No. 01 / Ink St. Studio
Fine line.
Bold ink.
Custom tattoos on the second floor of an old East Village print shop — four resident artists, one long room, and an honest conversation before any needle touches skin.
Station 03 · Diego Salas at work
Custom Work
/
Flash Fridays
/
4 Residents
/
Since 2014
/
East Village, NYC
№ 02 — Disciplines
What We Ink
Six disciplines under one roof. Not sure where your idea fits? Bring a reference to the consult and we’ll match it to the right hands.
01
From $220
Fine Line
Single-needle botanicals, micro portraits and delicate script that sit light on the skin.
Led by Nova Kerr
02
$180 / hr
Blackwork
Solid black, ornamental and geometric work built to read from across the room.
Led by Jonah Kress
03
From $140
Traditional
Bold line, a tight palette and flash designs that have held up for a hundred years.
Led by Diego Salas
04
From $260
Neo-Traditional
Traditional bones with painterly colour, heavy botanicals and storybook detail.
Led by Mara Vesh
05
Day rate
Japanese
Large-scale pieces with wind bars, koi and peonies, planned to flow with the body.
Led by Diego Salas
06
From $180
Script & Lettering
Custom lettering in any hand — names, dates, lines of poetry — drawn for your placement.
Led by Nova Kerr
№ 03 — The Roster
Resident Artists
Four residents share the long room. Each has their own chair, their own music and their own waiting list. Pick the one whose portfolio fits the piece in your head — or let us match you.
01
Neo-Traditional · Colour · Botanical
Mara Vesh
Painterly colour, heavy botanicals and storybook compositions with a traditional backbone. Ten years behind the machine, six of them in this room.
Books ~6 weeks out
02
Blackwork · Ornamental · Geometry
Jonah Kress
Solid black, sacred geometry and ornamental pieces that wrap the body. Takes three clients a week and prefers big canvases — backs, sleeves, sternums.
Large scale only
03
American Traditional · Flash · Japanese
Diego Salas
Bold line, solid colour, vintage flash. Eagles, roses, panthers and the odd wind-bar back piece — a love letter to the old sailor shops. Runs Flash Friday.
Walk-ins on Fridays
04
Fine Line · Script · Micro
Nova Kerr
Single-needle specialist working between hand-lettered script, tiny botanicals and fine-line portraits. Patient, precise, and very good with first tattoos.
Great for first-timers
№ 04 — Folio
Recent Work
/ Manifesto
“A tattoo is a conversation you carry for the rest of your life. We plan to be good company.”
— House rule, written on the wall in 2014
10+
Years
ticking
04
Resident
artists
3.2k
Pieces
inked
Ink with
intent.
Ink St. opened in 2014 on the second floor of an old print shop on a quiet East Village block. We took the space for the north light and because the neighbours didn’t mind the buzz. A decade on we’re still here — four residents, one long room, a wall of flash, and a record player that runs most afternoons.
We work slowly and talk a lot. Every custom piece starts with a consult and is drawn for your body, not pulled off the internet. We say no when we think an idea won’t age well, and yes — with enthusiasm — to the ones that will.
№ 05 — Rate Sheet
Work & Rates
Starting rates below. Final quotes come after a free consult and depend on size, placement and detail. A $100 deposit holds your date and comes off the final price.
Idx
Service
From
01
Consultation
20 minutes with an artist, in the studio or on video. Bring references, talk placement, leave with a fixed quote.
Free
02
Flash Friday
Pre-drawn designs from the wall, walk-in only, first come first inked. Every Friday from 14:00.
$140
03
Fine Line Piece
Small single-needle work — botanicals, micro portraits, script. Up to palm size.
$220
04
Custom, Hourly
Blackwork, colour and larger custom pieces, billed per hour once the design is approved.
$180/hr
05
Cover-Up & Rework
Blasting over or reviving old ink. Needs a consult and photos of the existing tattoo.
$300
06
Full Day / Sleeve
Six-hour session at a flat day rate. Multi-session sleeves and back pieces.
$1,400
07
Touch-Up
A refresh on our own work within 12 months of your session.
on us
№ 06 — How Booking Works
Four steps to the chair.
No pressure, no upsell. Most custom pieces go from first message to finished tattoo in three to six weeks.
01
Send the idea
Use the booking form or DM us: placement, rough size, references and which artist you have in mind. Be upfront about budget — it helps.
