Q: Where do you work? Where are you based in?

At the moment I am based in Barcelona, Spain.
Before that I used to mostly work out of Berlin, Germany and San Francisco, USA.

Now I have a small child, so my traveling is much more limited and about 90% of my clients travel from abroad to get tattooed by me in Barcelona.

I do plan on visiting Berlin a few times a year from now on and hopefully New York and San Francisco, USA in the next 3 years.

I always post my location and guest spot dates on my Travel Dates page. You can find more information there.

If you would like to vote for your city as a potential guest spot location for me, vote at WeAreCoal.com.
Thank you!

Q: How can I get an appointment and what’s the best way to contact you?
The best way right now is to sign up for my waitlist/newsletter.
I open my books a few times a year for the following 2-3 months.

Once my books open, there will be a link to a Google Form that you will need to fill in.
It will have all the information about how to book with me, pricing, available flash designs, etc.
I will go through all the forms and contact the people who’s projects are selected.

I do give priority to returning clients, to people who want a flash design and to projects that feel exciting to me.

If you have a very limited time slot during which you will be visiting Barcelona, you can reach out to me via jiotattooing@gmail.com and ask if there is any opening or cancelation.

Q: It’s my first tattoo, what do I need to know?
You might be a little nervous and your mind might be overthinking the whole process. Totally normal! 😅 I have many first-timers and I am happy to support you in feeling safe and welcome and making this a great first time experience that you will never forget.

A few things to be aware of when you are thinking of a custom design:
– I am here to help you in the process. You don’t have to figure it all out. If you have a clear idea, great! If not, we will have a consultation to talk it through, brainstorm some possibilities and come to an agreed direction for the design.
– I love simplicity and it works the best with my style. So I tend to focus only on one or two elements (like a face or the body or an element). I don’t like to have too many things in one design as I believe it becomes messy and less powerful.
– Bigger is better. Over the years, the tattoo ink tends to spread under the skin, so any lines that are too close together will most likely at some point start to melt into each other. For that reason I always recommend going a little bigger and also considering the placement, so that the tattoo works with the body and doesn’t look like a sticker. And if you are leaning towards getting a small tattoo, then I will recommend simplifying it and making it very minimalistic.

The other, more simple option, is to look through my flash designs and find one or a few that really resonate with you, wether because of their meaning or simply because of the aesthetic. Then we can print it or all of them in different sizes and find the perfect placement.

For the tattoo process itself, let me know that it is your first tattoo in your Google Form and during the consultation and I will let you know of anything else that would be important for you to know.

When we make the booking, I also send out a form with more information about the preparation for the session, aftercare, and tips to make the whole process go smoothly.

Q: Do you have flash or ready-made designs/ wanna-do’s?

Yes, I usually create a set of pre-made designs that you can choose from. I try to book 50% custom designs (where I will make a custom drawing from each client) and 50% flash designs (where the client can pick their favourite out of the designs I have available).

If you would like to be informed about flash designs when they are availble, I share my designs through my Newsletter and often post them on my IG Stories.

Q: Do I need to have a ready design/drawing or will you draw one for me?

No, you don’t have to have any drawing or sketch. If you want a unique custom tattoo design, we will meet for a consultation and talk it through. You may have a very concrete vision or a very open, vague idea. Both are great and we will work from there.

The other option is to select an already made flash design, that you really resonate with. These you will find in the tattoo sign up form that becomes accessible with my bookings are open. You can also select several designs and we can try them on and see which one works and fits you best.

And sometimes I enjoy recreating a drawing or a sketch that was made by another artist (not tattoo artist) that might have a similar style like mine, always with their permission if they are still alive.

Q: How much does it hurt? Do you use numbing creams?
The pain of getting tattooed varies from person to person, from body part to body part and from moment to moment.
Some people are naturally more tolerant, others more sensitive, just like some body parts (forearm, upper arm, shoulder, thighs) are less painful and others (knee, elbow, armpit, inner side of the knee and elbow, neck, wrist, feet, hands, head, belly, middle of the chest, ribs) are more sensitive. Yet, all of this can vary. Women can also experience different pain tolerance levels depending on the time of their moon/ menstruation cycle.

Generally, I do not use numbing creams or sprays because in my style of tattooing they don’t work as well. The work on open wounds, meaning that if the tattoo is made in many layers, they will numb the skin. But since I almost only pass one time in each area and don’t keep going over and over, the numbing cream doesn’t do much difference.

I do however use organic, natural, yummy body butters that reduce the inflammation and assist with healing.

Q: How much does the tattoo cost?
I charge by the hour, which means that you pay for the time that I’m tattooing only. The consultation, preparation, stencil making and breaks are not charged.

In Berlin my rate is 300EUR per hour of tattooing. 
In San Francisco and New York my rate is 450USD per hour of tattooing.

There is an extra fee for custom design making – If you want me to make a unique design for you, it will be an additional 200EUR (300USD).

The final price depends on the size, detail, technique, location of the tattoo on the body and the duration of the tattoo session.

Once my bookings are open, you can find more detailed information and examples of how much time different tattoos take to finish.

Q: What do I need to know before the tattoo session?

I ask you to please avoid consuming alcohol or take any mind-altering drugs for at least 24h before the tattoo, since this could make the process more painful and the healing harder. Please don’t smoke cannabis before or during the session.

It is best if you can have a good night sleep before the session day (even though I know that the nerves can sometimes get in the way! 😅). Depending on your body, if you know that you feel weak when you don’t eat, then you definitely will want to have a good meal before the session. Bring some snacks like nuts, juice, water, candy or sandwiches for the breaks.

It’s important to let me know if you have any allergies, skin conditions or difficulty in wound healing that could affect your tattoo healing.

