IslandTAT works only in Polynesian tattooing. Designs are composed freehand on the body, using motifs discussed with you at consultation and placed to suit your anatomy. Joshawa Elsas has been tattooing since 1999.
Oceanside sits beside Camp Pendleton, and service members and veterans are among the clients the studio works with. If a Pacific posting is part of what you want the piece to reflect, bring that to the consultation — it shapes which traditions and motifs we discuss and how the composition is built.
The studio is in Lemon Grove, south-east of downtown San Diego, reached from Oceanside down I-5 or I-15, and is appointment-only. Check your own route and traffic when you book, and allow time either side of the appointment.
If your availability is irregular, start the conversation by phone or email and book the consultation and design session ahead of the first tattoo session. Larger work runs across several sessions; the Polynesian tattoo San Diego page below covers scheduling, deposits and studio details.
If you are planning a project from Oceanside, the Polynesian tattoo San Diego page covers scheduling and studio details, the Polynesian tattoo guide explains motifs and placement, and the portfolio shows recent and healed work. Background on the studio and team is on the about page.
Planning a Visit from Oceanside
- The studio is at 7912 Lester Ave, Lemon Grove, CA 91945, and is appointment-only — there are no walk-ins, so confirm dates before arranging travel.
- There is no consultation fee. Consultation and on-body freehand design are part of the tattoo process — there is no separate in-studio design fee. Remote design (for clients tattooed elsewhere) is a separate paid service.
- A non-refundable deposit equal to one hour of your artist's hourly rate is required to hold your appointment, and is applied toward your session total.
- Design happens on the body. Allow time for the consultation and freehand design session as well as the tattoo session itself — for larger work these are usually separate visits.
- Sleeves, chest panels, leg and back compositions are built over multiple sessions. If you are travelling in, ask about session length and spacing when you book so the trips can be planned in advance.
- Before you travel, review healed and recent work and the artists to decide who and what you are booking for.
Visiting the Studio — FAQ
Other Areas We Serve
Nearby areas with their own project notes and travel details: