7 tattoo artists in los angeles and across socal with the lowest prices on goodwork: shop minimums from $85 and hourly rates from $120. every number below is the one the artist set on their own profile.
by jackson o., co-founder of goodwork · socal ·
a good price on a tattoo isn't the lowest number you can find. it's a fair rate from someone whose work you'd actually want on you. so this list starts from real prices, the shop minimums and hourly rates artists put on their own goodwork profiles, and keeps the ones with a minimum of $150 or less or an hourly rate of $150 or less. that's at or under where hourly rates in LA usually land.
| artist | where | minimum | hourly | deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Pretty Tattoos | ontario | $85 | – | $50 |
| ashynuckles | eagle rock | $100 | – | $50 |
| Kadriya Truvillion | downtown la | $125 | – | $60 |
| Kiera Garvin | fairfax | $150 | – | $50 |
| Brian Kies | highland park | $150 | – | $50 |
| NJ Tattooz | corona | – | $120/hr | $80 |
| 钟逸政 | orange | – | $120/hr | – |
a minimum is the least an artist charges for any tattoo, however small, so it's the number that matters for a little piece. hourly matters for anything bigger. the deposit comes off your total, it isn't extra. most of these artists are in los angeles; a few are out in orange county and the inland empire, and each card says where.
$50 deposit · $85 min
out in ontario, Dead Pretty Tattoos works in bold color: neo-traditional, new school, kawaii. a pink peony opens above the elbow with two tight buds and a sprig of leaves, heavy outlines and solid fill.
$50 deposit · $100 min · Tattoo Love
the classic: a solid red heart on the back of the arm, a banner reading 1974 across it, two green leaves tucked behind. ashynuckles in eagle rock does plenty of american traditional like this, and also junji ito manga panels and full-color koi.
$60 deposit · $125 min · Purple panther tattoo
Kadriya Truvillion downtown moves between fine line and traditional. this eagle comes in wings up and talons out, the classic flash pose, with the feathers shaded in stipple rather than solid black.
$50 deposit · $150 min · Opal Tattoo Studio
in fairfax, Kiera Garvin does a lot of small fine line, the kind of piece a minimum is made for. a seahorse sits on the inner forearm, its body banded in black stripes and its tail wound into a tight spiral.
$50 deposit · $150 min · Sashatattooing gallery
up in highland park, Brian Kies covers a lot of ground, from soft botanical fine line to this: a grey skull on the wrist with thick black calligraphic strokes fanning out under it across the back of the hand.
$80 deposit · $120/hr · nj studio
NJ Tattooz in corona prices by the hour. a red-ink lotus sits centered between the shoulder blades, every petal a single thin line, with a small ornamental knot and a few dots trailing down the spine.
$120/hr · Baronart tattoo studio
realism takes a lot of hours, so the hourly rate matters more than usual, and 钟逸政 in orange prices by the hour. a horror clown grins across the upper arm with glowing red eyes, fangs and a slash of orange paint behind it, the face shaded in deep grey.
for most artists, a small piece: something a few inches across, like a single flower or a little heart with a banner. a full forearm is a different job. it's usually a few hours in the chair, and three hours at $150/hr is already $450 before color or heavy detail. if you have a set budget, say so in your first message, and the artist can size the design to fit it. the state of tattoos in LA report has typical prices by size.
go a little smaller, or stick to black & grey: color and dense shading take more hours. pre-drawn flash has a fixed price per size, so you know the number before you book. and if your idea is under an artist's minimum anyway, ask whether a second small piece fits in the same session.
who are the most affordable tattoo artists in los angeles?
going by the prices artists set on their own goodwork profiles (october 2026): Dead Pretty Tattoos in ontario, ashynuckles in eagle rock and Kadriya Truvillion downtown have the lowest shop minimums, with Kiera Garvin in fairfax and Brian Kies in highland park close behind. NJ Tattooz in corona and 钟逸政 in orange list hourly rates at or under $150, where LA rates usually land. every number is on their profile, so check it there before you message them.
can i get a full forearm tattoo for $200 in LA?
usually not. a full forearm is a few hours of work, and three hours at $150/hr is already $450 before color or heavy detail. $200 usually covers a small piece a few inches across. if you have a set budget, tell the artist in your first message and they can size the design to fit it.
who does american traditional tattoos at good prices in southern california?
ashynuckles in eagle rock has one of the lowest minimums on goodwork and does classic american traditional (red hearts, banners, bold outlines). Kadriya Truvillion downtown does traditional black & grey eagles, and Dead Pretty Tattoos in ontario does bold neo-traditional color. the traditional roundup has more.
what is a shop minimum?
the least an artist charges for any tattoo, however small. it covers setup, a fresh needle and ink, and the time to draw and place the design. for a small piece the minimum is usually the whole price, so it's the number to compare.
does the deposit add to the price?
no. the deposit holds your date and comes off the total. goodwork adds a 6% booking fee, shown before you confirm.
find an artist in your budget.
see their work, see their pricing, message the one you want.