Frequently Asked Questions About Tattoos and Freedom Tattoo Studios Vernon

You can book a consultation or tattoo appointment through our booking form, where you will be asked to fill out a brief questionnaire and request a date. If you prefer to speak to the artist individually to set up an appointment, you can contact us via our emails or call the shop and leave a message at 250-558-3733. The tattoo date can be set up during the consultation or through messaging with the individual.

We charge $150 an hour, with a half day rate (4hrs) at $500+tax and a full day rate (6-8hrs) at $800+tax for largescale pieces.

Yes, we are very diligent and strict on our cleanliness - our clients’ safety is our top priority. We follow strict sterilization procedures in accordance with BC Interior Health guidelines and professional tattoo industry standards. All our needles are single-use and disposed of accordingly. Our tattoo rooms and equipment are completely sterile and safe for every tattoo. We use hospital-grade disinfectants on all our work surfaces before and between every appointment. We also use medical approved sterilization for tattoo treatment during application and for covers for when walking out the door.

We provide a detailed healing regimen following your tattoo, and a healing pamphlet to take home to refer to. Overall cleanliness is most important for your tattoo, to prevent any risk of infection and for the proper healing that will ensure longevity of your tattoo. A gentle environment, with reduced risk of any scratches or rubbing on your tattoo while it’s healing will also ensure the pigment will hold in the skin. No swimming or soaking your tattoo, as well as avoiding direct sun exposure on your tattoo while healing is essential. A tattoo will take 2-4 weeks to fully heal, and all healing protocols must be followed during this time.

Absolutely, if a tattoo has faded or had a rough heal, we strongly recommend returning touch ups to ensure the quality of your tattoo. We have a loyalty program with our touch ups, whereby if you come back for another tattoo, the artist will provide a free touch up on any old work they have applied in the past. Also, if you come back for only a touch up, we do charge a minimum of $100 + tax. Certain tattoos require more touch-ups than others. For example, fine line tattoos have a higher risk of fading overtime, as well as certain color pigments like reds. Certain placements including hands, fingers, and knee/elbow ditches have a higher chance of needing touch ups. At Freedom Tattoo Studios, we take the most care of our tattoos to look amazing when healed and will provide the means necessary to ensure a perfect healed result.

We take debit, visa, and Mastercard payments, as well as cash. We also provide payment plan options for those who request it but still want their dream tattoo to come to life. This is a bi-monthly payment system.

Consultations are free of charge; however, a deposit of $100-$200 + tax will be required when booking your actual tattoo appointment and before a custom design is made. This deposit is not added to the cost of the tattoo; it will be deducted from the final payment of the tattoo service. However, the deposit will not be refunded if you cancel the appointment within 24 hours of the tattoo time. (Custom drawings are included as a free service for your tattoo, but if someone cancels with no plans to reschedule, this deposit will be kept accounting for the artist’s time to design the tattoo.

Our overall motto is “you pay when the needle contacts skin” and all drawings, preparation, and consultations are included with the cost of the tattoo. If you are paying an hourly rate, any breaks that occur will be deducted from the total time the tattoo takes. For cancellations, we have a grace period: If any rescheduling is needed, excluding those within 24 hours of the appointment, we will accommodate this and set up a new appointment in the future. We understand that life is unpredictable at times for our customers.

Tattoos do inflict pain on an individual, and the intensity ranges depending on placement and length of the session. Certain placements like arms and legs are less intense compared to spots like necks, ribs, hands, elbows and knees, armpits, and sternums/stomach. Arms and legs are recommended for those seeking their first tattoo. Typically, the longer a tattoo appointment the more painful it gets. Our body naturally produces adrenaline while receiving a tattoo which alleviates pain. However, once a tattoo session extends to 3-4 hours, the adrenaline begins decreasing, and with added rawness, it causes any session past that point to raise pain intensity. Although tattoos do inflict pain, most people find they can manage. Your long-term pain endurance, rather than resistance to high intensity pain, is a factor. We do offer numbing creams and spray at a charge which can be used before or during the appointment.

Wear clothing that allows easy access to the area of the body being tattooed. An artist will share their recommendations for attire tapered to the placement during a consultation (i.e. for a shoulder tattoo to wear a tank top or strapless top). Wearing black or stainable clothing is recommended because of the slight risk of tattoo ink or stencil spreading to clothes and staining them. You are going to be sitting for a while, so comfy clothes and potentially a blanket is recommended. Make sure to eat a hearty meal before your tattoo and keep hydrated, especially for longer sessions. Bring some snacks if you desire; however, we also provide snacks and drinks. We also require that you don't drink alcohol the night before and day of your tattoo, as the tattoo won’t apply as efficiently and it may make your appointment longer. Make sure to shower and have your skin clean before coming in and for hairy areas to trim the hair or shave gently without any knicks with a clean razor.

Our artist and owner Riley specialize in cover-up tattoos, including scar cover-ups. We also can rework and add old and faded tattoos.

We are located in Vernon, BC, on 30th Avenue (Main Street). The address to our shop is 2-3212 30th Ave. We are located upstairs above Casa Bella Boutique, with our entry door at street level. We have great window seat views of downtown Vernon, perfect for people watching. We have been in this spot for 20+ years with deep roots in the community and history of Vernon. A way to clearly find our shop is our neon “tattoo” sign above our door and the large “FREEDOM” letters along our windows upstairs (visible from the street).

The minimum age to sign a waiver for an individual and receive a tattoo is 18 years old. However, we also allow those who are 17 to be tattooed if accompanied by a legal parent or guardian and will sign on behalf of their child. A photo ID will be required from anyone receiving a tattoo and will be required from a minor and their parent, as well as an official birth certificate. There are no exceptions to this policy.