If you have researched getting a tattoo, you know that it can get pretty expensive to get one. There are a lot of factors that influence the price of a tattoo, namely the placement of the tattoo is one of the bigger contributing factors to it. Places like the sternum and the spine are some of the more expensive because of the difficulty of doing the tattoo and the sheer size of the tattoo. When it comes to smaller areas of the body, the most popular tattoos are usually reserved for the fingers!
So how much do finger tattoos cost? It can be based on a variety of factors that dictate how much a finger tattoo will cost. From the design, size, and artist prices, all of these are just some of the factors that determine the cost of finger tattoos, which averages around $50 to $250. But what most people do not know is that finger tattoos come with a hidden cost that will make the price way higher! So let’s see how much of a hit your wallet will be taking for a finger tattoo!
Key Takeaways
- There are at least 10 factors that can influence the price of getting a finger tattoo ranging from the size of the tattoo to whether it is a custom design or not.
- What many don’t know is that finger tattoos come with a hidden cost in the form of touch-ups it needs because the tattoo will fade really quickly.
- If you want to get a finger tattoo for cheaper, then you can follow some helpful tips! But remember that you need to do your own research to make sure that you are getting the right person to do your tattoo.
10 Factors for The Price of Finger Tattoos
Since there are so many things that influence the price of finger tattoos and the range of the price can be very high! Typically, it will cost you somewhere around $250 to get a finger tattoo so let’s how that comes about.
1. Size of tattoo
The good news is that you can only go so far with the size. Since the fingers are small, the size of finger tattoos will be small as well, which is why the price is relatively lower than most other tattoos on different parts of the body. You can’t really increase the size of the tattoo since the area to tattoo is very limited, so the price says pretty low.
2. Complexity of design
If the size of the tattoo acts as a base, the complexity of the design is where the price of the finger tattoo varies a lot! Simple designs like lining works or simple letters are pretty easy to do so it wouldn’t cost as much. But I have seen some finger tattoos go crazy with their designs! For example, I once saw someone with a wolf tattoo on their finger that looked like a miniature portrait with very intricate details and shading to it! Such a tattoo will definitely ramp up the cost of the tattoo by quite a margin.
3. Number of fingers
Since the design can be quite detailed, next is how many fingers you want to be tattooed. Of course, the more fingers you get tattooed, the more it will cost. Now combine the previous two factors and you can imagine how a medium-sized and very detailed designed tattoo will start to cost around the $250 region, maybe even more if I am being honest!
4. Tattoo artist experience
Not all tattoo artists will want to tattoo the fingers. It is a very difficult place to tattoo because of the great risk of fallout and blowouts. This is due to the thin layer of skin that gets very difficult to tattoo on. So finger tattoos are mostly reserved for more experienced tattoo artists who have prior experience and the expertise to do so. The more experienced the tattoo artist, the more it will cost you to get the tattoo!
5. Time and hourly rates of tattoo artists
Most finger tattoos will take around an hour to complete, though that is more for simpler designs than detailed ones. But how long it will take to finish the tattoo has to be combined with the hourly rates of the tattoo artist! Tattoo artists charge by the hour since you are taking up their time to do the tattoo. Most tattoo artists would charge around $100 to $150 per hour while there are those that charge more because of the area and their experience.
6. Getting cover-ups
If you have been getting tattooed for a while now, you know there are some tattoos that you might regret. That goes the same for finger tattoos and when you need to do a cover-up, the time it takes to do the tattoo increase as well! The tattoo artist has to assess the current tattoo while they are tattooing over it which can be a pretty harrowing experience since you don’t want the tattoo to be ruined. So if you are getting a cover-up done on a finger tattoo, expect to pay more for it.
7. Type and color of ink
The ink matters a lot for the cost of a finger tattoo! Colored inks will be more expensive due to the price of the pigments used in making the ink. Some tattoo inks like vegan ink will also cost a bit more than the usual tattoo ink. But if you are to get a tattoo that is only a black lining on a simple design, then you can safely assume that your tattoo will not cost more than $150!
8. First-time or repeat customer
There are some tattoo shops that give discounts for someone that will be getting their first tattoo (or at least the first tattoo with the shop). This is to make sure that the next time you get a tattoo, that shop will be your first choice to get it. There are even shops that take good care of their patrons and give special discounts to them since they have been getting tattoos at the shop for long periods. So whether you are a first-time customer or a repeat customer, that will influence the price just a bit.
