¿How much does a tattoo cost? Before knowing the specific answer to the question, we are going to explain in detail what they are and why their price is usually higher than we expected at first.
By tattoo we understand a permanent modification of the color of the skin in which it creates, making use of needles and other utensils that inject pigments under the epidermis. The first evidence of tattoos was found in mummies belonging to the Chinchorro Culture, from 2000 BC, from Peru. These early tattoos were simple and only showed us a line on the upper lip of adult men.
Although the first tattoos were found in Peru, the word tattoo comes from the Samoan "tátua" which means to strike twice (the usual method to perform them). Over time the word tattoo has been adapted to the different urban tribes and nowadays it is also called "Tatu" or Tattoos ". The latter is used mainly by the most enthusiastic about this culture.
Although many people may think otherwise, tattoos do not change people's character. People who get tattoos seek to express their personal ideals through this practice. With the passage of time it has become common to see tattooed people, but a few years ago it was always associated with people of doubt reputation.
Tattoo styles
Over the years, tattoos have become commonplace and have become so popular among people that we can even find different programs on television where it shows the process and the motivations of people wanting to do one. Regarding the different types of tattoos, not all salons that carry out this type of insertion in the skin are specialized in all styles since, as we can see below, there are a large number, but here we are only going to highlight the main ones. Logically, each type of tattoo has a price, it is not the same to stick to a template from the tattoo parlor than to bring them a drawing or leave us in the hands of the artist.
Traditional American also known as Old School
It is a combination of bright colors with an iconography inspired by women and the sea, where we can see from Bare breasted women with mermaid tails to anchors passing by sharks. But we can also find the Indian theme in which we find eagles, Cherokee ...
Ornamental or Geometric
These types of tattoos have become the most popular among people who want to enter this world. They are usually monochromatic and they show us geometric figures joined by circles or lines.
New School or Realistic
This new style began in the 70s in the United States in which traditional styles are combined with the classics and they show us realistic images that simulate the movement of the drawing. The price of this type of tattoos is usually much more expensive than the usual ones, mainly due to the large number of hours it requires in addition to the use of different pigments to give a greater realism to the work.
Watercolor art
This type of tattoos presents us with two main features that we do not find in most tattoos: faded colors and lack of lines. The drawings present us with a watery appearance as if we were painting with watercolors (hence the name) and present us with black lines that show us the outline of the drawing.
stencil
These types of tattoos are what we can find in a large number of tattoo parlors, since are based on templates that the person to tattoo can choose. This type of tattoos may remind us in part of graffiti in which the outline is very marked. They are usually monochrome without any shadows or gradients.
Black & Gray
This is the most common tattoo in many countries but little by little he has lost much of his interest, because it does not offer us many customization possibilities. This type of tattoos offer us simple drawings, symbols, letters, religious or geometric figures and also abstract ones. Only black is used to make them. This type of tattoos is the one chosen by users who are not very clear about what they want to do but want to enter the world of tattoos.
dotwork
Unlike most tattoos that come from the United States, the Dotwork style is originally from the UK and as its name indicates (dot is point in English) it could be translated as knitting that is characterized by a constant dotting and where color is not used at any time, only black is used. This style of tattoo is recommended for all those who want to learn how to make tattoos.
B
Unlike most tattoos where a needle with pigments is used, those of the brush type they use a kind of brush, so its application is much more complicated than the traditional one, so it is very common to see tattoos of very poor quality. This technique is used mainly to make large tattoos where the area to be covered is very wide.
Durability of tattoos
The durability of tattoos has to do with the experience of the tattoo artist. As a general rule, the pigments used are introduced under the skin, but there are different layers in the skin, the deeper it is, the more durable it will last over the years. If, on the other hand, these are applied shallowly, over time they will fade and lose their color on the skin. If we are clear that we want to get a tattoo and we want it to last a lifetime, we must go to a salon that has plenty of experience, otherwise we want our beloved tattoo to become a blur.
Can you erase a tattoo
If the tattoo has been done correctly and is in the dermis, the only option to eliminate it is by using laser techniques. If, on the other hand, the tattoo has not reached the dermis, but is in superficial layers, with the regeneration of the outer layer of the skin, the tattoo will gradually disappear, although there may always be some trace that requires use of a laser to remove it completely.
The laser doesn't really remove the tattoo inkWhat it does is break into smaller parts so that they can be absorbed through the skin and later eliminated by the lymphatic system. Over the years, the price of tattoo removal has dropped a lot, since according to some surveys between 80 and 90% of users who have gone through a tattoo parlor want to get rid of it throughout their life. lifetime.
Tattoo prices
The price of tattoos varies greatly depending mainly on the size and colors used to make them, but they are not the only factors that influence the price. Logically, with larger sizes and colors, the cost of it increases. But in order to calculate the cost of getting a tattoo we can take into account the following characteristics.
Size
The bigger the tattoo, the longer it will take for the tattoo artist to make the drawing on our body. If we want to get a tattoo that covers our entire back, in a single color, we can pay about 800-900 euros, while if we opt for a small one, something smaller than the size of a hand, the price is usually around 50-60 euros.
Colours
The use of colors increases the price of tattoos, since you want several different needles to avoid mixing the colors, in addition the complexity of the same is increased as well as the number of hours to do it. The same tattoo that in black can cost us about 50-60 euros, if we want it in color the price of it can even be doubled.
Template, own design or free will
In tattoo parlors we can find a large number of templates that allow us to quickly get an idea of what we can do in that salon. Making use of this type of template is the cheapest way to brand new tattoo in our body. If, on the other hand, we carry our own design, the cost of it rises since it is out of the ordinary and the tattoo artist has to adhere to the size and wishes of the user.
However if the tattoo artist has a recognized prestige, we can choose to give it a free hand and have us tattoo whatever you want related to a theme. In these cases the price shoots up especially if we want the design to cover a large surface of our body such as the back or the chest.
Artist cache
If you really want to see what a tattoo artist is capable of, the best thing to do is ask for his book with the most representative works What have you done. With a bit of luck, maybe you can find a famous person who has passed through that tattoo parlor. Each professional has their own prices, but we must always be suspicious if the prices they offer us are too cheap, since the quality of the work may not be as expected.
Keep in mind that tattoos they are an invasive procedure in our dermis, which requires a few simple steps to avoid contracting diseases. Any professional who is introduced to this world uses gloves, disposable needles, sterilizes the equipment once the tattoo is finished ... With a simple glance we can quickly see if it meets the minimum hygiene conditions.
Health risks
As I have commented in the previous point, the tattoo is an intrusive procedure with which if certain hygiene measures are not observed, it can cause infections in addition to transmission of diseases such as HIV or hepatitis, it can also cause skin infections due to the use of pigments that can sometimes become carcinogenic. Some pigments may contain toxic chemicals such as heavy metals or hydrocarbons, hence it is always advisable to consult an experienced professional.
Green tattoos use nickel and chromium, cadmium is used for yellow, cobalt salts for blue, iron oxide for ocher tones, for white titanium and zinc oxide are used. We can also find organic pigments whose resistance to is lower and that also They can cause allergic reactions in certain people.
As you can see, it is difficult to fix the price of a tattoo without knowing the type, where and how you want it. If you want to help other users, tell us in the comments how much your tattoo has cost you and it will undoubtedly be a good reference to get an idea of the price to pay.