Old-School Tattoo Masters Feel Pinch as Prices Evolve
Have tattoo prices changed in recent years? How do Russian tattoo enthusiasts differ from foreign ones? A correspondent from 116.RU spoke with Kazan masters about all this.
«The Band Deftones Appreciated My Work»
The first and probably main question we asked the studios: how has the price increase affected the cost of tattoos and the studios overall? The thing is, materials for work, including inks and equipment, are imported. They are almost not produced in Russia.
As the masters claim, the cost of materials for tattoos is not as high as it might seem at first glance. Pavel Karpenko, founder and senior master of the tattoo salon «Yunost» (Youth), which has existed in Kazan since 2016 and remains one of the popular ones, said that there is indeed a price increase for consumables, but it is not so critical as to significantly affect the final session cost and even less the salon«s attendance. People who truly love tattoos and want them done quality are willing to pay for it.
The most expensive and valuable resource in studios is time, so the cost of a tattoo depends on the complexity of the work and the duration of the session. And, of course, on the skills and reputation of the master. For some, bookings can be filled months in advance.
Karpenko noted that some masters are indeed experiencing difficulties finding clients now, but there is no mass decline in demand for tattoos. Studios and artists who have proven themselves, built a client base, and created a reputation work as successfully as before.
«I haven»t felt a decline myself. On the contrary, given my experience and professionalism, demand is only growing. I«ve been doing tattoos for over 10 years, and there is high demand for my creativity. Clients come from both Tatarstan and other cities in Russia. Recently, my regular client from St. Petersburg, a big fan of the cult metal band Deftones, came to me. I developed a custom sketch for him and did a tattoo based on the latest album of this group. I published a photo of this work on social media. And Deftones appreciated my work and made a post with this tattoo in their official account (with 4 million subscribers. — Ed.). It was pleasant for me as a master, and for the client as the owner,» he shared.
«Tattoos Used to Be for High-Income People»
«If you compare tattoo prices 5–10 years ago and now, I»d say they«ve increased insignificantly compared to the rise in prices for everything else. Tattoos used to be done mostly by people with high incomes. Now, any student can easily afford a small tattoo. Yes, less quality and from a not very experienced master, but it»s possible,« said Dina Synthetica, founder of another popular Kazan studio, Chill Ink Tattoo.
Regarding the demand for tattoos, the 116.RU interviewee is confident that it has not decreased in recent years. People still get inked, and new generations of tattoo lovers are growing up. Moreover, the number of masters in the profession is increasing.
«Masters of the Old School Suffer»
Dina Synthetica not only created the studio but has also been working as a tattoo master for 8 years, with no other sources of income. According to her, if before people came through word of mouth, now with social media generations, promoting oneself and one«s work is a mandatory part of any master»s job.
«I wouldn»t say tattoos have stopped being a trend, that people aren«t getting them. Rather, competition among masters has grown, there are many tattoo artists: entry into the profession is easier, prices for beginners are more affordable. The ones suffering first are masters of the old school, who still deny the need to maintain social media, show their face, and invest in advertising,» noted Dina Synthetica.
Self-Employed Tattoo Masters
Tattoo masters in Kazan work in various formats: some labor in a single studio and represent only its interests, some rent space themselves or jointly with other colleagues. There are also those who set up studios in their own apartments and work for themselves. The working principle doesn«t change from this. The only difference is that freelance artists, not tied to a studio, find clients themselves by promoting on social media.
Tattoo master Alina Malakhova created a studio in her own apartment — in a Stalinist-era building in central Kazan. The girl works in the hand-poke technique (tattoos applied manually without an electric machine), which doesn«t require a lot of equipment or consumables. According to her, she really liked this work format in small spaces while working outside Russia, for example, in Colombia or Turkey.
«For me, this is the perfect option now. I worked in various studios in Kazan, and I also had two small studios of my own a few years ago, but I realized that this format is uncomfortable for me and I like working from home; there»s some special atmosphere, while sterility and professionalism are maintained because I have a huge dedicated space in the house. I had no problems finding clients. I have my own style, and clients most often definitely return because they want to complement their body with tattoos in the same style,« she said.
«The Stigmatization of Tattoos is Disappearing»
Alina Malakhova also emphasized that tattoo lovers haven«t gone anywhere and haven»t decreased in number. On the contrary, the younger generation reaches 18–20 years old and also goes to get tattoos. Over the past ten years, society has changed greatly, and now it no longer seems something forbidden, the master believes.
«Every year, there are actually more and more people wanting to get a tattoo on their body. In large companies where before it might not have been acceptable to wear tattoos on visible body parts, there are no such rules now, as mostly all employees are young. And because of this, attitudes are changing and the stigmatization of tattoos is disappearing. Doctors, people from large corporations, banks, lawyers are starting to come to me. Recently, girls who do ski cross in Russia came. They interestingly talked about their sports achievements. Creative personalities also often come: designers, architects,» shared Malakhova.
«I Tattooed a Dog Portrait for a Grandma. She Cried»
According to Alina Malakhova, adults also get tattoos, but the main audience is still people aged 20 to 30. In other countries, for example in Colombia, tattooed people are significantly older.
«There, I did a tattoo for a real grandma and her granddaughter. Their dog died, and in honor of that, we tattooed a portrait of that doggy. It was very touching. They told me many stories related to this dog. I think the whole session was like a psychological one. They reflected a lot. The grandma cried,» the master said.
Overall, the average cost of a miniature tattoo in Kazan is now 5,000 rubles (about $60 at current rates), said another 116.RU interviewee Daria Tambassova, working at the Tattoorstan studio. A larger work requiring a long session (or maybe more than one) will cost from 15,000 to 20,000 rubles (approximately $170 to $220), she noted.
«Some Charge 200,000 for One Session»
«A miniature tattoo is some inscription, flower, heart. Something you can do in an hour max. For larger sessions, extensive work, say 6–8 hours for example, the price, of course, will be higher. There are those who charge 200,000 rubles (around $2,200) for one session. Famous masters, for example, in cool studios. But such an average price is about 20,000 rubles,» pointed out Daria.
The girl herself has been doing tattoos for nine years. Like other 116.RU interviewees, she has managed to work both in studios, at home, and outside Russia. Now, together with other masters, she shares a space on Moskovskaya Street. It operates on a co-working principle. Each has their own separate workspace, but each finds clients themselves. As the 116.RU interviewee noted, in Russia such a format is not very popular. Mostly, Kazan masters work in some specific studio.
Daria has been tattooing since she was 18, ever since she entered the Feshin Art School to get a professional artist«s education.
«Tattooing always seemed very interesting to me. It»s communication with people, it«s the opportunity to work abroad without knowing the language, to travel the world. For example, I worked in Turkey for 7 months in a large studio with worldwide fame. Also, I have friends who, for example, go to Germany to work, which I also plan to do later. So for me, probably, one of the factors in choosing the profession of tattoo master,» she emphasized.
