Help & Guide

Nation.Tattoo is free to join for fans and collectors. Click Register in the top navigation and fill in your name, email, and password. That's it — you're in.

Once registered you'll land on your Dashboard, which is your home base for everything on the platform.

You can also browse artists, studios, styles, news, and conventions without an account. You only need to log in to book appointments, follow artists, or access your personal tools.

Go to Artists Directory to search and browse every listed artist on the platform.

• Filter by Style — choose from Traditional, Realism, Japanese, Fine Line, Blackwork, Geometric, Watercolor, Neo-Traditional, Lettering, Tribal, and more.
• Filter by State/City — find artists in your area or a city you'll be visiting.
• Filter by Availability — toggle "Booking Open" to see only artists currently accepting new clients.
• Filter by Price Range — narrow by budget tier (Budget, Mid-Range, Premium, Luxury).

Click any artist card to open their full profile — portfolio, bio, style specialties, pricing info, reviews, and a booking button.

Go to Studios Directory to browse listed tattoo and piercing studios across the country.

Each studio page shows: address and map, hours of operation, artists working there, photo gallery, reviews, services offered (tattoo, piercing, etc.), and contact info. If a studio has a claimed account you can follow them and see their updates in your feed.

Interactive Map: Every claimed studio profile includes a live interactive map showing the studio's exact location. Click Get Directions to open Google Maps with turn-by-turn navigation straight to the studio — no address copying required. You can also click View on Google Maps to see the studio on the full map.

When you find an artist you want to work with, click Request Booking on their profile (you must be logged in).

• Type — choose Tattoo, Piercing, or Consultation.
• Description — describe what you want in as much detail as possible: subject, reference images, size, style, and any specifics.
• Body Placement — select where on your body the work will go from a categorized list of placements.
• Style — confirm the style you're after (if relevant).
• Budget — enter your min/max budget range (optional but helpful for the artist).
• Preferred Dates — provide up to 3 preferred dates for scheduling.
• Notes — anything else the artist should know.

After submitting, the artist will review your request and respond. You'll track the status in My Bookings.

Booking statuses: Pending → Accepted or Declined → Date Confirmed → Deposit Paid → Completed. Some artists require a deposit before confirming a date — you can pay it securely through the platform when prompted.

On any artist or studio profile page, click the Follow button. You can follow as many artists and studios as you like — there's no limit.

When you follow someone, their posts appear in your My Feed, which you'll find in your dashboard sidebar. The feed shows updates in reverse chronological order — new work photos, availability announcements, flash deals, and studio news.

Your total following count shows on your public fan profile page.

Find My Feed in your dashboard sidebar. This is your personalized timeline — every post from every artist and studio you follow, newest first.

Posts come in four types:

• Update — general news or thoughts from the artist/studio.
• New Work — freshly completed tattoos or piercings they want to share.
• Flash Deal — limited-time design or pricing offer.
• Announcement — convention appearances, guest spots, closures, new hours, etc.

If you don't follow anyone yet, the feed will prompt you to discover artists and studios to follow. The feed paginates — use the navigation at the bottom to go back in time.

Inside My Feed, every post has a heart icon in the bottom-right corner. Click it to like the post — the heart fills in red and the count goes up. Click it again to unlike.

Likes let artists and studios know their content is resonating. You must be logged in to like posts. Your likes persist across sessions — if you liked something yesterday, it's still liked today.

Find My Ink in your dashboard sidebar. This is your personal collection of every tattoo and piercing you've ever gotten.

To add a piece, click Add to My Ink and upload a photo. You can tag the artist name, studio, body placement, style, date, and add personal notes. Your collection is private unless you choose to share your public fan profile link.

You can store up to 10 photos in your ink gallery. Remove old entries to make room for new ones.

Your public fan profile at nation.tattoo/u/yourhandle shows your ink count and collection (if you've made it public in settings).

Find Healing Tracker in your dashboard sidebar (if you have piercings). This tool helps you track the healing progress of new piercings.

Add a new entry with the piercing type and date it was done. You can log check-ins and notes over time, and mark it as fully healed when it's done. Typical healing timelines vary widely by piercing type — this keeps everything in one place.

Your public fan profile lives at nation.tattoo/u/[your-handle]. It shows your display name, bio, location, ink count, and the artists/studios you follow.

Fan profiles are not indexed by search engines — they're private community pages, not public listings. You control your handle and visibility from your Account settings.

After a booking is marked Completed, you'll see a Leave a Review option in that booking's detail page. Reviews include a star rating and written feedback. Approved reviews appear publicly on the artist's profile.

Reviews must be based on a real booking through the platform. This keeps feedback genuine and verified.

Find Flash Deals in the main navigation. Flash deals are limited-time offerings from artists and studios — a specific design at a set price, or a discounted rate for a limited window.

Filter deals by type (Tattoo, Piercing, Consultation) or browse by state. When you find one you want, contact the artist through their profile or use the booking system to claim it before it expires.

Find Ask AI in the navigation. This is a free, always-on AI assistant trained specifically on tattoo and piercing knowledge.

Ask it anything: what style fits your idea, how to prepare for a session, how long healing takes, what jewelry to use, what questions to ask your artist, what a fair price looks like, or what to avoid. It's informational — not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Find AI Preview in the navigation. Upload a photo of the body area you're considering and describe the tattoo or piercing you want. Our AI generates a preview of what it could look like on you.

