# half sleeve tattoo prices



## rb79

what do you guys have and how much did you pay for your half sleeve tattoo, i was thinking of having one done like this...



virgin mary at the top of my arm/shoulder looking down over a couple of doves with clouding and my two daughters initials blended in to the design, a sort of gaurdian angel looking over them so to speak, but when i was told the time and price i almost choked on my virtually fat free aldi yoghurt..

six three hour sessions costing £220 per session.. so in simple terms 18hrs work costing in excess of £1300...

surly thats abit over the top isnt it?


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## Queenie

No. Most places are from £60 an hour upwards. Its an expensive investment but worth it.


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## rb79

£1300 for a half sleeve though... ide have thought a full sleeve would be more that price


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## Pain2Gain

That's expensive for half sleeve mate my guys one of the best in this region half sleeve inc shoulder blade (a wrap around sleeve) £700

You need to ask the day rate not the hourly!!


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## Pain2Gain

Do 2 6hr sits you wl get the full day rate


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## PaulB

Suppose it depends who is doing it and how good they are and how much detail is in the tattoo. I don't think that's OTT for something that's going to be part of your body for the rest of your life.


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## Dan 45

£70 per hour I pay...


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## JonnyTwih

That sounds quite cheep to me, a normal high street tattooist will charge about £60 an hour.

If you want someone real good be prepared to pay a minimum of £80 - £150 an hour and wait months to years to get a booking!

Be warned though, at lot of tattooists might claim they can do something that good.

The end result might be a little less than expected though!


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## JonnyTwih

Pain2Gain said:


> That's expensive for half sleeve mate my guys one of the best in this region half sleeve inc shoulder blade (a wrap around sleeve) £700
> 
> You need to ask the day rate not the hourly!!


What's the guys name?


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## aj90

i reckon an half sleeve should take an average of around 10 hours.

get someone decent and you'll be looking at £70 a hour upwards..


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## JonnyTwih

aj90 said:


> i reckon an half sleeve should take an average of around 10 hours.
> 
> get someone decent and you'll be looking at £70 a hour upwards..


How can there ever be an average amount of time it takes?

No two tattooists work at the same speed.

How much detail, will be a huge diffrance between a bit of tribal and what the OP is wanting.

Colour or black and grey, how big are your arms, how still can you sit, short or long sessions.

All are big factors in how long it will take, there can be no average...


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## guvnor82

Look nice m8 what ever you do don't go cheap on it it's there for life.

I had cover up from guy down the road would of looked better if I took iron to my arm.


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## JonnyTwih

Knew i had a link somewhere!

http://goo.gl/maps/wrjKZ

Basically a google map showing the very best tattooists from all over the world, some of the work is mind blowing!


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## aj90

JonnyTwih said:


> Knew i had a link somewhere!
> 
> http://goo.gl/maps/wrjKZ
> 
> Basically a google map showing the very best tattooists from all over the world, some of the work is mind blowing!


Yeah that's peters map from big tattoo planet, his sleeve is awesome


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## JonnyTwih

aj90 said:


> Yeah that's peters map from big tattoo planet, his sleeve is awesome


Yep that's the one, all of his work is epic! Lol


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## Ben_Dover

rb79 said:


> what do you guys have and how much did you pay for your half sleeve tattoo, i was thinking of having one done like this...
> 
> 
> 
> virgin mary at the top of my arm/shoulder looking down over a couple of doves with clouding and my two daughters initials blended in to the design, a sort of gaurdian angel looking over them so to speak, but when i was told the time and price i almost choked on my virtually fat free aldi yoghurt..
> 
> six three hour sessions costing £220 per session.. so in simple terms 18hrs work costing in excess of £1300...
> 
> surly thats abit over the top isnt it?


Sounds similar to mine...





Whole sleeve took 15 hours @ £70 an hour...

Your quote does sound a bit dear but with a portrait like shown in that picture, they can take 6 hours alone...


