Dallas tattoo artist Oliver Peck wasn’t the first person to tattoo the number 13 on someone for Friday the 13th, but he’s often credited for turning it into a nationwide tradition. He first held the Friday the 13th tattoo marathon in 1995 at his tattoo shop in Dallas.
Now every Friday the 13th, tattoo artists pull out the flash sheets, fire up the tattoo guns and incorporate the number 13 into small tattoo designs — a black widow, for example, with the unlucky number where her hourglass would be, a skull with it on his forehead, a baby devil with its pitchfork replacing the 3 — on a person’s arm or leg.
At $13 for the Friday the 13th tattoo plus a $7 tip (usually), it’s a cheap tattoo to commemorate a day once known for a hockey-masked killer who hacked his way through 12 slasher films over a 30-year period.
For this Friday the 13th, Denton has no shortage of tattoo shops offering specials for the day. Some are hosting events and offering discounts on other services such as piercings.
It’s first come, first served for Friday the 13th tattoos. Not all of them are $13 without the tip — some are higher, but most studios prefer cash.
Here are 13 local tattoo studios to consider for your Friday the 13th tattoo.
Trilogy Tattoo Studio
This woman-owned tattoo and piercing studio on Elm Street isn’t plagued with nightmares. A new business, it has been described as a safe and comfortable environment with a tattoo artist, Joi, who “breathes life into your skin, etching stories that transcend,” the studio writes on its Instagram page.
Trilogy is offering $31 flash tattoos with a $9 tip and 31% off all piercings from noon to 10 p.m. Friday at the studio at 709 S. Elm St.
The flash tattoos include designs such as a grave, a spider and what could be a cannabis leaf or possibly a hemp one (if your boss asks).
Friday the 13th designs are also available on the studio’s Instagram page.
Tattoo Lounge & Spa
Tattoo Lounge & Spa borrowed a page from Peck’s book and turned its Friday the 13th into an all-day event with a DJ, a gallery showcasing work by local artists, food trucks and vendors.
From noon to 10 p.m., the Tattoo Lounge & Spa will be offering $50 flash tattoos — arms and legs only — at 1203 E. University Drive.
Owner Yesenia Castro said they will also be offering $20 manicures and $31 tooth gems (jewelry for the teeth).
Smilin’ Rick’s Tattoo
Smilin’ Rick’s has been disappointing parents for more than 20 years in Denton but pleasing customers with more than 200 positive reviews on Google. It claims to be the oldest tattoo shop in Denton.
Smilin’ Rick’s just might be offering some of the coolest Friday the 13th flash tattoos, from ghost designs honoring the Friday the 13th and the Nightmare on Elm Street slasher flicks to poison bottles with names your parents may not like, mushroom-headed fairies and pumpkin-headed creatures.
More flash offerings can be found on their Instagram page.
Flash tattoos will be on sale for $80 per piece from noon to 10 p.m. Friday at Smilin’ Rick’s, 115 Eagle Drive.
Lizards Ink Tattoo & Piercing
Tattoo artists at Lizards Ink have years of experience with custom tattoos.
As one customer wrote in their recent Google review, “I came in to get a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to me as far as mental wellness. Fester was my tattoo artist and he was just so wonderful. He was able to picture exactly what I wanted but 10x better. And he had such a great positive energy, very respectful and funny.”
At 1103 Dallas Drive, Lizards Ink will be offering Friday the 13th flash tattoos from 1 p.m. until they reach their limit at $40 per tattoo with a two tattoo limit per customer, in black ink only on the arms or legs.
Mickey Mouse heads, the Lone Star State and other flash art that will be available can be found on the studio’s Instagram page.
The piercing artist, Shavon, will also be offering $20 piercings, limiting three per customer with some restrictions.
Inkaholics Tattoo Co.
This tattoo studio has taken a similar approach as Tattoo Lounge & Spa, hosting Inkaholics Special Ashes Monster Market Mash from noon to 11 p.m. Friday at 420 S. Carroll Blvd.
Friday the 13th flash tattoos are only $20 ($13 plus tip). Food, games, live music and vendors will be offering all kinds of spooky fun for customers. There will also be giveaways and live T-shirt screen printing by the Electric Rooster.
Only a few flash tattoo designs were offered on the studio’s Instagram page, including a shark, a skull with 13 on its forehead, a Playboy bunny and a cracked wishbone. More will be available to view at the shop.
