Rocky Mountain Tattoo

Saffron Quist

Mar 6, 2026

I truly wish I had read a review like this before going here... This was one of the most upsetting experiences I’ve ever had, and I cried the entire drive home. A tattoo is permanent, deeply personal, and something you carry on your body forever — yet the process here felt cold, rushed, and completely dismissive of me as a human being. Karleigh seems like a lovely person, but she did not listen to or understand my vision at all. I am now left with a very large, very dark tattoo that does not feel like me — and that is a devastating thing to live with. I am not covered in tattoos and this was meant to be my one piece of art. The biggest and most alarming issue is that Rocky Mountain Tattoo refuses to let clients see their design in advance or participate in the design process. I even offered to pay a larger deposit just to see the design beforehand and make sure we were on the same page. I was told no, because they were worried I might “steal” the design. The receptionist was openly snarky, saying that “99.999% of clients don’t have a problem with this.” What made this even worse is that my deposit was effectively being held hostage. That pressure alone made it incredibly difficult to walk away. The first time you see your tattoo design is the day of your appointment, under intense time pressure, with your deposit on the line, and while being expected to make an irreversible decision on the spot. When I arrived, I was shown a design that was about four times larger than discussed, missing all the elements I had specifically requested, and with a giant butterfly added without my consent. Karleigh went into the back to rework it, but we never sat together to collaborate and I was not part of the design process. Even after the re-work, most of the elements I had asked for were still not there. The design I was shown looked like clip-art rather than an actual drawing, so I had no way of understanding how the shading would look or how heavy and black it would become. The stencil was applied without offering me a mirror — I had to find one myself. Standing there alone, I managed to figure out how to remove a large section of the tattoo. That moment should never happen to anyone. During the tattooing, I was not once asked for my input, given options, or shown the progress as it was taking shape. I couldn’t see the shading until it was finished — and by then, it was too late to change anything. The entire experience felt painfully impersonal, like my body and my voice didn’t matter. And then there is the fern. The fern is shockingly bad. It has no definition or detail whatsoever — the leaves bleed together into dark, shapeless blobs. Individual fronds are indistinguishable. You can clearly see needle tracks, inconsistent line weight, and sloppy outlines. There is no depth, no texture, and no technical finesse. It genuinely looks unfinished and amateur, as if she didn't even try. This is not my subjective stylistic opinion — it is poor workmanship. I have attached photos for people to see for themselves. I contacted Lee, the owner of Rocky Mountain Tattoo, privately hoping for accountability or at least an attempt to fix the obvious problems. He refused to offer any remedy — no touch-up, no correction, nothing. He told me that “from a professional standpoint, the work was executed appropriately and responsibly.” Being told that this level of work is acceptable was heartbreaking. I am beyond disappointed and deeply regret trusting Rocky Mountain Tattoo with something so personal and permanent. If you want a collaborative tattoo experience — and if you care about technical quality and craftsmanship — please go elsewhere. You deserve better than this.

Jaime G

Feb 25, 2026

Best tattoo & piercing place in the Okanagan! The atmosphere is incredible and the entire team is so welcoming. Consultations are very thorough, and the artists are up front and honest about expectations going into each project. It’s amazing to see artists who are genuinely encouraging and supportive of one another. There’s no toxic competition and I’ve witnessed first hand how everyone will come together to collaborate on a project to make sure that the client gets the best possible result! I’ve had work done by many different artists here, and wouldn’t recommend any other studio! World class art - check Fun vibes and positivity - check check

Carly Popilchak

Feb 23, 2026

I’ve had multiple tattoos done by karleigh at Rocky Mountain, including a cover- up! Every artist in the shop, including karleigh act by ethics and policy to provide clients with beauuutifull tattoos. I was given so many opportunities to look at the stencil, see it on my body at different angles, and voice any want for change. I knew it was going to be dark! Just as she told me! Because it’s impossible to cover up black with light grey 🥰 If you look REALLYYY closely you can still see the old one, because I asked for it covered. Not erased ;) Love my tattoo!!

Brandon Gill

Oct 18, 2025

I recently got a full sleeve done in September at Rocky Mountain Tattoo by Nolan, and it was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The entire team was incredibly welcoming, and the shop’s vibe couldn’t have been better. Nolan’s artwork is unreal — his attention to detail and creativity blew me away. I couldn’t be happier with how my sleeve turned out! I HIGHLY recommend going to Nolan if you’re looking for amazing tattoo work. Huge thanks to Nolan and the crew — I’m already looking forward to my next piece!

Keith

Oct 17, 2025

I recently had a memorial piece done when my dad passed (retired RCMP of 35 yrs ) Nolan did an INCREDIBLE job !!! I can’t wait for my next appt I highly recommend him !!!