Okay, you’ve decided to get a tattoo. Great! But when considering which tattoo to get, don’t forget tattoo cost. Tattoos have been known to be expensive and you need to make sure your are prepared for the cost of the tattoo you want. There are many factors that figure into the cost of a tattoo such as size, color, complexity, and placement. This article will cover all of these factors so you can choose a tattoo that will fit into your budget or save up the money to get the tattoo that you really want.
Some tattooist charge by the hour; some charge by the design. The cost per hour in smaller cities tends to run around $35 per hour with a one-hour minimum. In larger cities, the average cost is around $50 to $100 per hour also with a one-hour minimum. The one-hour minimum means that if they charge $75 per hour and it only takes thirty minutes to do your tattoo, it will still cost you the full $75. The reason for the “one-hour minimum” rule is that the tattooist has to cover the cost of the “chair”. This covers costs that that tattoo artist has in running their business such as rent, ink, utilities, etc.
Every business has overhead costs and tattoo parlors are no exception. Keep in mind, that these hourly figures are just averages. If you go all out and hire a world-class tattoo artist, you may have to pay up to $275 per hour with a four-month wait. The next factor that contributes to the cost of getting your tattoo is size. Some tattoo parlors will waive the hourly minimum cost if you are just getting one small tattoo. The low-side estimates for this would be $50 for a small heart design and the high-side cost would be $800 for an Oriental Dragon. Many times, tattoos that just include lettering will have a set price. Color is another thing you need to take into consideration when choosing your tattoo design. Black tattoos are going to cost less than a design that has a lot of ink colors with a lot of shading detail.
Obviously, the solid black designs are going to be a lot less expensive than multi-colored tattoos. Another thing that you need to think about is “how complex is the design?” The more intricate and complex a design is, the more the cost is going to be. This is, of course, because a complex design is going to take much longer to tattoo than a plain and simple design. It also takes a tattoo artist with more experience and skill to do a complex design. Experience and skill cost money. Trust me – you don’t want a beginning tattooist to do a complex design for you. If you do choose a beginning tattoo artist for a complex design, make sure you see some actual work done by this tattooist first. Don’t take a chance!
The last two things that will figure into the cost is placement of the tattoo and having custom work done. It goes without saying that if you are getting a tattoo custom drawn and designed; it is going to up the cost a great deal. You have to keep in mind though that you will be getting a one-of-a-kind tattoo that no one else has. Tattoo placement may be something that you didn't think of when considering costs, but it is something that you have to consider. Some places on your body are just easier to get to and work on than other places. Be sure when getting a price from your tattoo artist that you let him know where you want the tattoo.
One last cost to consider is aftercare supplies. Your tattooist may charge you for the supplies or they may just give you a supply list of items you need for caring for your new tattoo. The costs for aftercare supplies is usually minimal. After you have decided which tattoo you really want and have found the tattoo artist you want to do your design, take your choice of tattoo to the artist and let them give you a price. This is the only way you can be sure of the exact cost. Remember, you get what you pay for. Y
our tattoo will be with you for the rest of your life. Don’t rush into getting a tattoo and don’t choose a tattoo artist based simply on cheap cost. Don’t skimp on cost and get a tattoo you will regret because if you think getting a tattoo is expensive, wait until you see the cost of getting one removed!
Go to http://www.squidoo.com/hip-tattoo for more helpful tattoo articles, tattoo designs, and tattoo pictures.
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