Booking and Deposit Terms and Information

Below you’ll find my Booking and Deposit policies as well as a bunch of useful information to have before making your tattoo booking! Please make sure you’ve read through everything here before making an appointment. There is an FAQ at the bottom of this page and you can reach out to me if you have any additional questions!

BOOK A TATTOO

Deposits, Cancellation and Reschedule:

  • You will be asked for a deposit to secure your appointment. The deposit is €50 for flash and small custom tattoos and 100 for more complex custom tattoos- I’ll let you know which one you need to pay.

  • Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and can be paid online or in person with cash. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit is paid. You will have 24 hours to pay the deposit wherein I will hold the requested time slot for you. If the deposit is not paid within this time, I may offer the time slot to someone else. You are welcome to request another payment link/ drop in cash beyond this time if the slot is still available!

  • You must give 48 hours’ notice to reschedule your appointment or your deposit will be forfeit. A new deposit will therefore be required for your new appointment. You may reschedule your appointment 2 times (with proper notice given) but at the third reschedule, your deposit will be forfeit and a new one will be required to rebook.

  • Your deposit applies only to the design that you initially book for. If you want to change your idea/concept, 72 hours’ notice is required or your deposit is forfeit and a new one will be required for the new design. Of course, this does not apply to minor changes and adjustments.

  • If you arrive 15+ minutes late, your appointment may be rescheduled and your deposit forfeit. 

  • If you do not show up to your appointment, your deposit will be forfeit.

  • If I need to reschedule your appointment for any reason, your deposit will be transferred to the new appointment we make. If we can’t find another date that is suitable, your deposit will be returned to you.

  • Your deposit is taken off the price of your tattoo. The remaining balance is to be paid upon completion of the tattoo.

Custom tattoos:

  • Your design will be shown to you at your appointment. I always leave plenty of time for us to make any adjustments and changes as needed and I find it much more beneficial to do this together in person rather than back and forth over messages!

  • If you feel particularly anxious about liking the design, please let me know and we can arrange a consultation a few days before your appointment where you can see the design and we can make any changes then and there.

  • Please do not use AI to generate images as reference. I’m aware that it can sometimes be hard to tell if the design you found online is made by AI and thats ok but I ask that you refrain from generating new images of your idea. Whatever prompt you would give to the AI, you can just send to me instead and I can work with you to design it! Do not ever feed photos of my work into AI.

  • I won’t directly plagiarise other people’s tattoos. I am always very happy to make you a unique, custom drawing based on your reference though!

  • You are responsible for ensuring the correct spelling of any text in your tattoo and that any dates are correct. I always check 3 times with you that it is correct before tattooing but it is ultimately your responsibility. If you’re getting a tattoo in a language that you don’t speak, I recommend checking with a native speaker if possible rather than relying on Google Translate!

Before your appointment:

  • Make sure to eat a big meal, drink plenty of water and get a good night’s sleep!

  • Do not use drugs or alcohol for 24 hours prior to the appointment.

  • Please come to your appointment clean and showered. You don’t need to shave the area that we will be tattooing- I’ll do this for you at the appointment!

  • You are welcome to arrive early for your appointment but please be aware the shop is quite small so there may be no seating available. Your appointment will begin at the time you booked.

  • Wear something comfy to the appointment that allows access to the area to be tattooed (eg. shorts to get a leg tattoo, tank top for arms- a backwards button-up shirt is a good option for back tattoos). Feel free to ask if you’re not sure what would be best!

  • If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or are taking medication/ have a medical condition (especially those that affect the skin, would healing or immune system), you will need to check with your doctor before getting tattooed. If you come to your appointment and haven’t gotten the go-ahead from a medical professional, I won’t be able to tattoo you and your deposit will be forfeit. If your doctor tells you it’s safe for you to get tattooed but you condition affects the skin, causes excess bleeding, bruising or dizziness/ lightheadedness, please let me know ahead of time.

