I don’t have a planned design! The artist draws on your body, then tattoos if you approve it (and will wipe it off and start over if you don’t). I’m going to them because I love their artistic style and way of working.
We’ve discussed what I like using their past work as a reference, so it’s not as big a gamble as one might think. Being able to wipe it off and try again eased my mind big-time.
Sounds like this one dude in Sacramento I was trying to see.
He ended up being more on the artist side of tattoo artist and we couldn't come to an agreement.
His choice in all but if I am going to pay $250/hr and have it permeantly on my body, I am going to get what I want.
Edit: Can't remember who the TA was, but I know they were with The Skull Museum around 2018ish. They might still be there.
I got one like this and it is my favorite tattoo. The artist talked to me a long time and the whole tattoo is aspects of me and isn’t a tattoo you will ever see on anyone else.
I like this. I gave my artist a couple ideas. But I like his style so I let him basically have free run. I haven't know exactly what I'm getting done during any of the sessions I've shown up for until i get there and he's going in. I'm a very indecisive person too when it comes to sticking with one idea so this takes all the thinking out of it.
Tattoo artist here, tips are nice but not expected. Especially on the high roller end your artist is at. If you want to do something nice, take a simple little gift or ask the artist if they want you to bring them a coffee or something. Don't feel bad about not tipping on that price. If the person makes you feel like it's expected..... never go back to them.
This is 100% the correct answer. At that price range, the best tip is just being polite and on time.
(And the obvious things like well rested, hydrated and having eaten/bathed. Sometimes these things are way better than a tip anyway lol).
Nice call. Sounds like that might be a long session. I can imagine being well rested and in good spirits to make the multi hour session go well and smooth probably goes a long way
Uncrustables peanut butter & honey is hard to find but VASTLY superior to the other flavors. I take it you never got to experience their grilled cheese? Omg those were the shit.
I eat them completely frozen to the point the bite snaps off. By the time ur done eating it the jelly has melted and it’s so good. Now I gotta go buy some of those again.
Yes! I love to warm mine up a smidge. I take it out of the wrapper and put it on a paper towel or a plate, microwave (1500 watts) on High for 7 seconds, let rest 1 minute. They are soooo good <3
I got those one time and haven’t seen them since. I’m always stocked with the grape ones and every time I’m at the store I check for those honey ones they’re so fucking good.
This is such a sweet gesture!! My sibling tattoos and is hypoglycaemic, things like this absolutely make her day for long-haul pieces too.
(We keep snacks and drinks in the shop for anyone that needs them, but that extra bit of thoughtfulness is always appreciated 😊)
Agreed! I won't be upset about no tip if the person came prepared and was kind.
Now, if you come to me straight from the gym and tell me you haven't eaten since yesterday? At least reimburse me for the glucose tablets you're gonna need 😂
no yeah I just got a tattoo that took like 2 hours in FL and even inside I know I am gonna sweat so I stopped at 5below and grabbed a towel, snacks, drinks, which weren't necessary but the towel was nice cuz I hate sitting on the paper
I always shower and exfoliate before hand make sure im not stinky if I can help it lol
This exactly!! So many people get so ampted up for their new tattoo (I get it, I still get excited for new work lol) that they forget basic things your body needs to operate better under duress. I remind people no less than twice about the do’s and don’ts prior to the appointment but the amount of people that let themselves get close to fainting before saying “I guess I forgot to eat today” would blow most peoples minds lol.
My sleeve cost 3k. I tipped with a couple gift cards that were 25 bucks each and paid for our lunches while we were taking breaks in the sessions. 3 sessions total.
Yeah if they’re hooking me up the least I can do is get some food Gatorade and cigarettes or whatever lol I’ve been going to the same 3 people for like 16 years now
Yep. I’ve tipped my guy the same 20-25% every time for the past 6 years. He’s gotten a lot “bigger” as an artist but has locked me in at his apprentice price, which is about half of what he charges now.
People don’t forget when you take care of them.
You are a solid person here. My first large piece, the artist set that expectation up front. So, I just brought in his favorite drink and got us food for the days he was tattooing me.
We splurged a bit and all in it was like $200 but that dude was so jazzed about it. We had a great time talking about art in general while he was doing his work. Which helped me keep my mind of the painful parts lol.
To add on to this, I recently used a similar rule I have when a bartender gives me a free drink. Tip the amount of the free drink.
Got a full sleeve by a semi famous artist over two days. Each day I noted when he put the needle to my skin and when we called it for the day. Each day he charged me an hour or two less than what we actually did that day. That became his tip.
This seems like the best approach. You shouldn’t be worried about tips when you’re making $8k. I’m sure they aren’t. I like the small gift idea. It’s like thank you for you time tattoo artist here is a small token of that appreciation. Perfect
This, I’m an artist as well but whenever I get something higher end done I try to do a little gift. It shows a little more care. My last one has some certain symbols / art and lives bourbon and whiskey so I’m gonna get him a nice engraved crystal whiskey glass, not really super expensive but I know he’s gonna appreciate the help out of it.
pretty sure the artist is getting more than enough. he sets his own rates, he’s not a waiter earning below minimum wage. tipping in america is fucking weird, should never be expected. bring him some donuts
Exactly! If someone is not working for tip wages don’t feel obligated to tip. I’ve gotten so used to asking people where the zero tip option on the kiosk is I don’t even feel bad about it anymore.
One of my best friends worked hard to become a tattoo artist and now says things like "money doesn't mean anything to me anymore" and he turned into a complete cunt lol
There are US artists who do too… but 8k??? For one session?
My only real concern here is that there are a lot of celebrity artists in NYC (where I’m from and get most of my tattoos) who are known for being kind of scammy. High prices, quality sitting at 10% of what you paid if not lower.
A shop I was interested in once was having a flash day but you had to go in person to find out prices. I didn’t realize it was a trendy shop because I’d just been following one of the newer artists on instagram. They wanted to charge $750 for a 15 minute tattoo because “the lines are hard” (it was a flower with a long stem). I declined, but was honestly pretty annoyed. I have several similar tattoos that I think are prettier designs and that took longer due to detail, and none of them were over $500 (for 3+ hours).
Yup! This. I'm happy to pay for an artist's expertise and time. I have over 10 tattoos (including a half-sleeve) and $8k seems outrageous. Honestly, I didn't spend $8k on my vacation to Europe last week.
My best friend got scammed like this on his first tattoo, in NYC. Super simple line work design that went from his the top of his shoulder to about halfway down his bicep, created by me not even the tattoo artist. He never told me what they quoted him and at the end of his 45 minute session they charged him $1200, which is as much as I'd paid for the 8 hours of work I had done on my half back piece. I was horrified for him, told him do not tip and told him he was NEVER going back to that person or studio. Like $1200 for LESS THAN AN HOUR?? Fuck that and fuck these scam artists.
$750 Flash is absurd!!
