Tattoos + Tipping

MartialPanda

Crap I had no idea about tipping for my first tattoo. I really liked the guy who did mine so i'm a bit worried. I'm planning on getting my second very soon so.....should I try and find another parlor? He didnt seem upset and we didn't discuss a price before hand. I did mine in 1 hour and I paid $115 in total.... What to do!

Kismet_35

I usually tip my tattoo artist 20-25%. I figure she is doing something very permanent on my body...I want her happy! One more session and my back piece will be done! Yay! No more for me, they hurt too much!

Ta2dchic20

Correct! 15-20%. Sometimes if you tip really well, the artist will remember you and maybe put in a little extra time at the next sitting

classycouture

20% for both piercing and tattoos. Owner or not, tipping is a sign of respect and appreciation for the time the artist has taken to perfect the work that will be on your body for the rest of your life.. Well, unless you laser it off, but you get the picture.

Amanda21202

Interesting. I've never tipped and been back to the same tattooists and still had no problems with them inking me.
I am in the UK though, must be different here!

WRXymama

So, what about "touch ups"? I got a peice done about 2months ago, and going back in tonight for touch up work (prolly another hour or so session).

sgv0918

I have gone to the same artist repeatedly, never tipped and never got turned away. I pay enough for good ink and the tattoo artist is the owner. He sets his price. I never heard of this tipping the artist but maybe it depends on the area of the country you're in

sjohnny

I've historically done around 20% with a $20 minimum if it was less than $100. The artist who's working on me now is a friend and when I try to tip him he just adds it to my time so I just bring beer when I go.

I don't think an artist would do a sh!tty job on someone who didn't tip them last time but they'll likely be appreciative and may give a little more attention to someone who tipped well. On that note, I don't tip so I'll get good service next time, I tip because I appreciate the good service I have received.

sjohnny

So, what about "touch ups"? I got a peice done about 2months ago, and going back in tonight for touch up work (prolly another hour or so session).

Are you paying for the touch-up? If so then I'd give 20%. If not I'd give at least $20.

itsmyvwbeetle

Crap I had no idea about tipping for my first tattoo. I really liked the guy who did mine so i'm a bit worried. I'm planning on getting my second very soon so.....should I try and find another parlor? He didnt seem upset and we didn't discuss a price before hand. I did mine in 1 hour and I paid $115 in total.... What to do!

Just go back and if he does a great job again tip him extra. I am sure since it wasnt a really big piece he doesnt really remember the details of tip/no tip. Dont worry about it at all!! If he had several hours invested and no tip it probably left a memory but since it didnt I would let it go.

WRXymama

Nope, never had to pay for touchups.

neverstray

So, what about "touch ups"? I got a peice done about 2months ago, and going back in tonight for touch up work (prolly another hour or so session).

It depends on the nature of the touch ups. Is it because of slop or something they didn't do that they were supposed to, or is it just filling in detail and making it pop. Those are different things. So, I say, it depends. If I was getting touch up because they messed up or whatever, I probably wouldn't tip. If it was a small enhancement, detail, fill in, or something, or if they say, let this heal, and then come back and we'll finish up, then I would likely tip. It just depends. In general, a tip is because you love the service they provided. If you don't love it, don't tip.

logdunne

Can I ask, is this tipping just an american thing???

Yes mostly.....it's not common in the UK except for restaurants where there is no service charge included and a few other things by personal choice.

I tipped my tattoist and the person who did my piercings :-)

I only ever tip at restaurants if i am certain that the tip doenst go into company profits (a few well known chains are sods for this)

I rarely tip the hairdresser- £35 for half an hour of listening to blather about reality TV shows? she should tip me :-D

WRXymama

[/quote]

If it was a small enhancement, detail, fill in, or something, or if they say, let this heal, and then come back and we'll finish up, then I would likely tip. It just depends. In general, a tip is because you love the service they provided. If you don't love it, don't tip.
[/quote]

Yeah, it is a larger peice (expanding from middle left cheek up to under breast line), so going in to add more detail, make it pop. I'll likely be giving her a tip. Been very happy with her work

AliciaStinger

I would tip if you ever expect to show your face at that tattoo parlor again. Tattoo shops aren't like restaurants, they'll straight up tell you to gtfo if they remember you didn't tip them.

