about

About me

Pax (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and tattooer based in Brooklyn, New York. Working as a self / community taught handpoke tattooer in New York for the past three years, Pax has developed a strong tattooing practice and client base. Her work is heavily influenced by nature and botanicals, and is also inspired by the artistry of the built environment in New York City. Her designs feature unique textures and sketch-like plants, animals, objects, and abstract ornamentals.

Originally from southern Vermont, Pax moved to Brooklyn in 2023. City life has given her many opportunities and new friendships, and has allowed her to start and grow her career as a tattoo artist, but Pax’s roots as a small town nature lover remain present in her approach to tattooing and life.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from Bard College, Pax has brought her interest in community and culture to her tattooing practice. She loves talking and connecting with her clients, and values the ability to cultivate a meaningful community through tattooing.

Pax is a true hobbyist, and loves any craft that involves creating something with her hands. A few of her current interests include knitting, sewing, painting (mainly watercolor and gouache), cyanotype and linocut printmaking, and baking. When she is not working she can almost always be found with a new knitting project in her hands or an open sketchbook.

What is handpoke?

Hand Poke tattooing is a method of tattooing without a machine. A tattoo needle is held by hand and the tattoo artist carefully pushes the needle into the skin to deposit ink at the appropriate depth. Hand Poke tattoos are made one dot at a time, usually creating a gentler and more stippled effect. Tattooing this way, just using a needle, ink, and the motion of the tattooer’s hand has been a prominent practice across the world for centuries, before the invention of the tattoo machine.

Hand Poke tattooing has a rich history in many cultures, using varying methods, tools, and applications. Many people still use this method of tattooing as a traditional cultural practice, often holding spiritual or religious meaning and ceremonial significance.

In recent years, the traditional practice of tattooing without a machine has been adapted and is now used by many tattoo artists as a tool for modern tattoo application. Professional hand poking is (usually) a more gentle process than machine tattooing, making for a less painful experience and faster healing. Hand Poking offers the capability to create different textures and a more ‘imperfect’ look. And yes, hand poke tattoos are 100% permanent — when applied professionally, they will heal beautifully and last a lifetime!

Do your research when looking for the right artist for your next piece, as all tattooers have different techniques and practices. Talk to your tattoo artists about their tattooing practice — I can only speak for my own experiences and practices!

My approach

My tattooing practice is intended to be a calming, enjoyable, and memorable experience for both me and my clients. As a hand poker, I strive to cultivate a gentle tattooing method that leaves my clients with a beautiful, well done tattoo as well as a positive tattooing experience.

My tattooing practice is my art form, but it is also a collaboration between me and my client. I respect my clients and their ideas just as they respect me and my craft.

For far too long the only option in modern tattooing has been to get a tattoo at a walk-in shop, sometimes from people (men) who do not provide a positive experience. My practice is consent conscious, and your needs during the appointment will always be put first.

My top priority is to make you as comfortable as possible during our appointment, both physically and mentally. I take care to listen to all of your needs and to do everything I can to create the most comfortable tattooing environment for you.

If you are uncomfortable with anything at ANY point during our session, please let me know. I will check in many times during the session. Again, I am here for YOU! You are trusting me to add something permanent to your body, and I am here to make sure it is exactly how you want.

The tattoo station and all surfaces are sanitized before your arrival. All other materials are single use and / or sterile. I take health precautions very seriously in my practice.

policies

Cancellations & Reschedules

Your $100 deposit can be carried over for one reschedule as long as the reschedule request is made more than two days in advance of the original appointment time and a new appointment is scheduled within one day of the reschedule request.
If last minute reschedule requests are made, a new deposit is required to book a new appointment and the original deposit is forfeited.
After two cancellations in a row, I will no longer be able to schedule an appointment for you.
If you are running more than 30 minutes late please be aware that I may not be able to accommodate you.
No call, no shows will not be able to book with me in the future and their deposit will not be returned.

Before booking your tattoo and committing to an appointment time, make sure that you are ready to go through with getting your tattoo, that you are physically prepared and able to be there on time, and that you are financially prepared to pay for your tattoo in the amount we have previously discussed.

Tattooing is my livelihood and I rely on these appointments to support myself financially. Please be respectful of my policies and boundaries and do not cancel your appointment if you can help it.

Studio Policies

18+ (no exceptions!)
Generally, we have a no-guest policy. Please let me know if you are planning on bringing an additional person to your appointment and be aware that we may not be able to accommodate extra guests in the space.
If you are feeling ill or have any covid or flu-like symptoms, please let me know ASAP so we can reschedule.

pricing

How pricing works

The final cost of your tattoo is dependent on several factors: whether you want a flash or custom design, the detail of the design you want tattooed, the sizing and placement of that design, and the time it takes to actually tattoo the design on your body.

I charge a minimum of $200 per appointment. The cost of your tattoo will likely be above that minimum unless you are getting a simple, small design. On average, my tattoos typically end up costing between $300 and $400 (typically, the tattoos that I do are between 3 and 5 inches).

Tattoos are priced by piece, and I will give you a quote before your tattoo appointment based on the estimated time I think it will take to complete the tattoo you have requested. This quote is an estimate and is subject to change depending on how long the tattoo actually takes to complete. If you have a specific budget, I will always keep this in mind and be transparent with you about what we can realistically accomplish within your budget.

