Work With a Custom Tattoo Artist at Studio 28 in New York, NY
A custom tattoo artist in New York, NY, designs your tattoo from scratch, using your idea, your reference images, and the spot on your body where it will live. That is how every tattoo starts at Studio 28, where the team has been creating custom, one-of-a-kind tattoos since 2010. Our artists don’t copy other artists’ work, and each one has a style they know inside and out. Below, you’ll find who our artists are, how a design comes together, what it costs, and how to book.
Meet the Tattoo Artists at Studio 28
Choosing among tattoo artists in New York, NY, mostly comes down to style. Start with the
tattoo portfolio to see finished work, then use these notes to match your idea to the right artist.
Bo Snow: Black and Gray, Neo-Traditional, and Cover-Ups
Bo Snow has been tattooing in New York City for over ten years. Black and gray work, neo-traditional pieces, and cover-up tattoos are Bo’s specialties, and Bo is experienced across a broad range of other styles.
Jenny: Fine Line Work
Jenny specializes in fine line work and has always loved drawing by hand. Thin, precise linework suits detailed designs, so bring clear references and your placement ideas.
John Dame: Blackwork, Lettering, Ornamental, and Realism
John works in bold, high-contrast styles and is one of NYC’s most well know black work artists. He enjoys larger custom projects built over multiple sessions. Explore John’s portfolio and reserve a consultation.
Gloria: Color, Illustrative, and Surrealist Work
Gloria has been tattooing for about five years and has lived in New York City for six. Color and illustrative tattoos are the draw, across traditional, blackwork, fine line, realism, and florals, along with pet portraits and designs with a surrealist twist. Gloria sees every tattoo as a collaboration between artist and client.
How a Custom Tattoo Comes Together
Choosing a tattoo studio comes down to the work on the wall. Our artists cover a wide range, from delicate fine line and minimalist script to bold black and grey with deep contrast, saturated color, and neo-traditional pieces with strong outlines. Because each artist brings a distinct hand, the goal of your first conversation is to match you with the person whose portfolio already looks like what you have in mind. You can compare their work on our
tattoo artists page before you book.
What a Custom Tattoo at Our Manhattan Studio Costs
Every custom tattoo at Studio 28 follows the same path, from your first request to your aftercare instructions, and your artist is involved at each stage.
Step 1: Send Your Request
The Tattoo Appointment Request Form asks for your preferred artist (or “No Preference”), your available dates, the placement and size in inches or centimeters, and a description of what you have in mind. You can upload reference images as gif, jpg, png, tif, or pdf files under 8MB. The more detail you share, the better the design.
Step 2: Talk Through the Concept
Your artist reviews your idea with you, including placement, size, and style. In most cases, the team can estimate pricing from your form submission, though exact quotes aren’t given over the phone.
Step 3: Collaborate on the Design
Your artist builds the design from your notes and references. Placement is part of this conversation, because where a tattoo sits affects how it flows, how it ages, and how it feels over time.
Step 4: Get Tattooed
Sessions take place in a clean, welcoming, and inclusive studio, with medical-grade sterilization and single-use equipment for every client. If your tattoo is in a personal area, privacy screens are available.
Step 5: Heal Well
Your artist gives you aftercare guidance so the tattoo heals well. Most tattoos heal within two to four weeks, and our tattoo aftercare guide covers the details.
What Does a Custom Tattoo Cost at Studio 28?
The minimum for any tattoo is $100, and larger custom work is billed at $200 per hour. Tattoos that take two hours or less are typically priced at a flat rate. A flat rate reflects the design and the work involved, not the clock, so the final price can land above or below what the hourly rate alone would suggest. A $100 deposit secures your date and time and is applied toward the total. Paying the full amount in cash earns a 3% discount.
Cover-Ups, Scars, and Other Projects Worth a Consultation
Cover-up tattoos are by appointment only, because covering an existing tattoo takes careful planning and a design that fully conceals it. Cover-ups are among Bo Snow’s specialties, and the request form is the place to start. Tattooing over scars or stretch marks is also possible after a consultation, as long as the scars are fully healed.
Traveling to New York for Your Tattoo?
Choose “Traveling with limited dates” on the request form and list the dates you’ll be in town. Submit your request as early as you can, because some artists book out several weeks in advance.
Looking for a custom tattoo artist in Manhattan, NY? Studio 28 is at 108 West 28th St., 3rd Floor, in the Flower District, on the block between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Our guide to
reaching the studio by subway has routes from several Manhattan neighborhoods.
Custom Tattoo Questions, Answered
Request Your Custom Tattoo Appointment
Request your appointment online with your idea, placement, size, and reference images, and the team will be in touch with next steps. For quick questions, call (646) 370-6509. Requests aren’t answered on Sundays.
Studio 28 is at 108 West 28th St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001. You can also read client reviews on Google before you book.
