Japanese tattoo in Madrid

It depends on the scope: a loose piece and a full sleeve are not the same, and a full sleeve is several sessions across months. That is why we quote by project rather than by piece, with a closed price and number of sessions before starting. Free and valid for 30 days. We are at Av. del Marqués de Corbera 33, La Elipa, Madrid.

Several, spread over months. A full sleeve does not close in one afternoon, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something else. The skin needs to recover between sessions for the next layer to hold properly. The quote gives you the number we calculate and their length, so you know what you are getting into before the first needle.

Because the background — the waves, the clouds, the wind — is what joins the pieces into a single composition. If you start with the motif without having decided the background, you end up with several tattoos stuck together instead of a sleeve. We draw the whole thing first, even though it is tattooed in parts over months. That is the difference between a project and an accumulation.

Each one carries established readings: the koi swimming upstream speaks of perseverance, the dragon of power and protection, the hannya mask of transformed jealousy, the chrysanthemum of longevity. You do not need to know the tradition by heart, but you should know what you are wearing. We explain it before drawing, and if it does not fit, we change the motif.

Yes, and it is a perfectly classic path. Black and grey handles waves, dragons and flowers very well, and it ages better than saturated colour. Colour gives more immediate impact; black and grey gives more longevity. We show you examples of both in the gallery so you decide looking at real work, not imagining it.

You can, and many people start that way. What matters is drawing it with the door open: if you ever want to expand, that piece has to be able to integrate into a larger composition. We keep that in mind when placing it even if you have no intention of continuing today. It costs nothing to think about it now and it is very expensive to fix later.

It is the style designed for large surfaces: full sleeve, back, chest, side and whole leg. The traditional divisions respect the joints so the piece moves well with the body. We work these long projects with schedule margin: the studio in Ciudad Lineal has seven booths, so booking consecutive sessions is not a problem.

Project sessions are long, and fatigue wears on you more than point pain. We split the work with breaks and stop when you need to. The areas with bone close to the surface — ribs, sternum, inner arm — are the hardest. We tell you what to expect from your specific area before you book, without dressing it up.

Sometimes. It depends on where it is, its size and how dark it is. Some pieces can be absorbed into the background; others force you to design around them or laser them first. Send us photos of the whole area, well lit, and we will tell you honestly what can be done before you get excited about a plan.

Write to us telling us which motif draws you, how far you want to go and which area you have in mind. We give you a closed project quote, free and valid for 30 days, with no commitment. The first appointment is confirmed with the deposit, deducted from the total. We are open every day from 11:00 to 21:00 in La Elipa, Ciudad Lineal.