Tattoos

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Saturday October 13th, 2007 @ 2:57 PM

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I’m new to the tattoo world and want to make sure that I am tipping my artist enough. I got 125$ worth of work done one day and tipped her 20$… it took about 30 minutes for the tattoos. Then I went back a few days later and got another tattoo that cost 75$ and I tipped her 15$. That one took about 15 minutes. I tip her about what I tip my hair stylist… thats what I based it on… am I giving her enough???

Tattoo artist generally make far more than waitresses, bartender and whatnot. On average most artist make 50% of the cost of the tattoo. I only mention this because I don’t feel people should feel they HAVE to tip there artist.

That being said, I always do tip my artist and tip them well, just as I feel you did. It’s been mentioned on QOD a bunch, but since this is a new format why not mention this once more: Once you get to know your artist feel free to tip with more personal gifts rather than cash tips, whether it be a gift card, cookies some random collectible they are into these types of tips will probably be more appreciated than the standard cash tip.

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5 Responses to “Tattoos”

I have a client who bakes me goodies and I must say, it makes me feel like she appreciates the work I do on her much more.

Jean-Pierre on October 15th, 2007 at 1:58 am

I’ve had clients bring me rum, donuts, and one woman made me an intricate 3D thankyou card with koi rambling all over it. I like getting thoughtful little gifts as much as cash tips, and it helps me remember those clients much better(and feel really special :D).

Amber on October 15th, 2007 at 3:06 pm

I really love the work that my artist has done on me, which is why I made her cookies after I had a second piece done by her (June ‘07). The first piece I received from her (May ‘05), however, was a bit confusing when it comes to the tipping “rule”. I made an appointment about a week in advance, and she was more than an hour late. In my mind, which was pretty new to the world of tattooing at the time, the hour+ that I waited took the place of the tip. I could’ve walked out and gone to a different artist, but instead I waited and got a nice piece that I still love. I really hope that I wasn’t rude when I didn’t tip, but at the same time, I did make an appointment…ya know?

Laura on October 15th, 2007 at 10:28 pm

This is definitely arbitrary, as there are far more shit shops than good ones these days. However, if you’re going to a consummate professional, someone who is putting art on your body that will win your a case of trophys & get you on magazine covers, then you have to look at tipping in an art collector sense. Here, you’re giving examples of paying as much in tips as you do a HAIRDRESSER, even though you’ll go to the hairdresser a million times more than a tattooist, & you’ll never take a hairdresser’s work with you to your grave.

If you live to a ripe old age & pro-rate your tattoos, then you’ll realize that you are paying a fraction of a penny a day to wear them,…. they’re practically free.

On the other hand, you can start collecting “real” art, & pony up $150 million for an original Pollack.

The average American has a shitty perspective on art,… flash is stolen, downloaded, & bootlegged like it was taking candy from a baby,… look at the average MySpace page; its crammed with so much stolen art the page can’t even load, & no credit is ever given to the artist. How many artists here can talk about having kids bring them tattoos with ©bmezine written across it, & they have no thought at all that they are stealing custom art right from the skin of that person in the photo? It happens all the time,…

Everyone loves art, so few are willing to value it enough to equate its value to that of a cell phone bill or a few tanks of gas!

Johnny Thief on October 20th, 2007 at 11:57 pm

I work at a tattoo shop and people always ask me how much they should tip when they pay. Seems the average amout is $20. We have had people tip $20 for $40 dollar tattoos and people tip $20 for $300 tattoos. I know the other artists at the shop like getting tips that arent money as well. I have a clothing company and I have tipped artists what do my tattoos with a shirt or hoodie and i’ve seen them wear it all the time. What I say about tipping is to tip based on how happy you are with the actual tattoo, with how much you love it. So if you are thrilled with the tattoo leave a bigger tip and if you are just happy or content with it that leave something smaller.

Jon on October 25th, 2007 at 12:01 am

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I have a client who bakes me goodies and I must say, it makes me feel like she appreciates the work I do on her much more.
Jean-Pierre on October 15th, 2007 at 1:58 am
I’ve had clients bring me rum, donuts, and one woman made me an intricate 3D thankyou card with koi rambling all over it. I like getting thoughtful little gifts as much as cash tips, and it helps me remember those clients much better(and feel really special :D).
Amber on October 15th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I really love the work that my artist has done on me, which is why I made her cookies after I had a second piece done by her (June ‘07). The first piece I received from her (May ‘05), however, was a bit confusing when it comes to the tipping “rule”. I made an appointment about a week in advance, and she was more than an hour late. In my mind, which was pretty new to the world of tattooing at the time, the hour+ that I waited took the place of the tip. I could’ve walked out and gone to a different artist, but instead I waited and got a nice piece that I still love. I really hope that I wasn’t rude when I didn’t tip, but at the same time, I did make an appointment…ya know?
Laura on October 15th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
This is definitely arbitrary, as there are far more shit shops than good ones these days. However, if you’re going to a consummate professional, someone who is putting art on your body that will win your a case of trophys & get you on magazine covers, then you have to look at tipping in an art collector sense. Here, you’re giving examples of paying as much in tips as you do a HAIRDRESSER, even though you’ll go to the hairdresser a million times more than a tattooist, & you’ll never take a hairdresser’s work with you to your grave.

If you live to a ripe old age & pro-rate your tattoos, then you’ll realize that you are paying a fraction of a penny a day to wear them,…. they’re practically free.

On the other hand, you can start collecting “real” art, & pony up $150 million for an original Pollack.

The average American has a shitty perspective on art,… flash is stolen, downloaded, & bootlegged like it was taking candy from a baby,… look at the average MySpace page; its crammed with so much stolen art the page can’t even load, & no credit is ever given to the artist. How many artists here can talk about having kids bring them tattoos with ©bmezine written across it, & they have no thought at all that they are stealing custom art right from the skin of that person in the photo? It happens all the time,…

Everyone loves art, so few are willing to value it enough to equate its value to that of a cell phone bill or a few tanks of gas!
Johnny Thief on October 20th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I work at a tattoo shop and people always ask me how much they should tip when they pay. Seems the average amout is $20. We have had people tip $20 for $40 dollar tattoos and people tip $20 for $300 tattoos. I know the other artists at the shop like getting tips that arent money as well. I have a clothing company and I have tipped artists what do my tattoos with a shirt or hoodie and i’ve seen them wear it all the time. What I say about tipping is to tip based on how happy you are with the actual tattoo, with how much you love it. So if you are thrilled with the tattoo leave a bigger tip and if you are just happy or content with it that leave something smaller.
Jon on October 25th, 2007 at 12:01 am

Tattoos

«« Tattoos and flying Waiting time »»

Saturday October 13th, 2007 @ 2:57 PM

Filed under: Uncategorized

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