TATTOOS BY XANDER

Booking:

Please text me at 719.204.3544 to schedule your appointment or consultation.  

Rate:

My general rate is $160 an hour, but I also have personal artwork and other projects I'm interested in doing that I offer discounted rates for. This is for inking time, I do not charge for prep or drawing.  In some cases where there are extensive redesigns there will be an extra charge.  During a consultation I can give a ballpark estimate of the tattoo cost, but please keep in mind it is not easy to know how long a tattoo will take without a finished drawing to gauge from.  Even with a finished drawing to base an estimate on, the time may vary widely, but I do my best to estimate costs.

 MINIMUMS

1 hr session - $100

4 hr session - $250

8 hr session - $450

Design:

I do not get to design work until close to our appointment, as many times people change their minds or add to their original idea. I also like to draw many of my designs directly onto the skin, if the type of design we are doing requires it.  I will contact you the week of our appointment to confirm the concept and then I will begin sketches to discuss, but most times I end up drawing the night before our appointment. If any changes are needed, they can usually be made before or during the appointment. If there is a worst case scenario where the design doesn't work for whatever reason and we cannot do the tattoo that day, I am usually able to make up for the appointment within a week or two, so you wont have to wait the initial period to get in again.

Sessions:

I like to work in 4 hr. sessions. Most people's adrenaline decline after about 2.5-3 hrs. of tattooing. I ask for 3 weeks healing time in between sessions, some people like to schedule theirs monthly for budgetary reasons, that is entirely up to you when you set up your appointments.  If you feel you are capable and have had experience with longer sessions, we can set those up after consultation.

When I estimate cost, I will let you know how many sessions I think you will need and I usually request you make an additional appointment in case one of our other appointments gets cut short for some reason or we just need some touch up.

It is not healthy to get work done in quick succession (ie. four appointments within one or two weeks) as the healing lowers your overall immune system and can cause major health complications. 

Appointment:

• Wear comfortable clothing that affords access to the tattoo area and gives you the privacy you need.
For instance, tank tops work well for upper arm pieces, a backwards loose button-down shirt is
good­ for a women’s back tattoo or bikini tops for chest or sternum pieces, and long black skirts work well for women’s lower body. Bikini bottoms that untie on the sides also help for tattoos that traverse the hip area from ribs to thigh. Make sure all clothing you wear will not be missed if they get stained.

• Do not wear anything too tight that will chafe the tattoo when it is finished. Depending on where
the tattoo is, it may be a good idea to bring or wear some loose-fitting clothes to leave in.

• Being well rested and well fed is necessary for your tattoo appointment.
Make sure to have some food in your stomach so your blood sugar is up.
Feel free to bring a beverage and a snack with you, however eating is not allowed
in the work area or during the procedure. Drinks in closed lid containers are allowed in the area.

•If you are particularly hairy on the tattoo site, please pre-shave. It doesn't have to be perfect, as I will have to shave it again as part of the cleaning process. If you are considering laser hair removal please know it will destroy the image, so it would be better to do so prior to getting a tattoo.

• Avoid drinking heavily the night before so your blood isn’t thinned.
Also, having a hangover during your tattoo can exacerbate any discomfort.

•Give yourself a good cushion of time around your appointment.
Trying to cram a tattoo into a busy agenda can lead to stress and/or an incomplete tattoo.

Restrictions:​

•Children under 16 years are not allowed in the procedure area. Please make plans accordingly.

•Pregnant  women are not allowed to be tattooed as per Colorado Health Department guidelines.

•Young adults between 16 and 18 years need parental/legal guardian consent to have work done. Birth certificate or legal guardianship papers with matching photo IDs are required, and the parent/legal guardian must be present at the time of the procedure.

•Alcoholic beverages, and burning/smoking products may not be consumed or used anywhere on the premises. The only exception will be for seizure related medical purposes, and a doctor's note will be required. 

•Valid state-issued ID is required per appointment that you are expecting to get work done, not just the first session.

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Equipment and Inks:

All tattoo inks, soaps, and ointments I use are vegan. 

I use disposable single-use needles and tubes. Package expiration dates are available upon request.

Aftercare:

Healing takes generally around 2 weeks, but can be anywhere from 1-3 weeks. In some cases they can take several months, depending on location and type of tattoo.

