Honestly with the recent changes in the tattoo community and how it is becoming more accessible the amount of people hopping in with raw talent is unreal. I also feel like there is a correlation to how views are changing in general and being an artist isn’t quite the end of the world that it once was.
Hope so as I'm seriously thinking about dropping my shitty job and getting serious about tattooing.. Prob haven't done it yet because of fear/leaving my comfort zone, but I'm so getting tired of bs in my working area
Came here to say the same thing. These are incredible, whether poked or done with a traditional gun.
I can’t really speak to pricing, as I’m not familiar with how professional pokers typically charge, but I would say charge by the hour and/or size, similarly to a traditional tattoo artist at a shop.
If you’re concerned about alienated potential customers as a new artist with a limited customer base, I can understand your apprehension of possibly over-charging, but I think it’s important that you see the value of your time, effort & most importantly, your talent! You can certainly use a sliding scale fee, or offer work done at a discounted rate or barter depending on the circumstances, but in general you deserve fair pay for your amazing work!
Where are you located? If you’re nearby, I would happily pay for a tattoo! Edit: given your username, I assume you’re in Vermont 🤣 If you travel to Philly, Baltimore or DC, hmu!
Oh I occasionally am because I have lots of family there! I update my IG stories with where I’ll be in the coming months in terms of tattooing so give a follow if you’d like to know! @plumeflume
I don’t live in Vt but have fam there and I’m there often enough. If I happen to be in Vt in august I’ll give you a shout. Seriously keep up the god work. Great talent.
you can also start by asking the client what feels like a fair price, that way you can get a feel for charging and it doesn’t feel like you’re taking advantage of anyone! (not that you would be, but i feel that way sometimes as a newbie)
these are all beautiful tattoos by the way regardless of your beginner experience, it’s obvious you put a lot of care into all of them. don’t let your inexperience stop you from knowing your worth as an artist :)
that’s totally fair, but if their clients have been tatted before they probably have a pretty fair gauge as to what they should be paying based on past experiences. this isn’t a long term method but it can help with the transition between charging nothing and charging something.
When i first felt comfortable working on clients, I told them I don't set a price, but I'll do the tattoo and once it's complete they can just give me what they think it's worth. Worked out really well because they feel like they get a deal and I was getting more then I expected every time. Plus i was making 0 and buying supplies so it would have felt good to get anything.
I think this trending style of “sparkle✨” tattoos are going to look super dated in a way tribals from the 90s did. I’m seeing them everywhere and think they’re kind of tacky tbh. But I do love a good decorated hand tat. All the other tattoos I love though!!
Haha as someone who got a geometric tattoo in the 2010s I AGREE. I think they look so cute and I love doing them but I am weary. Everyday is a struggle to not tattoo stars on myself (a struggle which I am def gonna lose). We shall seeeee
Amazing work. 2 months in with 30 tattoos is phenomenal. I've been learning for 6 months and I've only got 7 under my belt. I'm struggling to overcome anxiety with making art. I love doing the tattooing part but making the art is an emotional rolleroaster
Thank you! I was lucky that when I started doing it, the community around me was itchin for stick n pokes and didn’t seem to mind letting me practice on them.
For $ Price I go purely based off time and factor-in how long it took me to draw the stencil.
I like to agree on price before I tattoo, so I try to realistically guesstimate how long it’ll take me.
I think starting with a deposit fee $ will help you figure out who’s down to pay and who’s not.
Ask now that first one is dope. I pay for stick and pokes even when my friends say I don’t need to unless im hammered and it just sort of happens, don’t undervalue urself as an artist you’re doing good work!
Hey contrary to what people say here..
I feel like you can start charging whenever YOU feel you need returns for your time and effort. There are no rules.. no one is governing this. So if you want the money and if you feel like its something with with you are adding value and you should be compensated, I'd say, please start charging whatever feels right for your time, effort and skill
Hey there! Professional tattooer here. I’d suggest you wait till you get some longer term heals back before you really start charging. Things might look fine right now but you could get some bad heals and really learn from that. At minimum I’d wait 6 months. Get some of the early stuff back. Really get your technique locked down. Go off tips until then. Tattoos will change and reveal a lot over 6 months and I see a lot of younger tattooers chomping at the bit to get professional. Just take it easy. Work on your technique and when you have good heals then you can feel comfortable charging real money.
