Tattoos are becoming more and more popular. Our state has developed new regulations for tattoo studios to follow in order to ensure safety for both clients and professional artists. There are new supplies that are available that help artists achieve better detail and shading in your tattoo. F.A.Q. Q - Where are you Located??? A - 249 Naugatuck Ave, Milford, CT 06460 Across from Aldario's Restaurant. You can get to us by taking I-95 N or S. Take Exit 34. Take a right off the exit and a left onto Naugatuck Avenue. Q - How old do I have to be to get a Tattoo??? A - Connecticut State Law states: You must be 18 years of age, with a state issued drivers license,or birth certificate accompanied by a state issued photo ID. Children 16 and 17 years of age may be tattooed in the state of CT ONLY if they are accompanied by thier parent or legal guardian. We will need to see the minor's Original Birth certificate with the seal (no wallet sizes accepted), accompanied by a form of photo ID, or state issued drivers license, and the parent/guardian's State issued ID or License. The parent/guardian will need to be present to read through and sign a release form for the minor.If the parent has a different last name than the minor, the birth certificate is mandatory to proceed with a tattoo. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule. The parent or guardian is not required to stay with the minior during the tattoo and may leave the shop and come back later to pick up their child. Q - How do I choose an Artist? A - The best advice we can give is to shop around. Do not always go by what you may have heard from other people. Do the legwork. Go shop to shop looking at artists portfolios, and check out the shop itself. Make sure the shop and the workstations are clean and organized. Ask questions! If an artist does not want to give you the time to answer them, leave and try another shop. Artists usually specialize in one style, but are able to do many styles if needed. Find an artist/shop that will take the time to speak with you about your design, and be sure you like the work they have in their portfolios or on their websites before making an appointment. Q - How Much will my tattoo cost? A - Every Shop/Artist will charge you differently. Some charge by the hour, some charge by the piece, etc. Again, take your design from shop to shop and get price estimates. Remember, Good tattoos aren't cheap, and cheap tattoos aren't good. So shop around for quality of artwork, not the cheapest deal. Chances are if you go the cheap route, you may end up unhappy with your tattoo, and may have to pay more in the long run to get it to look like what you originally wanted. You are paying the artist for their time, and artistic ability. It isn't like drawing on paper. They are specially trained and licensed for tattooing. Keep in mind the cost of the tattoo also depends on the shops supplies they have to buy, bills to run thier shop daily etc. This is how they make a living. So be understanding and respectful, and expect nothing but the same in return. Q - Is there anything I should do to prepare for a tattoo? A - We firstly recommend that you are positive on the design you have chosen, as well as placement on your body. Do not let the pain factor decide where you place the tattoo, you'll only regret putting it there. Be sure to dress according to where you are getting the tattoo. Clothes that are comfortable and make it easily accessible to the area for the artist are best. Be sure to sleep well and eat before you get a tattoo to keep your blood sugar level up, and so that your body is rested and ready to get a tattoo. You may bring something to drink with you in case you get thirsty. You may also bring mp3 players, books, or dvds. We have dvd players in every station to help pass the time. If you don't bring a dvd we have a selection for you to pick from. Most important is to not make an appointment if you have plans for something else that day. A tattoo never has a definite time of how long it takes to do.(This all depends on how you sit, how many breaks you take, how the ink takes to your skin etc) The artists will not rush a tattoo at all. Do not drink alcohol prior to getting a tattoo. We do not tattoo anyone who has been drinking. Why? This will thin the blood and cause you to bleed more, and as we are trying to put ink in your skin, you will bleed it right out. This will cause the color in the tattoo to look splotchy and faded. Do not worry about shaving an area, we take care of that when you come in. Be sure to fill out your release form properly and honestly. The artists need to know if you have any medical issues or medications you take. This is to keep everyone including the artist safe. Q - Does a getting a Tattoo hurt, and what does it feel like??? A - Yes and No. Depending on each individuals pain tolerance and area your placing the tattoo. Some people describe the feeling as a bad sunburn, cat scratch, or bee sting. Most people only feel the pain for a little while and then the area goes numb. Remember, everyone is different. The needles used are pre-set, and do not go any deeper than 3-4 layers of skin. The needles never touch bone or veins. Despite what you may have heard, bleeding is very minimal if at all, and is only remnent blood in the skin capilaries. Remember, you ARE having needles placed into your skin, you will feel some discomfort. You may take as many breaks as needed, and for 1st tattoos, we always offer a dry test line. This is a short line of the tattoo design you have picked, with no ink in the needle. 