Just some 20 years ago, tattoos were a thing mostly for subcultures. Nowadays, it’s rare to meet a young person who doesn’t have a tattoo. The reasons for getting a tattoo can be many: self-expression, love of body art, emotional healing. But one of the most popular reasons people say they get a tattoo is for commemoration.

The woman in this story wished to tattoo something her recently passed sister was planning to get. And because the tattoo had such sentimental value, she was looking to get a discount. Unfortunately, the tattoo artist refused, saying that he, too, had bills to pay. Wondering if that was a jerk move, he decided to consult the Internet.

Getting a tattoo can be pretty expensive nowadays

Image credits:Antoni Shkraba (not the actual photo)

One artist wondered whether sticking to his guns and lowering his prices was a jerk move

Image credits:Pavel Danilyuk (not the actual photo)

Image credits:That_Squid_Dude

Whether or not a tattoo artist gives their client a discount depends on a few different factors

When people ask for discounts and lower service prices, they often forget to consider the person at the other end of the deal. In this case, it’s tattoo artists. While asking or negotiating for a price might be uncomfortable and generally tricky, it can get even more complex.

Many different factors impact the price of a tattoo: the placement, how intricate the design is, the size. Artists take all of that into consideration when they negotiate their prices.

Generally, tattoo artists don’t offer discounts for their work per se. But there are some exceptions. Some offer discounts for certain events or promotions. I just recently saw a local artist offering 30% off for moms this Mother’s Day. Others accept lower prices for recurring clients.

Many tattoo artists say clients should respect them and their work. According to Dan Hunter of Authority Tattoo, “It’s important to keep in mind that tattoo artists rely on their work as their primary source of income, so they may be hesitant to offer discounts that could potentially devalue their time and effort.”

If you are asking for a discount, be sure to do so tactfully. Many artists may interpret requests for a discount as a client saying, “Your work is not worth what you’re asking.” This is especially true when tattooing an artist’s original design.

That’s not to say that you can’t try and talk to your artist about a possibly lower price. Hunter notes that having a good rapport might help in getting a discount. “By building a positive relationship with your artist, they may be more inclined to work with you on pricing,” he writes.

Image credits:cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

Tattoos are becoming more and more expensive

According to data from Gitnux, 36% of Americans aged 25-39 have at least one tattoo. In the UK, it’s 30%. Tattoos are not just for leather-clad bikers and sailors anymore – they have successfully broken out into the mainstream.

But with that popularity comes its own problems. Many people are starting to think of tattoos as luxury items. Services are cropping up that offer payment plans for people who might not be able to afford a tattoo in one go.

In 2023, the app Tattoodo ran a festival in London where artists offered people free tattoos. One artist told the BBC that people are becoming more mindful that not everyone can afford them.

“The cost of supplies has increased massively, for professional tattooists,” she said. “That has impacted the cost of tattoos but I would say even if the price of the tattoo hadn’t increased, just having the spare money to spend on a tattoo would have been affected by the cost of living anyway. Because the tattoo is a luxury, it’s not a necessity.”

Image credits:Gabriel Lara (not the actual photo)

Many people defended the artist: it’s his time and his art, so the client should pay the appropriate amount

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