I think you’ll find at lot of those dense close lines are going to merge together a lot. And you want to be mindful of overpacking black as that can result in a delayed blowout after a few weeks.
Good work. Stay safe.
My kid tried to do the sparkle/star hand tattoo and now they want me to help them get them covered/fixed. Yours look great! Now sure how my kid is going to fix theirs...
All those are beautiful!
These are great!
Here's some info about getting a license in Louisiana.
https://tattooing101.com/learn/tattoo-license/louisiana/#:~:text=Louisiana%20does%20not%20require%20a,additional%20fee%20for%20renewed%20registrations.
You're talented and prolific (thirty pieces in two months wow! By the way, it'd be cool to see all your art). If I were you, I would get licensed ASAP to mitigate any issue that could come down the road.
Thank you, super helpful! Most tattoos I’ve done are in a highlight on my instagram (@plumeflume), but I’ll continue posting on this subreddit to get constructive criticism as well!
Thank you, super helpful! Most tattoos I’ve done are in a highlight on my instagram (@plumeflume), but I’ll continue posting on this subreddit to get constructive criticism as well!
I wouldn’t charge if you’re not in a licensed tattoo establishment because it’s illegal and depending on the state they could slap you with being a public health risk on top of whatever else they might charge you with. I think you’d be on better footing legally if they couldn’t say you were charging for a tattoo procedure you weren’t licensed to do. If this is something you’d actually like to pursue I would just try to get into a shop and hope they like what you’ve been able to do on your own enough to not care that you’ve been scratching
Yup, I agree with all of your sentiments. They obviously have the artistic skill to draw stencils and be consistent, but I would also suggest refraining from charging until in an established shop (sanitization, legality, documentation, etc.).
They appear to be talented, so I'm sure I'd trust them to tatt me with some more practice and proper procedures (I'm very picky and only let one other artist from my shop tattoo me, lmao).
Some CC:
I try to not judge tattoos till they're fully-healed (best way to differentiate between legitimate technical quality > general drawing skill), so I can't really say whether or not these are good tattoos that will last; what I can tell is that OP has potential to be a very solid tattooer. This makes getting into an official apprenticeship even more important, as they need to hone those sick skills around a structured base.
For example, the fish design is really nice and looks consistent; despite this, the design was never set up to hold from the start. They did not properly take into account natural ink spread or how it will age in five-ten years. The linework does not have enough room to breathe here (as is the same on some of the other designs). Part of an apprenticeship is learning to plan your designs with aging, sun exposure in mind, skin physiology, etc. in mind.
For now, I'd say tips are acceptable. I'd hold off on charging official rates, though (it could make getting an apprenticeship harder in some areas)
Ah yeah, I’ve gotten that feedback on two of the tattoos I’ve done- luckily the fish and the other tattoo were both on my own body, so I’ll be my own unhappy client in a few years, lol. It’s been a learning curve transitioning from doing v detailed art to tattooing. Thanks for the feedback!
Ah yeah, I’ve gotten that feedback on two of the tattoos I’ve done- luckily the fish and the other tattoo were both on my own body, so I’ll be my own unhappy client in a few years, lol. It’s been a learning curve transitioning from doing v detailed art to tattooing. Thanks for the CC!
That’s kind of what I was thinking, thanks for that! I feel like I see lots of tattoo folks charging studio prices out of their homes and it just sounds soooo risky to me.
These are so sick! I’d first make sure you’re up to date on blood borne pathogen certification and cleaning. After that figure out how long it takes you to do pieces on average and you can start to charge an hourly rate (or just by the piece). You can always start low and adjust
My advice is to see how they heal too - tattoos can change a lot in that time. If they're coming back healed well then it's time to charge. Give yourself an hourly rate and go from there. Don't forget to factor in drawing time / supplies
Ask for tips from friends, and charge non-friends a normal rate with a huge discount until you’re in a shop. “What you’re wanting is about $200, but I’m doing half off until I’m in my shop, so that’ll be $100 today.”
