Among other things, these things will determine how much it will cost. First of all, tattoos (which are done professionally) are not cheap. Your tattoo will be an investment, it will accompany you throughout your life and (hopefully) it will be something you will always be proud of.
The most important thing to keep in mind is this: cheap tattoos are not good and good tattoos are not cheap. People search for the cheapest price often without realizing that it is often poor quality or poor health and safety precautions.
The first thing to keep in mind when looking for a tattoo should be safety. Go to a professional store that is properly licensed by the health department because the dollars you would save otherwise are not close to the value of your health.
Tattoo artists generally get a commission (which is a certain percentage of their pay).
Typically, larger tattoos will be priced at an hourly rate, while smaller tattoos will be priced at a fixed price.
The best tattoo artists usually charge more than other tattoo shops in an area or city and book well in advance. In case you are looking for an original custom-made tattoo, you probably better wait a little longer and pay more to have one of these artists paint it.
In case you get a smaller “standard” tattoo, you can expect an hourly rate of between eighty and one hundred and fifty dollars. There is generally a minimum price for any tattoo, regardless of size. This takes into account the cost of the equipment and the time spent sterilizing and disinfecting. This minimum price can (depending on the artist) range from forty to one hundred dollars. Although young, inexperienced artists generally ink you for a lower price, you might think twice as many of them won’t do the best job for the money.
In the long run, it will be much more expensive (and not as pretty) when you have to remove or cover the tattoo.
The best thing to do is call one or two studios in your neighborhood and ask for their minimum price (generally the hourly rate will be roughly double).
Most tattoo artists will be able to suggest ways to simplify a tattoo, while the basic idea remains the same so that it costs less. Let the artist know if you have a budget and see if you can work within it.
Keep in mind that you will still be looking at your tattoo 20 years from now, while you will forget what you have paid for it in ten.
