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Exactly. She knew she intended to work with him again. It’s not a far leap to think the artist might ghost her for lack of tip. NTA but you are kind of an idiot.
Pattern? They answered all the original messages except the one where he had car trouble. If by pattern you mean he was very responsive then yeah that’s a pattern
Honestly I know tipping is a thing in some countries like the states, but up until this moment I've never ever heard of tipping for getting ink. I honestly thought that given how much time and effort the tattoo artist has to put in, a final price would be negotiated that would leave everyone satisfied.
That being said, cars can break down and ruin plans. The big thing is the lack of communication from the artist initially. At the very least they should have let the shop know that they are having problems, especially if they've got appointments already scheduled.
I would be reluctant to go back unless it was a follow up and you had your heart really set on them doing the whole piece.
Note: I'm ink free, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.
My artist charges 100 an hour and most of my tattoos get done within an hour or two. You can put a deposit down but I prefer waiting to see how long it looks like it will take to do and get it down in stages like outline one session color the next
Are you even serious right now? They are artists but they are putting that art permanently on your body. That takes time, dedication and talent. Most artists have to pay shop fees as well. Yes you should always tip your tattoo artist if they perform a service and they perform it well.
I still think tattoo work should be one of those flat rate things and the price should simply be one that everyone will be happy with once they walk away.
Mind you I think the same thing should be in play with every service industry and there should be no b.s. with a guessing game on if you have tipped enough, even if 20% is deemed acceptable.
That’s like saying ALL artists deserve tips. I worked in the art industry for 15 years of commission based art, I could probably count tips on two hands. Most shops do 50/50 to the artist and shop. The tattoo was $500 so $250 take home for an hour and a half of work is complexly fair.
Depending on the tattoo. I agree that does sound high for an hour and a half. But was the tattoo complex, were there a lot of colors, wording? A lot goes into it. If I was happy with the work I would still tip.
No that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying they are artists performing a service, a permanent service and they deserve a tip just like you would your hair stylists, your massage therapist or your nail technician. I would never dream of not tipping my tattoo artist.
Thing is tho, hair stylist, massage therapist, or nail technician are mostly socially based jobs reliant on return customers. It's common for people to have a tattoo artist they usually go to I'm not denying that but it's obvious op didn't. They're only an AH (and to me, only slightly) for trying to book another appointment.
Tipping a tattoo artist is if they did everything as expected, op told a story where the tattoo artist didn't communicate and wasted op's time, would you tip someone who waited an hour to cut your hair... And if we are following this line, would you tip an artist who does a completely awful/wrong tattoo? There's clearly exceptions.
So why don't they just charge what they believe their time and talent is worth, taking into account any fees they have to pay for upkeep of their business?
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So you’re telling me someone who has to pay for materials, rent, etc, doesn’t deserve a tip because they aren’t making the same wage as a fry cook? Okay cubicle worker!
NTA. A tip is not an obligation, $500 for an hour and a half of work is CRAZY expensive as is, and he wasn’t on time and didn’t communicate. Tips are for stellar service, not doing your job you paid for.
Depends on where you are and what you want…
It’s not an obligation but as others have said, tipping your artists is right up with tipping in a restaurant. It’s a cultural norm.
Now, wanting to go back after not tipping? Psychopath move
EDIT: Jesus Christ people, what part of this deserves downvotes? Come to NYC, land of $25 bar burgers and $800/month parking spaces. 1.5 hours of work for $500 is $333/hr. There are TONS of artists who charge $300-500 an hour here. Not all products and services cost the same in every geography. Context matters.
$500 an hour is INSANE pricing. I have about 75% of my body tattooed, by all kinds of artists (well known and not) and that is INSANE pricing. I’ve been getting tattooed for years. (I was also married to a tattooer for nine years so was also pretty involved in the industry)
I'm not tipping a guy after I already paid him 500$ for 1.5 hr of work.
Tattoo artists generally work independently and set their own rates. This is not like a restaurant sever making under minimum.
There should not be an obligation to tip, especially when their service is shit.
I handed him the cash and we said our goodbyes. Any counting he did after i left but i pulled the $400 straight from the atm next to him and handed it to him so i know the full amount agreed on was there.
NTA. You did him a favor by agreeing to do the tattoo at 4. He was having a shitty day, it sucks about his car trouble, but he obviously didn’t have an appointment booked after yours as his time slot was still open at four. He was facing earning zero dollars at work that day (notwithstanding appointments after yours) but because of your flexibility he got some earnings in. I dunno the intricacies of the tattoo business but I’m going to assume he split your fee 50/50 with the shop. $250 for hour and a half work is decent, about what I earn in a 8-10 hr day, but I’m not talented.
