Think of getting a tattoo as you would an expensive purse or pair of shoes.
You want quality, and you know you have to spend to get it.
Spending money on your tattoo isn’t always a guarantee that you’re going to get the best possible tattoo, but it significantly increases your chances of getting something you’re thrilled to have on your body.
The cost of a tattoo consists of the supplies needed to deliver results and prevent infection, the size and complexity of your artwork, and the skill of the artist.
Here are the top 10 reasons tattoos are so expensive.
Why Are Tattoos So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
1. Overhead Costs
Operating a tattoo studio comes with costs that need to be paid every month.
These costs are paid through the services provided by the tattoo studio and are why many studios offer multiple services.
In order to open the doors of a tattoo studio, the owner has to find a place to rent and set up the interior with rooms or stations for tattoo artists to work in.
They also need to make sure there’s ample current to handle the electricity draw, provide furnishings, acquire licenses, have enough sinks available to maintain sanitary conditions, and provide at least one autoclave to keep tattoo equipment sterile.
Other costs include staffing a receptionist’s desk, a phone line, and keeping miscellaneous supplies at hand for employees and clients to use.
Employees need to be paid whether they’re contractors or hourly employees.
Outside services sometimes need to be called in to perform maintenance on the facility or to repair broken equipment.
Some costs are one-time only, while others are ongoing and need to be paid to keep the lights on and the doors open.
All of these costs add up and become part of the base rate that is charged by the tattoo studio.
2. The Design
Tattoos have a strong personal meaning to the person who’s getting one, and they are also something that will stay on their body for life.
The tattoo artist needs to be able to recreate the artwork to the client’s satisfaction as well as consider body contours when laying out the design.
You can bring in your own design, select an existing design known as a flash, or have the tattoo artist draw something up based on different elements and themes.
The tattoo artist is taking time away from doing an actual tattoo to prepare the artwork to your liking.
While it’s true that this is part of the process, it’s also something that adds to the cost of the tattoo.
You’re also paying for the artist’s expertise in creating a unique piece of art that’s a reflection of your personality.
The tattooist not only takes your design and translates it into something that’s going to be a permanent part of your body, but they’re also paying attention to the details you want to have in your final piece and ensuring that the final artwork is in line with your concept.
It’s possible to save money on the artwork portion of the tattoo by utilizing the services of a tattooist who’s just starting their career, but you have to be mindful of the fact that they may not be ready to take on complex pieces.
Tattoo artists spend years learning their craft, and an artist has spent hundreds of hours improving their skills.
The early years of a tattoo artist’s career are spent as an apprentice, and they don’t earn a lot of money during this period.
In the long run, don’t try to save money on the artwork portion of the tattoo.
It’s worth paying for an experienced tattoo artist to get results that you’re happy with and will be proud to show off once it’s healed.
3. Hourly Or Set Charge Per Piece
Tattoo studios tend to charge in one of two ways: by the hour or a set price.
Usually, a studio features both types of charges to accommodate clients who want a single tattoo with a simple design and those who want to have a complex piece done.
Tattoo studios sometimes set a minimum price for a tattoo regardless of size.
The reason for a minimum charge is the fact that there are costs involved in doing a tattoo of any size, and those costs have to be covered before the tattooist can begin.
Sometimes there’s a set charge for a single tattoo because the studio or tattooist has done multiple tattoos in a given style and knows how long it takes for completion even when the customer asks for extras.
Alternatively, a single price can be set because there are known quantities such as the amount of ink needed, how much time is required from start to finish, and the artwork isn’t complex.
Another factor in how you’re charged for a tattoo is the amount of work needed for completion.
If you’re seeking a large or complex tattoo—or both—you’re going to need multiple sessions to get your tattoo completed.
Large and/or complex tattoos require the tattoo artist to draw out the design and make sure it works well for the chosen body part.
After both the artist and client are satisfied with the initial result, the work can begin on the tattoo.
Getting a tattoo requires the client to stay still for long periods, and sometimes in an awkward position.
