Black & grey realism
Portraits, religious and memorial pieces, and large-scale custom compositions from Josue.
Custom tattoo work in Sherman Oaks
Custom Tattoos in Sherman Oaks, CA
American Ink builds custom tattoos around the person wearing them - consultation first, original design second, and a clean, sterile session every time.
Tattoos at American Ink
Every tattoo starts as a conversation, not a stencil.
Every custom tattoo here is drawn for one person. Nothing comes off a flash wall or out of a catalog: the design is developed around your idea, your references, the placement you want, and how the piece will sit and age on your skin. That is the whole difference between a custom tattoo and a stock one, and it is why the conversation comes before the stencil.
Whether you arrive with a finished reference or a half-formed idea, the process is the same - talk it through, get an honest read on size, placement, and cost, and leave with a real next step. Custom tattoos start at a $150 shop minimum and are quoted at the consultation, because a design that does not exist yet cannot be priced from a menu.
Fine line & patchwork
Detailed fine-line work and patchwork-style collections of smaller pieces from Knives.
Color & traditional
Vibrant color work and traditional American tattoos have been part of the shop's range for years.
Cover-ups & reworks
Old, faded, or unwanted tattoos get an honest assessment and a practical redesign plan.
Black & Grey
Black and grey realism.
Bold black and grey realism - skulls, animals, and dark custom work from Josue and the American Ink artists.
Religious & Portraits
Religious and portrait tattoos.
Saints, the Virgin Mary, and Christ alongside realism portraits of people and pets - in black and grey and color.
Fine Line & Ornamental
Fine line, dotwork, and ornamental.
Delicate fine line, dotwork, and baroque ornamental tattoos.
Color & Traditional
Color and traditional tattoos.
American traditional and bold color pieces, plus illustrative color work.
Scalp & Head
Scalp and head tattoos.
Some of the studio's most advanced black and grey work - full scalp and head pieces that wrap the curve of the skull, from religious portraits to dark illustrative scenes.
The Artists
Who to bring a custom tattoo idea to.
Josue designs custom tattoos in black and grey realism, and maps the larger compositions - half-sleeves, chest panels, back pieces - to the body before the needle starts. Knives builds custom tattoos as patchwork: smaller fine-line pieces designed to sit together and grow into one cohesive look over time.
Either way the artwork is drawn for you rather than picked off a wall. Full profiles, portfolios, and direct booking are on their own pages.
Styles
How style changes a custom tattoo design.
Style is not a filter applied at the end - it decides how the custom tattoo gets drawn. Black and grey realism needs a reference with enough tonal information to hold shading. Fine line needs the opposite discipline: detail spaced widely enough to survive years of spread, so the design gets simplified rather than added to. Traditional American is built on bold outlines and a limited palette because that is what still reads at arm's length in twenty years, and color work is planned against your skin tone rather than against the screenshot.
So part of every custom tattoo consultation is matching your idea to the style that will actually serve it - and saying so when a reference will not translate at the size or on the spot you have in mind.
Pricing Context
The $150 minimum, and how quotes work.
Custom tattoos start at a $150 shop minimum. Past that, the number depends on size, placement, detail, color, and session length, which is why a custom tattoo is quoted at the consultation rather than off a flat menu - the design has to exist before it can be priced.
You will know the cost before anything is booked. Bring the idea, references, and rough placement and the studio will give you a straight answer.
The Process
From first idea to healed tattoo.
Every custom tattoo at the Sherman Oaks studio moves through the same four stages. Each one exists to protect the final result - the piece you wear for the rest of your life.
Consultation
Bring the idea, references, placement, rough size, timing, and budget context. The studio matches the project to the right artist and gives you an honest read on scale and cost.
Design
The artist develops your references into an original design drawn for your placement and body - not a stock image resized to fit. Larger pieces are planned and mapped before any ink.
Session
Every appointment starts with a fresh, sterile setup. Needles are single-use, opened from sealed packaging at the start of your procedure and disposed of as soon as it ends.
Aftercare
You leave 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.
Page FAQ
Tattoos Questions
Short answers for search snippets and real visitors.
How much does a tattoo cost at American Ink in Sherman Oaks?
Tattoos at American Ink start at a $150 shop minimum. Beyond that, pricing depends on size, placement, level of detail, color, and how long the session runs, so custom work is quoted at a consultation rather than from a flat menu. Bring your idea, references, and rough placement and the studio will give you a straight answer on cost before anything is booked. Call (818) 907-6114 or see the pricing page for how quotes and deposits work.
How long does a custom tattoo session take?
The design decides it, which is why the answer comes out of the consultation rather than before it. A small custom tattoo can often be finished in a single short sitting. Larger work - half-sleeves, chest panels, back pieces - is drawn and mapped to the body first, then planned across multiple sessions, because a custom design of that scale is built in stages rather than rushed in one. Your artist gives you a realistic time estimate along with the quote, including how the sittings would be split if the piece cannot be finished in one visit.
Do I need an appointment for a custom tattoo, or can I walk in?
Both work, but they suit different pieces. American Ink accepts walk-ins seven days a week and smaller tattoos are a natural fit for same-day work when an artist is available, though availability is never guaranteed. A custom tattoo of any real size needs a consultation first, simply because the design has to be drawn before it can be tattooed - walking in is still a perfectly good way to start that conversation. If you want a specific artist, calling (818) 907-6114 or booking through their profile page is the safer route. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10 AM-10 PM and Sunday 10 AM-7 PM.
Can I bring my own tattoo design or references?
Yes. Custom work is the core of what American Ink does, and most projects start with something the client brings in - a rough sketch, saved images, style references, or a written idea. The artists develop that material into a design that fits your placement and skin rather than copying it line for line, and they will tell you honestly if a reference will not translate well at the size or spot you have in mind.
What about touch-ups on a tattoo?
Touch-up needs vary with the tattoo, the placement, and how the skin heals, so they are handled case by case. If a healed piece has spots that settled unevenly, or an older tattoo has faded and could use a refresh, contact the studio with a photo of the work and the artists will tell you what a touch-up would involve. Call (818) 907-6114 or send a consultation request to get an answer for your specific piece.
Book / Visit
Bring the idea. The design comes next.
Call (818) 907-6114 or send a consultation request with the idea, placement, rough size, references, and timing - the studio will match the project to the right artist.
(818) 907-6114 14159 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Monday-Saturday: 10 AM-10 PM Sunday: 10 AM-7 PM