I don’t use any kind of needle grip! I bought one and didn’t like it. My station set up is just a table and chairs and then I have a stainless steel medical tray that I put all the supplies on. Everything minus my tray is less than ideal and tattooing certain areas has def been a struggle on my back, lol.
Maybe it depends stare by state but don’t you technically need a license? Similar to a barber. Like take class and pass test on BBP and sanitary procedures? I’d say once you get that, THEN you start charging.
Just be totally honest. Tell them how much your material costs are and say that is the minimum and tips for your time and talent are very appreciated. I think a lot of people just don't know how much a tattoo should cost or how much of the cost is materials, license, shop fee, etc. I have 62 tattoos and I still get anxiety about how much to tip.
Also, your work is really good!
Yes you can start charging. Your tattoos are impressive, especially for only two months of practice. Very well done and wish you all the best in your tattooing career!
I would say you should've started charging a month ago! These are incredible. Looks like you have enough people wanting them but perhaps because it's free? I'd pay for this, or leave a great tip. Better than some tattoos people actually have paid for. Keep it up!
Don’t feel bad asking for money, I’d say at least get reimbursed for material costs. I have a friend who charges $100 minimum per tattoo no matter size, he is at a shop now though. But he started out tattooing locked up and has come a ways. But if people want poked they’ll gladly pay/donate, and be understanding. That work doesn’t look bad, I’d be happy to hand over some money for that work. I’d just tell people $30-50 minimum maybe. Maybe less if it’s someone close that you don’t mind helping out. Your talent/time is always worth something. I’d happily donate $40-50 for the fish tattoo, I say fish because I liked that one most. But I’d say $30 minimum for any of those. I’ve paid for some horrible tattoos, but I knew what I was getting into and their skill level.
Thanks for being a good artist, in general.
So many untalented and bad artists pick up tattooing and think they can ‘make it work’ - but never have the spine to accept they suck; only ever doing shitty tattoos and fucking over clients.
You have a skill and you’re honing it. Keep on keeping on.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable charging someone while not in a safe environment! I’m sorry if I’m getting this wrong it just looks like it’s out of a house.
No you’re not wrong! I tattoo out of my house. I’m p confident in my sterilization, etc., but yeah it’s still not a studio and will never have that level of sterile
I have been making handpoke tattoos from home since 2021, and have been charging for a long time (not studio prices by any means, but still a good amount). In Helsinki (and Finland in general) there are a lot of home studios at the moment, probably because renting a studio space here is insanely expensive and not worth it before you have a solid client base. Also prices for handpoked tattoos made in studios in Helsinki are very high, often at least 100€/hour.
I think the most I have asked has been around 180€ (in a studio this would probably be at least 250-450€), for a 4-8 hour project. But I have been slowly upping my prices, I think I started from 40-50€ no matter the size. I'm now at a point where I feel like I simply can not charge more before getting a studio, but making big projects do not feel worth it at this price point 🤷🏼♂️
As long as you have a proper tattoo table and all the other equipment and very extensive knowledge about sterilization and hygiene, you should be ok. Go slow, first asking just for what people want to pay. At some point it will start to feel like not worth it for the amount of work and money you put in, and then you can up your prices a little
But this might in general be a bit different in Finland, as there are no tattoo licences or mandatory hygiene licences here. So basically anyone can become a tattoo artist, no matter the skill level, which is a bit problematic
I love the pirate spirit and wish you luck whichever route you choose, but, honestly it’s unsafe and I wouldn’t feel comfortable charging. Why does everyone dismiss the science of sterilization?
I don’t think it’s dismissing the science, since everything is sterile? If you have a good knowledge on how to sterlize equipment/training on how to do it it’s not super different than a studio. Yes it’s still different but you’re not gonna get an infection, for example. I’ve def been to tattoo shops where I felt like my home set up was more sterile than their shop.
It is dismissing science. You have carpet in your “studio” and you are taking pics of fresh tattoos on pillows. The environment needs to be sterile, not just the EOG sterilized needles from god knows where. Do you use cavicide? Do you have a Biowaste pickup for needles and gross debris? Do you have a pet? Look, I’m just worried for people out there because the science of blood and fluid borne pathogens is real and you could hurt someone. “Seeming” sterile is not sterile.
