Established in 2015, Sunken Hollow is a private, appointment-only creative space in the heart of Loughborough. We aren’t your typical high-street walk-in shop; our studio on Leicester Road is a dedicated environment for clients who value a quiet, focused atmosphere and high-end custom work.
While we’ve built our reputation on the technical side of tattooing—specialising in realism, portraiture, and dark illustrative styles—we’re always open to any compelling concept. For us, it’s about the craft: taking your initial idea and refining it into a bespoke, one-of-a-kind artwork built to last.
From the first consultation to the final sitting, we take the art seriously but keep the ego out of it. Whether it’s a complex cover-up or a large-scale project, our goal is simple—precision, creativity, and a result you’re proud to wear.
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By appointment only. Walk-ins not available.
Tell us about your idea. We'll review every request personally and get back to you within 48 hours.
No — Sunken Hollow is a tattoo-only studio. We don't offer piercing or any other body modification services.
All bookings start with an enquiry form on this site. No walk-ins and no bookings via DM or phone. Once I've reviewed your concept I'll be in touch personally — usually within 48 hours.
If your concept is a good fit, I'll send over available dates and a booking fee request to secure your slot.
The booking fee is a non-refundable payment that secures your slot. It covers reserved time, design work, drawing, preparation and all communication before your appointment.
When you attend as agreed, the booking fee is deducted from your final session cost. It is not a deposit — it is payment for the work that happens before you sit in the chair.
A minimum of 48 hours notice is required to move an appointment. You can reschedule up to twice within these rules. Further changes may incur an additional fee or forfeit the booking fee entirely.
Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice result in loss of the booking fee. No-shows forfeit the fee immediately and future bookings will require full payment in advance.
Tattoos are priced based on the time they take — usually within a full or half day session rate, though per-piece pricing and an hourly rate are available in certain cases.
Pricing is discussed personally during the consultation stage for each project. Every piece is different, and quotes reflect that.
Occasionally, but it's not the primary focus. Sunken Hollow specialises in custom realism, dark art, and larger concept-driven work in a few other styles such as dotwork etc. If you're looking for fine-line minimal work or small simple flash its generally not what we offer here.
Reference images are always welcome. However all designs are created from scratch — I don't tattoo other artists' work directly. If you come in with a reference I'll use it as a starting point and build something original around your concept and placement.
Eat a proper meal before you arrive and stay well hydrated. Get a good night's sleep. Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours prior. Moisturise the area to be tattooed in the days leading up — well-hydrated skin is better to work with.
Wear clothing that gives easy access to the placement area. Bring snacks and a drink for longer sessions. Arrive sober and on time — arriving under the influence will result in automatic cancellation, and any future bookings will require full payment in advance. Arriving 30 or more minutes late without notice is also an automatic cancellation, barring exceptional circumstances.
Custom realism and dark art — the two often overlap. Concepts that work well here include horror, ancient mythology, surrealism, anatomical subject matter, dark portraiture, and anything that sits between the beautiful and the unsettling.
Memorial portraiture, portraits of loved ones, favourite characters, creatures, and all manner of other subjects are welcome — if it's compelling, it`s always considered.
If you're unsure whether your concept is a fit, submit an enquiry and I'll give you an honest answer.
Still have a question?
Submit an Enquiry
A cover-up is one of the most technically demanding pieces of tattooing there is. Done well, the old work disappears completely into something you actually want to wear. Every cover-up at Sunken Hollow is designed from scratch around your existing tattoo — no generic solutions, no shortcuts.
Aged ink that's spread or lost contrast. Faded work is often easier to cover than it looks — the lighter the existing pigment, the more design freedom we have.
One of the most common requests. Text-based tattoos sit shallow and break up well under the right design. The placement and size of the original determines the approach.
Heavy saturation requires a different strategy. Solid black areas need a design that works with the darkness rather than against it — this is where realism and dark art styles excel as cover-up tools.
Covering raised scarring or uneven skin texture is considered on a case-by-case basis. A consultation is always required first. Not every scar can be tattooed — honest assessment before anything else.
Submit your request through the form below with a clear photo of the existing tattoo, placement, and any ideas you have for what you'd like instead. Be honest about the age and saturation of the piece.
Every cover-up request is reviewed personally. If it's workable, you'll get a direct response on feasibility, design direction, and rough session requirements. If it's not — that'll be said clearly too.
Once a booking fee is confirmed, the design is built around your existing work. Cover-ups often require a single full-day session, sometimes more depending on the piece. This is discussed before you commit.
Ready to discuss your cover-up?
Submit an Enquiry
