How much does a good tattoo really cost?

General tattoo discussion

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body
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Sat Sep 05, 2009 6:50 am

I am going to get a small/medium sized tattoo on my lower back. I'm new to tattoos so I don't really know how much a good tattoo should cost. So how much?

I know that different places will charge different amounts and details, color, size also play a part, but I'm asking overall. I don't want to be shocked by a price or wondering if my tattoo artist isn't as pro as I thought because it's too cheap.
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buttwheat
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Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:10 am

$5 to $3000 Way to many variables to give you a price. If you have a concern about an artist post a link to their work and we will take a look for you.
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Freddie
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Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:41 am

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EvilJay
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Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:35 am

$100-$175 an hour with a few being more. Thats about real.
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MayhemMonkey
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Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:53 pm

the guy i go to charges $150/hour which i feel is fair for his work
also, since he is doing a half sleeve for me he charges more like $150/1.5 hours
AWilliams
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Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:44 am

^^^ditto. I seemed to be getting 3 hours for $300-325
dan_T_jones
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Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:44 am

Fuck you Americans with your billions of tattoo parlours, incredibly talented artists and comparatively cheap rates. An average street shop price is like $150 here.
body
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Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:19 am

body wrote:I am going to get a small/medium sized tattoo on my lower back. I'm new to tattoos so I don't really know how much a good tattoo should cost. So how much?

I know that different places will charge different amounts and details, color, size also play a part, but I'm asking overall. I don't want to be shocked by a price or wondering if my tattoo artist isn't as pro as I thought because it's too cheap.

Oh... thats what i had in mind... thank you all for your help... kiss :lol:
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MattCrunk
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Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:20 pm

The truth is there is no exact answer here. A good tattoo is going to cost whatever a good artist is willing to do it for.

If you're friends with an artist or want something they have been itching to do, you may get a great price - even free maybe (but don't count on that).

My normal rate is $150 an hour, but for something I think I'll really enjoy doing or want to do for my portfolio, I'll sometimes work for a third of that, or a flat rate of $300 per session (up to six hours).
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threesixafix
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Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:03 pm

lower back? so what does it need to be? really good tribal? really good writing? "hit it harder" what is it you want done really well if you dont mind me asking?
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reefdiver
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Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:06 pm

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