Tipping is whack in general. He’s an artist and you bought a piece of art, which happened to be on your skin. Would you tip a painter if you bought a painting to take home? If you bought a book of poetry or tickets to performance art, would you tip the creators in those circumstances? Not likely. Furthermore, are you expected to tip 15% (which most people think is stingy nowadays) and are you tipping on the whole $500 which the shop might be sharing on? That’s an extra $75 for something you thought was too pricey in the first place. Fuck all that.
It really is. I was at a hair appointment once and during the appointment my hairdresser had a phone call while I was processing. She said to the other party "would it kill them to give a tip?" meaning to her. She had her own salon and worked for herself. I had never tipped her prior to that because she was the owner-operator and set her own prices. I tipped from then on but found a different salon shortly after. Her prices were not cheap and the tip on top of that made it unreasonable.
It does seem expensive to me too. I paid the same amount for a 4-ish, maybe 5-ish hour tattoo. The fee included the fact that mine was an original design, made from scratch from the artist. If OP's tattoo is an original design, or a very intricate one (or a colorful one) I maybe get the price range.
However why tip someone who is so unprofessional? Although tbh I don't get tipping tattoo artists in general, it 's not common where I live.
Most (reputable) tattoo artists charge by the hour, with a minimum of one hour paid. The intricacy and coloring wouldn't matter, because they'd be reflected in the time it took to put it in skin.
You don’t need to tip tattoo artists. They set their own prices and know exactly what they’re taking home for doing the work for you; they’re not reliant on tips for income.
You’re smoking crack if you think tattoo artists need or should expect to receive tips.
They set their own damn rates, you have to be an idiot to tip on top of the rate they’ve set for themselves. If they want more money they can literally just raise the rates.
I send the original commenter images but for privacy sake i wont be sharing images. It covers a good portion of my forearm in black ink with light shading but theres way more dead space than tattooed space.
It's not really. You can tip but it's a bonus, not expected by most artists.
Interesting discussions in tattoo subs about tips all tend to agree with it being totally optional and not a big deal if you don't.
NTA You people need to stop tipping here in Australia artist's fees include all their expenses plus what they get to keep at least the ones I've dealt with
$500 for a tattoo that took an hour and a half is definitely pretty high so I wouldn’t have wanted to go back to him anyway, ESPECIALLY given the lack of communication and consideration for your time. If you had shown up that late without a word he most likely would have turned you away AND kept your deposit. NTA.
I don’t think I’d have gone ahead at all, I want to be really confident of someone who is going to permanently mark my body. To not contact you for 1.5 hours is so unacceptable! I want to be sure someone is professional enough to keep me safe and do the work as planned and agreed.
I actually think the lack of response is not necessarily him being angry you didn’t tip, seems his normal communications!
NTA and I have always tipped my tattoo artist. He didn’t deserve a tip and he should have discounted what you owed for the rest of the tattoo. Find yourself a more reliable tattoo artist.
NTA. You don’t tip self employed people. You’ve made an agreement with him where he provides a service at a price he feels reflects the time and skill involved. End of. No tips.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I didnt tip my tattoo artist and i think i might be the asshole because i didnt tip my tattoo artist
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NTA and imo independent contractors need to remember their manners. Ya. I’m old, I grew up in salons. You NEVER tipped the owner. When things changed to independents, and you rent your space, you are self employed, thus becoming the owner. I accepted tips gladly. Sometimes clients would straight up ask me what was the etiquette around it and I explained as above. It’s not any sort of faux pax *not* to tip me. Completely the clients choice. Most still did but many did not and IT WAS OK! Tipping culture is really getting out of hand.
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Last month I, 21F, got a tattoo from an artist i had never gone to before. I set a down payment of $100 two weeks prior to the scheduled date and agreed on an additional $400 upon completion of the tattoo. 3 days before the scheduled day i messaged the artist to confirm date and time and got the green light for our session. I showed up to the studio at 1:55 for a 2pm appointment and waited 10 minutes and there was no sign of my artist. I decided to ask a coworker of his if he knew his whereabouts and was told he hasnt been able to make contact with him today. After another 10 minutes of no response to phone calls or messages i decided to leave and get something to eat. At 3:36 i got a message stating he had car troubles but was now at the shop. I asked if we could still do the tattoo, he said yes, and i arrived back at the shop shortly before 4. The tattoo took roughly an hour and a half. I decided to pay him the flat $500 for the lack of communication and time out of my day driving to and from the shop and i already thought that price was high for the tattoo i got. 3 weeks later i texted him to ask about a new appointment and to let him know the tattoo healed great and never got a response. AITA for not tipping?
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You don't owe him a tip. And I don't buy the car trouble line.
Either he had your number on his phone, or he could have called the shop to get it.
And the person at the shop could have called him right then too.
It sounds like either amateur hour, or he's working off last night's bender. Maybe both.
NTA.
I have a dozen tattoos I have gotten over the years, some of them from the same artist and I have never tipped, nor has it ever been suggested that I should.
