Need some advice in pricing.... I hate asking the question but I was a bit taken back

[Chris3000]

I hate to even ask this question because I don't want to come across as being cheap, but I want to make sure that I am paying a reasonable price for an addition of color on an exhisting tattoo. I want to add some color to the olive part of the hinge in the ditch of my arm. What my artist quoted seemed a little over the top so I thought I would find out from this group what a reasonable price would be.

I have attached a picture of the tattoo and I am wanting to add a rose gold color just to the olive. Thanks in advance for any advice and take care,

Chris

[Delicious]

Rule 1, never ever speak about pricing on here. its like the kiss of death.

[Lori Todd]

Meh ... We don't talk prices here. Sounds like you dont want much. Just remember that there's usually a shop minimum flat price that covers an hour (usually?).

[Chris3000]

Okay,

I had a feeling this was taboo. Thanks anyway.

[Avery Taylor]

Okay,

I had a feeling this was taboo. Thanks anyway.

You have only had the tattoo for a few weeks. Give it some time to settle in and for you to get used to having it before you start changing it up.

[reverend1]

I suppose one thing to keep in mind is even though the amount of time they might need to actually tattoo you is short, they still have to setup/breakdown, clean and everything else that would be involved in the longer session. Just something to think about.

[lving4today]

And ultimately pricing is up to the artist, there's no flat rate that is consistent with all works or artists

[Shaun1105]

I suppose one thing to keep in mind is even though the amount of time they might need to actually tattoo you is short, they still have to setup/breakdown, clean and everything else that would be involved in the longer session. Just something to think about.

^This. As a result, I would speculate that the least expensive* way to get your tiny olive colored would be to go back and get another tattoo and have your artist just put some color in it then.

*Yeah, that will be even more money out of your pocket than the quote you just got - but hey, a new tattoo!

[Chris3000]

Hi all,

Thanks for responding to my post, you are all right, it is up to the artist what they charge, they do have to set everything up and yeah, I could get this done in conjunction with another tattoo. I have swallowed my "cost concerns" and have scheduled an appointment to get the color. Avery, I totally agree with you in regards to waiting but I knew I wanted it colored when I got the original tatoo but I didn't know if I wanted it to be silver, gold, copper, etc. In the end I am going for rose gold. Wish me luck and thanks again everyone.

[lving4today]

Hi all,

Thanks for responding to my post, you are all right, it is up to the artist what they charge, they do have to set everything up and yeah, I could get this done in conjunction with another tattoo. I have swallowed my "cost concerns" and have scheduled an appointment to get the color. Avery, I totally agree with you in regards to waiting but I knew I wanted it colored when I got the original tatoo but I didn't know if I wanted it to be silver, gold, copper, etc. In the end I am going for rose gold. Wish me luck and thanks again everyone.

Solid decision, I personally liked the get another tattoo one because what's better than one tattoo? Twooo

[Chris3000]

Me too, but I'm poor at the moment.

Solid decision, I personally liked the get another tattoo one because what's better than one tattoo? Twooo

[Colored Guy]

I see some shops with a $100 minimum charge, which is fair as there are new needles, things to be sterilized, sundry shop supplies that get consumed, etc. And it all takes time.

Rob

[tonyced26]

Yes good decision. It'll look great with the color!

[tattooedgirl]

Just realize that tattoos are expensive, and that they will be with you for the rest of your life. I guess I am willing to pay more for a great tattoo from an artist that I trust. No need to be cheap here in my eyes, it is something that you have to live with for the rest of your life unless you do laser or add more to it in the future.

[blujax01]

I also have a question about pricing and that is the way some artists approach the pricing question.

After a discussion about the style, size, placement, color, etc., an artist who shall remain nameless says to me: "Well, how much were you looking to spend?"

Now I'm thinking that this person should give me an estimate or a flat out price because when I said: "Oh no more than $300", he jumps on it with "Yeah - we can do it for that!"

Is this a normal way of doing business in the 21st century? I don't feel like I got gipped but do wonder if he would have had the same answer if I said $200 or $250...

I haggle over buying a car. I don't want to have to do the same thing when I get inked.

[Colored Guy]

I also have a question about pricing and that is the way some artists approach the pricing question.

After a discussion about the style, size, placement, color, etc., an artist who shall remain nameless says to me: "Well, how much were you looking to spend?"

Now I'm thinking that this person should give me an estimate or a flat out price because when I said: "Oh no more than $300", he jumps on it with "Yeah - we can do it for that!"

Is this a normal way of doing business in the 21st century? I don't feel like I got gipped but do wonder if he would have had the same answer if I said $200 or $250...

I haggle over buying a car. I don't want to have to do the same thing when I get inked.