Use this to experiment with placement before committing — outer arm vs inner arm, chest vs shoulder, etc. There's also a Piercing Preview mode for piercings. Results are AI-generated visualizations, not guarantees of what an actual artist will produce.

Find Conventions in the navigation. Browse upcoming tattoo conventions across the United States, filterable by state and month.

Convention listings include dates, location, and featured artists. If you know of a convention that isn't listed, logged-in users can submit one at Submit a Convention.

Find News in the navigation. Nation.Tattoo publishes original articles about tattoo culture, industry trends, artist spotlights, piercing guides, and more — all written specifically for this community.

Find Tattoo Styles in the navigation. Each style has its own guide page explaining the history, characteristics, and what makes it unique. From there you can browse artists who specialize in that style.

Styles covered include: Traditional, Neo-Traditional, Japanese / Irezumi, Realism, Fine Line, Blackwork, Geometric, Watercolor, Lettering, Tribal, and more.

Find Piercing Types in the navigation. Browse guides covering every type of body piercing — placement anatomy, standard healing times, jewelry recommendations, and what to expect. Useful whether you're a first-timer or an experienced collector adding to your collection.

Find Body Modifications in the main navigation. Nation.Tattoo covers 40+ extreme and traditional body modification types with in-depth guides for each.

Guides cover:

• Scarification — cutting, branding, and chemical methods; healing expectations, and skin type considerations.
• Subdermal & Transdermal Implants — materials (silicone, PTFE), placement, rejection risks, and what to expect from the procedure.
• Tongue Splitting — the bifurcation procedure, healing, reversibility, and regional legal status.
• Ear Pointing — cartilage sculpting techniques and finding qualified practitioners.
• Body Suspension — hooks, rigging points, spiritual context, and how reputable suspension groups operate.
• Branding — iron, electrosurgical (strike), and freeze branding methods and outcomes.
• And many more — ear stretching, horn implants, eyeball tattooing safety, microdermals, and more.

Important: Extreme body modifications require experienced, vetted practitioners. AI and platform content is educational only — always consult a qualified practitioner before undergoing any modification.

First, create a free account if you don't have one. Then go to Get Listed → Artist and fill in your basics: name, city, state, a short bio, and your Instagram handle.

This creates your artist profile and takes you to your Artist Dashboard. From there, build out the rest of your profile before going live.

Your profile URL will be nation.tattoo/artist/your-slug. The slug is auto-generated from your name but can be customized in Profile Settings.

Go to My Profile in your dashboard sidebar to fill in your full profile. Sections include:

• Identity — name, bio, headline, tagline, pronouns/gender, years of experience.
• Location — city and state (helps with search and SEO).
• Contact — phone, email, website, social handles (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.).
• Booking URL — if you use an external booking tool (Booksy, Square, Vagaro, your own site), paste the link here. A "Book Now" button will appear on your profile that sends clients directly to your scheduler. Leave it blank to use Nation.Tattoo's built-in booking request system.
• Styles — the tattoo styles you specialize in. These power the directory filters.
• Piercing Services — if you offer piercing, toggle it on and fill in: piercing types you perform (lobe, helix, nose, septum, daith, tragus, navel, nipple, and more), jewelry brands you carry (Implant Grade, BVLA, Neometal, etc.), and your APP (Association of Professional Piercers) membership number if you're a member. This section powers the piercing directory and builds trust with clients.
• Body Modification Services — if you perform body modifications (scarification, subdermal implants, tongue splitting, suspension, branding, etc.), add them in the Body Mod Types field on your profile. This surfaces your profile to visitors browsing the Body Mods section.
• Booking Policy — whether you're accepting clients, if you do cover-ups, require consultation, do custom only, travel, or offer guest spots.
• Pricing — price range tier, minimum price, hourly rates, deposit amount (flat or percentage), typical session length.
• Studio — link to a studio if you work at one.
• SEO Fields — optional custom meta title and meta description for your profile page. These are what Google shows in search results. If left blank, the platform generates them automatically from your name, city, and styles. Fill them in to write a more personalized pitch to search visitors.

The more complete your profile, the more likely clients are to find and book you. A bio, portfolio images, and filled-in booking policy are the highest impact things to have.

Go to Portfolio in your dashboard sidebar. Upload photos of your work — clients will see these on your profile page.

You can mark individual pieces as Featured to have them appear prominently at the top of your profile. You can also reorder items. Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP. Max file size: 8MB per image.

You can upload up to 500 portfolio images. Quality over quantity is always the right move — pick your absolute best work. Clients decide in seconds.

Upload your avatar (profile photo — recommended: a clear photo of you, not a tattoo) from My Profile → avatar section.

Your banner is the large image at the top of your profile page. Upload it from Page Builder → Upload Banner. Recommended size: at least 1400×400px. Use a striking portfolio piece or a photo of you working.

Find Page Builder in your dashboard sidebar. This lets you customize the look and layout of your public profile page.

• Color Theme / Preset — choose from preset color themes (Ink, Midnight, Crimson, Gold, etc.) that change the overall feel of your page.
• Accent Color — override the accent color with any hex value you choose.
• CTA Button Text — customize what the booking button says on your profile (default: "Request Booking").
• Module Layout — enable, disable, and reorder the sections that appear on your profile: Portfolio, About, Reviews, Flash Deals, Services & Pricing, Contact. Drag them into the order you want.

