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.

I have a tattoo on my left shoulder blade that I want gone. How much does it usually cost to get a tattoo removed? Is the proceedure painful? I’ve heard the removal with leave a horrible scar, is this true? And if so, is the scar the shape of the tattoo?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

People usually jump right in with no thought at all when they get their first tattoo, which they then regret and decide to have it removed! Which i can tell you is not a great experience. To get a tattoo removed you have to keep going back for multiple painful appointments until the tattoo is completely removed, talk about costly!

Read the seven tips on choosing your first tattoo design before jumping in at the deep end and then you can rest assured that you have chosen a tattoo design that is right for you and one that you can live with for the rest of your life.

1) Choosing a Meaning

Most tattoo designs will have a meaning behind them, what you need to do is search the internet to find out it’s meaning and if it pertains to you, it is much better to have a tattoo that means something to you personally then just to have one with no meaning at all!

2) Look Around You!

Although you do not want to copy someone else’s tattoo, you can get some really good ideas by looking at other peoples tattoos and what they look like on them and what they mean, that way you will have more of an idea of what you want your tattoo design to look like.

3) Get a small tattoo to start with.

For your first tattoo i would recommend you start of with a small tattoo, not only because a large one will take longer and if it’s your first time you will not be accustomed to the slight pain you experience, but also if you really had to have it removed it will be quicker and less painful if it was just a small one rather than a large one.

4) Price of tattoos

Obviously the larger the tattoo the more it will cost you, that also applies to how much detail is in the tattoo as well, something that requires intricate detail will cost a lot more than just a simple shape or pattern, something to keep in mind for your first tattoo, especially if you are on a budget!

5) Where to have your tattoo

Choosing where on your body to have your tattoo is an important decision!

If you have a job that deals with people it might not be a great idea to have a tattoo anywhere on your neck,hands,forarms or even your face! Best places to have a tattoo is somewhere you can either cover it up when needed.

6) Painful areas

If this is your first tattoo it might be a good idea to have your tattoo on the least painful places on your body like your shoulder for example or your upper arm, probably not best to have one on your neck or something for your first time!

7) Choose a unique tattoo design.

Choosing your tattoo design is a personal thing and you want to make sure to choose one that not many other people have so that your is very unique and personal to you.

Choosing a tattoo design is not just a case of going on the internet and choosing the first thing you see and like, you have to ask yourself is that design unique, does it say something about me? Is it personal to me?

If you take your time and choose the right tattoo design that’s is right for you then you will be happy with your tattoo for the rest of your life.