American Ink Tattoo Studio The Sherman Oaks Tattoo Shop for Custom Work & Cover-Ups

Both work. American Ink takes walk-ins at 14159 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks whenever an artist or piercer is available — smaller tattoos and most piercings can often happen the same day. Availability isn't guaranteed at busy times, so calling (818) 907-6114 before you head over is the safest bet. Larger custom tattoos work differently: they start with a consultation so your artist can talk through the idea, placement, and references, then draw the design before your appointment. To get started, call the studio or send a consultation request with your idea, rough size, placement, and any reference images, and the shop will match you with the right artist.

Tattoos at American Ink start at a $150 shop minimum. Beyond that, the price of a piece depends on its size, placement, level of detail, color, and how long it takes — so there's no flat menu price for custom work. You'll get a real quote at your consultation, once an artist has seen your references and talked through placement and scale with you. That conversation is also the best time to plan a larger project around your budget, since bigger pieces like sleeves, chest panels, and back pieces are built over multiple sessions. For a quote on a specific idea, call the Sherman Oaks studio at (818) 907-6114 or send a consultation request.

Deposit details are confirmed when you book. After your consultation, locking in your appointment means confirming the date, the scope of the piece, and any deposit directly with the studio — so you'll know exactly where things stand before anything is scheduled. If you have questions about deposits before committing to a design, call American Ink at (818) 907-6114 and the team will walk you through how booking works for your specific piece.

It depends on the size, detail, and placement of the piece. Small, simple tattoos can often be finished in a single shorter sitting, while detailed custom work takes longer, and large-scale projects — half-sleeves, chest panels, back pieces — are planned across multiple sessions with the design mapped out in advance. Your artist will give you a realistic sense of timing at the consultation. To help a session go smoothly, eat a proper meal beforehand, avoid alcohol, bring a valid government-issued ID, and wear clothing that keeps the placement area easy to reach.

Recent work from the studio covers black and grey realism — including religious pieces, memorial portraits, and Chicano-style lettering — along with fine-line and patchwork designs, bold American traditional color, dotwork, and illustrative color work. Josue's portfolio leans into black and grey realism and large-scale custom pieces, while Knives specializes in patchwork designs built from fine lines. If you're not sure which style suits your idea, bring references to a consultation and an artist will talk through what will read well at your size and placement, and how the piece will age. Recent examples are in the work gallery above and on each artist's page.

Cover-ups and reworks are a regular part of the work at American Ink. Every cover-up starts with an honest in-person assessment: the size, darkness, and placement of the existing tattoo shape what a new design can do, and cover-ups generally need to be darker and larger than the piece they replace. That's why a consultation comes first — an artist looks at what's there, talks through realistic options, and designs something that works with the old ink instead of fighting it. Bring photos of the existing tattoo, or just come by the Sherman Oaks studio, along with ideas for the direction you'd like to go.

American Ink's piercing studio covers ear piercings from simple lobes to helix and tragus placements, plus nostril and septum, lip and labret, eyebrow, tongue, and dermal piercings. Miguel, the shop's owner, has more than 20 years of piercing experience and heads the piercing studio, and every procedure comes with direct aftercare guidance. Piercing prices vary by piercing type and jewelry, so the studio quotes them individually — call (818) 907-6114 or stop by 14159 Ventura Blvd for an exact price. Walk-ins are accepted for most piercings whenever a piercer is available.

If you're under 18 — or you're a parent planning a piercing for your child — contact the studio about ID and guardian requirements before coming in. A quick call to (818) 907-6114 will save you a trip: the team will tell you exactly what applies to your situation and what documentation to bring. Every client should bring a valid government-issued photo ID to any tattoo or piercing appointment at American Ink.

You won't leave guessing. Tattoo clients head home with aftercare instructions in hand at the end of the session, and piercing clients get detailed guidance on cleaning and healing, with personalized recommendations for healing and maintenance. The basics are simple: follow the instructions you're given and keep the area clean while it heals. If anything seems off mid-healing, or you just have a question, call the studio at (818) 907-6114 — answering aftercare questions is part of the job.

American Ink is at 14159 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, on Ventura Boulevard's main retail stretch. Most clients park along Ventura Boulevard itself or on the nearby side streets — give yourself a few extra minutes at busy times. The studio is open Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 7 PM. If you're not sure you've found it, look for the koi mural on the storefront, or call (818) 907-6114 and the team will point you in.