You’re CRUSHING it on the videos! Very detailed explanations. Keep em’ coming! You’re explaining the unknown questions that a lot of us have. Thanks James! -Joe (Jesus piece half sleeve in progress)
All of this seems common sense to me. These days if someone misses a doctor's appointment without giving a 24-hour cancellation has to pay for the visit.
It is common sense, which is why people almost never balk at the idea of a deposit when I explain my policy to them. Once in a while we get ppl that can't understand why we want the money upfront though
Can you do a video on black skin and the best type of tattoes and styles for person of a dark brown or darker skin tone? Like can he still get japanese style tattoos or other patterns etc
It's funny how what you say reminds me of my job. I'm from a totally different field (i'm a psychologist) and even if there's no deposit, each time somebody doesn't come even if that person had an appointment, we can't do anything but still make them pay for the missed appointment. I don't like doing that but at the same time, we can sometime have up to 4 hours where we just do nothing and we know that some other people still have to wait 3 months before meeting us. As you said, you spend time drawing etc a tattoo for somebody and i also recognize myself in that because (knowing the misconception one has about psychologists "they are just listening to your problems") we are our own "tool" and to make it "better" we also need to be continuously formed in our field and those formations can be quite expensive (i've seen once, 200 euros per day for 3 days). I'm not saying it's not worth it but it is hard to try to have a decent "salary" when they are many people that don't come even if they took an appointment. Recently, i had 8 appointments (it was tuesday). Only 3 people showed up and just 1 woman called 1 hour before her appointment because i called her to know if she wanted to come earlier. She didnt want to so she just cancelled it asking me if she had to pay. So i stayed from 9 am till 6pm to see 3 people because i didn't know if the others were going to come... Ps: i'm truly sorry for my broken english ^^"
Just want to say that I love your shop! I really enjoy the fact that you are a custom shop and don’t have flash plastered all over. I’m getting work done by Matt. I originally wanted work done by you but you were not available.... but I do want some work done by you eventually, But Matt is absolutely awesome. Keep up the great work.
Loving your videos. I'm a 'Brit' living in Austria and am halfway through getting my chest piece done. Your video that featured black and grey tattoos helped me make up my mind. I have nothing but praise for you and your videos. Many thanks (and keep up the good work).
hey, glad you are enjoying the videos! fun fact: i was born in lakenheath, england. lived there for the first couple of years then came stateside after my father was restationed
I feel like also having a good relationship with tattoo artist helps with not having to put down a deposit. Once you show up on time for 3 tattoos they pretty much trust you. My guy never asks for one cuz he knows im gunna show up
thanks! ppl have suggested to me that i put music in the background, but i think that would be kinda distracting if i put myself in the viewer's shoes. some of this stuff i discuss on this channel isn't easy to understand if it's your first time hearing it, so i don't wanna make it harder for the audience to focus while watching
This is all great advice. Never thought so much goes into a deposit. I don't think I've ever had to make a deposit before the pandemic, but seeing that I just got hired again, and that I'm eyeing a tattoo design, putting a deposit down for an appointment would make sense to me. Before the pandemic, I mostly did the walk-in thing. But since the pandemic, I see the sense of scheduling an appointment. So glad I found this video before I made a deposit for my next tattoo.
My dude is cool as fuck. He's never asked for a deposit for 4 sessions. The first time he tattooed me for like 3.5 hours, he only charged me for 3 hours, and when I went to pay with my debit card afterwards, he said that I would be charged $3 and he would get a $12 fee from the credit card company or whatever. He said that my bank was right down the street if I wanted to withdraw some cash. He was so trusting that he let me leave with a huge tattoo without paying yet, and didn't even know my last name. I could have just dissapeared without paying... but I would never do that. He's a great artist, and a great guy, I want him to continue tattooing me.
Thanks for this video James! It was perfecting timing for me to see this video which helped me out a lot with understanding tattoo deposits. Thanks again! Hope you have a good one
the only gripe I have with the deposit is when like James mentioned the times he didn't believe he was up for the task or bit off more than he could chew, I don't believe many artists would let their ego get in the way of that. An artist would whip something up the customer would come in unimpressed and now has to choose between losing a deposit or a subpar tattoo.
Tattoo deposits are cool with me because I’m a very on the fly person and not good at planing so when I pay a deposit it encourages me to actually get it done so a huge thank you to artests who chanrge a deposit
James, thanks so much for explaining. The whole deposit thing is new to me. When I got my first 4 tattoos, they were all from the same guy, and the deposit thing didn't exist. We made appointments, and I kept all of them and was on time.
Dude, nice and concise explanation. Very clear with no BS. Nothing unreasonable that I heard as long as that was made clear to me before making a deposit I couldn’t see any issue. Sh*t happens sometimes and I may have to eat the deposit but I don’t think it would stop me rescheduling. Just out of curiosity what do you do if it is due to an issue with the artist or store? Or something wider like a power cut, not your fault but definitely not the clients either.
I'd def see you for a tat! You're so far and I'm broke! 😤😭.... For now(I been getting more clients) I had to start charging deposits for my jewelry I make. I made a whole beaded glass lingerie set for this girl then once I was ready to mail to her suddenly I can't get a hold of her. 😒 I write workouts and meal plans as well. Run me my money first cuz.