  • Do not apply numbing cream prior to your appointment. If you arrive to the appointment having applied it without telling me, your appointment will be rescheduled and deposit will be forfeit. I don’t recommend the use of numbing cream for various reasons that I’m happy to discuss with you. We can always break the tattoo into as many short sessions as needed- there are lots of other safer ways to manage the pain of getting tattooed and I’m more than happy to help and advise you- just ask!

  • For longer/ full day sessions, we will be taking short breaks through out. I suggest bringing something to snack on!

  • Please do not come to your appointment sick. Reach out to me as soon as possible if you’re under the weather and we can reschedule your appointment.

At your appointment:

  • You’re welcome to bring a guest to your appointment- due to the small size of the shop, they may need to allow other artists’ clients to sit instead. Guests are only permitted in the waiting room, never in the room where the tattoo is taking place. The tattoo shop is not a good place for children- please do not bring anyone under 18 to your appointment.

  • Please don’t be afraid to let me know if you want to move the stencil or make any other small changes! We can do this as many times as you like and I leave plenty of space at appointments for this.

  • You must be over 18 to get tattooed- there are no exceptions. You may be asked for ID- we will accept an in-date passport, Garda age card or driving license. If you make a booking and are under 18, I will not be able to tattoo you and your deposit will be forfeit.

  • Any inappropriate behaviour at your appointment may result in the appointment being terminated and your deposit will be forfeit.

  • If you show up to your appointment drunk or under the influence of drugs, I won’t be able to tattoo you and your deposit will be forfeit.

  • A stencil will be placed on the skin to determine the size and position of the tattoo beforehand. Please don’t be afraid to let me know if you want to move it, resize it or make any other adjustments whatsoever. I leave a lot of extra time at the appointment for this part of the process and I always want to make sure that you’re 100% happy with your tattoo!

Address

Tattoo Zoo, 2B Drinan St, Sullivan’s Quay, Cork T12 X2NT

Opening Hours

Monday-Friday: 11-6

Saturday: 11-5

Sunday: Closed

I work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I can occasionally take appointments on Sundays upon request.

Parking

We do not have a parking space at the shop. There is paid on-street parking along the quays or the nearest carpark is the Q-Park on Grand Parade. 

Accessibility

The shop is on the ground floor. There are 2 steps and a kerb at the front door. The back door has just a kerb and no additional steps. The front door is 80cm wide and the back door is 67cm wide.

We have a bathroom in the shop. There are no steps to access it but it is small and does not have grab rails.

The shop has overhead fluorescent lights. There are two separate tattooing areas- there is a window dividing them and they do not have doors. We have privacy screens that are put up when tattooing certain areas or at your request. There is a window facing out onto the road with one-way glass. It has a blind that can be rolled down.

The shop can get noisy when it is busy- the tattoo machines make a considerable amount of noise and there may be several clients and guests here at once. We don’t play very aggressive music and keep the volume quite low- this can also be adjusted at your request.

If you would like to have a silent appointment or you’re not up for chatting, just let me know and we will only have to discuss what is necessary! You’re welcome to wear headphones/ read/ watch something while I tattoo you- whatever helps you to feel comfortable!

We have tea, coffee and some small snacks available. If you want to bring food with you for longer tattoo sessions, we also have a small fridge and microwave.

The tattoo will be done with you lying down on a massage table whenever possible. For some positions you may need to sit instead. Some placements can require you to lie on your stomach or on your side for prolonged periods.

You will be standing for 5-10 minutes while we place the stencil. If you have difficulties with standing for prolonged periods, please let me know and we can work around it! You can inform me in person on the day or, if it’s more comfortable, over message prior to your appointment.

Contact Information

Email: kiwigogtattoo@gmail.com

Instagram: @kiwigogtattoos

Frequently Asked Questions

  • You must be 18 or older to get tattooed. You may be asked for photo ID at your appointment. We will accept an in-date passport, Garda age card or driving license.

  • If I’m available, I’m always happy to accept walk-ins!

  • The best way to get an accurate quote is to pop into Tattoo Zoo! Otherwise, just leave a note on your booking form/ send me a message asking for one or specify your budget when booking. I can only give an approximate price over the internet as it can be hard to judge the amount of work involved. Please note that all quotes are estimates based on size, style, detail and placement on the body.

