I specialize in hand poke tattoos with clean and simple soft style and bold but minimal color palettes. My favorite things to tattoo are plants, mushrooms, animals, cute random everyday objects and all kinds of abstract blobs and squiggles.
I am based at and co-run Studio Nokkasiili, a queer-run and vegan friendly tattoo and art shop in Katajanokka, Helsinki.
I also regularly visit pilli x mehu studio in Tampere.
You can sometimes see me work in other studios all over Finland and in other countries,
to keep track of my travels follow me on instagram!
HOW TO BOOK
To book an appointment with me, visit my instagram, where you can find my current booking schedule and available designs,
and send me a direct message.
If you do not use instagram, you can email me at sasha@sashakretova.com
in your message, tell me what kind of a tattoo you would like to get, which of my available dates work for you and what time of day
describe your tattoo idea in as much detail as you can:
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where on your body do you want it to go?
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do you want it in just black, black and color or just color?
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do you want it in only line work or also with shading or filled? (see examples in the next slide)
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what size approximately? you can use metric measurement or compare it to an everyday object
if you are not sure about any of these, need more info, or still undecided, just let me know what you do know, so we can book you a time and we can figure out the rest together later!
CURRENT PRICING
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deposit — 50€
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starting price — 150€
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hourly rate — 100€ per hour
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full day session (6h) — 600€
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touch ups are free of charge for one year after the appointment.
after one year — hourly rate starting from 50€
payment methods:
card, mobile pay or cash
if you get more that one tattoo in one session,
the price will still be determined by the amount of time spent tattooing
the timer starts when i start tattooing and the breaks we take are not included
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
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make sure to eat well and have enough water the day of the appointment. bring snacks and something to drink with you.
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wear clothes that are comfy, can be easily rolled up, unbuttoned or otherwise moved to give me a proper working area around the tattoo. make sure the clothes you're wearing are not too precious, your favorite white socks are not the best option for an ankle tattoo!
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please, don't come too early! up to 10 minutes early is totally fine, and i don't mind if you are a few minutes late. but if you come way early, it can cut short my lunch time, prep time, and, most importantly, my quiet me-time. there are nice cafes in the area and a k-market nearby to spend time in, if you happen to arrive early.
AT THE STUDIO
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Studio Nokkasiili is a friendly and cozy studio and we ask everyone to follow safer space guidelines in our space. all artists working at the studio are queer and some of us are immigrants, so please be respectful of our identities and experiences.
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there is no need for you to know "how to be a tattoo client" or anything like that beforehand, i will guide you through the process! and you are welcome to ask me questions, even if they are silly, i love silly!
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if you want to come with a support person, you can, but please let me know beforehand and don't bring more than one. pets are not allowed in the studio for hygiene reasons (unless it's a service dog).
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the studio has a kettle, a fridge and a microwave, that you are welcome to use during longer tattoo sessions.
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there might be other artists and their clients present in the same room during your appointment, so unfortunately complete privacy or total silence are not possible. but if you need special accommodations, please ask me beforehand, oftentimes i can arrange them upon request.
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our studio has an art shop with lots of goodies designed by the members of the studio and other local queer artists, so be prepared that you might want to do some shopping ;)
AFTER THE APPOINTMENT
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i will give you instructions on how to care for a tattoo after we are finished. you will also get those instructions on paper, if you need. you can also ask me any questions about aftercare and the healing process later by sending me a message on instagram or by email.
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even if i gave you an estimate on how long your tattoo will take, please don't plan anything important right after the appointment. sometimes tattoos take longer, we might need more breaks than expected, even applying the stencil can unexpectedly take a while in some cases. bigger tattoos can also make you quite tired and sore. so i usually recommend an evening of rest and self care after a long tattoo session.
FLASH TATTOOS
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flash tattoos are tattoos based on designs i have already drawn and have available for you to choose from
(as opposed to custom tattoos that i design upon request)
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you can see my available flashes (ready designs) on my instagram in the highlight named "AVAILABLE"
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if you want one of them done, take a screenshot, add it to your message and let me know how big or small you want it
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if you like a design, but want it modified, it's possible! i can always change something, or even draw something similar, but unique to you. it's never impolite to ask for changes!
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most of my flashes are one-of and not repeatable. but the simpler ones (pride flags, basic geometric shapes, symbols etc) will be done multiple times. also the flashes i do for specific theme days are usually repeatable. i don't always say which ones are repeatable, so if you want to make sure, please ask!
CUSTOM TATTOOS
i am always happy to create custom designs based on your idea! please, remember that even custom work will still be done in my own style, custom does not mean "anything is possible". so please, make sure you have looked through my previous work, before you ask for a custom design.
when you request a custom design, please include the following in your message:
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where on your body do you want it to go?
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do you want it in just black, black and color or just color?
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do you want it in only line work or also with shading or filled? (see examples in one of the previous slides)
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what size approximately? you can use cm or compare it to an everyday object
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attach some references! it is the most helpful if you include some images you find online as well as examples of my own work that you like.
please note, that i will only design custom work for the clients who have already booked an appointment and paid a deposit for it.
i will also not design several designs for a client to pick from.
i will always send you a sketch before the appointment for you to look at and think about on your own. and i am happy to make changes if necessary! we can also make final changes at the appointment before i start tattooing. i will not start tattooing until i know you are happy with the design ♡
if you decide to not get the tattoo after i've already made the sketch, that is totally understandable and ok! however, your deposit will not be refunded, as my time has already been spent on designing the work for you.