9. Aftercare products
Your tattoo will not look good if you don’t have the necessary aftercare products to take care of it after you have had the finger tattoo done! While you might use an unscented CeraVe moisturizer for your fresh tattoo, you could also get aftercare products that were specifically made for tattoos. Some of it will be sold by the shop and the shop might advise you to buy it from them, which again will raise the cost just a bit.
10. Customized designs vs stock
It is a given that a customized design of a tattoo will raise the price a fair bit when compared to a stock design from the tattoo artist’s catalog. A customized design will require making a new tattoo stencil of the design which will take a fair bit of time to do. I know that most people would want to get custom designs since they are more personal but expect that to raise the price of the finger tattoo as well.
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Finger Tattoo Touch-Ups: the Hidden Cost You Have to Know
The previous 10 factors all make up the cost of getting the tattoo done and finger tattoos are relatively cheap. But there is a hidden cost that you definitely have to know about or else you might see that $100 finger tattoo quickly become $400 within a year. This is because of the amount of touch-ups that you need to get for a finger tattoo!
Finger tattoos are notoriously the earliest tattoo on your body that will fade. Your skin naturally sheds a certain amount of cells per day but the hands and fingers shed more than the rest of your body! This makes the tattoo fade all the faster than other parts of the body. Not just that, but the constant touching, rubbing, and washing of your fingers will also make them fade faster. Expect to say bye-bye to most of your finger tattoos by the end of the year!
If you want to keep the finger tattoo looking as fresh as possible, then you need to get a touch-up. That is the only way that you will ever get back the tattoo you saw about a year ago! Most tattoo shops will offer the first touch-up within the first year, but further touch-ups will cost you a pretty penny due to the need to tattoo over existing ink, which is very intricate if not difficult thing to do. So keep in mind the cost of your finger tattoo goes beyond the initial tattoo since it will fade at a considerably fast rate.
5 Tips to Get Finger Tattoos for Cheap
If you are tight on cash, then a finger tattoo could a be great tattoo to get since it is already relatively cheaper. But here are my tips for getting a finger tattoo for as cheap as possible!
- Lesser-known artists: Lesser-known tattoo artists will have lower rates than veterans of the scene. You do run into the risk of not getting the tattoo design that you want on your skin but if that is a risk you are willing to take then you could do that.
- Simple design: don’t be too extravagant with your finger tattoo; the simpler it is the better it will look. Not to mention that a simple design will be done earlier and cost you a lot less money too!
- Stock design: the best way to get a finger tattoo that is cheap is to use a stock design that you like from the artist. That will ensure the artist does not have to do a custom design and can simply print out a tattoo stencil using a thermal copier.
- Location consideration: location matters when it comes to tattoos. If you want a cheaper tattoo, try to find an area that has less cost. The rates of tattoo artists will be around the same but it can shave off a few dollars at the end of the day.
- Weekday appointments: a weekday might be a viable option since tattoo artists are less busy on these days. If you are willing to wait, get a weekday tattoo session where you can lower the price of the tattoo just a little bit.
FAQs
How much do knuckle tattoos cost?
A knuckle tattoo would cost around the same as a finger tattoo around $50 to $200 but the actual price will depend on the design and size of it.
How much does a finger tattoo hurt?
A finger tattoo can hurt a lot to get because of how thin the skin is and how close to the bones you are tattooing too. It can be a pretty uncomfortable place to get tattooed if you are not used to getting tattooed.
How long do finger tattoos last?
A finger tattoo will not last a long time because the skin will shed a lot more than other parts of the body. Typically, you can expect it to last about 1 year before you need to get a touch-up for the tattoo.
Final Thoughts
Finger tattoos can be a great tattoo to get because of how cheap it is! However, there is a price range for finger tattoos between $50 to $200 that depends on at least 10 different factors. Not to mention that there is an extra hidden cost attributed to finger tattoos because of how many times you will need to do a touch-up on it. So make sure to do your research on finger tattoos and if you are willing to get one. Talk to local tattoo artists and see what they have to say and come to a decision on your finger tattoo!
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