I totally agree... you were spot on I personally feel like if u don't get asked for a deposit u might jus wanna keep moving to the next shop. that's jus me tho and with tattoos you get what you pay for. if you wanna cheap tattoo thats what it's gonna look like trying to haggle over the price for a tattoo are not considering that ur not jus paying them for the finished product itself there's a lot of time prior to the actual tattoo that is put into every tattoo, and if people are willing to spend their money on a phone or shoes why not pay more for a tattoo, that is gonna last u 20 times longer than a phone or whatever it s people waste all their money on the days but yeah deposits are a must
Always on point and always well spoken and explained straight to the point and with much honesty,,,,I always play youre videos while the client waits for the set up and all that yada yada...but it's good cause its our job to educate the client as well especialy new b's clients,,,,love youre videos brother ...Most concrete info I've seen in 13yrs ....this guy is on point fellas with all his videos on topics check the rest of his videos out and play them while you have a client waiting for you to start the session and it helps spread the word to make the artist job easier in the future ...and definitely enjoyed the video brother ..
Great video, thanks. It's really helpful to get insights on how things work. Getting a tattoo can be stressful enough without worrying about all this. It really helps give confidence when going for tattoo
You’re Tripping bro!!Make your deposits higher!!A ton of shop owners start at 200 here in Vegas an it seems you’re more passionate and hard working then them..Dj Tambes is 400 here but he is one of our top artists in town!!Of coarse it went up tho after his ink master win though!!Worth it!!
A lot of guys I know charge higher deposits than I do, but I prolly won't change mine until I raise my rate or start having problems with people not showing up to their appointments. Right now, it doesn't happen too often and when it does I am able to use the time to handle the million other things I have to do that have built up while I've been grinding. So 100 bucks is plenty for now. Those guys you are talking about prolly have a lot more years in the game and are just way sick of fucking around with no shows lol
I work as a hair stylist/nail tech and our policy is a $25 deposit. You’d think we were asking people for their first born child. It goes towards the price of the service! It’s not an additional fee lol. My tattoo artist doesn’t take a deposit from me anymore cause she knows I’d never do her dirty especially working in a similar service industry myself
I’m trying to get the courage up for my first tattoo. I’ve seen most of your videos explaining the basics. I’ve dreamed of vines on my back for a year now. It would also be a memorial tattoo. I would start with a hip or lower back piece to start to see how I handle it. I hope I can find a good artist. Thank you for your videos.
Guess my artist liked and trusted me. He's not new and it wasn't my 1st. Did the consult, waited for him to suggest a deposit. Was a big piece, near half my forearm. He just said "Awesome, I'll see you Friday."
Deposits make complete sense in this field. Now, IF the client calls in and cancels AND IF a walk-in actually shows up and takes that time, I’d refund the deposit.
As a first timer, I'd really like to see the drawing first, keep it around the house, look at it, and make sure that I really want it...would it be bad etiquette to say, Id be happy to put down the deposit for the drawing and then schedule the actual tattoo a couple months out? An answer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much, love your videos!
it is bad etiquette. when i first started out, shit like this would be fine. i was just happy that someone was considering getting tattooed by me. now though, i don't have time to fuck around. there are so many ppl trying to get tattooed that i can't waste time with "maybe" clients. either shit or get off the pot. there are others in line so u gotta step aside if you are unsure
James Withee Thanks man. I appreciate it. So what if you don't like the drawing? I mean this could cost me a lot of money and have to live with it forever for something you're not sure you even love as you get a few minutes to see it before deciding. Thanks again.
you'll prolly know right away when u see it if it's right for you. most clients are SUPER stoked when they see their drawing because it's better than they were picturing. if you see it and immediately realize that it isn't what you want, that's okay too. most artists will redraw it for you and reschedule the appointment. keep in mind though that sometimes in this case it's because you chose the wrong guy to begin with, and it's possible that he's going to come at you with another drawing you don't like. that's why selecting the artist and having clear expectations during the consult are so important
Very informative - it does mean that if I put a deposit but have to cancel at the last minute (illness for instance) I will at least show that I mean to get it done. I also think that deposit also pays for artists IP post payment wrt to concepts and stencils etc.
Victor Sun thanks! Yeah they will get more advanced for sure. I'm trying to create a logical progression so that I don't have to explain basic concepts while discussing more complex topics. Gotta crawl before we can walk
I've been getting tattooed by the same couple of tattooers for a while now and they no longer ask or require deposits from me when I ask them for some new stuff.
$100-$200 is super fare for a deposit AS LONG ITS PART OF THE COST OF THE TATTOO. I knew some one who charged $200 deposit and $100 for the drawing, not a fan of that.
I just made my deposit this week. Getting a full sleeve from Jeff Gogue next year. So yeah after that deposit I’m not missing my appointment I can tell you that
My artist wasn't honest about his abilities and drew directly on my skin so I was only able to see the conceptual idea not the actual work. My gut was telling me to walk away, but I was afraid of losing my $150 deposit. Lessoned learned the hard way. I didn't bother to go back for the second session, but now I'm looking to get it covered.
Its like tattoo bail money lol i thought you were going to describe some type of phenomenon where certain types of ink might leave deposits behind in your skin or something lol. Love your videos bro!!!
What also sucks is giving a tattoo artist a deposit then being ghosted or keep getting a bunch of excuses.... smh true story. $250 deposit and all of a sudden communication stops and ghosted..... cool part I contacted thr owner and he refunded my money.
I respect Sir Twice because he returned my deposit fee. He was having traveling issues and we couldn't reschedule. Still going to wait for the day to come when it happens tho!!
Thanks for this thoroughly explained video. Question: I put down a deposit but would now like a different tattoo than the one discussed at consult. Might the artist require a new deposit?
James Withee you did scripture on my forearm, Sam did my daughters name on my arm and Nestor did a big demon skull piece on my forearm... i think ive only get one from you but cant remember?
