Tattoos

General
If you have never visited Grin ‘n’ Wear It Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio, this page should give you all the information you'll ever need regarding what you can expect when visiting us, from entering the shop to leaving with your new tattoo. However, do not let this deter you from popping-in and having a look around, we always welcome visitors who wish to browse, ask questions or simply ‘check us out’.
Although we very much encourage ‘walk-in’ customers, if we're busy or have any pre-arranged bookings imminent, we may be forced to ask you to wait, arrange an appointment or pop back later. With a booking you have the added benefit of being guaranteed a sitting with one of our tattooists.

Here at GNWI we have both male and female artists, if you would feel more comfortable with either simply inform the member of staff who is walking you through the consultation process. All of our tattooists have their very own private and secure studios, including locks and blinds. Although each artist will exercise their own discretion with regards to your privacy, either locking or unlocking the door and closing or opening the blinds where they feel appropriate, yet they completely understand that you may choose otherwise, if this is the case please inform the artist who will be only too pleased to oblige. Some feel more comfortable with a close friend or family member present, this we encourage if it makes the client feel more at ease, some like to bring along their own music too.

Our team includes the UK and International award winning tattooist ‘Rabbit’ who not only shares his extensive experience and knowledge with the rest of the team but has also advised and trained them to his own high standard.

Choosing your Tattoo
On entering the shop you will be greeted by a member of staff. If you wish to simply browse the artwork or are looking for inspiration for a design, please feel free to take as long as you wish and view our extensive collection of materials on display, these are presented in the form of catalogues, books, posters and multimedia. Be assured you will receive no pressure from any member of staff. It is our policy to encourage people to simply ‘look around’, chat, ask questions and leave when they see fit, with no coercing from any member of staff into purchasing a tattoo or piercing.

The Consultation Process
The staff at GNWI have worked very hard through the years to build and maintain an excellent reputation, this is invaluable to us. Therefore during the consultation process if at anytime you feel unsure or have changed your mind... for whatever reason, please be reassured that we will be more than happy for you to simply stop the process there and then. Our reputation is far more valuable to us than any one tattoo and if you are unhappy to continue, then so are we. We would much rather stop the process than apply a tattoo to a customer who was not 100% sure that they wanted to receive it.

The consultation process will vary with the size and complexity of any given tattoo. If you have chosen a small tattoo from our examples on display or have brought along a design of your own, the artist may forward you some suggestions on how they feel it maybe improved upon, however these are simply helpful suggestions, the final design is yours and yours alone.

Regarding larger tattoos, a considerable amount of ‘free’ work is undertaken by the artist. This can range from extensive research to multiple meetings as well as the drawing and redrawing of designs. This consultation process can incorporate numerous visits by the client to the studio and is undertaken with the full understanding that the customer may at anytime withdraw from the process. This collected information then needs to be ‘appropriated’ by the artist to accomodate any limitations or boundaries set by the client, limitations such as:

• If there a budget.
• The size of the tattoo.
• What part of the body is to be tattooed.
• If the tattoo is ‘black and grey’ or colour.

Working to a Budget
In the case of large tattoos there are a few points the artist may raise during the consultation process, budget being one of them. As with many customers you may need to keep your tattoo within certain financial limits, you could in such a case simply purchase a tattoo to fit your budget. However you only have one skin and a tattoo is for life and although you may not have the funds available at present to acquire the tattoo you really desire you need not settle for second best. To work within a budget, yet still obtain the desired tattoo we often suggest that any large tattoos be completed in affordable stages. For instance, completing the outline first then leaving you to return at various intervals when funds permit, until the final tattoo is acquired. It is quite common with large to medium tattoos to brake down the work into numerous visits, this because of the shear scale of work required and secondly because of financial restrictions. There are other options that can be considered that will limit the time that any given tattoo will take and therefore it's final cost. Black and grey tattoos generally take half the time, backgrounds and colours can be left out and added later when and if the customer desires. All these and other options are generally discuss at the consultation process, and this with the complete understanding that you have yet to commit to receiving the discuss tattoo.

There are other aspects that should be mentioned here, if you have any blemishes, scars or other bodily marks in the region of the planned tattoo, the consultation process would be the time to mention them. If the artist is made aware of these at this stage they can be either worked around, covered or actually incorporated into the design itself.

Our Estimate
The next item to be discuss is cost, a fixed estimate can only be realistically given when we feel confident that the work can be carried-out in one or at the most two sittings, unfortunately in the case of a large tattoo, body-suit or back piece this is not possible. Generally in such a case we will present the customer with an ‘approximate estimate’, however the final combined sum paid after the various sittings maybe slightly higher or slightly lower than our original ‘estimate’.

