Answers to Your Tattoo and Piercing Questions in Gainesville, FL

Your first trip to a tattoo shop can be intimidating, if not flat-out scary. Here is a short introduction to help you feel more comfortable during your first visit to Gainesville's premier tattoo studio, BODYTECH. Getting a tattoo is a multi-staged process. First, you will have to pick out a design or have a custom picture drawn, get a consultation (needed only if the tattoo is big or if your original reference needs to be altered), pick an artist, determine the best placement on your body, figure out a size, and get comfortable cause the real fun is about to begin.

What to Expect

When you walk into BODYTECH, there will probably be some music playing and quite a few people with lots of tattoos and piercings - don't worry, nice people get tattoos and piercings, too. One of these friendly tattooed type people will be in the reception area waiting to answer any questions you might have. *Remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question.*

First Things First: Are You 18?

At BODYTECH, we only pierce or tattoo people that are the legal age of 18 with proper identification (Drivers License, State ID, Passport). Anyone who would like to get a service under 18 must bring in a parent and have a Notarized Parental Consent form provided by BODYTECH in the forms section of this website. The parent and the minor must have a picture ID. For a piercing, a school ID will work if accompanied by a Birth Certificate with the child's and parents' names on it. Because we are regulated by the Florida Department of Health, unlike some of those mall places, all clients must have a Parental Consent form filled out and Notarized. The following is a list of ages and services we will perform at that age.

NO SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED WITHOUT PROPER ID!

Piercings

12 - and under - Ear Lobes Only

13 to 14 - Ear Lobes, Cartilage, Nose, Navels, NO Conchs

15 - Ear Lobes, Tragus, Conch, Lips, Labrets, Monroe's, Tongues, Navels, Nose (NO Septum, No Dermal, Surface, Industrial).

16 to 17 - Tattoos and any Piercing but Genitals/Nipples (Male or Female) (No Surface, No Dermals, No Septum, No Industrial).

Tattoos

To get a tattoo under 18, you MUST have a state or federal-issued ID, MUST be at least 16, and MUST have a parent with you—more information on the consent form page. All minor tattoos and piercings are up to the artist's discretion.

Do You Already Know What You Want or Have an Idea?

Bring in your reference material; the more pictures you can show the artist, the better idea they will have when drawing your custom tattoo. We can work with a photo, sketch, picture in a book, magazine, or picture online.
Don't Know What You Want?

Come on in! We have an extensive collection of pre-drawn tattoo art pictures (animals, symbols, crosses, cartoons, flowers, fish, butterflies, lettering, wings, and anything else you might think of). Any image in the shop can be tattooed as is or combined with other pictures to create your own one-of-a-kind tattoo.
Picking a Tattoo Artist

Once you know what you want, you must decide who will be your personal body beautifier (Artist), or we can pick one best suited for your design. Take the time to look at all of the artists' portfolios. Find one that best matches the style of tattoo that you want to get. After you have a tattoo artist in mind, and if your tattoo designs need to be redrawn, talk to them, and show them your idea. They will make all the necessary changes and schedule an appointment to get the tattoo done.
How Much Does It Cost?

An artist must see you, the tattoo design, and placement to give a price. For that, you will have to come into the store and talk to the artist. All tattoos are priced by the time it will take to do the tattoo. Our shop min is $100. No prices will be given over the phone or computer. Sorry!
How About Here?

The placement of the tattoo is just as important as the design. Some places on the body are harder to tattoo due to the natural contours and skin consistency. For instance, a tattoo on your arm or leg is easy because the skin is tight, and the ink can easily be inserted into the skin. Other places on the body, such as the stomach or ribcage, are more difficult, requiring more time in the chair. This equals more cost.
Tattoo Size

The amount of detail will determine the size of your tattoo. For longevity reasons, you should not try to cram lots of detail into small spaces. Over time, small details can become lost, so bigger is better.
Schedule it!

Walk-ins are always welcome at BODYTECH. You can often come in, pick your design, and get tattooed that day. However, if your idea needs to be sketched and cleaned up, or the artist is already booked with appointments for the night, you will have to wait. If you have to schedule an appointment, we will start you a file, and you will have to leave a $20 minimum deposit to hold the appointment time. The money will be applied to the cost of your tattoo when you come in. Failure to keep your appointment time or if you do not call before your appointment time will forfeit your deposit.
Is it Done Yet?

It is very important that you be patient if you have a tattoo custom drawn for you. Your artist may be working on multiple drawings and is systematically working through his files. Some tattoo designs can take as little as a day, and others as long as a month. The artist will call you when your custom piece is finished to set up an appointment or have you come to look at it.