Tattooing has always been expensive. The tattoo supply has increased dramatically with a surge in the amount of artists, but the demand has also increased, with more people getting tattoos, and tattooing becoming less taboo. So tattooing is still expensive.

In America, you can expect a basic price of $100 to $200 an hour. Sometimes shops don’t charge by the hour, but instead by the piece, and that may or may not be to your advantage.

There is a minimum at every shop, and although that often differs, very few shops will ever touch you for less than $50. This may seem incredibly pricey, especially since you might only want a star the size of a dime, but there’s a few reasons they won’t charge you less.

Most tattoo artists pay a percentage of what they make to the shop in order to work there and use certain supplies. Most shops in America pay between 40-60% of what they make to the shop’s owner, so out of that $40 minimum, the artist may only be making $20. Also, tattooing equipment is another cost. So in order to make it worth their time at all, they usually set minimums.

There are a few myths about the cost of tattoos that I’d like to correct. Color tattoos do not cost more than black and grey ones. Color tattoos do tend to take longer if they have large palettes than black and grey tattoos do, so that may be a factor, but color itself is not more expensive. Where it is on the body may differ in price at the discretion of the tattoo artist. Shoulders are easy to tattoo, while the lower back is much more difficult. So the same exact tattoo on your shoulder may cost a good deal less than it placed on your lower back. This shouldn’t factor into your decision when deciding where to place your tattoo that you will have for the rest of your life, but it is something that you might want to be aware of.

Since no tattoo price is set in stone, unless the artist works exactly by the hour only, tattoo artists oftentimes try to see how much money they can get out of the customer without scaring them away. Prices are often made up on the spot depending on many factors, including whether they are excited to do the piece, where it is going to be on your body, and even if they’re broke that week. So it’s wise to find a fair and talented tattoo artist that you trust, rather than gambling at the shop where its common practise to Hype themselves up & down the other guy..

Dirty tricks are a part of any industry but Tattoo studios have an advantage over say a business that sales a product. This alone is a big reason the industry is filled with a sense of bad mystic mojo. It is the unknown, a adventure into a world where each studio is its own jungle. Its also another reason people stay within one local studio, Because they carry the bad attitude from one studio to another and find themselves face with an artist or studio with a different values of business.

This article started out educating on the price of Tattoo work, I have given you an inside look about this topic. Tattoo Artist unlike other businesses can pick & choose the work they do by price alone. So in closing I will say talk to your artist truthfully, And if you get the feeling you’re a target then you probably are.

PICKING A STUDIO 
When considering a tattoo, it is important to do some research on the local studios before deciding to hire them. There are several questions that every customer should ask before even considering hiring a tattoo artist. How long has the studio been in business?
 Have there been any complaints lodged against them with the local Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.com)? If you have friends who also have tattoos, who do they recommend and what was their experience with the artist?

It is very important to follow up with references, along with an extensive background check of the company. The background check may be to simply make sure the company hasn't switched names a number of times or moved around frequently within the same area, which may indicate poor service.
 All of these factors must be considered before selecting a tattoo studio and/or artist. In your research, try to find out which businesses have the best history with making sure their equipment is clean. This is the most important thing to consider about tattoos because, if the business is not licensed or the artist is not a professional, there is no guarantee that their instruments are clean or properly maintained.
 Your health is your biggest concern so, if you are considering tattoos, be sure to select the best check with the local health dept. for studios with the highest score. If equipment/artist is unsanitary, there is the possibility of diseases being transmitted or even infections. These can be very dangerous and should not be discounted. A quality tattoo studio is one that will be welcoming to the customer.
 
The artist should be friendly and personable and not intimidate the customer. In addition, the artist should not push one design over another. For example, a customer should not be talked into getting a more expensive tattoo when the one they really wanted would cost much less. The same business practices, regarding sales and customer service, are the same with tattoo studios and any other business. No customer likes a pushy sales pitch or an unfriendly salesperson.
The studio that a customer ultimately selects should be one that looks clean, features friendly and courteous service and has a good record with the Health dept. and customer references. Ask about tipping, Most studios change a good price for a good tattoo. Artist or studios pushy for tips clearly do not have the best intentions concerning your art work.

The best way to locate tattoo studios is a quick search through the telephone book's yellow pages or via one of the many internet directories. By searching under the ‘tattoo' category or keyword, an individual should be able to quickly locate any studio in his/her local area. Although you maybe temped to run to the studio with the biggest ad do not over look the single line ad,
As always keep an opened mind about your options, Steer clear of any studio bad mouthing or showing bad work from other studios, Ask yourself why does this place have to tear down someone else in order to build themselves up ? Any true professional will show you their own portfolio, Leaving you to decide how they stand up to the local competitors .

Don’t be too excited about the hype coming from an artist about how long or how they was trained, Ask for the records. One problem of many studio is drugs don’t be afraid to check out your artist if you suspect drug use get out as quick as you can.
Remember you can only hear so many rumors about an studio or artist before you have to wonder if the whole world is calling them a junkie who is telling the truth ? Is the whole world lying, You have to be smart & part of being smart is keeping an open mind. Sure someone on drugs can paint your house work on your motorbike, But is that really the type of artist you want ?

I have personally known some great artist that could careless about Joe Blow customer giving them less than deservered ink work Yet grand standing at conventions & in advertising about the awards they have won, Bringing us back to don’t believe the hype