I heard it is customary to tip your tattoo artist.I'm getting my first tattoo and I don't want to give the wrong amount. How much is a proper tip for a tattoo?

At least a $20.. or 20% of the overall cost.. or as one customer does for me $25 per hour spent... Works great for me. But ALWAYS TIP... it is the most appriciated gesture... All money is split between artist and shop, except tips! Plus that's the money that buys lunch, dinner, or just drinks... keep your artist happy, and you will have nothing but good ink.

last week my tat cost 150.00 and I tipped 20.00..but a few years ago my other tattoo cost 270.00 and well I tipped 25.00..wow did I undertip?! Oh well.. but yeah it is good to tip basicaly tip as much as you want..I know some people who never tipped thier artist..not good!!!!!!!!!!, especially if you love the outcome of your tattoo!!

My last tattoo cost $150, and I tipped $15. My artist was very surprised. You've got to remember that a tip is a gratuity.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I wanted to do the right thing, and you guys have been very helpful.

Hi,

I have never had a tattoo and am considering it and what is a decent tip???????????

I always give a tip of atleast $20.
U have to understand that if u get another tat by ur artist then u dont want him to be mad or pi$$ed at the time.

A long tattoo session can be costly. It is totally worth it, but when you are sitting for 5-6 hours and it costs you $500, tipping an extra 20% (or $100) is pretty hard to do. It takes me a while to save up the cash for the tattoo session.

So when I have long sittings, I typically tip $40 or so dollars. I don’t like having multiple sessions, so I sit for long periods. In those long periods, I typically offer to buy coffee for everyone at the shop, or if its through lunch, I’ll buy lunch for my artist.

My wife baked cookies once and I brought them on tattoo day and the shop loved it.

So remember, its not just about the money. Its about the attitude, the friendliness and such.

So 20% can be a good average range for 1-2 hour sessions, but for longer sessions, the artists typically don’t expect a 20% tip. Doesn’t mean you can’t, and it doesn’t mean that you have to stay at 20% for a 1 hour session, give more if you feel you should.

It is not expected, but it is appreciated. And it will be remembered the next time around.

I recently got a tattoo that was $85. I gave the artist a $10 tip and he seemed very happy with it.
I wish it could have been more but I was broke at that point.

I've had 2 sessions and for some reason I grab a couple of 20's and throw it in. 1st time came out to about 30% and the 2nd was 20%. I still felt like I was giving him pennies for what I got in return. He appreciated it because I'm thinking about continueing my piece up my back...I want to BF is skeptical so he offered to draw up something and stencil it on me to wear home so we could both live it for awhile before making a final decision. Thought that was awesome.

Ruby

my girl just got a tat thursday and she tipped the dude 30 on a 125 tat

I tipped $50.00 on a $200.00 recently...

The artist did a great job so I thought that it was the least I could do (aside from coming back for more work and referrals, of course).

I think that it's especially important to tip in a shop that is staffed w/ many artists. Chances are that those artists are on the payroll, so to speak, and aren't partial owners of the business.

Plus it looks good when you come in for your next tattoo with the same artist. There's always a good chance that they'll charge a little less than a new client or that they'll knock off the deposit (as has happened to me in the past).

-e-

40 to 50 bucks is my average tip

ejw....totally agree...my 1st session I tipped well the second time went a little over 2hrs and he rounded down in my favor AND did not ask for a deposit...I'M IN THE LOOP!!!

Ruby

The artist that I am working with now charges me $150 for a 3 hour session. His work is good and his commission is very low ball so I give him $200 for the session. If you like the work, tip as generously as you can. Bringing in doughnuts and coffee is also a really cool display of appreciation.

i tipped my guy that did my tat today 10 bux because it was a 30 minute tat and it was 50 bux i figured it was that quick so it wasnt a big deal. as long as u give them something its all good.

I recently got my very first tattoo, from a really great female inker. The thing is, she absolutely refused to take my tip! She said that I had already spent enough in one day, and that her 'reward' was having such a great client.

I guess there's always an exception that proves the rule.

Northern Tigress

ok.. i guess i'm way off on this, but for my last tattoo ( 2- 3 hour sessions) my artist charged me $600 and i tipped him $100. maybe i over spent, but he always does great work & i get scheduled in easier.

I think a lot would also depend on how you felt during the session. I happen to like the person that does my work and he is very patient and very thorough, so I think he deserves a good tip. During a 5 hour session, I think I tipped him like $80 and then I did two more 4 hour sessions and I tipped him probably like $125-$130 total for the eight hours. I have heard a lot of people say that they just happy to be tipped at all and true I am paying the artist $100 an hour to work, but it is a courtesy for a job well done.

The tipping subject is interesting because what is too much and what is too little? I paid just about $3,000 for my last tattoo and tiped probably about $250 - 300 over the time as well as bought a couple of bottles of Maker's Mark. That's nowhere near 20% but $600 would have been a huge tip. I'm about to get another piece that will be at least $1,000 where I don't mind a $200 tip on top of that but I would have had aa hard time with the $600 tip.

Wow I really feel like a heel. I didn't know that you were supposed to tip honestly I never noticed anything where we for tips...........that is until I looked at some pictures and sure enough there is a tip jar in my artists work station. Well when I go in for my touch up I am going to have to throw a little something extra in there. I really do feel bad thanks for posting about this.

When I got my first tattoo it was $100 and I gave a $25 tip. I went back a year later to the same artist. He said that he remembered that I was the big tipper. I am not sure about that but he gave me a big discount on the 2nd tattoo. I did tip him well again since I think this shows your true apprecaition of their work.

My tattoo so far has cost me about $1,000 and to date I have given my tattoo artist about $150 - $200 so far....

I just started my backpiece last week. We had agreed to do a couple of hours each visit and that I would pay $200.00 each time. I paid the $200 plus I tipped him $100.00. I always tip atleast $100.00 each time because he puts so much more work into it. I want to keep him happy. I may over do it, but I love his work so much that to me it is worth the extra money. I feel that by the time we are finished we each project, he has not charged enough for his work.

IVE BEEN TATTOOING OVER 15 AND THE BEST TIP YOU CAN GIVE A TATTOOIST IS (TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TAT)

I GUESS AFTER 15 YEARS, YOUR HEARING IS THE FIRST THING TO GO WITH ALL THE CONSTANT HUMMING OF THE GUN AND ALL.