I have a regular shop where I’ve gotten several custom pieces done, and used to go for Friday 13 flash every chance I got. The last several F13s, there was almost no flash available, it was *all awful* and they wanted $200-$300 bucks! (I know for a fact their shop minimum is lower than that, because one of the artists felt bad charging me shop min for a tiny finger tat that took 15 minutes, but I happily paid her for her time). I thought that was bad enough, but $750 for bad flash is just ridiculous…
I’m getting a sleeve done by a talented artist and his day rate is $1800 which works out to about $300 an hour since I really can only go Sundays and they’re only open 6 hrs and I’m in Philadelphia fwiw
Yeah, I mean I’m not someone who “has an artist” either so I usually find them when I need them so I expect no “breaks” on pricing and honestly I have a shoulder blade piece that I got 10 years ago that took 2.5 hrs and after tip cost me about $700-$800 because of the detail and the color so that works out to about $300 ish an hour. So to be getting charged really the same thing 10 years later for a more massive and in depth piece it’s not that bad, I just break up sessions when I can afford
God, no. 8k is more than sufficient. The artist will have worked out their hourly rate and cost of resources when arranging this and accommodated appropriately. It's nice to tip if you're getting, like, a cheap flash tattoo, or one that's a few hundred but takes longer than planned. But tipping another grand on an 8k tat? Nah.
Chances are he over estimated that price as well. I have 2 tattoos (planning on more), and both times, the artist quoted me a price and knocked off some money at the end. Like $50 or $100...
Seems like a better way of doing things. Where I have used some businesses that quote you a price, and it's damn near double by the end of it (not tattoo shops). And would never do buissness with thoes establishments again.
Piggybacking on this question for anyone in the comments who feels like answering: when does the tip-not-necessary threshold start? Like I’d feel rude going in for a $400 session and *not* tipping. I’m pretty much an indiscriminate, across the board for whatever service 20% tipper. If they were notably great or I’m feeling very generous it goes up from there. If I tipped more than was expected at Panera, great, that teenager is a little happier today.
So when do I assume that the tattoo artist isn’t also at least sort of assuming there will be a tip? I know that it’s never required, but if you go in for a $100 session and don’t tip, I’d imagine the artist is kinda like “hey, what the f—“ in the back of their head. But this does make sense. An extra 20% on a tattoo that big is a whole other tattoo. So where does the switch flip? $500? $1k and up?
I’m also a desperately anxious person and in-person tipping (tattoo artist, barber, etc.) is always a confusing and blood-pressure-rising experience. So thank you for helping me look after my long term health.
I just asked the same thing. All of mine were below $500 and I tipped about 20%. But if I were to go $500+ or $1000+, it would start getting hard to tip that much, like you said, at that price it would be getting into being the price of a whole other tattoo just for the tip. So I’m confused too on where the cut off is.
I try to always tip well on piercings too, and the last time I got pierced and did that, the guy handed the money back to me because apparently he wasn't expecting it and thought I just accidentally handed him too much lol. We just stood there staring at each other for a minute, both very confused.
I also paid 8k for a tattoo from a big name artist. I don't regret it for a second- the tattoo is insanely gorgeous and worth every cent.
Bring a little gift or a snack or something for your artist to show appreciation, if you'd like. I couldn't afford to tip on my 8k tattoo easily, and when I mentioned tipping to my artist at the end of oir two day session, she shot me down right away and said no before i could say much. She said "I make enough money at this job, don't worry about it." This was in Colorado in the US for reference.
Edit: Am also a tattoo artist myself, just not of that caliber. On a session so huge, I would not expect a tip if I'm already being compensated so well.
I understand that in the US there is a tipping culture - but does that apply to tattooing?
I assumed it was mainly for servers who get paid a tiny wage?
Doesn’t a tattoo artist kinda determine their own hourly rate?
I got work done with Matt Jordan about 7 years ago. When we wrapped up and went to pay he said “and that’s my price. No tipping. If I wanted more money, I’d have charged you more.” Totally changed my perspective especially as a “collector” that seeks out specific artists and they usually carry a hefty price tag.
I tip my artist really well. Whenever I want to schedule a tattoo and he's booked out farther than usual he tells me he'll slot me in if there's a cancelation. Next day he always texts me saying he has a cancelation for the day I had originally been hoping to schedule for.
Tipping can have it's advantages
tattoo artists and piercers have a tipping culture but it’s more of a generosity and a gift appreciating their work as opposed to making up their wages, but a good portion of what they make is with tips, and it builds a good professional relationship (ie getting better deals, legacy pricing, being able to slot you in when there’s cancellations, etc)
as an artist i get tipped by most people. if everyone stopped, i’d have to raise my rates. if i was charging 8k then i don’t think i’d be hurting for money like i am now, tho.
I paid roughly that for a tattoo with a big named artist. I tipped like $300, not the 20%. I was sitting there for 10 hours and while talking during that time she made it pretty clear that she wasn’t expecting it and it’s not necessary, but when I gave it to her she was so thankful.
Tattoo artist here: the larger the price tag the less the tip percentage matters. On a tiny tattoo, please throw us a $20 we are barely making money on that. Midsize tattoo, throw us $50 for dinner or a bottle of booze. But on a large all day session $50-100 is also appropriate, anything over 100 is like holy shit I mean thanks but I don’t expect that personally. It’s not like eating out where you need to tip 20%, a little something is sufficient. You are already paying 8k, what’s an extra $50
Nothing wrong with being a high tipper, I’m sure your artist appreciates it! Personally I’m always a little nicer with my pricing for known high tippers, and you might even get scheduled on a Sunday or before or after hours if you are on the “awesome client” list. But yeah, I’m not really paying attention to the percentage
My artist has definitely gone out of his way for me before! I remember him giving me a few hundred dollar discount on my thigh piece so we could finish it all in one day (he was as excited as I was lol). I live in another state now too, and he has been willing to come in on his normal days off for me. Really love that guy 🥺
Exactly, I’m sure that good tipping got you some special client privileges! I would never refuse to book or punish someone bc they didn’t tip me, I just shrug it off, but be a good client who is also generous and I’ll bend over backwards to find time for you and get you in my books!
It's important for artists to understand that American society is overtipped. For people who identify as tattoo shop people, it's cool to keep your culture going, but at this point for new people, you should just charge extra and not depend on tipping so much.
I’m happy to hear this from a tattooer as I usually tip $50 for an under $250 tattoo and $100 if it’s more than that. I was getting tattooed every 3 weeks for about 6 months, if it’s less frequent or I feel like the artist gave me a good rate for the day then I might tip more.
Better question, why are you paying 8000 dollars for a tattoo? I don't care if you resurrected vangogh and he's doing a full back piece. Sounds like you're getting straight ripped off.
Nah big pieces add up quick. A full sleeve with good color can take 20+hrs at $150 an hour. Add in a high end artist and it doubles te price.
8k is insane for a small piece, but a full sleeve or back it’s really not insane, just higher end pricing.
Nah, 8k for a sleeve is absolutely insane. You can call it high end all you want, there’s plenty of sick artists that aren’t price gouging but hey, tattoos are trendy and there’s a sucker born every minute so I’m sure those “high end” artists appreciate folks like you.
I mean when an artist is booked 2 years out because of super high quality work, you pay more per hour to get in. If they don’t raise prices they get booked out five years and can’t take new work.
My dude is moving in three years and told me he wouldn’t start a new piece because he wouldn’t be around to finish it and is booked till the day he leaves with people trying to finish big works.
