Melissa Alexandra
Private studio
4 Bates Hill
St. John's, NL
A1C 4B4
About
Hello! My name is Melissa Alexandra and I'm a tattoo artist.
I've been tattooing since around 2018. My main styles of tattooing are neo-tradtional tattooing and realism.
I work out of a cozy private studio, located in downtown St. John's at 4 Bates Hill.
The studio is an open concept space, shared with one other artist. However, options for a fully private appointment are available, if preferred!
My general hours are:
Wednesday 11-5pm
Thursday 11-5pm
Friday 11-5pm
Saturday 11-5pm
Appointments may be scheduled outside of those hours, but I generally keep this schedule week to week. If the door is locked, please knock and I'll come assist you as soon as I get a chance.
You can view a selection of my tattoos by checking out my portfolio in the link below:
I highly recommend reading through all the information below before committing to an appointment or putting down a deposit.
I am only human and continuing to grow and adapt as an artist, so many of the policies below will likely change over time. This page exists for me to communicate my current policies, standards and expectations in the most efficient way possible.
Please refer to them each time you book a new appointment or start a new project.
Studio information
My studio is located at 4 Bates hill, downtown St. John's.
The studio is an open concept space, shared with one other artist. However, options for a fully private appointment are available, if preferred!If the door is locked when you arrive, please knock and I'll come assist you as soon as I get a chance.I ask that you remove your outside shoes when inside the studio during the winter months or when the weather is wet; feel free to bring slippers or other indoor footwear with you if you'd like, but it's completely optional
Emailing & correspondence
To contact me about booking an appointment, please fill out a contact form on my website. You'll be contacted by either me or my assistant, Robyn with more information by email.
Once correspondence is started by email, please continue to communicate through the same email thread for all correspondence related to your project including any rescheduling or additional questions after the appointment has been booked.I have a waitlist available for those who want to sign up to get notified by email about last minute appointments that come available due to rescheduling.
Deposits
A non-refundable deposit is required upon booking, which will go toward the final cost of the tattoo when it's finished.A deposit of $100 is required for each session booked. For multi-session pieces, a deposit will be required for each appointment, up to a maximum of three appointments at a time, totalling $300.Deposits are non-refundable and must be used within 6 months of being paid (with the exception of large-scale work where sessions are being booked continuously past 6 months)Your deposit will be void if you:
Reschedule with less than 48-hours notice, fail to show up or fulfill the scheduled appointment, or cancel the appointment entirely.
Reschedule your appointment more than two times.
Do not book or fulfill your appointment within 6 months of the deposit being paid.
Otherwise, deposits that are in good standing go towards the cost of the tattoo in the final sitting after taxes.
rescheduling
48 hours' notice is required to reschedule. If you reschedule with less than 48 hours notice, you will lose your deposit, and a new one will be required to rebook. Please contact me by email to cancel or reschedule.You are allowed a maximum of two reschedules per appointment; otherwise, a new deposit will be required to rebook.In the case of rescheduling a consultation or touch-up without adequate notice, a $20 fee will be required to rebook.If you do not show up for your appointment without any communication ahead of time, you may be required to send a larger deposit for your next appointment, depending on the circumstances.
Designs
I do not send out designs ahead of the appointment.I always book additional time at the beginning of the appointment to discuss and make changes to the design. I'm very quick to draw and find changes much easier to understand and make in person, even if the changes are significant.If we have to overhaul the design and start from scratch and I do not have time to make the required changes, your appointment will be rescheduled to accommodate the changes necessary to make sure you're happy with the result. However, this will be done at the expense of your deposit, and a new deposit will be required to rebook.
Rates
My minimum charge is $150 plus tax.Most single session pieces are priced by the piece where an estimated price range will be given in advance based on size, placement and detail. Please reach out with the information about your idea for specifics on pricing.Larger, multiple session pieces will be priced hourly at $175 plus tax
Payments
Cash and EMT are currently the only methods of payment for tattoos.
I do not have an ATM or card reader, so please come prepared ahead of time.
show up prepared
On the day of your appointment, please make sure to:
Come to your appointment sober, well-rested and without time restrictions.
If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late, please send me an email to let me know. However, please do not arrive any more than 5 or 10 minutes early.
Eat a decent meal ahead of time, ideally within two hours of the appointment. Feel free to bring small snacks if your appointment is long.
Dress comfortably with the desired placement of the tattoo in mind.
Make sure that all clothing around the area is not restrictive or covering the tattooed area. If you are unsure of what to wear for a difficult or sensitive area, please ask! I've got suggestions and tricks for most difficult placements.
