Toby Linwood
Tattoo interests and specialties: large scale tattoos, neo tribal, traditional tribal, black work, fine lines, micro tattoos, dot work, mandala, floral, ornamental, illustrative, script, single needle, cover up and reworking tattoos.
Tattoo Booking is Open
Toby participates in most Walk-in Wednesday’s September- May.
New tattoo clients:
If you have a concept that you want Toby to work with you on get on his new client list. Toby accepts new client tattoo projects as he finishes up in progress clients work. Request new tattoo work here:
There is a wait with this form, Toby goes through tattoo requests every month or so and there still might be a wait to get scheduled once he approves the request, but once he approves you, you know he will do it!
In progress tattoo clients:
If you have a tattoo started by Toby and you want to get on his calendar (at any point) for him to finish it, fill out this form. This is the best way to schedule appointments:
This form is to get a comprehensive list of Toby’s in progress clients so we have updated info so Nisha can contact you! In progress clients get emails first, when Toby opens up his calendar (every few months).
To schedule a tattoo touch up or for a question about an upcoming tattoo appointment with Toby, text Nisha at: 415-370-1298
Nisha, Toby’s wife and the other owner of the tattoo shop, runs the back end of the shop and Toby’s tattoo schedule. Nisha is the point of contact for Toby’s clients. There is a delay in the summer June-September when they prepare for and participate in their tribal ceremony.
Toby Linwood (he/him) is a BIPOC (Black & Indigenous Person of Color) tattoo shop owner and licensed tattoo artist at Tattoo 34 in Portland, OR. Toby has been tattooing since 2010. He started his tattoo career in the Bay Area and then moved with his family to continue his profession in Portland.
Toby started his passion for art in Southern Oregon, as a graffiti artist when he was a teen. Between that art form and this one he has taught art to children, done graphic and interior design, painted, drew, sculpted, carved, and etched, among so many other art-related endeavors. He has had his sculptures featured at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada, at the "Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Award Show" and on the "Queen Latifah Show".
Toby said he enjoys tattooing because, "I love working with and creating artwork with other people. I've created artwork in many other forms but this one is more lasting and personal." Toby is comfortable doing most styles of tattooing and can be very adaptive however he is narrowing down his tattoo focus to encompass the styles and content he finds most fulfilling to tattoo: large scale neo-tribal that stems from Toby’s Afro-Indigenous roots, floral, ornamental work, traditional tribal, black work or a mix of those styles. Toby is also known for his script, lettering work and cover up/rework ability. Toby's passion and dedication to his art shows in every tattoo he creates.
Toby stays busy between his art, this business, his family and participating in his own, as well as his wife's tribal ceremonies. Toby is striving for a healthy work/life balance and focusing his tattoo schedule to prioritize his personal and professional goals.
Ways to Work with Tattoo Artist Toby Linwood:
Fresh walk in tattoo by Toby
Walk in Tattoo
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Walk in’s consist of pre drawn tattoo flash options as well as small/short custom tattoo requests. Walk in’s are not for clients who want to continue on a large piece or start a big project.
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Toby’s minimum: $200
2 hours (or less): $400
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Walk in tattoos are small or simple and take 2 hours or less (see examples on the walk in tattoo page).
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Wednesday (Walk in Wednesday 12-6pm) on the Wednesday’s he is working, see the walk in tattoo day page for calendar.
Toby only does walk in Wednesday’s September-May.
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If you come in for a walk in tattoo and after healing think a touch up is needed, you can come back in on a Wednesday that Toby is working and get it done for free.
These tattoo touch up’s are 1 hour or less, otherwise it’s a paid tattoo appointment.
Healed back tattoo by Toby (one appointment)
Hourly Tattoo (one & done)
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Hourly is for a tattoo that only requires one appointment (one & done).
Or to finish a multi-session project that only needs 6 hours or less of tattoo time.
Or to book if you prefer shorter sessions when getting tattooed.
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Toby’s hourly: $220
Deposit is $220 for hourly rate appointments, the final cost will reflect the number of hours.
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Hourly ranges from 3-8 hours. Hard stop at 8pm, at the latest.
