General / Studio
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Yes! We do accept walk ins Wednesdays through Sundays. Please call the studio ahead of time since some days we may not have availability 646.473.1059
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Our shop minimum is $120.
$200 minimum for hand, finger, ear, feet, lip, or face tattoos.
$120 minimum is for black ink designs around ½ inch to 1 inch in size (ex: the outline of a heart, a smiley face, a single letter or a short word, etc.). No color, no shading, or extra details.
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We are not accepting apprenticeships at this time, but you are welcome to email us with your portfolio anyway. We always save portfolios to look through in case we are accepting apprenticeships in the future.
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We are not hiring new artists at this time, but we will post about it on our Instagram. Though you are welcome to email us with your portfolio anyway. We always save portfolios to look through in case we are accepting new artists in the future.
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We are always open to talking to any artist who wants to guest with us! Please send us your portfolio to tattooatblackfish@gmail.com or send us a message on Instagram @blackfishtattooinc
When we have a guest artist, we will post about them on our Instagram and on the home page of our website.
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We will post about any flash events / sales on our Instagram so check there for updates!
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11am-7pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Mondays and Tuesdays are by appointment only.
We take our last walk ins around 5:30pm.
Some artists can book appointments before 11am or past 7pm, but please talk to your artist if you need an appointment outside of studio hours.
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Our address is:
39 W 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001
Room 1205 / 12th floor
We are a block from The Empire State Building in Koreatown / Midtown NYC.
There is no Black Fish Tattoo signage on the sidewalk outside our building. Please look for double glass doors with a large, black 39 above them. Talk to the doorman inside, show them our ID, and come to the 12th floor. We are near the end of the hall.
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Yes! :) all are welcome here.
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You can fill out the inquiry form on our website (linked at the top of our website in the header) or if you know which artist you want to work with you can reach out to them directly. Each artist has a different way of contacting them that is listed in their bio / artist page.
You can also text the studio on Instagram @blackfishtattooinc
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Yes, in most cases, our artists require a deposit to book an appointment. Sketches for custom designs will also not be made or shown to the client until a deposit is taken. Deposits are taken with the artists personally and not through the studio.
Instances where deposits are not taken are typically for smaller tattoos that cost less than $300, for walk ins, or last minute/day of appointments, but this will vary depending on which artist you work with.
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Each artist has different availability. So depending on who you want to work with that could range from a day or two to a couple of weeks.
But if you don’t have an artist in mind, we can usually book most clients within a few days.
We do not currently have any artists who are booking months in advance so most clients tend to get their appointments rather quickly.
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Yes you can bring a friend, family, or partner with you to your appointment. We just ask that any extra people do not crowd the space around the tattoo artist and to keep noise levels to a comfortable minimum. But extra people are allowed to sit near you while you get your appointment.
Children and animals are allowed as long as they are quiet, do not run around, and are well behaved. It’s not that we dislike children or animals. We just need to keep a safe, quiet space for our artists to do their work.
Service animals are always welcome.
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If you know which artist you want to work with, you can contact the artist directly. Each artist has a preferred way of communicating with clients and that is listed on each artist’s bio / artist page. You do not need to contact the studio if you know who you want to work with.
If you don’t know who you want to work with or have some questions before getting started, please contact the studio by filling out the inquiry form on our website, emailing us tattooatblackfish@gmail.com or messaging us on Instagram @blackfishtattooinc and someone will get back to you, ask you a few questions, and help pair you with the best artist.
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We love getting first timers and want to make sure you’re comfortable before, during, and after your appointment. Always feel free to ask any the studio or your artist any questions.
Each artist works differently so the process may be slightly different depending on who you work with. But generally speaking, it is best to reach out with as much detail as possible and plenty of reference images. The more information you give us, the easier it is for our artists to understand you and what you want. Even if you aren’t sure what you want, please be as descriptive as possible or share images of anything that inspires you even if it’s not exactly what you want. Communication is important!
Designing a tattoo is a back and forth, collaborative process to make sure you get exactly what you want. Most artists will not share a sketch of your idea until 1-2 days before your appointment (sometimes the day of your appointment, as well). Revisions can be made the day of your appointment.