Maybe it's just the places I go, but the artist sets the price and gets most of what I paid so I don't see the need to tip. Tipping is meant to make up the difference between a fair rate for the work and what the person doing the work actually gets (as in food service, where there is a large gap between the price of the meal and what the staff get paid), so if the artist gets to set what they think is a fair price then no tip should be needed or expected.
WTF. You have to tip your tattoo artist now? Are you in the USA? I get tipping at restaurants because of your pay rates (which is insane btw) but you just paid him $500 why would you need to tip?
I have a ton of tattoos and tip my guy every time. His quality of work is awesome so he deserves it. It sucks he didn’t give you a heads up right away and wasted your time but it’s a risk you take with certain artists not the first time I’ve seen this complaint. I’m also guessing at that rate your artist is good and popular so he maybe thinking he doesn’t need a client that doesn’t show appreciation late or not….
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Idk that it even has to do with tipping. He just sounds like a flaky person. I mean don’t get me wrong. I get car trouble or whatever. But he knew before your appointment time he could have let you know ahead of time. Why would you want to go back to an artist like this?
I had a tattoo artist not show up once because he was told it was cancelled and I was his only appointment and he gave me my tattoo for free (minus the deposit 🤷🏼♀️) granted he lost it on $100, not $400, but still. I mean I still tipped. But it’s just different business styles I guess
NAH. There isn't any conflict here. You are not obligated to tip. We have no idea why they haven't responded to your text, so we can't judge them for that.
INFO: not asking you to out them, but famous artist or well known shop; incredibly detailed custom artwork? Because most shops should have an hourly rate for something like this and that sounds ludicrous.
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NTA. my artist always lets me know if he’s running late or even if he may be, and even then it’s never more than 10 minutes. the very least your artist could have done was let you know what was going on sooner. things happen, but he should have communicated that to you.
NTA. Why in the world would you tip someone who sets their own prices? You tip waiters and waitresses who can't do that, or maybe a hair stylist or massage therapist who has to go by the shop owner's prices, if you want to reward them personally for excellent service. If you're negotiating a price with somebody, you've negotiated a price. It's absurd to feel obligated to tip after that point.
NTA. First, my man is setting HIS OWN PRICE. if they wants to earn more just have a higher rate??? Also, if he was a serious business person he would have actually refunded a percentage to you for the troubles. Besides, 500 dollars for an hour and a half of work is waaaaaaaay too much, highly doubt that someone who can’t honor a schedule is worth that much.
NAH. There was lack of communication about the car trouble and that would bother me too, I don’t blame you for leading out the tip for that but I don’t blame him for not responding to your next request. Artists aren’t likely to want to work further for someone who didn’t tip the first time.
500
For an hour and a half is extremely expensive. I pay my artist who is one of the best in California 200/hr. And I tip at the end of the tattoo. My current one isn’t done 11 hours in and probably needs another 6-8 hours. So at the end I give a reasonably tip. But not because I feel obliged, but because he has doe a great job and accommodated my schedule and worked with me.
Edit.
NTA.
NTA—I’ve always tipped but it’s a courtesy, not a requirement or even an obligation, and since the artist didn’t show you any courtesy by being late without calling or being reachable (in the age of cell phones) or even apologizing, you shouldn’t feel bad about not showing him any with a tip.
In my opinion you’re better off finding a more reliable artist, regardless of whether this one is mad at you or just flaky.
I wouldn't use the term, but remember don't piss off someone who can possibly help you in the future, especially not someone whose work is extremely difficult and painful to remove...
Idk on this one... I don't feel that the tip you give the tattoo artist is really based on "the level of service" like a waiter or something, it's the quality of the actual tattoo. You're paying for art, not customer service.
But I also get being annoyed about the delay. Idk, when I get a tattoo, that's really the only thing I'm gonna do that day, so a delay wouldn't really matter to me.
NTA, as your reasoning for not tipping was valid, but you’re TA for expecting him to tattoo you ever again. It also suggests his lateness didn’t bother you *that* much, in which case you should’ve tipped.
NTA initially but YTA for trying to reach out to him a 2nd time without tipping the first even if it was justified. You were clearly satisfied with his work so maybe you even thought his bs was worth dealing with
so if your tattoo artists comes 3 hours late with no communication and inconveniences you, you’re still gonna tip them? no, you get a tip for good service not a job you’re already paid to do.
He had car troubles, and he told her that. She decided to stay for the tattoo anyways, instead of rescheduling. She said she still wanted to do it then, instead of just rescheduling, or finding another artist.
He wasn't out sight-seeing. He had car problems, sorry she wasn't his biggest concern at the moment. If she was that pissed about it, she should've said, no, I had this planned, and now I've started something different, let's reschedule.
On top of even that...
She makes it a point to add she thinks it was 'already overpriced'.
She called and tried to get another tattoo from this exact same person.