FAQ
WHAT DOES HAND POKE MEAN?
Hand poke means i create a tattoo without a tattoo machine. Technically, the result is the same as a “regular” tattoo, you will get a permanent art piece on your skin, but I will make it by manually poking your skin with a tattoo needle.
HOW IS HAND POKE DIFFERENT FROM A MACHINE TATTOO?
It will take a bit longer, since human hands are slower than a tattoo machine. A lot of people feel hand poke tattoos hurt less than machine tattoos. This technique is also gentler on the skin and the tattoo will most likely heal faster. The line texture of hand poke tattoos looks a little different than that of machine tattoos, but that also depends a lot on the artist and their own style.
WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE? ARE THEY HYGIENIC? ARE THEY VEGAN?
I use professional tattoo materials, medical disinfectants and sterile needles. I do not ever reuse any of the materials or needles. I have completed hygiene training conducted by the Finnish Tattoo Artists Association and I follow professional tattoo hygiene guidelines. The inks, soaps and lotions I use are vegan.
WHAT IS YOUR TATTOOING BACKGROUND? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TATTOOING?
I have learnt to tattoo from Ahma Tattoo, a wonderful Helsinki-based hand poke tattoo artist. Ahma and I still work side by side at Studio Nokkasiili.
I have started learning to tattoo in the end of 2019. I have tattooed human skin for the first time in early 2020 and started taking clients in November 2020.
I have been drawing and illustrating for about 5 years before starting to learn tattooing.
WILL IT HURT?
This is very different for different people and for different body parts. For some people tattoos hurt quite a lot, while others can fall asleep while getting a tattoo. The areas where the skin is quite thin and close to a bone, or especially a joint, are generally more painful than the ones with a lot of fat or muscle tissue underneath. I will check in on you during our appointment and we can always take a break or even continue on another day, if the pain becomes too much. If you tend to feel dizzy or faint when your skin is punctured, let me know beforehand, and I will do my best to take it slow and keep you as comfortable as I can!
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
That depends on the size of the tattoo, how well your skin takes the ink, your pain tolerance and how many breaks we take. I would suggest reserving at least 1,5h for smaller tattoos and up to 3-4h for medium ones. I would advice that you don’t book anything urgent right after the tattoo appointment, so we don’t have to hurry, but concentrate on getting the tattoo looking good and you feeling comfortable.
CAN I BRING MY OWN TATTOO DESIGN?
I’ll be happy to tattoo a design you made yourself, if I have the skills to do that style. I will tattoo another artist’s design only if you have paid them for it or received permission to use it for a tattoo. I might ask you for proof of payment/permission. I know that might seem strict, but as an artist myself I feel very strongly against using other people’s work without permission and/or compensation.
CAN YOU TATTOO ON ANY BODY PART?
At this time I do not tattoo on inner palms and feet and on genitals. If you want a face, neck, hand or finger tattoo, I will happily do that, given it is not your first tattoo and that you understand the specifics of having a tattoo in that area.
CAN I GET A TATTOO IF I HAVE ATOPIC SKIN / ECZEMA / DERMATITIS / PSORIASIS?
I use professional tattoo inks, that are generally hypo-allergenic. However, some people’s skin might still develop a reaction to tattoo inks.
Here are a few things i would recommend if you have a skin condition:
you can come and get an ink swatch test at my studio. I will apply a small ink sample on your skin and you can wear it for 48 hours to see if your skin develops a reaction (this will not be a tattoo, you will be able to wash it off)
to be on the safe side, we can do a tattoo only in black ink, as the color inks are likely to have more allergens
do not get a tattoo during a flare up. Make sure your skin is completely healed and clear of any rash on the day of the appointment. It’s totally ok if we have to reschedule because of a flare up!
let me know beforehand if you are sensitive to certain lotions, i will make sure to use a hypo-allergenic one during your tattoo appointment and will advise your aftercare instructions accordingly
if possible, please consult with your doctor
if you feel that the risk of a skin reacting badly to tattoo ink is very high, it might be best to not get a tattoo
Please, keep in mind that I am not a doctor and the advice above is based on my own research and experience as a beginner tattoo artist.
CAN I GET A TATTOO IF I AM PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING?
I do not tattoo people who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding, as it is not recommended to get a tattoo at those times for the client’s safety.
CAN I GET A TATTOO IF I AM HIV-POSITIVE?
I do not refuse tattoos based on client’s HIV-status. I do ask all of my clients to disclose their HIV status though, for my own and my other clients’ safety. I do not share this information with any other parties. If you are HIV-positive or have other blood-transmitted virus, please, consult with your doctor before getting a tattoo to make sure it is safe for you at your stage of treatment.
CAN I GET A TATTOO IF I HAVE EPILEPSY?
Probably yes, but please, consult with your doctor first. I will not refuse to tattoo a client with epilepsy as long as your doctor approved it. I do not mind, if your body twitches (because of epilepsy or another condition) as long as you are feeling ok.