Changes save immediately. Preview your live profile at any time using the "View Public Profile" link in your dashboard.

Go to Bookings in your dashboard sidebar to see all incoming booking requests.

• Accept — you want to take the project. The client is notified.
• Decline — you can't take the project. The client is notified.
• Confirm Date — after accepting, propose and confirm a specific session date.
• Request Deposit — if you require a deposit, the platform handles the payment collection. Set your deposit amount in your profile pricing settings.
• Mark Complete — once the session is done, mark the booking complete. This triggers the review request to the client.

Each booking shows you the client's full request: description, placement, style preference, budget, and preferred dates. You can message inside the booking (feature coming soon).

Go to Bookings → Calendar View in your dashboard to see all your confirmed upcoming sessions in a monthly calendar grid.

• Each day cell shows color-coded booking pills: gold for tattoos, red for piercings, blue for consultations.
• Click any day to expand a detail view showing client name, booking time, duration, and status for every session that day.
• Use the ← Prev / Next → buttons to navigate between months. The calendar loads 4 months of bookings at once so navigation is instant.
• Click List View in the top-right to switch back to the traditional bookings list.

Only bookings with a confirmed date appear on the calendar. Pending requests without a confirmed date show in list view only.

Go to Flash Deals in your dashboard sidebar. Create limited-time offers to fill open slots or promote specific designs.

When creating a flash deal, you can set: a title, description, type (tattoo/piercing/consultation), price, expiry date, and quantity available. Active deals appear on your profile and on the sitewide Flash Deals page.

You can expire a deal early if it fills up, or delete it if plans change.

From your Artist Dashboard, scroll to the Post an Update section (or use the "Post Update" link in your sidebar).

Choose the post type, write your update (up to 1,000 characters), and optionally attach an image. Hit Publish Post — it immediately appears in the feed of everyone who follows you.

Post types: Update, New Work, Flash Deal, Announcement. Use New Work to show off fresh pieces. Use Announcement for convention appearances, guest spots, or availability changes. Use Flash Deal when you post a last-minute opening.

You can delete past posts from the "Your Recent Posts" section on your dashboard.

Go to Subscription in your dashboard sidebar to manage your plan.

Your profile is not publicly listed until you activate a subscription. You get a 14-day free trial to set up your profile and explore the platform before any charge.

Plans are available monthly or annually (annual saves you money). There are no commissions on bookings — your subscription is the only fee Nation.Tattoo charges.

If you cancel, your profile stays visible until the end of your billing period, then goes inactive. Reactivating restores everything.

Your profile page is automatically optimized for Google search. Clients searching "fine line tattoo artist Austin TX" or "blackwork tattoo near me" can find you through Nation.Tattoo's SEO landing pages, which are built for every style + city combination.

To maximize your visibility:

• Add your city and state to your profile.
• Select all the tattoo styles you actually specialize in.
• Write a real bio that includes your style and location naturally.
• Upload portfolio images (pages with photos rank better).
• Set your acceptance status correctly — clients filter for availability.
• Custom SEO Title & Description — in your profile's SEO section, write a custom meta title (70 chars max) and meta description (160 chars max). These are the headline and blurb Google shows in search results. A well-written meta description acts as a free ad to every person who searches for your style in your city.

Your profile is added to the Nation.Tattoo sitemap automatically when you activate your subscription — Google is notified within hours so indexing can begin immediately.

Nation.Tattoo doesn't set your prices — you do. But here are common industry frameworks that help clients understand what they're getting:

• Hourly rate — the most transparent approach. Set your hourly rate range (min and max) in your profile. Clients with complex multi-hour pieces can estimate costs. Common ranges: $100–$150/hr (budget), $150–$250/hr (mid), $250–$400/hr (premium), $400+/hr (luxury/high demand).
• Piece price — set a minimum price (e.g. "starting at $150") and quote per piece in your booking response. Clients know your floor. Use this alongside an hourly rate or alone if you prefer piece pricing.
• Deposit strategy — deposit protects your time. Set a flat dollar amount or a percentage of the estimated total in your profile. $50–$100 is standard for smaller pieces; $100–$200 for large work. The deposit typically applies toward the total on the day of the appointment.
• Price range tier — select Budget, Mid-Range, Premium, or Luxury in your profile. This shows in directory filters and helps match you with clients in your price range.

Never undercut your market to win bookings — it devalues your work and attracts clients who undervalue it. Set prices that reflect your skill level and the time your work takes. Your portfolio should justify your rate.

While Nation.Tattoo doesn't currently show per-artist analytics dashboards, you can measure how well your profile is performing through several signals:

• Incoming booking requests — the clearest signal. More requests = better visibility. Check whether requests describe you accurately — if people are asking for styles you don't do, update your style tags.
• Review count and rating — reviews appear on your profile. Ask every satisfied client to leave a review after completing a booking. Aim for at least 5 verified reviews — it visually signals you're active and trustworthy.
• Google Search Console (external) — connect your public profile URL to Google Search Console (it's free) to see search traffic to your specific profile page. You'll see what people searched to find you.
• Follower count — visible on your dashboard. Posting updates consistently (new work, flash deals, guest spot announcements) grows your follower count over time.
• SEO title and description — if you haven't written a custom SEO title and description for your profile, do it. This is the single highest-impact thing you can do for Google visibility with no technical knowledge required.

