Two rates · one deposit
What it costs,
stated once.
Every quote in this shop is built from $100 per hour or $300 for the 4-hour session. There is no third rate and no per-piece pricing.
The rate card
The numbers.
Hourly Rate
$100
Per Hour
Standard rate for shorter work and touch-ups.
Session Rate
$300
4-Hour Session
The standard booking — 4 hours in the chair, quoted as a session rate rather than by the hour.
Deposit
$50
Applied to Session
Non-refundable. Comes straight off your session total when you arrive.
The arithmetic, in the open
The ledger.
- Hourly
- $100Per hour in the chair
- Session
- $3004 hours · booked as one block
- Effective
- $75/hrSession rate ÷ four hours
- Due today
- $50Deposit · comes off the total
One 4 hours session
- Session Rate
- $300
- Deposit applied
- −$50
- Balance at session
- $250
What moves a quote
Hours change. The rate does not.
01
Size
A palm-sized piece and a half sleeve are the same rate and a completely different amount of chair time. Size is the single largest driver of how many sessions a project needs.02
Detail Density
Fine linework, texture, and realism detail are slow by nature. Two pieces of identical size can sit hours apart on time purely on how much detail is packed into them.03
Colour vs Black & Gray
Colour realism means packing and blending multiple passes. Black & gray builds tone in fewer passes. Neither is priced differently — colour simply tends to occupy more of the session.04
Placement
Ribs, hands, necks and other high-movement or high-sensitivity placements work slower, with more breaks. Flat, forgiving placements move faster for the same design.05
Cover-Ups
Covering existing work adds a design constraint before the needle ever moves — the new piece has to be built around what is already there. Send a clear, well-lit photo with your consultation request so the assessment is real.06
Session Count
Large-scale work is booked as a series of sessions rather than one marathon. You get an honest session estimate at consultation, before any money moves.
Pricing questions
Straight answers.
Which rate will I actually be charged?
Most custom work is booked on the session rate — $300 for 4 hours, which works out to $75 per hour. Shorter work and touch-ups run on the $100 hourly rate. There is no third rate and no per-piece pricing.
Why is a session rate cheaper per hour than hourly?
Because a booked block of 4 hours is a better use of the day than the same hours split across three appointments. Booking the block is what earns the $75 effective rate.
How is the deposit handled?
The $50 deposit is non-refundable and is applied directly to your session total. On a $300 session that leaves $250 due at the shop when you arrive.
Do I get a quote before I commit?
Yes. Once concept, placement and size are on the table, you get a session-count recommendation with the reasoning behind it — before you pick a date and before any money moves.
What if the piece runs long?
Large-scale work is booked as a series of sessions rather than open-ended time. Every additional session is quoted from the same two rates on this page.
How do I pay?
The deposit is taken when you book. The balance is settled at the shop on the day. Call (518) 522-2837 if you need to sort payment specifics before the session.
Next