Question 1

How do I book?

Accepted Answer

Message the studio on WhatsApp at 07506 880454, email livewireinkstudio@gmail.com, or send the booking form on this site. Include what you want, roughly where on the body it is going, and a size in centimetres or inches. Reference images help enormously — send them in the first message.

Question 2

Do you take walk-ins?

Accepted Answer

No. Blackstar is appointment only. That is deliberate: the chair is booked to one person for the whole session, so nobody is waiting and nothing is rushed. It also means the design is drawn in advance rather than improvised on the day.

Question 3

Is there a deposit?

Accepted Answer

a deposit is standard practice in the industry and is normally deducted from the final price, but Blackstar does not publish its deposit terms publicly. Confirm the exact amount and the cancellation window directly with the studio when you book.

Question 4

What does a tattoo cost?

Accepted Answer

no pricing is published on the studio’s Instagram or Facebook. Cost depends on size, placement, detail and how many sittings the piece needs. Send your idea over WhatsApp with a reference and a size and you will get a quote for your specific piece.

Question 5

Can I bring my own design?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can bring a finished design, a rough sketch, a photograph, or nothing at all. Geoff is an artist outside of tattooing as well and provides bespoke artwork, so a custom piece can be drawn from scratch around your idea.

Question 6

How should I prepare?

Accepted Answer

Eat a proper meal within two hours of your appointment and bring a drink and a snack for longer sittings. Sleep well the night before. Do not drink alcohol for 24 hours beforehand — it thins the blood and makes the skin harder to work. Wear clothing that gives easy access to the area without you having to hold it out of the way for six hours. Moisturised, un-sunburnt skin takes ink far better than dry or damaged skin.

Question 7

How old do I have to be?

Accepted Answer

You must be 18 or over. In the UK it is a criminal offence to tattoo anyone under 18, with or without parental consent, so there are no exceptions. Bring photo ID to your first appointment.

Question 8

Can I get tattooed if I am pregnant, breastfeeding or unwell?

Accepted Answer

No — appointments are not carried out during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you are ill, running a temperature, or on a course of antibiotics on the day, get in touch and the session will be moved. Tell the studio in advance about any skin conditions, allergies, diabetes, or blood-thinning medication so the session can be planned around it.

Question 9

Does it hurt?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it is manageable and it is not constant. Most people describe it as a hot scratch that fades into background noise after the first twenty minutes. Fleshy areas — outer arm, thigh, calf — are the easiest. Ribs, sternum, spine, elbow ditch, knee, hands, feet and neck are the ones people remember. Breaks are yours to call at any point in the session.

Question 10

How long will my session take?

Accepted Answer

Lettering and smaller pieces typically run two to four hours. Black and grey and realism pieces are usually four to six, and large portraits or sleeves are booked as multiple sittings across several appointments. You will be given a realistic estimate when the design is confirmed.

Question 11

What is the healing process?

Accepted Answer

Days one to three the tattoo is an open wound: it will feel hot, look raised, and weep a little plasma and ink. Days four to fourteen it peels and flakes like sunburn and itches — this is the part people ruin by scratching. From week two to roughly week five the surface looks healed but the deeper skin is still settling, which is why a fresh tattoo can look slightly cloudy before it sharpens up. Full settle is around four to six weeks.

Question 12

How do I look after it?

Accepted Answer

Leave the covering on for the length of time you are told on the day — it varies with the wrap used. After that, wash gently twice a day with clean hands and unscented soap, pat dry with kitchen roll rather than a towel, and apply a thin layer of aftercare balm. Thin, not thick: a smothered tattoo cannot breathe. No picking, no scratching, no swimming pools, no baths, no saunas and no gym sessions that soak the area in sweat for two weeks. Keep it out of direct sun while it heals, and use high-factor sunscreen on it for life — UV is what fades a tattoo, not time.

Question 13

Do you do touch-ups?

Accepted Answer

most studios offer a free touch-up within a set window on work that has healed unevenly through no fault of the client, with damage from picking, sun or poor aftercare charged as normal. Blackstar does not publish its touch-up terms, so confirm the window and what it covers when you book.

Question 14

What are your hygiene standards?

Accepted Answer

Single-use sterile needles and cartridges, opened in front of you and disposed of into a sharps bin at the end of the session. Fresh ink caps and razors every time. Barriers on the machine, clip cord, grip and lamp. Surfaces and the chair are cleaned down between clients, and everything reusable is cleaned and sterilised. If you ever want to see a needle come out of its packet before it goes near you, ask — you should be asking that everywhere.

Question 15

Where are you and is there parking?

Accepted Answer

The studio is at 42B Glen Road, Belfast BT11 8BG, United Kingdom, on the Glen Road in west Belfast. parking arrangements are not published; confirm with the studio when you book.

Questions

Bookthechair

Questions

BookingHow do I book?

BookingDo you take walk-ins?

BookingIs there a deposit?

BookingWhat does a tattoo cost?

BookingCan I bring my own design?

BeforeHow should I prepare?

BeforeHow old do I have to be?

BeforeCan I get tattooed if I am pregnant, breastfeeding or unwell?

On the dayDoes it hurt?

On the dayHow long will my session take?

AftercareWhat is the healing process?

AftercareHow do I look after it?

AftercareDo you do touch-ups?

The studioWhat are your hygiene standards?

The studioWhere are you and is there parking?

Bookthechair