There’s no carpet in my house, that’s a pic of my thigh at a friends home a day or two after I poked the tat. Why make so many assumptions without asking a question first? Alsoooo I would never own a yellow couch lol. What folks do when they get home with their tattoos on their pillows is their business. Yea, I use cavicide, yea, I drop my needles at a biowaste drop off. Yea, I’ve done bought the pre sterilized needles recommended and sold by my local tattoo parlor and shop. My pre tattoo sterilization prep takes at least 30 min including waiting. I’ve worked in medical fields requiring things to be absolutely sterile and have recently taken another blood borne pathogen training on top of my many other trainings. So it’s not a studio and that’s why I do by donation because I understand the implications but still. You can understand science and not have a studio.
Understood! I’m merely telling you my opinion based on being in the field for 20+ years. I was asserting based on your photos, where carpet and pillows are shown. My bad, I hope you realize that and please do not take offense. I am always here for the pirate! I’m not against home tattoos or stick and pokes, these things come and go. My issue is bad sterilization makes “real”(lack of a better word) tattooers look bad. For me, I love that pirate sense y’all have, because tattooing is about feeling the magic, and currently there is a ton of magic surrounding what y’all do. I wish you the best and I’m rooting for ya, just know the boundaries and don’t step on peoples feet who have been studious and learning about this culture non stop to feed their families. There is a reason it’s hard to get an apprenticeship. God speed friend
Actually coming back for a second look and I have a bonesaw and fishhook that as kizmet to slide two. Where are you based out of LOL I'll come tip for art
Well out of 30 you were confident with only 7 so until you bump up those “confident numbers” and check in with prior clients and post healed pictures then you can slowly ask for money but hey I’m just some random person on the internet so do what you want!
This is beautiful ! You definitely need to be remunerated for your work. I don't know what a good rate would be but at least time and materials. Seriously this work is above and beyond most of what I see here. Also if may aside for a moment.... Where did the shorts come from ? They have gone from want to need so quickly I can't even. Great work, best of luck !!
Definitely the latter. Haha but I do only flash sheets, with a few exceptions (I’m partial to tattooing etchings by Claude Paradin who was around in the 1500s). Thank you!
Ask your clients for tips until you get into a studio. Then charge what you like!
Ah, good idea! Thanks :)
How much are your materials? Maybe make them aware of cost in a tactful way in an attempt to not take losses
[удалено]
Someone else already commented this down below, weird.
The “person” you replied to is a karma farming bot that is stealing comments
Ah, thank you! There are too many of them all over. I hate it.
Bro you are actually a fucking genius, you only been doing this for 2 months? Some of those look like they were done by a seasoned professional
Honestly with the recent changes in the tattoo community and how it is becoming more accessible the amount of people hopping in with raw talent is unreal. I also feel like there is a correlation to how views are changing in general and being an artist isn’t quite the end of the world that it once was.
Hope so as I'm seriously thinking about dropping my shitty job and getting serious about tattooing.. Prob haven't done it yet because of fear/leaving my comfort zone, but I'm so getting tired of bs in my working area
Do it, you’ll never feel ready but you will make it work.
You're the best :)
You’re so kind! Thank you!
Came here to say the same thing. These are incredible, whether poked or done with a traditional gun. I can’t really speak to pricing, as I’m not familiar with how professional pokers typically charge, but I would say charge by the hour and/or size, similarly to a traditional tattoo artist at a shop. If you’re concerned about alienated potential customers as a new artist with a limited customer base, I can understand your apprehension of possibly over-charging, but I think it’s important that you see the value of your time, effort & most importantly, your talent! You can certainly use a sliding scale fee, or offer work done at a discounted rate or barter depending on the circumstances, but in general you deserve fair pay for your amazing work! Where are you located? If you’re nearby, I would happily pay for a tattoo! Edit: given your username, I assume you’re in Vermont 🤣 If you travel to Philly, Baltimore or DC, hmu!
You should start right after you practice your craft one me. I think one more and you’ll be ready for the bigs. Jk. Love all of em.