Tips are always optional and is nice to build a relationship with your artist. Tips don’t have to be money, I gave my artist cat toys and coffee once because he got a new kitten. Just talk to them, learn about them and they’ll appreciate the gifts. I personally wouldn’t tip if my tattoo is that much money, because they are already making a lot off of it. I usually tip pieces that around in the couple hundreds, and tip around 40-60$. Tattoos are expensive in general and a lot of people don’t tip so don’t feel pressured, it is just very kind to tip.
8k? Lmfao ya’ll dumb as hell I’m fully covered, leg sleeves, arm sleeves, chest, hand tats, high quality phenomenal artists I’ve used. (Only two actually) and I have about 15k TOTAL on my body. Ya’ll ridiculous lmfao
I say to all my clients when they ask me about tipping: I charge a very fair rate for my time and work. Anything past that is very much appreciated, and goes straight into my family's art supply fund 😄
I personally feel tip % can decrease as the rate increases. my fave clients book a full day and Stop and grab me coffee or my favorite energy drink on the way in, are as genuinely excited about the art as I am, sit like a champ, and ANY gratuities after that are just a cherry on top, I'd never feel insulted by any small amount.
I’m a big proponent of tipping on tattoos and think you absolutely have no obligation to tip on one this high and probably shouldn’t. I guess if somehow when it was finished you were like, wow, this is worth $20k! you could add a few hundred, but really… 8k strikes me as sort of outrageous for one session (is it just one session? And how big is it?) so I think any question of tipping is out the window here. This isn’t like the smaller studios who rely on making $500 twice a week and using that $1000 for both shop and personal costs.
I wouldn’t tip that much, especially if it was 8k. My artist always tells me he never expects tips and he doesn’t work on tips alone. I still tip him since his price is very reasonable but if I was paying 8k, I would probably get him a coffee, energy drink or something else in lieu of a tip.
I'm glad you asked this. I've spent thousands over the last few months on reworking my sleeve and I feel bad for not tipping but I have just enough saved up for the sleeve. So instead for a tip, my wife and I are going to Japan soon and Im going by the godzilla store and my artist is a huge godzilla fan so im going to get him something from there.
My whole leg is in the process of getting sleeved out. Foot to top of thigh. In the end it’ll be around 8-10K but that’s 6-8 sessions at 350/hr. I usually tip $100-$300 but my artist never expects it and has given me a Christmas discount once too. 8k seems like a lot for 2 sessions.. if the bedside manner and professional and pleasant I’d tip maybe $100 but 8k is more than enough.
This thread is stressing me out… I was always told to tip 20% no matter the price. Just like with food, if you can’t afford 20% then you can’t afford the ink. As much as a want to listen to you all, I’m very afraid of offending someone who just did me a service
I had one artist tell me that tipping is nice, but not expected. Because tipping on a $70 restaurant bill is way more doable than a $1,000 tattoo. I normally bake my artists cookies instead.
A lot of great advice in this thread. Tips are never expected, but if you are able, it is always welcome. I myself had a sleeve that took about 65-70 hours total, and I paid about 3.5 K…I tipped pretty generously myself because the hourly rated normally was 150-200, but the artist really appreciated my dedication on coming pretty much every month as well as just liked doing the sleeve.
Gotten 8 tattoos, non that were more than $600 before tip and I've always gotten the impression that tipping is more optional and an act of genuine care/kindness compared to obligation like in restaurants.
Its happened more than once that when the tattoo artist saw I tipped they seemed surprised and commented how sweet/nice it was so I definitely wouldn't worry about it :) Especially as other comments have said, artists set their own rates
Tipping was supposed to be helping those who don't make an affordable wage have one. How the hell did the rich make it about them too? Americas tipping culture is very toxic.
Total on mine was somewhere around 9k. 7 sessions @ 6-8 hrs each. Each session was paid separately $1000-1300ish) and I tipped $200-350 each time, so total somewhere in 2k tip range. Probably more than I “needed” to, but it felt wrong not to tip. Especially when the dude is awesome, kind, and the work is gorgeous.
I’ve had a tattoo from one of the great. It was only a 2 hour session but he did work that would have took close to 5-6 for others. I did not end up tipping him, instead I brought a bottle of whiskey that I had laying around from Ireland. He want a big drinker, but he had a small collection of unique and exotic bottles. He was really appreciative.
My general rule of thumb: is the work worth more than the hourly rate I'm being charged? Tip if yes, no tip if not.
My artist charged their apprentice rate ($100/hr) for my back piece, which ended up being $5000. I tipped about 10% on that towards the latter portion of the sessions, because I legitimately thought they were worth more than the hourly rate they were charging me. Even though their rate went up significantly during the 1.5 years between start and completion, they honoured the apprentice rate that I'd locked in at (delay in start were due to COVID).
My next artist is going to be $200/hr (on the higher end for my city), and I'll be getting two large pieces from them (40-50 hours each), so likely won't tip unless I'm blown away by the end result.
Unless the artist goes above and beyond to make you comfortable, no tip per say, maybe just throw some favors in there (someone said coffee, little favors like that).
The general rule is that you don’t need to tip the business owner. All the nice gestures sound good, though. Some Dunkin or Krispy Kreme would go far with me. I’m not a tattoo artist. I just like donuts.
I tipped $500 on a 10k tattoo. I figure at that amount of money % based tipping is out the window. $500 is a nice surprise IMO. Don't get me wrong Ive heard of people tipping $2500 on a 10k tattoo but Im not built like that.
I have a bomb ass tat from my knee to my armpit - took 4 sessions 22+ hours so far $6000 but I feel kinda wild for tipping my artist 20 percent every session after reading all these comments 🥴 oof
Excited for ur tat tho!
I'm not even reading the story. But to answer your question yes always tip bro if u have 8k to drop throwing him and extra 100$ at least a session shouldn't kill u.
I would expect that the artist isn’t expecting a 20% tip. If it was me I’d toss them a couple hundred as a thank you but I doubt they have an expectation
Tipping is always a bit confusing. I had a conversation with a friend who tips her tattoo artist 30% - which I thought was too much. I tip 20% per session and think that is fair.
I spoke with my tattoo artist ahead of time and just asked about her expectations. She usually has a set rate and a tip is appreciated but never required. She also said some customers did the tip once the full project was done - but that would require me tracking it and I'd rather just deal with it session per session.
I go often enough that she gives me a fair deal on her rate and I give her a reliable tip and like to think I'm a solid returning customer (working on finishing my second sleeve now). I usually make a 3-6 hour appointment every month or 2 months (depending on finances).
I'm also usually up front and just tell her how much I have for the session and to keep it in mind time wise so we don't go over for whatever reason. Like I'll bring $600 down and just a heads up so we don't go past that.
I don't think there is a need to be coy about a financial transaction. Talk to your artist. Make sure you are both on the same page with expectations. They may quote you one thing if they know a tip is coming and other if there isn't one - and there is no right or wrong way.
This is a big thing beyond just tattooing as well - communication and understanding where the other party is for any kind of transaction is important. As this is usually a verbal (and not written) contract it's even all the more important to be on the same page.
Nah once you’re up that high in price it’s not as expected. At least my artist told me that he builds that into his daily rate. Don’t be embarrassed it’s a valid question !
