Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I book an appointment?

I open my books twice a year and book up 6 months at a time using a booking form. ALL requests must be made through my booking form. I use the form to stay organized, to streamline my process, and to reduce back-and-forth questions.

You must be at least 18 years of age to book a tattoo with me.

Please see my booking tab for more information.

Q: What is your booking process like?

If you are more of the impulsive type when it comes to your tattoos, I may not be the Artist for you. Due to the large volume of requests I receive, I batch book many months at a time so I can reduce overbooking, better control my schedule, my admin time, and the creative flow of my designing.

My goal as an Artist is to keep my process as communicative and as stress-free for my clients as possible. I always have complete transparency around pricing, and I always deliver your design in advance to look over before your appointment day. In my experience, both of these things help to quell pre-appointment anxiety for clients (more on this below)

Q: Where is your studio?

I work at Tombstone Tattoos; a private, by-appointment-only studio located in Stittsville; with a large, free parking lot on site. After your booking is processed I will send you the address.

Q: Do you charge hourly or by piece?

All my tattoos are quoted as flat rate sessions using a pricing structure that considers the time slot set aside for your appointment, as well as the ‘unpaid’ work. You can see further details here! I quote this way as I find it to be the most fair pricing structure for both myself and my clients, as we both know exactly what to expect upfront.

The truth is tattooing involves extensive unseen work: booking and scheduling, designing, revisions, equipment and supplies, admin, and ongoing overhead. My rates reflect not only the session time, but all the labour and costs required to keep myself healthy and to provide a safe, intentional, high-quality experience. I keep my pricing transparent so I can continue offering the level of care and detail my clients expect from me.

Q: Do you charge tax?

All tattoos are subject to 13% in sales tax, paid in full on the day of your appointment.

Q: How do deposits work?

After submitting a request for a tattoo, a quote will be given to you by email and a $200 deposit will be required before any appointment is officially confirmed. No deposit = no booked tattoo. Your deposit will be deducted from the total of your tattoo after taxes on the day of your appointment. Please see my cancellation policy tab for further details.

Please note, I will ONLY ever ask for a deposit via the email natashajessietattoos@gmail.com, never from another email and never on Instagram, etc (beware of scammers!!!)

Q: What type of tattoos do you like booking?

I specialize in black & grey microrealism with an interest in portraits: (pet, animal, celebrity, family), surrealism, conceptual designs, and flora & fauna. The best representation of my style can be seen here or in my Instagram at @natashajessietattoos.

Microrealism is an extremely time consuming style of tattooing due to all the detail, focus and precision required. Because of this it can be a slow going style, and most pieces 6” or bigger tend to be a full day session.

When submitting a request for a tattoo, please be specific but brief. I thrive when working within design parameters and prefer specifics over full creative freedom. If you aren’t sure what to book but would like a tattoo by me, I recommend you check out my flash! Or if you liked something I’ve done in the past, you’re welcome to request that I design a variation.

A tattoo is a collaborative effort between Client and Artist, and you deserve to work with an Artist who feels as committed to your project as you are. For this reason, I will only ever take on projects that I feel 100% confident in. I always respond to all booking form requests regardless, whether I feel that I am fit for the tattoo or not.

Q: I HEARD MICROREALISM TATTOOS AGE POORLy?

Tattoo ink lives in the dermis, which is a living layer of skin that’s constantly changing. Over time, your immune system slowly interacts with the ink, and natural aging, movement, and sun exposure cause pigment to break down, soften and spread on a microscopic level. Black ink particles are larger and more stable, so they will hold up best long term. But, even perfectly applied tattoos WILL age. It’s a biological process, not an application flaw.

Microrealism can age beautifully when done correctly, as contrast is far more important than size alone. Because this style consists of extremely small details it comes down to the Artist’s skill and technique; as well as the client’s ongoing aftercare and use of SPF. The goal is to ensure aging happens gracefully.

I design each tattoo with long term clarity in mind: I boost contrast and use bold blacks, leave open skin breaks for highlights, and will not tattoo a face smaller than one inch. This allows the design to stay legible as your skin ages.

To be so brutally honest: you can expect fading and blurring in ALL tattoos as you age, as it is biologically impossible to expect otherwise. It is true that microrealism and fineline styles do have a shorter visual lifespan than say, traditional style tattoos. It is important to do your research and decide what your priority is when choosing your tattoo style.

Q: Can you add some colour ink to my tattoo?

At this time I strictly work with black, grey wash, and white inks. Colour ink requires a completely different technique, skill set, and different supplies. I strongly encourage you to book with an Artist who specializes in colour should you be seeking this.

Q: Will I see my design ahead of time? What if I want to make edits?

I will always email the design to you the day before your appointment (no later than 24 hours before) by email for approval.

If any tweaks or revisions are needed, I encourage you to reply then so I have time to make the necessary edits. If you’d like longer to look it over, I will email it to you the design a week in advance for an added $100* rush fee, which is arranged at the time of booking.

On appointment day, we’ll review everything together, make any final adjustments, and confirm placement before stencilling. I always book extra time so that this process does not feel rushed. My priority is that you feel confident and happy with your design - never pressured. In the extremely unlikely event that we cannot come to an agreement on edits (this has never happened), I will keep your deposit to cover my designing time and cancel the appointment.