The Commitment Stage and payment terms
Naturally this is the final stage before receiving the tattoo. With both ‘walk-ins’ and ‘bookings’, our staff make every effort to ensure that the customer is fully aware of what they are about to commit to, not only regarding the tattoo itself but also with regards to aftercare. Once our member of staff is fully confident that the whole process has been understood by the client they will, in the event of the ‘walk-in customer’ who requires a small tattoo, be asked to sign a ‘release form’. This simple form only requests that the customer reads and signs a statement affirming they are at least of 18 years of age and in a good state of health. Then and only then will we apply the tattoo. Payment will be made on completion of the sitting. Before leaving the shop all customers will be presented with an aftercare sheet.

In the event of an arranged booking, again the customer will first be required to sign the above mentioned release form before the sitting can be confirmed, however unlike walk-in customers they will also be required to pay a 50% deposit towards any pre-arranged appointment. To make this absolutely clear, for instance if you have been quoted £200 for a completed large tattoo or back piece which may incorperate multiple sittings, you will only be required to make a deposit for the cost of the sitting then being arranged and not for all the sittings required to complete the tattoo. The attitude we take towards bookings is that we will guarantee to make ourselves available at the pre-arranged time and for the pre-arranged period (even delaying immediate walk-in work) on the basis that you too will make yourself available at the pre-arranged time and period. If reasonable notice is given to cancel prior to the appointment (at least 24 hours) we will keep the deposit on hold, however in the case where the client simply doesn't show or gives us insufficient notice, the deposit will be lost.

Before any new client leaves we will request some contact details, these are essential as in the very unlikely event (hasn't happened to date) of an unforeseen situation, such as a power failure etc... we can immediately contact the client saving them an unnecessary journey. Many customers have requested the opportunity of taking-up cancelled appointments, in such an event we would use their contact details to offer them any available sittings. If you would like to be added to our ‘cancellation list’ please inform us before you leave the studio. The next time we will see the customer will be at the pre-arranged booking. The balance for each sitting will be made on completion of that sitting and before exiting the studio. We accept payment in the form of British Pounds, American Dollars and all popular cards. When arranging an appointment aftercare will be discuss before the client leaves the studio with their confirmed booking, as mentioned below.

By this stage both the shop and the client should have:

• A design agreed
• An estimate agreed
• A knowledge of aftercare
• First sitting deposit paid
• An arranged booking confirmed

Cover-ups and Re-workings
A common request at GNWI are cover-ups and re-workings. That a customer has contacted us regarding such an issue only goes to highlight the fact that they have been troubled by a tattoo to the point of taking action, we therefore make every effort to be sensitive to their situation and will work that much harder to bring about a satisfactory outcome. All of our artists have extensive experience with cover-ups and re-workings and will advise and offer various solutions.

Aftercare
Although all of our artist's are of the highest quality they can only advise regarding aftercare, it is the responsibility of the client to implement it. Bad aftercare can not only effect, prolong and hamper the healing process but also the final quality of the tattoo itself. Please remember, a tattoo is an open wound until it is completely healed (approximately 6-8 weeks) and therefore must be treated as such. Below are the general steps to be taken regarding aftercare.

Summary

1. Remove sterile dressing after 3-4 hours.
2. First Wash: Lightly wash the tattoo with warm soapy water and gently pat dry with clean dry towel.
3. All following washes while scabbed: Lightly wash tattoo with soapy water once a day, pat dry, do not soak.
4. After 1-2 days a light scab will appear do not pick or remove; it is protecting the wound from infection.
5. After 5-7 days the scab will begin to peel and itch, moisturizer may bring some relief; do not pick.
6. After 10-14 days your tattoo should be mostly healed, expect some dryness for a further two weeks.
7. Keep the tattoo out of the sun for a further three months or apply UV 100% sun block, this will prevent colour fade
8. Keep the tattoo clean and dry throughout the healing process.

Hygiene
Hygiene is, and has always been prioritized as second-to-none at Grin ‘n’ Wear It Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio. The procedures we have in place are over and above that which is required of any tattoo and piercing studio. We use the ‘Vacuum Autoclave Sterilization Unit’ to sterilize all of our equipment, this device is used in hospitals and dentistry throughout the World in the sterilization of surgical instruments. We have a secure dedicated room set-a-side for all of our sterilization processes and ‘Good Hygiene Practice’ in place which is always foremost in our minds as we carry out our work.

All needles are batched numbered and arrive in separate sterilized packs. All single inks pots and sundries come in ‘once use applications’ and are discarded after each and every session. Before any client enters a studio it is first cleaned and all surfaces disinfected. All new needles, inks and sundries are set-out and any equipment unpacked from their individual Autoclave Sterilization vacuum packs. A new set of latex or latex free gloves are brought in for each and every session, if you have an allergy towards latex please advise our staff and the appropriate gloves will be used. This process is carried-out for every session regardless of the size and complexity of the tattoo.

Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday (10am - 6pm)
Sunday to Monday (By appointment only)
Out of hours appointments (Call for details)