Finding the right artist for your tattoo is the first step in getting your personal work of art. Not every artist works in the same way and since Lainey is certainly exceptional in the way that she works, it is important to us that you read and understand her methods and procedures before booking your appointment. Please read the full work method before filling out the 'book now' form to inquire with Lainey Bee. 

How Do You Book an Appointment with Lainey Bee?

It's easy! First you will fill out a form by clicking on the ‘book now’ button on this website. You will receive an automated confirmation email right after (if you don’t receive an email, please check your spam filter and add our email address to your safe list). After you have filled out this form Lainey Bee's managers will either contact you if they need additional information, or you will receive an email to schedule in a video call.

Your first contact with Lainey will be during the video call. During this consultation you will discuss your vision for your tattoo. Afterwards Lainey will advise you on the best course of action from her artistic point of view. If both you and Lainey feel that she is the right artist for you, she will discuss the planning of your tattoo and may possibly book your appointment right away. You will get an estimate of the costs associated with your tattoo and she will ask you to make a non-refundable down payment before your appointment is booked. The video call will take 20 minutes and will be conducted through Zoom. All other contact after this call will be through email. 

Tattoo Idea

You might already have an idea of what you want to get tattooed including what images you would like or thoughts on placement, color, the story behind the idea, etc. But it could also be that you are interested in letting Lainey do a piece where she has free reign, or that you have selected one of her “wannado” designs.

Lainey loves to create one-of-a-kind works of art! Her pieces often depict nature, animals, faces, or still-life scenes as the main subjects. She is known for her ‘color realism with a painterly twist’. Her work features unique brushstrokes and flow styles, and her tattoos are high contrast with bold color that “pops.”. This is what she does best! She uses symbolism to tell your story in your own personal work of art. Sometimes this is subtle, but it is always very meaningful, creating a story only you know and that is yours to tell (or not).

If you provide Lainey Bee with your ideas, she will create a design tailored to your story, your personality, and your body. Remember to have faith in the process and please don’t forget that Lainey can’t read your mind- her magical powers fall short in that respect. 😉 You have to trust Lainey Bee to do her best to realize your ideas and accept that her own influence will always be present in the final tattoo design. The tattoo will never be exactly what you envisioned, but that's also the reason why you have chosen to work with Lainey Bee to create your tattoo. 
You have selected Lainey as your artist (for which we are super grateful!) and she asks for open communication and trust as she brings your vision to life. It is best not to try to control every aspect of the tattoo. Leave the designing and tattooing up to Lainey Bee. She will make sure that you get a beautiful tattoo for the rest of your life and that the process is a pleasant and positive experience! 

Side note: If you want an old tattoo covered up with something new please add a photo of your old tattoo to the ‘book now’ form. Lainey does not add on or work in already existing tattoos that aren’t done by herself as there’s always a big difference in styles.

Lainey’s Design Process

Lainey’s design process is wholly unique. The amount of love and time that goes into her designs is something she asks clients to consider. After the down payment is settled and the date(s) are scheduled, Lainey will begin researching your tattoo subject and design ideas. If she’s not familiar with the subject or needs a more in-depth understanding of it she will begin with informational research. She follows this initial research phase by collecting images that fit your tattoo idea. Using them to curate a mood board of everything she finds that may be incorporated into her final design. This first phase of the design process takes anywhere from one to four hours.

During the second phase Lainey uses the photos that you have sent her of the area of your body you would like tattooed to create the initial design. This way she can assure that the design will fit your body perfectly.* She will start designing  your tattoo with a focus on your wishes, the story you want told, your body type, muscle flow, skin type, skin tone, and personality. She creates a rough sketch of the design first and will then work her magic to make the design come to life. Composition, color, contrast, and details are coordinated in order to achieve the best possible result. This process takes Lainey up to ten hours depending on tattoo size, subject, and level of detail.

The design process is part of Lainey’s work method and is an integral step in creating your custom piece of art. Although most artists will design your tattoo the day of the appointment, Lainey likes to be well-prepared and to spend as much time as she feels is necessary on her designs, so does all design work ahead of your tattoo appointment. She does not like to ask clients to wait in the studio any longer than necessary.

Viewing of the design
As soon as Lainey has finished your tattoo design, she is ready to go! Usually she will finish the design a week before your appointment. As Lainey is a traveling artist the viewing of the design will be at the day of the appointment. No designs are sent by email (or via apps), nor will designs be viewed through a video call. In addition, taking pictures of the design is not allowed. This is for the protection of the design, which will remain property of Lainey Bee.
When viewing the design, you may want to make some minor adjustments, and this is not a problem. However, if you want a completely different design, the process starts over again. You will have to pay another deposit/down payment.  If this is the case, you will be notified by Lainey Bee or her managers. This is rarely an issue because of the time put into the discussion of your ideas during the initial video call, but it is important to be aware of this going into the process if you do indeed have a change of heart. All adjustments will be done during your day session so keep in mind that the more you would like to change, the more time it will take, the less time you will have to get tattooed.