Infinity 13 Studios
Infinity 13 didn’t offer many images of the Friday the 13th flash art specials on social media, only a meme with Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask, a machete behind it and the words “See you on Friday” in a banner underneath.
The studio plans to post all tattoo flash on the shop window on Friday at 2531 W. Prairie St. Tattooing begins at noon.
Friday the 13th specials include $20, $40 and $100 tattoos and all basic piercings at $20.
High Seas Tattoo
The three people with pumpkins on their heads will not be tattooing on Friday the 13th, despite appearing in the studio’s flyer.
But High Seas Tattoo will be offering $40 tattoos and $13 off piercings from noon to 10 p.m. Friday at 214 S. Bell Ave., Suite 1102. (Cash sales only.)
The flash art won’t be available until Friday, but there will be 114 designs to pick from for your arms and legs only.
Golden Girl Tattoo Parlor
At 1805 N. Elm St., Golden Girl will be offering flash tattoos from local artists while people gather for the Witch’s Ball next door at the Gold Room.
Presented by the Graveyard Shift, the Witch’s Ball will run from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. with dance, drinks and EBM music. Artists will be there selling their art, and the new bar in the Gold Room will be offering seasonal cocktails and local beer.
Next door at the Golden Girl, Friday the 13th tattoo specials range from $60 to $150 and include flash tattoos from local artists.
A sign-up sheet will be posted at noon with tattoo slinging at 1 p.m. Venmo, Zelle and cash will be accepted.
Denton Tattoo Co.
This tattoo company at 616 Fort Worth Drive is known for making customers feel comfortable and take breaks as needed. Tattoo artist Annie has been called someone with “the lightest hand” and a good “bedside manner.”
A light hand is always appreciated, especially when you’re looking for a flash tattoo for the 13th.
The flash tattoo specials begin at 1 p.m. with $50 flash designs and $25 piercings.
Dark Age Tattoo Studio
Right off the Square in Denton, no tattoo shop is better known for custom tattoo work than Dark Age Tattoo Studio. The custom tattoo studio, which has won Best of Denton, has customers from all over the country.
For Friday the 13th, some of the artists will be offering tattoo specials — $13 plus $7 tip — for the first 100 customers.
The studio at 124 W. Oak St. opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.
Cybertron Tattoo Studio
Sadly, no Autobots or a Decepticons will be slinging ink at Cybertron Tattoo Studio.
But Thomas Light, one of the co-owners, said they will be offering Friday the 13th tattoos at $31 plus a $9 tip ($10 extra for a color).
They’re offering flash designs, but Light stressed that they aren’t little cheap flash designs like other shops are known to offer.
“They’re quality designs for a good deal,” Light said. “We’re not trying to take advantage of people.”
Light recently opened the studio at 507 S. Locust St. with Christopher “the Butcher” Bailey after they worked together in Fort Worth.
Like other shops on this list, they will have a sign-up sheet available, but customers don’t have to linger at the shop and wait. Light said they will text each customer when their slot is ready, and they will have 15 minutes to return to the shop.
The shop will be offering the specials from noon to 8 p.m. Friday.
Also, no weird places for those tattoos, Light said. Arms and legs are the options.
Aces Tattoo
Aces will be offering what they call “good luck tattoos” on Friday the 13th — along with a food truck and navel piercings for $20 — at the studio at 1776 Teasley Lane, Suite 101.
Aces’ flash tattoos are $31 plus a $9 tip for the arms and legs only.
The designs are available on their Instagram page and showcase far more designs than some of the other shops on this list. Those designs include a ninja turtle head with a 13 tattooed, the Grim Reaper’s scythe bleeding the number 13 and, of course, the Playboy bunny with a 13 for the tie.
Tattooing begins at 11 a.m. Friday, and it’s first come, first served.
Chelsea, who works the front door, said people will be lining up early for the tattoos. Black and gray is also an option, as are multiple tattoos — but you cannot change the design.
Arsenal Tattoo Co.
Arsenal, at 700 Dallas Drive, is a custom tattoo shop that operates by appointment only, so it’s unclear if it’s offering Friday the 13th tattoos. No advertisements appear on their social media pages.
So, call before you head over, or contact the artists via their website to consult about a custom piece for another day.