STUDIO BLOG

What Is a Sleeve Tattoo? A sleeve tattoo covers the arm with connected or thematically unified ink, from a small grouping that fills the upper arm to a full piece running shoulder to wrist. The term gets used loosely, so it helps to know the three main versions before you start planning. Full sleeve: Shoulder to wrist. This is the biggest commitment in terms of time, money, and visibility. Expect multiple sessions spread over months. Half sleeve: Either the upper arm (shoulde

What American Traditional Tattoos Actually Are American traditional tattooing is one of the oldest and most recognizable styles in the world. You know it when you see it: thick black outlines, a flat color palette of red, green, yellow, and blue, and subject matter pulled from a catalogue of classic images - anchors, eagles, roses, daggers, swallows, pin-ups, panthers, and hearts. The style traces its roots to the late 1800s and early 1900s, when sailors and travelers got t

The Short Answer: Skip the Neosporin Neosporin is a staple in most medicine cabinets, so it makes sense to reach for it when your new tattoo looks red or irritated. But most tattoo artists, including the team at Costello Tattoo in Sherman Oaks, will tell you the same thing: keep it away from fresh ink. A healing tattoo is an open wound, but it's not the same kind of wound as a cut or scrape. The aftercare it needs is different, and Neosporin can actually interfere with the he

The Short Answer on Vaseline and Fresh Tattoos Vaseline comes up constantly in tattoo aftercare conversations, mostly because it's cheap, easy to find, and people have used it on cuts and dry skin for decades. But fresh tattoo skin is a different situation, and petroleum jelly is generally not the right tool for healing it. The short answer: no, Vaseline is not recommended for a new tattoo. It's not going to destroy your ink, but it can slow down the healing process in ways t

What Fine Line Tattooing Actually Is Fine line tattooing uses a single needle or very small needle groupings to create thin, precise lines with subtle shading. The result is something closer to a drawing on skin than a traditional tattoo. Details are tight, edges are clean, and the overall effect tends to be delicate rather than bold. This is different from traditional or neo-traditional styles, which rely on thick outlines and heavy ink saturation to hold their look over tim

Cover-Up Tattoos in Los Angeles: What's Actually Possible A tattoo you regret doesn't have to stay that way. Cover-up tattoos have come a long way, and the right artist can transform almost anything into something you're proud to show off. If you're searching for a cover-up tattoo artist in Los Angeles, Costello Tattoo in Sherman Oaks works with clients regularly on cover-up projects, from faded old-school pieces to names, dates, and designs that no longer fit. The key is kno

The Names Behind Every Ear Piercing If you've ever looked at a pair of ears covered in jewelry and wondered what each piercing is actually called, you're not alone. Ear piercing names can be confusing because the same spot sometimes goes by different names depending on who you ask. This guide lays out the most common ear piercing types, where each one sits on the ear, and what to expect when you get it done. Common Ear Piercing Types and Where They Sit Lobe - The most famil

Finding Your Tattoo Style Before You Book Choosing a tattoo style is one of the most important decisions you'll make before sitting in the chair. The right style shapes how your tattoo ages, how it reads on your skin, and whether it actually matches the vision in your head. Yet most people spend more time picking an image than thinking about the artistic approach behind it. This guide covers the most popular tattoo styles, what makes each one distinct, and how to figure out w

What You'll Actually Pay for a Tattoo Tattoo pricing confuses a lot of people. You'll see shops quoting $50 minimums and artists charging $300 an hour, and it's not always clear why the difference exists. This guide breaks down exactly how tattoo pricing works so you can walk into a consultation knowing what to expect. The short answer: most tattoos are priced by size, complexity, placement, and the artist's experience level. A small, simple design from a mid-level artist mig