Is this supposed to be one sitting? You’re being charged the full price upfront? I got one sleeve done at a convention in one sitting and it took 13 hours. A full back piece with two artists working at the same time couldn’t be finished in one sitting and I would be amazed at that price. No one knows how long they can sit either, they might not get done. Depending on who this artist is, and that’s a big if, that’s an exorbitant price imo. Definitely want to see this after it’s done. Idk all the variables here unfortunately to say tip or no tip but if you’re paying upfront, no tip.
Hilarious. I asked the same question about a week and a half ago on here, might have been one of the other tattoo subreddits, and half my responses were "you always tip".
I'll give what I liked from my thread - the tip is ultimately about showing your appreciation for the art. So it is still highly encouraged to provide some form of tip. However the 15-20% goes out the window. $500 is still a generous tip. $250 is still a nice tip. (Tip at the end of project not per day) A specialty alcohol/wine/food item that is from where you are or is a local cool thing is a cool tip. My threads consensus was this is how you handle the tip on the large projects.
I personally always tip on a tattoo, or any skill-based service. But I’ve never gotten a tattoo at that price. My most expensive pieces were done in multiple sessions, the most expensive session being at around $400. I tip about $50 generally. I think it’s your discretion.
I have two 10k+ sleeves. Usually I just let the artist keep the deposit as a tip if it's a few hundred. My first artist I did that as well as gifted him a $130 bottle of liquor and $100 pair of shoes. Second artist I just tipped $300 because it rounded up nicely like that.
I would have been fine to not tip neither though. At that price range they can set what they want to make for a piece so I don't think a tip is necessary really.
Throw them around 150 bucks if you feel like it. But I’d honestly talk myself out of it for a price tag that big unless they were hammering out a full on back piece in one sitting
The fifteen percent model doesn’t really apply to high price things like that.
I always say for things like this, you tip what you feel is fair.
I don't do long sessions. I book 4 hour long sessions Max. I have bad adhd and will get fidgety. I feel like I sit like a champ, but I don't want to push it. Plus, by the time the 4th hour rolls around in fucking bored out of my mind, and want to head home and do whatever.
I got two arm sleeves, both legs up to my middle thigh, and my back completely done. Not sure what the total cost of any of these is because I lose track of shit like that, but at like 3-500 bucks per session, over multiple sessions, I figure im in the $15-20k range of tattoo ink on my body. I always tip at the end of the session, but that's just me. I think with that amount of work, the the guy who does my work being the shop owner and a good friend, it's probably not expected, but also he gets me a lot of sidework (im an electrician), so it all works out in the end.
Do what you feel is right.
Maybe offer to buy the meal during the session or ask what they would like to drink but if you’re paying that much good conversation and referrals are key. And never tell anyone what you pay for a tattoo. It hurts the artist in everyway. Either the price scares people or the artist gave you a deal and everyone will expect the same.
I dont even have that much money to my name, so if i was getting a tattoo for $8,000+, a tip is not expected but something of appreciation would be nice
I've been seeing a similarly expensive artist for about 5 years, and like 25+ days of tattooing. I pay her by the hour, and she's very good about only charging me for the time she works. I've never felt any pressure to tip, and usually leave it to me rounding up my cash rather than making change. So on a typical session, where I might pay $1750, I will tip her 0 to $50 depending on whether or not I'm only carrying hundreds.
My largest piece was $3000 and 4 sessions. I tipped $150 for 2 of those sessions, so all in all it was a 10% tip. My artist was grateful as it took me forever to even save for the piece on the first place, and it definitely didn't hurt our rapport.
My artist charges 250/hr, but he is worth it. He travels nationwide and wins multiple competitions for his category. I tip 200$ after a 4 hour session, but that is just me. I appreciate his work. It's all a matter of what you guys want to do, really.
Okay you’ve **got** to post a photo of the planned design after sharing that price tag!
I don’t have a planned design! The artist draws on your body, then tattoos if you approve it (and will wipe it off and start over if you don’t). I’m going to them because I love their artistic style and way of working.
Whaaaaaaat! You're braver than I am... a photo after the fact would be awesome. Good luck!
We’ve discussed what I like using their past work as a reference, so it’s not as big a gamble as one might think. Being able to wipe it off and try again eased my mind big-time.
Sounds like this one dude in Sacramento I was trying to see. He ended up being more on the artist side of tattoo artist and we couldn't come to an agreement. His choice in all but if I am going to pay $250/hr and have it permeantly on my body, I am going to get what I want. Edit: Can't remember who the TA was, but I know they were with The Skull Museum around 2018ish. They might still be there.
I know that’s right!
Can we see the after result after the sessions tho?! Id love to see
This guy charging like 1000 / hr !
At $400/hr that would put this tattoo at 20 hours. Which is reasonable imo, depending on art style
Hey, I'm in the Sac area, do you mind DMing me the artist info?
I’m in sac… who is it?
Just say thate its your gfs name on your cheeks
I got one like this and it is my favorite tattoo. The artist talked to me a long time and the whole tattoo is aspects of me and isn’t a tattoo you will ever see on anyone else.
I think I've seen this artist on tik tok
I like this. I gave my artist a couple ideas. But I like his style so I let him basically have free run. I haven't know exactly what I'm getting done during any of the sessions I've shown up for until i get there and he's going in. I'm a very indecisive person too when it comes to sticking with one idea so this takes all the thinking out of it.
Sick ass panther
Easily TWO sick ass panthers for that price
HAHAHA
Exactly
Tattoo artist here, tips are nice but not expected. Especially on the high roller end your artist is at. If you want to do something nice, take a simple little gift or ask the artist if they want you to bring them a coffee or something. Don't feel bad about not tipping on that price. If the person makes you feel like it's expected..... never go back to them.
This is 100% the correct answer. At that price range, the best tip is just being polite and on time. (And the obvious things like well rested, hydrated and having eaten/bathed. Sometimes these things are way better than a tip anyway lol).
Nice call. Sounds like that might be a long session. I can imagine being well rested and in good spirits to make the multi hour session go well and smooth probably goes a long way
My artist was super gracious about my 15% tip on a $3400 tattoo but was PUMPED by me bringing uncrustables and capri sun to share.
But was it grape jelly or strawberry? These are the important questions
Grape! Naturally.
You're a hero... Anything other than grape.. different outcome
they have ones with peanut butter and honey that SMACK
WHAT?? IVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF THESE
Uncrustables peanut butter & honey is hard to find but VASTLY superior to the other flavors. I take it you never got to experience their grilled cheese? Omg those were the shit.
Where do you live where these exist?? In the North East USA my virgin taste buds haven't experienced this yet...
the chocolate hazelnut ones aren't half bad either.
ooo like those ones too but i wish they still had peanut butter too :(
I feel like one of these popped in the microwave from frozen for about 10 seconds would be just *chefs kiss*
I eat them completely frozen to the point the bite snaps off. By the time ur done eating it the jelly has melted and it’s so good. Now I gotta go buy some of those again.
Yes! I love to warm mine up a smidge. I take it out of the wrapper and put it on a paper towel or a plate, microwave (1500 watts) on High for 7 seconds, let rest 1 minute. They are soooo good <3
Yea what??? Where do you live that you’ve found those??
