good client behavior

[Mike Shishmanian]

Avoid food that makes you fart before the tattoo. No one wants be sniffing your pooh ghosts while they work.

Hope some of this helps.

pooh ghost!?! genius.

yes, please leave your boyfriend / girlfriend at home if they're going to talk for you. nothing chaps my ass more then when I ask the guy what he wants to get done and his girl chimes in for him. grow a set. or I'll be tattooing a girl and she'll bring her friend with her who has one tiny tattoo of a dolphin on her wrist but bitch thinks she knows how it's done.

" I heard white hurts more, is that true?"

[10PieceNuggets]

i checked that link at that guy is amazing too.. when i first met Jun he was a lowrider tattoo studio with jose lopez but since then his opened his own private space and tattoos by appointment only..his clientele seem to be mostly people from oversea's which is why he may have gone under your radar..check his facebook page out for his most up to date tattoos as he dosnt upload them instantly to his website..his getting better and better everytime i see him as his only in his mid 20's...but his leart from some B&G legends like jose but also baby ray and a few others...he really respects the chicano legacy

My boy has his right arm done by Jun Cha. Owl on his forearm and some religious piece on his upper arm, flew from NY to LA to do 8+ hour sessions. Jun Cha is a hell of an artists, but a lot of B&G artist' pictures of piece look A LOT better than how they look in real life. The shine, newness, maybe a little camera work and it looks amazing. In person, while still quality work, obviously doesnt pop as much.

[Nuahsdikk]

Ok, I am always respectful when in the chair or on the table, but last artist/shop I went to possibly get a tattoo from were high and smoking pot during operating hours. Made me not want to get a tattoo and wonder if that's common practice and some are just better hiding it

[Jims Tattoo]

having a clean body is actually an important one that most people don't think about, especially FEET. Vicks Vapor rub under your nostrils only does so much. With that being said, I have seen the problem of people wearing too much perfume/cologne. Not everyone likes the smells but especially for people that have to work so close to you! Be open to the fact that the tattooer is not just a tattooer, but an artist. It is more gratifying when the artist can somewhat manipulate what you want into their own creation. I'm not saying an artist should completely alter the tattoo, but not only is it on your body but it is a representation of the artist that worked hard on the drawing & tattoo for you. It is their artwork. Another huge thing that I have learned in this industry is that it is awesome to bring in pictures of what you are looking to get done, it gives the artist a little peak into your brain & what you are picturing BUT the WORST is when people bring in pictures of other tattoos. You can't do anything with that. A reference as far as style or color or something is sometimes okay, but to bring in a picture of someone else's tattoo makes it really difficult for the artist to work off of. Real life pictures are always the best & from there you can change things however you wish.

If you aren't sure how to tip accordingly, ask around before you get to that point. A lot of artists pay booth rentals or only get a percentage of the actual cost of tattoo, along with purchasing their own equipment & supplies so they live off of tips. I've always stuck to asking other artists rather then just tattooed friends.

Always bring your ID. Most shops don't keep information on file, they have it stored away for legal purposes.

Best tip I have ever been given "get what you want & not what you can afford." If you are quoted $500 for the piece you went into detail describing, then save up, otherwise you WILL get what you pay for & you have to live with that. I have seen so many people say things like "well what if I get it this way, will it be cheaper?" to the point where I wouldn't be surprised to hear "I want an angel..." (price given) "what if I just get it with 1 wing?"

Those are some major tips I try to pass along to customers & friends. Hope this helps!

[AverageJer]

pooh ghost!?! genius.

yes, please leave your boyfriend / girlfriend at home if they're going to talk for you. nothing chaps my ass more then when I ask the guy what he wants to get done and his girl chimes in for him. grow a set.

" I heard white hurts more, is that true?"

I see where you are coming from and I definitely will have the first and last opinion about what tattoo I am going to ask an artist for, but I'm not going to apologize for bringing my wife, who is an artist and with whom I talk about tattoos quite a bit, into conversations about color choice and placement. I don't think this is quite what you are talking about but I figured I would bring it up anyway.

[MRCL]

having a clean body is actually an important one that most people don't think about, especially FEET. Vicks Vapor rub under your nostrils only does so much. With that being said, I have seen the problem of people wearing too much perfume/cologne. Not everyone likes the smells but especially for people that have to work so close to you!

I shower and put on some deodorant before the appointment, however last time I did sweat profusely - warm climate in the shop and me dying of pain takes its toll. I apologized for that, artist seemed very understanding.