I'm new here & new to this TH-cam Channel. I just subscribed as well just gathering information up b4 I get tatted up n don't wanna waste this new n first tattoo artist tyme n money bcus tyme is money.💯
I did an $185 deposit on my forearm piece, so it comes down im 2 days from tattoo day and my grandma died. I called and canceled and the artist said i can't have my deposit back and if i wanted the tattoo id have to pay full price again. Ended up getting the tattoo from a different guy. Btw the $185 deposit was for a $375 tattoo.
Good vid. You definitely know your chit. My tattoo guy doesn't ask for deposits but he is also a buddy of mine. Just had both of my hand work touched up today and voila a new vid from you popped up.
in MY opinion everything you sayd is absolutely normal...People should stop going to shady ass places where the needle is rusty and the artist is drunk or fucked up on some shit....Save up the money and go to a place where people can still walk on their own legs after getting a tattoo =)
I feel that some artist take advantage of the deposit. I talked with the artist about the concept i wanted. I ran across my idea done in realism and the artist told me he was down. I call to set up a date and the artists apprentice tells me the artist no longer wants to do my idea in realism. He basically told me he no longer wants to do my idea and wants full creative freedom in semi cartoony style. I asked for a refund because the artist could not deliver on the concept. They denied it and said that i could transfer to new customer not one of their existing clientel. If i knew the artist was not able to do the design i would have went else where instead of wasting my time and depost money. I cant imagine how many people got taken advantage of this well known shop
its hard to tell whether or not he is in the wrong without having been there while the consult went down, but yeah unfortunately there are times when artists do shit like that and it's unjustified. in general tattoo artists aren't going to try to pull shit like that, but once in a while i hear about this sort of thing. all you can really do is make sure you tell others about your experience so that it won't happen to them. word of mouth and reputation is something we depend on heavily in this industry, so if he's wronging people on a regular basis karma will catch up eventually. just sucks that that won't get you your money back. such is life.
James Withee yea i have told a few of my friends about it and the ones that got work from that person werent suprised. My buddy told me that shop is run poorly and what he said goes on there angers him as well. Its crazy become that person has a big name in the industry. Ive never had issues with other artists and deposits. I sent the artist good photo references too and he still couldnt complete the concept. Thank god i went elsewhere and got my concept done with a better well rounded artist who basically could do anything you throw at him.
My tattoo artist ($300 an hour) offered to refund me back the deposit because I had money issues. He’s got a 6 month wait list. Ironically it made me hustle to get money together to get it because he was so nice.
My artists dont take deposits from me, but I always show up early for my appointments and always have enough for the tattoo and a $100 tip unless it’s a big piece, then the tip would go higher.
I always wondered why some tattoo artist just do flash, you just answered that question, your here that's the image you want here is the money get busy
When I first started getting tattoos I think on average I was paying 85-100 bucks. The tats weren’t small but they were definitely not big at all. Now it’s like you’re paying at least $300 no matter what. Just like anything else though.
James Withee Really? Cool. I just subbed. Let me know. If we can make it my fam would be THRILLED. I have my idea all planned out...except I'm not very good at drawing anymore.😳Just not sure where I want mine. Too old for big ass crazy shit. For me its a fam thing. Idk about the others. Thanks!✌😎🌵thats my thing. The saguaro. With flowers the fams colors.😃
Is there a situation in which say the client calls a week or two before the appointment and asks to reschedule for the back of the line or something like that where the deposit wouldn't get voided?
The shop I go to they refund the deposit if you announce with at least 48 hours ahead the cancellation or reprogram for a different day with 48 hours in advance
Very smart and informative. Great for people starting out or someone who is trying to better themselves. Very clear and easy to understand. Love your vids bro keep up the good work! SUBSCRIBED
all of my tattoos were done in the moment. i walked into the tattoo parlor and got the tatt right away no appointment. ive only had 1 tattoo appointment ever which i had one of my tatts fixed/repaired. the first guy fucked it up but not bad enough that it couldnt be fixed. this was a repair work done by appointment.
so can you specifically ask for an artist to do a mock sketch for your tattoo so you can have it for later? Like what i thought tattoo appointments were was you first scheduled a consultation, where they sit you down, you tell them what you want, and they say what your price range would be for your idea, then they schedule your appointment once they get everything done and it will probably be anywhere from a week to 2 months away, then they might email you a mock sketch of what they might be thinking for your tattoo, something done in maybe 10 minutes, very quick with a pencil to make sure all the pieces are there. And that way you can go in and change anything you might need changed before you sit down for your appointment and get it tattooed. but since this doesn't seem to be the case anymore am i allowed to get a mock sketch or is that something that isn't allowed in the tattoo world?
you might be able to convince some artists to do this, but not a very skilled or busy one. we don't have time to waste doing mock sketches for maybe clients. i mean, if you go to a restaurant and ask them to cook a steak just so you can "see if you like it and think about it," do you think they would? fuck no! they have other people in line behind you that are actually hungry and ready to eat
I think the question was more that they want a sketch for a keepsake AS WELL as getting the tattoo? The way they asked was not clear on the point, your analogy was good to the point you addressed, but I think they meant more having both.
Recently had a crazy experience where the artist required a $200 deposit, I dropped $400 and his assistant replied with “Thank you for your deposit but why did you send $400? Unbelievable.
