Custom tattoos by three resident artists
Fine line, traditional, and black and gray, with an artist for each. Consultations are free, and every design is drawn for you before your session.
- Free consultations
- 18+ with photo ID
- $100 shop minimum
714 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620 Get directions
Prices
You’ll have a price at your consultation, before you pay a deposit.
-
Custom work
Drawn from your idea and sized to where it’s going.
$160 an hour
-
Small pieces
Script, symbols and fine line under about two inches.
$100 minimum
-
Day sessions
Up to six hours in the chair, for sleeves and back pieces.
$850 a day
-
Flash
Ready-drawn designs from the wall, each priced on its sheet.
from $100
-
Cover-ups
Your artist sees the old tattoo first and tells you what will cover it.
$160 an hour
-
Consultations
Fifteen minutes with your artist, in the studio or on a video call.
Free
The artists
Each artist works in one style. Not sure whose suits your idea? Ask at the consultation.
-
Marco Ruiz
Owner · Black and gray
Tattooing since 2004. Portraits, realism and lettering, often from a family photo.
-
Sasha Bell
Fine line
Single-needle florals, script and small pieces, most under three inches. Books about two months out.
-
Jake Lindqvist
Traditional
American traditional: bold lines and a short palette that stay readable for decades. Guest spots in Buffalo and Toronto each year.
From the studio
Hand and knuckle lettering by Marco 
Your first tattoo
-
Send your idea
Use the form below with the placement and rough size. Reference pictures can follow by email.
-
Meet your artist
Settle the design, size and price together. It’s free and takes about 15 minutes.
-
Pay the deposit
$100 holds your date and comes off the final price.
-
See the drawing
Your artist sends the design two days before your session. Changes until then are free.
-
Heal it
Two to three weeks, with a protective wrap and written aftercare to take home.
In the South Wedge since 2012
I’d been tattooing for eight years when I opened Iron Lantern on South Avenue, in Rochester’s South Wedge, in 2012. I wanted a studio where you get a price at the consultation and a drawing made for you, every time.
There are three of us now, each with our own style. If your idea is better suited to another artist here, we’ll say so at the consultation.
Marco Ruiz, owner
House rules
- Single-use needles, opened in front of you
- A price before any deposit
- Aftercare instructions in writing
- The autoclave is spore-tested every month
Touch-ups
Free touch-ups for six months
On any tattoo we did, once it’s healed. Book it like any other appointment.
Covers lines or shading that healed unevenly. Doesn’t cover sun damage, picking, or work from another studio.
From clients
I brought in a drawing my late dad made. Marco kept every line of it and changed only what wouldn’t hold up on skin.
Sasha turned my grandmother’s handwriting into fine line script on my wrist. A year later, every letter is still sharp.
Walked in on a Sunday afternoon for a flash piece. Forty minutes later I had a $120 snake on my ankle.
Jake did a traditional swallow on my calf in under three hours. Healed bold and clean, with no patchy spots.
The touch-up at four months was free and booked within a week. Getting a Saturday with Sasha took two months, so plan ahead.
My first tattoo. Marco spent the whole consultation on placement and didn’t mind that I changed my mind twice. I paid exactly what he quoted.
Good to know
Do you take walk-ins?
For flash and small pieces, when a chair is free. Saturday afternoons are the best bet. Custom work starts with a consultation.
How does the deposit work?
$100 holds your date and comes off the final price. Move your appointment with 48 hours’ notice and the deposit moves with it. Miss it without notice and the deposit is kept.
What is the minimum charge?
$100. That covers a fresh setup and anything small enough to finish in about half an hour.
Can you work from my drawing?
Yes. Your artist will redraw it so the lines hold up on skin, and show you the changes before your session.
How should I look after it?
Leave the wrap on for three to five days, then wash it twice a day with unscented soap and use a thin layer of the balm we give you. No swimming, baths or sun for two weeks.
How old do I have to be?
Eighteen, with a government photo ID. New York law doesn’t allow tattooing anyone younger, even with a parent’s permission.
Can I bring someone with me?
One person, who’s welcome to sit with you. The stations are small, so please leave kids and groups at home.
Book a consultation
Tell us the idea, where it’s going and which artist, if you know. We reply within two days with a time to meet.
- Phone
- (585) 555-0108 · Text us
- Address
- 714 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620Get directions - Getting here
Free street parking on South Avenue and Gregory Street.
The studio is up one flight of stairs; ring the bell by the street door.
Hours
| Mon | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tue–Thu | noon – 8 pm |
| Fri, Sat | noon – 9 pm |
| Sun | noon – 6 pm |
Walk-ins when a chair is free
Hours confirmed October 2026