  • Yes, you can! Please include the same information requested in the booking form to make to process faster! You can also pop into Tattoo Zoo on a day that I’m working to make a booking.

  • Yes, you can pay by card- cash as always preferred though! There is an ATM in the Spar around the corner from Tattoo Zoo and we are close to Bank of Ireland and AIB as well.

  • Yes, I’m more than happy to make any changes to flash and pre-drawn designs.

  • Yes, by definition, flash are repeatable. I have a section in my gallery for available pre-drawn designs which are non-repeatable. If you like one of my flash but perfer to have something unique, I am always happy to work with you to draw something very similar just for you!

  • Shop minimum is €80.

  • You will be given a sheet of aftercare instructions at the end of your appointment. If you’ve lot it, please refer to the Aftercare page on my website!

  • In general, if your condition can affect you skin, wound healing or the immune system- I will ask you to check with your doctor before getting tattooed. Ultimately, I’m not a medical professional so I can only refer you to a doctor to tell you if it’s safe for you to get tattooed or not.

    If you need any accommodations due to a medical condition, please let me know!

  • I aim to have thorough consultations to make sure we’re on the same page and ideally avoid this situation! If you do end up not linking the design on the day of your appointment for any reason I ask that you please, please tell me! I would rather redo the whole thing than have you walk away with a tattoo that you don’t love! Just let me know and we can go from there!

  • Coverups are much more involved than other tattoos. I will usually request you to come to the shop in-person if you’re looking to get a coverup. We’ll take measurements, photos and discuss the possibilities.

    For a coverup to work, it almost always will need to be bigger and darker than the existing tattoo. Organic motifs like flowers, leaves, abstract forms, etc are usually good options for a coverup. You’re likely to get a better result if you come with an open mind and not being too set on a particular subject matter for the coverup!

  • I don’t tattoo faces or heads currently.

    I won’t tattoo your hands/ neck/ fingers as your first tattoo. In particular, hand and finger tattoos are more difficult than other spots to heal. You’ll need to be really careful with how you use your hands while they’re healing and ink fallout is very common. I usually choose to handpoke finger tattoos as it generally yields a better result. This can be a long process and a touchup may still be required.

    I don’t tattoo palms or the sides of fingers.

    If you’re looking to get a tattoo in any of these areas, I’ll ask you to come for in in-person consultation first to discuss.

  • Consultations are 100% free. Once you are ready to book the tattoo, a deposit will be required to secure your spot.

    You can send me a message or email to request a consultation. You can also pop into Tattoo Zoo on a day that I work- please note that if I’m already tattooing a client I won’t be able to hold your consultation at that moment.

    There is no commitment at the consultation stage- you’re free to just come in and ask questions!

  • No, there will be no drawing happening until an appointment is booked and a deposit is paid. You’re more than welcome to book a consultation and we can chat about your ideas.

  • Vouchers are available from Tattoo Zoo and can be used with any tattooist in the shop (including me). The easiest way to buy one is to pop into the shop or send an email to tattoozoo2019@gmail.com for more information.

  • I am fluent in English and Irish. I’m happy to conduct your appointment in either of these languages. I also am learning Italian and have a B2 level. If you need to bring someone with you to help you translate at your appointment, that’s no problem with me! They won’t me able to stay in the room while I do the tattoo but the waiting area is nearby and they’ll be able to speak to you.

  • Scars must be well-healed before they can be tattooed over. A general rule of thumb is that the redness should have faded from the scar before tattooing over it. It can take 1-5 years or even more depending on numerous factors. I’ll generally ask you to come to an in-person consultation if you would like to get tattooed over scars.

    Something to note is that scar tissue may not hold ink as well and the pain level of getting tattooed over scar tissue is unpredictable. If the scars are raised, the texture will still be visible although certain designs can disguise/camouflage this more than others (if that is your goal).

    I don’t recommend tattooing over keloid scars as the trauma can cause them to grow again.

  • I won’t tattoo over moles as it can make it difficult to keep an eye on any changes to them over time. We can either leave a small gap around the mole or design the tattoo to go around it entirely.