Hi, i am tryung to get a sleeve with a hard to book artist, his wait list is over a year, if he says it takes 20-25 hrs to complete sleeve, should i leave deposit for all sessions in advance so i wouldnt have to wait another year to book?
you gotta ask him about this one. every artist handles it differently. what i do is i let clients schedule up to 3 appointments in advance with me, and every time they come in they schedule another one to replace the one that just transpired. it works for me, but i'm only booked around 3 or 4 months out most of the time
I definitely understand why it's needed , but a question that popped in my head. What if someone puts the deposit down and looking forward to their appointment, but suddenly a family member passes. If they call the tattoo shop and says " I'm not in the condition to get a tattoo I just lost someone is there a way I can get my deposit to pay for funeral arrangements" would they receive that deposit back or would the tattoo artist void the deposit?
What about kill-fees? What if a client taps out and can't continue? Do your clients have to pay for a lining day for a large tattoo and then pay again for the color day, etc? How do those things factor into your pricing?? Thanks! Great videos, bro. Awesome info.
You deposit seems cheap. I just put a deposit down for a half sleeve $1500 deposit which was quoted $3300 for the half sleeve. Also booked for a year out. Love the videos
I have a question that doesn't really matter but I'm curious: When you do a tattoo, obviously a portion of the price goes to the shop. But when you take, say, a $100 deposit and the client doesn't show up, do you keep the full $100 or does part of it still go to the shop?
it depends on the shop. i've been at some where the shop owner wants his half of the deposit as soon as it's collected. most shops don't do that. i feel like the artist should keep the whole thing cuz it's his time being wasted, not the shop owners
I know a lot of tattoo artists get offended by this question but... How do I know if I've saved enough money for a design I want? Is there a way to figure out a rough estimate of how much an "expensive" version of my design would cost? How do I know when I can go to an artist and confidently say "Yeah sure I have the money" when I don't know at what price point I should stop saving? Is it 1000$? 2000$? 3000$?
this is a tough question. mostly, estimating how much a tattoo will cost is done thru experience by seeing a lot of healed tattoos on people and asking how much those pieces costed them. obviously it's not an ideal way of gathering data. maybe i'll try to make a video that shows different levels of quality and how much they might cost so that ppl can get a better idea
My main artist i go to owns his shop. Luckily he apprenticed under my big sisters husband. So no deposit. We dnt even talk about price till were donr tattooing lol he always gives me a great deal n i always tip him well
Deposits are just a part of American culture. If someone who provides a service where they have to create something or schedule in a significant chunk of their time, a deposit is pretty much expected. It's odd to me that anyone would have a problem with this, since it protects both the client and the artist. P.S. I'm loving your videos! They're very informative and straight forward. Excellent job!
Believe it or not some ppl think it's a scam. I think part of it is just that they don't trust tattoo artists. It used to happen sometimes when I worked in sketchier shops. Thx for watching!
I did see one review where a reviewer claimed he paid for the entire piece upfront and then was never able to finish it because they artist ghosted, but who in the world pays for the entire thing before it's even done? Oh well, this is why yelp is an important tool!
Daniel Frank ask the artist you choose what they can do with your budget and if they can’t do anything, save more and come back. Above all else, do not settle for lower quality if u can’t afford the quality you want
You’re CRUSHING it on the videos! Very detailed explanations. Keep em’ coming! You’re explaining the unknown questions that a lot of us have. Thanks James!
-Joe (Jesus piece half sleeve in progress)
Big Norm thanks Joe! Can't wait to get our next session going
Me too! I’m beyond excited!!! Already getting a ton of great comments on the work you’ve done on my half sleeve!
James Withee wtf what the hell how could they back out chickens , thank you for making fucking great videos always on point.
The bible says if you get body modifications you go to hell..
Huh... I don't have tattoos but have always wanted one. I completely understand why an artist would have these policies in place. Time is money..
You're very informative and down-to-earth. The content is educational, but still gives great Vibes like I'm talking to a friend
Michael Gomez,
Couldn't agree more!!
+James Withee, Thanks for all of the Great and Helpful information!!!
All of this seems common sense to me. These days if someone misses a doctor's appointment without giving a 24-hour cancellation has to pay for the visit.
It is common sense, which is why people almost never balk at the idea of a deposit when I explain my policy to them. Once in a while we get ppl that can't understand why we want the money upfront though
Common sense is rare lol
My artists made me put a deposit when I got my first tattoo. Now I dont have to as I'm on a personal level with her
Can you do a video on black skin and the best type of tattoes and styles for person of a dark brown or darker skin tone?
Like can he still get japanese style tattoos or other patterns etc
sure i'll definitely make a vid like this eventually
All those policies that you have listed made perfect sense.
It's funny how what you say reminds me of my job. I'm from a totally different field (i'm a psychologist) and even if there's no deposit, each time somebody doesn't come even if that person had an appointment, we can't do anything but still make them pay for the missed appointment. I don't like doing that but at the same time, we can sometime have up to 4 hours where we just do nothing and we know that some other people still have to wait 3 months before meeting us. As you said, you spend time drawing etc a tattoo for somebody and i also recognize myself in that because (knowing the misconception one has about psychologists "they are just listening to your problems") we are our own "tool" and to make it "better" we also need to be continuously formed in our field and those formations can be quite expensive (i've seen once, 200 euros per day for 3 days). I'm not saying it's not worth it but it is hard to try to have a decent "salary" when they are many people that don't come even if they took an appointment. Recently, i had 8 appointments (it was tuesday). Only 3 people showed up and just 1 woman called 1 hour before her appointment because i called her to know if she wanted to come earlier. She didnt want to so she just cancelled it asking me if she had to pay. So i stayed from 9 am till 6pm to see 3 people because i didn't know if the others were going to come...
Ps: i'm truly sorry for my broken english ^^"
Just want to say that I love your shop! I really enjoy the fact that you are a custom shop and don’t have flash plastered all over. I’m getting work done by Matt. I originally wanted work done by you but you were not available.... but I do want some work done by you eventually, But Matt is absolutely awesome. Keep up the great work.
thanks man! we try our best. let me know when you're ready to get something done and we can do a consulation. i appreciate the support
Loving your videos. I'm a 'Brit' living in Austria and am halfway through getting my chest piece done. Your video that featured black and grey tattoos helped me make up my mind.
I have nothing but praise for you and your videos.
Many thanks (and keep up the good work).
hey, glad you are enjoying the videos! fun fact: i was born in lakenheath, england. lived there for the first couple of years then came stateside after my father was restationed
The explanation is always spot on and straight to the point.
I feel like also having a good relationship with tattoo artist helps with not having to put down a deposit. Once you show up on time for 3 tattoos they pretty much trust you. My guy never asks for one cuz he knows im gunna show up
I like how all your videos don't have excessive music playing in the background while you're talking. We can actually HEAR what you're saying!
thanks! ppl have suggested to me that i put music in the background, but i think that would be kinda distracting if i put myself in the viewer's shoes. some of this stuff i discuss on this channel isn't easy to understand if it's your first time hearing it, so i don't wanna make it harder for the audience to focus while watching
This is all great advice. Never thought so much goes into a deposit. I don't think I've ever had to make a deposit before the pandemic, but seeing that I just got hired again, and that I'm eyeing a tattoo design, putting a deposit down for an appointment would make sense to me. Before the pandemic, I mostly did the walk-in thing. But since the pandemic, I see the sense of scheduling an appointment. So glad I found this video before I made a deposit for my next tattoo.
My dude is cool as fuck. He's never asked for a deposit for 4 sessions.
The first time he tattooed me for like 3.5 hours, he only charged me for 3 hours, and when I went to pay with my debit card afterwards, he said that I would be charged $3 and he would get a $12 fee from the credit card company or whatever. He said that my bank was right down the street if I wanted to withdraw some cash.
He was so trusting that he let me leave with a huge tattoo without paying yet, and didn't even know my last name. I could have just dissapeared without paying... but I would never do that. He's a great artist, and a great guy, I want him to continue tattooing me.
Thanks for this video James! It was perfecting timing for me to see this video which helped me out a lot with understanding tattoo deposits. Thanks again! Hope you have a good one
Fucking love the black and grey work you do keep it up
the only gripe I have with the deposit is when like James mentioned the times he didn't believe he was up for the task or bit off more than he could chew, I don't believe many artists would let their ego get in the way of that. An artist would whip something up the customer would come in unimpressed and now has to choose between losing a deposit or a subpar tattoo.
I wish I had known about your shop when I was visiting my family in Gilbert. Now I'm stuck back in Arkansas. Guess I need to plan a trip back to AZ. 😄
My deposit was $600 .. two week to go before my first session . I can’t wait for the pain !!!!!!!
Tattoo deposits are cool with me because I’m a very on the fly person and not good at planing so when I pay a deposit it encourages me to actually get it done so a huge thank you to artests who chanrge a deposit
James, thanks so much for explaining. The whole deposit thing is new to me. When I got my first 4 tattoos, they were all from the same guy, and the deposit thing didn't exist. We made appointments, and I kept all of them and was on time.
Dude, nice and concise explanation. Very clear with no BS. Nothing unreasonable that I heard as long as that was made clear to me before making a deposit I couldn’t see any issue. Sh*t happens sometimes and I may have to eat the deposit but I don’t think it would stop me rescheduling. Just out of curiosity what do you do if it is due to an issue with the artist or store? Or something wider like a power cut, not your fault but definitely not the clients either.
I'd def see you for a tat! You're so far and I'm broke! 😤😭.... For now(I been getting more clients) I had to start charging deposits for my jewelry I make. I made a whole beaded glass lingerie set for this girl then once I was ready to mail to her suddenly I can't get a hold of her. 😒 I write workouts and meal plans as well. Run me my money first cuz.
Hi, how can someone get in touch with you?
I'm interested to see the beaded glass lingerie set if you have a pic of it!
I totally agree... you were spot on I personally feel like if u don't get asked for a deposit u might jus wanna keep moving to the next shop. that's jus me tho and with tattoos you get what you pay for. if you wanna cheap tattoo thats what it's gonna look like trying to haggle over the price for a tattoo are not considering that ur not jus paying them for the finished product itself there's a lot of time prior to the actual tattoo that is put into every tattoo, and if people are willing to spend their money on a phone or shoes why not pay more for a tattoo, that is gonna last u 20 times longer than a phone or whatever it s people waste all their money on the days but yeah deposits are a must
Always on point and always well spoken and explained straight to the point and with much honesty,,,,I always play youre videos while the client waits for the set up and all that yada yada...but it's good cause its our job to educate the client as well especialy new b's clients,,,,love youre videos brother ...Most concrete info I've seen in 13yrs ....this guy is on point fellas with all his videos on topics check the rest of his videos out and play them while you have a client waiting for you to start the session and it helps spread the word to make the artist job easier in the future ...and definitely enjoyed the video brother ..
Just saw your Girl With A Pearl Earring painting on your website. It made me emotional even though I have been aware of the original for years. Weird.
Great video, thanks. It's really helpful to get insights on how things work. Getting a tattoo can be stressful enough without worrying about all this. It really helps give confidence when going for tattoo
no problem. i know it can be intimidating if you are just jumping into this world. glad i could help
Man. . I tried paying a deposit for my artist and he didnt want one. He better not flake on me next week, lol
You’re Tripping bro!!Make your deposits higher!!A ton of shop owners start at 200 here in Vegas an it seems you’re more passionate and hard working then them..Dj Tambes is 400 here but he is one of our top artists in town!!Of coarse it went up tho after his ink master win though!!Worth it!!