Your tattoo request has been processed and booked based on your original request. I am always happy to make edits to the design so long as those edits fall within the parameters of the original tattoo request. Please note that if you have major changes to your original tattoo request, (subject matter, size, or placement) I respectfully ask that you email me at least 2 weeks prior to your appointment. Depending on how major the changes are, I may no longer be able to do your tattoo within the time slot we have booked for, which will result in a reschedule or cancellation. If the changes are outside my style or wheelhouse, this will also result in a cancellation.

Q: Do you book flash (pre-designed) tattoos?

Yes! Please see the flash tab to see my current available designs and for more information. Please note all my flash are non repeating, meaning you’ll always have a one-of-a-kind piece that only you wear. My flash pieces are always booked at a discounted rate.

Q: Do you do cover ups?

This really depends on the original tattoo! I enjoy the challenge of coverups, but since the nature of my work is small and very detailed, it does not lend itself well to all coverups. This being said, I‘m always happy to take a look and see what’s possible! Send me an email with a well lit photo of the existing tattoo to natashajessietattoos@gmail.com

Q: Do I need a consultation?

Often, no. I get all the information I need to design your tattoo off my booking form. Consultations are typically only booked for cover ups or tattoo projects expected to take multiple days (see below) Should you require a consultation before your appointment please request so in your booking form, otherwise I don’t book one.

Q: Do you book sleeves or large scale tattoos like back pieces, etc?

Typically - no. But not never! My style of work is very detailed so I find these projects difficult to quote for. Most sleeve projects I book will usually be done patchwork style as I prefer to work on smaller, stand alone pieces as opposed to large, interconnected and flowing sleeves. A full sleeve of patchwork pieces can take many full day sessions depending on your anatomy and what you’re looking for. It would be realistic to budget for 5-6 (arms) or 8-10 (legs/back/torso) full day sessions depending on size, detail, and placement.

The best way to book a sleeve or large scale piece with me would be to set up a consultation, and break down the design into manageable chunks based off these details and schedule accordingly. I prefer to book these appointments a minimum of 3 weeks apart to give yourself time to heal between sessions.

Q: Are touch ups free?

One free touch up appointment is included in the cost of your appointment if booked within a 6 month period. I always want to make sure that you are wearing the best possible version of my work. If your tattoo requires a touch up after it heals please send me a photo of your piece so I can see how much time I will need to book for you. After 6 months, a touch up fee will apply. Touch ups are booked within my regular working hours.

Q: Can I book on a weekend?

I tattoo Monday to Thursday 10:30am - 5pm only. Regular bookings will not be made on weekends, holidays or evenings.

Q: Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?

Yes of course! But if you want to bring more than 1-2 people please give me a heads up as space is limited.

Q: What should I bring to my appointment?

I always recommend packing snacks, a sweater, some entertainment and anything else that makes you feel comfortable! For more information on how to best prep for your appointment, please see here.

Q: Can I use numbing cream?

I don't typically recommend numbing cream as it can make the skin more difficult to tattoo, and therefore your tattoo will take longer to complete. However this being said, if you do wish you use numbing cream please email me before your appointment so I can recommend a brand I would prefer you to use, that I have experience with.

Q: What is your reschedule/cancellation policy?

Please see here

Q: What payment options do you have in studio?

We accept cash, etransfer, debit, or credit. Please ensure you factor 13% sales tax into the cost of your tattoo.

Q: How are you working towards creating a safe, inclusive space?

Any and every body type, skin type, skin tone, age, gender and sexual identity will always be welcome. All people who are 18+ are welcome and encouraged to book a tattoo with me! I’m continuously working to educate myself on tattooing various skin tones and types, as well as tattooing individuals who may struggle with anxiety and or have had previous negative experiences in the tattoo industry. My tattooing practice prioritizes: informed consent, client self-advocacy, accessibility of services for all individuals, client comfort, client privacy, and mutual respect between the Client and the Artist. Tattooing is a collaborative process and I encourage you to speak up at any point if you feel uncomfortable.

A note on accessibility: the studio I am at has a large staircase leading up to it and is not wheelchair accessible. If this is an issue please reach out to me and I would be happy to make arrangements to do your tattoo appointment at an alternate studio within Ottawa.

Q: Why aren’t you replying to my DMs?

A lot can get lost in direct messages on Instagram. Please note all booking requests, edits, reschedules, or cancellations made via DM will not be processed as it is simply too difficult to keep up with. All the above must be made by email or via my booking form. The best way to contact me will always be by email at natashajessietattoos@gmail.com

Q: Why didn’t you accept my tattoo request?

Submitting a booking form request does not guarantee it will be accepted. If I turn down your request this may be due to the volume of requests received for the booking period, an incomplete form, confusing request, bad/blurry reference photos, or that your idea simply doesn’t align with the type of work I do. I only book projects within my style so that I can always give you my best work, and if I feel overwhelmed or anxious about a particular request I will often turn it down.

Art and tattooing is deeply personal and ultimately the last thing I ever want is to disappoint someone, but sometimes Client and Artist are just not the right fit