A sleeve tattoo by Kam Azat
A sleeve tattoo at Azat: How does it work?
Are you considering a full arm tattoo, but wondering how it all works?
Well, our guest artist Kam Azat, specializing in the New School style, has a very unique way of working. Read on to find out exactly how he works.
New school style tattoo sleeve
First, let's start with his tattoo style. We call it "New School". With his lively tones and expressive characters, he could be drawing Pixar or Disney animations if he were a digital designer instead of a tattoo artist. We can also say that a sleeve tattoo by Azat is quite an experience.
1/ your tattoo sleeve idea
Step 1: First, you send our front desk an email (roeselare@inksane.be), telling us that you want a full arm tattoo, and that you would like to see New School and so might like to visit Azat.
We ask you a few questions back, e.g.:
- Do you already have a topic/theme in mind?
- What, if any, is the meaning behind your tattoo?
- What days are you available?
- Is your arm still completely free, or should we work around other tattoos?
- Do you want color or black and white?
Based on this info, we can then already give you an estimate of how many daily sessions you would need.
Above you see a tattoo sleeve design for a client who wanted a Japanese theme with dragon in New School style. Azat always makes his designs in Procreate on Ipad, so what you see here is a digital painting by him.
Above you can see a tattoo sleeve design for a client who wanted a theme depicting the magic around a book. Azat always makes his designs in Procreate on Ipad, so this here is a digital painting made by him.
2/ How long does a tattoo sleeve last
Step 2: time estimation and price
Tattoo artist Azat always works with day sessions. That means he starts at 11:00, and works through until the subject of that day is finished. This can vary from up to 16h to sometimes even 20h. All this, of course, coupled with breaks.
Furthermore, depending on your physique, subject, color, etc, we can give an indication in this nature: 5 to 7 day sessions for a full tattoo sleeve.
Moreover, we are already reserving a first number of dates for you in Azat's calendar. He will be with us approximately every quarter for about 3 weeks. You can then also spread your project (and thus the budget) over time.
3/ Discussion with the tattoo artist himself
Equally important is that you can come by for a free chat with Azat before your tattoo sessions. Here you can discuss your sleeve tattoo idea some more.
He also possibly already makes a few suggestions, depending on how much info we already got through the reception. Then Azat gets down to drawing. This takes him several days. Sometimes he works 3-4 full days on 1 sleeve design! You don't have to pay for these drawing days (at least for now).
So here you see a self-drawn sleeve design in the Mario theme.
This is a photo of the pencil sketch even before he starts the digital version.
4/ Your first tattoo appointment
First, a considerable amount of time goes into drawing the design on your arm. Although the design for your tattoo sleeve is pre-made, Azat wants to improve it on the spot so that it perfectly follows the anatomy of your arm. The small nuances per person/body build are therefore unique.
Certain pieces will be put on your arm via blueprint stencil, and other pieces he will additionally draw freehand with skin markers.
Equally important is that everything is done in consultation, of course.
Then the tattooing begins ... and you're off for a few sessions 🙂 .
Inquire about price and waiting time here:
TAttoo arm in the long term
At Inksane we have a team of permanent Belgian artists, and foreign guest artists. The advantage of a Belgian artist is that he is almost always here. Azat is a guest artist, and comes on a regular basis. This allows you to spread your arm over as much time as you want. For example, you can come twice in a short time now, and knit some more next year.
- Staggered payment
- Expand by life event
- Difference in blackness/color saturation by old and new pieces.
- No full design from the start but rather individual pieces.
short-term tattoo arm
For those whose budget is less of a concern, you can schedule several sessions shortly after each other. Keep in mind that if you continue working on the same part, it can either be done max one day later, or only after the first part is completely healed. The advantage of a sleeve is that you don't have to wait until the inside of your upper arm is healed to start working on the outside of your lower arm. Those two parts don't hang together.
- 1 great design from the start
- Healing processes overlap, so fewer weeks of lubrication
- Focused artist, your project stays in his/her mind until the next session.
- Same short-term budget. (payment is per session)
- Physically a little more difficult
This is an example of a sleeve with japanese themes in new school style:
Starting with a small tattoo, or immediately a full tattoo arm?
Those who don't have tattoos yet are probably considering starting with something small. After that, you'll see...you think...but! It happens here very often that a client comes by to discuss his new sleeve, but then it turns out that there is already 1 tattoo on that arm somewhere 'middle of the market'. E.g. a text on the inside of your forearm, 1 line from wrist to elbow. This small tattoo is then quite in the way of your full sleeve, and instead of being able to make a central design for that place, the artist has to work around this rather. Ideal is different.
So if you prefer to start with something small, put that tattoo somewhere where it's definitely never going to get in the way of a bigger one.
Black and white tattoos are also possible at Azat.
Or start with a half sleeve and then expand to a full sleeve?