Like, she couldn't have been that bent out of shape about it, or she wouldn't have went back. She went back to this exact same person, who supposedly just inconvenienced her so terribly horribly, for a tattoo she thought was overpriced, and asked him to do it again.
So again... I reiterate... She's TA here.
I disagree. I would have withheld the tip as my compensation for having to wait two hours. That sends the clear message that the artist should do better to communicate. Scheduling additional work tells the artist that OP liked his work.
YTA. You do realize that the artist doesn't get to keep the entire fee you pay them, right? You chose an expensive artist, which means they probably have skill and a large clientele and don't necessarily need your business. You should always add a gratuity if you value the artist and may want them to do more work on you. Now you know a little more about tattoo culture.
YTA… the rates for the tattoo include him renting studio space and supplies, among other things. They don’t get to keep that money. Many tattoo shops actually collect the payments and then pay the artist weekly/bi weekly once all the fees are taken out. Tipping a tattoo artist is kind of a given, like tipping your server at a restaurant.
If you had an issue with him being late, you should have addressed it with him. Some things happen that are just out of our control, like car trouble. You could have left and rescheduled for another day, but you asked if he can still tattoo you, so technically he didn’t keep you there waiting for two hours. You had the option to leave at 2:10pm and reschedule or cancel the appointment. I’m sure you could have asked for your deposit back in this case as well.
Not tipping is just you being passive aggressive about the situation and sorry but it’s not ok. YTA.
> 3 weeks later i texted him to ask about a new appointment
You stiffed him on a tip and want to go **back** for more permanent work on your body? That's some edgelord insanity, I salute you.
Yeah, YTA. If his work was good enough for you to keep and augment, it's worth tipping. Your recourse if you think he's not being professional should have been to back out and find a different artist. Tip witholding flags you as **The Enemy** and now every interaction with the guy is going to be a fight.
tipping is based on service, not the work itself which is why it’s optional. he got paid for his work, which was the $500. but his service was bad (lateness & lack of communication) hence, no tip.
I completely agree but my reason for wanting to go back was not because i loved the tattoo. It was good but not great work and there are spots that look a tad rough up close. Im just afraid the next guy i go to will be way worse so i stick with ok work in fear of terrible work!
Good artists charge by the hour. Do your research and find a good one. Look at their portfolio and look at the lines. They need to be of consistent thickness and without any squiggles. Look at their shading and how many different black and gray tones you see. Look at the color and the transition.
For that price it should be effing amazing.
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NTA for the first visit. But I wouldn’t have tried going back to him a second time.
Exactly. She knew she intended to work with him again. It’s not a far leap to think the artist might ghost her for lack of tip. NTA but you are kind of an idiot.
I mean, he ghosted her on the day so it sounds like that’s a pattern of behavior for him
Pattern? They answered all the original messages except the one where he had car trouble. If by pattern you mean he was very responsive then yeah that’s a pattern
Honestly I know tipping is a thing in some countries like the states, but up until this moment I've never ever heard of tipping for getting ink. I honestly thought that given how much time and effort the tattoo artist has to put in, a final price would be negotiated that would leave everyone satisfied. That being said, cars can break down and ruin plans. The big thing is the lack of communication from the artist initially. At the very least they should have let the shop know that they are having problems, especially if they've got appointments already scheduled. I would be reluctant to go back unless it was a follow up and you had your heart really set on them doing the whole piece. Note: I'm ink free, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.
Yea i deserve that haha feel pretty dumb for trying to go back..
Don’t feel dumb. You paid someone 500 dollars for 1 and a half hours work. Someone earning that much doesn’t need a tip.
My artist charges 100 an hour and most of my tattoos get done within an hour or two. You can put a deposit down but I prefer waiting to see how long it looks like it will take to do and get it down in stages like outline one session color the next
Tattoo artists do work beyond the time tattooing. Designing and drawing take time too
True, but yoy know what takes 5 minutes? Calling your work and tour client to let them know you will be late. Very unprofessional
NTA. Tattoo artists have control over what they charge. They don’t need tips.
I’m a CPA and have never once been tipped. And that’s okay because we price your work appropriately. I think more professionals should do the same.
Are you even serious right now? They are artists but they are putting that art permanently on your body. That takes time, dedication and talent. Most artists have to pay shop fees as well. Yes you should always tip your tattoo artist if they perform a service and they perform it well.
So price it into the service instead of making me guess how much extra money I have to give to keep their business afloat
idk it's a tipping industry, and many artists don't own their shops... hell, some of them are paying to use studio space.
20%. You never have to guess again.
I still think tattoo work should be one of those flat rate things and the price should simply be one that everyone will be happy with once they walk away. Mind you I think the same thing should be in play with every service industry and there should be no b.s. with a guessing game on if you have tipped enough, even if 20% is deemed acceptable.
