Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Thought Crime"" mean?
Glad you asked. Our name is a reference to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, a classic novel that tells the story of a not-so-futuristic dystopian society in which governmental control is obtained and maintained through propaganda, disinformation and the suppression of individual thought. Any language or thought that is deemed contrary or threatening to the governmental agenda is not only constantly monitored, it is punishable by imprisonment or death. If you have not read it, you should, but you may already be more familiar with it than you realize.
The story introduced the concept of "Big Brother," the seemingly omnipotent embodiment of conformity, mindless nationalism, oppression, and tyranny. It also introduced the concept of the "thought Police," as well as "Thought Crime," the punishable offense of thinking for yourself and against the agenda of the powers that be.
So to answer your question, we chose the name because we are proponents of free individual thought, expression and speech. We believe that such inalienable human rights must never be limited or suppressed within the constructs of any society, be it past, present or future. Therefore, we are proud to be considered Thought Criminals by anyone who would seek to abolish or censor our individual freedoms.
Wow, that was self-indulgent, can we talk about tattoos now? Certainly , we love talking about tattoos!
Q: Do I Have to be 18 to get a tattoo, even if I get parental consent?
A: The answer is absolutely yes, you MUST be at least 18 years old to get tattooed at our facility. We require valid photo identification with proof of your age before receiving a tattoo at our facility. This is not only a state law, it is our moral obligation to our clients. We have never heard a single person say "I absolutely love the tattoo that I got when I was 15!" Tattoos are forever, and you don''t want a permanent reminder of the Limp Bizkit phase that you went through in high school.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: It stands to reason that being poked with needles at a rate of a few thousand times per minute could cause some degree of discomfort, so to answer quite simply, yes tattoos can be painful. That being said, the level of discomfort you experience completely depends on what and where you are getting tattooed, the duration of your tattoo procedure, and your own personal pain tolerance and threshold. The sensation of being tattooed can range from "I can't even feel that" to "Why are you doing this to me you sadistic asshole?!" It is generally our experience that when we tattoo a person for the first time, the process is less painful than they had anticipated, and even when it starts to really hurt, it is still usually a tolerable and manageable level of pain.
Q: Are Tattoos Safe?
A: When performed in a proper facility by a knowledgeable professional artist who exercises the proper health standards and safety measures, tattoos are very safe. We use only single use needles and tubes, as well as vegan-safe inks, all of which are manufactured by reputable companies here in the US that have the highest levels of quality control in the industry. It is our duty as professionals to ensure the health and safety of our awesome clientele by exercising the highest level of cleanliness and sterility possible. However, tattoos performed in your buddy's kitchen or in a Craigslist scratcher's garage/meth lab are not safe at all. The transmission of blood borne pathogens is a serious and potentially fatal matter, and improper or inferior procedural standards can leave you with more than just a tattoo, it can leave you with a permanent and life-threatening disease such as Hepatitis or HIV/AIDS. So be smart, be safe, don't jeopardize your safety to save a couple bucks, get it done by a professional!
Q: Do you guys do tattoo parties? Will you come to my house?
A: Please refer back to the answer to the previous question, go to a mirror and slap yourself in the face. No, we absolutely will not come to your house. No exceptions will be made or even considered. We have too much respect for our profession to bend or break this rule, so don't bother asking.
Q: How do I take care of my tattoo?
A: Please refer to the aftercare section of our site by clicking here.
Q: Do you accept walk-ins?
A: We do our best to accommodate walk-in business, but we cannot guarantee that we will have availability at any given time. Our artists stay pretty busy with scheduled appointments, so if we cannot get to you on the spot, we will happily schedule you an appointment for our earliest availability.
Q: Should I tip my tattoo artist?
A: We certainly wouldn't tell our clients that tipping is mandatory, however it is customary in the tattoo industry for satisfied customers to tip their artist after seeing what a f#@$&*% amazing job we did! Tattoos are not cheap, but the service we provide is one that will last you for the rest of your life, not many other products can make that claim with any degree of honesty. You tip your waitress, you tip your bartender, maybe think about showing your appreciation to the person who made you look like a badass for the rest of your life!
Q: Do you have a shop minimum? Do I need to pay a Deposit to schedule an appointment? Why?
A: Yes, we do require a deposit for all scheduled appointments. We require a $100 deposit to schedule an appointment with one of our artists, this amount may be increased at the artist's discretion based on the scope and size of the project. All deposits are non-refundable. Our artists have a large clientele base and a pretty booked schedule, so when you schedule an appointment, we are reserving you a time slot that we anticipate to be paid for. As tattoo artists, we only get paid for the time that we spend actually tattooing, so when we are stood up for appointments it means that we are not getting paid for that time or that day, and it makes it very difficult to get someone else to fill that time slot on short notice. Deposits can be paid in person if you come into the shop for a consultation, or through Paypal by clicking here if you are scheduling over the phone or via email.
Q: Is it OK to lay out in the sun or go to the tanning bed when you have tattoos?
A: During the healing process, it is essential that you do not expose your tattoo to the sun or a tanning bed, it has extremely detrimental effects on tattoos. Once your tattoo is healed, if you are going to tan or expose it to the sun, we recommend a high SPF sunblock be used vigilantly. UV rays are one of, if not the biggest killers of tattoos in the long term. The more UV exposure your tattoo gets, the more it will fade, lines will lose their sharpness, and colors will lose their vibrance and boldness. Our philosophy is the less sun exposure, the better. So if you are an albino who lives in a cave or basement, bring your pasty ass down to the shop, we want to tattoo you!
If you have any further questions, feel free to call or stop by the shop, we would be happy to answer them for you!