# Hawaii Ink

> Tattoo artist directory and AI-powered consultation platform for Hawaiʻi. We connect clients with verified tattoo artists across Oʻahu (Honolulu, Waikiki), Maui, Hawaiʻi (Big Island, Kona, Hilo), Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi.

Hawaii Ink helps people find the right tattoo artist in Hawaiʻi through an AI-guided consultation intake. Clients describe their tattoo idea (style, placement, size, meaning, budget); we match the brief to best-fit verified artists. To submit a brief, the client places a $5 refundable hold that sits in escrow until an artist accepts — released back to the client's card automatically if no artist accepts within 72 hours, or applied as a credit toward their deposit if one does. Artists pay nothing to list and set their own consultation and tattoo pricing.

## Key facts

- Service area: All Hawaiian Islands (Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi/Big Island, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi)
- Platform charge: $5 USD refundable hold to submit a brief, held in escrow. Released automatically (full refund) if no artist accepts within 72 hours; credited toward the client's deposit if one does. 72-hour match guarantee.
- Tattoo pricing in Hawaiʻi (artist rates, separate from the $5 platform hold): roughly $150–$350+/hour depending on artist tenure and complexity. Artists set their own consultation fees and deposits in their quote.
- Cultural authority: We label cultural practitioners trained in kākau (traditional Hawaiian tattooing) distinctly from artists who do Polynesian-inspired work
- Free for artists: no listing fees, no commissions, no subscriptions

## Primary pages

- [Homepage](https://hawaii.ink): Platform overview, featured artists, how it works, FAQ
- [Browse artists & shops](https://hawaii.ink/browse): Filterable directory by island, style, walk-ins, cultural practice
- [Plan your tattoo trip](https://hawaii.ink/plan-your-trip): Visitor guide — pricing, booking timing, cultural etiquette, aftercare in the tropics
- [AI Style Finder](https://hawaii.ink/style-finder): Discover your tattoo style — Polynesian, kākau, fine-line, traditional, blackwork
- [Start consultation](https://hawaii.ink/consultation/start): Begin AI-guided tattoo brief
- [About](https://hawaii.ink/about): Mission, values, how the platform works
- [Journal](https://hawaii.ink/journal): Editorial — cultural deep-dives on kākau, visitor guides, artist spotlights, and style explainers
- [Sitemap](https://ajorvzslnhzpsuczimbt.supabase.co/functions/v1/generate-sitemap): Dynamic XML sitemap with all artist, shop, and journal URLs

## Location pages

Island landing pages (`/tattoo-artists/{island}`):
- /tattoo-artists/honolulu, /tattoo-artists/waikiki, /tattoo-artists/maui, /tattoo-artists/big-island, /tattoo-artists/kauai

City landing pages (`/tattoo-artists/{island}/{city}`) — directory + FAQ for each city:
- Oʻahu: /tattoo-artists/oahu/honolulu, /tattoo-artists/oahu/waikiki, /tattoo-artists/oahu/kailua, /tattoo-artists/oahu/kapolei
- Maui: /tattoo-artists/maui/lahaina, /tattoo-artists/maui/kihei, /tattoo-artists/maui/wailuku, /tattoo-artists/maui/paia
- Hawaiʻi Island: /tattoo-artists/big-island/kailua-kona, /tattoo-artists/big-island/hilo
- Kauaʻi: /tattoo-artists/kauai/lihue, /tattoo-artists/kauai/kapaa

## Style pages

Hawaii-wide style cluster pages:
- /styles/polynesian, /styles/kakau, /styles/fine-line, /styles/traditional-hawaiian

Style × island cross-pages (only published when ≥3 verified artists exist for the combo):
- Polynesian: /styles/polynesian/oahu, /styles/polynesian/maui, /styles/polynesian/big-island, /styles/polynesian/kauai
- Kākau (cultural practitioners): /styles/kakau/oahu, /styles/kakau/big-island
- Traditional Hawaiian (cultural practitioners): /styles/traditional-hawaiian/oahu, /styles/traditional-hawaiian/big-island
- Fine Line: /styles/fine-line/oahu, /styles/fine-line/maui
- Japanese: /styles/japanese/oahu
- Blackwork: /styles/blackwork/oahu, /styles/blackwork/maui

## Tattoo styles supported

Polynesian, traditional Hawaiian (kākau), fine-line, blackwork, traditional American, neo-traditional, Japanese, realism, watercolor, illustrative, lettering, geometric, dotwork, tribal, ornamental.

## Cultural posture

Hawaii Ink treats kākau as a sacred cultural practice with genealogical and spiritual significance. We do not present Polynesian-inspired tattoo work as equivalent to traditional kākau. We surface cultural practitioners with proper training as a distinct category and educate clients on the difference.

## Content licensing

Content on hawaii.ink may be quoted with attribution and a link to the source page. Please do not reproduce full pages or scrape artist portfolios without permission.

## Contact

- General: info@hawaii.ink
- Legal: legal@hawaii.ink
- Privacy: privacy@hawaii.ink