*If the photo is not taken from the right angle, there is poor lighting, or your measurements are off, there is a possibility that Lainey will need to adjust the design at the time of the appointment. She asks for photos of your body part that are taken in a daylight setting, that show your body part in full, without clothes covering them. She needs to be able to see your skin type and skin tone (including freckles, moles, scars, skin imperfections). The photo should be taken by someone else and be taken at an angle horizontal to the middle of the body part (no selfies or mirrored pictures). She would also like some measurements (both horizontal and vertical). If you upload the photo via the ‘book now’ form and it isn’t sufficient Lainey will let you know during your video call.

Down payment

When booking an appointment, you will be asked to make a non-refundable down payment. The amount of the payment is determined by the size of the tattoo and the amount of time/number of day(s) that are required to tattoo you. The down payment is at least 30% of the total cost of your tattoo. A deposit is required as payment for the time invested in your tattoo design as well as to guarantee the booked appointment. The down payment is non-refundable. If you are not able to show up to your appointment for any reason you will lose your down payment. We assume that you will never ‘no show’ without a good reason for doing so. But in the end, the reason for a cancellation doesn’t matter anyway.  Lainey can’t ask to not pay her own bills because of someone else’s reasons for cancelling an appointment 😉.  

Rescheduling
Appointments can be rescheduled free of charge up to 60 days prior to the scheduled appointment. For cancellations at any time during the process or for rescheduling any closer to the appointment than 60 days prior you will lose your deposit for the scheduled day(s). A new deposit will be charged when making a new appointment.

Once your tattoo is complete, the down payment will be deducted from the final price of your tattoo. For day sessions the down payment for each day is settled per day.

Note: all payments are done cash & zelle (both free of additional charge. Or by Paypal, Credit or Debit card (4% additional charge). 

The Day of Your Tattoo & Preparation

Does getting tattooed hurt?
The answer to that question is different for everyone, but the more energy you have, the better your body can handle the process. Don’t be that client who didn’t eat breakfast before coming in and has run out of energy by noon 😉 Eat well, rest well, and relax!

Want to bring someone along for the ride? 
Unfortunately, Lainey does not allow people to sit with clients during the session. Lainey Bee prefers to tattoo you without your friends or family around to ensure that the flow of the session doesn’t get highjacked by someone else. Also, children (or animals) are not allowed in the studio.
If you want to bring someone to show them the design, this is only possible after discussion with Lainey. As she designs the tattoo specifically for you, it is your body and your decision, therefore she will only discuss the design with you. 

Here is a brief explanation of what you can expect on the first day of your tattoo:
Please be on time. The clock starts ticking at the set time of your appointment. Lainey will be waiting at the appointed time with your design and will have her workstation setup with the basics. If you want to make some last-minute changes to the design this will be done during your appointment.**
Once you have approved the design, Lainey will take any final measurements, adjust the size of the design, and print out the stencil (the guide for the tattoo design). She will prep your skin and apply the stencil to your skin. If it is not perfect, she will do it again. As soon as you are satisfied with the placement and appearance of the stencil, it will need to dry for about 15-20 minutes. Please note that if the design or size is modified in a manner other than previously discussed, it may affect the price of the tattoo.
You will get a permission form (from the GGD/health department) to sign and then the payment method is arranged in advance. We will then complete the setup of the workstation with ink and needles and Lainey will start tattooing. 

During the session, we ask you to sit as still as possible so that Lainey Bee can do her work as well as possible. The more you move, the longer it will take. If you want to listen to some music or watch a movie, please bring your own headphones to do so. Wear comfortable clothing, preferably black as it is always possible clothing will get stained by the stencil or the tattoo ink. Also, black clothing will look the best for taking photos of the finished piece.
Because of hygiene it isn't allowed to drink or eat during the session. You will get a short break every one and a half to two hours to do so. If you want extra breaks just ask Lainey.

After completing the tattoo, we will take photos of the tattoo for Lainey Bee’s portfolio, promotional materials, and social media. She will wrap the tattoo in plastic wrap, and you will receive aftercare instructions. 

*Concerning Covid-19: Masks are not required, but if you want to wear them you are welcome to do so. Lainey Bee will not wear a mask while tattooing.

Tattoo Pricing

It is impossible to name a final price prior to a video call, as every tattoo is custom made and every client is different!
The final price for your tattoo depends on your wishes, size, placement, detail, colors, skin type, how you sit during a session, and so on. You will get an estimate of the price during the video call and again when you come in for your appointment (this because we might have to change the size of the tattoo, or you may have last-minute changes which can affect the duration of the tattoo session). Lainey works at an hourly rate with a minimum daily rate for multiple day sessions. She sometimes works at a set price when she is touring. For larger tattoos that last several days, she will book you for a minimum number of hours per day.
We can only give you an estimate of the costs for your tattoo since the time needed can vary. It depends not only on the design but also on our awesome customers. The amount of time needed for your tattoo depends on how much time we need for the correct placement of the stencil, how well you can sit still during the process, how many breaks you need during the session, and the condition of your skin. Each of these unpredictable aspects of the process necessitate the price remaining an estimate.

Prices are never discussed online via direct messages on social media.

** This is the time that your appointment starts until you leave the studio. It is your responsibility not to be late. The appointment includes the full amount of time needed and this includes stenciling, final setup, pouring inks, and any breaks. 

Keep in mind that Lainey provides custom, individual works of art.   

Aftercare

If you really want to be prepared ahead of time, check out the aftercare instructions.