Booking Info

+ How do I book a tattoo?

For flash, sign up for my newsletter and you will be notified whenever spots open up, whether it's a last minute cancellation or when my books officially open. For a custom tattoo, please submit an inquiry form. It may be days or weeks before you receive a response, if you get one at all. It all depends on how busy I am and whether I am the right fit for your idea. I'd love to tattoo everyone who is interested, but I don't have enough time. I am grateful for your interest and patience!

+ How do I book a touch-up?

Simply email me at christineliuart at gmail a photo of your tattoo! I will happily touch up any tattoos for free if I did not apply the tattoo properly the first time, for example if the ink fell out, indicating that the tattoo was not applied deeply enough or if the tattoo is blown out due to ink that was applied too deeply. For retouches, upgrades, or additions to a tattoo I made for you, I may ask for the shop minimum of $100 or more, depending on the extent of the addition. I do not touch up tattoos that other artists have made.

+ What is considered a "flash tattoo"?

Tattoo artists typically have pre-drawn designs for clients to choose from, and these are called "flash". In addition to my pre-designed drawings, I can tattoo Chinese name stamps as flash. If you have a question about whether a design is flash or custom, please submit a custom tattoo inquiry form and ask me directly if it could qualify as a flash appointment. If I agree, then you are welcome to book a flash appointment when books open for that specific design. This special scenario applies to things like chinese calligraphy of a specific phrase you want, a tattoo inspired by a historical scientific reference (e.g. Ramon y Cajal neurons), or other works where it would take me only ~10 minutes during your appointment to render the image into a tattoable design. I no longer make strange attractor tattoos as flash appointments.

+ What is the procedure for custom tattoos?

First, submit a custom inquiry form when it's available. If it's a project I can take on, I will respond with the procedure for booking an appointment. We may first schedule an in-person consultation to discuss design and placement ideas. Typically, I will start drawing your design shortly before your appointment (because I tend to have a custom tattoo each weekend). I will show you the design/draft when you arrive to your tattoo appointment, and we will have time to make changes to the design. Once you're happy with it, we will start tattooing! However, if major design revisions are needed, we will schedule another appointment so I can go back to the drawing board. This policy allows me to talk to you face-to-face about your design, which is really helpful for me to communicate efficiently to make your vision a reality! I also work full-time during the week in scientific research, so this policy is important for me to prevent burning out. This also gives you an opportunity to give feedback and be 100% happy with the design. I really appreciate your trust and support!

+ How do I reschedule or cancel my appointment?

When you book an appointment, you will be sent a confirmation email by the Acuity/Squarespace Scheduling system. In that email, there are links to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Please check these links first before contacting me. If you cancel your appointment, you will not be refunded the $40 fee, therefore it is best to reschedule for a future date to avoid having to pay the $40 again to rebook. If there are no open slots available, go ahead and email me at christineliuart at gmail dot com and we will find a time together. If a conflict arises in my schedule and I need to reschedule your appointment, I will reach out to you via email.

+ How much do your tattoos cost?

The shop is cash only and the minimum is $100, and most of my small flash tattoos cost $200-400. A good ballpark is $200 for a 1hr appointment, $400 for a 2hr appointment, and $600 for a 3hr appointment. My $200/hr rate includes the entire duration of the appt including redesign, stencil placement, etc. so that nothing gets rushed. I am happy to move the stencil as many times as you want! Custom tattoos will cost ~$100 more due to time needed to draw your design in preparation for your appointment. If you have a strict budget, let me know and I will work with you to come up with a reasonable design! Keep in mind that difficult placements like the ribs, chest, ankles will cost more because they take longer to tattoo. Tipping is appreciated, but not required. I make sure that the 60% I get to keep from your payment is enough to cover my time and supplies but I get to keep 100% of the tips which allows me to invest in new machines and tools...and some matcha lattes :)

+ Is the $40 non-refundable booking fee a deposit?

No, it is a shop fee for reserving the appointment time. I do not have access to these funds until our appointment is completed, therefore I am unable to refund them. Please do not book an appointment with me if your schedule is inflexible and you cannot afford to lose the $40 fee in the event that you need to cancel.

+ How should I contact you?