A lot of guys I know charge higher deposits than I do, but I prolly won't change mine until I raise my rate or start having problems with people not showing up to their appointments. Right now, it doesn't happen too often and when it does I am able to use the time to handle the million other things I have to do that have built up while I've been grinding. So 100 bucks is plenty for now. Those guys you are talking about prolly have a lot more years in the game and are just way sick of fucking around with no shows lol
I work as a hair stylist/nail tech and our policy is a $25 deposit. You’d think we were asking people for their first born child. It goes towards the price of the service! It’s not an additional fee lol. My tattoo artist doesn’t take a deposit from me anymore cause she knows I’d never do her dirty especially working in a similar service industry myself
I’m trying to get the courage up for my first tattoo. I’ve seen most of your videos explaining the basics. I’ve dreamed of vines on my back for a year now. It would also be a memorial tattoo. I would start with a hip or lower back piece to start to see how I handle it. I hope I can find a good artist. Thank you for your videos.
you're welcome! good luck on the first one
Guess my artist liked and trusted me. He's not new and it wasn't my 1st. Did the consult, waited for him to suggest a deposit. Was a big piece, near half my forearm. He just said "Awesome, I'll see you Friday."
100% agree some people suck…deposit does show who is serious vs not.
Your videos are AWESOME. Anything a client would ever want to know or need to know but were afraid to ask. Thank you.
Deposits make complete sense in this field. Now, IF the client calls in and cancels AND IF a walk-in actually shows up and takes that time, I’d refund the deposit.
As a first timer, I'd really like to see the drawing first, keep it around the house, look at it, and make sure that I really want it...would it be bad etiquette to say, Id be happy to put down the deposit for the drawing and then schedule the actual tattoo a couple months out? An answer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much, love your videos!
it is bad etiquette. when i first started out, shit like this would be fine. i was just happy that someone was considering getting tattooed by me. now though, i don't have time to fuck around. there are so many ppl trying to get tattooed that i can't waste time with "maybe" clients. either shit or get off the pot. there are others in line so u gotta step aside if you are unsure
ty for watching though
James Withee Thanks man. I appreciate it. So what if you don't like the drawing? I mean this could cost me a lot of money and have to live with it forever for something you're not sure you even love as you get a few minutes to see it before deciding. Thanks again.
you'll prolly know right away when u see it if it's right for you. most clients are SUPER stoked when they see their drawing because it's better than they were picturing. if you see it and immediately realize that it isn't what you want, that's okay too. most artists will redraw it for you and reschedule the appointment. keep in mind though that sometimes in this case it's because you chose the wrong guy to begin with, and it's possible that he's going to come at you with another drawing you don't like. that's why selecting the artist and having clear expectations during the consult are so important
James Withee def understand that, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Keep up the great work. You have a long time viewer here. 🙏🏼
Well said! I totally agree with your very informative video on tattoo deposits.
Very informative - it does mean that if I put a deposit but have to cancel at the last minute (illness for instance) I will at least show that I mean to get it done. I also think that deposit also pays for artists IP post payment wrt to concepts and stencils etc.
Always looking forward to your vids. Can't wait until the topics gets more advanced
Victor Sun thanks! Yeah they will get more advanced for sure. I'm trying to create a logical progression so that I don't have to explain basic concepts while discussing more complex topics. Gotta crawl before we can walk
I've been getting tattooed by the same couple of tattooers for a while now and they no longer ask or require deposits from me when I ask them for some new stuff.
$100-$200 is super fare for a deposit AS LONG ITS PART OF THE COST OF THE TATTOO. I knew some one who charged $200 deposit and $100 for the drawing, not a fan of that.
Seems like a reasonable, ethical business owner to me. I’d gladly do business with a guy like this.
I just made my deposit this week. Getting a full sleeve from Jeff Gogue next year. So yeah after that deposit I’m not missing my appointment I can tell you that
I didn't know that you could put a deposit down, this gives me a lot more options
My artist wasn't honest about his abilities and drew directly on my skin so I was only able to see the conceptual idea not the actual work. My gut was telling me to walk away, but I was afraid of losing my $150 deposit. Lessoned learned the hard way. I didn't bother to go back for the second session, but now I'm looking to get it covered.
That would suck ... I’m really sorry about that .. getting a tattoo should be a fun , enjoyable experience.. it’s a big deal.
dope video man said every point possible i could or have ever had to have with a client keep going man @SMOOTHINK
Its like tattoo bail money lol i thought you were going to describe some type of phenomenon where certain types of ink might leave deposits behind in your skin or something lol. Love your videos bro!!!
I didn’t even know about this but you did so good explaining it. I understand everything now, thanks 👌🏼👌🏼good ass examples too 😭👍🏼
What also sucks is giving a tattoo artist a deposit then being ghosted or keep getting a bunch of excuses.... smh true story. $250 deposit and all of a sudden communication stops and ghosted..... cool part I contacted thr owner and he refunded my money.
All your videos are straight forward, down to earth and very informative. Keeping it real and professional. Subscribing now. Thanks again.
I respect Sir Twice because he returned my deposit fee. He was having traveling issues and we couldn't reschedule. Still going to wait for the day to come when it happens tho!!
Nice video, awesome explanation
Great video and well explained. I can't wait to get my first tattoo possibly next month in Arizona.
thanks! come to my shop and we will try to get you taken care of if availability allows
Will do.