Be open to the fact that the tattooer is not just a tattooer, but an artist. It is more gratifying when the artist can somewhat manipulate what you want into their own creation. I'm not saying an artist should completely alter the tattoo, but not only is it on your body but it is a representation of the artist that worked hard on the drawing & tattoo for you. It is their artwork. Another huge thing that I have learned in this industry is that it is awesome to bring in pictures of what you are looking to get done, it gives the artist a little peak into your brain & what you are picturing BUT the WORST is when people bring in pictures of other tattoos. You can't do anything with that. A reference as far as style or color or something is sometimes okay, but to bring in a picture of someone else's tattoo makes it really difficult for the artist to work off of. Real life pictures are always the best & from there you can change things however you wish.

I bring in reference only as a rough guidance. Even from other tattoos, however in the sense of "I kinda want it sort of like this"; when a tattoo matches the idea I have in my head, even better. Last appointment I brought reference for a Leopard head - real photos and some tattoo reference. Just to tell the artist "head like this position, teeth showing". Then he drew something up. I think therefore, any reference is okay, if its a rough guidance for the artist and not "I want it EXACTLY like that".

If you aren't sure how to tip accordingly, ask around before you get to that point. A lot of artists pay booth rentals or only get a percentage of the actual cost of tattoo, along with purchasing their own equipment & supplies so they live off of tips. I've always stuck to asking other artists rather then just tattooed friends.

Always bring your ID. Most shops don't keep information on file, they have it stored away for legal purposes.

Best tip I have ever been given "get what you want & not what you can afford." If you are quoted $500 for the piece you went into detail describing, then save up, otherwise you WILL get what you pay for & you have to live with that. I have seen so many people say things like "well what if I get it this way, will it be cheaper?" to the point where I wouldn't be surprised to hear "I want an angel..." (price given) "what if I just get it with 1 wing?"

Those are some major tips I try to pass along to customers & friends. Hope this helps!

Tipping is uncommon where I live. You pay the asking price, maybe bring some cookies or gummy bears. Tipping is not required nor expected, actually. The hourly wages for tattoos are high enough as it is (100 CHF to 250 CHF, depending on location and artist). So paying a thousand Swiss Franks for a five hour tattoo isn't uncommon.

As for ID, Switzerland (at least the good shops) are very strict, they want an ID when you first show up there. Once you have an appointment, you're golden. However you need to fill out some form about you being okay with them hurting you with needles. You know, since tattooing basically counts as aggravated assault.

"About the get what you want and not what you can afford" - This is absolutely 100% true. I have successfully convinced a coworker of mine to go to a good shop and not look at the price. If you can't afford the tattoo, don't get it, simple as that. There is enough evidence for "you get what you pay for" walking around.

I also want to add that you have to trust your artist and not confine him to a style or a tattoo in general he is not comfortable with. I initially wanted sort of a graffiti Leopard head (hard to explain even in my native language), artist is da bomb in traditional... so I thought to myself: Better let him do his thing, where he can let his creativity run free and actually enjoy the tattoo instead of forcing him to do something he isn't comfortable with. If you let them do their thing, you'll get something awesome, even if it is not what you initially wanted. Doesn't mean you have to completely comply with the artist, just don't be a stubborn SOB.

[Mike Shishmanian]

I see where you are coming from and I definitely will have the first and last opinion about what tattoo I am going to ask an artist for, but I'm not going to apologize for bringing my wife, who is an artist and with whom I talk about tattoos quite a bit, into conversations about color choice and placement. I don't think this is quite what you are talking about but I figured I would bring it up anyway.

I don't care who you consult or how you come up with the idea initially. that's up to you. as far as when it comes time to convey that idea to me it's very irritating when the person I'm about to mark for life is standing ten feet away and silent while their significant other explains to me what "he wants" or "she wants".

[AverageJer]

I don't care who you consult or how you come up with the idea initially. that's up to you. as far as when it comes time to convey that idea to me it's very irritating when the person I'm about to mark for life is standing ten feet away and silent while their significant other explains to me what "he wants" or "she wants".

Yeah- I got you. That does sound annoying.

[Noodles]

Julio and Mario nailed it. Thanks guys!

[fortunes]

Come clean, come without any alcoholic-reactions, sit still.

The Holy 3 rules.

[nomadland]

My boy has his right arm done by Jun Cha. Owl on his forearm and some religious piece on his upper arm, flew from NY to LA to do 8+ hour sessions. Jun Cha is a hell of an artists, but a lot of B&G artist' pictures of piece look A LOT better than how they look in real life. The shine, newness, maybe a little camera work and it looks amazing. In person, while still quality work, obviously doesnt pop as much.

Hey mate,

Sorry for the late reply have been travelling so off the net..

I do to an extent agree with your statement between the difference between photo and real life...

I think in Jun's case him posting most pics in black and white and using a 10 grand SLR do help the photo...but the above statement is true of any artist/tattoo

What did your mate think of jun/ the experience?

I'm coming up to 135 hrs with jun and I love the bloke..but have never got work of anyone else and reading forums like these make me realise the uniqueness of Jun's process...

[Jims Tattoo]

As long as you practice good hygiene & make an attempt to be clean within the region of where you get tattooed & all that, really common sense, but some people don't even think about it. The advice is really for a small percentage of people but it is always very important. I have seen a few artists suffer for a few hours over pungent perfume or really stinky feet!

unfortunately I have never heard of an artist getting paid hourly in these areas so I guess it differs from place to place which is actually interesting to hear, I had no idea. For us getting tattooed is like, going out to dinner, or getting your hair done, it's a service & you tip upon service per say. It is not expected but it is always appreciated, as is little gifts as well. I have been known to buy a bottle of whiskey or make cookies alongside a tip for an artist I might be more friends with.

I also agree with the references, I guess that advice was also for a smaller percentage. But usually working in a walk-in shop, you just see so many people coming in with pictures that are worthless, or pictures on their phone, or tell us to Google this & that. Just very unrealistic as well as unprepared.

Thanks for your feedback!

[bugxjuice]

unfortunately I have never heard of an artist getting paid hourly in these areas so I guess it differs from place to place which is actually interesting to hear, I had no idea. For us getting tattooed is like, going out to dinner, or getting your hair done, it's a service & you tip upon service per say. It is not expected but it is always appreciated, as is little gifts as well. I have been known to buy a bottle of whiskey or make cookies alongside a tip for an artist I might be more friends with.

Pretty sure they meant the hourly rate the artist charges, not that the tattooers get hourly wages like a normal job in the US. Also I'm pretty sure tipping for the service industry as a whole is not common in Europe in general. I haven't experienced this firsthand though, just relaying what I've heard.

[TaeTae]

I can't speak for the rest of Europe, but tipping is not a common practice in the UK.

[cameroncrazie80]

So I went through most of this thread and like it's been said, a lot of the advice given is for a small percentage of people.

One thing that was kind of mentioned I am looking for some more detail in. I am looking to get a piece that has three separate characters in it, but because of the size of the area I'm getting it in, I'm just not certain if all three will fit, which is fine. I am more concerned with two of them getting in it if all three won't work. I don't really have any request beyond that as I want to guve as much artistic freedom to the artist as I can. This isn't a request that will come off dickish is it?

Also, as for asking for a ball park figure. I am looking to drive down to meet the artist and give him the reference tomorrow or Monday. Once I give it to him and we discuss design and how big the piece will be, is that an appropriate time to ask for a ballpark estimate before he has even done any of the design at all?

[SeeSea]

@cameroncrazie80 - not being dickish at all unless I'm missing something. You're bringing in ideas and you're asking someone if what you are looking for can be done. Maybe not the way you are envisioning it, but if they are any good, they should give you suggestions to get you something you will be happy with. Bringing in reference material is great.

As for the ballpark question, that is certainly part of the conversation. You didn't say how large the characters are. (small symbols, large Disney characters? Makes a difference!) The artist may have an hourly rate or give you an estimate based on it design itself, depending on how detailed it is, if it looks like it will take more than one session, etc. He may decline to estimate until after he's had a chance to do some research. For bigger pieces, you may just get an hourly rate and nothing more.

I am doing a back piece and I pay hourly. He couldn't even estimate the number of hours during the consultation because of the size and he didn't know how well my skin would take the ink, etc. After three sessions now, he is able to give me a better estimate of the number of sessions remaining, but my tattoo is growing organically like a painting - not a stencil that is completely planned out in advance.

So don't be surprised if you walk away with more than an hourly rate at the very start for something big ...but that's in the US. From what I'm reading here, that apparently isn't world-wide practice.

[cameroncrazie80]

I should be ok, because I don't really have a specific vision of how I want the characters to fit. The characters are 3 separate Greek mythology statues that I'm looking to get done in black and grey. I don't want the whole statue of all 3 except for 1 of them. The other 2 are pictures of just a part of the statue. The size of the area is starting at my left shoulder and at most would have to stay 3-4 inches above my elow, so not quite a half-sleeve, and I'd be ok if some had to go onto my chest/back

I guess at least bringing up price will be ok from what I'm hearing, but I would completely understand if he needed time to work on the design a little, or even an hourly rate would be ok.