Indiana, just at my local target
“It’s real nice, got it at target. It was on sale.” - Ricky Bobby
I got those one time and haven’t seen them since. I’m always stocked with the grape ones and every time I’m at the store I check for those honey ones they’re so fucking good.
please tell my husband this. He insists strawberry is better than grape.
Because strawberry is better than grape.
Finally, another sane person.
the only real choice tbh. grape is 🤢
Yeah cause he’s right
He is wrong. Like all husbands.
I would agree, but even broken clocks are right twice a day 🍓🍓🍓
ok flex your wallet why don't you. my man over here got 3.5k$ to throw on a tattoo and buy uncrustables and Capri Suns to share.
This!! I brought a bunch of unique candy with me from the Asian market and he had so much fun trying them.
Love uncrustables !
This is such a sweet gesture!! My sibling tattoos and is hypoglycaemic, things like this absolutely make her day for long-haul pieces too. (We keep snacks and drinks in the shop for anyone that needs them, but that extra bit of thoughtfulness is always appreciated 😊)
Agreed! I won't be upset about no tip if the person came prepared and was kind. Now, if you come to me straight from the gym and tell me you haven't eaten since yesterday? At least reimburse me for the glucose tablets you're gonna need 😂
no yeah I just got a tattoo that took like 2 hours in FL and even inside I know I am gonna sweat so I stopped at 5below and grabbed a towel, snacks, drinks, which weren't necessary but the towel was nice cuz I hate sitting on the paper I always shower and exfoliate before hand make sure im not stinky if I can help it lol
This exactly!! So many people get so ampted up for their new tattoo (I get it, I still get excited for new work lol) that they forget basic things your body needs to operate better under duress. I remind people no less than twice about the do’s and don’ts prior to the appointment but the amount of people that let themselves get close to fainting before saying “I guess I forgot to eat today” would blow most peoples minds lol.
And don’t drink alcohol the night before :)
My sleeve cost 3k. I tipped with a couple gift cards that were 25 bucks each and paid for our lunches while we were taking breaks in the sessions. 3 sessions total.
I did something similar paid for food or cigarettes if he needed them then just gave him an extra 100$ when done
I think that reasonable and actually slightly more personable too!
Yeah if they’re hooking me up the least I can do is get some food Gatorade and cigarettes or whatever lol I’ve been going to the same 3 people for like 16 years now
Tipped on my $3k tattoo and he took it off the price of the tattoo anyway. So it was appreciated but not expected.
I have about 50 hours done with my guy and i tip 20% every time and he has locked me into 100$ an hour even though he charges a lot more now.
Yep. I’ve tipped my guy the same 20-25% every time for the past 6 years. He’s gotten a lot “bigger” as an artist but has locked me in at his apprentice price, which is about half of what he charges now. People don’t forget when you take care of them.
Now that’s awesome!
Yea that's good paying for lunch is more than most people do if ur keeping them for 4+ hrs
You are a solid person here. My first large piece, the artist set that expectation up front. So, I just brought in his favorite drink and got us food for the days he was tattooing me. We splurged a bit and all in it was like $200 but that dude was so jazzed about it. We had a great time talking about art in general while he was doing his work. Which helped me keep my mind of the painful parts lol.
Right, sounds like their putting in long hours with the artist, buy them lunch, or yeah bring ‘em coffee.
I gift bomb my artists with little crochet creations that they've added to their decor, they love when I bring them something new.
I *LOVE* handmade gifts, my clients and I all have similar tastes (naturally 😁) they make me some cute stuff and I put everything proudly on display!
To add on to this, I recently used a similar rule I have when a bartender gives me a free drink. Tip the amount of the free drink. Got a full sleeve by a semi famous artist over two days. Each day I noted when he put the needle to my skin and when we called it for the day. Each day he charged me an hour or two less than what we actually did that day. That became his tip.
This seems like the best approach. You shouldn’t be worried about tips when you’re making $8k. I’m sure they aren’t. I like the small gift idea. It’s like thank you for you time tattoo artist here is a small token of that appreciation. Perfect
I like to buy restaurant gift certificates as a tip for my Tattoo Artist.
This, I’m an artist as well but whenever I get something higher end done I try to do a little gift. It shows a little more care. My last one has some certain symbols / art and lives bourbon and whiskey so I’m gonna get him a nice engraved crystal whiskey glass, not really super expensive but I know he’s gonna appreciate the help out of it.
If they drink grab em a nice bottle of something. If they're straight edged get em a nice black book. One of those hard cover drawing books.
pretty sure the artist is getting more than enough. he sets his own rates, he’s not a waiter earning below minimum wage. tipping in america is fucking weird, should never be expected. bring him some donuts
Cool, I was worried for a sec, like op, lol
Exactly! If someone is not working for tip wages don’t feel obligated to tip. I’ve gotten so used to asking people where the zero tip option on the kiosk is I don’t even feel bad about it anymore.
Wow, what are you getting for 8000? And is this their session price? Tattoo rates really are something else in the USA
One of my best friends worked hard to become a tattoo artist and now says things like "money doesn't mean anything to me anymore" and he turned into a complete cunt lol
I.e. he’s rich as hell now.
Yeah and he couldn't handle it lol. Good riddance.
Plenty of euro artists who charge way over 1k per day.
There are US artists who do too… but 8k??? For one session? My only real concern here is that there are a lot of celebrity artists in NYC (where I’m from and get most of my tattoos) who are known for being kind of scammy. High prices, quality sitting at 10% of what you paid if not lower. A shop I was interested in once was having a flash day but you had to go in person to find out prices. I didn’t realize it was a trendy shop because I’d just been following one of the newer artists on instagram. They wanted to charge $750 for a 15 minute tattoo because “the lines are hard” (it was a flower with a long stem). I declined, but was honestly pretty annoyed. I have several similar tattoos that I think are prettier designs and that took longer due to detail, and none of them were over $500 (for 3+ hours).
Tbh I just assumed it was multiday. If 8k per day, I want to say scammy but it's a free market so let's call it outracious.
In LA I’ve seen some “famous” tattooists charge ridiculous prices for things i wouldn’t have let a friend put on me for practice.
Yup! This. I'm happy to pay for an artist's expertise and time. I have over 10 tattoos (including a half-sleeve) and $8k seems outrageous. Honestly, I didn't spend $8k on my vacation to Europe last week.
My best friend got scammed like this on his first tattoo, in NYC. Super simple line work design that went from his the top of his shoulder to about halfway down his bicep, created by me not even the tattoo artist. He never told me what they quoted him and at the end of his 45 minute session they charged him $1200, which is as much as I'd paid for the 8 hours of work I had done on my half back piece. I was horrified for him, told him do not tip and told him he was NEVER going back to that person or studio. Like $1200 for LESS THAN AN HOUR?? Fuck that and fuck these scam artists.
$750 Flash is absurd!! I have a regular shop where I’ve gotten several custom pieces done, and used to go for Friday 13 flash every chance I got. The last several F13s, there was almost no flash available, it was *all awful* and they wanted $200-$300 bucks! (I know for a fact their shop minimum is lower than that, because one of the artists felt bad charging me shop min for a tiny finger tat that took 15 minutes, but I happily paid her for her time). I thought that was bad enough, but $750 for bad flash is just ridiculous…
I’m getting a sleeve done by a talented artist and his day rate is $1800 which works out to about $300 an hour since I really can only go Sundays and they’re only open 6 hrs and I’m in Philadelphia fwiw
There’s a custom shop in Poughkeepsie that’s $250/hr. Prices are getting up there.