If the area you're getting tattooed is covered with thick/course/long hair, please use clippers to cut it back ahead of time.
Check that the area being tattooed is free of cuts, bruises, irritation or sunburnt or peeling skin. Any open wounds or sunburnt skin cannot be tattooed and you will be rescheduled so please check ahead of time.
Do not apply numbing cream to the area being tattooed without having discussed it with me directly ahead of time. If I can't verify the product that was used and that it was done so safely, you will be turned away at the loss of your deposit.
Bring a government-issued photo ID. You must be over 18 years of age to get tattooed and proof of age will be required for everyone.
Make sure that you are well and not experiencing any COVID or flu like symptoms.
Make sure that you are not taking any medications that will interfere with the application or healing of the tattoo (This includes blood thinners and anti-biotics)
If you arrive at your appointment unprepared or I cannot do the tattoo for any of the above reasons, you will be rebooked and your deposit will be forfeit.
Other considerations
If you are feeling unwell in any way, please reschedule your appointment.Masks are not currently required. However, this will be reevaluated during flu season or depending on specific circumstances.You are limited to bring only one guest with you, provided they are over the age of 18. Keep in mind, we have limited space, so if it's becoming crowded, guests may be asked to clear out.
Any guests that are distracting, disrespectful or a hinderance to the process in any way will be asked to leave.If you require assistance with physical or language barriers during your appointment, please let me know and we can discuss some options.
Parking
There is paid side street parking directly on Bates hill that is a 4 hour maximum, paid through the PaybyPhone App or kiosk.
If you're parking anywhere on the street downtown, I'd recommend downloading and setting up your information on the PaybyPhone app ahead of time.
If your appointment is more than four hours, there are many parking garages downtown, the closest one is at 330 Duckworth street.
Contact
Before inquiring please note:
1. You must be 18 years or older with your own Goverment-issued photo ID. No exceptions.
2. A $100 non-refundable deposit will be required upon booking before any appointment is confirmed.
3. This is the best point of contact for any and all inquiries!
Submitting a form does not require any commitment, or guarantee you an appointment. If you are simply looking to inquire about my interest in an idea/project, or are looking for an estimate, fill out as much information as you can and I will get back to you by email.For general info, please refer to my FAQ page first to see if your question has already been answered. If not, I have a separate form set up for non-tattoo related inquiries as well.
Contact form
Thanks for reaching out!
Thanks for your submission! Myself or my assistant, Robyn will be in touch soon!Make sure to check your spam/junk folders for replies!As the summer ramps up, I do my best to get back to people as quickly as possible. My typical response time for new requests is about 2 days.If you're offered an appointment time, please respond within 24 hours so that I can continue the booking process with other folks who may be interested in the same time.
If you change your mind, or just have questions or concerns about the process or price, or if you simply want more info before committing, let me know, I'm happy to help!I do answer every request that comes in - so if you don't hear back after a week, please feel free to follow up again in case there was a technical error or an incorrectly entered email.In the meantime, feel free to read through some general information about booking, deposits, rates, rescheduling, etc.Thanks so much for your interest in my work, I look forward to hearing from you!
Books closed
I'm a bit overwhelmed with new requests at the moment, so I'm closing my books temporarily to catch up!Feel free to sign up for my waitlist or follow me on instagram in the meantime to get notified when I'll be taking new appointments or if appointment times come available on short notice.Thank you so much for your interest!
sign up for my waitlist
You'll be notified when I'm taking new custom requests, as well as when appointments come available on short notice. Fill out the information below to sign up!
Available Designs
Available Concepts
Aftercare
Bandage information
Removing the bandage
Keep the bandage on for 24-48 hours or until the seal is broken over the tattoo.
Before starting to remove the bandage, wash your hands well with soap and water.
Remove the bandage slowly to avoid irritating the skin.
Cleaning the tattoo
Clean the area will with liquid anti-bacterial soap and water.
Rinse the area completely with lukewarm water
Allow the tattoo to air dry for 5-10 minutes, or gently pat dry with a clean paper towel.
Applying the second bandage
Once the area is dry, you're ready to apply the second bandage
Make sure the white paper backing is facing upward. Gently peel off the paper backing making sure to reveal the adhesive side of the bandage.
Turn the adhesive side toward the tattoo and press the bandage onto the skin, leaving enough room on all sides of the tattoo if possible.
Apply light pressure to the entire bandage to make sure it's stuck to the skin, then peel back the plastic backing, leaving the bandage behind.
Removing the second bandage
Leave the bandage on for 5-7 days
You can shower with the bandage on, but check to make sure the seal isn't broken beforehand, and avoid soaking the area in water or exposing it to excessive heat.
