Custom tattoos
Original work planned around placement, scale, references, skin tone, and how the design will age.
About American Ink - Sherman Oaks Tattoo Studio
American Ink Tattoo in Sherman Oaks, CA
A Ventura Boulevard tattoo and piercing shop built on direct conversations, clean stations, and artists who turn rough references into lasting custom work.
Who We Are
Over 20 years turning ideas into permanent work.
Welcome to American Ink, a tattoo and piercing shop in the heart of Sherman Oaks, California. For more than two decades the studio has been transforming ideas and stories into lasting custom work from its home at 14159 Ventura Boulevard. Owned and operated by Miguel, American Ink is more than a place to get inked - it is a shop where art, skill, and individuality come together.
The team behind the work is Miguel, Knives, Josue, and Rask. Miguel, the owner, brings more than 20 years of piercing experience and is often the first person you talk to at the counter. Knives is a tattoo artist and piercer who specializes in patchwork designs with lots of fine lines and also handles piercing appointments and aftercare questions. Josue takes on custom tattoo projects and touch-ups, and Rask is known for his embroidery and patch-style tattoos, color realism, and pop-culture pieces.
Whether you are after a small, intricate design, a full-sleeve project, a cover-up, or a new piercing, the goal stays the same: clear expectations, a clean and sterile setup, and finished work that fits the person wearing it.
Piercings
Piercing services with a clean setup, jewelry guidance, and straightforward aftercare.
Cover-ups
Old tattoos, unfinished work, and faded pieces handled with a realistic design plan.
Walk-ins
Walk-ins are welcome when an artist or piercer is available; larger work starts with a consult.
Studio Standards
Strict hygiene protocols at every station.
Health and safety come before anything else at American Ink. Tattoo and piercing needles are single-use: they come out of sealed, sterile packaging at the start of your procedure and are disposed of as soon as it ends. Nothing that breaks the skin is ever reused between clients.
Every appointment begins with a fresh, sterile setup laid out for that procedure alone. The shop follows strict hygiene and sterilization protocols and uses only high-quality materials and jewelry, so the experience is as safe as it is comfortable. If you want to see how a station is prepared before the work starts, just ask - walking clients through the setup is part of the job.
American Ink operates as a registered body art facility under California's Safe Body Art Act, following the sterilization, sanitation, and bloodborne-pathogen standards enforced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Every artist works under the same county registration and training requirements.
The same care continues after the appointment. Every tattoo and piercing comes with clear aftercare instructions covering cleaning, healing timelines, and when to check back with the shop, so the piece heals as well as it was applied. First-timers are encouraged to ask questions at any point - explaining each step clearly is part of keeping the procedure safe.
Pricing Context
Walk-ins, minimums, and how quotes work.
Tattoos start at a $150 shop minimum. Beyond the minimum, pricing depends on size, placement, level of detail, color, and how long the session runs - which is why custom work is quoted at consultation rather than from a flat menu.
Piercing prices vary by piercing and by piercer, since placement, anatomy, and jewelry all factor in. Call the shop or send a consultation request and the team will give you a straight answer on cost before anything is booked.
Ventura Boulevard History
A Sherman Oaks tattoo shop rooted on Ventura Boulevard.
American Ink opened in 2003 and still operates from 14159 Ventura Boulevard. Two decades on the same stretch of Sherman Oaks means the shop has tattooed and pierced first-timers, regulars, and the friends and family they brought back with them.
Miguel has watched Ventura Boulevard change over those years and keeps running American Ink the way it started: as a family-style shop where clients are welcomed directly and every appointment begins with a real conversation.
American Ink opens in Sherman Oaks
The studio opens on Ventura Boulevard and becomes a local stop for tattoos, piercings, cover-up questions, and first-time consultations.
Built on repeat visits and referrals
More than two decades of service in the same neighborhood, backed by a 4.7-star Google rating and 4.6 on Yelp across 300+ reviews from clients who came through the door.
Four artists and piercers, one shop
The current team - Miguel, Knives, Josue, and Rask - covers custom tattoos, cover-ups, piercings, walk-ins, and consultations under one roof.
Consultation Process
What happens before the appointment matters.
A strong tattoo or piercing visit starts with clear information. Here is how a project usually moves from idea to appointment at the Sherman Oaks shop.
For tattoos, the useful details are idea, placement, rough size, references, timing, and budget context. For piercings, they are placement, jewelry expectations, and healing questions.
Bring the idea and references
Clients can bring rough sketches, saved images, style references, older tattoos, or a simple written idea. The goal is to understand the direction before promising a design.
Talk through placement and scale
Placement affects detail, aging, session length, and comfort. The shop can help decide whether the idea works as a small piece, larger tattoo, cover-up, or phased project.
Match the request to the right person
Tattoo projects go to Knives, Josue, or Rask; piercing appointments go to Miguel or Knives. The fit is based on the work itself, not a generic booking form.
Leave with a real next step
Depending on availability and scope, the next step may be a walk-in, a scheduled tattoo appointment, a piercing visit, or a deeper custom design consultation.
Local Proof
What clients say about the Sherman Oaks studio.
American Ink holds a 4.7-star rating on Google and 4.6 on Yelp across 300+ reviews, and clients keep mentioning the same things: quick, knowledgeable help at the counter, procedures explained clearly before they start, and clean, professional work.
Long-running Yelp and Facebook reviews tell the same story - visitors who dropped in with piercing questions and were helped immediately, and clients who came back because the atmosphere matched the quality of the work.
4.7 stars across 83 Google reviews
Read what clients say about their tattoos and piercings, or leave a review of your own visit through the studio's Google listing.