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## eezy1

would a forearm sleeve be considered a half or a quarter sleeve? im talking elbow joint to a few inches above wrist


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## cudsyaj

I paid £70 an hour and have 12 hours booked in over the next few months... was a 2 month waiting list and I have seen a few people with this guys work.

So we're talking £840 and that's not even likely to finish the half sleeve so yeah, £1200-1500 depending on details etc etc

The route I'm taking is sticking to a theme and getting badges done and then filled in and blended later.



I'm going with stuff that I've always been into like fantasy, witchcraft, wizards, dragons and fairies, magic, wonder and some skulls n roses cos they look badass 

This is also great because my tattooist is massively into this kind of thing so he's quite passionate about doing the piece.


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## Dux

No one else think that Virgin Mary in the OP looks more like a Native American woman? :lol:

My half sleeve took 14 hours, managed to get reduced full day rates so only cost £600 altogether.


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## noongains

If you want to pay a half ****d rate for something that's on you forever , go for it. I know a couple of people who work in there own shop and people getting something lazerd off is pretty much on par of people getting a tattoo done.


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## Guest

Yep, the brother has two full sleeves, one cost 800 and one cost in excess of 2 grand and you can see why.

You get what you pay for in the tattoo game.


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## JonnyTwih

noongains said:


> If you want to pay a half ****d rate for something that's on you forever , go for it. I know a couple of people who work in there own shop and people getting something lazerd off is pretty much on par of people getting a tattoo done.


Sad sad truth!

I'm booked in with Neil Bass at TattooFx in Burgess Hill, he specialises in black and grey.

£80 an hour, £450 day rate and an 8 month waiting list! I'd say that was pretty standard for a good tattooist.

Only 2 months left for me!


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## JonnyTwih

The-One said:


> Sleeve tattoos are for footballers, celebrity wannabes and chavs imo.


You know, your opinion didn't occur to me before I got my sleeve started 2 years ago.

You know what's changed between now an then?... Feck all!


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## Shaynewob

Booked in for 2 hours on 25th not looking forward to the pain again


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## JonnyTwih

Shaynewob said:


> Booked in for 2 hours on 25th not looking forward to the pain again


It's a good pain! Lol

I know what you mean though, I going in for 8 hours. Longest I done so far is 3 so will be interesting! Ha


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## Shaynewob

JonnyTwih said:


> It's a good pain! Lol
> 
> I know what you mean though, I going in for 8 hours. Longest I done so far is 3 so will be interesting! Ha


good luck ha


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## noongains

The-One said:


> Sleeve tattoos are for footballers, celebrity wannabes and chavs imo.


Its a good job i am a wannabe celebrity football playing chav then, enit.

Longest i have done is like 6 hours. One bit of advice is DO NOT take a break longer than like 5-10 minutes. Its a whole new world of pain after you have had a break


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## G-man99

JonnyTwih said:


> How can there ever be an average amount of time it takes?
> 
> No two tattooists work at the same speed.
> 
> How much detail, will be a huge diffrance between a bit of tribal and what the OP is wanting.
> 
> Colour or black and grey, how big are your arms, how still can you sit, short or long sessions.
> 
> All are big factors in how long it will take, there can be no average...


Tribal may be less complex but require a hell of a lot more ink as can't have any bits missing as they show up easily as its black. Mine took 15hrs (5 x 3hr sessions) with a further 3 x 1hr touch up sessions (didn't have to pay for them)

Total 18hrs for half sleeve with chest/shoulder wrap around £900


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## JonnyTwih

G-man99 said:


> Tribal may be less complex but require a hell of a lot more ink as can't have any bits missing as they show up easily as its black. Mine took 12hrs (4 x 3hr sessions) with a further 3 x 1hr touch up sessions (didn't have to pay for them)
> 
> Total 15hrs for half sleeve with chest/shoulder wrap around £720


Very true, but that doesn't mean it takes the same amount of time as detailed work....


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## Matty-boy

The chap I use is very good, has won plenty of awards, charges £450 a day and has a 6 month waiting list!

I have my last few hrs this Friday for my half sleeve, will have taken two and a half days in total.