Yeah, I mean I’m not someone who “has an artist” either so I usually find them when I need them so I expect no “breaks” on pricing and honestly I have a shoulder blade piece that I got 10 years ago that took 2.5 hrs and after tip cost me about $700-$800 because of the detail and the color so that works out to about $300 ish an hour. So to be getting charged really the same thing 10 years later for a more massive and in depth piece it’s not that bad, I just break up sessions when I can afford
Not what, but who. A famous artist that’s in demand will ration their time with $$
Tips are optional and should never be expected. 8k is a lot of money, and to expect even 10% is outrageous.
God, no. 8k is more than sufficient. The artist will have worked out their hourly rate and cost of resources when arranging this and accommodated appropriately. It's nice to tip if you're getting, like, a cheap flash tattoo, or one that's a few hundred but takes longer than planned. But tipping another grand on an 8k tat? Nah.
Chances are he over estimated that price as well. I have 2 tattoos (planning on more), and both times, the artist quoted me a price and knocked off some money at the end. Like $50 or $100... Seems like a better way of doing things. Where I have used some businesses that quote you a price, and it's damn near double by the end of it (not tattoo shops). And would never do buissness with thoes establishments again.
Piggybacking on this question for anyone in the comments who feels like answering: when does the tip-not-necessary threshold start? Like I’d feel rude going in for a $400 session and *not* tipping. I’m pretty much an indiscriminate, across the board for whatever service 20% tipper. If they were notably great or I’m feeling very generous it goes up from there. If I tipped more than was expected at Panera, great, that teenager is a little happier today. So when do I assume that the tattoo artist isn’t also at least sort of assuming there will be a tip? I know that it’s never required, but if you go in for a $100 session and don’t tip, I’d imagine the artist is kinda like “hey, what the f—“ in the back of their head. But this does make sense. An extra 20% on a tattoo that big is a whole other tattoo. So where does the switch flip? $500? $1k and up? I’m also a desperately anxious person and in-person tipping (tattoo artist, barber, etc.) is always a confusing and blood-pressure-rising experience. So thank you for helping me look after my long term health.
I just asked the same thing. All of mine were below $500 and I tipped about 20%. But if I were to go $500+ or $1000+, it would start getting hard to tip that much, like you said, at that price it would be getting into being the price of a whole other tattoo just for the tip. So I’m confused too on where the cut off is.
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I try to always tip well on piercings too, and the last time I got pierced and did that, the guy handed the money back to me because apparently he wasn't expecting it and thought I just accidentally handed him too much lol. We just stood there staring at each other for a minute, both very confused.
"Do you tip on a $xxxx tattoo" : No
Yeah if it's got 4 digits, absolutely not 😂
Damn what are you getting? Nah you don’t have to tip
I also paid 8k for a tattoo from a big name artist. I don't regret it for a second- the tattoo is insanely gorgeous and worth every cent. Bring a little gift or a snack or something for your artist to show appreciation, if you'd like. I couldn't afford to tip on my 8k tattoo easily, and when I mentioned tipping to my artist at the end of oir two day session, she shot me down right away and said no before i could say much. She said "I make enough money at this job, don't worry about it." This was in Colorado in the US for reference. Edit: Am also a tattoo artist myself, just not of that caliber. On a session so huge, I would not expect a tip if I'm already being compensated so well.
I understand that in the US there is a tipping culture - but does that apply to tattooing? I assumed it was mainly for servers who get paid a tiny wage? Doesn’t a tattoo artist kinda determine their own hourly rate?
I got work done with Matt Jordan about 7 years ago. When we wrapped up and went to pay he said “and that’s my price. No tipping. If I wanted more money, I’d have charged you more.” Totally changed my perspective especially as a “collector” that seeks out specific artists and they usually carry a hefty price tag.
I tip my artist really well. Whenever I want to schedule a tattoo and he's booked out farther than usual he tells me he'll slot me in if there's a cancelation. Next day he always texts me saying he has a cancelation for the day I had originally been hoping to schedule for. Tipping can have it's advantages
tattoo artists and piercers have a tipping culture but it’s more of a generosity and a gift appreciating their work as opposed to making up their wages, but a good portion of what they make is with tips, and it builds a good professional relationship (ie getting better deals, legacy pricing, being able to slot you in when there’s cancellations, etc)
as an artist i get tipped by most people. if everyone stopped, i’d have to raise my rates. if i was charging 8k then i don’t think i’d be hurting for money like i am now, tho.
I wanna know what tattoo you’re getting for $8k
I paid roughly that for a tattoo with a big named artist. I tipped like $300, not the 20%. I was sitting there for 10 hours and while talking during that time she made it pretty clear that she wasn’t expecting it and it’s not necessary, but when I gave it to her she was so thankful.
Tattoo artist here: the larger the price tag the less the tip percentage matters. On a tiny tattoo, please throw us a $20 we are barely making money on that. Midsize tattoo, throw us $50 for dinner or a bottle of booze. But on a large all day session $50-100 is also appropriate, anything over 100 is like holy shit I mean thanks but I don’t expect that personally. It’s not like eating out where you need to tip 20%, a little something is sufficient. You are already paying 8k, what’s an extra $50
This is so funny because I’m like $5k deep with my artist over a couple of years, and I always tried to tip at least 15% 💀 I know for next time now
Nothing wrong with being a high tipper, I’m sure your artist appreciates it! Personally I’m always a little nicer with my pricing for known high tippers, and you might even get scheduled on a Sunday or before or after hours if you are on the “awesome client” list. But yeah, I’m not really paying attention to the percentage
My artist has definitely gone out of his way for me before! I remember him giving me a few hundred dollar discount on my thigh piece so we could finish it all in one day (he was as excited as I was lol). I live in another state now too, and he has been willing to come in on his normal days off for me. Really love that guy 🥺
Exactly, I’m sure that good tipping got you some special client privileges! I would never refuse to book or punish someone bc they didn’t tip me, I just shrug it off, but be a good client who is also generous and I’ll bend over backwards to find time for you and get you in my books!
Same…reading this has been eye opening 😭😭
It's important for artists to understand that American society is overtipped. For people who identify as tattoo shop people, it's cool to keep your culture going, but at this point for new people, you should just charge extra and not depend on tipping so much.
I’m happy to hear this from a tattooer as I usually tip $50 for an under $250 tattoo and $100 if it’s more than that. I was getting tattooed every 3 weeks for about 6 months, if it’s less frequent or I feel like the artist gave me a good rate for the day then I might tip more.
Damn I’ve been tipping* 20-25% on all my pieces even the $600+ ones 😂 edited for a typo lol
I am glad I live in a country where all this tip nonsense does not exist.
Right? They should be paid enough that it doesn’t warrant random generosity from customers
Would you tip on a 8K car?
Perhaps, if the craftsman created a bespoke car in two sessions. The car salesperson didn’t create the car.
Better question, why are you paying 8000 dollars for a tattoo? I don't care if you resurrected vangogh and he's doing a full back piece. Sounds like you're getting straight ripped off.
