I've heard that some tip their tattoo artists with brownies, confectionaries and home-baked foods or whatever they can afford. This is TIP, not replacing paying the full amount of the tattoo. Have you done this or seen it done? To the artists out there - would you want this? Does it happen in your shop?
Ive never paid cash $ for ink,insted i do there web design,TV comercial,radio add,phone book add,tee shirts and apointment cards.We just trade skills.we dont even keep track of it all.i just do work for him and he gets me in the chair when he can.Sometimes i have to wait awile becouse he gets booked up real fast.The barter system is a good way to go. peace
Thanks for the info, guys... I'm pretty interested in this. How would a person approach an artist like this? I don't think I ever would dare to barter. Woodenfrog, did you know you artist through word of mouth or friend of a friend, or ? If they were someone I knew remotely through friendship, I may try but other than that I don't know how it would work. It's not like I can't save a bit of money either so I think I would rather do that than go through any awkwardness or risk them thinking I'm totally screwed in the head for even suggesting it. However! It would mean a lot of money saved. Hmm.
I met him becouse he called me for some advertizeing work,i think he got my companny name from my phone book add.Once we got talking we both said hay lets just trade.Then we became friends. Ive seen other tattoo artists trade for a new paint job on the shop,allso seen a artist trade for a tune up on his truck. Bartering is easy to do,it just depends on what ones skills are and what the tattoo artist needs are.
Something I've been thinking about a bit, too. I've been working on a line of glass plugs, in the hopes that I might be able to make them pay for the ink I want done. (I figure, lots of tat artists also pierce, or at least work in a studio that does it...) I'm just nervous about the step of actually approaching an artist about it. I don't want anyone to feel like I'm trying to cheat them, or devaluing their work. And at the same time, I don't want to have to compromise about the skill level of the artist who works on me... It would be a lot easier if I knew more people around here! Where are you from, frog?
Hummble, Im in Iowa. That is totaly doable,to trade hand made glass plugs for ink.Would have to be a shop that has both ink and pierceings. Alot of piercers or visiting tat artists will sublet or pay for space oin comishon to the shop(wich is usally the tat guy). Maybee aproch the piercer with buying your plugs or (sence the tat guy gets comison annyway,and wants to save $) trade so manny plugs for so manny hours of ink. Hand made locally glass plugs is a verry tradeable skill for a tattoo shop. Just make friends and work together. peace
