FAQs

We understand that you have plenty of tattoo studios to choose from, but our vision for Black Lotus Tattoos was NOT to be just another tattoo studio. Black Lotus Tattoos has dedicated itself to delivering a unique and inspiring experience each and every time.  With a constant flow of new guest artists from all over the world as well as an incredible art gallery, we have made sure that the environment at Black Lotus Tattoos inspires constant growth.   

Any studio can say they're number one, but our results prove it.  From the moment you walk in and see original art all over the walls to the cleanliness and classy feel of the studio, we are sure that you will feel right at home.  

Regardless of if this is your first tattoo or your tenth, whether it's something small or a backpiece, whether it's a meaningful tattoo you are planning for months to get or you just want a show piece of art that you let the artist run wild with; you should always be thinking about one thing: You should be striving to get the BEST tattoo you can.  Now this does not always involve the artist pulling great ideas out of his head at the drop of a hat like you see on TV.  This process can take some research and consulting. You want to make sure that you spend time looking at portfolios.  

​Finding the right artist is a hundred times more important than finding the right design.  There are things that one artist can do efficiently that another artist might struggle over.  At Black Lotus Tattoos, we are not a factory for tattoos that we just rush to get as many done as possible. Each artist here wants the tattoo to come out as perfect as possible.  So when you ask a non portrait artist to do a portrait, and they refer you to another artist, please keep in mind they are not blowing you off but simply recognizing each others strengths and showing good teamwork.  

If you asked each resident artist at Black Lotus to design you a skull, you would get 9 very different skulls, so discovering what style you like is crucial to the choosing an artist process.  If you are not sure, you can always come into the shop where our front desk can help you out.  They are incredible judges of who would do best from working with the staff.  They are also avid tattoo collectors and recognize not only who would be best at the design, but who would enjoy tattooing it the most which makes a world of difference in the art field. Alternatively, you can also send us an email saying you are looking for guidance to help choose an artist and we can do that process with you through email.  

We have gone into more detail about our booking process under the "Booking Info" tab of the website. For piercing appointments please use the "Piercing Appointment" tab of the website. To start the process of tattoo removal, check out the "Tatt2Away" tab on the website and fill out a request form. All tattoo and removal appointments require a non-refundable $100-200 deposit. The cost of this deposit will go towards your final session. 

Like a doctor, dentist office or salon it is hard to say if we will always have time or space to accept walk ins, but we love to accommodate them if we do.  You can always call the studio to see if we have availability at 410-487-6675. 

Deposits are non-refundable. We have a 72 hour rescheduling policy. If you give us 72 hours notice we can reschedule your appointment for you to a different date and your deposit will transfer to the new appointment. We do understand that life comes up, but do also understand that this is our artists lives and they have dedicated this space of time to you and not other people.    

Any cancellation or rescheduling after the 72 hour notice deadline will automatically forfeit your deposit and you will need to put down a new deposit to make a new appointment. Arriving more than 15 minutes late for your appointment will be considered a no show and you will forfeit your deposit and your appointment and will need to put down a new deposit to make a new appointment. Not showing up for your appointment is considered a "No Show" and your deposit is forfeited and all future appointments that were held by that deposit will be cancelled.  

Deposits are non-refundable. All new piercing appointments require a $50 non-refundable deposit. This deposit will go towards your piercing fee. Upon acceptance of your appointment request you will be called by the studio to take the $50 non-refundable deposit that will secure your piercing appointment. Your appointment is not secured until you have placed  your deposit. If you decide not get pierced the deposit will remain on file for any future piercings or purchases. Check ups, jewelry changes, and jewelry sales do not require a deposit but still require an appointment.

Any cancellation or rescheduling within 24 hours of your appointment will forfeit your deposit and you will need to put down a new $50 deposit to make a new appointment. You must be no more than 5 minutes late or you will be rescheduled. Not showing up for your appointment is considered a "No Show" and your deposit is forfeited and all future appointments that were held by that deposit will be cancelled and you will need to place a new $50 non-refundable deposit to reschedule. If you do reschedule more than once due to being late you will forfeit your deposit and need to place a new one to reschedule. 

