TATTOO FAQ

TATTOO FAQ ❋

WELCOME TO THE TATTOO PRACTICE OF PERIPETEIAH, by CARMIN FAIRE, RH(AHA).

Carmin Faire (they/them) is a queer tattoo artist and settler of Sicilian and Irish/Scot descent located in Calgary/Mohkinstsis, Treaty 7 Territory.

Their tattoo practice is centred on the relationship people hold with the plants around them, translating personal stories into unique botanical tattoos. Drawing on their extensive study of plants as medicine, magic and wound, Carmin offers a calm and client-centred practice to call the body into the tattoo experience.

With over 500 clinical hours in the study of Herbal Medicine and 7 years in tattoo practice, this experience of tattooing becomes one of healing through beauty and art.

book in here.


::: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS :::

  • To book a tattoo, please head to my booking page and fill out an intake form to submit a project request when my books are open.

    If you are curious about a project and want to discuss it first, please book a tattoo consultation.

    If my books are closed, I suggest subscribing to my mailing list to receive access to priority booking once I am ready to take on new clients.

    • My rates are 200$/hr. This is because I am exceedingly fast at this craft.

    • Sliding scale* rates always available for marginalized community members.

    • I accept cash, e-transfer or paypal.

    • 1 hr minimum pricing on all appointments.

    • Touch ups on our pieces are always free.

    • Custom/flash drawings are included in the price, and time to adjust the drawing and stencil will be included in the time charged for the session.

      * marginalized community members as understood as people experiencing identity-based chronic or intergenerational impoverishment: Black, Indigenous and otherwise Racialized People, Immigrant or Refugee status, People on Disability or Welfare benefits, Trans Women etc. 

      Please let me know in your intake form if you would like to access these rates and how you see yourself represented in my sliding scale offerings.

      140-170$/hr.

  • Deposits are 100$ by etransfer to peripeteiahtattoos@gmail.com. Deposit payments are subtracted from the final price of the tattoo. They are due upon confirmation of the appointment date and are non-refundable.

    Deposits CANNOT be transferred to new booking rounds and are only applicable for the current booking period. Deposits are forfeit upon no shows.

    If you are an international client or another tattoo artist wishing to write off your expense, please let me know and I can send you an invoice for the deposit and final tattoo payment.

  • Please provide me at least 72hrs notice to reschedule your appointment. If rescheduling within 72 hours, a new 100$ deposit will be required to re-book.

    In the case of no show appointments, a 50$ administrative fee will be charged on top of a deposit when rebooking.

    Thank you for respecting my time and energy!

  • I am currently located in Calgary/Mohkinstsis at Haven Tattoo.

    Haven Tattoo is located at Unit 4a, 1304 4 St SW (fourth floor above Pho Daddy). We are disguised as "Agnes & Leroy Tuttle, Accounts Registry", to prevent walk ins, as we are directly across the hall from Altar Tattoo.

    This building is NOT mobility aid accessible to my great sadness. There is an elevator in the building to the third floor, however there is a half staircase to climb to access the studio. There is a railing on the right going up. If you are someone who uses a mobility aid and won’t be able to access the space, please reach out! Let’s see what we can make work.

    There is a washroom in the studio that does not care about gender. There is no railing next to the toilet.

    I commit to providing a safer space* within our studio, and welcome people of all bodies to collaborate with me in creating space for you. This information is provided to acknowledge the lack of access inherent in this studio and INVITE you to reach out to work together. I consider it my responsibility to find a space that will work for your accessibility needs to do the tattoo you dream of!

    I wear a mask while I tattoo and invite you to do the same. Not everyone in the studio masks.

    With an understanding that spaces are not inherently safe for everyone, in my intake form I ask “Do you have accessibility needs I can meet you in, special care I can provide, or strategies I can use to take care when interacting with your body / nervous system? What do you need to feel safer in a tattoo studio?” and I encourage you to take time to think about what you need and want from your tattoo experience.

