What Determines Tattoo Price? A Guide by Design, Size and Placement

Hi, I'm Yeonjae, a tattoo artist in Hongdae, Seoul. The short answer is that tattoo price generally follows three things: the design (how much line work and detail it holds), the size, and the placement on the body. Together they decide how much time and care a piece needs, and that is why two tattoos that look similarly small in a photo can be quoted differently.

I won't put numbers in this article, because an honest figure only makes sense once the design and the exact spot are in front of us. What I can do is show you how these factors work in real pieces. Below I use two small handpoke-style tattoos as worked examples: a doodle grid inspired by a movie poster, and a line of sparkling music notes.

If you are searching for a tattoo price because you want to plan ahead, the most useful thing is to understand what a quote is made of. Once you can describe your idea in terms of design, size and placement, a tattoo consultation becomes much easier and the answer you get becomes much clearer.

This piece was a handpoke-style doodle tattoo inspired by the movie poster of *Perfect Days*. The goal was to keep the rough, crayon-like texture and the natural, imperfect lines of the original design, rather than cleaning everything up into tidy, mechanical strokes. It is a small tattoo, and it has a really unique atmosphere.

In the photos you can see how simple the design is. Two vertical lines and two horizontal lines cross in a # shape, with an O** in the center square and a small **x at the upper right. A far-away photo shows it on the side of the arm, just below a dark T-shirt sleeve, where the lines bend slightly with the curve of the arm.

This is a good example of why "small" and "simple" are not always the same thing for pricing. The design has very few elements, but its charm depends on lines that look hand-drawn and slightly uneven. Keeping that look takes attention to every line, and that kind of attention is part of what a quote reflects. If you want to see how a tattoo like this is made, you can [watch the tattoo films](/films).

The second piece is a sparkling music note tattoo with a soft, hand-poked, crayon-like feel. It was placed around two spots that were already on the skin. According to the original note, those spots used to feel noticeable, but now they blend gently into the tattoo, and it has become easy to wear short sleeves again.

The photos show the design on the upper arm near the shoulder. Music notes, a small heart, stars and sparkling cross shapes are scattered in a horizontal line along the arm. In the wider photos you can judge how large the whole line is and where it sits in relation to the shoulder line, and in the close-up one end of the line runs off the edge of the frame beside a star and small dots.

This piece shows how a design can be built around something that is already there. Because the elements are scattered rather than packed into one block, the line can be adjusted in length and spacing. That flexibility is a good thing to keep in mind when you talk about size and about how many elements you really want.

Looking at the two pieces side by side makes the logic easier to see. The table below summarizes the general points, not a fixed rule or a number.

Notice that no single factor decides everything. A very small tattoo can still need careful work if the style relies on imperfect lines, and a longer arrangement of small elements can feel light if the spacing is open. This is why a quote is usually given after seeing both the design and the spot, not from a size alone.

It also helps to remember that the same design can be reshaped. Fewer elements, a shorter line or a different position will change the scope of the piece, and a good conversation at the consultation can show you which changes affect the quote and which do not.

Many people ask whether a small tattoo should automatically be simple to quote. In general, size is only one part of the picture. The amount of detail, the placement and the style all matter, so it is worth describing your idea fully instead of just saying "something small."

Another common question is whether a reference image is enough. A reference helps a lot, especially for a style like a doodle or a crayon-like texture, because words such as "rough" or "soft" mean different things to different people. Bringing a poster, a drawing or a few photos of tattoos you like lets the artist see what you actually mean. You can find more notes on how pieces like these are planned in the [work notes](/journal).

People also wonder whether placing a tattoo near something already on the skin changes the approach. From the music note piece, what I can say is that the design was arranged around two existing spots and that the result blended them in. Whether a similar idea suits you depends on your own skin and design, so it is something to bring up openly at the consultation.

Finally, many people ask if they should decide everything before asking about price. You do not need a finished design, but a rough idea of the theme, the area and the approximate size makes the first conversation far more useful.

A little preparation makes the consultation faster and the quote clearer. Before you get in touch, try to gather the following. If you are in Seoul and want to know more about the area, the [Hongdae tattoo guide](/hongdae-tattoo) may also help.

• [ ] A reference image or a few words describing the mood (for example rough, soft, crayon-like, clean)
• [ ] The area of the body you are considering, and a photo of it if you can
• [ ] A rough idea of the size you imagine, such as small, palm-width or a longer line
• [ ] The number of elements you want, such as one symbol or several small ones
• [ ] Anything already on the skin that you would like the design to work around
• [ ] Your own limits and priorities, so you can talk through trade-offs
• [ ] Questions you want to ask about the process and aftercare

You do not have to complete every item. Even three or four of these will give a clear starting point, and the artist can help fill in the rest.

The point of the list is not to push you toward a decision. It is to make sure the quote you receive is based on a real design and a real spot, so that what you hear is useful and not just a guess.

When you compare quotes, compare the same thing. If one quote is for a small grid with two marks and another is for a long line of scattered elements, they describe different amounts of work, so the numbers are not directly comparable.

It also helps to ask what the quote includes and what would change it. For example, would adding another star or extending the line change the scope? Would moving the design to a different part of the arm change anything? Understanding these questions gives you control over the plan.

Finally, think about the style that you want to live with. A handpoke-style piece with a crayon-like texture is a particular choice, and the look comes from consistent, natural imperfection. Choosing an artist whose work shows that texture is more important than chasing a single number. Take your time, ask questions, and decide when the design feels right for you.