What Affects Tattoo Price: Project, Sessions, Deposit

“How much will it cost?” is usually the first question in a message to the studio. It’s a fair question, but an honest answer needs a few details about your project. You won’t find any amounts in this article. What you will find is an explanation of what affects the price of a tattoo, how we price large projects, how the deposit works, and what to send us so you get a ballpark quote quickly.

Why we don’t publish a price list

The same design can mean completely different work. A small piece with lots of detail can take more effort than a larger but simpler one. The same composition moved from the forearm to the ribs is a different project. A table of amounts would mislead more often than it would help, because it would have to assume that every tattoo of “this size” takes the same work.

Instead, we quote every idea individually and give you a ballpark price before you pay anything.

Six things that affect the quote

1. Size. The most obvious factor, but it doesn’t decide anything on its own. A branch a few centimeters long and the same branch running along the whole forearm are two different jobs.
2. Placement. Near bone, in creases, and on the ribs, skin behaves differently than on the forearm or thigh, so it’s worked differently.
3. Style and level of detail. A hyperrealistic portrait takes many hours of shading. A simple fine line design of the same size goes much faster, and a coin-sized micro-realism piece with soft light and shadow is yet another scale of work.
4. Color or black and grey. Full color usually means more layers and more work than a composition in black and grey tones.
5. Cover-up. Covering an old tattoo takes extra design work, and the new design usually has to be larger and darker than the old one. Sometimes laser lightening with a specialist is needed before the session.
6. Tattoo artist. Rates can differ between artists, because each has a different specialty and way of working. That’s why we always give the ballpark price together with a suggestion of a specific artist.

Per project or per session

We use two ways of pricing.

Project pricing works when the scope is clear from the start: we know the design, the size, and the placement. You know the price of the whole piece before you sit in the chair.

Per-session pricing is for large pieces spread over several appointments, when it’s hard to predict exactly how long each stage will take. Alex666Cold works in full-day sessions, so for his projects the quote most often refers to the number of sessions. For scale: the Harry Potter and Patronus sleeve took 4 sessions, and the portrait with Japanese masks across an entire back took 12. You can see both in Alex666Cold’s portfolio.

We give you the approximate session length and the estimated number of appointments together with the quote, so it’s easier to plan your days off and your budget. The price itself is always given per project or per session, so before you pay a deposit it’s clear roughly what your tattoo costs. We’ll tell you which model fits your idea when we quote it.

The deposit: what it’s for and how it works

We book a date only after you pay the deposit and we confirm it. The deposit isn’t an extra fee. It’s part of the tattoo price paid in advance, so on the day of the session you pay the difference. We set its amount individually, depending on the project, and give it to you with the quote.

The cancellation rules are simple:

• at least 14 days before the session — we refund the deposit or move it to a new date,
• later than that — the deposit is forfeited, because during that time the artist is drawing your design and keeping a working day free for you,
• if we cancel the session, for example because the artist is ill, you choose between a full deposit refund and a new date, with no extra charges.

For projects spread over several sessions, we agree on the payment rules before the first visit. The full terms are in the studio rules.

What can change the quote

The quote covers the design, size, and placement we agree on before the session. Small tweaks to the details of the sketch are fine and change nothing. But if on the day of the session you want to change the design, size, or placement significantly, the price may change too, and we’ll tell you before we start. For a major change, the artist may reschedule to prepare a new design. The deposit stays valid, and a separate fee may be charged for the new design, always agreed with you first.

How to get a ballpark quote

Message us on WhatsApp or Instagram and send:

• your idea in a few sentences,
• reference photos,
• the placement on your body and the approximate size in centimeters,
• for a cover-up, a photo of your current tattoo in daylight, without filters.

We’ll reply with a ballpark price, a suggested artist, and the nearest available dates. A quote doesn’t commit you to anything: you decide only when you pay the deposit.

What’s next

You’ll find a short summary of the rules on the Pricing page. If you’re thinking about covering an old tattoo, read how we assess an old tattoo before a cover-up. You can also give someone a tattoo with a gift voucher, and the person who receives it picks the design, the artist, and the date.