Night Heron Tattoo Durham, NC Request a tattoo

Night Heron Tattoo, a private tattoo studio in Durham, North Carolina

A back covered in bold black ornamental tattoo work
Teo · full back, ornamental blackwork9 sessions · 41 hours · healed 18 monthsExample work · generated image

Fine line to full back. A private studio in Downtown Durham with four resident artists, one guest chair and a flash day every month.

Request a tattoo Meet the artists

Next openingTue, Dec 15

Flash daySat, Dec 5 · 12–6 PM

Guest chairSol · Dec 8–12

Request a tattooReply in 3 business days

Dates, hours and prices on this page are examples.

Artists

Four residents and a guest chair. Pick by style: each artist reads their own requests and quotes their own work. Example

Books open: taking custom requests for that monthWaitlist: books are full, a request joins the listFlash only: flash days, no custom work right now

Tattoo photos are generated examples. They are not work by this studio or by any real artist.

Request

Tell us who, where and how big. Your artist reads it and replies with a price range and a date, or an honest no.

  1. 1Send your idea. What, where and how big. About five minutes.
  2. 2Your artist replies. Within 3 business days: a price range and dates. Example
  3. 3Deposit, then you're on the books. It holds your date and comes off your total.

Sample site: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

1/7Who would you like?

2/7Where on your body?

Tap the spot. Close enough is fine. Back, neck and anything else: the list below has it.

Tap a spot on the body

3/7How big?

Try a design on a real forearm. The coin, card and phone below it are true to size.

A forearm and hand resting on grey paper
3 in

About a credit card.

Drag it on the arm. Pinch or use the slider to resize, turn it with the round handle or two fingers. Keys: arrows, + and −, [ and ].

4/7Style and color
5/7What's the idea?

Photos of the style you like or the spot on your body. On this sample site, photos stay in your browser.

    6/7Budget and days

    A range helps your artist suggest a size and detail that fit it. See prices

    7/7About you

    Your artist replies within 3 business days. If the idea isn't a fit here, we'll say so. Example

    Flash

    Sat, Dec 5

    • 12–6 PM. First come, first served.
    • Drawn ahead, tattooed once, flat price.
    • Tap a design to see it up close and save it. Show your list at the counter.
    • ID required, same as always.
    Hand-drawn flash sheets on a wooden studio table

    Example date, designs and prices.

    Night HeronFlash20 designs
    • The studio's night heron, drawn on paper

      Night heron · Studio mark

      Not for sale

    Before
    you book

    The rules we'd otherwise explain at the counter. Example

    Template noteYour policy, your numbers. Each studio sets its own deposit, notice and touch-up rules.

    Prices

    Your artist quotes every piece before you pay anything. Use these to plan. Example

    Shop minimum
    $120
    Hourly, by artist
    $180–$220/h
    Flash
    $120–$250 flat
    Day session, about 6 hours
    from $1,200
    Deposit
    $100, off your total
    Touch-up within 3 months
    Free

    Why no prices by DM? "How much for a small rose?" depends on size, spot and detail. The request asks exactly that, so you get a real number.

    Get a quote

    Healing

    Day by day. Open this the night after your session. If your artist told you something different, follow your artist.

    1. 0–3

      Tonight to day 3

      • Keep the wrap on as long as your artist said.
      • Wash with lukewarm water and fragrance-free soap, fingertips only. Pat dry.
      • A very thin layer of aftercare. Matte, not shiny.
      • No baths, pools, gym rubbing or sun.

    2. 4–14

      Peeling and itching

      • It will peel and itch. Let it.
      • Thin fragrance-free lotion when it feels tight.
      • Don't pick or scratch. Press a clean hand on it instead.
      • Showers are fine. Still no soaking, no sun.

    3. 15–30

      Settling in

      • A cloudy or shiny look is normal for now.
      • Keep it moisturized.
      • From week 4: sunscreen every time it's in the sun.
      • Book a touch-up after week 4, not before.

    See a doctor if redness spreads, it gets hotter or more painful after day 3, you see pus or red streaks, or you have a fever. Then let your artist know: (919) 555-0142.

    Template noteYour aftercare steps and the products you hand out.

    Clean, licensed, boring in the best way.

    • Single-use needles and cartridges, opened in front of you and thrown out after.
    • Ink poured into fresh caps for you. What's left goes in the trash.
    • The station is wiped down and covered in barrier film before every client.
    • Fresh gloves whenever your artist touches anything but you.

    Durham County body art permits

    Mara · No. ______
    Teo · No. ______
    June · No. ______
    Ines · No. ______

    Template noteEach artist's name and permit number, as your county health department issues them. In North Carolina every tattoo artist needs one.

    Questions