    * Safer spaces: defined by the Safer Spaces Coalition in Could This Be Magic as “critical of the power structures that affect our everyday lives, and where power dynamics, backgrounds and the effects of our behavious on others are prioritized.”

    Please bring warm clothes, socks, mittens, hats or hand warmers to stay warm during the session.

    HERE TO WORK WITH YOU <3

  • I typically draw in the few days leading up to an appointment to keep designs and ideas fresh in my mind, and prefer to show the client the drawing at the beginning of the session so we can talk about adjustments to the piece.

    I do this for several reasons;

    • I find it much much easier and efficient to truly hear and talk about adjustments in person.

    • A sketch is a 3-d design based on principals of anatomy to stencil, not at all a perfect 2d picture or stamp that could go anywhere on the body. They often look weird out of context.

    • I try stencils on like garments to tailor to the clients body, and often make adjustments and move things around once I’ve got the person and the design in the same place. Sketches are subject to change once you are in the room!

    • Please understand - sketches are very limited design information. They are a technical tool used to transfer a guide onto your skin during the stencil process, not a perfect drawing. They do not represent finished tattoos. Refer to my portfolio for finished work. All details and shading are freehand in session.

    There will be lots of opportunity to chat about the design and try different sizes and options, this is just work that I do best in person!

    If you would like to see a sketch before let me know the week before your appointment. I will prioritize it in my work flow and send it to you before your appointment time. When you see it, try to think about it like a sewing pattern // the piece will be tailored to your unique form once we are together. If you do have design notes, please do not expect an amended sketch prior to your appointment. I will make any adjustments to the piece after speaking to you in person about the design at the beginning of our appointment.

  • The best thing you can do for the quality of your new tattoo is to stay still and calm while under the needle. Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself:

    1. Arrive well slept, fed, hydrated and sober!

    2. Take inventory of your needs and explain them through the booking form as well as in person so your artist can best support you through the process.

    3. Practice slow, meditative breathing, or other mindfulness practice, so you are ready to maintain a calm quality to your breath. Holding your breath, while a perfect instinct to pain, can sometimes increase panic responses in people’s nervous systems and deprive you of oxygen, increasing a panic response. Please be ready to focus on breathing rhythmically and be reminded to breathe during our session.

    4. Prepare affirmations! The important part is that it is assured and confident. When you feel yourself having a hard time, affirming yourself can generate a calming feedback loop through your nervous system, giving you a hack into your endurance. 

    5. Bring a stress ball to squeeze, or a hot water bottle to keep you warm and comforted.

    6. It is normal for clients to get cold and sweaty!Brring warm clothes to wear: wool socks, long underwear, or gloves. You are also welcome to bring a blanket and pillows for propping and comfort. 

    7. Please ask for breaks! I assure you that I want to know that you need or want a break. I promise that the first few minutes are the worst, and as your body adjusts to the huge and uncomfortable sensation the pain becomes more manageable.

    8. Make a safety plan with a friend! If you know that this may be triggering or difficult for you, let a friend know to check on you after your appointment, come pick you up.

  • There are some circumstances where I might decide not to take on a client or to stop a session.

    These are situations when I believe that my client’s, other people in the studio, or my own physical or emotional safety is endangered. In these instances a client may be asked to leave the studio and will not be refunded their deposit.

    Please be conscious of oversharing triggering material related to personal trauma or traumatic events. While I seek to hold a trauma-informed space, I am not a counsellor or therapist and may not have the skills or willingness to hold explicit details of trauma with you.

    Always check in with yourself and your artist before discussing intense subjects such as death / assault / self-harm / sex / domestic abuse / etc and be prepared for a “no thank you”. I am glad you feel safe here and want to maintain safer spaces through consent in communication for all parties!

    I ask that clients maintain communication with me through professional channels, and always email me with questions or ideas.

    Please don't book an appointment if you are under 18 years of age, pregnant, or are unable to arrive sober for our work together.