The better the reference, the better the result!

For portraits we need a well lit, up close photo. We would need to be able to zoom in to see the details (eyes, nose and mouth) clearly, not blurry. If you zoom in and can’t see it defined, then we cannot use that photograph.

Enhancing a photo can affect the way the person looks. Same theory applies to pet portraits, those details in the photo are what make an uncanny portrait of your loved one. AI photo enhancing apps, or flipping an image so it faces the other way, can also alter the way the subject looks as we are not symmetrical beings.

Ai designs can be a good indicator of what you have in mind, but please do not fall in love with the image it generates. Very often this image would translate poorly onto a tattoo, and a unique, hand drawn design will turn out so much better.

As far as sending a photo of another tattoo, that could be a useful to know which look you’re going for, but Leo takes pride in not copying other artists work. If you can find the original reference used, then we can work from that. For example if its a tattoo of a statue, we would have to look for the photo of said statue rather than basing it on their tattoo. However if the artist did an orinal design, we would have to design something along the lines of the idea, while it not resembling said reference. It would have to be our own version of it.

If you’re still wondering whether your photo works, just send it and we can discuss it further. Feel free to send several references and we could advice you as to what would give you the best tattoo.

Pricing is a Flat rate, rather than hourly. This depends on the specific project, and factors like Placement, Intricacy, Detail, and Size.

To get a Quote, please send-

1. The reference image (the better the reference, the better the result)

2. A photo of the area (on your body)

3. A size estimate in inches.

Please note we cannot quote you without all 3, and it is best to be as clear with your inquiry as possible.

“Something like this” while sending a photo of another tattoo, can be confusing. Which is why there are 3 requirements listed above prior to quoting or booking you in.

Please note that the placement does affect the pricing as, some areas are easier to work on vs others.

Deposits are non refundable, and will be required to work on the design and reserve you the day.

These will be taken via Zelle through our email communication, or through my one and only instagram page @weirdtattoo. Please Beware of scammers with similar pages, with ever so slightly spelling differences. This is my only website and my Instagram has the blue badge, you can DM @weirdtattoo if you would like to verify with whom you’re communicating.

Hydrated skin is so much easier to work with, and saves us much time and pain. While dry skin is harder to work with and can be much more painful and time consuming.

We recommend moisturizing every day, and drinking lots of water for weeks in advance. This makes a huge difference believe it or not. If you have “strawberry skin” then daily gentle exfoliation is strongly recommended and stopping 3 days before your appointment.

You should also avoid tanning for a month, or drinking alcohol for at least a week before your tattoo. This can dehydrate your skin, and can cause excessive bleeding, which results in issues while healing.

The day of:

You want to come showered with a solid nights rest, and a good breakfast in your tummy. If you’re sleep deprived/tired it will hurt a lot more, you’ll be more restless and jumpy. The breakfast helps with the low blood sugar and can prevent fainting. If you’re not a breakfast person, try having a shake instead.

Feel free to bring any none caffeinated drinks and snacks you may want throughout the day. As well as a pair of headphones with your favorite show/podcast downloaded. I find it helps to be distracted for such a long session.

Come in comfortable clothing, and one that allows us to work in the area we are tattooing. For example, if the tattoo is going on your thigh, bring baggy shorts we may roll up. Black clothing preferably to avoid noticeable ink stains.

Please leave your friends, family, and partner at home. Keep in mind the length of your session, and there’s no need to make them sit for so long. This tends to make the process worse as the animated talking makes you move, and distracts your artist.

Worth Noting:

Please let us know of any allergies, skin condition, medication, or special needs you may have prior to your session. This includes having been on accutane or other acne medication, STD’s, diabetes, or anything else related to skin or blood. Accommodations may need to take place prior the day of.

Leo is allergic to strong scents, so please be mindful as to not wear any cologne or anything with fragrance, but please wear deodorant/antiperspirant.

The short answer is No.

Tattoo numbing creams have been known to cause irritation, redness, and changes in skin texture that affect the tattooing process.

