Tattoo Artists in Bangalore: Finding the Best Artists in Town!

How much do tattoos cost in Bangalore?

Knowing how much a tattoo will cost helps with the planning for one’s dream tattoo.

Many factors determine the price a tattoo artist charges such as skill, reputation, artistic ability, location on the body, size of the tattoo, and complexity.

Typically, a high-quality tattoo performed in a professional and legally registered tattoo studio or parlor would be more expensive than some scratcher working out of their backroom. Considering that one could potentially take home a disease along with a low-quality permanent tattoo, paying a little more than normal can certainly be worth the cost in the long run.

In general, the old saying applies that you get what you pay for. Though there’s no guarantee that the quality of a tattoo increases with the price being charged, at least one can ensure that one’s somewhere on the playing field.

How Much Do Tattoos Cost?

The price of one’s tattoo will depend on the following factors,

The Skill and Experience of the Artist: This is the leading and prime factor in determining the price a tattoo artist charges. A professional tattoo artist will charge more for their service. They usually charge on a per hour basis but will charge for the price of the tattoo if it is a small one that can be completed in one sitting.

If they have tattooed for years but possess low or no skill, or alternatively, they have skill but no experience, they won’t be eligible to charge a premium price. An artist must possess both of these attributes to ask for a high price.

1. Complexity: A complex design with a lot of intricate details might take multiple sessions and long hours. For example, watercolor tattoos cost a lot more than getting simple writing in black ink because they require a lot of colors and skilled techniques to create. Therefore, the amount of time it takes for a tattoo to be completed will be a strong determining factor.
2. Color: The more colors there are, the longer it will take because multiple colors mean that the design is more complicated.
3. Body Placement: Tattoo placement on the body is also a big determining factor. Some artists charge 10% to 25% more for a tattoo that is on a challenging body area. Difficult locations include the neck, feet, elbow, and face. Hand and finger tattoos are relatively easier.
4. Custom Designs: A simple design that the artist or tattoo parlor already has a stencil of will cost relatively less. If the artist has to make an original design based on what a client or customer wants, the time they take to conceptualize and draw the piece will factor into the price.
5. Geographical location: The price for a tattoo will be higher in bigger cities than in smaller towns.
6. Size: The smaller the tattoo, the cheaper the price. A small tattoo on one’s wrist might bring the price down or the shop’s minimum charge, but a full back tattoo might cost 10 times more.
7. The popularity of the Artist or the Studio: Artists and tattoo shops that are popular or famous can also charge a higher rate for their services. When appointments are limited, the expense and charge will most likely always go up, too.
8. Tattooing Tools: The tools and supplies used to create one’s tattoos are another expense incurred by the artist and passed onto the consumer. Such items include ink, needles, sterilization units, lotions, inkwells, wipes, and sprays.

What’s the Average Cost of a Small Tattoo?

Again, this depends on a number of factors that are covered above. A smaller tattoo does not necessarily mean it will be cheaper. If a client gets something with a lot of complex details, oftentimes, a smaller size will make it more difficult to draw in those details.

Cost Estimate of a Simple Tattoo

The average cost of a simple tattoo can be calculated at 700 rupees per square inch.

So if a customer gets a 6 x 6-inch tattoo (36 square inches), they will pay roughly 25000 rupees

However, this is just an estimate. 

How Your Tattoo Artist Will Quote the Cost

There are two forms of pricing within the tattoo industry and an artist will quote their customer based on one of these methods.

1. Set Price for the Whole Piece

This is often done when the customer comes in with a predetermined notion for a design and the artist can predict approximately how long it will take to complete the tattoo. For very big or complex designs that are going to be expensive, a tattoo studio may ask for a non-refundable deposit.

1. By the Hour

This quote will usually include the time it takes to apply the stencil as well as to complete the tattoo. In some cases, if the artist has created a custom design for a customer, they may include some of this creative time in the price.

The minimum charge for a by-the-hour quote is always one hour, even if your tattoo only takes five minutes to complete. This is because irrespective of the time it takes to tattoo you, your artist must provide new and sterilized equipment for each tattoo.

Good Tattoos Aren’t Cheap and Cheap Tattoos Aren’t Good

“Backyard” or home tattooers (also called scratchers) work out of their garages, backyards, sheds, kitchens, and living rooms.

It’s true that some very talented artists produce decent tattoos in their home studios. However, here we are talking about studios—places dedicated to tattooing work. A client will be able to tell the difference between a studio and a scratcher’s den by looking out for a couple of things.

How to Tell If A Home Tattoo Artist Is Legitimate

1. Check to see if the studio or workplace is sanitary. This includes the benches, the equipment, the table, and the place in general. Check to see if they look clean.
2. If the artist is using all the equipment usually seen in a tattoo parlor.
3. If they wear gloves when tattooing.
4. Check for a visible sterilization station. Hint: a proper sterilization station should not just be a pot boiling on the stove.
5. Where did they get their equipment? Did they purchase it from a legitimate merchant or buy it off eBay?
6. Make sure the artist doesn’t consume alcohol or drugs while tattooing. This is a huge red flag.
7. Do they give only vague or confusing instructions on how to take care of your tattoo?
8. As they tattoo, does it hurt, and are they rough with the equipment?

Besides getting a dodgy tattoo, a client may also take home a lot more than they bargained for in the shape of an infection or even a disease. Plus, they may experience more pain if they get a tattoo by a crappy artist instead of a professional.

Because they often cut corners, scratchers can offer tattoos at bargain prices. Even though a client will save a bit (maybe even a few hundred on a large tattoo), in the end, the client will triple the money they initially spent by either having to cover it up or get it removed.

Tattoo removal is costly, painful, and takes a long time. Laser tattoo removal costs a lot of money and session and will require at least six painful sessions. If a customer ends up with a bad tattoo and doesn’t want to go through the pain of laser removal, the only other choice is to get a cover-up tattoo, which will cost as much or be even more expensive than the original tattoo because it will be more complicated for the tattoo artist to design.

On the other hand, if a client wants their tattoo to last long, a professional artist will use better quality ink that won’t smudge.

Spend a bit more and, by the first payday after a client gets inked, the pain of their poverty will disappear as they gaze at their fantastic new tattoo.