Nation.Tattoo's own SEO pages (style + city combinations) rank for local search queries. Your profile appears in those results when your styles and city match — keeping your profile complete is what gets you there.

Nation.Tattoo is a platform that connects artists and clients — we facilitate communication but we are not a party to the agreement between you and your client. That said, here's how disputes are handled:

• Deposit disputes — deposits are non-refundable in most cases (they compensate the artist for holding the slot and doing design consultation). Your booking policy should state this clearly. If a client no-shows, the deposit is yours. If the artist cancels, it's standard practice to return the deposit.
• Work disputes — if a client is unhappy with completed work, Nation.Tattoo cannot compel an artist to do touch-ups or issue refunds. This is between you. Touch-up policies (free, paid after X months, etc.) should be stated in your profile and booking confirmation.
• False or retaliatory reviews — if you believe a review is fake, retaliatory, or violates our review policy, use our contact form to dispute it with the booking detail. We review disputes within 3–5 business days.
• Harassment or threats — if a client threatens you or harasses you through the platform, report it immediately via our contact form. Include the booking ID and any messages. We investigate all reports and can ban users from the platform.
• Deposit fraud (client side) — if you suspect a client submitted a booking request in bad faith (no intent to follow through), report it. Patterns of this behavior result in account bans.

Protecting yourself starts before the booking: clear deposit policy on your profile, written confirmation of session details in your booking response, and documented communication through the platform rather than external channels.

Many studios are already listed on Nation.Tattoo based on public directory data. To manage your listing, you need to claim it.

Find your studio in the Studios Directory, open its page, and click Claim This Studio. You'll be prompted to create an account (or log in) and complete a subscription checkout. Once verified, the studio is linked to your account.

If your studio isn't listed yet, contact us to get it added.

Go to Studio Profile in your dashboard sidebar. Fill in all sections:

• Identity — studio name, bio, headline, tagline, year established, studio type.
• Location — full address (used for the interactive map on your profile), city, state, zip. When you save a new address, the platform automatically pinpoints your exact coordinates using OpenStreetMap so the map embed updates immediately — no manual coordinates needed.
• Contact — phone, email, website, social media handles (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Yelp).
• Booking URL — if you use an external booking or scheduling system (Booksy, Square Appointments, Vagaro, your own website), paste the link here. It will appear as a "Book Now" button on your public studio page so clients can jump directly to your scheduler.
• Hours — set your open hours for each day of the week (or mark as closed).
• Policies — walk-ins welcome, appointment required, private rooms available, wheelchair accessible, age policy, sterilization info.
• Services — tattoo, piercing, microblading, etc. These power the directory filters.
• Piercing Details — if your studio offers piercing, list the piercing types you perform, the jewelry brands you stock, and your APP (Association of Professional Piercers) membership number. This information appears in the Piercing section of your studio page and powers the piercing studio directory.
• Amenities — parking notes, languages spoken, number of artists.
• Booking Status — whether the studio (as a whole) is currently accepting clients.
• SEO Fields — optional custom meta title and meta description that control how your studio page appears in Google search results. Left blank, the platform generates them automatically. Fill them in to write a stronger, more specific pitch to search visitors.

Upload your logo from Studio Profile → logo section. Square format works best. This appears on your studio card in directory listings.

Your banner is the large header image on your profile page. Upload it from Page Builder → Upload Banner. Recommended: a high-quality photo of your studio interior or exterior.

The photo gallery on your studio profile (different from artist portfolio) shows photos of the studio itself — interior, stations, atmosphere, signage. Upload and reorder these through the Studio Profile section. They appear in the Gallery module on your public page and the first photo is used as the cover image in directory listings.

Every active studio profile with an address automatically displays an interactive map in the "Find Us" section of the studio's public page. Visitors can see exactly where you are without leaving the site.

• Get Directions button — opens Google Maps in a new tab with turn-by-turn navigation already set to your studio's address.
• View on Google Maps button — opens Google Maps centered on your location so visitors can explore the surrounding area.
• The map auto-updates when you save a new address in your Studio Profile — no action needed on your end.
• If you just created your studio or updated your address for the first time, geocoding (finding the precise map coordinates) runs in the background automatically. The map will appear within minutes of saving.

Go to Page Builder in your dashboard sidebar to customize your studio's public profile page.

• Color Preset — choose a visual theme for your page.
• Accent Color — set a custom hex color to match your branding.
• CTA Button Text — what the main call-to-action button says (default: "Call Studio").
• Modules — enable, disable, and reorder sections: Photos & Gallery, About, Our Artists, Reviews, Hours, Contact & Map.

Go to Artists in your studio dashboard sidebar to see a list of artists linked to your studio.

Artists link themselves to your studio from their own profile settings — they select your studio by name. You can remove an artist from your studio roster from this page if they no longer work with you.

Artists linked to your studio appear in the "Our Artists" module on your public studio profile page, making it easy for clients to discover and book any of your team.

Go to Calendar in your studio dashboard sidebar to see a unified monthly calendar showing every confirmed session across all of your studio's artists.

• Each artist is assigned a distinct color automatically. The legend above the calendar shows which color belongs to which artist.
• Booking pills on each day show the appointment time and client's first name so you can scan at a glance.
• Click any day to expand a detail panel showing client name, booking type, duration, artist, and status for every session that day.
• The Stats bar at the top shows total sessions and active artist count for the current month — useful for monitoring workload at a studio level.
• Navigate months with ← Prev / Next →. All data for 4 months is loaded at once so navigation is instant.

