Wednesday, 10 March 2010
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Advice: How Much Should I Pay for a Tattoo?
Whenever someone is sticking needles into your skin, you want to make sure they're being as safe and clean as possible. And when they're making permanent marks, you don't want there to be any mistakes.
So jeanine@datingish wants to know how much these expectations should cost you. Over in Advice, she asks:
What price point is about right for a medium-sized tattoo? I'm afraid if the price is too cheap, that should be a red-flag, but I don't want to get tricked into paying too much either? I want to get a dove tattooed on my back? Anyone have any ideas of what I should be spending?
Do you any experience with getting inked? Help Jeanine out by posting an answer on her Advice post!
Or ask your own question in Advice!
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Comments (35)
Expect to pay between $150-300, depending on the complexity of the design, size, and any colors used.
Every shop will charge differently. You should pay more attention to the artists' portfolios and go into the shop to check out if they're clean. I paid $80 for a tattoo on my wrist and $120 for one on my ankle. Both could probably be considered small. The price will vary based on the size of the tattoo that you want, the detail involved and the location (some spots are harder to tattoo than others so they charge more).
Everything the first two commenters said comes into play. Detail, colors, size, skill of the artist..
I mean, if you go to a scummy, one room apartment filled with cats and beer bottles and get a small, black peace sign from a guy who does it as a new hobby... probably 25 bucks.. haha.
They're expensive, but you're paying for a lot.
Having five tattoos, I can tell you that you're looking at an absolute minimum of $80 (not including a tip).
This covers the first hour of work, though some places do charge consultation fees on top of it all.
What would make it easier is if you had a specific image in mind, and described it in this post. Otherwise, you'll get numbers all across the board.
For something "medium sized" assuming it's not detail-heavy, you're looking at around $120+.
Well some artists/shops have set prices for small tats & some charge hourly rates depending on what you get.
To me, I do A LOT of research making sure the shop & artist is registered, clean, & follows the laws of their state. I mean, dont expect it to be cheap, it's art that goes on your body forever. People should be more concerned with the shop appearance & the things I mentioned. I've heard stories of people wanting tats so bad but had no money so they went anywhere or in a garage & got infections or worse.
on top of what everyone is saying, depends where you are in the country too. i live in boston, and the going rate is something like $80-100/hr... ish. something small like you are describing would probably be in between $100-200 in boston. my friend in wyoming got a multi-session thing spanning her entire side (chest down to upper thigh) done for around $300.
There are a lot of variables that go into pricing a tattoo. The most important aspect of getting a tattoo, though, will be the skill of the artist and their artwork. You can easily go to a shitty place where the artists will charge an arm and a leg for a piece of shit that will fade within the year, or you can find a good artist who charges an arm and a leg but it will be the most beautiful tattoo ever.
With tattoos, money should not be an object, but for a medium sized tattoo, I'd expect to pay 200-400 depending on how many hours it takes to get done. Even though it will be of smaller caliber, you also have to take into consideration how detailed the piece is.
My advice is to call around and find the median price range, and then go in and check out the artist's portfolio to see if their work is to your standards.
Best of luck! :)
I noticed most simple tatts could be about $60-80, especially if it's a pre-set design. If it's intricate, with the variables mentioned above, expect a rate of (on avg here in CA) about $150/hr (give or take). Some shops may even charge a session price (flat rate) which vary depending on how long they'll think it would take.
I have one on my ribcage, fairly intricate in design but no color, where the cost would've been about $600-700 (4 hr job), but the guy was a friend of mine and it only cost me $400. (Posted in my photos)
Depends on the tattooist, the shop, reputation, tattoo design, how many colors etc. I have 3 medium sized tattoos that have cost me no more than $100 a piece. Go to some tattoo shops, look at their profiles and ask for estimates.... That's what everyone should do.
It all depends on the artist. My tattoo artist charges a $60 minimum no matter the size/complexity/colors. I wouldn't pay less than that for any tattoo.
That depends largely on how good you want it to come out. Some artists will charge you a flat rate for specific sizes or color variations, others refuse to do custom jobs entirely.
One of the main points I like to bring up with prospective customers is that if you feel like you are paying too much for a tattoo, research the artist you're dealing with. If you're working with one of the top tattoo artists in the world, you shouldn't be surprised at a higher price tag - you're paying not only for the ink but their personal skill at the job. You're paying for the guarantee of their experience and professionalism.
