More than 20 people a day get a tattoo from one tattoo shop. Multiply that by how many tattoo shops there are worldwide and you get millions of tattoos done each and every day. With a million plus people receiving tattoos every day, a tattoo artist is bound to come across at least half that don’t know proper etiquette in getting a tattoo. From the utterly stupid clients who come in drunk or inebriated of sorts, to the fellow artist coming in to support others’ work, at least one of these rules will apply.
1. Shower or bathe before coming in to get the tattoo. Tattoo artists get up close and personal to your body when working on it. Please be kind and get rid of any nasty stench they may come across. On a side note to hygiene, don’t bathe in cologne or perfume. Not everyone enjoys that scent you like to wear. In fact, some may have an allergic reaction to it, and there are few things worse than getting a tattoo from an artist who can’t see because of allergies.
2. Tip your artist. These people are providing a service. In the service industry, it’s extremely polite to tip. These artists are just that, artists. The work may not always be their original pieces, but they are using their talent to put it on your body. You wouldn’t receive great service from your waitress/waiter and not tip them would you? If you are that kind of person, you’re mean!
3. Shaving would be nice. If you are getting a tattoo in an area that naturally has hair, it would be nice to have it pre-shaved beforehand. Tattoo artists are not groomers, but they do need the area to be clear of hair that would obstruct their work space. They are willing to shave the area, but if you have already done it, it makes the job easier and faster for them. (This may also be applied with the tipping rule. If they have to shave you, most definitely tip them because they just provided a service that is not a job requirement.)
4. Don’t come in drunk or inebriated. Alcohol thins the blood and will make much more of a mess to clean up, and more blood also means it’s harder to see lines – not good when getting PERMANENT art on your body. Also, this rule clouds your judgement and you may not get the quality work you would have wanted sober, thus leading you to come back to the artist complaining when you are sober. It’s not their fault you are a 350-pound 6-foot-2 hulking dude who ended up getting a pretty pink poodle on your entire back. A side note to the artist, please don’t be this way either because it’s bad business all around and any tattoo artist that performs their service with an altered state of mind shouldn’t be doing tattoos.
5. Try your best to make an appointment. Yes, walk-ins are welcome at almost any establishment, but if you make an appointment, the artist knows more about the piece, more about you and knows their schedule so they know how much money they are going to make and how many clients they can handle. It’s just preferred because it ends up being beneficial for everyone involved.
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