Great information. Deposit is like insurance to make sure one will keep appointments. Good review for even seasoned clients.
Be well. 👩🎨🎨🖌💗🤗🍀🌺🦓 Liz
Nahh after watching some of your content, im doin my second session with my artist. Kudos❤️❤️
I’m a vinyl wrapper and I’ve also run into these same situations. Great video 👏🏽
Thanks for this thoroughly explained video. Question: I put down a deposit but would now like a different tattoo than the one discussed at consult. Might the artist require a new deposit?
I didnt know you had a channel? I subscribed. Hopefully i see you again soon
yes i do. do u know me in real life?
James Withee Yeah. Ive got tattoos from you, sam and ester? I think thats how you spell his name?
ah you must be talking about nestor. he's one of my best buds. what kind of piece did i do on u?
James Withee you did scripture on my forearm, Sam did my daughters name on my arm and Nestor did a big demon skull piece on my forearm... i think ive only get one from you but cant remember?
I'm new here & new to this TH-cam Channel. I just subscribed as well just gathering information up b4 I get tatted up n don't wanna waste this new n first tattoo artist tyme n money bcus tyme is money.💯
New Subscriber here. Thank you for your honesty. Love your commentary🙂
I did an $185 deposit on my forearm piece, so it comes down im 2 days from tattoo day and my grandma died. I called and canceled and the artist said i can't have my deposit back and if i wanted the tattoo id have to pay full price again. Ended up getting the tattoo from a different guy. Btw the $185 deposit was for a $375 tattoo.
Good vid.
You definitely know your chit. My tattoo guy doesn't ask for deposits but he is also a buddy of mine.
Just had both of my hand work touched up today and voila a new vid from you popped up.
Jeff Rice nice. Yeah I do the same thing with my friends. At least with the ones I know are reliable haha
I’m loving this channel man, keep creating quality content
Andy Zelewski thanks man I will
in MY opinion everything you sayd is absolutely normal...People should stop going to shady ass places where the needle is rusty and the artist is drunk or fucked up on some shit....Save up the money and go to a place where people can still walk on their own legs after getting a tattoo =)
df is this you playing outside of spiderman kevin 😂😂😂
My artist didn't ask me for a deposit 😂 Now I'm worried I'm going to rock up on Wednesday with no appointment
I feel that some artist take advantage of the deposit. I talked with the artist about the concept i wanted. I ran across my idea done in realism and the artist told me he was down. I call to set up a date and the artists apprentice tells me the artist no longer wants to do my idea in realism. He basically told me he no longer wants to do my idea and wants full creative freedom in semi cartoony style. I asked for a refund because the artist could not deliver on the concept. They denied it and said that i could transfer to new customer not one of their existing clientel. If i knew the artist was not able to do the design i would have went else where instead of wasting my time and depost money. I cant imagine how many people got taken advantage of this well known shop
its hard to tell whether or not he is in the wrong without having been there while the consult went down, but yeah unfortunately there are times when artists do shit like that and it's unjustified. in general tattoo artists aren't going to try to pull shit like that, but once in a while i hear about this sort of thing. all you can really do is make sure you tell others about your experience so that it won't happen to them. word of mouth and reputation is something we depend on heavily in this industry, so if he's wronging people on a regular basis karma will catch up eventually. just sucks that that won't get you your money back. such is life.
James Withee yea i have told a few of my friends about it and the ones that got work from that person werent suprised. My buddy told me that shop is run poorly and what he said goes on there angers him as well. Its crazy become that person has a big name in the industry. Ive never had issues with other artists and deposits. I sent the artist good photo references too and he still couldnt complete the concept. Thank god i went elsewhere and got my concept done with a better well rounded artist who basically could do anything you throw at him.
My tattoo artist ($300 an hour) offered to refund me back the deposit because I had money issues. He’s got a 6 month wait list. Ironically it made me hustle to get money together to get it because he was so nice.
My artists dont take deposits from me, but I always show up early for my appointments and always have enough for the tattoo and a $100 tip unless it’s a big piece, then the tip would go higher.
I always wondered why some tattoo artist just do flash, you just answered that question, your here that's the image you want here is the money get busy
Dude much respect, Like your approach!
When I first started getting tattoos I think on average I was paying 85-100 bucks. The tats weren’t small but they were definitely not big at all. Now it’s like you’re paying at least $300 no matter what. Just like anything else though.
I wish I could visit your shop! But I am in the midwest.😳
stop by my booth next time i do the chicago or detroit expos!
James Withee Really? Cool. I just subbed. Let me know. If we can make it my fam would be THRILLED. I have my idea all planned out...except I'm not very good at drawing anymore.😳Just not sure where I want mine. Too old for big ass crazy shit. For me its a fam thing. Idk about the others. Thanks!✌😎🌵thats my thing. The saguaro. With flowers the fams colors.😃
Deposits are a must, then when the day actually rolls around you’ve already payed a little bit on your piece.
Is there a situation in which say the client calls a week or two before the appointment and asks to reschedule for the back of the line or something like that where the deposit wouldn't get voided?
Wish I would have watched your videos before getting my first tattoo, would have been a lot less nervous about the process!
Awesome honesty 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Awesome job bro, keep it up 💪🏼
The shop I go to they refund the deposit if you announce with at least 48 hours ahead the cancellation or reprogram for a different day with 48 hours in advance
Very smart and informative. Great for people starting out or someone who is trying to better themselves. Very clear and easy to understand. Love your vids bro keep up the good work! SUBSCRIBED
thx for the sub, steve. i'll have another video up on either wednesday or thursday
Thank god I watched this video about deposit cuz I’m planning about using my deposit for cover up tattoo...
