How to Get a Tattoo Appointment: 6 Tips

Want an appointment with a particular artist who’s currently in high demand? These six points noticeably improve your chances, whether with us or at any other studio.

1. Be friendly

Tattoo artists are, first and foremost, people who want to be treated kindly, just like you. A friendly, warm request with a proper greeting and sign-off leaves a good impression when read.

Sounds obvious? It’s not, unfortunately. Especially when many requests come in at once, friendly and respectful communication makes a difference.

2. Give all the necessary info at once

For an initial assessment, the following information is usually helpful:

* references
* photos of the area to be tattooed
* preferred style
* size
* color or black and grey
* your available budget, if requested

Try to include the information together in a single message.

Not more, not less. When an artist gets a lot of requests, it’s much easier to process a complete request than several messages with individual pieces of information trickling in.

3. Provide your availability

Give your contact details so your artist can reach you with questions, and ideally mention when you’re easy to reach.

That removes unnecessary friction from the process and can noticeably speed up communication. Especially with sought-after artists, it can help if follow-up questions can be clarified quickly and easily.

4. Ask the right artist

Ask for an appointment with someone who actually works in your desired style. Someone specialized in ornamental work rarely takes on photorealistic designs, and vice versa.

Look at the Artist’s work with your own idea in mind: Does the style suit your subject, and can you find similar projects or a clear area of specialization? For cover-ups, a portfolio with a substantial number of similar projects can be an indication of relevant experience.

You can see who tattoos which styles on our artists page.

5. Be flexible on timing and budget

If you can only imagine a single day in the calendar, you’re unnecessarily limiting your options. Several possible date ranges noticeably improve your chances.

Being realistic about budget helps too. Keep the deposit in mind as well, since at most studios that's what makes the appointment final. Find out beforehand roughly what price range your desired tattoo falls into, and give your budget honestly if asked. That helps the artist better judge whether the planned project is feasible within that range.

More on that in our article How Much Does a Tattoo Cost?.

6. Consider guest artists

One way to an appointment many people overlook: if you’re open to different signatures, it’s worth checking out international guest artists.

At True Canvas we welcome over 250 international guest artists every year. That regularly gives you the chance to book artists with different styles and signatures in Vienna, sometimes with shorter wait times than particularly sought-after resident artists.

All upcoming dates are in the calendar on our guest artists page.

Conclusion

A sought-after appointment isn’t just luck. A clear, friendly and complete request sent to the right artist at the right time can make a big difference.

With these six points, you improve your chances wherever you apply.

You don't need to be able to name the style. If you'd like to try anyway, the terms are in our overview of tattoo styles.

If this is your first tattoo, everything else is covered on our page about your first tattoo.

Ready to send your request? Request an appointment