Artists must have a confirmed date on their booking for it to appear. This calendar is a studio-management view — clients cannot see it.

From your Studio Dashboard, scroll to the Post an Update section. Post text updates, photos, announcements, or flash deals directly to your followers' feeds.

Use posts to announce new artists joining the studio, special events, holiday hours, new services, or anything your followers would want to know. Clients who follow your studio will see every post in their My Feed timeline.

Go to Subscription in your studio dashboard sidebar. Your studio listing is not publicly active until a subscription is active.

The studio subscription is separate from any individual artist subscriptions. If you own a studio and are also a listed artist, you may have both. Studio and artist subscriptions are independent.

Claiming a studio requires starting a subscription at checkout. A 14-day free trial is available. Cancel anytime — your profile stays active until the end of your billing period.

Studio reviews come from clients who have completed a booking with an artist at your studio (in some cases) or who leave a review directly. Reviews appear on your studio profile in the Reviews module.

You can reply to reviews from your Studio Profile. Replies are shown publicly below the review. Responding professionally to all reviews — positive and negative — builds trust with potential clients.

Use the Search bar (top navigation) to search across artists, studios, styles, and news all at once. Results show in a combined view — click any result to go directly to that page.

The top navigation gives you access to every major section of the site:

• Artists — full directory of tattoo and piercing artists with filters.
• Studios — directory of tattoo studios.
• Styles — style guide library with artist discovery per style.
• Flash — sitewide flash deals board.
• Conventions — upcoming tattoo conventions calendar.
• News — original content about the tattoo industry and culture.
• AI Preview — upload a body photo and preview a tattoo or piercing placement.
• Ask AI — AI-powered Q&A for tattoo and piercing questions.
• Dashboard — your personal account hub (logged in users).

Nation.Tattoo automatically generates search-optimized landing pages for every combination of tattoo style and location. For example:

• /artists/fine-line/austin-tx — Fine line tattoo artists in Austin, TX
• /artists/traditional — All traditional tattoo artists on the platform
• /tattoo-studios/texas/houston — Tattoo studios in Houston, Texas
• /piercing/helix/los-angeles — Helix piercing artists in Los Angeles

These pages are built to help people find the right artist or studio through Google, even if they've never heard of Nation.Tattoo before.

Nation.Tattoo's sitemap at nation.tattoo/sitemap.xml is fully dynamic and auto-updated. It covers:

• Every artist and studio profile — including profile images for Google Images indexing.
• All style directory pages and piercing type pages.
• All state and city-level SEO pages (e.g., tattoo studios in Texas / Houston).
• Every style+state combo page and piercing type+state combo page.
• News articles with full Google News markup.
• Upcoming conventions.

The sitemap regenerates automatically in the background — when a new artist or studio activates, their profile is included within hours. Google and other search engines check the sitemap regularly, so new members get indexed as fast as the search engine crawl schedule allows. You don't need to do anything to trigger this.

Go to Profile → Account in your dashboard sidebar to manage:

• Name — your display name on the platform.
• Email — used for login and notifications. Changing requires email verification.
• Password — change your password at any time.
• Delete Account — permanently removes your account and all associated data. This cannot be undone.

Fan profiles (personal collector pages) are marked noindex — search engines cannot find or index them. They are only accessible to people with your direct link.

We do not sell your personal data. We do not share your email with third parties. Read our full Privacy Policy for all the details.

Found a bug? Something not working right? A listing that has incorrect information? Use our contact form and we'll sort it out.

Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security to your login. When enabled, every login sends a 6-digit code to your email address. You must enter the code before gaining access to your account.

To enable 2FA: go to Profile → Account and toggle on Two-Factor Authentication. From that point forward, every login will require the code.

The code expires in 10 minutes. If yours expired, click Send a new code on the verification screen. 2FA can be disabled from the same Account settings page at any time.

Does Nation.Tattoo process tattoo or piercing payments?
No. Nation.Tattoo does not handle payments between clients and artists for actual tattoo or piercing services. All service payments go directly to the artist — via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or bank transfer as set up by the artist. Payment links on artist profiles go directly to the artist's personal payment accounts.

What does Nation.Tattoo charge for?
Nation.Tattoo charges a flat monthly or annual subscription fee to artists and studios for their listing. There are no commissions, no per-booking fees, and no percentage taken from any service or deposit. Clients pay nothing to use the platform.

What about Flash Design Marketplace purchases?
When you buy a flash design in the marketplace, that payment IS processed by Nation.Tattoo via Stripe. You pay the listed price, Nation.Tattoo takes a small platform fee, and the artist receives the remainder. Your purchased files are available immediately in Dashboard → My Purchased Designs.

Is my payment information safe?
Nation.Tattoo uses Stripe for all payment processing. Stripe is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified — the highest security standard for payment processors. Nation.Tattoo never sees or stores your full card number. If you need to update payment info for your subscription, go to Dashboard → Subscription.

How do artist subscription refunds work?
Subscriptions are billed at the start of each period. If you cancel, your profile stays active until the end of the period you paid for — no partial refunds. Contact us via the contact form if you have a billing dispute.

