Questions, answered.

Message the studio on WhatsApp with your name, contact details and a clear description of the tattoo you want. Use Start your tattoo to put it all into one message in under two minutes.

You can also call the studio on (876) 536-1329 or walk in during opening hours to book, ask questions or leave a deposit. Custom, large and cover-up work starts with an in-studio consultation; a 50% deposit then secures your appointment date.

Send the idea, the approximate size in inches, where on the body it will go, and whether you want black and grey or colour. Reference photos help a lot.

Simple pieces can usually be quoted from that message. Detailed custom work, large pieces and cover-ups are quoted after a consultation, once the design and the number of sessions are clear. The studio’s published price ranges by size are on the pricing questions below.

A consultation is required for detailed or customised designs, large pieces (sleeves, chest, shoulder and back work), cover-ups and redesigns of existing tattoos. Smaller, straightforward tattoos can often be booked directly.

Consultations happen in the studio and cost J$2,000. Bring a reference photo of the artwork you have in mind and a photo or clear idea of the placement. A 50% deposit secures the consultation slot; the balance is paid when you arrive. At the end, the front desk takes your tattoo deposit and sets your date.

You are welcome to walk in during opening hours (every day, 10 am – 6 pm) to book an appointment or consultation, ask questions or leave a deposit.

Whether a tattoo can happen on the spot depends on that day’s bookings, so messaging ahead on WhatsApp is the surest way to be tattooed on the day you want.

It depends on the size of the piece and the current waiting list. Message the studio with your idea and preferred dates and you will be told what is available.

Visitors to Jamaica and anyone planning a large piece should get in touch as early as possible so a consultation and one or more sessions can be scheduled within their dates.

The studio recommends that only the person being tattooed attends. One companion is welcome with prior notice. Children are not allowed in the studio.

The studio publishes price ranges by size: tiny tattoos under 2 inches from US$70 to $100; small tattoos of 3 to 5 inches from US$100 to $250; medium pieces of 6 to 9 inches from US$250 to $450; and large work from 10 inches up from US$500 to $4,000. Jamaican-dollar payment is accepted.

Within each range the price depends on detail, placement, colour and how many sessions the piece needs. Prices are subject to change, so treat the ranges as a guide and ask for a quote on your specific idea.

Reputable Jamaican studios price by size, detail and time, and a well-executed small piece from an experienced artist typically starts around the equivalent of US$70 to $100, with large custom work running into the thousands.

The studio’s own advice is worth repeating: tattoos are art, and good art is never cheap. A cheaper tattoo that has to be fixed or covered later costs far more than getting it done well once.

Yes. Every tattoo appointment requires a non-refundable 50% deposit, with the balance paid on the day. The deposit holds your date and your design, and it counts towards the total price of the tattoo.

Deposits expire after three months and cannot be transferred to another design or another person. Please be certain you are ready to be tattooed before you book.

Give at least 24 hours’ notice. The deposit is forfeited if you do not show up, arrive an hour late without notifying the artist, or cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours’ notice.

In a genuine emergency one reschedule per client is allowed, no later than three days before the appointment, by phone or text to (876) 536-1329. No-shows and late reschedules are not rebooked without a new deposit. For tattoos of J$25,000 or more that miss the window, half of the deposit is forfeited and the other half returned by bank transfer or in cash.

Deposits and balances can be paid in the studio, and deposits can also be sent by online bank transfer. Ask the front desk about other payment options when you book.

Yes. Bring or send the design and Ricardo will work with it, adjusting size, line weight and composition so it sits well on your body and ages cleanly.

If the reference is another artist’s finished tattoo, expect it to be reinterpreted rather than copied line for line. That is standard practice among artists, and it means your piece is yours.

Custom work is the heart of the studio. Bring the idea, the meaning behind it and any references you like, and the design is developed for you after a consultation.

Yes. Cover-ups and reworks of existing tattoos are a regular part of the studio’s work, from small pieces to large multi-session cover-ups.

Every cover-up starts with a consultation, because the old tattoo dictates a lot: how dark it is, how large the new piece needs to be, and which designs will genuinely hide it. Bring a clear photo of the existing tattoo in good light.

Black and grey is the studio’s signature, and colour is used where it serves the design, from single-colour accents to full-colour pieces. Say which you have in mind when you message.

Black and grey realism and portraits, fine-line work, floral pieces, script and lettering, anime and character tattoos, and cover-ups, with colour where it suits the design. See Tattoos for each style with examples from the portfolio.

Sleep well, eat a proper meal an hour or two before, drink water, and avoid alcohol the night before. Do not take aspirin or other blood-thinning medication for at least 24 hours beforehand; ordinary pain relievers are fine.

Shave and clean the area on the day if you can (if not, that is handled for you as part of your appointment), bring photo ID, arrive on time, and wear something that gives easy access to the placement.

Loose, comfortable clothing that leaves the area being tattooed easy to reach: shorts for leg work, a vest or loose top for arms and shoulders, a top that opens at the back for back pieces. Choose darker fabrics, as ink and ointment can stain.

You must be 18 or older, and photo ID is required. Tell the studio your age when you book; an appointment made without disclosing that you are under 18 loses its deposit.

It depends entirely on size, detail and placement. A small piece may take under an hour; medium work a few hours; large pieces and cover-ups are planned across more than one session, with healing time in between.

You will be given a realistic estimate when your design is finalised.

It is uncomfortable rather than unbearable for most people, and it varies by placement: fleshy areas such as the outer arm and thigh are easiest, while ribs, feet, hands and joints are sharper. Being rested, fed and hydrated makes a real difference.

You must be 18 or older with ID. No children, no smoking, and sanitize your hands on entry. A consent form is completed before every session. Only the client should attend, with one companion allowed by prior notice. No food or drink except bottled water. Deposits are paid before the appointment, and there is a 30-minute grace period for lateness. If you have flu-like symptoms, let the front desk know and reschedule.

Follow the aftercare instructions you are given at your appointment; they take priority over anything you read online. In general: keep the tattoo clean with mild soap and water, apply a thin layer of the recommended ointment, keep it out of the sun and out of the sea, pool and river, and never pick or scratch it.

The full guide is on our tattoo aftercare page, written for Jamaica’s heat and humidity. It is general information, not medical advice.

The surface usually settles within two to three weeks, and the skin is fully healed in around four to six weeks. Large or heavily shaded pieces can take longer. Keep the new tattoo covered from the sun and avoid swimming until it has fully healed.

Soulraven Studios is at Shop 5, 9½ Courtney Walsh Drive, Half Way Tree, Kingston 10, Jamaica, open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. Get directions.

Google lists a wheelchair-accessible entrance for the studio. If you have specific access needs, message ahead so the team can prepare.

Yes, and many clients plan a tattoo around a trip. Message the studio with your travel dates and your idea as early as you can, so the consultation and the session can both fit inside your stay and you have time to heal before flying or swimming.

Yes. Soulraven is a tattoo and piercing studio. Message for the piercings currently offered, jewellery options and prices.

Yes. Soulraven runs a tattoo course and trains apprentices in the studio; new intakes are announced on Instagram. If you are serious about learning to tattoo, message with your drawings and a little about yourself to ask about the next start date and the fee.