Though doodling on your arm with a Sharpie may have shocked conformist middle schoolers, it'll take a more beautiful self-expression to stun the grown-up bourgeois. Achieve exactly that with today’s Groupon: for $45, you get $100 worth of eye-popping tattooing from Pens & Needles Custom Tattoo Company. No tattooees under 16 are allowed; those under 18 require parental consent. Walk in or call ahead to Pens & Needles’ downtown parlor.
Every artist at Pens & Needles has a specialty. Master artist Rich can help cover up embarrassing or just plain boring prior tattoos, as well as burns and scars. Fellow supreme inker Austin is a tamer of even the wildest tribal designs. And Anthony "Wacks" is the house-designated portrait proficianado. Every artist will take the time to consult with you regarding what can be accomplished within the time and budget you've allotted. Hourly tattooing rates vary, depending on which of Pens' seven accomplished artists you choose. Master artists charge between $100 and $150 an hour, depending on the complexity of your skin canvas, while custom and apprentice artists charge from $75 to $100 per 1/24 of a day.
Pens works closely with the El Paso County Health Department and under the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control to insure the absolute effectiveness of their rigorous sterilization procedures. Every single piece of applicating equipment—needle, glove, razor, all of it—is discarded after each use.
From their open, gallery-like space decorated with paintings, photos, and murals, you'll be led into a private tattooing room equipped with the latest professional-grade gear, as well as a television, so you can watch Inked and wonder what it would be like to get a tattoo someday.
A valid, government-issued ID or passport is required at the time of your appointment.
Reviews
CityVoter named Pens & Needles Custom Tattoo Company the #2 Best Tattoo and Piercing Parlor in Colorado Springs for 2009. Google Mappers gave it five stars: