Hi guys, and a question

[niceandall]

Hello everyone, I'm new here from NY, I got my first tattoo about a year ago and was planning on getting my third one;

Which leads into my question, I planned on getting my biggest tattoo about 3 months ago, I did a consult, planned the date 3 months in advanced, put a deposit, and took the day off of work. I get an email the day before my tattoo appointment asking me to reschedule to 2-3 weeks later, but I don't have anymore vacation days to use, so I'm in a bit of a pickle. Is this a common thing in tattooing? I know sometimes things happen but they only told me that they weren't ready to draw/tattoo yet. 

Edited November 8, 2018 by niceandall

[ughanxiousppl]

Hello and welcome!

Is this the same artist that did your other tattoos? In my experience I wouldn't say this is a "common" thing in tattooing. However, tattoo artists are humans too and sometimes things come up such as sickness and family emergencies. My wife had that happen to her once when the artist got sick with the flu. He had to push all of his appointments back a few weeks. Things happen. I would probably call the shop back and try to find out the specific circumstances as to why your artist is not ready. If there is a legitimate reason then so be it. If not and the artist just failed to properly prepare,  I would ask for my deposit back (good luck getting it) and try to find a new artist, unless, I had already been tattooed by said artist and trusted them. 

[niceandall]

5 minutes ago, snyderju89 said:

Hello and welcome!

Is this the same artist that did your other tattoos? In my experience I wouldn't say this is a "common" thing in tattooing. However, tattoo artists are humans too and sometimes things come up such as sickness and family emergencies. My wife had that happen to her once when the artist got sick with the flu. He had to push all of his appointments back a few weeks. Things happen. I would probably call the shop back and try to find out the specific circumstances as to why your artist is not ready. If there is a legitimate reason then so be it. If not and the artist just failed to properly prepare,  I would ask for my deposit back (good luck getting it) and try to find a new artist, unless, I had already been tattooed by said artist and trusted them. 

This is a new artist I haven't been to before. So far all they've said is that they need more time to draw, they've been posting on instagram this entire week on tattoos they've been doing.

So it feels more like they either forgot or just didn't plan well enough. It also just looks unprofessional since I did plan 3 months in advance and put down a deposit, and now it feels like I just wasted a lot of time as well. 

I've email them back with days I have free, but if they can't do those days should I try to get my deposit back or is that gone as well?

[ughanxiousppl]

You could try to get it back. Usually the deposit is to hold your appointment or to pay for some of the work designing the tattoo. If they cancelled on you and you no longer have an appointment in the books and your tattoo wasn’t designed, it seems to me that you should get it back.  It would depend on how big of a stink you want to put up. Usually they state it’s non refundable. If it were me, based on what you have said, I would be looking elsewhere now. At the end of the day if you have a bad feeling about the shop now, it’s better to forget the deposit and search for a better artist. 

[SStu]

Yeah, if they're cancelling on you and then can't match up a suitable date (especially after you burned up a vacation day) then you should be offered your deposit back. The "no time to draw" excuse doesn't sound too professional. 

[niceandall]

So I emailed them back saying I was free around the week of Thanksgiving and gave them two dates, and they said it would work. Do you guys think i should still bother going?

[ughanxiousppl]

Well now that you found a time that will work I’m guessing your chances of getting the deposit back just dropped to zero. Your choice, if it was me I’d be looking somewhere else. The whole thing seems a bit unprofessional to me. If you had a good relationship with the artist I could see it but since you said you’ve never been there before and all this has been happening I’d be nervous. Does the artist have a good portfolio? Do you otherwise trust him? That’s what is really going to matter.


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[niceandall]

Yeah at the moment I'm considering if I should go back to this artist or not. The whole thing left a bitter taste in my mouth. I do like the artist, their work is really good and fits what I want to tattoo; but like I said, the whole situation left me reconsidering.

[Hogrider]

8 hours ago, niceandall said:

I do like the artist, their work is really good and fits what I want to tattoo; 

And you've paid a deposit and you've got an appointment date.  Go ahead, but if they cancel again, I'd ask for the deposit back and make a stink if they don't give it. 

Not having time to draw the tattoo is a bullshit excuse for cancelling since they had 3 month's notice.

[Gingerninja]

I hate this stuff. Part of the experience is the vibe. I get that artists are human, too but the not having time to draw is a red flag. WHO SAYS THAT OUT LOUD? Can you drop by the shop? Explain that the situation made you uncomfortable? If not, then if you really were excited to have this person make something for you, do it. Me, I would tend towards the latter. 

[SStu]

send us a link to their work . . . 

[niceandall]

3 hours ago, Hogrider said:

And you've paid a deposit and you've got an appointment date.  Go ahead, but if they cancel again, I'd ask for the deposit back and make a stink if they don't give it. 

Not having time to draw the tattoo is a bullshit excuse for cancelling since they had 3 month's notice.

After sleeping on it, I'm still considering if I should go. I thought I could brush it off and just move on; whats waiting another week after a whole 2-3 months. But after reading the email again, I just see how unprofessional it is. Their email just, hey I need more time drawing, can we reschedule to this specific day. There was no sorry, there was no, are there any dates you can do. I guess it will just be something I'll have to think about some more, at this point I don't even care if I lose the deposit.

2 hours ago, Gingerninja said:

I hate this stuff. Part of the experience is the vibe. I get that artists are human, too but the not having time to draw is a red flag. WHO SAYS THAT OUT LOUD? Can you drop by the shop? Explain that the situation made you uncomfortable? If not, then if you really were excited to have this person make something for you, do it. Me, I would tend towards the latter. 

The vibe is definitely important, I think I may just think about how unprofessional they were and how they disrespected my time while getting tattooed lol.

40 minutes ago, SStu said:

send us a link to their work . . . 

I'll PM you SStu

[ughanxiousppl]

Only you can decide if the artist is worth the unprofessional behavior. I would expect some kind of next level tattoo to warrant treating a client with such disregard. Even then, I don’t think I’d want someone so rude putting some permanent artwork on me. I’m from Minnesota though, we take our niceness seriously.

 

 

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[niceandall]

Hey everyone, just wanted to give a quick update. I decided to go through with the tattoo on this coming Monday; but from what I've seen on instagram today, it looks like a family member has passed away and they will be taking some time off, so it may mean I'll be rescheduled again. 

Would it be ok if I asked for my deposit back, I feel like it may be too heartless to ask, seeing as how it obviously was out of their control and they lost a family member. But I've used my last vacation day to reschedule with them and most likely won't be free until March next year. I think I should wait until they email me before I decide, but I would want to try to make an appointment with another artist I like asap to not waste my day off. Thoughts?

[AtomicMagpye]

I would ask for the deposit back and find someone else,  if you feel bad about it explain you have no more vacation days.  It's not their fault re their current issues - but by the same token it is not yours either and they have already cancelled on you once.

The tattoo gods may be trying to tell you something here :-).

Anyhow My advice for what it's worth would be  - get the deposit back and find someone else.....

Cheers and have a marvellous day.

R.

[niceandall]

So in the end, they emailed me saying they have to reschedule and they needed to be with family. I asked for my deposit back and they said it was no problem and to just call the shop and ask for it. I think your right atomicmagpye, the tattoo gods are telling me something lol. Luckily I got in with another artist, I was planning to go to anyways, on friday to get the same subject in a different style.

[niceandall]

I thought I would update this thread and show everyone whose helped me with advice, the tattoo I got.

It's the monkey king done in a more traditional style. Honestly I love how it turned out, thanks again to everyone.

[SStu]

that worked out really well, @niceandall!