To inquire about a custom tattoo, please fill out my inquiry form, linked above when books are open. For existing clients with an appointment on the books, please email me at christineliuart at gmail dot com. Please do not DM me on Instagram if you expect a reply -- I receive too many and often do not see my "hidden requests". For more urgent matters like day-of cancellations, please call Two Cranes Tattoo via phone (415 757 0045) as I usually can't check my email during tattoo appointments.

+ How should I prepare for my tattoo?

Generally, little preparation is needed for a tattoo. Other than ensuring that you have had a good night's sleep, eaten before your appointment, and wear clothing/shoes that allow easy access to the area you want your tattoo, you don't need much else to prepare. Plan to get to the shop on time by arriving to Chinatown early to find parking. I recommend the Portsmouth Square or St. Mary's Square Parking Garage. Our shop is cash only, and there is a Bank of America ATM across the street. You can get cash after your appointment, no problem.

The following tips are not requirements, but options for you to take if you wish. Examine the area(s) of skin you would like to have tattooed. If you have little bumps (keratosis pilaris), you may be able to exfoliate them gently in the weeks before your appointment to treat them. The bumps are not dangerous to tattoo over, but the texture may affect the final appearance of a very fine or delicate tattoo. If your skin is dry, moisturize with lotion in the weeks/days leading up to your appointment. Do not apply lotion ~2 hours before your appointment or your skin may be too slippery and difficult to tattoo. If you are concerned about the pain of the tattoo, there may be options for numbing the skin. Please email me if you are concerned -- however, most people that I've given their first tattoos say that it is far less painful than they imagined. I use Bactine, a skin cleaning solution available at most drug stores, during the tattoo and this helps with pain after the skin has been broken. Your safety and well-being is the top priority and I seek your affirmative consent throughout the tattoo process. I encourage you to raise any concerns or questions at any point.

+ How do I take care of my tattoo?

When you check into our shop, you will be automatically emailed aftercare instructions, and we will have a conversation about aftercare when I bandage your tattoo. You have two options for bandages: 1) an adhesive, transparent, breathable bandage called Saniderm, Tagaderm, or Second Skin OR 2) plastic wrap and medical tape. If you choose Saniderm, you can leave it on for 4 whole days and remove it in the shower. If you choose plastic wrap, leave it on for about 2 hours and then remove it and clean the tattoo in the shower or at a sink with clean hands. In both cases, you will need to keep the tattoo clean by avoiding contact with dirty fabrics or environments, moisturize only as needed with unscented hand lotion or aquaphor, using the minimum amount. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, excessively sweaty exercise, swimming, or anything that will expose the tattoo to excess moisture for at least 2-3 weeks. If there are any signs of infection or illness, please contact your physician immediately, and then get in contact with me via email. After 4 weeks, the tattoo should be fully healed. If any ink has fallen out, please contact me for a touch-up. Touch-ups are free in my first year of tattooing while I calibrate my skills.

+ Do you take walk-ins?

Most of my days are filled up with appointments, but I plan to host a walk-in day every now and then. You can find out about these days via my instagram stories. I also take walk-ins when I have a last-minute cancellation and need to fill the spot, in which case I'll post an announcement on my Instagram stories!

+ I am traveling from out of town, can you book me 3 months from now on a weekday?

While I would love to tattoo everyone who is interested in my work, especially traveling from far away, I am unable to accomodate most special requests like these. I only tattoo on the weekends because I have work full-time in science during the week. I only book ~1 month in advance to reduce the amount of administrative work affiliated with rescheduling/cancellations. Keep in mind we are still experiencing a global pandemic, and I may need to cancel appointments if I am exposed to COVID. The unpredictable nature of scheduling combined with my personally restrictive schedule does not allow for much wiggle room. For walk-ins, please check my website/IG for updates when you are in town! Thank you for understanding.

+ Do you speak or write Chinese?

Yes! I speak nearly fluent Cantonese and decent Mandarin. I can read and write Chinese at a fairly elementary level despite even studying it at the college level...if you don't use it you lose it! I speak Chinese well enough to tattoo someone who speaks only Chinese, but I would recommend being very diligent with double-checking your Chinese script before tattooing. I'll be very honest if I don't know the specific characters you are requesting.