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Generally booked at 10am: Monday, Tuesday or Thursday
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For a touch up on these, you can come in on a walk in Wednesday or schedule a touch up on a Monday. Contact Nisha by text (415-370-1298) to schedule. A free touch up is 2 hrs or less, otherwise it’s a paid tattoo appointment.
Fresh and some healed back tattoo by Toby (multiple appointments)
Multi-session Tattoo Project
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Focus on you and your project - he only does one client per day
Collaborative design time
Draws directly on your skin (marker to skin)- in most cases
Confirming the perfect placement
Tattoo time (needle to skin) including any touch up needed from past sessions
And any other time that you need (to make decisions, take pain breaks, eat, etc.)
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Toby’s Session Fee: $1600
Payments: Half for the deposit (paid when appointment is scheduled to hold the day) and the other half paid the day of the tattoo appointment.
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Full day. Hard stop at 8pm, at the latest.
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Generally booked at 10am: Tuesday, Thursday or Friday
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For a multi session tattoo project Toby generally touches up as he goes (during the next appointment). Once a piece is totally complete and healed (at least 4 weeks) and if it needs a short touch up please contact Nisha by text (415-370-1298) to schedule.
A “free touch up” is within the first year of completion of the whole project and generally takes 2-3 hours or less, otherwise it’s a paid tattoo appointment.
The things to know about scheduling & tattooing w/Toby.
Toby tattoos on weekdays only (Monday-Friday), during the daytime. Hard stop is 8pm at the latest for any tattoo or appointment.
Walk in tattoos: Most weeks from September-May, Toby participates in walk-in Wednesday. No appointment needed for walk-in day’s. Walk in’s are first come, first served and must fit the walk in tattoo guidelines (see the walk in page for examples). Walk-in tattoos are 1-2 hours max and the day starts at noon and can require patience.
Appointments: (hourly or session) times can vary in length based on the design, decisions, drawing time on your skin, breaks and the tattoo process itself. When using the scheduling link (sent by Nisha) to book an appointment with Toby the time shown is only a placeholder not a guaranteed length. For the best tattoo results plan to come in with an open day, an open mind and with trust and patience.
Payments: A deposit (half the session fee) is required to hold your date, with the remaining half due on the day of your tattoo appointment. For hourly rate appointments the deposit is $220, the final cost will reflect how many hours it took to tattoo.
More information about all of this and more is above, in the drop down menus for each tattoo option.
Toby’s tattoo process:
He will generally freehand, meaning draw the "stencil" right on to your skin (see examples below) instead of applying a pre-drawn and printed stencil. Toby uses markers to draw the concept straight on your skin. This process happens in real time. Toby likes having that collaborative design time with you, the ability to make the placement perfect for the location on your body, and the confirmation you love the placement and design before tattooing.
Toby wants the content he will be tattooing to be fresh. He has his own creative process and the way he creates best is in the zone and under pressure, which is why he draws the design on you, the day of and can easily loose track of time. Toby puts a lot of care in to every piece and prefers a full day where he can focus on your tattoo only and get in to a flow state with the design and process.
If you have a specific out time on appointment day, please let Nisha know when you schedule and tell Toby the day of. Toby’s hard stop is 8pm at the latest, for any tattoo or appointment. For the best tattoo results schedule your appointment when you can come in with an open day, an open mind and with trust and patience.
Consultations: Toby usually doesn’t require tattoo consults, in general he can get what he needs from the tattoo request form. After a form is submitted you will receive an email with information. If he requests a consult to confirm your tattoo idea before booking, you will get that info. If you want to schedule a tattoo consultation to confirm you want to book with Toby, contact Nisha by text (415-370-1298).
Touch up’s: If your project is a multi session tattoo project Toby will generally touch up as he goes (during the next appointment). Once a piece is totally complete and healed (at least 4 weeks) and if it needs a short touch up please contact Nisha by text (415-370-1298) to schedule. For Toby’s tattoos a “free touch up” is within the first year of completion of the whole project and generally takes 2-3 hours or less, otherwise it’s a paid tattoo appointment.
