Money Money Money

Good Tattoos aren't cheap
and cheap tattoo's aren't good
~Sailor Jerry

Hey everyone, I wanted to write a little bit about money-when it comes to tattooing. I don't want to go off on this one, so I would like keep it sweet and simple.
First off every artist and shop is different so prices will vary. Most shops have a minimum price for tattoo's and most shop have an hourly rate- which doesn't mean much. When people call the shop and ask for the hourly rate it doesn't mean much, because it actually comes down to what you want to do. It is also discouraging when bargain hunters come through the door, people even call the shop bargain hunting. I recommend going into the shop, talking to someone about what you want to do and getting an estimate from there.
Everyone handles getting a tattoo differently, and sometimes during the tattoo process things can go quicker or longer than expected, so it is nice for us artists to have some room there. So it wont be uncommon to get a quote that is in the range of say, a couple hundred dollars.
For people that are heavily tattooed, they are usually experienced in this matter, and can go through the tattoo process and not even have a budget. That's always nice, because for us artists, it's always nice to draw something without a budget in mind. It's nice to work on a piece, take your time, and give them the price in the end. That gives the artist a lot of freedom. Shops for the longest time used to be a cash only business, but now plenty of shops are equipped with credit card machines, which is great for expanding budgets on tattoos that need be.
When it comes to starting a multiple sitting tattoo like a half sleeve or full sleeve, a certain amount a preparation goes into this. Yes, you will pay a lot for it. But If you plan on coming in every 2-3 weeks or even once a month, it could be set up to where you don't break the bank. What I want from my clients is consistency. If I work on back piece once a month for a couple hours, I can still get the piece done in a reasonable amount of time, and it keeps the flow going on the piece. Momentum is nice on a piece!
and yes, you should probably tip.
if you answer yes to all of these questions, then by all means tip your tattooer!
do you tip you bartender?
do you tip your hair stylist?
do you tip your waitress?
Now, if your tattoo session came to $400. or $500.
I don't think it's necessary to tip 20% if you can not
afford it, Do what you can if you are so happy with the service
and you know that they took a lot of time on your piece.
so much for sweet and simple!
until next time!