One of the most common questions we get in the shop is “where does it hurt most to get a tattoo?”. Honestly, it’s a pretty subjective question. It depends on individual tolerance, some people are sensitive while getting a tattoo, some people feel nothing. In the end, the pain is worth it because you’ll go home with a beautiful tattoo that will last a lifetime! If it was that bad people wouldn’t do it. In general the most painful areas to tattoo are bony areas, or areas with a lot of nerve endings. Areas with thin skin definitely aren’t the most pleasant! Let’s go over some of the most painfu ..read more

TINY TATTOOS Tiny tattoos may seem like a great idea, they’re discreet and don’t require a huge amount of time. They’re easy to hide at work, cheap, and just plain cute to look at. Tiny tattoos are a huge trend right now. Unfortunately, tiny tattoos may not age well. Tiny tattoos are small and have lots of detail in one concentrated space. These intricate details will be lost with time as your skin changes. In contrast, larger tattoos have lots of room to move around which means it will be easy to tell what the tattoo is for years to come. Ink that’s too closely packed in can bleed together ..read more

We live in a world of copies. Art, movies, and music are created, replicated, and transmitted instantly without a second thought. We shop at similar places, wear similar clothes, and for the most part, we live similar lives. Getting body art can be about many different things but one of those things is the decision to stand apart – it is about making the choice to differentiate yourself from anyone else – the celebration of one’s own individuality. It is for that reason that it’s critical to deeply consider the kind of art you are choosing to adorn your body with. While having tattoos can say ..read more

One of the most common questions we get asked on social media is about tattoo etiquette. A tattoo shop can be intimidating to walk into for the first time, especially when you don’t feel confident with how it all works. It takes two to make a great tattoo, your cooperation and your artists talent. Here are our do’s and don’ts for tattoo clients. DRESS THE PART Don’t worry, we don’t mean come in wearing only black and covered in skulls (I mean, unless that’s what you’re into!). Make sure what your wearing is accessible to your tattoo artist! If you’re getting a sleeve, don’t come in a long sle ..read more

DO YOU ONLY DO BAMBOO TATTOOS? No, we offer both bamboo and machine. DO YOU OFFER PIERCING? We do not, we want to focus only on tattoos. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING A BAMBOO TATTOO AND MACHINE TATTOO? There are a couple of key differences between the two tattoo styles. Traditional bamboo tattoos generally take longer as they are hand poked. There is less trauma to the skin, as the ink is gently pushed into the skin one stroke at time. One of the largest differences between machine and bamboo tattooing is the healing process. Bamboo tattoos tend to heal a lot faster without going th ..read more

We’ve all made bad decisions, maybe that tattoo you got 15 years ago isn’t a good reflection of who you are today. Maybe your friend needed someone to practice tattooing on and now you have a tattoo that isn’t up to par with your expectations. Maybe you just want a coverup, but want creative freedom with your new tattoo.  Laser tattoo removal is incredible technology. It’s quick and effective. At Bamboo Tattoo we use a Medlite C6 laser for tattoo removal, we love this laser because it can be used on darker skin without damage and removes colour tattoos.  We most commonly use the la ..read more

So you’ve finally found the perfect design for a tattoo, all that’s left is finding an artist to execute your vision. It can be overwhelming looking for a tattoo artist, especially in a big city like Toronto. There are tattoo shops everywhere, hell, you know a guy who can tattoo you in his basement. Picking someone to put a permanent piece of art on your body shouldn’t be blind choice, making an informed decision is extremely important.  DO YOUR RESEARCH! Instagram is a great place to find new artists! For example, Bamboo Tattoo features all of our artists on Instagram. You can find lin ..read more

Wear sunscreen! Once your tattoo is healed make sure to use sunscreen when you’re going to be out in the sun for extended periods. Tattoos fade over time, but exposure to the sun can seriously speed up the fading process. The lighter the ink, the more quickly it will fade. Colours like pink, yellow, green, red and orange may require extra attention as they tend to fade more quickly. Take care of your tattoo while it’s healing. Your tattoo is an open wound, and it should be treated as such. Tight clothing can stick to your new tattoo, which can not only be painful, but may ruin the ink. Scra ..read more

Cover up tattoos are, by necessity, an exercise in compromise. This is because unlike fresh tattoos the art cannot just be for its own sake – it also has to be used for the purpose of masking a pre-existing piece – and that means there will always have to be give and take made in the art to ensure the cover up is serving its intended purpose. Sometimes, the pre-existing tattoo can be small enough or light enough to make covering it up with something unique and gorgeous relatively easy. There are many other occasions however where more ink has to be added over a wider area to properly cover ..read more