You always get the best results if you have your entire sleeve designed from the beginning. Then the whole can be really coherent. The (fantasy) elements that appear on the top of your arm can also return on the bottom, for example. The complete anatomical flow can be followed from bottom to top (instead of cutting off below the elbow first). A fullsleeve that used to be a halfsleeve can usually still detect the separate parts. But only for the trained eye ;).
- Your interests evolve over time. Now you mss only be able to think of 1 topic/theme for your half sleeve, and in 5 years you'll have something new for the rest of your arm.
- More cohesive whole if you go straight for full sleeve.
FAQ
When are you guys open?
All studios are open from Tuesday till Saturday, between 11:00h and 18:00h
Appointments with guest artists can also take place on Sundays and Mondays
Do I send my examples to the artist or to the reception?
Our reception takes care of the bookings, organization and appointments.
Often the high artistic qualities of our artists are accompanied by a lack of social and organizational skills 😉
That's not always the case though, but it's a handy guideline.
Are you open during holidays?
Most of the time we are indeed, but don't hesitate to contact our reception to be sure!
My appointment is on a Sunday, is that correct?
Our reception is open from Tuesday until Saturday.
You can walk in without appointment, with all your questions.
Appointments with our guestartists could be on a Sunday, Monday or holiday because they usually work 7/7 for the short period they are here.
Can I come and check my design beforehand/will the design be forwarded to me?
A guest artist is a high level artist from another country coming to our shop for a short period of time (for example 3 weeks).
Checking the design always happens in our shop. We don't send the design by e-mail. Because your guest artist is not in the shop permanently, checking your design beforehand is not always convenient. If you really want to see your design beforehand, we could for example schedule an appointment of 15 minutes on day 1 and have you tattooed on day 5.
We schedule one client per guest artist a day. On the day of your appointment you will have enough time to discuss and adapt your design if necessary.
Would you like to see the design beforehand? Be sure to let the reception know when booking your appointment.
Can I just get a design from you guys?
No, that is not an option.
Can I pay with card?
You can pay with cash, card and Inksane gift vouchers.
Can I buy gift vouchers?
You can! Visit our shop online or buy one at the reception!
You can choose the amount you want to put on it yourself.
Gift vouchers are valid for 1 year (the appointment has to be made within 1 year, the tattoo can be placed afterwards).
During the pandemic we obviously don't pay attention to the expiration date. 😉
You can use this voucher for tattoos and piercings in all of our studios.
Do you have a price list?
There is no general price list. We work with a wide range of different tattoo artists: each of them has its own price rates and waiting period.
Some artists work with an hourly rate, others prefer a set price.
Our guest artists mostly have a day session price rate.
If you send us an e-mail with the tattoo you have in mind, we can give you a price estimation. In order to do this of course, we have to know what you want, which style, size, color or black and grey and body placement. If you don't know how big the tattoo should be or where to place it.. don't worry, our reception is happy to help you!
With the necessary information our reception can hook you up with the right artist and give you a price estimation. All this with a smile and free of charge.
Can I come in the shop without an appointment?
For sure!
Every Inksane shop has a reception ready to answer your questions. You don't need an appointment to come in.
If it seems necessary to have a chat with the artist, we'll check if that is possible. If not, we will book in a short appointment to discuss your idea with the artist.
What is the price range for a sleeve?
That depends on several factors:
- The style (and thus the fitting artist. Every artist has their own price).
- The size of your arm.
- The complexity (or simplicity) of the design.
- Color or black and grey.
- Your skin type: We only know this when we start tattooing. Some skin types take the ink easily, for other skin types it can take up to 3 times more time before the skin takes the ink well.
A couple of ground rules:
- expect around 4 sessions with styles such as biomech subgenres, scripting and other classic allround.
- 5 to 7 sessions with black and grey photorealism.
- 9 sessions for full color realism.
Our reception is professionally trained in estimating the amount of sessions needed for any given tattoo.
If you mail us (or show us in person) your idea, we will ask the necessary questions in order to then point you towards one or more artists and give you an estimation of the price and waiting time.
Is there a price difference between color and black and grey tattoos?
A day session with the same tattoo artist has the same price, whether it's color or black and grey.
An artist specialized in color is not more expensive than an artist specialized in black and grey.
Though black and grey tattoos go faster, so you will see more result after one day session.
Fun fact: our realism artists almost always prefer to do full-color 🙂
Do I need to pay a deposit?
Yes, when booking an appointment we ask to pay a deposit.
With a guest artist that's usually around 150 euro.
If you book in via e-mail , you will receive an automatic e-mail with a payment button.
Via this button you will go to our deposit section and you can pay online.
If you book in via the reception, you will have to pay the deposit in the shop. This is possible with cash, card or an Inksane gift voucher.
Can I bring someone to my appointment?
You may bring maximum 1 person to your appointment.
If you are booked for a day session, we do not recommend you bring anyone along. It will be a long day for your partner.