Open review linkHelpful answers before the needle
Reviewers describe walking in with piercing questions and getting immediate, knowledgeable help - including jewelry fixes for piercings originally done elsewhere.
Procedures explained, clients at ease
Long-time clients call out wonderful artists and an atmosphere where each procedure is explained clearly before any work starts.
Current Team
Meet the American Ink artists and piercers.
American Ink's current team is Miguel, Knives, Josue, and Rask - between them they cover tattooing and piercing, with Knives working both sides. Each profile explains what they do, how they work, and how to book with them directly.
Not sure who fits your project? Call the shop or send a consultation request and the team will match the work to the right artist or piercer.
Owner & Experienced Piercer
Miguel
Miguel is the owner of American Ink Tattoos and the shop's resident piercer, with over 20 years of experience across all types of piercings. He has spent two decades on Ventura Blvd building a comfortable, welcoming Sherman Oaks studio.
- All types of piercings
- Comfort-first precision piercing
- Aftercare & jewelry education
Tattoo Artist & Piercer
Knives
Knives is a tattoo artist and piercer at American Ink in Sherman Oaks, specializing in patchwork and fine-line tattoos — with a fine-arts and music background and a precise, gentle approach to piercing.
- Fine-line tattoos
- Patchwork tattoos
- Piercings
Tattoo Artist
Josue
Josue is a tattoo artist at American Ink in Sherman Oaks specializing in black and grey realism — religious pieces, memorial portraits, and large-scale custom work from half-sleeves to full back pieces.
- Black & grey realism
- Religious & memorial portraits
- Sleeves, chest & back pieces
Tattoo Artist
Rask
Rask Opticon is a Los Angeles tattoo artist at American Ink in Sherman Oaks, known for realistic embroidery and patch-style tattoos, a tattooed pin-up girls collection, and street murals across LA — a Skin Wars: Fresh Paint champion inspired by video games, cartoons, anime, and graffiti.
- Embroidery & patch-style tattoos
- Color realism
- Pop-culture, cartoon & anime pieces
Visit Details
What to know before visiting the Sherman Oaks studio.
American Ink sits at 14159 Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks and is open seven days a week. Address, hours, walk-in policy, and pricing basics are below - for anything time-sensitive, calling the shop is the fastest route.
14159 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks
American Ink is located at 14159 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, on Ventura Boulevard.
Open detailsOpen seven days a week
Monday-Saturday: 10 AM-10 PM; Sunday: 10 AM-7 PM. Call the shop if same-day timing, holidays, or artist availability matter.
Walk-ins are welcome when available
Walk-in availability depends on the artist, piercer, service, and day. Larger tattoos and cover-ups should start with a consultation.
$150 tattoo shop minimum; piercing prices vary
Tattoos start at a $150 shop minimum. Piercing pricing depends on placement, jewelry, anatomy, and piercer - call the studio for a quote.
Page FAQ
About Questions
Short answers for search snippets and real visitors.
Where is American Ink Tattoo located?
American Ink Tattoos & Piercings is at 14159 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, right on Ventura Boulevard in the heart of Sherman Oaks. The studio is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 10 PM and Sunday from 10 AM to 7 PM, with street and nearby lot parking along the boulevard. For questions before a visit, or to check same-day availability, call (818) 907-6114.
Does American Ink accept walk-ins?
Yes. Walk-ins are welcome when an artist or piercer is available, and smaller tattoos and most piercings are a natural fit for same-day work. Availability is not guaranteed, though - larger custom tattoos and cover-ups should start with a consultation, and if you want a specific artist, calling (818) 907-6114 ahead or booking through their profile page is the safer route. The walk-ins page covers what suits same-day work and what deserves a consult first.
What is the tattoo shop minimum?
American Ink's shop minimum for tattoos is $150, and it applies to every tattoo regardless of size - it covers the fresh setup and the artist's time that even the smallest piece requires. Final pricing depends on the size, placement, detail, and scope of the work, so custom pieces are quoted at consultation. Piercing prices vary by piercing, jewelry, and piercer - call (818) 907-6114 for a quote, and see the pricing page for how quotes work.
How should I prepare for a tattoo consultation?
Bring the idea, placement, rough size, references, timing, and any budget context. Rough sketches, saved images, and photos of older tattoos all help. Those details let the studio point you toward the right artist, give you a realistic read on scale and detail, and turn the consultation into a concrete next step - a walk-in, an appointment, or a custom design plan.
Who is on the current American Ink roster?
American Ink's current team is Miguel (owner and piercer), Knives (tattoo artist and piercer), and Josue (tattoo artist). Each has a profile page covering what they do, examples of their work where available, and how to book with them directly. If you are not sure who fits your project, call the studio and describe the idea - the team has matched projects to artists on Ventura Boulevard for more than twenty years.
Does American Ink offer piercings?
Yes. American Ink offers piercing services alongside tattoos. Miguel, the owner, brings more than 20 years of piercing experience, and Knives also takes piercing appointments. The menu runs from ear and nose piercings to lip, eyebrow, and body work. The shop uses single-use needles and a sealed, sterile setup for every procedure, and every piercing comes with jewelry guidance and clear aftercare instructions - the piercings page covers the full menu and process.
Can I leave a Google review from the website?
Yes. The /review link on this site goes straight to American Ink's Google review form, so you can share your experience after a tattoo or piercing visit without hunting for the listing. The studio currently holds a 4.7-star average across 83 Google reviews, and reading recent ones is a fair way to get a feel for the shop before you book your own appointment.
Book / Visit
Bring the idea. Leave with the next step.
Call the Sherman Oaks studio or send a consultation request with the idea, placement, rough size, references, and timing.
(818) 907-6114 14159 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Monday-Saturday: 10 AM-10 PM Sunday: 10 AM-7 PM