The sound and sensation of getting the tattoo can also be uncomfortable, and everyone has their limit for both aspects.
The tattoo artist also has a limit on how long they can work on a tattoo before they start experiencing fatigue.
They know that they should stop working on the tattoo lest they start making mistakes.
A large tattoo is typically done in sessions that are paid for each time by the client.
This ensures that the finished tattoo reflects the artist’s best work as well as makes it easier for the client to pace themselves in terms of payment and physical comfort.
4. The Amount Of Detail Required
A general rule of thumb for tattoo pricing is “the less detail, the lower the price.”
That means tattoos that don’t require a lot of line drawing and ink color changes are going to cost the least, whereas a tattoo that needs heavy outlining and multiple ink colors is going to cost more.
A simple tattoo that consists of a few outlines isn’t going to be nearly as expensive as a tattoo with multiple elements.
There’s less time spent on creating the artwork for the tattoo, transferring the drawing to the body, and outlining the image before applying color.
All of this changes when the tattoo is complex and requires a lot of detail to bring it to life.
All tattoos start with creating the outlines of the image to make it visible and create cells for shading.
In fact, a tattooist typically completes these lines during the initial sitting for a large or complex tattoo as it’s difficult to refresh the drawing at the next session.
Note that it’s difficult, but not impossible.
The fact that the artist may have to reapply the original design and align it with the current work is another aspect that goes into the cost of the tattoo.
5. Tattoo Artist Experience
A tattoo artist who has spent years perfecting their craft is going to increase the cost of the tattoo versus someone who’s just starting their career.
A tattoo artist with a lot of experience has earned the right to charge more for what they do because they have a proven track record and portfolio of work that demonstrates their capabilities.
A tattooist is someone who brings together varied skills that include the ability to create artwork, handle a tattoo gun and apply it to living tissue, choose and blend ink colors before applying them, do the same on the skin, and bring the concept to life.
All of these skills and more are applied in the creation of the tattoo.
Tattooists are available at all skill levels, but you can be certain that if you go to a reputable tattoo studio, you’re going to get a tattoo from an artist who’s capable of creating a tattoo you can be happy with.
Tattoo studios monitor the work that’s done by their artists and keep control over the type of work a junior artist gets in order to maintain its reputation.
Tattoo studios want to maintain a quality reputation because this brings in more clients and also attracts good artists with a following.
Some tattoo artists are booked for years in advance as people wait for an opportunity to get their dream tattoo.
It’s an opportunity to own a piece of artwork that’s unique to you.
Tattoo artists, just like any other artist, develop a unique style, have developed a technique that’s unlike any other, or focus on a certain type of art (natural, old school, animals, etc.) that is desirable among tattoo aficionados.
The more popular a tattoo artist becomes, the more they charge for their work.
However, all tattoo artists have to start somewhere, and sometimes they’re excellent artists before they pick up a tattoo gun for the first time.
The best way to pick a tattoo artist is to look at their portfolio of work.
Even the newest tattoo artist will have a portfolio of some type to show off their artistic talent.
You can sometimes luck into a good deal with a tattooist who’s just beginning their career with a needle gun but is capable of translating their drawing skills to skin.
Their portfolio will contain their artwork both on paper and on skin.
This shows you what you can expect from that person’s skills as a tattoo artist and helps you get a feel for the finished work.
Artistic skills translate very easily into tattooing with the need for drawing lines of all thicknesses as well as the shading, blending, and feathering of ink colors.
It never hurts to ask a tattoo artist about viewing their portfolio before beginning work.
In fact, most tattoo artists expect a client to want to see their portfolio to find out what kind of work they’ve done.
6. Overall Size Of The Tattoo
The size of the tattoo is another aspect that plays into the final cost of the work.
A large tattoo is always going to cost more than a small tattoo, and the actual price you pay depends on how many sessions are needed for its completion.
Talk to the tattooist to find out how long the work is going to take and get a cost estimate before you decide on getting a large piece.
You might find that the cost of the larger piece is prohibitive, or you might not want to cover as much area as you thought you did.