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## Ben_Dover

Fcuk an all day sitting, 3 hours and i'm ready to give up every time !


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## Ricky12345

guvnor82 said:


> Look nice m8 what ever you do don't go cheap on it it's there for life.
> 
> I had cover up from guy down the road would of looked better if I took iron to my arm.


Take this advice wisely cheap is not the best option I've been getting them

Done years and started with cheap ones that coste double the price in getting them covered and don't look half as good if didn't have to be covered


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## KRSOne

they should discount you if you are doing long sittings. i was quoted 60ph but it discounts the longer i sit. you should suggest it as paying 60 throughout the whole thing is a bit absurd for a full piece


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## noongains

Any place worth going to probably wont discount, why would they? As others have said some places have months waiting lists and would have plenty of other people willing to pay what the shop charges.

£60+ an hour might seem a bit steep but the tattooist doesn't get all that,most are freelance and pay the shop ££ + equipment,inks etc And if its a custom piece it will get drawn up in there own time


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## JonnyTwih

noongains said:


> Any place worth going to probably wont discount, why would they? As others have said some places have months waiting lists and would have plenty of other people willing to pay what the shop charges.
> 
> £60+ an hour might seem a bit steep but the tattooist doesn't get all that,most are freelance and pay the shop ££ + equipment,inks etc And if its a custom piece it will get drawn up in there own time


No, it's entirely standard!

If you visit a tattoo convention (Brighton in Jan is amazing) and go round asking them prices etc I'll guarantee 90% of them will offer a day rate.

The Brighton convention at least, only some of the best artists can attend.

They do it to discourage people coming in asking for little bits here and there as they would prefer to work on big projects.


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## noongains

JonnyTwih said:


> No, it's entirely standard!
> 
> If you visit a tattoo convention (Brighton in Jan is amazing) and go round asking them prices etc I'll guarantee 90% of them will offer a day rate.
> 
> The Brighton convention at least, only some of the best artists can attend.
> 
> They do it to discourage people coming in asking for little bits here and there as they would prefer to work on big projects.


yeah day rate is fair enough. But if i go in and they say its 60 an hour then i say ok i will give you 40.. If they are worth using they are not going to agree to it


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## JonnyTwih

noongains said:


> yeah day rate is fair enough. But if i go in and they say its 60 an hour then i say ok i will give you 40.. If they are worth using they are not going to agree to it


Yea of course, even if they are not worth using prob won't agree to it! Lol

Point is, the discount isn't based on the hourly rate, it's what you pay for 8 hours strait.

I'm booked in on the 2nd September for 8 hours and gonna cost me £450.

I'm also booked in for 4 hours on the 7th October to finish and gonna cost £320.

Stings a bit, but I'm not booking the full day so I don't get the discount which is fair enough.

It's worth bearing in mind that artists like this, 99% of what they do is in full day sassions.


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## noongains

JonnyTwih said:


> I'm booked in on the 2nd September for 8 hours and gonna cost me £450.
> 
> I'm also booked in for 4 hours on the 7th October to finish and gonna cost £320.


is it not worth starting something else and paying a bit more for the full day then?


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## eezy1

any advice on the best black and gray artists in and around the southwest? or furthur if they are that good. may want to add a bit of color but mostly B&G

could a B&G specialist advise on a hint of color being added?


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## JonnyTwih

noongains said:


> is it not worth starting something else and paying a bit more for the full day then?


It was an idea, but my next piece is prob gonna be a dot work full back piece and going to an entirely different artist and style...


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## JonnyTwih

eezy1 said:


> any advice on the best black and gray artists in and around the southwest? or furthur if they are that good. may want to add a bit of color but mostly B&G
> 
> could a B&G specialist advise on a hint of color being added?


Check out http://www.tattoo-fx.co.uk/

It's a bit further afield but Neil Bass is the owner and specialises in B&G, he is damn good!

Or have a look at the link I posted earlier, if they on that map they are worth getting work from!


