Though it may seem like a fairly easy process, getting the right tattoo you want may take more than you think. This is the proven way to get the right tattoo. Aside from looking up artists to see which one may be doing something you are interested in, you need to consider the realistic costs of getting the tattoo you want.

You should not go in with the mindset that you are comparing apples to apples, as with most retail items. (A tube of toothpaste here vs. the same tube of toothpaste there) We get caught up in life, looking for the best deal for everything. Common household items or such might be a route to take. However, when shopping and budgeting for a tattoo, you need to research.

Artists’ skillsets vary from person to person, but some of the main factors involved are:

Professionalism – First and foremost, you want artists who hold themselves in a professional manner. One who is punctual, courteous, and responds to you reasonably, timely manner. A punctual artist takes your project seriously. By showing you that they value your time. With the world running in constant chaos, it can be very difficult, but it takes some serious planning. With respect to responding to you, you also need to be patient with this part. Tattoo artists are generally “one-man shows,” and for the most part, they are either tattooing, preparing a tattoo, or contacting others to set up more work. Most tattoo artists choose their preference of importance to them, or as they come in, first-come, first-serve. With busier tattoo studios, it is common to wait for long periods. If you send an email, do not expect a replay the same day. Give it at least 48 hours, but at the most, I would say, you should hear from them within a week. If you don’t, I highly recommend you resend an email or go in person. There is a lot to be said about potential clients who show up in person wanting tattoo work. It shows the artist you mean business.

Friendliness – The importance of a friendly artist may seem secondary to some, but most people want a tattoo artist they feel comfortable with. Someone, they can feel they can trust. The friendliness aspect definitely helps the client relax and makes it a more enjoyable experience. After all, you do not just want a tattoo, but an experience of getting one.

Experience Level – An artist’s experience level will tell you where they stand today in current times. Artists are constantly learning, even as they do each person’s tattoo, to get better. Here’s where it gets tricky, though. An Arts degree is not required to be a tattoo artist, and there is no good “tattoo school” I have found.

You have to understand that there are two main parts involved here. Artistry, or artistic knowledge, is the actual core art knowledge an individual has obtained outside of tattooing. This is an art skill regardless of what medium a person is working in. Tattooing is merely one medium to work in.  Then there is “technical ability.” Technical ability is the ability to apply the tattoo.  Anyone can stab anyone with some ink and needles, but it takes a true craftsman to lay in the pigment in a manner that makes it last and hold up well over time. Essentially, tattoos fight time and weather from the day they get laid into the skin. Therefore, you must find an artist who can properly lay in a good solid tattoo design. Here is a list of some that work here at AI.

Overall Cleanliness – This is one of the most important factors to think about because even a great tattoo artist can use less than adequate cleanliness methods. Now I do not want to scare the living heck outta you but think about it for a minute. Would you rather a moderately experienced tattoo artist tattooing you that was done in a safe manner or a careless tattoo artist that does not use safe practices but does outstanding work? I think the choice is clear you want to put safety first. Just because a tattoo looks outstanding does not always mean it was done in a safe manner. Again, not to scare you. But the primary things to look for are the overall cleanliness of the studio.  Is there food lying around in the tattoo area? Are people dressed in a clean and presentable manner? Are the needles and equipment being used coming out of unopened sterile pouches? It was very common to reuse certain tools that are properly cleaned and sterilized using an autoclave; however, most of today’s artists are using single-use items, such as needles, tubes, ink, paper products, etc. that are only going to be used in one session and then discarded.

Example of a generic sterilization pouch with labeling. Notice the labeling. Once the tools are cleaned and properly sterilized using an autoclave, the indicator on the label will turn a certain color.

Schedule – Scheduling is something you need to consider because you want to make sure that your schedule matches your artists. Tattoo artists are no longer looked at as night owls to make your quick buck. The tattoo industry has been one of the biggest booking industries in the last 15 years. So we tattooers do not all have to stay out in the wee hours trying to survive. Some of us have family lives, children, spouses, etc., and we are human too. We love to see our families. So my point is this, make sure you can find an artist that will be realistic for you to sync up your schedules. If that isn’t a possibility, you should take time off to meet the artists’ schedule or find another artist who can.

The time involved – Considering how much time you will need to get a tattoo can be tricky, but ask the artist. They know the general pace of their workmanship. Make sure this is something you can handle.

Notice I did not make the cost a factor? Great,… …it is a factor, but it should not be the first factor involved. The reason is because you have a lot of tattoo artists to choose from these days, with multiple factors to think about with each artist. Some will meet your needs somehow, and others will meet your needs in others. Try to find a good balance with something you can live with; after all, it is an important decision.

Tattoo artists generally charge either by design, in which they do a figure of the factors above and come up with a fair estimate and base it that way, or hourly. A set price is good because it gives the client a set price for what your tattoo will cost in its entirety. The downside to that is most artists can not put a set price on bigger tattoos because, in short, they will either leave you paying way more than you should or leave themselves losing more than they should. That is the reason they generally price it hourly. Hourly work is generally reserved for bigger tattoos because you cannot always estimate what time is involved. Hourly rates vary as well. A good hourly rate is generally $125-150 an hour, but they run well up past the $200 mark. Again, each tattoo artist sets their own pricing, but each artist also tattoos at different speeds, etc.

Example: a novice tattoo artist does a ship tattoo. It takes them 5 hours. They charge $100 an hour. The tattoo would be $500.

A veteran tattoo artist charges $200 an hour does the same tattoo. It takes them 2 hours to complete the job. The overall tattoo cost would be $400.

Also, the veteran tattoo artist will have done a better quality tattoo in a faster time, leaving less suffering for the client and no return visits to touch up the work. The novice tattooer seems like he giving a better deal because their hourly rate is half as cheap as the veteran tattoo artist. A novice tattoo will leave you with a tattoo that will most likely need to be reworked, touched up, and/or covered up. If you add the extra-added costs to touch up the tattoo, including time away from work, and or if the touch-up costs you assuming you go to a different artist, it could easily double the cost of what the novice tattooer charged you initially. I see this happen all the time. In fact it does. So you’re all set. You have done your research and gotten the perfect artist for your work. If it is a bigger tattoo, allow the proper amount of time to do the work. Big tattoos require multiple sessions.  So please take the time to consider all of these factors, as these are not all the factors, just the most important ones to me. Thanks for reading and have a great day.

-Spiro-

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Here is more information on getting a tattoo you mind find helpful. 

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