What is the difference between regular artists and guest artists?
Regular artists are our Belgian (local) tattoo artists, that are in the shop every day.
Most of the time these artists are trained by us. They also speak (most of them) Dutch.
Guest artists, on the other hand, are highly skilled artists that we select from all over the world.
They almost never speak Dutch, but most of them can speak English.
A guest artist is only here for a limited period. For example 3 weeks.
95% of our guest artists return on a regular basis, so you can book in bigger projects with them and spread that over a longer time period.
What happens to my deposit if I can't make my appointment with a guest artist?
If you don't show up to your appointment, your deposit will be lost.
This is also the case when you cancel less than two business days before your appointment.
Guest artists are only here for a limited time, and their Inksane schedule has been fixed for a while. They count on you to show up to the appointment, since it is not possible for them to find another client last minute.
What happens to my deposit if I can't make my appointment with a resident artist?
When did you cancel?
- No show = deposit lost.
- Cancelling less than two business days before (business days = Tuesday until Saturday) = deposit lost.
- Cancelling more than two business days in advance (business days = Tuesday until Saturday) = deposit stays.
What if you cancelled on time?
- You can leave the deposit in our system until you book in again or you can receive it back as a gift voucher. The gift voucher doesn't mention a name so you can give it away as well.
- If you book in again immediately after moving the appointment, we will transfer your deposit.
- If you change from Inksane shop or Inksane artist, your deposit stays valid.
A deposit is never refunded in cash or by bank transfer.
How long does one day session take?
This, again, is different for every artist, but here are some ground rules:
- The session starts at 11h.
- then about an hour is spent on consultation, design, anatomy, placing the stencil, setting up booth ...
- After that, your tattoo artist will continue until your design is ready. This could be at 15.00h but this could also be at 18.00h.
- So don't plan your day in a way that you need to be home at a specific hour.
The hour at which your session is finished does not affect the price. Your price is a fixed daily price, and serves to finish that day's design. Some clients' skin absorbs ink easily, so we finish quickly, but it may as well be the other way around.
Do you also do cover-ups?
Some of our artists do cover-ups, some do not.
If you want a cover-up, say this from the start.
Most artists can cover a small tattoo with a much larger design. That being said, we have 2 cover-up specialists available: if your old tattoo took up your entire upper arm, your new tattoo obviously can't be much bigger. Our specialist will show you what is possible.
What you need to know about cover-up tattoos
- A cover-up is always darker than your original tattoo.
- You cannot use light elements or styles to cover (for example a portrait or a rose).
- Give your artist as much freedom as possible. This way you will get the best result.
- Ideally you laser your old tattoo a couple of times. The tattoo doesn't need to be gone completely but if the tattoo is already a little bit lighter, a lot of new possibilities open up for your new design.
Are you looking for a good tattoo laser company? Ask our reception.
Is it possible to retouch a tattoo that was done by somebody else?
Yes, but for that we need to see your old tattoo first. Through clear photos if you want to book via mail , or even better if you come by the shop. Our reception will then estimate which Inksane artist is suitable for this.
Can I swim/work out with a new tattoo?
If your tattoo is still fresh, it is important that your skin doet not get too moist.
Moist skin holds less ink, resulting in a faded tattoo.
Bathing, swimming, sauna, sweating, though work outs... they make your skin soft and moist. So we recommend you do not practice any of said activities before your tattoo is fully healed.
We recommend about 3 weeks of carefully taking care of your new tattoo.
Can I walk in the sun with my new tattoo?
No: we do not recommend you go out sunbathing. Not only during the first weeks after your tattoo, but also afterwards: a tattoo is only fully healed after 3 months.
Moreover, a tattoo is based on contrast. The lightest part of your tattoo is your skin color. The darkest part is the blackest ink. If you sunbathe often, your skin gets darker and so does the lightest part of your tattoo. This leaves you with less contrast, and makes your tattoo less ''readable''.
Finally, long exposure to the sun can break down the tattoo pigment. You should pay attention to that for the rest of your life.
Can I get a tattoo during the summer?
It doesn't matter so much, as long as you don't expose the tattoo to the sun, don't go swimming ...
So getting your forearm tattooed just before you leave on a trip is not very convenient.
Getting a tattoo during the winter/autumn/spring makes more sense but that shouldn't hold you back from getting one in the summer.
Can I get a tattoo when I'm pregnant?
No.
There isn't a direct side effect between tattooing and a pregnancy but it's better to not take any risks during this period.
Baring the pain all day long also takes your immune system down a bit. You will be tired after such a session (pregnant or not 😉).
You want to avoid that, because you'll need as much energy as you can get a hold of in order to take care of your baby.
Can I go to you for piercings?
Of course! We have a webshop with high-end piercing jewelry. You can also book an appointment online to get pierced.
This is possible in each of our three studios (Roeselare, Sint-Niklaas, Brussels).
English 
Dutch 
French 