Walk-in’s consist of pre drawn tattoo flash options as well as small/short custom tattoo requests. In general walk in tattoos are small or simple and take 2 hours or less. Walk in day’s may require patience! Walk in tattoos are not for clients who want to continue on a large piece or start a big project. Toby participates in most of the tattoo shop’s walk in Wednesday’s September-May. If you come in for a walk in tattoo and after healing think a touch up is needed, you can come back in on a Wednesday that Toby is working and get it done.
Drawn on and then tattooed by Toby, before and after pics:
FAQ’s about tattoos & scheduling with Toby.
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The online calendar only allows scheduling 2- 3 months out. More days will open as we go.
A few days each month are blocked out for reschedules and flexibility. Those can become available as we get closer to them as well. We want anyone who is sick to change their appointment date and be able to rebook in a reasonable timeframe.
If you can’t find an available date right now, check back periodically at the scheduling link (you are emailed after submitting a tattoo form), more days continue to open.
Toby doesn’t tattoo in Portland most of June-August to prepare for and participate in Tribal ceremony so those dates will always be unavailable.
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We added this question (it is not a required question) to some of Toby’s client forms because prioritizing Indigenous/Native, Black and other POC (People of Color) tattoo clients is important to us.
Toby is one of only a few Indigenous and/or Black tattoo artists in Portland, OR.
If it is important to a client to have a cultural connection and understanding of identity with their tattoo artist as an Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Color, we want to recognize that and prioritize those tattoo clients.
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As a Native owned tattoo shop, we receive requests for Indigenous chin tattoos, and we want to approach this with care and honesty.
At Tattoo 34, and in Toby’s practice specifically, these markings are deeply sacred and carry cultural and ancestral meaning. They are not fashion statements, decorative tattoos or trends, they represent lineage, identity, and lived experience within specific Indigenous communities. Traditional chin tattoos deserve to be understood, respected and earned.
Toby cannot and will not decide who has “earned” a traditional tattoo. He does not tattoo women’s chin markings (paint) on just anyone, especially anyone outside of their cultural or ceremonial context. These tattoos are not done “just because” nor needs to be ‘reclaimed’ without the personal effort and work it takes to earn them.
If you are seeking this kind of tattoo, we encourage you to connect with your own community and cultural teachers to learn about your regions specific meanings and your personal process to earn the right to wear it. When and if the time feels right, we’re open to a conversation about how Toby might support that journey in a respectful way.
Walk-in Tattoos by Tattoo Artist Toby:
What clients are saying about Toby and the tattoo shop:
I absolutely LOVED working with Toby Linwood on this flash tattoo that he originally designed for Chuck Palahniuk’s book “Consider This’. Every step of the process (from the consultation to the finished product) was a pleasant experience. He was professional, precise, and easy to talk to. The tattoo has healed wonderfully. The pricing was incredibly reasonable. I would absolutely recommend Tattoo 34 to anyone.
— Sarah 8/21 (google)
“So grateful for Toby and the experience. I felt safe, emotionally supported, and seen and my tattoo, which he designed and created, was the perfect visual representation of my journey of reclamation of my Native heritage. This experience was truly a gift.”
— Molly W. 2/21 (yelp)
Absolutely loved my experience at this tattoo studio! From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed by the friendly and professional team, and the atmosphere was just perfect. The studio is beautifully decorated with a bright, clean, and relaxing vibe, enhanced by all the lovely plants around. Everyone was incredibly professional, making me feel at ease throughout my visit.
A huge thank you to Toby for his amazing work on my tattoo! I was blown away by how well the hand-drawn design came to life — it exceeded all of my expectations. The attention to detail and artistry is truly remarkable. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
This was hands down the best tattoo experience I’ve had, and I’m already looking forward to coming back. Thank you so much for creating such beautiful art for me! Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an amazing tattoo experience!
— Gabriella K. 2/25 (google)
“I had a fantastic experience at Tattoo 34. Toby is amazing. Actually, Toby is a bad ass! Went in for a consultation to update a tired, faded and old tattoo I had on my shoulder. After the consultation, I sent him a few ideas about what I was thinking. On the day of my appointment, we talked about the design, he pulled up a couple of examples and he created a masterpiece half sleeve cover-up. His work is amazing! Even his staff was engaged in the process. The vibe in his shop was so relaxed and super chill it was hard to believe I spend the day there. Toby is great and the experience in his shop was truly amazing!”