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## Matty-boy

JonnyTwih said:


> Sad sad truth!
> 
> I'm booked in with Neil Bass at TattooFx in Burgess Hill, he specialises in black and grey.
> 
> £80 an hour, £450 day rate and an 8 month waiting list! I'd say that was pretty standard for a good tattooist.
> 
> Only 2 months left for me!


Neil did/doing mine - top bloke!


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## Paz1982

ive just done a full day (7 hours) and that cost me 300. did a fair bit though


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## Jimboi

JonnyTwih said:


> How can there ever be an average amount of time it takes?
> 
> No two tattooists work at the same speed.
> 
> How much detail, will be a huge diffrance between a bit of tribal and what the OP is wanting.
> 
> Colour or black and grey, how big are your arms, how still can you sit, short or long sessions.
> 
> All are big factors in how long it will take, there can be no average...


By definition there will always be an average, everyone may well take a different time but there will be an average.


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## grant hunter

A full day:-0 I must be a wimp.......3hours was enough for me.


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## JonnyTwih

Jimboi said:


> By definition there will always be an average, everyone may well take a different time but there will be an average.


Tell ya what then, you can go ask everyone in the UK who has a half sleeve of something, add up all the times and costs and work out the average! Lol

Just because there is an average, in no way means the average actually has any meaning.... Pmsl


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## Jimboi

JonnyTwih said:


> Tell ya what then, you can go ask everyone in the UK who has a half sleeve of something, add up all the times and costs and work out the average! Lol
> 
> Just because there is an average, in no way means the average actually has any meaning.... Pmsl


By the law of averages if you did ask everyone then the average would give you a pretty good ballpark timescale. :lol:


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## JonnyTwih

Jimboi said:


> By the law of averages if you did ask everyone then the average would give you a pretty good ballpark timescale. :lol:


But that is just it, there is such a huge variation on the time it takes depending on so many things, that average would have no meaning or use at all!


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## Jimboi

JonnyTwih said:


> But that is just it, there is such a huge variation on the time it takes depending on so many things, that average would have no meaning or use at all!


If you say so :thumb:


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## JonnyTwih

Jimboi said:


> If you say so :thumb:


As is so happens, and as I actually know quite a bit about tattooing, yes I do say so


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## Jimboi

JonnyTwih said:


> As is so happens, and as I actually know quite a bit about tattooing, yes I do say so


But not much knowledge on averages it would seem :tongue:


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## JonnyTwih

I give up!

A simple quote sorts this out: "You can't argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level then beat you with experience"


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## KRSOne

noongains said:


> Any place worth going to probably wont discount, why would they? As others have said some places have months waiting lists and would have plenty of other people willing to pay what the shop charges.
> 
> £60+ an hour might seem a bit steep but the tattooist doesn't get all that,most are freelance and pay the shop ££ + equipment,inks etc And if its a custom piece it will get drawn up in there own time


a bigger piece is also repeat custom. rather than doing 10x flowers on tits or script work that everyone has, a large piece like a sleeve is usually a good way for a tattooist to not only practice, but also show off their best work and really get stuck into a piece. how bored do you think they must get of doing old english, butterflies or flowers on people that are relatively small and common pieces.

I was quoted for mine, and was told (by one of the best artists in the country) that if i sat for longer they would discount and do a day rate. they also said if i was a returning customer previous work would be taken into account, giving a better rate. so yeah, in short...they do


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## Jimboi

JonnyTwih said:


> I give up!
> 
> A simple quote sorts this out: "You can't argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level then beat you with experience"


At last we agree on something.


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## noongains

KRSOne said:


> a bigger piece is also repeat custom. rather than doing 10x flowers on tits or script work that everyone has, a large piece like a sleeve is usually a good way for a tattooist to not only practice, but also show off their best work and really get stuck into a piece. how bored do you think they must get of doing old english, butterflies or flowers on people that are relatively small and common pieces.
> 
> I was quoted for mine, and was told (by one of the best artists in the country) that if i sat for longer they would discount and do a day rate. they also said if i was a returning customer previous work would be taken into account, giving a better rate. so yeah, in short...they do


I agree mate, I must of took what you said first for something different to what you meant.


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