To give an idea of how difficult that question is to answer, you could assume its like asking, "How long does it take to cook?"  or "How much is a new car?"  Some food takes an hour to cook, some 6 hours to bake.  Some cars are $1,000 and some cars are $100,000.  Most importantly, some food is better tasting than others and some cars are better quality than others. Tattooing is much the same.

To properly price a tattoo there are many variables that factor in such as the size, subject matter, color or black and grey, detail, placement on body and so forth. Black Lotus Tattoos charges an industry standard of $150-200 per hour so pricing ultimately depends on how long the project takes. Generally during consultation you will be given a base estimate for the tattoo in flat rate sessions to keep things simple. 

Tips are not required, but they sure are nice! Tips are cash only and can be any amount that you feel comfortable with. People tip anywhere from $10 (hey, this buys them lunch!) all the way to 50-100% of the total. You can tip either session by session or at the end of the piece.  

Always make sure you are well rested the night before your tattoo and always make sure you eat a good meal before coming in to keep a healthy level of blood sugar. Getting tattooed while your body is hungry, hungover or exhausted could definitely change your experience from good to bad quickly.  Be sure to have on comfortable clothing but also clothing you might not care so much about and be mindful of where it is going.  There is always a risk of getting ink on your clothing so make sure not to wear your favorite shirt or pants. 

All sketches will be drawn during your appointment time or drawn directly on the skin and will not be available for viewing before your scheduled appointment date. This ensures that the tattoo idea is fresh in the mind and can be adapted to fit the client's body seamlessly. 

Lydia and Jason specialize in cover-ups. Keep in mind, due to being high in demand their books are often closed, but we announce when they open on our website and social media. Some of the other artists will take them on, but still are very selective. Cover-ups require a very practiced skill set and they will only take on what they are confident they can execute. If you are looking to have a cover-up done, please submit your idea to an artist on the website when their books are open.  

Black Lotus tattoos houses a professionally trained Tatt2Away technician.  Our technician Jessica is the only one certified and trained to do this, so she will be the most helpful as she knows much more about it than our artists. There is extensive training and the level of cleanliness and inspections the studio must obtain to acquire this. If you are interested in getting this procedure or just want to find out more about it, please check out the "Tatt2Away" page. 

As the shop is usually busy with clients and our first priority is the care of the people getting tattooed, there can be times that emails may take a day or two to get back to especially on the weekends where we are usually fully booked and staffed.  This isn't anything personal, we are just busy. 

However, we do have a crew at the front desk who not only helps people who walk in, but also check the artists emails.  Please wait 48-72 hours to hear a response.  If you have not heard back after 72 hours, please email back as the internet is a goofy and spooky place of mystery or call the shop directly during business hours and we can help you there.  

There are many times that you do not need to talk to the artists about dates and info, as our staff is trained by the artists to accommodate their needs so they can keep their minds on the person getting tattooed.  This respect I'm sure you would appreciate during your appointment, so anything you need you can ask our staff at the front desk. 

Our artist will tattoo 16 & 17 year olds with parental consent. This is on a case by case basis. All minors who wish to get a tattoo must provide a valid state issued photo ID or passport + original birth certificate. They must also be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian with valid state issued ID or passport and proof of guardianship. 

We do not pierce anyone under the age of 16. NO EXCEPTIONS.​ For more information on minor piercings please click here. 

When an artist has their books closed it means we do not accept new clients, consultations, or appointments for them at this time. When their books do reopen, we will update the website to reflect that they are open. We recommend following the artist and/or the studio on Instagram because we will also make a post about it when their books open. Also sign up for the newsletter under the "Booking Info" tab. 

All of our guest artists that visit the studio handle their own booking of appointments so you should contact the artist directly. Please note that they will most likely take a deposit form you just as if you were booking with one of our resident artists. 

We hold our artists to the highest standards as well as the artists holding themselves to it.  Most of our clientele comes primarily from friend referrals, so people are saying good things.  You can check out our reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook!  

We also encourage people to call, email or stop in with any questions that you might have to make sure you have a perfect experience.  

We do! They are available in store for purchase in any amount from $5 and up. They can be used on any service and product that we offer and expire 4 years from the date of purchase. We do not ship gift cards, as they can not be replaced if they are lost or stolen.