Unlike other styles that inject the ink onto skin at once, Black & Grey realism is achieved through a process of layering shades. By using numbing cream, and applying it for over an hour before the tattoo, the skin can become water logged (skin maceration) where it becomes soft, white-ish and soggy in appearance. Making it hard to tell which tones have been saturated and how many more passes your skin can take.

Additionally, numbing creams have been shown to deter ink absorption, fade your tattoos, cause itching long after your tattoos heal, and even a sort of chemical burns in some cases.

Even if you have used said brand of numbing cream before, allergies could emerge at any point in your life. Adding numbing cream to the mix specially with there being so many different brands and ingredients, would defeat the purpose of having tried and quality tested, high end tattoo supplies.

You should also keep into account the length of our session. Unlike the gradual stamina and endurance naturally built throughout the tattoo, many have said it feels worse when the numbing cream runs out and there is still much of the tattoo left to be done.

In conclusion, for the sake of your health, expensive tattoo, and Leo’s reputation, any client that shows up to their session with numbing cream on, will not be tattooed.

Most sessions average 6+ hours. Leo does not charge hourly as we wouldn’t want the client to be concerned about the time it’s taking. There are many factors like detail, placement, size, breaks, and skin condition that affect the process. Plan for an all day sitting without a time restrain. For an artist as devoted as Leo, it takes as long as needed to give you the best tattoo possible.

It does move things along if your skin is hydrated and you’re well rested. Please read “How to prepare for your tattoo” above.

My name is Leo, and I’ve been tattooing since 2017. I have a background in Fine Arts & Illustration, and although most of the tattoos on myself are illustrative, I felt a calling towards Realism. To me there is no other style as technically challenging or as thrilling to perform as Black and Grey Realism. There are many factors as to why I absolutely love my job, from the people I meet and bond with, to the admiration I have for this ever evolving craft. I am grateful for all the clients that trust me with their vision, and I truly give it my all in return.

Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to work along side many talented artists, and visit many wonderful places. I’ve worked in Toronto, Hawaii, New York, LA, Phoenix, Texas, Las Vegas, Colorado, Salt Lake City, amongst a few others. If you’re reading this, then there’s a chance I’m visiting your city in the near future. If so, I would appreciate some must go to spots, specially food ones!

I often get asked why I do not showcase my face or persona since it’s so common for tattoo artists to do so nowadays, but I genuinely believe that it should be solely about the Art in my case. I like to separate the person from the work. I also value my privacy in this technological world where everything is out there, but I do enjoy connecting with my clients in person and exchanging stories. So feel free to ask anything during our session. I love it when clients become friends, and faces I am happy to see again and again.

Thank you for reading,

Leo

For those who want to learn smooth shading, realism, and portraiture. Applicable for those whom already tattoo, but want to master their craft. Having a good system in place and knowing how to approach different motifs can make a world of difference.

I often get messages from artists all around the world, asking which supplies I use as well as advice. Many inquire about online seminars, but I don’t think online learning is as effective as in person. Which is why I offer a one on one workshop which includes my entire process.

All supplies are provided, synthetic skin, machines, needles, ink, etc. However bringing your own tattoo machine is advisable since that’s the tool you are familiar with and will likely continue to use.

We start by sitting for 30 minutes going over my set up, principals, tips and tricks, and over all approach that makes me work better. You’re welcomed to ask questions as I go along.

Once we go over those, comes the application part. Everyone learns differently, but a hands on approach works best. We will be using synthetic skins, an empty one until we get the hand motions down, then we each work on a stenciled section of the tattoo together. I find this to be the quickest way to learn.

If interested or have any questions, just DM me!

The most important stage is the healing. This will determine how your tattoo will hold and look forever.

If Plastic Wrap was used:

Keep it on between 1-2 hours after you leave the shop. Then remove it with clean hands. Skip reading what’s bellow and continue onto “Once you take it off”

If Derm Shield was used:

Also known as Second Skin or Saniderm by other brands, Take it off 24 hours after you leave the shop.

Some recommend keeping it on for longer, or shorter amount of time to be replaced with a second wrap. But the pulling of the 2nd adhesive can be damaging and unnecessary, or the prolonged cover time with it similar to keeping a bandaid on a cut for too long.