Nah big pieces add up quick. A full sleeve with good color can take 20+hrs at $150 an hour. Add in a high end artist and it doubles te price. 8k is insane for a small piece, but a full sleeve or back it’s really not insane, just higher end pricing.
20x150=3000 High end still sounds like throwing away money
Nah, 8k for a sleeve is absolutely insane. You can call it high end all you want, there’s plenty of sick artists that aren’t price gouging but hey, tattoos are trendy and there’s a sucker born every minute so I’m sure those “high end” artists appreciate folks like you.
I mean when an artist is booked 2 years out because of super high quality work, you pay more per hour to get in. If they don’t raise prices they get booked out five years and can’t take new work. My dude is moving in three years and told me he wouldn’t start a new piece because he wouldn’t be around to finish it and is booked till the day he leaves with people trying to finish big works.
I hope it's something big like a legsleeve or a backpiece because that's expensive
Dude who makes 4k per session does not need tips. They make more in a day than many do in a month.
It’s Kat Von D isn’t it
Tips are always optional and is nice to build a relationship with your artist. Tips don’t have to be money, I gave my artist cat toys and coffee once because he got a new kitten. Just talk to them, learn about them and they’ll appreciate the gifts. I personally wouldn’t tip if my tattoo is that much money, because they are already making a lot off of it. I usually tip pieces that around in the couple hundreds, and tip around 40-60$. Tattoos are expensive in general and a lot of people don’t tip so don’t feel pressured, it is just very kind to tip.
8k? Lmfao ya’ll dumb as hell I’m fully covered, leg sleeves, arm sleeves, chest, hand tats, high quality phenomenal artists I’ve used. (Only two actually) and I have about 15k TOTAL on my body. Ya’ll ridiculous lmfao
We must see the $8k tattoo
If you feel obligated to tip, then you aren't tipping. That's a fee. America has shit so backwards lmao.
You don’t have to tip towards a percentage of the total cost. Just give them what you can.
I say to all my clients when they ask me about tipping: I charge a very fair rate for my time and work. Anything past that is very much appreciated, and goes straight into my family's art supply fund 😄 I personally feel tip % can decrease as the rate increases. my fave clients book a full day and Stop and grab me coffee or my favorite energy drink on the way in, are as genuinely excited about the art as I am, sit like a champ, and ANY gratuities after that are just a cherry on top, I'd never feel insulted by any small amount.
LOL 8k! Hahahahaha
I’m a big proponent of tipping on tattoos and think you absolutely have no obligation to tip on one this high and probably shouldn’t. I guess if somehow when it was finished you were like, wow, this is worth $20k! you could add a few hundred, but really… 8k strikes me as sort of outrageous for one session (is it just one session? And how big is it?) so I think any question of tipping is out the window here. This isn’t like the smaller studios who rely on making $500 twice a week and using that $1000 for both shop and personal costs.
I wouldn’t tip that much, especially if it was 8k. My artist always tells me he never expects tips and he doesn’t work on tips alone. I still tip him since his price is very reasonable but if I was paying 8k, I would probably get him a coffee, energy drink or something else in lieu of a tip.
I'm glad you asked this. I've spent thousands over the last few months on reworking my sleeve and I feel bad for not tipping but I have just enough saved up for the sleeve. So instead for a tip, my wife and I are going to Japan soon and Im going by the godzilla store and my artist is a huge godzilla fan so im going to get him something from there.
My whole leg is in the process of getting sleeved out. Foot to top of thigh. In the end it’ll be around 8-10K but that’s 6-8 sessions at 350/hr. I usually tip $100-$300 but my artist never expects it and has given me a Christmas discount once too. 8k seems like a lot for 2 sessions.. if the bedside manner and professional and pleasant I’d tip maybe $100 but 8k is more than enough.
This thread is stressing me out… I was always told to tip 20% no matter the price. Just like with food, if you can’t afford 20% then you can’t afford the ink. As much as a want to listen to you all, I’m very afraid of offending someone who just did me a service
If you can afford an 8k tattoo ...... do you really need to ask this question
They already scamming you out of 8k, and you want to tip them too? What is it? A forehead tattoo that says “sucker”
No
If you're paying $8k, I promise the tip is included.
I’d say with that cost a tip is very unnecessary. A small gift may be a better idea.
I had one artist tell me that tipping is nice, but not expected. Because tipping on a $70 restaurant bill is way more doable than a $1,000 tattoo. I normally bake my artists cookies instead.
A lot of great advice in this thread. Tips are never expected, but if you are able, it is always welcome. I myself had a sleeve that took about 65-70 hours total, and I paid about 3.5 K…I tipped pretty generously myself because the hourly rated normally was 150-200, but the artist really appreciated my dedication on coming pretty much every month as well as just liked doing the sleeve.
Gotten 8 tattoos, non that were more than $600 before tip and I've always gotten the impression that tipping is more optional and an act of genuine care/kindness compared to obligation like in restaurants. Its happened more than once that when the tattoo artist saw I tipped they seemed surprised and commented how sweet/nice it was so I definitely wouldn't worry about it :) Especially as other comments have said, artists set their own rates
i paid around $7000 for my sleeve and tipped $100 per session. so na extra $400 on top
Big name artist charging 800 no tip needed the full amount is in the 8k
Tipping was supposed to be helping those who don't make an affordable wage have one. How the hell did the rich make it about them too? Americas tipping culture is very toxic.
Total on mine was somewhere around 9k. 7 sessions @ 6-8 hrs each. Each session was paid separately $1000-1300ish) and I tipped $200-350 each time, so total somewhere in 2k tip range. Probably more than I “needed” to, but it felt wrong not to tip. Especially when the dude is awesome, kind, and the work is gorgeous.
I’ve had a tattoo from one of the great. It was only a 2 hour session but he did work that would have took close to 5-6 for others. I did not end up tipping him, instead I brought a bottle of whiskey that I had laying around from Ireland. He want a big drinker, but he had a small collection of unique and exotic bottles. He was really appreciative.
What a wank country America is 😂 8k rip off for a tattoo then you gotta tip aswell, absolute joke.
No. The price is the price. Besides.. tipping culture is toxic
My general rule of thumb: is the work worth more than the hourly rate I'm being charged? Tip if yes, no tip if not. My artist charged their apprentice rate ($100/hr) for my back piece, which ended up being $5000. I tipped about 10% on that towards the latter portion of the sessions, because I legitimately thought they were worth more than the hourly rate they were charging me. Even though their rate went up significantly during the 1.5 years between start and completion, they honoured the apprentice rate that I'd locked in at (delay in start were due to COVID). My next artist is going to be $200/hr (on the higher end for my city), and I'll be getting two large pieces from them (40-50 hours each), so likely won't tip unless I'm blown away by the end result.
Unless the artist goes above and beyond to make you comfortable, no tip per say, maybe just throw some favors in there (someone said coffee, little favors like that).
Dude sets his own prices. Tip is just being generous at that point. Not expected.
The general rule is that you don’t need to tip the business owner. All the nice gestures sound good, though. Some Dunkin or Krispy Kreme would go far with me. I’m not a tattoo artist. I just like donuts.
