Write the brief.
This is the only way in, for everyone, including people we have tattooed eleven times. Five minutes to write, five business days for a reply, and no money until you have sat in the room with the artist.
the brief We reply in
5 business days The reply names
an artist, a window
and a rough number Consult is free Deposit only
if you go ahead
What to put in it
References, and be honest about them. Photographs of other people’s tattoos are fine as references and will not be copied. What your artist is looking for is what you actually responded to in them, which is frequently not the thing you think it is.
Placement, as specifically as you can. “Arm” is four different answers. Inner forearm, outer bicep, and the back of the shoulder age differently, hurt differently, and suit different scales.
Scale, in inches or against something. Hold your hand against the spot and tell us how much of it the piece covers. This is the field people get most wrong in both directions.
Timing. If there is a date, say so now. Six to ten weeks is typical and there is nothing we can do about that on the morning you tell us about the wedding.
A photograph, if it is a cover-up or a rework. Flat, well lit, no flash, taken straight on. It answers most of the question before you come in.
Send the brief.
Seven fields, and only your name and email are required. Whatever else you skip, we will ask about in the reply.
Asked at the counter.
How do I book a tattoo at Ironwood?
A written brief through this form, for everyone, every time. We reply within five business days naming an artist, a rough window and a rough number, and the consult itself is free.
Do you take walk-ins or same-day appointments?
No, on either. The door is locked between sessions. Nothing here gets decided inside fifteen minutes, which is the point.
How far out are you booking?
Six to ten weeks for most work. Marek runs about ten. River’s list is closed until spring and joining the waitlist costs nothing.
Can I request a specific artist?
Yes, and we will not try to move you to somebody with an earlier slot. If you have no preference, say so: the brief usually routes itself in two sentences.
The brief takes five minutes.
That is the whole front door. Everything after it happens in the room, with the person who would do the work.