STUDIO BLOG

What Are Dermal Anchors and Surface Piercings? Dermal anchors and surface piercings both sit on flat areas of skin rather than passing through a fold of tissue the way a lobe or cartilage piercing does. That makes them visually striking and highly customizable in terms of placement, but it also means they behave differently during healing and require a bit more attention than a standard piercing. A dermal anchor (sometimes called a microdermal) consists of a small flat base t

How Much Does a Tattoo Hurt? It Depends Where Pain is one of the most common concerns people have before getting tattooed, and the honest answer is that placement matters more than almost anything else. The same needle, the same artist, the same design -- placed on two different parts of your body -- can feel completely different. Skin thickness, the density of nerve endings, and how close the needle gets to bone all change how a tattoo feels. Some spots are mild enough that

The Most Common Ear Piercing Types and What They're Called Ear piercing names can be confusing, especially when you're looking at a reference photo and trying to figure out what you're actually asking for. This guide covers the most common ear piercing placements, what each one involves, and how long you can realistically expect it to take to heal. At Costello Tattoo Studio in Sherman Oaks, we do ear and body piercings alongside our tattoo work. Walk-ins are welcome, and the

What a Cover-Up Tattoo Actually Involves A cover-up tattoo places new ink directly over an existing piece you want gone or hidden. It is not the same as a laser removal session, and it is not a faint overlay. Done well, it transforms old work into something you actually want to show off. Done poorly, it just adds more ink to a problem area. At Costello Tattoo in Sherman Oaks, the artists approach cover-ups as a design challenge with real constraints. The old tattoo does not d

What Fine Line Tattoos Actually Are Fine line tattooing uses very thin needles to create delicate, precise designs with minimal line weight. The result looks closer to a pencil drawing or engraving than a traditional tattoo. Popular subjects include botanical illustrations, small portraits, minimalist script, geometric patterns, and abstract linework. What separates fine line from other styles is the level of control required. A bold traditional tattoo has room for minor inco

What to Know Before You Plan a Cover-Up Cover-up tattoos are some of the most technically demanding work any artist takes on. Unlike a fresh tattoo, a cover-up requires the artist to work around existing ink, which shapes everything from design options to how long the session will take. If you have a tattoo you want gone or transformed, the good news is that most pieces can be covered with the right approach. But it helps to understand what you're working with before you walk

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