tip your tattoo artist?
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From: east bay
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So I gave him $20, cause I posted this after the fact. It felt a little cheap. I did some research, and it looks like the shop gets 50%, and the artist has to provide their own supplies (you all know this). I figure conservatively if you figure they only take home 33% of the money, they are still making $50 an hour (my artist charges 150)
That being said, my friend that works at a tattoo place said 40-60 for a 4 hour session is fine. Another friend told me 20 bucks is fine, no matter how long the session.
I'm sure tattoo artist lover 20% tippers, but for the most part they don't get any tips and appreciate a small one.
Anyway, thanks for weighing in, and of course it's not complete without a few feathers getting ruffled
That being said, my friend that works at a tattoo place said 40-60 for a 4 hour session is fine. Another friend told me 20 bucks is fine, no matter how long the session.
I'm sure tattoo artist lover 20% tippers, but for the most part they don't get any tips and appreciate a small one.
Anyway, thanks for weighing in, and of course it's not complete without a few feathers getting ruffled
Yep. Same here, normally.
I started tipping my previous regular artist (who I haven't seen in a long time) about $100 a session when I was going back every 4-6 weeks for more work on my arm. Then, when I wanted a chest piece, he told me he sketched something for someone else, they bailed on getting it done, but he'd do it on me for free because he really wanted to do that piece. So I brought $200, tipped him that $200, and he tattooed me for 4 hours and didn't charge me a time. I figured tipping him $200 for that session was the least I could do.
$100-175/hour isn't much money when you factor in table rental and cost of materials. My artist in a 2-4 hour session will got through 5-8 pairs of gloves, ink, needles, different guns, etc. And a lot of their time is spent drafting up preliminary sketches for $50-100 - spending 3, 4, or 5 hours on that alone. Not making $175/hour tattooing.
Self employment is hard, and most people who aren't self employed don't get how much money leaves your hands just to keep your business alive, before you even take home a profit to pay your rent, put food on the table, etc.
*I'm a self employed wedding photographer. 50% of my gross income goes right out the door to taxes, equipment, accounting, software, hardware, deliverables, etc., just to keep my business legal and afloat.
I started tipping my previous regular artist (who I haven't seen in a long time) about $100 a session when I was going back every 4-6 weeks for more work on my arm. Then, when I wanted a chest piece, he told me he sketched something for someone else, they bailed on getting it done, but he'd do it on me for free because he really wanted to do that piece. So I brought $200, tipped him that $200, and he tattooed me for 4 hours and didn't charge me a time. I figured tipping him $200 for that session was the least I could do.
$100-175/hour isn't much money when you factor in table rental and cost of materials. My artist in a 2-4 hour session will got through 5-8 pairs of gloves, ink, needles, different guns, etc. And a lot of their time is spent drafting up preliminary sketches for $50-100 - spending 3, 4, or 5 hours on that alone. Not making $175/hour tattooing.
Self employment is hard, and most people who aren't self employed don't get how much money leaves your hands just to keep your business alive, before you even take home a profit to pay your rent, put food on the table, etc.
*I'm a self employed wedding photographer. 50% of my gross income goes right out the door to taxes, equipment, accounting, software, hardware, deliverables, etc., just to keep my business legal and afloat.
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