Hello, I’m Jason “Elvis” Martin, a tattooer since 2003 experienced in all styles. I excel at color work in neo-traditional and traditional styles as well as black and grey realism. Get a unique blend for your one-of-a kind piece or a rad piece in just one style.
I have tattooed at many shops in Southern California and Middle Tennessee. Currently, I’m the owner of DermalGrafix Tattoo Studio in Escondido, CA.
Bring me your ideas and inspirations. We’ll work together to turn them into a tattoo that turns heads, capturing the essence of your inspiration, that you wear with pride for life.
To start a discussion, fill out the form. 👉
To start a discussion, fill out the form. 👇
Do you want a tattoo that will last for life? Looking for something to express yourself? To commemorate some event in your life? Or just look awesome? You may have a detailed vision or only the nugget of an idea. Or do you like something in my portfolio and want something like it? In any case, let’s turn it into an impeccable piece of body art.
I love tattooing animals, skulls, flowers, nature scenes, and stylized faces. As an army vet and co-star of “Marked: Military”, I also do a lot of flags, eagles, and American military imagery. And as an artist, I love novel ideas and pushing the bounds of my art form.
My attention to detail, dedication, and pride in my work is second to none.
If you love my work, that’s a great indicator that I’m the right artist for you.
Beyond that, I like to work with clients who have a clear concept of what they want. They have at least a sense of the imagery to include and the style they want. They might have some examples from my portfolio that are a good match for their desired aesthetic. They might have other sources of visual inspiration to show me where to head with their design. They aren’t wishy-washy, changing what they want as the process unfolds. And they trust me with their idea. They hand over the reins of the design and let me work through the details.
If this is true for you, let’s work together! I can already tell you before ink meets skin that you’re exactly the type of person I love creating great art for.
Everyone has a little microcosm in themselves. A deep inner world with both shadows and bright spots. And everyone wants people to see them. While almost everyone wants to show their best face, on a deeper level they want to be understood. To be valued and seen as an individual.
I try to tease that out, understand who my clients are, and honor it. I want to see the potential and the good in people. And I try to put that on display in their tattoos while integrating and owning the shadow. I do this not only in my work with clients and through my creative process. It’s also in the positive environment I create and the professional standards I uphold.
Put in your contact info to start. Then submit the details of your idea now or later. If they don't come through in a couple hours, I'll send a link to finish on your own time. Share what you want, where you want it, how big you want it, etc. Upload inspiration images. I'll make sure I have everything I need to make a rad tattoo. Then, I provide a link to pay your deposit and choose a date that works best for you. I’ll send you a calendar event for your date and reminders via email and text.
Many tattooers start the design the morning of your appointment. I almost always start ahead of time. Often, I send something for feedback before your appointment. It depends on complexity and layout of your idea. Nowadays, I usually use digital tools on the iPad for at least part of my process. If it's realism, I will bring in some realistic imagery you’ve brought or that you or I have found. If it's neotraditional, I will sketch up the tattoo or those elements of it by hand.
When you show up for your appointment, you’ll find the shop inviting and the tattoo process as painless as possible. I only work with one person per day, so the focus is solely on your tattoo. We’ll do the deed and you’ll be treated like a rockstar. Whether you want to have quiet and privacy or you want to hang out and chit-chat. We have chargers for all kinds of phones at each station, snacks, drinks, and more. Want us to order and food from DoorDash? We’ll order for you. Just ask for what you need!
The moment you’ve been waiting for! You have an amazing piece of body art that you’re ecstatic with. It is going to turn heads! It’s Instagram worthy AND it’s going to stand the test of time beautifully. Now, I send you on your way with high-quality aftercare, clear instructions on how to use it to heal your tattoo, and a goodie bag. You have my contact info to reach out with any questions or issues.
That’s not quite the end! You should hear from me, starting typically after a couple of days. I'll check in and see how you’re doing and if you have any questions. Then, I’ll also follow up after a month or so and make sure your tattoo has healed perfectly.
I don’t do any tribal tattooing, except in rare cases where it’s a small element in a bigger piece. I have a huge range of styles I can do and blend in and build on. But working within a native traditional style as a non-native does not seem appropriate to me.