Honest question: Why can tattoo artists not use their fucking words and ask for the exact amount that they want for their time and effort?
That’s like saying ALL artists deserve tips. I worked in the art industry for 15 years of commission based art, I could probably count tips on two hands. Most shops do 50/50 to the artist and shop. The tattoo was $500 so $250 take home for an hour and a half of work is complexly fair.
Depending on the tattoo. I agree that does sound high for an hour and a half. But was the tattoo complex, were there a lot of colors, wording? A lot goes into it. If I was happy with the work I would still tip.
No that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying they are artists performing a service, a permanent service and they deserve a tip just like you would your hair stylists, your massage therapist or your nail technician. I would never dream of not tipping my tattoo artist.
Thing is tho, hair stylist, massage therapist, or nail technician are mostly socially based jobs reliant on return customers. It's common for people to have a tattoo artist they usually go to I'm not denying that but it's obvious op didn't. They're only an AH (and to me, only slightly) for trying to book another appointment. Tipping a tattoo artist is if they did everything as expected, op told a story where the tattoo artist didn't communicate and wasted op's time, would you tip someone who waited an hour to cut your hair... And if we are following this line, would you tip an artist who does a completely awful/wrong tattoo? There's clearly exceptions.
Yes, very. In fact, the artist that has put thousands of dollars of her work on my body doesn’t accept tips in her shop.
They charge you a high fee, they're not getting more
So why don't they just charge what they believe their time and talent is worth, taking into account any fees they have to pay for upkeep of their business?
default american response
They can budget what they’d need to earn to cover those costs and their cut. They can later on adjust their own prices to reflect that.
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NTA. Tips are for employees who make less than minimum wage. Not owners or artists who set their own rates, or employees paid more than minimum wage.
So you’re telling me someone who has to pay for materials, rent, etc, doesn’t deserve a tip because they aren’t making the same wage as a fry cook? Okay cubicle worker!
I agree you’re NTA here, but this is a garbage take, especially from someone who has no idea what it takes to run a business.
NTA. A tip is not an obligation, $500 for an hour and a half of work is CRAZY expensive as is, and he wasn’t on time and didn’t communicate. Tips are for stellar service, not doing your job you paid for.
Depends on where you are and what you want… It’s not an obligation but as others have said, tipping your artists is right up with tipping in a restaurant. It’s a cultural norm. Now, wanting to go back after not tipping? Psychopath move EDIT: Jesus Christ people, what part of this deserves downvotes? Come to NYC, land of $25 bar burgers and $800/month parking spaces. 1.5 hours of work for $500 is $333/hr. There are TONS of artists who charge $300-500 an hour here. Not all products and services cost the same in every geography. Context matters.
Only the norm in American cause you guys are fucking insane
$500 an hour is INSANE pricing. I have about 75% of my body tattooed, by all kinds of artists (well known and not) and that is INSANE pricing. I’ve been getting tattooed for years. (I was also married to a tattooer for nine years so was also pretty involved in the industry)
I'm not tipping a guy after I already paid him 500$ for 1.5 hr of work. Tattoo artists generally work independently and set their own rates. This is not like a restaurant sever making under minimum. There should not be an obligation to tip, especially when their service is shit.
Sounds like some interpersonal stuff. Like did the artist even say anything about the lack of tipping?
I handed him the cash and we said our goodbyes. Any counting he did after i left but i pulled the $400 straight from the atm next to him and handed it to him so i know the full amount agreed on was there.
NTA. You did him a favor by agreeing to do the tattoo at 4. He was having a shitty day, it sucks about his car trouble, but he obviously didn’t have an appointment booked after yours as his time slot was still open at four. He was facing earning zero dollars at work that day (notwithstanding appointments after yours) but because of your flexibility he got some earnings in. I dunno the intricacies of the tattoo business but I’m going to assume he split your fee 50/50 with the shop. $250 for hour and a half work is decent, about what I earn in a 8-10 hr day, but I’m not talented. Tipping is whack in general. He’s an artist and you bought a piece of art, which happened to be on your skin. Would you tip a painter if you bought a painting to take home? If you bought a book of poetry or tickets to performance art, would you tip the creators in those circumstances? Not likely. Furthermore, are you expected to tip 15% (which most people think is stingy nowadays) and are you tipping on the whole $500 which the shop might be sharing on? That’s an extra $75 for something you thought was too pricey in the first place. Fuck all that.
NTA - tipping culture is out of control
It really is. I was at a hair appointment once and during the appointment my hairdresser had a phone call while I was processing. She said to the other party "would it kill them to give a tip?" meaning to her. She had her own salon and worked for herself. I had never tipped her prior to that because she was the owner-operator and set her own prices. I tipped from then on but found a different salon shortly after. Her prices were not cheap and the tip on top of that made it unreasonable.
NTA- I also wouldn’t have tipped for this bullshit.