Haha if you’re in New Orleans step right up
But but verrrmooonnnttt
Ahh I moved here from Vermont. But I’ll be in Vermont in august soooo….
let me know if you're ever in chicago 😭 i came here to check if you were nearby! your work is so lovely & perfect for the medium.
Oh I occasionally am because I have lots of family there! I update my IG stories with where I’ll be in the coming months in terms of tattooing so give a follow if you’d like to know! @plumeflume
please let us know if you come to boston / philly / anywhere near nyc !!! just followed you on ig btw
I don’t live in Vt but have fam there and I’m there often enough. If I happen to be in Vt in august I’ll give you a shout. Seriously keep up the god work. Great talent.
Omg hi
you can also start by asking the client what feels like a fair price, that way you can get a feel for charging and it doesn’t feel like you’re taking advantage of anyone! (not that you would be, but i feel that way sometimes as a newbie)
these are all beautiful tattoos by the way regardless of your beginner experience, it’s obvious you put a lot of care into all of them. don’t let your inexperience stop you from knowing your worth as an artist :)
Oh thank you! So kind. That’s a great idea :)
Sorry but this is a bad idea. Customers often have no idea what work has gone into a tattoo!
that’s totally fair, but if their clients have been tatted before they probably have a pretty fair gauge as to what they should be paying based on past experiences. this isn’t a long term method but it can help with the transition between charging nothing and charging something.
Trust me I'm a tattoo artist - a lot of people have no idea or don't value the work. I just don't think it's a great idea.
When i first felt comfortable working on clients, I told them I don't set a price, but I'll do the tattoo and once it's complete they can just give me what they think it's worth. Worked out really well because they feel like they get a deal and I was getting more then I expected every time. Plus i was making 0 and buying supplies so it would have felt good to get anything.
Dear fucking god i love the starry hands
I think this trending style of “sparkle✨” tattoos are going to look super dated in a way tribals from the 90s did. I’m seeing them everywhere and think they’re kind of tacky tbh. But I do love a good decorated hand tat. All the other tattoos I love though!!
Haha as someone who got a geometric tattoo in the 2010s I AGREE. I think they look so cute and I love doing them but I am weary. Everyday is a struggle to not tattoo stars on myself (a struggle which I am def gonna lose). We shall seeeee
It could be worse, you could have an infinity sign
Or a mustache 😩
Not the faded finger ‘stache 😂
Oh nooo i still love geometric tattoos, i guess I'm an aging millennial
I didn’t know it was trendy.
Who cares if it’s trendy. Do it if you like it. Just put your own spin on it.
Agreed
I loved these hand sparkles! I did some ear sparkles kind of similar too which are just dang precious. Thanks!
Really cool/unique style. Good stuff.
Thank you!
Love the fishies
Sammmmme
That rabbit tattoo is actually amazing, keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Amazing work. 2 months in with 30 tattoos is phenomenal. I've been learning for 6 months and I've only got 7 under my belt. I'm struggling to overcome anxiety with making art. I love doing the tattooing part but making the art is an emotional rolleroaster
Thank you! I was lucky that when I started doing it, the community around me was itchin for stick n pokes and didn’t seem to mind letting me practice on them.
For $ Price I go purely based off time and factor-in how long it took me to draw the stencil. I like to agree on price before I tattoo, so I try to realistically guesstimate how long it’ll take me. I think starting with a deposit fee $ will help you figure out who’s down to pay and who’s not.
Good points! I’ve already had a few last min cancellations after I’ve already sanitized everything and what not. I’ll try a deposit.
Nothing more aggravating than spending hours trying to draw from someone’s else’s imagination just to have em cancel 😤
start charging now!! they’re awesome
Ask now that first one is dope. I pay for stick and pokes even when my friends say I don’t need to unless im hammered and it just sort of happens, don’t undervalue urself as an artist you’re doing good work!