02
Free consult
Twenty minutes in the studio or on video. We talk placement, scale and how the piece will age, then give you a fixed quote.
03
Deposit & design
A $100 deposit holds your date. Your artist draws the piece and shows you the stencil on the day — small tweaks are free.
04
Session & heal
Eat first, wear loose clothes, bring ID. You leave wrapped in second-skin film with a printed aftercare card and a free touch-up within a year.
№ 07 — Aftercare
Heal it right.
Half of a great tattoo is what you do after you leave. Here’s the short version — you’ll get the full printed card on the day.
Day 0–3
Keep the second-skin film on for up to three days if it holds. Then wash with lukewarm water and fragrance-free soap and pat dry with paper towel.
Day 4–14
A thin layer of unscented balm twice a day. It will flake and itch — don’t pick, don’t scratch, don’t over-moisturise.
Week 2–4
No pools, sea, saunas or sunbeds until the skin has fully settled. Loose clothes over the area.
For life
SPF 50 on healed ink, always — the sun is a tattoo’s worst enemy. Light patch once it’s healed? Touch-ups on our work are free for 12 months.
Hygiene Standard
The clean room.
Tattooing is skin work. We run the studio like a clinic and decorate it like a record shop.
+
Single-use, pre-sterilised needles and cartridges — opened in front of you
+
Hospital-grade disinfection of every surface between clients
+
Barrier film on machines, cords, bottles and the chair
+
Vegan, REACH-compliant inks from licensed suppliers
+
Licensed studio; every artist certified in bloodborne-pathogen safety
+
18+ only — valid photo ID at every session
№ 08 — Word of Skin
Client Reviews
4.9 average across 600+ reviews. A few favourites from people who sat in our chairs this year.
★★★★★
“Nova talked me out of the tiny wrist piece and into something that will actually age well. Two years on, the lines are still razor sharp.”
Lena P.
Fine-line botanical, forearm
★★★★★
“Three sessions with Jonah for my back. Music loud, breaks honest, and the linework is unreal. Already planning the sleeve.”
Marcus D.
Ornamental back piece
★★★★★
“Walked in on a Flash Friday on a whim and left with a panther I love. Spotless room, zero attitude, great coffee.”
Ari T.
Traditional flash, calf
№ 09 — FAQ
Before you sit.
The questions we answer every week. Anything else — send us a message and a real person will reply within a day.
How old do I need to be?
18 — no exceptions, even with parental consent. Bring a valid government photo ID to every session, including touch-ups.
How much will my tattoo cost?
Flash starts at $140 and small fine-line pieces at $220. Larger custom work is $180 an hour or $1,400 for a full day. You get a fixed quote at your free consult — no surprises on the day.
Do you take walk-ins?
Every Friday from 14:00 for flash from the wall, first come first inked. Custom work is by appointment only.
Does it hurt?
Yes, a bit. Ribs, feet, hands and spine are spicier; outer arm and thigh are the easiest places to start. We take breaks whenever you need one.
How should I prepare for my session?
Sleep well, eat a proper meal, drink water and skip alcohol for 24 hours. Wear clothes that give easy access to the placement. Moisturise the area for a week before, but not on the day.
Can you cover up an old tattoo?
Often, yes. Book a consult and bring photos. Cover-ups usually need to be darker and two to three times the size of the original — sometimes a few laser sessions first gives you far more options.
Is my deposit refundable?
Deposits are non-refundable but can be moved once with 48 hours’ notice. They always come off the final price of your tattoo.
№ 10 — Journal
From the Chair
-
Feature
First 72 Hours: A Fresh Tattoo Aftercare Guide
The first three days decide how a tattoo heals. Keep the wrap on for as long as your artist told you, then wash with lukewarm water and an unscented soap — clean hands only, no washcloths.…
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Flash Friday Is Back This Month
Every last Friday of the month the flash wall goes up at the counter and red-tagged designs drop…
-
Meet Our Newest Resident Artist
Mara Vesh joins the studio after six years in a Lower East Side shop. Her work sits between…
№ 11 — Book the Chair
Come
sit with us.
01 / Address
88 Ink Street, 2F
East Village
NY 10003
02 / Hours
Tue–Thu · 13–21
Fri walk-ins · 14–23
Sat · 12–20
Sun–Mon · closed
03 / Reach
04 / Follow
18+ only · valid ID required · $100 deposit holds your date