99% of people who get a test line calm right down and get right into the tattoo. After 10 mins or so your endorphins (the bodies natural pain killers) will kick in and the pain will be tolerable. Remember to sit still during your tattoo so the artist may get through it quickly and easily, the more you move around, the longer it will take. Q - Can my friend sit with me during my tattoo??? A - No we do not allow anyone to be in the station with you while being tattooed. Depending on which station they are being tattooed in, you may be able to sit by the counter and watch. Any private areas will be done in the back, more private stations. Q - How do I make an Appointment??? A - All Appointments must be made in person and require a deposit of at least $20-50 (depending on day of the appointment and work involved) which is deducted from the final cost of the tattoo. All Deposits are Non-Refunadble.If you can not make your appointment you forfeit your deposit. In order to make another appointment, you will need to leave another deposit. You may make an appointment if you have a gift certificate, but you are still required to come in and talk to us about what you would like done. If you cannot make your appointment, please be courteous and call ahead to let us know so we can fill the open spot with another customer. Q - Do you Only take Appointments??? A - Most shops these days take appointments only. We take walk-ins as well as appointments. Keep in mind, that if you walk in, it is first come first serve. Appointments take priority over walk-ins. Spring/Summer time and Holidays is our busiest times of the year, so expect us to fill up quickly especially on the weekends. Please call ahead to see what our schedule looks like before you try and walk in. Q - Can you give me a price quote over the phone? A - No, we do not give quotes over the phone. You must stop in for us to give you a quote because we need to talk with you and see what you would like tattooed. It is very difficult to quote without seeing size/detail. If you email us a picture with measurements, we will be happy to give price quotes via email. Q - Do you do Custom Work??? A - Yes, most of our work is custom. We do have 1,000's of designs here but if you come in and dont find a design you like, we can draw you one. There is a seperate fee of $20 and up (Artist discretion) for the drawing, depending on size and detail. Also, feel free to bring in a design of your own, or print outs from the internet, books etc. Q - Do you do touch-ups? A - Yes. We do touch-ups Monday through Thursday and there will be a needle charge of $10-$50 on all work originally done at Sleepy Hollow Tattoo. If you need recoloring/cover-up of an old tattoo that was not done at our shop, we will charge according to how much work the design needs. Q - Do you rework old tattoos and work done by other artists? A - Yes we do. The cost will depend on size and detail. We will need you to stop in for us to determine how much work is needed. (We do not give quotes over the phone.) The price could go from our shop minimum of $50 and up. Q - Do You do Body Piercing??? A - No, we do not pierce. Q - Do you do Henna ??? A - No, we do not. Q - Do you sell Gift Certificates??? A - Yes we do. In any denomination. They are NON-REFUNDABLE. If you do not use the entire amount of your gift certificate, you will be issued another for the remaining balance. Gift Certificates CANNOT be redeemed for cash. CREDIT ONLY. Please check our site during February/March to see when we are having a 10% off special on certain tattoos, and during the holidays we have a great gift certificate sale. Q - Do you accept credit cards/checks/debt cards??? A - No. We ONLY accept CASH payments. All payments must be made prior to tattooing. NO EXCEPTIONS. Q - Do you have a shop minimum??? A - Yes we do. The shop minimum is $50. Tattoos start from that price and go up from there depending on size and detail. The minimum covers the cost of the disposeable materials used. Q - Do you do tattoo parties??? A - No we do not. Q - Do you need a license to tattoo??? A - As of the present, there is no formal licensing for tattoo artists in CT. The Connecticut Statutes state: The tattoo shop must be approved by the city Health Department of the town that the tattoo shop is located. And a Registered Doctor or RN, must oversee all sterilization procedures. The shop MUST have a medical waste removal service, and follow all state guidelines/ statutes. Tattoo artists usually apprentice under an accomplished tattoo artist who owns or runs his/her own shop,and is certified in blood borne pathogen testing. Q - Do you use all brand new supplies??? A - YES! All needles are BRAND NEW from the manufacturer, PRE-PACKAGED, STERILIZED and DISPOSABLE. Everything we use is SINGLE USE, (needles, gloves, colors etc.)and is disposed of in our MEDICAL WASTE CONTAINER and removed by a medical waste company. When being tattooed in ANY shop, always ask to see your pre-packaged materials in advance, and always ask to see the sterilization autoclave, the artists work etc. Remember, its your body, and you need to keep it safe! Q - Do you do cosmetic tattoos??? A - No we do not. We only tattoo facial beauty marks. Q - Are there any areas of the body you DO NOT tattoo??? A - Yes. Extremely private areas (genitals), and the front of the neck and up onto the face/head. *We WILL DO sides and back of the neck* Also, we recommend not tattooing the palms of your hands or soles of feet, as the tattoo will wear away quickly due to wearing shoes and socks , and always using your hands etc. These areas are VERY touch up prone, and could wear away even during the healing process. Q - Are children allowed in your shop??? A - Children are most welcome as long as they are kept quiet and supervised by an ADULT while you are being tattooed. They cannot be left alone, or taken into the room while we tattoo you. If they get out of hand, we will have to ask that they be removed to allow our artists to concentrate on the work at hand. Q - Do you take apprenticeships??? A - No. We are a family run business and choose only to employ our family members, we do not give apprenticeships. Thank you for your interest. Most other shops do take apprentices. Its a lot to learn and alot of work, but if you are up for it, its one of the most rewarding jobs there are. Some shops charge you to learn and have you sign a contract, they are, afterall, teaching you a skill that you will have the rest of your life. Be prepared to do alot of "crap-work" like emptying garbage, cleaning and setting up stations etc, and learning alot of the background of tattooing, sterilization processes,tattooing grapefruit, fake skin etc, before ever touching a person with a machine. Good Luck!