Most artists will take a deposit to secure your appointment time, as well. (The deposit price varies per artist but is generally $100-200 and taken out of the final cost of your tattoo the day of your appointment.)
Please make sure you eat a good meal before your tattoo, get a good night’s rest, and avoid any alcohol or drugs. Please try not to take Tylenol / Advil beforehand either (unless you absolutely have to, of course). Feel free to bring a snack and/or juice or electrolytes to your appointment, as well as some kind of entertainment. Making sure you do all of this helps make your tattooing experience more comfortable and helps your body more easily adjust to the ink and the tattooing process.
Tattooing is rarely as painful as first timers expect it to be. It’s certainly not Comfortable, but it’s more like a mild scratching / buzzing on your skin. The times when it does become uncomfortable or painful are typically for multiple hour long sessions when the skin has become raw from repeated scratching of the needle in the same area. Designs with larger black/color fill in, or tattoos placed on body areas that are boney or sensitive (sternum, tops of feet, inner bicep, ears, face, neck…) tend to have a higher chance of being more painful. But everyone’s body and pain tolerance is different. You won’t know until you try and we promise it’s never as bad as you think it’ll be!
This is not an extensive explanation of what to expect so feel free to ask us questions!
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We have an aftercare page on our website (at the top of our page in the header) that explains what you should expect and if you need a reminder to reference after your appointment. But your artist will go over instructions on how to take care of your tattoo and what to expect.
Each artist has slightly different advice and each tattoo and placement on one’s body may have slightly different suggestions, as well. But generally speaking, the first ~5 days you will have a clear bandage protecting the fresh tattoo while it starts to heal. Do not submerge it in water (showering is fine. No baths, pools, or saunas) and avoid strenuous movement from the muscles/skin around the tattoo for the first ~5-7 days. If any sweat gets underneath the clear tattoo bandage or if the bandage starts to peel and reveal your tattoo, remove the bandage before the 5 days are up. All of these suggestions are to help prevent infection. Infection is unlikely, but it’s still a possibility if you don’t take sanitary precautions.
Use non-fragrance soap to clean your tattoo after the bandage has been removed. And use a neutral, hydrating ointment like Aquaphor or Hustlebutter to lightly moisturize your tattoo twice per day for 2 weeks. Do not use Vaseline or anything with petroleum in it because those products suffocate your tattoo and can harbor bacteria.
Protect your tattoo from sun exposure with a covering. You can use SPF once your tattoo is fully healed.
Tattoos are usually fully healed after 4 weeks. We do not do touch ups until after your tattoo is fully healed. Sometimes a tattoo will look like it needs a touch up before it’s fully healed. Please be patient with the healing process and reach out to us after 4 weeks if the tattoo still looks like it needs a touch up.
This is not an extensive explanation of what to expect so please feel free to ask us any questions!
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Tattoos are usually fully healed after 4 weeks.
We do not do touch ups until after your tattoo is fully healed. Sometimes a tattoo will look like it needs a touch up before it’s fully healed. Please be patient with the healing process and reach out to us after 4 weeks if the tattoo still looks like it needs a touch up.
Artists
Pricing
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Yes, our artists have experience tattooing on darker skin and skin tones of all types. Some artists do have more experience applying color to darker skin tones so please reach out if you have any questions!
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Yes and no. Skin conditions are case by case scenarios that typically require a consultation or photos to determine your skin’s ability to retain tattoo ink.
Our artists are able to tattoo over an eczema / rosacea patch, but only once the inflammation has died down and is no longer active. Our artists would not advise tattooing over an active eczema / rosacea patch as that would cause more irritation and possible other complications and skin trauma.
Our artists can tattoo over scars although the age of the scar, how deep it is, what stage in the healing process it is in, how big it is all affect how well an artist is able to tattoo over a scar. For small scars (similar to the size of a cat scratch, for example) that are sallow, faint, and light are easier to tattoo over once it is fully healed. For darker, deeper, or larger scars our artists prefer to have in person consultations to see your scar’s skin texture and what stage it is in the healing process. Our artists will not tattoo on fresh scars and they must be at least one year healed.
