- Home
- Journal
The journal.
Straight answers to the questions clients ask, written for people getting tattooed in Jamaica.
Getting your first tattoo in Jamaica: what to know
Choosing an artist, what a consultation is for, how deposits work and what the day itself feels like, from a Kingston studio that has walked hundreds of people through their first piece.
How to prepare for your tattoo appointment
The night before, the morning of, what to wear, what to bring and what to leave out, so your session goes smoothly and your tattoo heals well.
Tattoo aftercare in Jamaica’s climate
Heat, sweat, sun and the sea are the four things that spoil a new tattoo here. How to manage each of them through the first month.
How tattoo cover-ups work
What can and cannot be covered, why cover-ups are bigger and darker than people expect, and how the studio plans one across sessions.
How to choose the right tattoo placement
Pain, visibility, ageing, clothing and the shape of the design itself all pull in different directions. A practical way to decide.
Black and grey vs colour tattoos
How each is made, how each ages in the Caribbean sun, what suits deeper skin tones, and how to choose for your design.
How much do tattoos cost in Jamaica?
The studio’s published ranges by size, what moves a price up or down, how deposits and consultations fit in, and why the cheapest quote is rarely the best value.
Planning a large tattoo or sleeve
Concept, flow, sessions, budget and patience: how a sleeve, back piece or chest piece is actually planned and built over months.
Getting a tattoo while visiting Jamaica
Timing the session around beach days and flights, booking from abroad, paying, and healing on the road. What to arrange before you land in Kingston.
Kingston, Jamaica
Have something in mind?
Let’s talk about it. Tell Soulraven the idea, the placement and the size, and send your references in WhatsApp.