Oh!! And if you could cream the area that will be getting tattooed every day for a week prior to the session, it would be great! If you wish, you may also shave the area the night before or on the day of the session to save me some work. 😊

Q: AFTERCARE and HEALING - How do I look after my fresh tattoo?

I always send a document with Aftercare instructions once we book the appointment.
And because the protection film that I apply on the tattoo lasts for two days, you will have plenty of time to read through it and get the after care products.

If you still want to know how it works:
– You will leave the studio with the tattoo covered in a special transparent film (Dermalize/Second Skin) which you can leave for up to 48h (2 days). You can shower with it, you can move with it (although sometimes it might restrict some movement), you can even touch it.
– To remove this cover, first wash your hands, then, in the shower or under warm running water, peel it off slowly. Wash the tattooed skin with warm water to open up the pores and a neutral, natural antibacterial soap, removing any extra ink and plasma-type residue. Then, you can pass it through cold water to close the pores again.
– Dry the tattoo with a paper towel, tapping on it gently (do not wipe) or just let it air dry. Once it’s dry, you may apply a little bit of tattoo cream or coconut oil, just enough to cover it, not too much.
– After that, you may leave the tattoo uncovered for the rest of the healing. Try to use clean, natural fabric clothes (cotton) and keep in mind that your sheets might get stained from the blood and ink that might still come out.
– Repeat this process of washing, drying and applying cream 2 to 3 times a day. Morning, afternoon and before bed.
– Avoid heavy exercising for a week. If you exercise and sweat, make sure to wash it afterwards. Avoid direct sun, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, beach, direct contact of the tattoo with your pets, clothes that are too tight and no scratching it for two weeks.
– The tattoo will continue healing during the next weeks, sometimes months, but you can resume all your normal activities after the two weeks. It is very helpful if you can apply sun cream whenever you are exposed to sun for long periods of time.
– For the cream, I do not recommend Bepanthene as it’s too oily. I would recommend something natural that is specific for fresh tattoos, which you can usually buy directly form me or organic coconut oil.

Please keep in mind that each tattoo artist will probably give you different directions, so if you have experience with getting tattooed, feel free to do what works for you. Just please take good care of it, remember that a fresh tattoo is an open wound, so please keep it clean and know that your body knows how to heal itself.

Q: Do you tattoo LGBTQIA+ folks, BIPOC, people with scars?

Yes, absolutely.

I am careful in choosing studios that are open minded, inclusive, where you can feel safer.

I love making designs that support the LGBTQIA+ community, that explore and question gender identity and sexual orientation – you will find that most of my designs are of androgynous humans.

I recognise that my Instagram feed is mostly of white folks (due to the fact that I work mostly in Germany). However I have tattooed people of different complexions and my tattoo style works well on darker skin, since it’s only black ink and mostly lines. My recommendation is: the darker the skin, the bolder and simpler the tattoo should be, so that it stands out and ages well (if that is your intention), so I usually prefer to avoid tiny details (something I’m also avoiding in general).

If you do have a darker complexion, I ask you to please inform me in your tattoo application, for me to keep that in mind during the design making/ selection.

When it comes to tattooing over scars (self-harm or other) I am also open to do it and have done it in the past. It’s important to keep in mind that some scars work better with my style than others. Because I only use lines, sometimes the scars make the lines wobbly and can distort the tattoo.
So it’s a matter of finding the right design and placing it well, wether to make the scars less noticeable or to work with them, embracing them.

I am of course still and always learning and educating myself on how to be inclusive. If there is something that feels uncomfortable or disrespectful to you as my client, I welcome you to voice it to me and express your needs and concerns and I will do my best to accommodate them.

Thank you!

Q: Do you still do realistic work, portraits, sacred geometry, mandalas?

I used to do a lot of realistic projects and have done plenty of mandalas and geometric designs, but at the moment that’s not the most inspiring thing for me. It took me many years to arrive at this unique style of linework that I am known for and it is most exciting for me to keep working in this way.

Q: I like a tattoo you already did, can I tattoo it as well?

The custom designs that I have made specifically for my clients are meant only for them. My flash designs can be tattooed on several people, but only by me and not another tattoo artist. Usually, in the description of each post, I say if a design is a flash design or not. Otherwise you can also ask me about it. 

I am happy to make a drawing inspired by another design of mine, to make something similar, but still unique.

Q: If I can't come to you, can I tattoo one of your designs with another artist?

Most of the tattoo designs that you see on my Instagram and Website are unique, they were made specifically for only one client, so I kindly ask you to respect and honour that and not copy it or take those designs to another artist.

Besides the technique, cleanliness of lines and very intentional body placement, I really value the connection and collaboration between my clients and I. There is a lot more that goes into my tattoo sessions than just the tattoo itself.

So at the moment I’m NOT giving permission for my designs to be tattooed by other artists and I’m not making commissioned tattoo design nor selling my tattoo designs.

Thank you for understanding.

Q: I want to learn to tattoo, I want to learn to draw like you, can you help me, do you teach?

Right now I have a few options available:

A free 7-day access to the One of a Kind Masterclass – it’s for tattoo artists and visual artists who are looking for their unique artistic style. Register here.

I have a beautiful, easy, inspiring masterclass – Creativity Pill, for tattoo artists, visual artists and creatives that is all about creativity, how to connect to it, unlock it and keep fostering a healthy relationship to it. You can find more info here.

I also offer 1:1 coaching and mentorship for tattoo artists who want to take their art and business to the next level.
You can read about it and apply here.
And I’m also offering a 1-hour consultation/coaching call if you would like to have a taste without the commitment.

And you can also check the Reels section of my Instagram for some great tips and watch my Youtube videos and tutorials.