Ultimately though, we are not doctors and cannot offer expert health advice. Please consult with your dermatologist or doctor before getting a tattoo over eczema / rosacea / scars.
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Yes! Each of our artists specialize in creating custom designs for their clients. It is best if you pick an artist whose art style you like because it is easier for our artists to create custom designs that suit their personal art style shown in their portfolios. Some artists find it tricky to design outside of their own art style. So if you want a design that is authentic and original, pick an artist whose style and themes resonate with you!
But some of our artists have flexibility with different art styles and can adapt to almost anything the client wants. This varies per artist though, so don’t hesitate the ask the studio any questions.
Please be as specific as possible about your idea and come with as many reference images and inspiration as possible. This will help our artists create the most accurate custom piece for you. The more information the better.
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Yes, some of our artists do cover ups, but cover ups are case by case scenarios. We highly recommend scheduling an in person consultation with one of our artists so you can talk to the artist about your idea, ask questions, and understand what is or isn’t possible for your cover up. Please reach out to the studio for a consultation inquiry.
There are situations when clients cannot get their tattoo covered up (due to how dark and/or big the tattoo is compared to the tattoo design they want over it, or if the skin was damaged by the original tattoo, for example) and we may suggest laser removal or changing the cover up idea to a different design.
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Yes, our artists offer touch ups as long as you work with the same artist who initially gave you the tattoo. Some of our artists offer free touch ups while some require a small fee. This varies per artist and should be discussed with them personally.
If you want a tattoo touched up that you got from an artist that does not work at our studio feel free to ask the studio for details along with a photo of the tattoo you want touched up. Some of our artists are comfortable touching up another artist’s work and the price will vary depending on how much touching up is needed.
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Almost all of our artists are able to execute fine line, custom tattoos while only some of our artists are comfortable with black/grey realism and half/full sleeves.
That being said, our artists are open to taking on new challenges so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have an artist in mind.
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Our artist, Skye, is a licensed piercer but is currently only working on Mondays and Tuesdays by appointment only. She is not accepting walk ins, so please message her on Instagram or email the studio if you’d like to set up a piercing appointment!
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Our shop minimum is $120.
$200 minimum for hand, finger, ear, feet, lip, or face tattoos.
$120 minimum is for black ink designs around ½ inch to 1 inch in size (ex: the outline of a heart, a smiley face, a single letter or a short word, etc.). No color, no shading, or extra details.
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Tattoo pricing depends on which artist you work with, the size of the tattoo, the placement on your body, whether black ink or colored ink is used, how much ink is packed in, and how complex / detailed / intricate / difficult the design is.
All our artists price slightly differently. Each body part may be priced slightly differently. Color ink costs more than black ink. The more ink that is needed for a tattoo, the longer time the tattoo takes and more supplies are used. Some “simple” designs may appear simple but may not be so simple for our artists to execute effectively on skin. And more intricate designs take longer time to complete.
You may ask an artist for a rough quote but please know that sometimes the price can change the day of the appointment.
The studio does not determine the price. Artists will always give the final say on pricing. So if the studio gives you a price estimate, just know that is not the final price.
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Our studio does not offer group deals / discounts (unless we are hosting an event or flash sale day which we will post about on Instagram).
It is not common but sometimes artists will be open to doing a slight discount for group deals if everyone in the group works with the same artist (clients cannot share artists, equipment, or supplies to get “a deal”).
This is not guaranteed but feel free to ask the artist or the studio.
We will never charge less than our shop minimum of $120 per person though. We will not do group discounts of $50 tattoos per person (for example).
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Each artist accepts different forms of payment. Clients pay the artist, not the studio.
Zelle, PayPal, and Venmo are the most common, but ask your artist what form of payment they prefer.
Every artist accepts cash.
Most artists do Not accept credit cards.
Only the owners, Chris and Kevin, will accept credit cards. If clients pay with credit cards (including Apple Pay or debit cards), there will be an 8.75% New York sales tax added onto the total.
Appointments
FAQ
Updated Jan. 2026