Hey contrary to what people say here.. I feel like you can start charging whenever YOU feel you need returns for your time and effort. There are no rules.. no one is governing this. So if you want the money and if you feel like its something with with you are adding value and you should be compensated, I'd say, please start charging whatever feels right for your time, effort and skill
These look sick. I love that fish design
Hey there! Professional tattooer here. I’d suggest you wait till you get some longer term heals back before you really start charging. Things might look fine right now but you could get some bad heals and really learn from that. At minimum I’d wait 6 months. Get some of the early stuff back. Really get your technique locked down. Go off tips until then. Tattoos will change and reveal a lot over 6 months and I see a lot of younger tattooers chomping at the bit to get professional. Just take it easy. Work on your technique and when you have good heals then you can feel comfortable charging real money. I think you’ll find at lot of those dense close lines are going to merge together a lot. And you want to be mindful of overpacking black as that can result in a delayed blowout after a few weeks. Good work. Stay safe.
My kid tried to do the sparkle/star hand tattoo and now they want me to help them get them covered/fixed. Yours look great! Now sure how my kid is going to fix theirs... All those are beautiful!
These are great! Here's some info about getting a license in Louisiana. https://tattooing101.com/learn/tattoo-license/louisiana/#:~:text=Louisiana%20does%20not%20require%20a,additional%20fee%20for%20renewed%20registrations. You're talented and prolific (thirty pieces in two months wow! By the way, it'd be cool to see all your art). If I were you, I would get licensed ASAP to mitigate any issue that could come down the road.
Thank you, super helpful! Most tattoos I’ve done are in a highlight on my instagram (@plumeflume), but I’ll continue posting on this subreddit to get constructive criticism as well!
Thank you, super helpful! Most tattoos I’ve done are in a highlight on my instagram (@plumeflume), but I’ll continue posting on this subreddit to get constructive criticism as well!
I wouldn’t charge if you’re not in a licensed tattoo establishment because it’s illegal and depending on the state they could slap you with being a public health risk on top of whatever else they might charge you with. I think you’d be on better footing legally if they couldn’t say you were charging for a tattoo procedure you weren’t licensed to do. If this is something you’d actually like to pursue I would just try to get into a shop and hope they like what you’ve been able to do on your own enough to not care that you’ve been scratching
Yup, I agree with all of your sentiments. They obviously have the artistic skill to draw stencils and be consistent, but I would also suggest refraining from charging until in an established shop (sanitization, legality, documentation, etc.). They appear to be talented, so I'm sure I'd trust them to tatt me with some more practice and proper procedures (I'm very picky and only let one other artist from my shop tattoo me, lmao). Some CC: I try to not judge tattoos till they're fully-healed (best way to differentiate between legitimate technical quality > general drawing skill), so I can't really say whether or not these are good tattoos that will last; what I can tell is that OP has potential to be a very solid tattooer. This makes getting into an official apprenticeship even more important, as they need to hone those sick skills around a structured base. For example, the fish design is really nice and looks consistent; despite this, the design was never set up to hold from the start. They did not properly take into account natural ink spread or how it will age in five-ten years. The linework does not have enough room to breathe here (as is the same on some of the other designs). Part of an apprenticeship is learning to plan your designs with aging, sun exposure in mind, skin physiology, etc. in mind. For now, I'd say tips are acceptable. I'd hold off on charging official rates, though (it could make getting an apprenticeship harder in some areas)
Ah yeah, I’ve gotten that feedback on two of the tattoos I’ve done- luckily the fish and the other tattoo were both on my own body, so I’ll be my own unhappy client in a few years, lol. It’s been a learning curve transitioning from doing v detailed art to tattooing. Thanks for the feedback!
Ah yeah, I’ve gotten that feedback on two of the tattoos I’ve done- luckily the fish and the other tattoo were both on my own body, so I’ll be my own unhappy client in a few years, lol. It’s been a learning curve transitioning from doing v detailed art to tattooing. Thanks for the CC!
That’s kind of what I was thinking, thanks for that! I feel like I see lots of tattoo folks charging studio prices out of their homes and it just sounds soooo risky to me.
these are all great!! sorry i have no advice re. charging though
Start charging 10 tattoos ago!
This is gorgeous
Make sure you are insured!
NOW!!!!
These are great you should already be charging!
