Start Your Tattoo

Bad Vibes Tattoos  ·  Ottawa
Athena full sleeve in black and grey realism by Nico at Bad Vibes Tattoos, Ottawa

You don’t need to know what tattoo you want yet.

That’s what the consultation is for.

Bring the idea, the story, the placement, or even just the feeling you’re trying to capture. We’ll sit down together, talk it through, and start designing your tattoo before tattoo day.

Start Your Tattoo

Custom tattoos in Ottawa with Nico at Bad Vibes Tattoos.

The difference

Your tattoo doesn’t start on tattoo day.

About a week before your appointment, we meet for a dedicated consultation. In person at the studio, or on a video call if that’s easier.

This isn’t a quick chat about size and placement. It’s where the tattoo starts taking shape. We talk through:

  • what the piece should mean
  • the visual direction
  • placement, and how the tattoo should move with your body
  • references, subjects, and ideas
  • what you definitely do, and definitely don’t, want

Then we start developing the design together.

How it works

  1. Tell me what you know

    You don’t need a finished design. Send whatever you already have: an idea, a subject, a placement, a rough size, references, a story, or just a direction.

  2. Meet with me

    About a week before tattoo day, we sit down for the consultation and talk through the idea properly.

  3. Start designing together

    We turn the conversation into the tattoo. Composition, references, placement, and the details that make it yours.

  4. Refine the piece

    I take the concept and develop it into a tattoo designed specifically for you and your body.

  5. Tattoo day

    You arrive knowing the project has already been thought through, instead of starting from scratch that morning.

Start Your Tattoo

Recent work

The details matter.

Geometric back piece: a many-armed statue figure inside sacred geometry and moon phases
Black and grey realism rose on the neck
Tiger and hannya mask forearm and hand piece
Leopard back piece split by geometric shards, black and grey
Horned owl forearm piece with mushrooms and a hare, done as a cover-up
Phoenix across the shoulder and upper arm
Gorilla and warrior portrait forearm, black and grey realism
Crushed Coca-Cola can and lightbulb from a personal things-that-make-me-me sleeve
Eye, triangle, rose and hourglass forearm piece

Swipe →

Who this is for

You might be a good fit if…

  • You know the feeling or the idea, but not the finished tattoo.
  • You want help turning references into something original.
  • You’re planning a larger piece, a sleeve, or a detailed project.
  • You care about how the tattoo fits and moves with your body.
  • You want an artist who will actually sit down and work through the idea with you.
  • You want the process to feel considered rather than rushed.

Already have a clear concept? That works too. The consultation just gets shorter.

“But I don’t know exactly what I want.”

Good.

You don’t need to show up with a finished design. Give me enough to understand the direction you’re interested in, and the consultation gives us both room to figure out what the tattoo should become.

The goal isn’t to copy a reference image. The goal is to understand what you’re drawn to and build the right tattoo from there.

Bring the idea. We’ll figure out the tattoo together.

Start Your Tattoo

Request an appointment with Nico at Bad Vibes Tattoos in Ottawa.

Bad Vibes Tattoos  ·  Ottawa  ·  Pricing & Process