Apply for a Tattoo Session
We take on a limited number of projects to ensure each piece receives the time, focus, and cultural consideration it deserves.
IslandTAT is appointment-only. There are no walk-ins and no bookings taken through social media direct messages. This application is the single intake path for every new project, and it exists for a reason: a Polynesian tattoo is composed freehand around your body, your story, and the motifs that carry meaning for you. Before an artist can quote time, plan sessions, or start drawing, they need to understand what you are asking the piece to say.
The questions below cover your story, the area of the body you want worked on, and your timeline. Answer them in your own words — there are no wrong answers, and you do not need to arrive with a finished design idea. Our team reads every request in the order it arrives and replies as soon as we can. Larger, meaning-driven projects such as full sleeves, chest panels, and back pieces are prioritized, and out-of-town clients are welcome; we build travel schedules around multi-day sessions regularly.
Before You Apply
- IslandTAT is appointment-only. There are no walk-ins and no bookings through direct messages.
- Every project begins with a consultation and a design review before any needle work.
- Designs are custom and drawn freehand on the body — we do not repeat another person's tattoo.
- Sending this request does not confirm an appointment. It opens a conversation.
- Our team will recommend the artist best suited to your project, whatever your preference.
- Large-scale work is usually completed across multiple sessions, and appointments are currently booking 3–4 months out.
- We do not tattoo minors. You must be 18 or older.
No payment is requested here. Deposits are arranged after consultation, once the project is confirmed.
How a project comes together
- See the work→
- Meet the artists→
- Understand the process→
- Project request→
- Consultation and next steps
Who This Is For
- Clients who value meaning over trend
- Clients open to artistic direction
- Clients committed to the process
Tell Us About Your Vision
Every tattoo at IslandTAT begins with a story. This is the most important part of your application.
0 characters (minimum 10)
If your project relates to a specific island, family line, or community, tell us here. It is not required, and a connection is not a condition of working with us.
What Happens After You Apply
Applying is not a booking — it is the start of a conversation. Here is exactly how a project moves from application to needle, so you know what to expect at each stage and roughly how long it takes.
- 1
Review
Our office manager, Rosette, reads every application and passes it to the artist best suited to the work. We are checking scope, placement, and cultural alignment — whether the story you want to tell can be told well in the space you have. If your project is a better fit for a different artist on the team than the one you requested, we will say so.
- 2
Consultation
If your project moves forward, we schedule a consultation — in person at the San Diego studio when possible, or by video for travelling clients. This is where we talk through motifs, body flow, how many sessions the piece will realistically take, and where the composition begins and ends on the body.
- 3
Deposit and scheduling
Once the scope is agreed, a deposit equal to one hour of your artist's hourly rate reserves your dates and is applied to your final session. Larger projects are scheduled as a block of sessions rather than one appointment, and lead times for a full sleeve or back piece typically run three to four months out.
- 4
Design and tattoo day
There is no stencil waiting for you. Your artist draws the composition freehand directly on the skin on the day, working with your muscle structure and bone lines. You will see the full layout and approve it before any ink goes in.
"IslandTAT tattoos are built to last a lifetime — not just look good for a moment."