— J.P. 4/24 (yelp)
“Absolutely amazing experience. Toby is a beautiful human. I will never forget this piece, the stories we shared, and we will definitely be seeing him again in the good fight!”
— July H.
“Went in yesterday for touch up. Great experience!
My tattoo was near perfect, but Toby made a couple suggestions on how to improve and make the colors really pop. I accepted. Here is a man that stands by his work and knows his art reflects on him. None of that “there you go, it’s done. Gimme my money” Even after he’s done Toby looks at how his work can be improved.
Thank you for a great tattoo and human experience.”
— Dan P. 11/18 (yelp)
“Toby is great to work with, super patient and focused on helping the client to feel comfortable with the art they are choosing. I really appreciate how he talked to me through the process.”
— Tina A. 10/20 (square)
“Toby had so much patience with my ton of ideas. With his talent and creativity he captured what I was looking for. Looking forward to our next session.”
— Katrina J. 1/22 (square)
“I now have two pieces completed by Toby. I work as a touch/energy therapist. From my experience with my work I can vouch for Toby’s wonderful care of his clients. He is a gentle and loving spirit with an amazing ability to transform an artistic concept into a stunning and unique tattoo. His touch is caring and light and you can see his passion for his work shine. I trust his ability to craft a tattoo in the spirit of what I imagine and I would encourage you to give him as much creative freedom as you can with your piece. Every time I have given him freedom to express his artistic creativity with my tattoos he has blown my mind and left me extremely happy.”
— Adam C. (facebook)
“I got my first tattoo, and I am extremely happy to say that I did not leave disappointed. Toby first spoke to me while I babbled in my nervousness and I showed him a quick sketch I’d done of an idea I’d like to have tattooed. He looked at my tattoo, listened to my idea, and hashed out more about the piece I was hoping to get. Within minutes, he had a good idea of what I’d wanted.
Toby took my idea and did a freehand sketch before tattooing. He made sure that I was comfortable with the idea, and liked the design before he put ink in skin. I felt that he was extremely accommodating and professional throughout the process as well - he would check in to make sure that I was doing ok, and that the tattoo was looking the way I wanted it to.
The end result is stunning, and better than anything I could have hoped for. Toby executed my idea brilliantly and he knew how to draw a straight line really well! I’m especially awed at the fact that what I’d asked was an equal sign (meaning straight edges and straight lines throughout) and how he did all that freehand!
I love my tattoo, and love the fact that this shop is minority-owned and is a safe space for all. It is listed on Gay PDX’s site as one of the inclusive tattoo shops around Portland, and comes highly recommended for anyone who wants to get good tattoos while being treated fairly. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, and can’t wait to get another tattoo!”
— Julie L.
“Toby was very thoughtful and considerate. He helped replicate my sister’s writing. I look forward to working with Toby again because of the delivery of the piece, his kindness and professionalism. It’s a plus that Tattoo 34 is Black and Indigenous owned and share some of the same values as me!”
— T. Morrison 11/21 (instagram post)
I had my very first tattoo with Toby and I'm glad it was with him! He was attentive and detail oriented and absolutely professional. He answered all my questions and was receptive to feedback as we worked out the final design. In particular, I really liked how he made suggestions regarding certain details that really helped bring the final piece to life. It's like he sees more than just the visual design of the piece, he can glimpse the soul of it, and that comes out as he's working. I'm immensely satisfied with the results and I'm so happy that my first tattoo experience was with him!
— Philip E. 1/25 (google)
Great vibe in the shop, Toby was my artist and he was fantastic to work with. He gave me some advice on changing the design a little
to add more shading and I'm so glad I went with it because it looks better than I imagined. I will definitely be coming back.
— Mason R. 2/23 (google)
Covid Tattoo Days with Tattoo Artist Toby:
(He will still wear a mask if requested or if he is sick)