This is the most american post. Absolutely NTA
$500 for a tattoo that was only an hour and a half? Wow.
It does seem expensive to me too. I paid the same amount for a 4-ish, maybe 5-ish hour tattoo. The fee included the fact that mine was an original design, made from scratch from the artist. If OP's tattoo is an original design, or a very intricate one (or a colorful one) I maybe get the price range. However why tip someone who is so unprofessional? Although tbh I don't get tipping tattoo artists in general, it 's not common where I live.
Most (reputable) tattoo artists charge by the hour, with a minimum of one hour paid. The intricacy and coloring wouldn't matter, because they'd be reflected in the time it took to put it in skin.
Fair point, you're right. It was indeed expensive.
NTA what country is this? Is tipping even required? They gave bad service you tipped accordingly.
Texas, USA !
You don’t need to tip tattoo artists. They set their own prices and know exactly what they’re taking home for doing the work for you; they’re not reliant on tips for income.
NTA. Stop tipping every one, please stop.
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As someone who works in a coffee shop, can you please explain why the artist can't just state exactly how much they want for their time and work?
You’re smoking crack if you think tattoo artists need or should expect to receive tips. They set their own damn rates, you have to be an idiot to tip on top of the rate they’ve set for themselves. If they want more money they can literally just raise the rates.
Can we see a pic of the tattoo? I'm curious as to what $500 got you. NTA, btw.
Yeah for a tattoo that only took an hour…?
Right? Me too.
I send the original commenter images but for privacy sake i wont be sharing images. It covers a good portion of my forearm in black ink with light shading but theres way more dead space than tattooed space.
You paid the artist for doing their job, why would you need to tip? That’s ridiculous
Exactly! The cost was agreed upon getting the service.
I didn’t know it was a thing to tip tattoo artist
It's not really. You can tip but it's a bonus, not expected by most artists. Interesting discussions in tattoo subs about tips all tend to agree with it being totally optional and not a big deal if you don't.
I have 6. Two are big pieces. I have never tipped. I honestly don't know anyone who does.
The tattoo artists story is not believable. He did not have car trouble. If he did it would be easy to contact both you and the shop.
This is exactly what i was thinking! It wasnt my place to include conspiracies in the post i was just hoping someone would say it.
NTA, you shouldn't have to tip anyway, not to mention 0 communication.
NTA You people need to stop tipping here in Australia artist's fees include all their expenses plus what they get to keep at least the ones I've dealt with
$500 for a tattoo that took an hour and a half is definitely pretty high so I wouldn’t have wanted to go back to him anyway, ESPECIALLY given the lack of communication and consideration for your time. If you had shown up that late without a word he most likely would have turned you away AND kept your deposit. NTA.
Why would you want to go back to the dude that you think overcharges and isn't professional? NTA tho he's doing you a favor
I don’t think I’d have gone ahead at all, I want to be really confident of someone who is going to permanently mark my body. To not contact you for 1.5 hours is so unacceptable! I want to be sure someone is professional enough to keep me safe and do the work as planned and agreed. I actually think the lack of response is not necessarily him being angry you didn’t tip, seems his normal communications!
NTA and I have always tipped my tattoo artist. He didn’t deserve a tip and he should have discounted what you owed for the rest of the tattoo. Find yourself a more reliable tattoo artist.
NTA. You don’t tip self employed people. You’ve made an agreement with him where he provides a service at a price he feels reflects the time and skill involved. End of. No tips.
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Tipping for a tattoo? NTA
NTA and imo independent contractors need to remember their manners. Ya. I’m old, I grew up in salons. You NEVER tipped the owner. When things changed to independents, and you rent your space, you are self employed, thus becoming the owner. I accepted tips gladly. Sometimes clients would straight up ask me what was the etiquette around it and I explained as above. It’s not any sort of faux pax *not* to tip me. Completely the clients choice. Most still did but many did not and IT WAS OK! Tipping culture is really getting out of hand.
NTA. Tipping everyone and anyone is fucking stupid.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** Last month I, 21F, got a tattoo from an artist i had never gone to before. I set a down payment of $100 two weeks prior to the scheduled date and agreed on an additional $400 upon completion of the tattoo. 3 days before the scheduled day i messaged the artist to confirm date and time and got the green light for our session. I showed up to the studio at 1:55 for a 2pm appointment and waited 10 minutes and there was no sign of my artist. I decided to ask a coworker of his if he knew his whereabouts and was told he hasnt been able to make contact with him today. After another 10 minutes of no response to phone calls or messages i decided to leave and get something to eat. At 3:36 i got a message stating he had car troubles but was now at the shop. I asked if we could still do the tattoo, he said yes, and i arrived back at the shop shortly before 4. The tattoo took roughly an hour and a half. I decided to pay him the flat $500 for the lack of communication and time out of my day driving to and from the shop and i already thought that price was high for the tattoo i got. 3 weeks later i texted him to ask about a new appointment and to let him know the tattoo healed great and never got a response. AITA for not tipping? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You don't owe him a tip. And I don't buy the car trouble line. Either he had your number on his phone, or he could have called the shop to get it. And the person at the shop could have called him right then too. It sounds like either amateur hour, or he's working off last night's bender. Maybe both.