Other than that, if you don’t have a clear idea of what you want, I may not accept your tattoo. There are lots of types and styles of artists and the same is true of clients. Maybe you aren’t sure of your idea. Or you are going to want a ton of changes throughout the process. Or you have stylistic requests outside my aesthetic range. In those cases, I’m not the right artist for you.
Many clients have had bad experiences with other shops and artists. Often, the artist wasn’t professional or respectful. Or they felt gouged, like they didn’t get the value they paid. You’ll never have those negative experiences or outcomes with me. I create custom tattoos you’ll love for life while creating positive experiences getting them.
You won’t have any regrets when leaving my shop. And you won’t find anyone more dedicated to blowing you away with a rad tattoo that looks great forever. Find out how I got so many 5-star reviews and why my clients come back again and again!
Is that a vibe you’re down with? Then let’s enjoy creating some art together.
Just 20 minutes from downtown Nashville.
No walk-ins without texting ahead to coordinate, please. You’ll always get a quick reply from me or my amazing wife and assistant Staci. This ensures the best experience for everyone, including the privacy of the person in the tattoo chair. Thank you!
Still have questions? Here are a few more details you might be curious about.
My full day rate is $1,600 and my half-day rate is $850. I base these rates on my experience in the industry (with 20+ years under my belt, I get a lot more done in a day than most artists), my track record of client satisfaction, and my use of the highest quality products including aftercare products and organic and vegan inks. Most importantly: I make rad tattoos!
Why does a half-day cost a bit more than half the cost of a day? This is actually a discount. I only work with one person per day. If you have a smaller tattoo or we only need a short session to wrap up an in-progress piece, your tattoo is still my sole focus for the day. But I give you my day for a lower cost.
Exceptions: certain smaller projects that can be done in less than half a day are charged at an hourly rate and accepted on a case-by-case basis. Just reach out!
Want to work with me but concerned about your budget? I offer By-Now-Pay-Later via Afterpay. Details are below.
I take cash, Venmo, Cash App, and Apple Pay. I also offer Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) via Afterpay if you’re looking for flexible payment arrangements. Options include paying in 4 equal payments every other week, interest-free, or in monthly payment plans ranging from 6 to 24 months.
I include high-quality aftercare packs for all clients. They have everything you need to heal your new tattoo. You won’t find a lot of people who give all this. You’ll have aftercare instruction sheets, medical-grade bandages, and an ointment pack. The bandages are key. They save your clothes, save your sheets, you don’t have to worry about your dog or cat licking your healing tattoo… All the headaches that come with traditional aftercare products are not a factor. And it’ll heal amazingly!
Your tattoo will be bandaged twice, starting at the shop. I give you a verbal rundown on care and assure you not to hesitate to reach out with any and all concerns. And, you can come by if you want to get the first bandage changed out. Some clients prefer this if it’s in a hard-to-reach spot or they simply aren’t comfortable with the application.
The products and supplies I use are cruelty-free and vegan, when at all possible. All my inks are organic and cruelty-free. My tattoo needles are a high-end and more costly brand. They work flawlessly and make it easier to create a perfect tattoo. Aftercare is very important to me. The care packs I provide are costly to make but well worth it. They give clients everything needed for a great outcome and experience from the end of the session to a healed tattoo.
I break the full process down on the home page, but in short: share your idea using the form on my site and I’ll follow up within two business days to discuss next steps.
From there, you’ll get reminders in advance of your appointment, the day of will be dedicated to you and your tattoo (I only do one session per day at my private studio), and you’ll leave with an aftercare kit and a tattoo that fills you with pride!
Have other questions? Fill out the form on this page to get the conversation going.
It’s pretty subjective. Depends on who gets it and where. My suggestion: don’t worry, if it hurt that bad, I would not have all these tattoos! I’m a bit of a softie, myself. And, clients tell me I have a light hand. I’m very mindful of clients’ pain. And keep an eye on their expression and breathing to make sure they’re doing well.
Plus, I provide numbing spray to ease the discomfort.
Think of it this way: it’s not going to hurt once it’s done! It will be worth the pain when you have that awesome tattoo you’ve been wanting.
An artist from my shop, Darren, and I co-starred in the Military edition of the Marked TV series. In it, we learn about and tattoo the stories of veterans and active duty military, competing with each other in each episode to see whose tattoo design gets picked by the service member for putting on their skin for life. You can learn about the show in this YouTube video.
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