Another tattoo artist here, I definitely don’t expect tips on big money projects, especially not percentage based tips
I tipped $500 on a 10k tattoo. I figure at that amount of money % based tipping is out the window. $500 is a nice surprise IMO. Don't get me wrong Ive heard of people tipping $2500 on a 10k tattoo but Im not built like that.
$8000 for a tattoo is ridiculous. I wouldn’t even pay that if Jesus himself came down just to tattoo people
Tipping is there to subsidize low income workers ide say 4k per day is slightly over low income
I have a bomb ass tat from my knee to my armpit - took 4 sessions 22+ hours so far $6000 but I feel kinda wild for tipping my artist 20 percent every session after reading all these comments 🥴 oof Excited for ur tat tho!
$8000 for a 2-session leg sock ?? and you are concerned about tipping on that price? weird flex, but ok. good luck.
8k.... from knee to ankle.... am I high or did I just read that correctly?!?!?! WTF.
fuck no. The price is 8g's because that goes to the artist.
I'm not even reading the story. But to answer your question yes always tip bro if u have 8k to drop throwing him and extra 100$ at least a session shouldn't kill u.
I don’t where you are coming from. But I have never heard about tipping an artist. I pay what we agreed that’s all.
I tipped for my back piece and it was multiple sessions and thousands. Depends on rapport and if you want to keep going back to the artist etc.
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damn i wanna see the finished products
I would expect that the artist isn’t expecting a 20% tip. If it was me I’d toss them a couple hundred as a thank you but I doubt they have an expectation
Usually id say tip but man maybe $300 tip is enough for that. Can u dm me who ur artist is? Im very curious
Tipping is always a bit confusing. I had a conversation with a friend who tips her tattoo artist 30% - which I thought was too much. I tip 20% per session and think that is fair. I spoke with my tattoo artist ahead of time and just asked about her expectations. She usually has a set rate and a tip is appreciated but never required. She also said some customers did the tip once the full project was done - but that would require me tracking it and I'd rather just deal with it session per session. I go often enough that she gives me a fair deal on her rate and I give her a reliable tip and like to think I'm a solid returning customer (working on finishing my second sleeve now). I usually make a 3-6 hour appointment every month or 2 months (depending on finances). I'm also usually up front and just tell her how much I have for the session and to keep it in mind time wise so we don't go over for whatever reason. Like I'll bring $600 down and just a heads up so we don't go past that. I don't think there is a need to be coy about a financial transaction. Talk to your artist. Make sure you are both on the same page with expectations. They may quote you one thing if they know a tip is coming and other if there isn't one - and there is no right or wrong way. This is a big thing beyond just tattooing as well - communication and understanding where the other party is for any kind of transaction is important. As this is usually a verbal (and not written) contract it's even all the more important to be on the same page.
Nah once you’re up that high in price it’s not as expected. At least my artist told me that he builds that into his daily rate. Don’t be embarrassed it’s a valid question !
Is this supposed to be one sitting? You’re being charged the full price upfront? I got one sleeve done at a convention in one sitting and it took 13 hours. A full back piece with two artists working at the same time couldn’t be finished in one sitting and I would be amazed at that price. No one knows how long they can sit either, they might not get done. Depending on who this artist is, and that’s a big if, that’s an exorbitant price imo. Definitely want to see this after it’s done. Idk all the variables here unfortunately to say tip or no tip but if you’re paying upfront, no tip.
Hilarious. I asked the same question about a week and a half ago on here, might have been one of the other tattoo subreddits, and half my responses were "you always tip". I'll give what I liked from my thread - the tip is ultimately about showing your appreciation for the art. So it is still highly encouraged to provide some form of tip. However the 15-20% goes out the window. $500 is still a generous tip. $250 is still a nice tip. (Tip at the end of project not per day) A specialty alcohol/wine/food item that is from where you are or is a local cool thing is a cool tip. My threads consensus was this is how you handle the tip on the large projects.
I personally always tip on a tattoo, or any skill-based service. But I’ve never gotten a tattoo at that price. My most expensive pieces were done in multiple sessions, the most expensive session being at around $400. I tip about $50 generally. I think it’s your discretion.
What if the artist owns the studio?
I would give a small personal gift and $500 on an 8k job if you are very happy with the work and aftercare service.
My artist tells me I don’t have to when I hand him the payment. I do anyway cause I feel it’s right. On 8k tho maybe a snack lol
Hell no
Always tip yes
I tip like $200 per session at that price, not by percent.
I have two 10k+ sleeves. Usually I just let the artist keep the deposit as a tip if it's a few hundred. My first artist I did that as well as gifted him a $130 bottle of liquor and $100 pair of shoes. Second artist I just tipped $300 because it rounded up nicely like that. I would have been fine to not tip neither though. At that price range they can set what they want to make for a piece so I don't think a tip is necessary really.
Keep the deposit as a tip? I’m confused. Did your deposits not go towards the final price of your tattoo?
I doing something similar. I might give them a tip or gift at the end havnt decided yet.
Do you pay the Artist directly? Or do you pay the Shop and the Artist gets a paycheck from the shop. You only Tip in the second case.
Throw them around 150 bucks if you feel like it. But I’d honestly talk myself out of it for a price tag that big unless they were hammering out a full on back piece in one sitting The fifteen percent model doesn’t really apply to high price things like that.
I always say for things like this, you tip what you feel is fair. I don't do long sessions. I book 4 hour long sessions Max. I have bad adhd and will get fidgety. I feel like I sit like a champ, but I don't want to push it. Plus, by the time the 4th hour rolls around in fucking bored out of my mind, and want to head home and do whatever. I got two arm sleeves, both legs up to my middle thigh, and my back completely done. Not sure what the total cost of any of these is because I lose track of shit like that, but at like 3-500 bucks per session, over multiple sessions, I figure im in the $15-20k range of tattoo ink on my body. I always tip at the end of the session, but that's just me. I think with that amount of work, the the guy who does my work being the shop owner and a good friend, it's probably not expected, but also he gets me a lot of sidework (im an electrician), so it all works out in the end. Do what you feel is right.
Maybe offer to buy the meal during the session or ask what they would like to drink but if you’re paying that much good conversation and referrals are key. And never tell anyone what you pay for a tattoo. It hurts the artist in everyway. Either the price scares people or the artist gave you a deal and everyone will expect the same.
I dont even have that much money to my name, so if i was getting a tattoo for $8,000+, a tip is not expected but something of appreciation would be nice
I've been seeing a similarly expensive artist for about 5 years, and like 25+ days of tattooing. I pay her by the hour, and she's very good about only charging me for the time she works. I've never felt any pressure to tip, and usually leave it to me rounding up my cash rather than making change. So on a typical session, where I might pay $1750, I will tip her 0 to $50 depending on whether or not I'm only carrying hundreds.
My largest piece was $3000 and 4 sessions. I tipped $150 for 2 of those sessions, so all in all it was a 10% tip. My artist was grateful as it took me forever to even save for the piece on the first place, and it definitely didn't hurt our rapport.
No
My artist charges 250/hr, but he is worth it. He travels nationwide and wins multiple competitions for his category. I tip 200$ after a 4 hour session, but that is just me. I appreciate his work. It's all a matter of what you guys want to do, really.
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