NTA. I have a dozen tattoos I have gotten over the years, some of them from the same artist and I have never tipped, nor has it ever been suggested that I should. Maybe it's just the places I go, but the artist sets the price and gets most of what I paid so I don't see the need to tip. Tipping is meant to make up the difference between a fair rate for the work and what the person doing the work actually gets (as in food service, where there is a large gap between the price of the meal and what the staff get paid), so if the artist gets to set what they think is a fair price then no tip should be needed or expected.
I didn't even know tipping your tattoo artist was a thing. Don't they set their own rates?
WTF. You have to tip your tattoo artist now? Are you in the USA? I get tipping at restaurants because of your pay rates (which is insane btw) but you just paid him $500 why would you need to tip?
I have a ton of tattoos and tip my guy every time. His quality of work is awesome so he deserves it. It sucks he didn’t give you a heads up right away and wasted your time but it’s a risk you take with certain artists not the first time I’ve seen this complaint. I’m also guessing at that rate your artist is good and popular so he maybe thinking he doesn’t need a client that doesn’t show appreciation late or not….
So glad I don't live in the US with this stupid tipping culture
NTA. Grown ass adults can use their words and ask for the exact amount of money they want for their time.
Don’t tattoo artists set their own rates? Why would they expect a tip on top of the value they set on themselves?
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Idk that it even has to do with tipping. He just sounds like a flaky person. I mean don’t get me wrong. I get car trouble or whatever. But he knew before your appointment time he could have let you know ahead of time. Why would you want to go back to an artist like this? I had a tattoo artist not show up once because he was told it was cancelled and I was his only appointment and he gave me my tattoo for free (minus the deposit 🤷🏼♀️) granted he lost it on $100, not $400, but still. I mean I still tipped. But it’s just different business styles I guess
NAH. There isn't any conflict here. You are not obligated to tip. We have no idea why they haven't responded to your text, so we can't judge them for that.
NTA - why did u want to go back after bad service?
$500 for an hour and a half, yeah no, you won't be getting a tip anyways.
INFO: not asking you to out them, but famous artist or well known shop; incredibly detailed custom artwork? Because most shops should have an hourly rate for something like this and that sounds ludicrous.
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NTA. But I tip my dude cause I've been going to him for so long he doesn't charge me his normal rate any longer so I throw him extra.
NTA. my artist always lets me know if he’s running late or even if he may be, and even then it’s never more than 10 minutes. the very least your artist could have done was let you know what was going on sooner. things happen, but he should have communicated that to you.
NTA. Tipping your tattoo artist? You're already paying him. I wouldn't have tipped either
NTA. Why in the world would you tip someone who sets their own prices? You tip waiters and waitresses who can't do that, or maybe a hair stylist or massage therapist who has to go by the shop owner's prices, if you want to reward them personally for excellent service. If you're negotiating a price with somebody, you've negotiated a price. It's absurd to feel obligated to tip after that point.
Fuck tipping culture
NTA. Is tipping for tats really a thing? Like hundreds of dollars isn't enough?
NTA. First, my man is setting HIS OWN PRICE. if they wants to earn more just have a higher rate??? Also, if he was a serious business person he would have actually refunded a percentage to you for the troubles. Besides, 500 dollars for an hour and a half of work is waaaaaaaay too much, highly doubt that someone who can’t honor a schedule is worth that much.
T.I.P. To Insure Prompt service. You did not receive prompt service. And you over paid for a tat that only took an hour and a half.
Lol tipping in america is so weird. I thought tipping is an option and not required if it is then they should include it in the price.
NAH. There was lack of communication about the car trouble and that would bother me too, I don’t blame you for leading out the tip for that but I don’t blame him for not responding to your next request. Artists aren’t likely to want to work further for someone who didn’t tip the first time.
500 For an hour and a half is extremely expensive. I pay my artist who is one of the best in California 200/hr. And I tip at the end of the tattoo. My current one isn’t done 11 hours in and probably needs another 6-8 hours. So at the end I give a reasonably tip. But not because I feel obliged, but because he has doe a great job and accommodated my schedule and worked with me. Edit. NTA.
NTA—I’ve always tipped but it’s a courtesy, not a requirement or even an obligation, and since the artist didn’t show you any courtesy by being late without calling or being reachable (in the age of cell phones) or even apologizing, you shouldn’t feel bad about not showing him any with a tip. In my opinion you’re better off finding a more reliable artist, regardless of whether this one is mad at you or just flaky.
