How long does a small tattoo take?
Plan for an hour or two in the studio for something palm-sized, even if the tattooing itself is twenty minutes. The rest is the stencil, the placement, and getting it right before anything starts.
Where the time goes
The needle time is rarely the biggest number on this list.
- Setting up and the health form · ten to fifteen minutes.
- Stencil, placement and looking at it in a mirror · fifteen to thirty. This is the part worth not rushing.
- The tattooing · often the shortest part of the appointment.
- Wrapping and aftercare · ten minutes, and you should not leave without it.
What makes a small tattoo take longer
Fine detail at small scale is slower than bold work at large scale, because there is no room for error. Very fine line work, tiny lettering and anything with shading in a small area all take longer than they look.
Colour takes longer than black. Placement over a joint or on the ribs takes longer, because you both need breaks.
The drawing is not in that time
Your design is drawn before you arrive, and for custom work that is often longer than the tattooing. It is part of what you are paying for and it is why we ask for the idea in advance rather than on the day.
Still want to ask somebody? That is what the first conversation is for.
Start a conversationWritten and checked by THRONE, a tattoo studio in Northampton.
Last checked 28 August 2026.