Deposits

A $100 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required to confirm and schedule your appointment. Your appointment is not confirmed until this deposit has been received and a time has been selected. This deposit will go towards the final cost of your tattoo. A deposit is required for every appointment.

Custom drawing fee

Custom tattoos require an additional $50 drawing fee due at the time of deposit to compensate for my time spent drawing your tattoo. This means the minimum amount you will pay for a custom design is $250. This drawing fee covers 1–2 versions of your design plus small edits and adjustments. I may not be able to fulfill major redesign or redraw requests made less than 48 hours before your appointment. While I don’t want to create barriers between my clients and a design they are 100% happy with, this drawing fee is a necessary compensation for my time spent drawing / preparing your design. If more than 2 versions of the design or a complete redraw are requested, another $50 drawing fee will be required.

Multiple sessions

Tattoos that take multiple sessions (more than 5 hours to complete) are priced hourly with a $200 flat rate for the first hour and $125 every additional hour.

Payment options

I am happy to discuss estimates and pricing further based on your individual design. I am always happy to work with your budget, and have several payment options including payment plans when necessary.

Tipping

Tipping is not required, however it is highly appreciated. While I do charge the amount I expect to make from a tattoo, tips help to supplement my income and are always welcome. There is no “standard” tipping amount in tattooing, so whatever you feel you want to give (or not give) is completely acceptable. Non-monetary tips are always welcome!

faq

what is handpoke?

Hand Poking, also known as ‘stick and poke’ tattooing, is popular in part because of its accessibility as a DIY tattooing method, allowing artists to learn how to tattoo without the barrier of expensive tools. Many people have come across ‘stick and poke’ tattooing done by amateur tattoo artists, and because of this may have the misconception that handpoked tattoos are more painful and not as “good” or as “real” as machine tattoos. However, hand poking is indeed a valid method of tattooing.

Professional hand poking is (usually) a more gentle process than machine tattooing, making for a less painful experience and faster healing. Hand Poking offers the capability to create different textures and a more ‘imperfect’ look. Many professional tattoo artists opt for this method because of the stylistic opportunities the technique offers. And yes, hand poke tattoos are 100% permanent, despite what some people may believe. When applied professionally, hand poke tattoos will heal beautifully and last a lifetime!

how is a hand poke tattoo different from a machine tattoo?

Hand Poke tattooing does not involve any powered devices to deposit ink into the skin. Machine tattooing uses a mechanism that pushes a needle in and out automatically. Hand Poke tattooing uses the same motion as a tattoo machine, done manually by hand.

do you do color tattoos?

Yes! While I work mostly in black and grey I love to add pops of color to my pieces. I sometimes include colored versions of my flash, and I’m open to accepting color additions to flash and color custom tattoos on a case by case basis. Please submit your idea for your color tattoo via a booking form.

do you do cover ups?

Mostly no. I occasionally take cover up / blast over projects on a case by case basis. However, “coverups” done by hand poking will rarely ever be able to fully cover a pre-existing tattoo unless it is heavily faded or lasered off.

Hand poke “cover ups” are good for people looking to distract from or add to a pre-existing tattoo that is already light and delicate.

how far out do you book?

I typically book one or two months in advance, opening my books for the following month around the 10th of each month.

when will I hear back from you about my booking request?

I try to get back to booking requests as soon as possible, but you should expect to receive an email after submitting a booking request 1 to 4 days after submitting it!

can I see my custom design before my appointment?

I prefer not to send custom designs before your appointment (see the ‘customs’ page for more information), but I can sometimes send designs early if requested.

how should I prepare for my tattoo appointment?

There are a few things you should do leading up to, during, and after your appointment to make sure you are prepared and that you get the best tattoo possible.

Leading up to your appointment:

Make sure you are exfoliating and moisturizing the area that you will be getting tattooed for two weeks before your appointment. Healthy and moisturized skin will lead to a tattoo that heals better!
Avoid direct sun exposure and sunburns on the area that you will be getting tattooed. Sunburnt skin is not ideal for tattooing and if you have a visible burn at your appointment I may not be able to tattoo you.
Let me know if you get any cuts, scrapes, or rashes on the area you want tattooed before your appointment. This might mean we can’t tattoo that area.
On the day of your appointment, make sure you are well nourished and hydrated! Do not drink alcohol in excess the night before or after getting your tattoo.
Make sure you have reviewed all the information in your confirmation email and that you know where you are going for your appointment!

During your appointment:

We will go over all design options, placement, and pricing when you arrive. This is the time to make edits and play around with your design. Make sure you are vocalizing any changes you want to make or questions you may have.
I do my best to make you feel as comfortable as possible throughout the whole process. I will always listen to you and do my best to accommodate your needs, so please feel free to speak up if anything comes to mind.
Keep checking in with yourself! If you need a break, let me know!

After your appointment:

Make sure to rest and hydrate, tattooing can be a tiring experience for your body.
Follow the aftercare instructions provided to you at the end of your appointment.

where are you located?

Brooklyn, NY.

do you tattoo outside of NYC?

I usually do 3–5 guest spots outside of NYC a year. I’m always looking for new places to go, so if you want me to come to your city let me know by putting yourself on my Travel Waitlist.

is your studio accessible?

My studio building is equipped with a ramp and elevator.

If you have specific accessibility requirements please email me at paxhandpokes@gmail.com.