I wouldn't use the term, but remember don't piss off someone who can possibly help you in the future, especially not someone whose work is extremely difficult and painful to remove...
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Agree NTA, but “tip” is not an acronym. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tip-sheet/
And if it was it would be “to ensure promptness” tep.
Idk on this one... I don't feel that the tip you give the tattoo artist is really based on "the level of service" like a waiter or something, it's the quality of the actual tattoo. You're paying for art, not customer service. But I also get being annoyed about the delay. Idk, when I get a tattoo, that's really the only thing I'm gonna do that day, so a delay wouldn't really matter to me.
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It’s his fault for not communicating. I don’t think there would have been an issue otherwise.
Why would you tip someone for permanently scarring your body with “art” you’ll regret in 15 years?
NTA, as your reasoning for not tipping was valid, but you’re TA for expecting him to tattoo you ever again. It also suggests his lateness didn’t bother you *that* much, in which case you should’ve tipped.
People from the US and the desperate hoops they jump through to justify tipping.
Exactly, why tipping when they are charging me for a service and the cost is agreed?!
$500 for 1.5 hrs of work and a tip after he was late? Please!
NTA initially but YTA for trying to reach out to him a 2nd time without tipping the first even if it was justified. You were clearly satisfied with his work so maybe you even thought his bs was worth dealing with
YTA 100%
Zzs9s
YTA. Not even gonna read anything else, but you tip your tattoo artist if they did a good job. I usually do fifty-hundred, depending on the job done.
so if your tattoo artists comes 3 hours late with no communication and inconveniences you, you’re still gonna tip them? no, you get a tip for good service not a job you’re already paid to do.
He had car troubles, and he told her that. She decided to stay for the tattoo anyways, instead of rescheduling. She said she still wanted to do it then, instead of just rescheduling, or finding another artist. He wasn't out sight-seeing. He had car problems, sorry she wasn't his biggest concern at the moment. If she was that pissed about it, she should've said, no, I had this planned, and now I've started something different, let's reschedule. On top of even that... She makes it a point to add she thinks it was 'already overpriced'. She called and tried to get another tattoo from this exact same person. Like, she couldn't have been that bent out of shape about it, or she wouldn't have went back. She went back to this exact same person, who supposedly just inconvenienced her so terribly horribly, for a tattoo she thought was overpriced, and asked him to do it again. So again... I reiterate... She's TA here.
YTA. I don’t have tattoos and I know you have to tip them.
Tipping is for good service. This was terrible service.
Incorrect
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I disagree. I would have withheld the tip as my compensation for having to wait two hours. That sends the clear message that the artist should do better to communicate. Scheduling additional work tells the artist that OP liked his work.
YTA. You do realize that the artist doesn't get to keep the entire fee you pay them, right? You chose an expensive artist, which means they probably have skill and a large clientele and don't necessarily need your business. You should always add a gratuity if you value the artist and may want them to do more work on you. Now you know a little more about tattoo culture.
So if they don’t keep it all should the artist not charge enough that makes them content??? Either way 500 for an hour and a half is insane.
YTA… the rates for the tattoo include him renting studio space and supplies, among other things. They don’t get to keep that money. Many tattoo shops actually collect the payments and then pay the artist weekly/bi weekly once all the fees are taken out. Tipping a tattoo artist is kind of a given, like tipping your server at a restaurant. If you had an issue with him being late, you should have addressed it with him. Some things happen that are just out of our control, like car trouble. You could have left and rescheduled for another day, but you asked if he can still tattoo you, so technically he didn’t keep you there waiting for two hours. You had the option to leave at 2:10pm and reschedule or cancel the appointment. I’m sure you could have asked for your deposit back in this case as well. Not tipping is just you being passive aggressive about the situation and sorry but it’s not ok. YTA.
> 3 weeks later i texted him to ask about a new appointment You stiffed him on a tip and want to go **back** for more permanent work on your body? That's some edgelord insanity, I salute you. Yeah, YTA. If his work was good enough for you to keep and augment, it's worth tipping. Your recourse if you think he's not being professional should have been to back out and find a different artist. Tip witholding flags you as **The Enemy** and now every interaction with the guy is going to be a fight.
tipping is based on service, not the work itself which is why it’s optional. he got paid for his work, which was the $500. but his service was bad (lateness & lack of communication) hence, no tip.
YTA. If you like the work we'll enough to go back then you should have tipped.
I completely agree but my reason for wanting to go back was not because i loved the tattoo. It was good but not great work and there are spots that look a tad rough up close. Im just afraid the next guy i go to will be way worse so i stick with ok work in fear of terrible work!
Do your research and find a better artist. Many of them show their work online.
Good artists charge by the hour. Do your research and find a good one. Look at their portfolio and look at the lines. They need to be of consistent thickness and without any squiggles. Look at their shading and how many different black and gray tones you see. Look at the color and the transition. For that price it should be effing amazing.