How the Cost of Tattoos Varies

Looking to get a tattoo? Not sure about the cost of the tattoo? You should be aware that the price of a new tattoo varies greatly and does not start cheap. Demand for tattoos has increased the number of tattoo artists available but is not more than the demand for them so the prices hold steady or even increase. It’s expensive to get a tattoo, but it will last forever. How many products or services can say that today? That brings up an important point however, that your choice in a tattoo artist should not be based on cost but rather it should be based on the safety and quality of the tattoo professional. Tattoo artists make their money usually in one of two manners. Either the tattoo artist will charge by the hour or by the job performed. Keep in mind there are often minimum charges for any work done, so make sure you get what you want and not just the smallest design available. Tattoo artists that charge by the hour average between seventy-five and one hundred fifty dollars per hour, some high demand tattoo artists will obviously charge even more. Most tattoos will have a base line around fifty dollars and can go up into the thousands of dollars over several tattoo sessions, depending on the tattoo design. A base is necessary even for the very small tattoos done since the cost and preparation of the equipment must be factored in. Cost dependent factors include the location of the tattoo, the intricate details of the design, how many colors are used, the size, custom vs. copy or the time needed to complete the design. The location effects cost in that some places are easier to tattoo than others, for example a smooth shoulder is easier than the curvy lower back and requires the artist to go slower and take care in adapting to the shape in the body while placing the ink. The more details of a design is a rather obvious increase in cost, since more details will require more time to be spent on the image created. Colors affect the price of a tattoo, not in comparison to a black or gray image as some think, but how much color or how many colors will be needed for the art. More coloring again requires more time on the design and the more variety in colors raises cost and time spent on the artist’s part. The size of a tattoo is another obvious cost increase as the design gets larger, which takes more time in inking the design to skin. Custom work will require the artist to take time to create, draw and adjust the image even before the design is applied to the skin. An image copied from a printed image will be much cheaper than custom work since it is less labor-intensive. Please do not focus on the cost as much as the quality and safety of the business and artist that performs the tattoo work. It is your decision on where that line between quality and cost meet. Some tattoo artists will do above average work but will cost a lot more for their talent too. Other tattoo parlors may charge very little in the standards of the tattoo industry but their work will be below average and even dangerous if they do not practice safe handling and sanitizing methods. It all depends on your final result and in the tattoo industry you really do get what you pay for. Author Bio: Lucy is a writer and tattoo enthusiast. Visit her site to learn about the best tattoo designs and where to get them from. Also learn about the best skin care products to keep your skin looking great with the tattoos that you get