The tattoo artist can guide you on sizing and placement to help you keep costs contained while delivering the tattoo of your dreams.
Alternatively, discuss the idea of starting with a central image, or part of the image that can stand on its own, and adding more work later to get it to the size that you’re looking for.
7. Placement Of The Tattoo
Some areas of the body are easier to tattoo than others, but some can require more preparation even though they’re seemingly in a good location.
Placing a tattoo on a rounded area like the calf can add to the cost because of visual distortion caused by the curve of the leg.
The back and upper arm are the easiest places to put a tattoo as they tend to be wide and flat surfaces.
Areas of the body that are considered off-limits for viewing by the general public can receive tattoos, but the tattooist is going to charge accordingly for those areas.
8. Cost Of Materials For Creating The Tattoo
The equipment and materials used in the creation of the tattoo require the same amount of setup, no matter the complexity or simplicity of the piece.
However, smaller tattoos tend to cost less because they use less ink, require less time to draw up, transfer, and complete.
The tattoo artist has to prepare their tools, get the inks ready, and make sure they have a sufficient number of supplies on hand before they start work.
That includes making sure their reusable tools have been sterilized in the autoclave, the tattoo gun is protected, they’re wearing fresh gloves to prevent contamination, and they have wipes on hand.
The average cost of an ounce of ink is around $9.00, and a square inch of skin absorbs about 1/25 oz.
Tattoos with multiple colors are more costly due to the need to open more pots of ink and apply them to the work.
Other costs that come with tattoo creation include drop sheets and dental bibs used to cover furnishings and surfaces for protection.
9. Skin Preparation And Aftercare For The Tattoo
The artist has to prep your skin before and after the tattoo is placed.
That requires skincare products and bandages to make sure that the tattoo sets up properly after it’s been inked.
Skin preparation involves shaving off body hair in the area that’s going to receive the tattoo, then cleaning it with a medical-grade soap that kills skin bacteria.
The skin then has to be dried completely with a special towel made specifically for use on skin that’s about to be and has been tattooed.
The artist also uses the towels during the tattooing process to wipe away excess ink to track the progress of the tattoo and check for bleeding.
Upon completion of the tattoo, the artist does a final cleaning of the skin, then covers the tattoo with gauze.
The gauze is secured in place with skin-friendly tape to protect the tattoo for the first 24 hours.
The artist may supply you with a tattoo cleaning solution as part of the tattooing package, and it’s something you’ll use to ensure that your skin heals normally after the tattooing.
Tattoo artists provide you with post-care products that they’ve found to work well and provide the best results, but this also adds to the cost of the tattoo.
10. Tipping Your Tattoo Artist
Figure on tipping 20% of the cost of the tattoo to your artist.
Tipping shows your appreciation for their work, but it also helps them make up for the costs they have to pay to the tattoo studio.
Artists who work out of a studio split the cost of the tattoo with the studio.
The percentage varies from studio to studio, but the average split is 50/50.
Giving the artist a tip of 20% helps them earn more than they would otherwise, and helps overcome the fact that they can only do one tattoo at a time to earn money.
You’re always free to tip an amount that you see fit, but 20% is the average percentage that tattoo artists receive.
If you’re getting a large piece done over multiple sessions, discuss the tip with your artist beforehand to help manage expectations on behalf of you and the artist.
Conclusion
Think of getting a tattoo as you would an expensive purse or pair of shoes.
You want quality, and you know you have to spend to get it.
Check reviews for the tattoo parlor and the artists that work there before you pick up the phone to make an appointment.
This is something that is permanent, and you want to be certain that the studio stands by its artists, and that the artist has a good reputation.
Take the time to research the design you want, look at how detailed it is, and discuss it with your tattoo artist of choice.
The tattooist can help you understand what needs to be done to create the image on your skin, what they have to do in order to get it to match your vision, and how long it will take to complete.
When you know what to expect from getting the tattoo, it makes it easier to accept the price that you’re paying as well as feel good about making the decision to get one in the first place and helps you determine how much you want to add for the tip.
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