How Long Does a Tattoo Take to Heal? Most tattoos take 4 to 6 weeks to heal on the surface, but full skin recovery at the deeper dermal layer can take 3 to 6 months. The timeline depends on tattoo size, placement, your skin type, and how well you follow aftercare. What you see in the mirror during week one or two is not the finished product. This guide walks through each stage of healing so you know what to expect, what's normal, and when something might actually need attenti

Getting your first tattoo is exciting, and it can also feel a little overwhelming. You're committing to something permanent, sitting with a stranger, and probably uncertain about what to expect. The good news is that most of the anxiety fades once you know what's coming. This checklist covers everything you should do in the days and hours before your appointment, from how to prepare your body to how to communicate what you want. Follow it and you'll walk in feeling ready rath

Before you book a tattoo consultation, one of the first choices you'll face is whether you want black and grey or color. Both are valid. Both can look stunning. But they work differently on skin, age differently over time, and suit different design concepts. This guide breaks down the real differences so you can walk into your appointment knowing what you want. At Costello Tattoo Studio in Sherman Oaks, LA, artists work across both styles, including realism and fine line work

LA tattoo prices vary more than most people expect. You can walk into a shop in Sherman Oaks and pay $100 for a small piece, or spend $800 on a half-day session with a sought-after artist in Silver Lake. Both are reasonable for what you're getting. The difference comes down to five things: size, style, artist experience, studio location, and whether your piece requires custom design work. Most reputable shops in Los Angeles charge by the hour or by the piece, depending on wha

Fine line tattooing uses a single needle or a very tight grouping of needles to create delicate, precise linework. The result is a tattoo that looks almost drawn onto the skin rather than painted, with thin strokes, subtle shading, and a lightness that heavier traditional techniques can't replicate. It's not a shortcut or a simpler version of tattooing. Fine line work is technically demanding. Any wobble in the line, any inconsistency in needle depth, shows immediately. Artis

A cover up tattoo places new ink directly over an existing tattoo to partially or fully conceal it. Done well, a cover up can transform something you regret into a piece you're proud of. Done poorly, it can leave you with two tattoos you dislike instead of one. The honest answer to whether a cover up will work for your tattoo depends on several factors: how dark and saturated the old ink is, how large it is, where it sits on your body, and how much it has faded over time. Fad

The short answer: no. Vaseline is not a good product to use on a fresh tattoo, and most professional tattoo artists will tell you to avoid it entirely during the healing process. The problem with Vaseline (petroleum jelly) is that it creates a thick, occlusive barrier on the skin. That barrier locks in moisture, but it also traps heat, bacteria, and ink particles. A new tattoo is essentially an open wound, and covering it with a petroleum-based product prevents the skin from

If you've spent any time searching for a tattoo shop in Los Angeles, you already know the problem. There are hundreds of options, the quality varies wildly, and figuring out which studios are actually worth your time takes longer than the tattoo itself. Costello Tattoo Studio is in Sherman Oaks, on Ventura Blvd, and it draws clients from across the LA area. Not because it's the closest option for most people, but because it's consistently worth the trip. Open every day from 1

Choosing a tattoo style is one of the biggest decisions you'll make before getting inked. With so many styles out there, it can feel overwhelming. Whether you're getting your first tattoo or adding to your collection, understanding the major styles will help you communicate exactly what you want to your artist. Here's our guide to the most popular tattoo styles we see at Costello Tattoo & Piercing Studio. Realism & Micro Realism Realistic tattoos aim to look like photographs

Getting a new tattoo is exciting, but the work doesn't stop when you leave the studio. Proper aftercare is the single most important thing you can do to make sure your tattoo heals beautifully and stays vibrant for years to come. Here at Costello Tattoo & Piercing Studio, we've put together this comprehensive guide so you know exactly what to do. The First 24 Hours Your artist will cover your fresh tattoo with a bandage or wrap. Leave this on for the time your artist recommen

Costello Tattoo& Piercing Studio Micro realistic tattoos are a type of realistic tattooing that are done on a smaller scale with the...