Inspired by the “Who has tattoo/piercings…” thread. I was wondering how much you have “invested” in tattoos, piercings, and other body mods. Let’s leave out the price of jewelry since that’s just so variable.
I was in Vegas a couple months ago and was suprised by the fees at the trendy Hart & Huntington tattoo parlor in the Palms. I know that Vegas prices are higher for everything but the line went out the door for $250 flash pieces that were less than 3" across. The rule of thumb I tell people, at least for Denver tattoos, is $100 per hour of work.
I’ve got two tattoos, one pretty large, and one piercing. The piercing was a mall-store piercing so it was maybe $25 or so. The tattoos were $75 & $200 but that’s not really representative. The artist has become a good friend and cut me a break on second’s price. “List” price would’ve have been closer to $350 for my big one.
no tattoos on me as yet, but I have my tongue and navel pierced as well as three total in my ears. Ears were all mall store done, so about 20 bucks each, tongue and navel were about 50 each, so around 160 in all.
My one tattoo is about 2" x 2" and in color. I took a laser printed color image to the tattoo shop and asked if they could do it. They made a transfer of the image, put it on my arm then inked it. Took about an hour altogether and cost $100. This in Lancaster, CA.
My tattoos are small, simple, typical, and girly. Nothing too special or original there.
The first was the butterfly and the guy quoted me like $75. After he was done, he was like, “No, man. You’re cool. I can’t take your money.” So I just tipped him $75. The butterfly is ok, I wish it wasn’t so black, but I imagine as it fades I can go back in and have it retouched up with brighter colors.
The other was sort of spur of the moment. The guy charged me $70 because my two friends were also getting tattoos. Looking back, I prob would just get the text and not the flower, but I still like it. I like both of my tattoos a lot, actually. I suppose that’s because they are mine.
As far as ear piercing: my first set was done at the hospital when I was two hours old. I suppose that was probably free. The next set was when I was 14 and was done at the mall- probably under $20. The next set of holes was the same. The cartilage was also at the mall, so probably $20 (I honestly don’t remember).
I’m impressed you guys remember. I got my ears pierced for the first time when I was 9 or 10, and I was given a pair of gold hoops. They were pierced at home, by my nurse mom, with a sterile needle. Don’t know how much they cost. Same with the two following times, although they were done in the stores, probably less than $20.
I have bought many pairs of earrings over the years, so who knows how much that cost.
As for my nose piercing, I had it done in India, so even if I knew how much it cost, I couldn’t tell you the exchange rate from 12 years ago. I got a stud to go with it, then bought a hoop later, and now I have a flower with a corkscrew that cost over $300 and is 22 K gold. Of course, it never gets infected or anything!
That’s the best I can remember. Oh, and no tattoos.
I don’t know how much my ear piercings cost since I didn’t pay for them (birthday presents, all) but they were all done at the mall at those places which are free as long as you buy starter earrings. Stainless steel earrings are usually around $10/pair, so maybe $30 for that?
My first tattoo (one inch square, and black) ran to $30 and I tipped him $5. My second (two inches square, black outline) was $50 and I tipped him $10. (I have a photographic memory for these things.) I’m shocked at what some artists charge–$75 for a tiny piece of flash? When I was shopping around the guy at the trendy place tried to charge me $100 for my second and wanted to radically alter the art, and the place had a real take-a-number-bitch attitude. My shop is more out of the way and you can tell the artists really take pride in their work and aren’t just trying for a buck. The clientele is older too, at least what I saw of it. The artist said I was only the second person in twenty years to get a typewriter tattoo! Made me feel all special and shit.
So yeah, around $100 of my own money and a little of my mom’s.
I have two small tatoos and one larger (8"x6"). The smaller ones were $50 ea. The big one I got for $200 from a friend. (I got a quote at a shop for $650) I also have two body piercings that cost $50 ea.
I ended up taking them both out after they had healed and then getting them re-pierced. (which hurts a lot more the second time around btw) I also have my ears pierced twice each. I didn’t pay for those myself so I don’t think they count.
So, the total is $500.
Wow, I never added it up. I’m dying to get more tatoos, but funds are limited for the time being.
I don’t know how much my first ear piercings were, as they were done when I was seven months old. (No daughter of mine will have her ears pierced before she’s old enough to ask for it, which is just another reason my family thinks I’m crazy.) All the others were done at mall shops, so $10 or $15 each. My second lobe piercings in both ears were done together, but all the others (another lobe piercing in the right ear, one upper cartilage in the left, and two upper cartilage in the right) were done separately, so charged for separately. I have one tattoo that cost me $50. So, let’s see, that would bring the total to $100 or $175. I plan to get my ear piercings evened up one day, adding both another lower and upper piercing to the left ear so that it matches the right, and I might get more tattoos.
My tattoo is a fairly decent size and intricate. I think it was $175. Or maybe $150 and I tipped $25.
I had text added to it last year and I don’t remember the cost. I think I recall it being relatively expensive (compared to the price of the original, done at a diff shop). $80 maybe?
I’ve got 2 holes in each earlobe and I also forget the cost. Done at the mall. Had my cartilidge done at the mall at one time to but I let it close up.
Considering how much I love my tattoos and my ear piercings, I think having paid around $350 for them all over 10 years has been a great bargain
When I got my ears pierced at the mall at the age of six it was “Free ear piercing with purcahse of earings!”. So free, I guess.
The rest of my body mods have been done at the same studio and I know the owner, so the prices are very low. The house minimum for a tattoo is usually $60, but Gerry will charge me much less knowing I’ll tip to make up for it and recommend a lot of people to him. Altogether, my tongue piercing was $40, my bellybutton piercing was $40, my below-the-belt piercing was $50, but back tattoos were $100 and $50, my ankle tattoos were $50 and free, and my hip tattoo was $30. So my mental math gives me… $360 altogether? Before tips and baking supplies (I also make a big ol’ batch of cookies or brownies to bring to the studio guys when I’m getting a tattoo done.)
Hmm. I have one piercing in my tongue that cost about $60. I have two small tattoos, each of which cost in the neighbourhood of $70. I have my ears pierced, but I kept letting them grow over when I was young because they were so often infected. Grand total for the ears would be around $70.
So $370.
If we’re including the cost of the jewelry, well, then, significantly more.
The small tat on my right hip is about the size of a silver dollar, and ran $50. My dragon & tribals, which take up most of the small of my back, were $250. They were done by a friend who works here, so I got a discount.
Had Claire’s ear piercings, they grew in, so probably $15. Had earlobes and cartilage piercing professionally, $80 (the jewelry was included and damn expensive). So, $95.
Done with ear piercings, would get another tattoo again in a second.
