ALEX RAE PHELPS

What kind of tattooing do you do?

Currently, all of my work is hand poked (without a machine, AKA stick 'n' poke) using primarily black and gray ink. Sometimes I use white or spot color, but it really depends on the design. If this is something you are interested in, please mention it in your booking proposal.

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What is your rate?

$200/hour with a $200 (1 hour)  minimum.

My sliding scale rate is $175/hour with a $175 (1 hour) minimum. I would love to work with your budget to the best of my ability! Tell me what you can afford and I'll let you know what I can do. Additionally, I do flash + Discount Tiny Tats Days several times per year. For updates on discount days, follow my Instagram and sign up for my email list. 

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What is sliding scale pricing?

Sliding scale pricing is pay-what-you-can pricing. I offer this option for marginalized folks in the POC, LGBTQIA+, disabled/chronically ill, and low income communities. My goal with this is to help make tattoos more accessible to folks who have been historically barred from getting them. I do not require any proof or explanation of need for sliding scale pricing. Please take a moment to consider if this option is right for you prior to requesting and please do not take advantage of this offer if you do not need it! 

 

How can I pay you?

Full payment is due on the day of the tattoo session. Cash is strongly preferred, but payment via Venmo is also accepted. All non-cash payments over $400 will require a 10% additional fee. This fee is meant to discourage non-cash payments and cover the costs of digital payment processing. Cash payments are VERY STRONGLY PREFERRED because they allow me to better manage my income and make a more affordable living off of tattooing.

 

Is tipping required?

Tipping for a tattoo works similarly to tipping at a bar or restaurant or tipping your barber or gardener: tipping is not required but it's a great way to show your tattooer how much you appreciate them, especially if they do extra work for your project or when they go above and beyond to ensure that your tattoo experience is the best it can possibly be. Tattoos can seem expensive, but a large amount of the money tattoo artists make on each tattoo goes to the shop's cut and toward paying for supplies. Tips help make my job more sustainable and help me live more securely, free of stress as to how I will pay rent next month. It's a good idea to budget for a tip when figuring out how much you can afford to pay for a tattoo. A standard tattoo tip is usually 10-20%.

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Where is your studio located?

I tattoo at Thorns Tattoo Studio in Berkeley, located at 2447 Sacramento St.

 

How long will the tattoo take?

This can vary widely based on the size, placement, difficulty, and level of detail in a piece. Tattoos around 2 inches square usually take 1 - 3 hours. Tattoos around 3 inches square usually take 2 - 4 hours. Tattoos around 4 - 5 + inches can take anywhere from 3 - 8+ hours. Ear tattoos usually take 1 - 3 hours. However, the amount of time spent at the tattoo studio is much more than this because you need to account for breaks, making changes to the design, photos, bandaging, and preparing the station. It is a good idea to avoid making set plans for after your tattoo appointment.

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Is your studio accessible?

Thorns tattoo studio is wheelchair accessible, including the bathroom! Clients need to be able to get onto a standard massage table. In some cases, we may be able to do the tattoo from a seated position in a chair. Thorns is not a low/no scent environment. I set my massage table very high in order to avoid back pain, but I provide a stool to help get on and can provide more assistance if desired. If you have accessibility needs that you would like help with during your appointment (including allergies to anything you may come in contact with during the tattoo procedure), please describe them in the idea section of your booking proposal. More info on accessibility at Thorns. 

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Should I bring food for myself?

Yes! I highly encourage my clients to bring snacks with them, especially healthy sugars like fruit or juice. It is always a good idea to bring water. Every tattoo session of 3 or more hours will have a snack break in the middle. 

 

Will it hurt?

Hand poked tattoos tend to be gentler on the skin than machine tattoos. However they often take significantly longer to complete, due to the slow and methodical nature of the process. Some people start to feel “tapped out” after a few hours of tattooing, even with a more gentle process. This can be a good time to take a short snack break and replenish your blood sugar levels. I can split a tattoo in to multiple sessions if the client desires. My top priority is my clients’ comfort and happiness! Also, there is a numbing product called Hush that works really well to help with pain from tattooing in sensitive areas. This is particularly helpful if you are prone to uncontrollable shaking or jerking while getting tattooed. I do not supply this for my clients, but you can order some here and I will be happy to use it during your appointment. Please let me know if you would like to use Hush, as it needs 1 hour to be fully absorbed by the skin before tattooing.

 

What is aftercare like?

One of the best things about hand poked tattoos is that they usually heal very quickly. The complete tattoo healing process can take from two to four weeks, but most of my clients report their tattoos being most of the way healed in about one week. However, it is still best to follow proper aftercare instructions for a full two weeks, to ensure that everything heals properly. Please see the aftercare page for more. 

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