I will apply a breathable transparent film bandage. You may need to return the day after the procedure for a bandage removal and change. They require no washing or moisturizing and are safe while showering and exercising. In some cases they can fill with moisture and look "weepy" underneath, which is normal and won't interfere with the healing process. The bandage can stay on for up to one week. If it comes off sooner for any reason, you can return for a replacement, or follow the cleaning instructions below.

Some people cannot wear these bandages depending on skin type. These instructions are for if you have a reaction or major discomfort due to the bandage and have to tend to it with daily washing and moisturizing. 

Use a plain liquid soap; liquid soap stays clean in the bottle whereas the bar of soap doesn’t. If you only have a bar available, make sure you wash the entire outside of the soap before using. After taking the bandage off, wash your hands first, then wash the tattoo with soap and hot water. Just use your fingertips, not a washcloth or anything abrasive, and do not scratch or pick at the tattoo. Showers and sink washes are fine but do not soak  the tattoo during the healing period. Soaking includes baths, hot-tubs, and swimming for the two week healing period.  Wash at least three times a day and when needed for two full weeks after the procedure, regardless of how healed you think it is.

After washing, pat dry and then let it air dry for 10 seconds. Next, apply a very thin layer of moisturizer, I recommend Aquaphor or equivalent. Make sure the lotion is from a tube and not a tub, as tubs are more difficult to keep clean. Always wash your hands before you moisturize. Carry the tube with you and moisturize as needed; anytime the tattoo feels/looks dry and flakey. Do not use an excessive amount of moisturizer. Do not listen to your friends’ aftercare ointment suggestions.

There could be a thin flaking which will peel for several days. This is normal to healing, and can appear black or colored. There might be some scabbing but only where there is sensitive skin. If scabbing does occur, do not pick or scratch them, as this could affect the healing underneath.

 Signs of infection include massive swelling, red cracks in the skin, thick green or yellow discharge or pussing, high fever and chills, and worsening pain that doesn't improve after a couple days. Web search "tattoo infection" to familiarize yourself with signs of infection .  Please seek medical attention if you have any apparent signs of infection.

Never use Neosporin to heal your tattoo!!

        Neosporin will cause your skin to forcibly reject the ink.     It will cause massive scabbing, irritation and produce symptoms confusingly similar to an infection.     (minus the massive swelling, pussing and high fever.)

Avoid direct sunlight during the healing period. Avoid using sunblock at this time as it is still considered an open wound and the chemicals in sunblock lotion can have adverse effects. It is best to have loose clothing that covers the tattoo if you expect to be out in the sun a lot. After it is healed, you can use regular sunblock lotion and it is highly recommended that you do.  The sun is the number one enemy to the longevity of your tattoo. Never expose your tattoo to natural bodies of water (lakes, ponds, rivers etc.) as these are full of bacteria and germs.

Do not exercise for the first 24hrs, and you should immediately wash the tattoo after any exercising in the next two weeks. Sweat carries all the dirt and bacteria on your skin and it is not good to leave it on your healing tattoo. If you avoid using the showers at the gym, at least wash the tattoo before leaving.

Contact with pet fur should be avoided at the tattoo site during the healing period. Be careful about where pet fur is and how it can come in contact with your tattoo (couch arms, bed sheets). Sometimes keeping long loose (dark) clothing on that covers up the tattoo is preferable when one has many pets.

Bed sheets should also be changed, as most people don’t change them more than once a week. A fresh tattoo can sometimes leak ink for a day or two so either a towel or again loose dark clothing that covers the tattoo would prevent staining your sheets.

 Final words about the longevity of your tattoo.

   The proper healing and maintenance of your tattoo really depends on the proper maintenance of your skin. The most important factor is hydration and moisturizing. Your skin is your largest organ, and so it will be the most affected by dehydration. It is also on the outside of your body, so it will lose moisture the quickest, especially in the desert climate of Colorado. In this environment, a person should be drinking a gallon of water a day to maintain proper hydration. In order to retain that hydration, one should also be using moisturizer at least daily.  Without this, tattoos can appear ashy and lose sharpness of the image.

The sun is the largest cause of tattoo degradation and fading. Tanning or other forms of skin darkening will make your tattoos appear less bright, and even take away from the sharpness of the  tattoo. As well, a sunburn can permanently destroy your tattoo and require extensive rework to fix. Sunblock can help keep a sunburn from occurring, but it doesn't block all the radiation, and even small amounts of sun radiation over time will degrade a tattoo.  If you frequently expose your skin to the sun, consider putting your tattoo in a location of your body that stays covered more often, in order to keep it better protected.