To make tattoos hurt less, prepare well by eating, hydrating, and getting sleep; use numbing cream if your artist agrees; choose less sensitive spots; distract yourself with music or podcasts; and take breaks, while avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and blood-thinning meds like aspirin/ibuprofen before your session. Communicate with your artist about pain, as good technique and breaks help.
Here are some popular options to consider:
Areas that are padded by more muscle and fat are typically less painful. On the other hand, areas where the skin is thin can be more painful, as the needle vibrates closer to the bone. Tattoos on places that bend or stretch such as elbows and knees can also be extremely uncomfortable.
Most artists don't like numbing cream because it changes the texture of the skin and can effect healing.
Generally, the least painful spots to get tattooed include the outer arms and thighs, where the skin is thicker and there are fewer nerve endings. On the other hand, areas like the spine, elbows, and armpits are often cited as some of the most painful locations due to proximity to bone and higher nerve density.
If you are heavy-set, your skin may be more stretched out compared to others with a smaller frame. This ends up making your skin more sensitive which can increase the amount of pain that you experience. On the other hand, if you are very skinny, you may also experience a bit of discomfort when getting a tattoo.
Yes, a $50 tip on a $300 tattoo is a good tip, landing around 16-17%, which is well within the standard 15-20% range for good service, but if you absolutely loved the work or it was a custom piece, tipping $60-$75 (20-25%) would be even better, showing extra appreciation for exceptional quality and effort.
Sometimes, people disrespect a tattoo artist without even meaning to. They sit there and talk about the tattoos they already have or the work they've seen on other people for hours on end. Even worse, they start comparing what the tattoo artist is doing to what others have done. Don't be this person.
Always communicate with your artist: Let your tattooer know you've used a numbing cream, as it can slightly alter skin texture. It's also important to speak up if you experience any unusual reactions or if the numbness begins to wear off during a long session.
Tattooing usually lasts longer than the effects of the cream, and at some point during the process, you'll suddenly experience the pain without any help, which may come as a bit of a shock - rather than having let your body naturally adjust and deploy its own natural pain defence.
A $500 tattoo is typically a medium-sized piece, often around palm-sized or slightly larger (roughly 4-6 inches), but the actual size heavily depends on the artist's hourly rate (usually $100-$200/hour), design complexity, color, and location, allowing for 2-5 hours of work, potentially resulting in a detailed forearm piece or a smaller chest/back design, rather than a full sleeve.
Among the rest of the Stories & Ink team, the most painful places to get a tattoo include:
No, $200 an hour is generally not considered a lot for a professional, experienced tattoo artist in 2025-2026, often falling into the standard or even lower-mid range, especially in major cities or for specialized styles like realism or fine-line work, though rates vary significantly by location, artist demand, and expertise. While some talented artists charge around $100-$150/hour, high-demand or highly specialized artists can easily charge $250-$300+ per hour.
Generally, people describe the discomfort as mild to moderate, on par with getting scratched or sunburnt. The level of pain can also depend on the location of the tattoo — with areas closer to bones or with thinner skin being more sensitive.
Line work is more intense concentrated pain while shading is much broader. Shading goes over already raw and worked skin multiple times. Because of this the constant penetration of the needle required for shading can intensify the discomfort, making color-heavy tattoos more challenging for some individuals.
Some tattoo artists say that numbing creams can alter the texture of a client's skin, making it “spongy” after the cream is applied. Others report that it makes the skin not stretch evenly, become mushy, or form raised hive-like bumps.
Here's what the experience typically feels like: after the numbing cream has had time to work (usually 20-30 minutes), you'll feel pressure and maybe a slight pinch, but not sharp pain.
A $2000 tattoo can range from a detailed half-sleeve to a large, intricate thigh or chest piece, or even the beginning of a full back or sleeve, often taking multiple sessions and significant artist hours (8+ hours) for complex designs, but it depends heavily on the artist's skill, location, and the design's intricacy.
No, $50 is a bit low for a $500 tattoo; it's only 10%, while the standard tip for good work is 15-20% ($75-$100), with $100 being a strong 20% tip for a $500 piece, showing great appreciation for the artist's time and skill. While tipping is discretionary, artists consider $75-$100 the sweet spot for excellent service, so $50 is a minimal gesture, though any amount helps.
DAY RATE / HALF-DAY RATE
Most of the time it will be a range, such as 6-10 hours, and the rate can vary anywhere from $1,000 to sometimes $5,000 or more. Artists that do a half day rate will sometimes charge a little more than half their full day rate, again, to offset the time and supply cost of smaller pieces.
Like any tattoo session, tattoo touch-up costs can differ based on the size of your tattoo, the complexity of the tattoo and touch-up, and the reliability of the tattoo studio. Some studios offer a complimentary service for the first touch-up, while others may charge a reduced rate.
Generally, you should tip your artist right after the tattoo session is completed and you've had a chance to admire the finished work. If your tattoo requires multiple sessions, the standard practice is to tip after each individual session rather than waiting until the entire piece is finished.