How much tip to I leave for a tatoo?

Question

I'm getting a $600 tatoo but the artist is only charging me $500 since I'm military (wierd to give military discounts at a tatoo place, I know)... how much of a tip should I give the guy?

I left a $40 tip for a $200 tattoo once, but for a different artist... this is the first time I am using this new artist

Answer 1

i always tip 20% of the cost of the tat

Answer 2

I say it depends on the tattoo and artist. One guy charged me $100 dollars an hour, it took him 2 hours so the cost of the tattoo was $200. Now if you take in consideration that he took a break every 10 or 15 minutes then the actual time he tattooed was only about 1 hour so he got no tip. I even committed that he took alot of breaks. I will never go back to him either. Now my regular tattoo artist is good, I tip him depending on the time he spends tattooing me, because usually I just book time. But I tip him $30 an hour because I want him to do his best work and I will return for more.

Answer 3

I always leave with the tip, "dont eat yellow snow" or "dont drop the soap" That always seems to work, I would know. I have 10 of the worst tatoos in the world

hay wait a minute....maybe there is a relationship between my tip and my artwork.......

Try at least 15%, that is what you would give a server in a restaraunt who does nothing but the normal--20% for exceptional service.
Good luck, demand clean needles.

Answer 4

You should try to give a tip relative to what the tattoo would originally have been worth, i.e. your tattoo is costing less, so try to tip a bit over what you would give on a $500 tattoo. From what I've seen, most people give in the range of 10 to 20%, depending on the work. The guy who did my tattoo did a spectacular job, so I gave him 25%.

Answer 5

This is a rough question, it depends on the work. I got a tatoo on my lower back (yes a tramp stamp..lol) any way I paid $150.00 and it has color I tipped my artist 50.00.

If you tip well and you keep going to the same artist in the future you will get better service and your price may even come down a bit.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

It helps to tip via fact a great style of the money is going to the keep proprietor. It will pay for bils and ink and so on. THe artist does not often gets a commission lots, except they're very solid and properly well known. Plus in case you tip the artist will do a solid interest.

Answer 7

i have quite a lot of tattoos, and seem to end up in the same position (getting a good discount) oftentimes. since he's giving you $100 off your tattoo, i'd say a $40-$50 tip would probably be awesome. i'd say that's high-end, but i definitely wouldn't go lower than $20. good luck!

Answer 8

my tat that im tryin to finish (huge back piece of a lioness) it takes 500 bucks a sitting andf ive been there 3 times and i always tip 40 to 50 bucks depending on what i have with me. but honeslt y tip on how you like your tattoo, if you like it so much!! i would tip 50 and over but if you are eh its good then tip about 40 to 20. but other then that good luck!!

Answer 9

When I got mine (the guy did an awesome job)
I gave him 25% tip. Given that yours is so expensive, if you can afford it and he does an awesome job(especially if yours has a lot of color work), I would at least give him the $100.00 he is losing. Especially if you are going to go back. The artist will remember you for it and give you excellent service on your return trip.
(I would not give him less than $80.00)

Answer 10

I always tip at least 20%.
For my chest piece I tipped 30%, because it was a much more intricate design than the rest of my tattoos.

Answer 11

I would tip him at least 50$.that way you save 50$ on the tat.