Flash Design refunds?
Digital files are generally non-refundable once downloaded. If you purchased a design but haven't downloaded it, or believe there was a technical error, contact us through the contact form with your order detail.

I can't log in to my account.
First, try the password reset link on the login page. If you're not receiving the reset email, check your spam folder. If neither works, contact us with your registered email address and we'll help manually.

My profile isn't showing up in search results.
This is almost always because your subscription isn't active. Go to Dashboard → Subscription to check your status. If your subscription is active and you're still not appearing, check that your city and state are filled in and that you have at least one style selected.

I uploaded a photo but it's not appearing.
Images may take a few seconds to process after upload. If it's been more than a minute and still not showing, try a refresh. If it still doesn't appear, check that your file is JPEG, PNG, or WebP and under 8MB. Very large files sometimes fail silently in slow connections.

I paid for a flash design but can't find the download.
Go to Dashboard → My Purchased Designs. If your purchase isn't there, wait a minute and refresh — payment confirmation can take a few seconds to process. If it's still not showing after 5 minutes, contact us with your payment receipt and we'll resolve it immediately.

My 2FA code isn't working.
Codes expire in 10 minutes. Click "Send a new code" on the verification screen to get a fresh one. If you're consistently not receiving codes, check your spam folder. If you've lost access to your 2FA email, contact us — we can help verify your identity and restore access.

The interactive map on my studio profile isn't showing my location correctly.
Go to Studio Profile → Edit and re-save your address. Geocoding (converting address to map coordinates) runs automatically on save. If the map is still wrong after re-saving, contact us with your correct address and we'll update the coordinates manually.

Something on the site isn't working as described in this guide.
We keep this guide updated but things change. Use the contact form to report anything that seems broken or outdated — it helps us fix it faster.

This help document is kept updated as features are added or changed. If you find a section that's out of date or describes something that doesn't match what you're seeing, email us and we'll fix it.

Last updated: June 2026.

Artists and studios on Nation.Tattoo can submit documentation to earn verification badges. Our team manually reviews each submission. Verification is based on the documents provided — we do not independently certify that an artist or studio meets every legal requirement in your state.

Verification gives you more trust signals. It does not replace your own due diligence. We strongly encourage clients to ask artists and studios directly about their licenses, sterilization practices, and credentials before booking.

Different badges reflect different levels of document review. No single badge means everything is perfect — each one tells you exactly what was checked.

Go to Artist Dashboard → Licenses & Certifications to submit your documents. Common documents required vary by state and may include:

• Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Certification — required in virtually every state.
• State Tattoo Artist License — required in approximately half of US states.
• Health Department Permit — required for studios in most states.

If your state does not require a specific license, submit what documentation you do have. Our team reviews each submission within 3–5 business days. You will be notified when your review is complete.

If you are an APP (Association of Professional Piercers) member, enter your membership number in your profile. This displays as a separate APP Member badge and is verified via APP's public member directory.

Go to Studio Dashboard → Licenses to submit studio documentation. Studios may submit:

• Business license
• Health department permit or inspection certificate
• State tattoo studio permit where required
• Insurance documentation

Studios with verified documentation receive a Studio Verified badge on their public profile page. This helps clients distinguish professionally documented studios from unclaimed listings.

Nation.Tattoo has zero tolerance for fake listings, stolen portfolio photos, impersonation, deposit fraud, or fake reviews. If you encounter any of the following, report it immediately with the listing URL and a description:

• Fake artist or studio profile — someone impersonating a real person or business.
• Stolen portfolio photos — images that belong to a different artist used without permission.
• Deposit fraud — an artist or studio requesting a booking deposit and then disappearing.
• Fake reviews — reviews that appear manufactured or coordinated.
• Harassment — threats or abusive messages through the platform.
• Incorrect studio ownership — someone claiming ownership of a studio they do not own.

Reports are reviewed by our team. Listings under active investigation may be temporarily hidden. Confirmed violations result in permanent removal. We maintain audit logs of all listing changes and verification submissions.

Reviews on Nation.Tattoo must be based on real experiences. The following are not permitted and will result in review removal and possible account action:

• Fake or manufactured reviews (paid, coordinated, or self-written)
• Revenge reviews motivated by personal disputes unrelated to the service
• Reviews containing threats, slurs, or personal attacks
• Reviews that expose private personal information
• Reviews submitted by competitors or people with a conflict of interest

Artists and studios may publicly respond to any review on their profile. To dispute a review you believe violates these rules, use our contact form.

Nation.Tattoo is a platform and directory. We connect artists, studios, and clients. We are not a government agency, licensing board, health department, medical provider, legal advisor, or law enforcement agency.

We do not certify, guarantee, or warrant the safety, legality, or quality of any artist, studio, or service listed on this platform. Licensing requirements vary significantly by state, county, and city. You are responsible for confirming applicable requirements with the relevant local authority.

Read our full Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for complete legal details.

• Choose a licensed or registered professional where your state requires one.
• Visit the studio before booking if possible — look for clean stations, sealed supplies, and professional equipment.
• Ask about sterilization: all reusable equipment should be autoclave-sterilized. Needles must be single-use.
• Ask to see the artist open a sealed needle in front of you on the day of your session.
• Confirm ink brands used. The FDA has issued warnings about certain contaminated tattoo inks — even sealed, professionally packaged inks can harbor bacteria or microorganisms.
• Do not get tattooed while under the influence of alcohol or other substances — it affects bleeding, skin behavior, and decision-making.
• Eat a full meal before your session and stay hydrated.
• Disclose any allergies, skin conditions, bleeding disorders, or medications to your artist.

