beds while your tattoo heals. You will feel your fresh tattoo burning when it’s exposed to sunlight. If your tattoo feels hot and irritated, stay out of direct sunlight.  If you must be out in the sun, keep it covered. The sun and tanning beds will fade a tattoo even after it’s healed. You will need to use sunscreen on your tattoo from now on, the higher SPF the better.

Scabbing is a very normal part of the tattoo healing process. DO NOT PICK THE SCAB. Don’t scrub it either. Scabbing will typically be the same color as the pigment that was used. If you pick or scrub your scab, you risk pulling out the color or causing hypertrophic scarring. Let the tattoo heal by itself.

Professional tattoo artists do everything possible to ensure safe tattooing practices. However, we are not medical professionals. If weird shit is going down with your tattoo, don’t hesitate to consult with your artist or a doctor right away.