Any shop should tell you up front what their rates are, just ask if you want to know. All of my work is done by the hour and it works out in my favor. Haggling for tattoo work is a general breach of tattoo etiquette. I never had anyone ask how much I wanted to spend.

For whatever reason, if you don't have a warm and fuzzy about the shop/artist, go somewhere else. I've walked out of shops before if I wasn't comfortable with what I was hearing.

Rob

[slayer9019]

For whatever reason, if you don't have a warm and fuzzy about the shop/artist, go somewhere else.

I never have a warm and fuzzy feeling in a tattoo shop. Generally that is because I am laying down half clothed, with a man about to slowly stab me for a few hours. :)

I also have a question about pricing and that is the way some artists approach the pricing question.

After a discussion about the style, size, placement, color, etc., an artist who shall remain nameless says to me: "Well, how much were you looking to spend?"

Now I'm thinking that this person should give me an estimate or a flat out price because when I said: "Oh no more than $300", he jumps on it with "Yeah - we can do it for that!"

Is this a normal way of doing business in the 21st century? I don't feel like I got gipped but do wonder if he would have had the same answer if I said $200 or $250...

I haggle over buying a car. I don't want to have to do the same thing when I get inked.

I would think it is more to you benefit so they can work within your budget. Some people only have lets say $300 bucks but the tattoo would by hour cost $400. They will say sure lets do that instead of telling you its $400 and you leave.

I can tell you that I have never ask for or have been given a price when getting tattooed, I usually bring enough to cover 3 hours of the shops hourly rate. The only time I was asked a budget was when Stewart Robson tattooed me and that was more for (how much should I bring). Ended up being much under what I brought with me.

[else]

I never have a warm and fuzzy feeling in a tattoo shop. Generally that is because I am laying down half clothed, with a man about to slowly stab me for a few hours.

Sounds like a good time to me!!

[Colored Guy]

I never have a warm and fuzzy feeling in a tattoo shop. Generally that is because I am laying down half clothed, with a man about to slowly stab me for a few hours. :)

I would think it is more to you benefit so they can work within your budget. Some people only have lets say $300 bucks but the tattoo would by hour cost $400. They will say sure lets do that instead of telling you its $400 and you leave.

I can tell you that I have never ask for or have been given a price when getting tattooed, I usually bring enough to cover 3 hours of the shops hourly rate. The only time I was asked a budget was when Stewart Robson tattooed me and that was more for (how much should I bring). Ended up being much under what I brought with me.

Warm and fuzzy to a point I suppose. And when I'm 1/2 naked in the chair, some ass keeps opening the front door and I freeze.

I always bring roughly 2x of what I think it should be. I'm always surprised when it comes in under what I expected. I just toss a bigger tip on top of it.

Rob

[blujax01]

We had exchanged emails and I had given him an idea of what I wanted done. In my mind I was thinking that 15 years ago this would have set me back about $200 and figured the number to be close to $300 if not higher. Like I said, I didn't feel like I got gipped. He had the time of drawing it up, setting up, and then we spent about 2 hours in the chair. And we have to do some touchup which will cost him another set of needles and maybe another hour.

The thing is, like I said in the intro thread, I'm an older dude who thought my tattooing days were long over. "Back in the day" when I would talk to an artist he would explain the scope of the work and come right out with the price.

In retrospect, when he asked me how much I wanted to spend, I should have countered with: "I dunno, I'm not the artist. What do you think is fair?"

And when my 7 day probation is up, I'll post the piece in the gallery and you all can judge whether I should go back for my other forearm or find someone else...

[SacramentoDan]

I never ask how much the tattoo will be,it is what it is,I go to the same 2 artists in my area and I trust them and their work,it does'nt matter to me what it costs if it's what I want and done right.

I usually pay with a visa and ALWAYS tip 25%,usually I bring enough cash for a tip and pay for the tattoo with plastic,I like to run everything through my Alaska card to get the miles.

you know what they say ! "if you have to ask how much,you probably can't afford it" (or it's gonna turn out too small)

I also always bring at least a $20 bill for "touchup" tip money.

[Delicious]

Idk, all the shops where I live will ask you how much you have to spend. So that they can work accordingly. They only have a shop minimum, not a price per hour. For example, I went and got my most recent tattoo, brought x bucks of bday money with me. They asked what I wanted, where, and how much I had to spend. I told them. I expected a small tattoo, because x bucks isnt shit. They gave me a very large tattoo, because they really wanted to do it. But, i wouldnt go in there and ask for a large tattoo, only having certain amount of bucks. I wanted something small, that would fall within the budget I had. They went above and beyond. The exception, not the rule. It's totally douchey to ask for something big and amazing when you have no money. I went in there expecting a palm sized tattoo, now I have one that takes up half of my calf.

Btw, I totally swapped all prices paid with an X. as to avoid talking about price directly.