Cheaper is not necessarily better. In fact, I'd be shocked if my artist charged me less than $160 for a normal sized tattoo.
i got a sparrow tattood on my back, just one would have cost me alittle over $100, but my boyfriend was getting it also so they cut us a deal, $70 a piece. that was at a local shop where my boyfriend got his first tattoo, the guy likes us so he may have cut us a deal, but for a decent sized bird, depending on how shaded and realistic could be anywhere from $100-$150 id say
@skylar_rose@xanga - I just read your comment... I want a tattoo soon. It will be about the size of a quarter in white ink, just 1 color. What would be a good tip? lol I didn't even think about a tip! I feel so silly!
@jennaX3rookie@xanga - Tips are definitely a courtesy thing. Most artists don't bring it up, but it's just something to say "thanks for sharing your talent". For a small, single colour tattoo (white is finicky however), a fair tip is about $10...again, if your artist is really friendly, you may feel compelled to tip more. However, if you have a rough experience with an unforgiving artist, then you may feel inclined to tip less.
It's an odd sort of thing, really. As the whole experience has to be taken into account. I've tipped my artist as much as $30 for an $80 tat.
I hope this cleared some things up for you. If not, feel free to message me :)
I think you should check out the particular artist's experience level. Some really good tattoo artists charge decent prices, and some are through the roof... that said, expect that you'll get what you pay for.
Sounded like a contradiction, but I get it. Ha.
Honestly it is going to depend heavily upon the artist and where you live. Big city tattoo artists that have a huge portfolio and a good customer base will be able to charge more, it's their ART. You really get what you pay for. Visit a few tattoo joints and talk to the various artists. Show them what you want and get quotes as well as look at their portfolios to get a good idea. If you see someone GREAT you will probably not think twice about the cost.
@jennaX3rookie@xanga - skylar_rose is right. i have white tattoos on my wrist and especially b/c it's so exposed it needs to be taken care of very carefully. my skin reacts to ink fairly well so you can see the white but it's still not incredibly noticeable (which is what i wanted). my tattoo shop will do 5 touch ups for free but a lot of places a) won't tattoo in white or b) won't do free touchups because white fades quicker and you need to take care of it better (if white tans it turns kind of a gross yellow color). just be sure to wear sunscreen on it every day and get it touched up at least once a year to keep it looking nice.
with tattoos, you just don't can't shop for the cheapest prices. with tattoos, you get what you pay for. expect to pay at least $150 for a good tattoo.
@zubes5806@xanga - I definitely agree. You get what you pay for.
Well, when I got my two tattoos, my first one cost about $80 when the tattoo artist said he normally would have charged $120, but since it was my first one, he cut me a deal, but with my second tattoo it was $120. They were both medium sized.
Best of luck with all of this. :)But as everyone said, it depends on where you go and how good the artist is and all that jazz. Just start browsing your local tattoo places around where you live and ask for a estimate how much it would it be.
Also depends just like everyone said as well, how detailed you want your tattoo you want. The price goes into that. But like I said, I can't just get one set price on here, I see so many different numbers. Just go browse around tattoo shops around you and get a estimated price. And I would have a print out of what you have if you want a lot of detail so they can see it and possibly give you a set price so you can compare prices from different shops. :)
@bri_pekar@xanga - Yeah, I know about the differences white ink has from black. I've done toooooooons of research on it, and after deciding that's what I want, I've found the one shop within 100 miles me that I like best as far as portfolios and artist's personal rules and ideas.
@skylar_rose@xanga -
Thank you :] I'll definitely bring a couple of extra 20s. I've never had a tattoo before, but the artist I'll be seeing has been very courteous and helpful so far. I can tell he cares about my tattoo and I haven't even made an appointment yet. Thanks, though! I can't believe I didn't even think about a tip! I feel so silly, lol.
i hv no idea.sry
depends on the complexity, but be wary of any tatoo shop that charges less than about $40/hour...
What exactly do you mean by medium sized?! o.O that's not specific at all. I've paid $120 for one tattoo, and $140 for the other, that had no colour but more detail. It depends on the artist as well as I think you could get a tattoo cheaper if they were not very hygenic :P which is a BAD thing.
Oh, and avoid going to tattoo parlours associated with gangs.
my tattoos have been anywhere from $60 - $300.... so like everyone has said really just do your research. Make sure the place is clean and make sure you like the portfolio of the artist you are going to, pay attention to detail to, like are the lines clean at straight? Does the coloring look even?
No matter how small (even if it's only the size of a finger-print), a tattoo should never cost less than $50 - this covers the cost of sterilizing the gun, opening a brand new needle, and other supplies. If a studio is willing to charge less than $50, LEAVE. Beyond that, what other people are saying is true - size, color, detail, and skill all factor into price. The artists I use charge about $100 an hour, which is a fair price, considering they run a very clean business and have years of experience. Make sure you find the right artist for you - each artist has a unique style, so make sure you look through their portfolios and find someone whose art matches your style. Make sure they're licensed, and DON'T FORGET TO TIP!