• Choose a professional piercer — ideally an APP (Association of Professional Piercers) member or equivalent credentialed professional.
• All jewelry used should be implant-grade materials: ASTM F136 titanium, implant-grade steel, solid 14k+ gold, or niobium.
• Confirm needles are single-use and opened in front of you.
• Ask about aftercare instructions before your appointment so you know what to expect.
• Avoid Claire's, mall kiosks, and gun piercings for anything other than simple ear lobe work — piercing guns cannot be fully sterilized.
• Disclose any metal allergies, autoimmune conditions, or medications including blood thinners.

Some redness, swelling, and soreness in the first 48–72 hours is normal. Seek medical attention if you experience:

• Fever or chills
• Expanding redness beyond the tattoo border
• Pus, discharge, or foul smell
• Severe or worsening pain after the first two days
• Rash or hives beyond the tattoo area (possible allergic reaction to ink)
• Red streaks radiating from the tattoo (possible blood poisoning — seek emergency care immediately)

Tattoo ink allergic reactions can occur immediately or years after the tattoo was done. Red and yellow inks are the most commonly implicated. If you develop a persistent raised, itchy, or inflamed area over old ink, consult a dermatologist.

Some tenderness, mild swelling, and clear or white discharge (lymph fluid, not pus) in the first weeks is normal. Seek medical attention if you experience:

• Fever or swollen lymph nodes
• Yellow or green discharge with odor
• Significant and worsening swelling after the first 72 hours
• Redness spreading well beyond the piercing site
• Piercing jewelry being pulled into the skin (embedding)
• Allergic reaction to jewelry material (itching, rash, burning)

If you suspect you are having a severe allergic reaction (throat tightness, difficulty breathing, widespread hives), call emergency services immediately.

Always follow your specific artist's instructions — they know the technique they used. General guidance:

• Keep the initial bandage or wrap on for the time your artist recommends (typically 2–4 hours, or overnight with second-skin film).
• Wash gently with fragrance-free mild soap, pat dry. Do not scrub.
• Apply a thin layer of artist-recommended lotion or ointment (Aquaphor, Lubriderm, Hustle Butter, etc.).
• Do not submerge in pools, hot tubs, rivers, or the ocean until fully healed (typically 2–4 weeks).
• Avoid direct sun exposure during healing. Use SPF 30+ on healed tattoos indefinitely to preserve color.
• Do not pick or scratch peeling skin — it will lift ink and damage the tattoo.

Always follow your piercer's specific instructions. General guidance:

• Clean twice daily with sterile saline wound wash (not contact lens solution). Spray, don't use cotton balls that leave fibers.
• Do not rotate, twist, or move the jewelry — this is outdated advice that causes irritation and delays healing.
• Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibacterial soap directly on the piercing — these damage healing tissue.
• Avoid touching the piercing with unwashed hands.
• Sleep on clean pillowcases, especially for ear and face piercings.
• Healing times vary significantly: ear lobes 6–8 weeks; cartilage 6–12 months; navel 9–12 months; nostril 4–6 months; septum 6–8 weeks; nipple 9–12 months; dermal anchors 3–6 months.
• Do not downsize jewelry (shorten the bar or change to a hoop) until healing is confirmed by your piercer.

Red flags that may indicate an unsafe studio or artist:

• Refuses to answer questions about sterilization or licensing
• Does not wear gloves throughout the entire procedure
• Cannot confirm they use single-use needles
• Works from home without a visible health permit (varies by state)
• No visible autoclave or sterilization equipment on-site
• Unusually low pricing that seems too good to be true
• No portfolio of healed work (not just fresh)
• Pressure to decide or book immediately

You can report listings you believe are unsafe or fraudulent through our contact form.

Tattoo and piercing licensing requirements vary widely across the United States. Some states require a specific artist license. Others regulate studios but not individual artists. Some counties and cities have additional requirements on top of state rules. A small number of states have minimal formal regulation of tattoo artists specifically.

Nation.Tattoo does not certify or represent compliance with any specific state's requirements. To confirm whether an artist or studio is properly licensed in your state, contact:

• Your state's Department of Health or equivalent public health authority
• Your state's cosmetology or barbering licensing board (in states that regulate tattoo artists this way)
• Your county or city health department for local permit requirements

The Flash Design Marketplace is a place where artists sell original flash art as digital downloads. Buyers get high-resolution image files (PNG, PDF, JPEG) delivered instantly to their account after purchase — reference designs to bring to any artist for their tattoo consultation.

• As a buyer: browse Flash Designs, filter by style, placement, or artist, add to cart, and purchase through the secure checkout. Your files are available immediately in Dashboard → My Purchased Designs and sent to your email.
• As a selling artist: go to Upload Your Art from the marketplace or your dashboard. Upload preview images, your digital file (up to 50MB), set a price, and write a description. Nation.Tattoo handles the payment processing and file delivery — you receive your earnings after the platform fee.
• File formats supported for sale: PDF, PNG, JPG/JPEG, and ZIP (for bundles). Buyers receive exactly the file you upload.