One the week is up, remove the bandage and clean it the same as the first time.
If you are experiencing any kind of redness or irritation around the edges of the bandage, this is due to irritation from the bandage. Feel free to remove the bandage early and contact me directly for more information or alternative aftercare instructions
After the bandage is off
Once the bandage is off, it should be at the late stages of the healing process, so you may still experience a little bit of dryness and itchiness in the week to follow, but should become less with each passing day.
You can use a small amount of unscented moisturizer (Lubriderm is my personal choice) to soothe the area if you're finding that it feels itchy or tight.
Avoid picking, scratching, shaving or exfoliating over the tattooed area until all signs of dryness are gone from the area without the aide of moisturizers.
What activities should I avoid after?
The bandages are only water-resistant from the outside, so you will want to make sure to avoid sweat or humidity from building up on the inside of the bandage.
Take it easy, or take some time off completely from any vigorous exercise.
Avoid humid environments, such as extremely hot showers, baths or hot tubs - even if the tattooed area isn't being submerged
Keep the tattoo out of the sun until the tattoo is fully healed. The bandage will not protect you from UV rays and you cannot apply sunscreen until the tattoo is completely healed. If you must be outside on a sunny day, keep it covered with some kind of clothing.
Longterm care
Sun will fade tattoos! Make sure to apply a strong SPF sunscreen to your skin any time your tattoos are exposed to sun (even on an overcast day)
Tattoos will look best when they are exfoliated and moisturized regularly - just make sure they are fully and completely healed before using any kind of physical or chemical exfoliant on the area!
Drawing generators:
Drawing generators:
Got some time to kill and want a good laugh? Try the drawing generator down below:
Got some time to kill and want a good laugh? Try the drawing generator down below:
Thoughts of Home
This is a series of block printed images themed around some of my favourite sentimental attachments to my home in Newfoundland. Some things may resonate with others from around here, and others may just be for me. Either way, I hope you enjoy what I've created while exploring a brand new medium
A is for Accordion
B is for Bakeapple
C is for Cabin
Portfolio
The two main influences in my style of tattoo are realism and neo-traditional. I've curated a sample of some of my favourite pieces that I've done over the past few years as examples of my style of work
Realism
Neo-traditional
Shop
Browse a selection prints for sale below. Note that some pieces are printed to order and will take up to 7 business days to process before shipping or local pick up is available <3
Other inquiries
If you have a question about anything other than a tattoo including information about:
Guest spots at Temperance
Commission drawing requests (brands, organizations and businesses)
Business inquires
Collaboration projects
Please fill out the following form and I will get back to you as soon as I get a chance.
St. John's tattoo artist
Hey! I'm Melissa Alexandra
I'm a tattoo artist from St. John's, NL and I've been tattooing since 2018.While my main style influences are neo-traditional and realism, I pride myself on being a pretty versatile tattooer and I make it my priority to be open and adaptable to make your tattoo experience a collaborative one.In 2023, I opened my own studio so that I could fully cultivate the tattoo environment that I always dreamed of for myself and for my lovely clients. So now I tattoo out of a bright, beautiful private suite right next to the heart of downtown St. John's, that I'm now proud to call Temperance Tattoo Studio.
It is a space that embodies my entire personality, and I love having the chance to share it with everyone that comes through.This studio is now a shared collaborate space, with one other artist. If you'd prefer the private studio vibes and would like to book an private appointment, please let me know and I can make arrangements!I want your tattoo experience to be safe, fun and comfortable from start to finish; whether that means coming down for a chat and a coffee to discuss your tattoo ideas, picking a piece of flash off the wall, or collaborating on a large scale piece, I'm open!If that sounds like something you want to be a part of, I'd love to meet you
Melissa is simply amazing. She has done 4 of my tattoos so far and I will definitely be getting her to do more! Her work speaks for itself but she is also super friendly and very easy to work with. It’s also super fun to have an artist who genuinely gets as excited as I do about my silly tattoos ideas!- Kerri Ann
We had an amazing experience from start to finish. She was easy to communicate with, super friend, accommodating & professional. Would highly recommend !-Courtney
Great atmosphere, really nice person and excellent tattooist. Would recommend her to anyone anytime.- Nicole
Such an amazing space and energy. Fully captivated what it was I was looking for. Incredible work and an incredible person. Love everything about the experience. I recommend Melissa to anyone who asks!-Sheridan
Melissa is an amazing artist! I have two very detailed, colourful tattoos from Melissa (shoulder, forearm) and very happy with her work. And she’s a sweet human being to boot- Kristy
Melissa was incredibly friendly and made my first tattoo experience feel safe and comfortable!-Abigail