¿Cuánto dura una sesión de tatuaje?

Una sesión de día completo va de 11:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m., incluyendo la preparación del tatuaje y los descansos.

¿Cómo es el proceso de diseño?

El diseño se hace en la primera cita, sin consulta previa. Para mangas o brazos completos se agenda una cita solo de diseño, donde se planea la idea completa y se definen las fechas.

¿Qué necesito para agendar una cita?

Escribir por WhatsApp o Instagram con una foto frontal y bien iluminada de la zona con la medida aproximada en centímetros, fotos de referencia de tatuajes que te gusten y una breve descripción de la idea.

¿Cuánto cuesta un tatuaje con Daniel Muñoz?

La sesión de día completo tiene un valor de $1.600.000 COP, con el diseño incluido. Los proyectos de varias sesiones tienen un beneficio progresivo: por ejemplo, una manga completa (6 a 8 sesiones) tiene una inversión estimada de $8.400.000 a $11.200.000 COP. El sitio incluye un estimador de sesiones e inversión por zona del cuerpo. Cada sesión se confirma con un depósito.

Tattoo guides Article · Aftercare

Tattoo aftercare

What to do in the first weeks so your tattoo heals well and stays sharp.

By Daniel Muñoz ·

A fresh tattoo is an open wound. How it heals determines how its shading and contrast will look for years, and in black & grey realism, where everything depends on smooth grey transitions, poor healing shows more than in any other style.

The first hours

When the session ends, I cover the tattoo with a bandage. How long you keep it on depends on the type we use:

Plastic film or regular bandage: keep it on for a few hours. Cleveland Clinic recommends at least three, depending on the size of the piece.
Clear "second skin" film: it can stay on from 24 hours to several days, as long as it's comfortable and no fluid builds up underneath, according to the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV).

To remove it, wash your hands, wet it with lukewarm water and peel it off slowly. Never rip it off dry.

Your daily routine

Wash twice a day with lukewarm (not hot) water and a mild soap without fragrance or dyes.
Pat it dry with a paper towel or a clean towel, or let it air-dry. Don't rub.
Moisturize with a thin layer of the cream I recommend, two or three times a day. If your skin looks shiny or sticky, you used too much.
Wear clean, loose clothing over the area, in breathable fabrics.

Tip

Itching and peeling are normal. However annoying it gets, don't scratch or pick the scabs: doing so pulls out ink and leaves light patches in the grey.

What to avoid while it heals

Pools, the ocean, baths, hot tubs and saunas until it's fully healed. Showering is fine.
Direct sun and tanning beds.
Sunscreen on skin that's still healing. Cover it with clothing instead.
Exfoliating the area or using petroleum jelly.
Tight clothing, constant friction and workouts that make the area sweat a lot.
Long flights right after getting tattooed, as the EADV recommends.

How healing progresses

Weeks 1 and 2
Itching, peeling and thin scabs. It's normal for the tattoo to look dull or "milky".
Week 3
The scabs finish falling off and the skin peels less.
Around 2 months
The top layer of skin has healed and the tattoo shows its final look.
The following months
The deeper layers of skin finish recovering. Keep protecting it from the sun.

Reference timeline from Cleveland Clinic. It varies with the size of the piece, the area and each person's skin.

Signs to see a doctor

Some redness and swelling in the first days is normal. See a doctor, and let me know too, if you notice:

Fever or skin that feels hot to the touch.
A bad smell, pus or heavy discharge.
Pain that gets worse instead of better.
Red streaks spreading out from the tattoo.
A reaction, such as raised skin or intense itching, that lasts more than one or two weeks.

For life: protect it from the sun

UV light is what wears a tattoo down most over the years. Once it has healed, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, applied 15 minutes before going out, covering it with clothing that doesn't let light through, and seeking shade. Keeping your skin moisturized with a fragrance-free cream also helps the greys stay clean.

This guide is for information only and doesn't replace a doctor's assessment. Always follow the instructions I give you at the end of your session.

Sources

Tattoo guides Article · Style

Black & grey: the style I work in

Why greyscale realism ages well and what sets it apart from other styles.

By Daniel Muñoz ·

Think of a black and white photograph. With no color to distract it, the eye focuses on form, texture and light. That's what I look for in every black & grey piece.

What black & grey is

It's a style that works with a single family of ink: solid black and black diluted to different strengths, known as grey wash. That scale, from deep black to bare skin, builds volume, light and shadow.

From left to right: solid black, increasingly diluted greys and, finally, bare skin, which works as the white of the piece.

Where it comes from

Black & grey realism was born in California prisons in the 1970s and 80s, where artists worked with very few resources. From there it moved to East Los Angeles, where it was refined and professionalized.

A key moment was Good Time Charlie's Tattooland, opened in 1975 by Charlie Cartwright and Jack Rudy. Rudy adapted single-needle machines to achieve the precision the style demanded. Freddy Negrete, another of its most influential figures, came from the same community.

Why it works so well for realism

Portraits are the most demanding part of realism, because our brains instantly spot any error in the proportions of a face. Greyscale work gives almost photographic depth and a sober, timeless weight, which is why it's so often chosen for tributes, portraits, sculptures and symbolic pieces.

How it ages

Well-done black & grey holds up through the contrast between lights and darks, not color. As the years pass and the ink softens, the structure stays readable. Black ink is carbon-based and stays stable in the skin longer, while light pigments such as yellow or light blue fade faster in the sun.

