Why was I offered a free tattoo? Sketchy or normal?

[mzzz99]

3 months ago, I texted this tattoo artist on instagram. He has 13k followers and does really good detailed tattoos. He lives in my city and is pretty known around here. I told him Im a 19 year old girl on a budget and explained the tattoo I want. We met up at his studio, he was super nice, sketched something for me, told me how much it would cost. I thought about it for some days and he then reached out to me and said he could tattoo me for cheaper if I go with one of his personal original design that he's always wanted to tattoo. I liked it and got it! 🙂 (super sick medusa tattoo with lots of shadowing and details for 350$).

Im nice as well but im not super social so we didnt chat much. He knows however that i draw too (and pretty good!!) and he's probably seen my stuff on my insta. But anyways, last week, he sends me this message:

"Hi, how is it going? Hey, would you like to get a free tattoo? :). Ive been studying some new ideas I would like to tattoo them. Would you be up for that? I can show you the design at the studio and if you like it I do it for free. Ok? Let me know :), thank you"

Of course, i agreed and im meeting him next week. But im so flattered... is this common for tattoo artists to ask sometimes? Why did he ask me? I dont know, it sounds a bit "too good to be true". Also, he doesnt work alone in the studio, there are some other tattoo artists there as well so it's not like we're alone. But anyways, my question is, why did he choose me? Why for free?

[warrug25]

I'm not the most trusting person in the world, so this offer he made you looks a little bit weird to me and I would have "investigated" a little bit before accepting it... but I don't want to project my doubts and insecurities on you or smear someone I know nothing about, so what I can recommend you is to just be careful and clearly discuss every detail of the process with the artist.

[vexyourlex]

Maybe it’s the paranoid lady in me but I’d bring a friend just in case. You never know if there will be other artists working at whatever time you’ve got scheduled. 

[Hogrider]

If it sounds too good to be true it is. Why is he giving away free tattoos? 

[mzzz99]

  On 8/17/2021 at 5:18 PM, Hogrider said:

If it sounds too good to be true it is. Why is he giving away free tattoos? 

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ill find out tomorrow 🤞

[Levi1391]

Yes, a rather strange proposition, maybe you will just become a model for a tattoo.