Tattoo artist tipping question

[davidz28guy]

I never know what to tip and was just wondering if there is a norm for how much to tip your artist. Ive heard some people say as much as 20 bucks per every 100 the tattoo cost. The reason I ask is ive got an appt next saturday for a 4 hour session, im paying 400 bucks for the work. I have known the guy for a while and his work is extremely high quality, he has won tons of awards and there probably isnt another artist anywhere around me that can touch his work. So what would you guys consider a fair tip?

[Zapper2003]

Fair tip: "Don't fuck up."


Poor tip: "Do what ya gotta do."

[allbaugh_04]

If you think it's really good, give em a 20...anything more is just absurd, but jmo.

[damianj03]

i havent ever tipped idk maybe due to ignorance on my part. But i assume that a tatoo artist gets payed like a barber does. They have a daily quota to make my barbers is like 30 dollars a day for his booth to the owner of the shop. After he makes his money for the day requirment the rest goes in his pocket. I guess thats a good thing unless you only cut 3 heads that day and break even. Im sure that tatoos shops charge more for there booths considering the cost of most tatoos.

[davidz28guy]

i havent ever tipped idk maybe due to ignorance on my part. But i assume that a tatoo artist gets payed like a barber does. They have a daily quota to make my barbers is like 30 dollars a day for his booth to the owner of the shop. After he makes his money for the day requirment the rest goes in his pocket. I guess thats a good thing unless you only cut 3 heads that day and break even. Im sure that tatoos shops charge more for there booths considering the cost of most tatoos.

im sure different shops do it different ways, but most shops take a percentage of the money from each tattoo an artist does, and on top of that may have a rental fee for the booth, but apparently tipping artists isnt as common as i thought from reading some posts from a thread i started on another forum, i just know the shops ive hung out with most people do

[silverWS6]

I didn't think you had to tip Tattoo artist, I didn't tip the guy that did mine

[vassago]

I normally do 50 bucks a tattoo. No matter the size/time.

[davidz28]

I never know what to tip and was just wondering if there is a norm for how much to tip your artist. Ive heard some people say as much as 20 bucks per every 100 the tattoo cost. The reason I ask is ive got an appt next saturday for a 4 hour session, im paying 400 bucks for the work. I have known the guy for a while and his work is extremely high quality, he has won tons of awards and there probably isnt another artist anywhere around me that can touch his work. So what would you guys consider a fair tip?

nice user name lol

[damianj03]

maybe if they gave me a great deal on a tat then i would tip them but most i have been to charge an arm and a leg to get inked. So if i pay 3 hundred for a tat thats all i am paying unless its a big job then we will see.

[GhostofKrypton]

I usually tip if the artist gave me a good deal. My last tattoo, my artist did it in a three hour session and charged me less then 200 so he recieved a 40 dollar tip. Other rtist, I have just tipped when I got a touch up. They make up the prices for tattoos of the top of their heads, so i figure they have a shop minimum and everything else is take home. I ask what the shop minimum is, so that i can get a good estimate of how much the artist is taking home and how much he has to pay the shop.

[BrntWS6]

Shops around here charge around $85 - $100/hr. I think that's plenty, no tip needed.

[Schmalgar]

Shops around here charge around $85 - $100/hr. I think that's plenty, no tip needed.

What he said. This isn't a guy making half of minimum wage like a waiter does. 7 years ago the rate for mine was $70 an hour for a 10 hour job. The thought never crossed my mind to add a tip to that... Why would you need to at those prices?? Everybody is tip happy in this country now. "I know you just paid the advertised rate for the advertised service, but give me free money or you're a jerk" That's the way some places make me feel when they put out a tip jar...

[Detroit Power]

I didn't think you had to tip Tattoo artist, I didn't tip the guy that did mine

Enjoy your Hepatitis.

[CrossJaded]

I never tip my tattoo artist, piercer, hairdresser, cat groomer, pizza delivery guy or anyone else. Schmalger I totally agree with you. As soon as getting a tattoo became trendy these guys jacked up their prices & most of 'em are making a killing. It's suppose to be a nice gesture, a show of appreciation, BUT if they didn't have overly inflated shop rates then maybe they would deserve a tip.

[damianj03]

kind of like when you order food at the counter of a restaurant and pay with your debit card and sign the reciept and look at the line for the tip. Are you serious all you did was push a few buttons for my order and expect a tip.

[clovenhooves]

I'm not at all into tattoos, but I did the legwork for you.
http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid...da8a77dcd93603

Women don't tip their hairdressers? That sounds wrong to me. You are supposed to tip the pizza delivery guy.

[Larry]

When you guys wanting a tattoo reach 50 years old you will be sorry your marred your body. The human body is pretty enough without pictures! Spend that money on modding your car.

[Schmalgar]

When you guys wanting a tattoo reach 50 years old you will be sorry your marred your body. The human body is pretty enough without pictures! Spend that money on modding your car.

I partially agree with your sentiment. I think that young people who rush into a tattoo without thinking about it, in an effort to be cool, often regret them later on. Or those who get them in always visible places like the neck, face, forearms, or hands. That is just way dumb to me.

But I waited for years to act on my desire for a tattoo, got it when I was 31. And it's on my upper arm, where it's covered with normal work/casual clothing and visible when I want it to be. And now at 38 I don't regret it at all, it's just a normal part of me now. Can't imagine I will ever regret it.

[Larry]

I partially agree with your sentiment. I think that young people who rush into a tattoo without thinking about it, in an effort to be cool, often regret them later on. Or those who get them in always visible places like the neck, face, forearms, or hands. That is just way dumb to me.

But I waited for years to act on my desire for a tattoo, got it when I was 31. And it's on my upper arm, where it's covered with normal work/casual clothing and visible when I want it to be. And now at 38 I don't regret it at all, it's just a normal part of me now. Can't imagine I will ever regret it.

You are not 50 yet either. Tattoo = Big mistake!

[Schmalgar]

You are not 50 yet either. Tattoo = Big mistake!

I'll let you know in 12 years!