How I plan for it

When I design, I build in a little more contrast than you see on day one, because I know that over the years the ink settles and the greys soften. That way the piece still reads well ten or twenty years from now.

One more fact: according to the American Academy of Dermatology, red is the color that most often causes allergic reactions, although any ink can cause them.

How I work

I've specialized in black & grey realism for more than 9 years. My background in Visual Design means I start every project with composition: how the image reads from a distance, how it follows the shape of the body and where the highlights should fall. Then comes the technical part: softness, saturation and contrast to capture the essence of each image.

Is this style for you?

You're drawn to portraits, sculptures, mythology or symbolic pieces.
You want something sober and timeless that ages gracefully.
You care more about light and texture than bright colors.

If bold colors are what excite you, another style is probably a better fit, and I'll gladly tell you so during the consultation.

Sources

Tattoo guides Article · First time

Your first tattoo, step by step

How to prepare for your session: rest, food, clothing and what to expect on the day.

By Daniel Muñoz ·

First-time nerves are normal. Most of them go away once you know what's going to happen. Here's what I recommend, from booking to walking out of the studio.

Before you book

Message me on WhatsApp or Instagram with:

A well-lit, front-facing photo of the area, marking it or giving its approximate size in centimeters.
Reference photos of tattoos you like.
A short description of your idea, theme or concept.

With that I can guide you and give you a price range. Your appointment is confirmed once I receive the deposit.

The 24 hours before

Don't drink alcohol. It dehydrates you and thins your blood, which increases bleeding during the session.
Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen for the same reason. If you take prescribed medication, don't stop it without talking to your doctor first.
Go easy on coffee and drink plenty of water.
Get a good night's sleep. A rested body handles a long session much better.

Session day

Eat a proper meal before you arrive, ideally something with protein. Arriving on an empty stomach is the most common cause of dizziness.
Shower and arrive with clean skin on the area, without lotions.
Don't shave yourself. I do it at the studio, so we avoid irritation or ingrown hairs.
Wear comfortable clothes that leave the area exposed or are easy to take off, and bring something warm.

A full-day session runs from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with prep and breaks included. It's a long day, so it pays to come prepared.

Your checklist for the day Photo ID Water and snacks Headphones or something to keep you entertained A sweater or blanket Comfortable clothes that leave the area free A good meal and a good night's sleep

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What happens during the session

Prep: I disinfect and shave the area.
Stencil: I transfer the design to your skin. We move it as many times as needed until you love the placement.
Tattoo: first I define the structure, then build the shading layer by layer.
Wrap-up: I clean the piece, cover it and explain how to care for it.

About the pain

Everyone feels it differently. People describe it as scratching, burning or vibration. Bonier or more sensitive areas, such as the ribs, spine, neck or ankles, usually hurt more, and fleshier ones, such as the arm, less. Slow, deep breathing helps a lot.

Important

If at any point you need a break, tell me. We'll find a good place to stop, you rest, and we continue when you're ready.

Afterwards

The session ends, but the tattoo is just beginning. How you care for it over the next few weeks matters as much as the session itself.

Read the tattoo aftercare guide →

Sources

Tattoo guides Article · Process

From idea to design

How a personal story becomes a composition designed for your body.

By Daniel Muñoz ·

Concepts, stories, experiences, reflections, ideas, identities. Almost every project I take on starts with one of those words, not with an image. My job is to find the image that tells it.

Start with the meaning

Before thinking about what drawing you want, think about what you want to represent. A memory, a person, a change in your life, a belief. When you tell me the why, I can suggest symbols, compositions and references you may not have considered.

What do you want to remember or represent?
Are there symbols, people or places tied to that story?
Should it be understood at a glance, or be something more personal?
Where would you like to see it every day?

References that work

In realism, the quality of the reference shapes much of the result. For portraits, this is what makes the difference:

High resolution. An Instagram screenshot is almost never enough.
Soft side lighting. Flash flattens the face and erases volume.
Good contrast, without shadows so dark that details get lost.
Several angles of the same person, if you have them.

Don't worry if no photo is perfect. Combining the face from one photo with the pose or background from another is a normal part of design.

Size and placement

Detail needs room. As skin heals and the years pass, ink settles a little, and what was very small becomes blurry. As a reference, a guide specialized in realism recommends at least about 15 cm (6 in) for a portrait, 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) for an animal and about 8 cm (3 in) for an object.

Placement matters too. Flat, stable surfaces such as the outer arm or forearm, thigh, chest or back hold realism best. Hands, feet, wrists and neck get more friction and movement, so fine detail wears there sooner.

My design process

Consultation
You tell me your idea and send a photo of the area and your references. I guide you and give you a price range.
Design
We do it at the first appointment, with no prior consultation. For sleeves or multi-session pieces we book a design-only appointment to plan the whole project and the dates.
Composition
I adapt the image to the shape of your body so it follows the muscle and reads well from far away and up close.
Session
Softness, saturation and contrast to capture the essence of the image with precision.

Every idea is welcome

Every idea deserves a custom design. You don't need to have it all figured out: that's what the consultation is for.

Sources

Apollo Tattoo · Realism tattoos: size, placement and reference

Daniel Muñoz, black & grey realism tattoo artist in Medellín, ColombiaDanielMuñoz

A tattoo can be a memory, a belief or a chapter of your life.

Recent work

From idea to skin

Consultation

Custom design

Session

Aftercare

Clients

Tattoo in Laureles

Private studio in Laureles

Private, comfortable and built for long sessions

Before you book

Tattoo guides