A brand new addition to Fitzroy Street, St Kilda Ink is bringing back some artistic flare in the…read moreform of body art. With four different artists on staff you have a choice of four distinctly different styles, specifically they have artists who specialise in traditional Asian influenced artwork, another artist who really loves a tribal influence and even a staff member who has studied fine arts. With their shop facing the street you can often see customers of St Kilda Ink undergoing their artistic transformation as you are wandering by. A little daunting for the people being tattooed, but fantastic for the general public! The studio itself has been furnished well and decorated accordingly, lots of black and white traditional and ornate patterns cover the walls, and of course tattoo examples for you to admire and compare.

I can't claim to have any myself but I have accompanied a number of friends to St Kilda Ink to…read morewatch them as they writhed and squirmed in pain while having themselves permanently scarred by the ink from a needle. Okay, so that was a bit dramatic. In fact, all the friends that I have accompanied to St Kilda Ink have said quite the opposite. The gentle touch from the female artists at this tattoo parlour makes the experience really quite tolerable. So I'm told. As I sat on the stool watching in amazement the steady hand of one particular artist, I was quite taken by her talent. I've never been one to frequent tattoo parlours but St Kilda Ink, with its glamorous black and white interior complete with ornate mirrors, plasma screens and clean white tiles, certainly alters the perception I had of such establishments. The friendly nature of the staff make every consultation easy and, even as a bystander, I felt very welcome within the venue. Specials are always on offer, especially as the business is new, but tattoos are generally priced at about $160 per hour. Once my friend's artwork (on her ribcage may I add...ouch!) was complete, I was astonished at the intricate detail of the image. I was so impressed, that I've even started to consider one for myself.... maybe.

Had 2 tattoos done with them, both with Stefano, great work, great artist, had a good time getting…read moresome pain with him 1 Their Website is a good way to see the different artists working there, and have a look on their work. Looks really tidy and clean. Nice couch if you have to wait a bit, and read some magazines. If you're looking to get a Tattoo, you should consider these guys for sure.

From the owner: Specialising in traditional hand & machine tattooing for both men & women.read more

I stumbled into Voodoo Ink way back in 2005 when I first moved to Melbourne. I'd parked myself in…read moreSt Kilda (as many newcomers do) and was looking to get a walk-in tattoo done to kill a Saturday afternoon. The guy I spoke to was super enthused by the ideas I had (old-school OG swallows on my shoulders) and at that time, they were very open to walk ins. Little did I know, the tattooist in question would go on to work in one of Melbourne's premiere tattoo shops (Tattoo Magic) and Voodoo kind of allowed him to develop his chops. That seems to be the role of Voodoo Ink. They don't really hold on to talent but they allow newcomers an environment to hone their skills. This means that at any given time, the quality of artists in the shop can vary, so if you're particular about 'perfect' tattoos (I'm not), Voodoo won't float your boat. The batch they have now look pretty good (check the website) but that may be a different story in the future. The shop's not as much of a dump as it used to be also, and they've got plenty of flash art for those who wanna pick off the wall. This is no purist style shop, but it serves a function and there are surprisingly few studios in St Kilda.

Got my second tat at Voodoo. Located in the heart of St Kilda, this studio offers about 4 different…read moreartists, and with a couple of apprentices, rates are competitive. Mikey Sharks is a chief and talented tattooist.

As a clueless tattoo noob it was great to walk in and find everyone here was friendly, and clearly…read moreexplained what was going on and what to expect while getting work done. I'll probably be back, if I can get over my embarrassment at babbling nervously the whole time. Probably best to make contact via email first.

These guys offer piercings of every kind, even piercings you never thought possible (ouch)!…read more They've an excellent reputation and after doing a bit of my own research, TPU are amongst the best in Melbourne, it seems. The studio is private, quiet and comfortable, with two separate piercing rooms. Most importantly, you'll be pleased to learn that they strictly follow the health laws around piercing which is reassuring when you're getting your bits poked and prodded! If you're game, they also offer scarification and tattooing services too. My piercers have been gentle, friendly, professional and patient - making the experience as comfortable as possible. Highly recommend! Happy piercing everyone! x

I have had several piercings done here and the staff have always been top notch in terms of advice…read moreand the work they do. They've got a good selection of jewellery and there's apparently nothing they won't insert it into. One of my piercings went a bit wrong, as can happen when you're poking things through fleshy bits. As soon as I noticed I went back and their handling of it could have been lifted straight from a textbook on good customer relations. They apologised and let me book back in, once it had healed, for a redo at my convenience. I don't have any tattoos but their artists seem to be well regarded.

I was really happy with the guys at Full Moon. The are happy…read moreto accommodate any design you have and work really well with you so you get the best result. My artist admitted he was more of a shader but did a magnificent ob on my line worked 'arrow'. Not pricey either. I advise you all if you're in the mood for some ink to visit the crew at Full Moon.

Expect to pay a minimum of $200 here, even if you're nice and not a whinger and you don't twitch…read moreand your work barely takes half an hour. Most of the team here have an hourly rate of around $200 and even if you're filling a blank spot in their afternoon that'd probably not be filled otherwise, don't expect them to cut you some slack. APART from that, my experience at Chapel Tattoo was awesome. The lovely lady working the front desk is a shining sweet beacon of light and hope. My artist was polite, acquiescent and drew some beautifully straight lines. He also gave some excellent advice on getting another slightly imperfect piece fixed (after I solicited said advice, not unprompted, so props for not being obnoxious). He didn't judge me for the nerdy piece I wanted--at least not to my face. Maybe his judgment was bundled with the price. (Do I sound bitter? I'm fine. After all, I got what I wanted.)

One of the best tattoo shops in Melbourne! Classic, professional and extremely talented tattooists!…read moreI love all my tattoos from there