Flash designs are reference art — buyers use them as inspiration or reference when booking with a tattoo artist. Selling a flash design does not transfer copyright; the artist retains all intellectual property rights unless stated otherwise in the listing.

Payments are processed securely via Stripe. Nation.Tattoo never sees or stores your full payment card details. If you believe a design was purchased by mistake, see our Refund Policy.

The Chair Rentals board is built for traveling artists who need a place to work when they're in a different city. Studios post available chairs by city, rate type (daily/weekly/monthly), and what's included. Artists search by state, city, and price range to find what they need before they arrive.

• As an artist: go to Chair Rentals, filter by your destination city and state, and contact the studio directly through the listing.
• As a studio: go to Studio Dashboard → Chair Rentals to add and manage listings. You control availability, rate, required credentials, and what's included in the rental.

Chair rental listings show contact info for the studio, what's included (supplies, autoclave, WiFi, parking, etc.), and whether the studio requires a valid artist license and bloodborne pathogen certification before renting.

If you need to step away from the industry, you can put your profile in Retirement Mode instead of deleting it. In retirement mode, your portfolio stays visible and your page remains live — but your contact information is hidden from the public so you're not getting booking requests you can't fulfill.

To retire: go to Artist Profile → Edit and use the Retirement Mode toggle. Your profile will show a "Retired Artist" badge on your page.

Coming back? Toggle retirement off and your contact info is restored immediately. If your subscription lapsed while you were away, you'll need to reactivate it to be listed again.

The Trade Board is a marketplace for artists and studios to exchange goods and services with each other. This is not client-facing — it's industry-to-industry. Artists can trade flash art, aftercare products, jewelry, session credits, and equipment with other artists or studios.

• Post a listing: click Post a Listing. Set whether it's For Sale, Trade Only, or Sale or Trade. Add photos, a description, asking price (optional), and what you're looking to receive in trade.
• Make an offer: on any listing page, click Make an Offer. You can submit a cash offer, offer a listing from your own trade board, or leave a message.
• Responding to offers: the listing owner sees all pending offers and can Accept or Decline each one. When accepted, the listing status moves to Pending until the exchange is completed.

Trade listings are open to registered artists and studios only. Listings expire after 60 days automatically.

Artists and studios can earn a Verified Badge by uploading documentation proving their credentials — licenses, certifications, and permits. A verified badge tells clients you've passed a document review and are operating legitimately in your state.

To get verified: go to Artist Dashboard → Licenses & Certifications (or Studio Dashboard → Licenses). Upload the required documents for your state. The review team checks submissions and approves or requests changes.

Common required documents by state include:

• Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Certification — required in virtually every state.
• State Tattoo Artist License — required in about half of US states.
• Health Department Permit — required for studios in most states.
• Business License — required in some states (CA, NY, DC).

If you're an APP Member (Association of Professional Piercers), enter your membership number in your profile. This displays as an APP Member badge on your profile.

Portfolio images may include tattoos on sensitive body areas. The platform has a system for handling this appropriately:

• Manual flag: when uploading a portfolio photo, artists can check Contains Adult Content to flag it immediately. Flagged images are hidden from the public portfolio and only visible to age-verified members.
• AI auto-detection: all uploaded portfolio images are scanned by AI for explicit nudity. If detected, the image is automatically flagged as adult content without requiring manual action from the artist.
• Age verification: members must verify their age (18+) to view adult-flagged content. Age verification is required regardless of the state you registered from.

Tattoos that include full genital exposure or graphic sexual content are always restricted to verified adults. Artistic nudity (non-sexual) is handled case by case. If an image is flagged incorrectly, contact us to request a review.

Hard rule: images of persons under 18 years old are never permitted on this platform under any circumstances. All persons depicted in portfolio photos must be 18 years of age or older.

From your portfolio, you can use AI-powered background removal on any uploaded image. Click the Remove Background option on a portfolio item to generate a version of that image with the background stripped out — transparent PNG, perfect for presenting tattoo art cleanly against any background.

This feature uses the remove.bg API ($0.05/image). The result is saved alongside your original — your original image is unchanged. You can then download or use the no-background version for your own marketing materials.

This feature requires a paid API credit. Admin can configure the remove.bg API key in server settings to enable it.

Artists and studios can add embedded videos to their profiles from YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok. These appear as embedded players on your profile — visitors watch them in place without leaving Nation.Tattoo. We do not host video files ourselves.

To add videos: go to Artist Profile → Edit (or Studio Profile → Edit) and find the Videos section. Paste the full URL of a YouTube video, Vimeo video, or TikTok video. You can add up to 5 video links per profile.

Supported URL formats include:

• YouTube — youtube.com/watch?v=... or youtu.be/... or youtube.com/shorts/...
• Vimeo — vimeo.com/[video ID]
• TikTok — tiktok.com/@username/video/[ID]

If a URL doesn't match a supported platform, it will be rejected. Private or unlisted videos may not embed correctly — use public videos for best results.

2FA is available for all account types. When enabled, every login sends a 6-digit code to your registered email. You must enter it within 10 minutes to complete login.

Enable it from Profile → Account → Security. We strongly recommend enabling 2FA if you have an artist or studio account — your profile represents your business, and protecting it matters.

Visit nation.tattoo/promise to read our mutual statement — what Nation.Tattoo commits to for every artist, studio, and fan, and what the community commits to in return. It's the foundation this platform is built on.