The 30 dislikes are the clients that would have never showed up.
What do you do if your tattoo artist keeps on pushing the date of the tattoo for a few months already
i fully agree with deposits
all of my tattoos were done in the moment. i walked into the tattoo parlor and got the tatt right away no appointment. ive only had 1 tattoo appointment ever which i had one of my tatts fixed/repaired. the first guy fucked it up but not bad enough that it couldnt be fixed. this was a repair work done by appointment.
so can you specifically ask for an artist to do a mock sketch for your tattoo so you can have it for later? Like what i thought tattoo appointments were was you first scheduled a consultation, where they sit you down, you tell them what you want, and they say what your price range would be for your idea, then they schedule your appointment once they get everything done and it will probably be anywhere from a week to 2 months away, then they might email you a mock sketch of what they might be thinking for your tattoo, something done in maybe 10 minutes, very quick with a pencil to make sure all the pieces are there. And that way you can go in and change anything you might need changed before you sit down for your appointment and get it tattooed. but since this doesn't seem to be the case anymore am i allowed to get a mock sketch or is that something that isn't allowed in the tattoo world?
you might be able to convince some artists to do this, but not a very skilled or busy one. we don't have time to waste doing mock sketches for maybe clients. i mean, if you go to a restaurant and ask them to cook a steak just so you can "see if you like it and think about it," do you think they would? fuck no! they have other people in line behind you that are actually hungry and ready to eat
I think the question was more that they want a sketch for a keepsake AS WELL as getting the tattoo? The way they asked was not clear on the point, your analogy was good to the point you addressed, but I think they meant more having both.
Recently had a crazy experience where the artist required a $200 deposit, I dropped $400 and his assistant replied with “Thank you for your deposit but why did you send $400? Unbelievable.
Hi, i am tryung to get a sleeve with a hard to book artist, his wait list is over a year, if he says it takes 20-25 hrs to complete sleeve, should i leave deposit for all sessions in advance so i wouldnt have to wait another year to book?
you gotta ask him about this one. every artist handles it differently. what i do is i let clients schedule up to 3 appointments in advance with me, and every time they come in they schedule another one to replace the one that just transpired. it works for me, but i'm only booked around 3 or 4 months out most of the time
@@JamesWithee thank you, much appreciated!
All of these rules are what real artist live by.
I definitely understand why it's needed , but a question that popped in my head. What if someone puts the deposit down and looking forward to their appointment, but suddenly a family member passes. If they call the tattoo shop and says " I'm not in the condition to get a tattoo I just lost someone is there a way I can get my deposit to pay for funeral arrangements" would they receive that deposit back or would the tattoo artist void the deposit?
What about kill-fees? What if a client taps out and can't continue? Do your clients have to pay for a lining day for a large tattoo and then pay again for the color day, etc? How do those things factor into your pricing?? Thanks! Great videos, bro. Awesome info.
You deposit seems cheap. I just put a deposit down for a half sleeve $1500 deposit which was quoted $3300 for the half sleeve. Also booked for a year out. Love the videos
I have a question that doesn't really matter but I'm curious:
When you do a tattoo, obviously a portion of the price goes to the shop. But when you take, say, a $100 deposit and the client doesn't show up, do you keep the full $100 or does part of it still go to the shop?
it depends on the shop. i've been at some where the shop owner wants his half of the deposit as soon as it's collected. most shops don't do that. i feel like the artist should keep the whole thing cuz it's his time being wasted, not the shop owners
@@JamesWithee I agree to that my man!! by the way congratts! great videos and education also for artists ,keep up the great work!👌👌
Super helpful bro thank you for your content
I know a lot of tattoo artists get offended by this question but...
How do I know if I've saved enough money for a design I want?
Is there a way to figure out a rough estimate of how much an "expensive" version of my design would cost?
How do I know when I can go to an artist and confidently say "Yeah sure I have the money" when I don't know at what price point I should stop saving?
Is it 1000$? 2000$? 3000$?
this is a tough question. mostly, estimating how much a tattoo will cost is done thru experience by seeing a lot of healed tattoos on people and asking how much those pieces costed them. obviously it's not an ideal way of gathering data. maybe i'll try to make a video that shows different levels of quality and how much they might cost so that ppl can get a better idea
@@JamesWithee A video like that would sure help me out and a lot of other tattoo newbies like me.
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my comment :)
My main artist i go to owns his shop. Luckily he apprenticed under my big sisters husband. So no deposit. We dnt even talk about price till were donr tattooing lol he always gives me a great deal n i always tip him well
Love these videos man, keep em coming!
Deposits are just a part of American culture. If someone who provides a service where they have to create something or schedule in a significant chunk of their time, a deposit is pretty much expected.
It's odd to me that anyone would have a problem with this, since it protects both the client and the artist.
P.S. I'm loving your videos! They're very informative and straight forward. Excellent job!
Believe it or not some ppl think it's a scam. I think part of it is just that they don't trust tattoo artists. It used to happen sometimes when I worked in sketchier shops. Thx for watching!
I did see one review where a reviewer claimed he paid for the entire piece upfront and then was never able to finish it because they artist ghosted, but who in the world pays for the entire thing before it's even done? Oh well, this is why yelp is an important tool!
I'm on a budget. What do I do? Never been tattooed
Daniel Frank ask the artist you choose what they can do with your budget and if they can’t do anything, save more and come back. Above all else, do not settle for lower quality if u can’t afford the quality you want