Not really. The place I go, I get inked by the owner. So, I feel stupid tipping the prick because he's the freaking owner, he makes profit off the entire operation. You don't tip owners. It's stupid, but, nevertheless, I have an internal quandary as he is the artist, so I should respect his work and say thank you, financially, I guess. But it still pisses me off. So, I don't tip him every time, just like every third time. Lol.

So you, what, verbally tip? I am a BIG fan of always tipping. It's just a respect issue for me. When I was working as a waittress, a "great service, thanks!" didn't pay my bills. Also, as the owner he is still doing work that he probably doesn't have to do.

I don't what you mean by verbally tip. But, being a waitress and owning the restaurant are two completely different things. You don't tip the owner if they wait on you. That's just ridiculous. You might have to own a business to understand the dynamics of it. But, it's odd to get a tip when you own the business. The waitress does not profit from the food the patrons are eating. The owner is literally making money off the food the people are eating, so tipping is not necessary, it's built in. Lol. I realize not everyone understands this. Again, if you ever own a business, you will.

Thanks for the condescending answer. Maybe I'll understand one day when I'm all grown up. The owner is doing an extra service for you. Extra work = extra money whether you own the business or not. Good on you for tipping out your employees (as you should) but that decision should be left to individual owners if they do get tipped.

That wasn't condescending. It's just the way you interpreted it. You'll understand these sort of things one day.

It was before he edited it.

The comment I read was still condescending. You don't need to own a business to understand that the owner is presumably making more than anyone else in the joint. However, briebear77 is right: that piece of information is beside the point, because you should still tip the person who's working on you, or serving you. If that owner feels it's unethical to accept it, they'll turn it down. However, if you wanted to tip the owner less, I wouldn't see anything wrong with that because, again, the owner is presumably doing better than the other employees. Still, neverstray, you should at least offer thanks/respect to the person who puts the effort into making your tattoo exactly what you want it to be, and for putting up with your attitude.

cmcollins001

I may get shot for this answer but oh well.

A tattoo artist is nothing like a waitress. "I think I'll go to school, get a license, perfect the art of waitressing!" - said no one...ever.

Tattoo artists chose their profession, it's not something they picked up on the weekend or night shift because it was the only job available at the time, or they're trying to make some extra cash while going to school.

Granted, my brother has not 99% of my work and didn't charge me, mostly because he needed the practice...but it was/is good work and he's a good artist. But the few times I did go to a shop for a piece it really wasn't worth a tip. I was a simple tat and it was "just good" work. Nothing elaborate and nothing so fantastic I felt the need to tip.

It's your career, you're profession, you chose this path...if it doesn't pay what you thought, then I'm sorry, but expecting to tips is just ridiculous. Charge more, add the tip in if it makes you feel better. Nobody tips me for coming in everyday and doing my job.

sjohnny

I'm terrible at these things. I should just start tipping everyone, just to be on the safe side.

You don't tip FBI men

n2thenight24

I may get shot for this answer but oh well.

A tattoo artist is nothing like a waitress. "I think I'll go to school, get a license, perfect the art of waitressing!" - said no one...ever.

Tattoo artists chose their profession, it's not something they picked up on the weekend or night shift because it was the only job available at the time, or they're trying to make some extra cash while going to school.

Granted, my brother has not 99% of my work and didn't charge me, mostly because he needed the practice...but it was/is good work and he's a good artist. But the few times I did go to a shop for a piece it really wasn't worth a tip. I was a simple tat and it was "just good" work. Nothing elaborate and nothing so fantastic I felt the need to tip.

It's your career, you're profession, you chose this path...if it doesn't pay what you thought, then I'm sorry, but expecting to tips is just ridiculous. Charge more, add the tip in if it makes you feel better. Nobody tips me for coming in everyday and doing my job.

When they factor in their expected income in this profession, while deciding if they want to do this or not, they factor in tips. Because it is customary to give them.

BeeElMarvin

I've never had the "tip" tattooed.

BoatReadyBody

I have a few and I think seeing where they are was tip enough. But I do belive guys are expected to tip.