Are you getting ripped off?

I would like to take a second to talk about the cost of tattoos. I offer my tattoos at a very discounted price because I'm still an apprentice for another half a year. Even at this extreme discount I still hear gruff about the cost! It's important that you consider everything that goes into a tattoo before you whine about our shop minimum.

1) Our time. You get a lot of it. Even the simple tattoos have preparation in some way or another. If you are expecting a custom piece you are absolutely paying for our time. Time spent drawing, making stencils, talking with you about what you want, setting up, actually tattooing, cleaning up afterwards, etc. More goes into than what you personally see or acknowledge.

2) Our talent, experience, and knowledge. You came to us for a reason, right? Because we have the creative juices. If you're going to whine about how much it costs to get a drawing or a custom tattoo or the outcome of the tattoo... Do it yourself. It's easy to criticize a process you know nothing about, and it's hard to appreciate an art that you have never had to hone for yourself. Please try to be appreciative and understanding of the stress and concentration and effort that goes into this aspect.

3) Our supplies. Obviously the expense of a tattoo also has to cover the supplies that we had to purchase in order to create this for you! Tubes, machines, needles, power supplies, shop space, cords, bottles, ink, sanitation supplies, healing supplies, chairs, stands, lights, etc. It's a lot!

4) Permanence! This is something that will last for the rest of your life! Think about that little sexy tattoo you got for 150 bucks and whined about for being expensive. I wonder if there was ever a time you paid that much for an outfit that you wore once, or that only lasted for a couple years. This is an accessory you have forever and ever, which sounds like a bargain to me.

This doesn't cover everything but it seems to sound like an angry rant so I'm gonna wrap it up before it becomes offensive. Hopefully this helps to shine a little light on why artists charge what they do. If you're not getting proper sanitation, proper attention, quality art, or a proper environment, that is the time when you should question their prices.