Edited March 16, 2014 by cameroncrazie80
correction

[Rikhall]

id never considered paying a tip before, but maybe thats because I'm from England and tipping isn't always the done thing plus i might spend over 2000 in the two days so a 25% tip is a lot on top of that, but i think from now on i will

[scubaron]

Tipping is a tricky subject. Different customs, different recommended %, flat $ amounts, artists home studio, artist is an employee at a shop, high profile shop in a high rent area, etc..

I don't know the specifics, but I imagine the artist does not keep the full hourly rate. Some of it is going to the shop. In NYC, hourly rates typically start at $200/hr. and go higher for many known artists. The high rate is not just because of the quality of the artist. The shop is paying high rent. 25% on $200 + /hr. is a lot.

[zbatch34]

This is great info. I'll be gettting my first tattoo and definitely considering these little tips

[SeeSea]

Tipping is a tricky subject. Different customs, different recommended ...%, flat $ amounts, artists home studio, artist is an employee at a shop, high profile shop in a high rent area, etc..

This is a good point. And confusing as the times-are-a-changing. In the U.S., in situations where the individual provides the service and owns the company, tipping is even more confusing. It used to be that it was an insult to tip a business owner who served you, and this is still the case in some areas outside urban settings and for older business owners. As we move forward in time, tipping an owner has no longer become an insult, but also not expected. The individual doesn't have another business taking a cut. Moving forward to the present, the trend is moving more to tipping everyone but it's not universal yet. If you ask, you get the "not required but appreciated" line. I was raised in a more rural area so I sometimes feel uncomfortable tipping owners but now I do it more often if the service is really good. Sometimes I ask, and sometimes I am flat out told they don't accept or encourage tips. I think the old traditions are dying out and the newer generation isn't even aware that it used to be an insult. I just checked to see how out-of-date I am, and Emily Post still holds to the "no tip" advice, while Oprah (who geez, we have to admit in some ways controls this whole freaking country) says times-are-changing.

I was uncomfortable with the question so I just asked my tattooer and he discouraged it for himself although that doesn't change my feeling that creating art is different from serving me food. So at a minimum, I'm firmly in the camp of showing up to the shop with baked goods.

[Zillah]

In New Zealand we don't tip. I think the artist would be uncomfortable and see it as some kind of bribe. Gifts would be fine though.

The place I'm going to next week has a maximum full day charge of NZ$800 (US$683).

[joefalotico]

As the tattoo I have was my first done recently .. I showered and brushed my teeth before hand cause I know id hate have to be in that position smelling someones bad BO or breath lol. Also I think be specific with the artist so there is no confusion.

[Colored Guy]

I always tip since 1995 or so. I didn't really know of the custom and I was told that most clients are not aware of it and do not tip. I'm switching shops soon and getting what I think is a good rate and will tip accordingly with that in mind.

Rob

[irezumi]

id never considered paying a tip before, but maybe thats because I'm from England and tipping isn't always the done thing plus i might spend over 2000 in the two days so a 25% tip is a lot on top of that, but i think from now on i will

I just wanna give you the heads-up that talking about specific $ amounts here is in kind of poor taste and discouraged. I mean, how much IS a tattoo worth to you? How much is that tattooers service worth to you? A tip is a sign of appreciation for the service above and beyond the agreed upon price. When you tip your artist you are also tipping the front desk as well; that person gets tipped out by the artists at the end of the day. That person has a hard and dirty job; no matter what the hourly wage is they are still in an extemely high-risk profession.

Tipping in general in the states is a bigger deal than you might think. Do you know that servers/waiters/waitresses here make WAY less than minimum wage? Employers can get away with paying one as little as $2.13 an hour. That means when you don't tip that person you really fucked up their day. I had more than a few jobs before I started tattooing and being a server was one of them for about 2 years. I know what a good tip means; that 1 person or table made all the difference that day/shift. No, your tattooer isn't in that same boat as a server but good client behavior also = good customer behavior in the outside-the-shop world as well.

I haven't read much more than 1 or 2 pages in this entire thread so if all of this was said somewhere previously then you can give me the late pass.

When a client gives me a tip of any amount these days I don't care how much it is, I'm just happy to see how stoked they are. Even broke-ass college students will make a point to do it.

I'm glad to see that you re-considered doing it from now on.

- - - Updated - - -

Also wanted to say that what you got from your Smith St visits are fucking bad-ass.