So just keep the first wrap that was placed in the studio for the first 24 hours while your the skin is most exposed, then let it breathe. Granted it hasn’t come off and your tattoo hasn’t been exposed, if so take it off as soon as it has been exposed.

Keep an eye on the area surrounding the wrap, as a very small number of people do get a reaction to the adhesive. This tends to look like a rash around, rather than on the tattoo, and it is often on individuals whom also get a reaction to bandaids.

It doesn’t have to be 24 hours exactly to take it off, just the next day in the evening (or the following day in the morning if you have pet hair on your bedsheets and are too lazy to change them.)

You can take a shower as the luke-warm water will aid the removal. Be sure to wash your hands before removing, and to pull downwards rather than upwards.

Once you take it off:

Clean your hands well, splash some lukewarm water in the area and clean gently with either Baby Soap, or Antibacterial Soap, Unscented preferably. Clean gently with your fingers, do not scrub nor pressure wash the area.

Once it is clean, Dab dry with clean paper towels or just let the area air dry. Do not wipe nor use any other kind of towel that has been used before.

First day after you take it off:

You want this tattoo to dry after taking things off. Just clean it once or twice in your day. Repeat if you happen to get it dirty or rub it on a dirty surface, but otherwise just leave it alone to “do its thing” and heal.

Second day after you take it off:

Starting the second day, you may start putting a tiny bit of lotion on your tattoo after you wash it, with clean hands of course. You want the skin to breathe, so a very light amount, just so it looks like a light sheen.

Do not clog the pores by using too much, nor use any lotion containing Alcohol or Petroleum in the ingredients. There are tons of Tattoo intended ones such as ‘Hustle Butter’ or ‘Tattoo Goo’.

More lotion doesn’t mean faster healing, on the contrary. Clogging the pores can mess up your tattoo. The sheen should only look so for a bit as your skin will absorb it, and that is fine.

Around Day 3-4:

The tattoo usually flakes similar to a sunburn, dries up, and you may even get a scab. This is totally normal as well as how itchy it will be.

It is very important that you do not pick at the scabs/flakes. This may result in ink loss or even scar tissue.

Just apply a bit of lotion once it’s been cleaned, and practice some mental strength. Do NOT slap the area nor smack it to calm down the itchyness. Keep in mind the skin is trying to heal and we want to hold the ink in there, while smacking it can be very harmful.

Just keep it clean by washing it once or twice a day, and moisturizing it after. Less is more for proper healing. The body is very wise, so as long as you follow the instructions, and keep it clean, it will heal great.

Thing to keep an eye on:

Your tattoo should feel like a sunburn for a couple of days. However if it gets redder, has discoloration, oozes, then these could all be a sign of an infection. At which point you should seek medical assistance. But this is rare and if you’ve kept it clean, its nothing to worry about!

Things to avoid on your tattoo:

Animal hair, deodorant, sunscreen, sunblock, dirt/bacteria, lotions not intended for tattoos.

Do not submerge under water (such as beach, pool, jacuzzi, lake, etc) for at least two weeks.

Avoid direct sunlight.

Don’t wear anything constricting in the area until healed. For example if its on your wrist, don’t wear a watch.

In Conclusion:

Everyone you know will have an opinion on how to heal a tattoo, but always listen to the artist who did your tattoo since they are the ones responsible for it.

The tattoo should be healed enough in a few weeks to resume regular endeavors, but will be fully healed when the darker areas stop being shiny. Timing on this will vary as everyone heals different according to their diet, genetics, etc. This is when it is safe to go back over it and touch it up if it needed it.

Other than that its just your basic ‘keep it clean rule’.

Less is more, and dry healing is ok too if you’ve already done this process successfully before hand.

Please send us any healed photos, and tell your friends!

Concerns:

There is a genuine care as you’ve probably witnessed from the amount of work and effort Leo put towards your session. Please take care of your new artwork, so it can be something you can proudly show off in the years to come.

If you have any concerns do not hesitate to message Leo directly with a video or photo of the area. If this is your first tattoo it can be scary the first time you go through the healing, so we are here to answer any questions.

Thanks!