How much does a full sleeve tattoo cost?

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Full sleeves typically cost $3,000-6,000+ in Vancouver, requiring 20-40+ hours of work across multiple sessions. Half sleeves run $1,500-3,000. Price varies with complexity, style, and artist rates. Budget for the project, not just individual sessions. A full sleeve is a significant investment in both money and time. In Vancouver, expect to pay $3,000-6,000 for a complete full sleeve, with highly detailed work or premium artists pushing into $8,000-10,000+ territory. Half sleeves typically run $1,500-3,000. The time commitment is substantial: full sleeves require 20-40+ hours of tattooing, sometimes more for intricate styles like Japanese traditional or photorealism. This work happens across multiple sessions—usually 4-8 appointments of 4-6 hours each, spaced 3-4 weeks apart for healing. Most artists price sleeves by the session or offer day rates ($1,000-1,800 for 6-8 hours) rather than quoting the entire project upfront. This protects both parties since complex work is difficult to estimate precisely. Factors affecting cost: style complexity (blackwork is faster than colour realism), coverage density (gaps vs. full coverage), whether it's building on existing work, and artist experience level. Plan this as a long-term project and budget accordingly.