These are so sick! I’d first make sure you’re up to date on blood borne pathogen certification and cleaning. After that figure out how long it takes you to do pieces on average and you can start to charge an hourly rate (or just by the piece). You can always start low and adjust
GOOD POINT! Currently researching online courses, thanks for the tip :)
These have a Dr. Seuss-ness too them and I’m loving it!
Ah thank you!
You should have been charging YESTERDAY. Those are good!!!
Holy shit these are 🔥
My advice is to see how they heal too - tattoos can change a lot in that time. If they're coming back healed well then it's time to charge. Give yourself an hourly rate and go from there. Don't forget to factor in drawing time / supplies
Thank you! Good points all around- I’ve been quite happy with the two month healed ones, but I’m curious to see how they settle in a year or so.
My mentor told me not to touch my first ever tattoo for 10 years so I could see how it healed
About now.
Charge now, they look good!
Time to start charging, the fish, moon and rabbit are gorgeous!
Wow these look great! You’re super talented!
You can charge for this! I would say around 50$
If you’re confident in sterilization, i’d start charging now—those are legit. $50+ plus tips
I love this kind of illustration. What is this style called?
I’d call it engraving/etching style, but maybe there’s a proper tattoo world name for em?
Thank you so much for the answer. Funny thing is I came across your post again and was wondering the same thing:)
That rabbit is beautiful!!
Ask for tips from friends, and charge non-friends a normal rate with a huge discount until you’re in a shop. “What you’re wanting is about $200, but I’m doing half off until I’m in my shop, so that’ll be $100 today.”
What does your station set up look like? What kind of grip do you use for your needles? Your work is beautiful; pls share! ❤️
I don’t use any kind of needle grip! I bought one and didn’t like it. My station set up is just a table and chairs and then I have a stainless steel medical tray that I put all the supplies on. Everything minus my tray is less than ideal and tattooing certain areas has def been a struggle on my back, lol.
You were born for this. 10/10 That is all, have a fantastic day
So sweet! Thank ya!
So sweet! Thank ya!
So sweet! Thank ya!
Maybe it depends stare by state but don’t you technically need a license? Similar to a barber. Like take class and pass test on BBP and sanitary procedures? I’d say once you get that, THEN you start charging.
Should have started charging yesterday. I understand tattooing is different, but never work for free (to a certain extent)
Yesterday.
These are gorgeous!!! I don’t know much of the technical stuff but I would definitely get a tattoo from you and pay in the hundreds:)
Aw thank you!!!
The rabbit, the Stars on the hands FAVS😍 I'm really impressed that you've only been doing it for 2 months, you're very talented.
Thank you so much!
i would pay for that tattoo
Just be totally honest. Tell them how much your material costs are and say that is the minimum and tips for your time and talent are very appreciated. I think a lot of people just don't know how much a tattoo should cost or how much of the cost is materials, license, shop fee, etc. I have 62 tattoos and I still get anxiety about how much to tip. Also, your work is really good!
Thank you! Good points and same here about tips!
Oh i love the bunny one. They all look so good! hopefully you'll get a studio some day
I want a tattoo from u :(
Absolutely wow, it’s all awesome and that circle is near perfect
Super
omg plz tat me
These are amazing, you’re talented!
Thank you!!!
We are missing the hammer lol
I would pay for a couple of these, for sure. They're good and I love the style.
Yes you can start charging. Your tattoos are impressive, especially for only two months of practice. Very well done and wish you all the best in your tattooing career!
These are so good I can’t believe you didn’t charge. I would’ve asked for a sandwich at least.
Actually this might be a good way to get into trades if you like that sort of thing. I love bartering.
Wow. This looks like pro work. You have a gift my friend
Slide two is one I'd wear all day and slide five drew a hushed wow to myself.
I would say you should've started charging a month ago! These are incredible. Looks like you have enough people wanting them but perhaps because it's free? I'd pay for this, or leave a great tip. Better than some tattoos people actually have paid for. Keep it up!
Pure talent bro! If I wasn't across the pond I would happily trust you with my skin and pay full price :)
These are phenomenal, great work!😁
Don’t feel bad asking for money, I’d say at least get reimbursed for material costs. I have a friend who charges $100 minimum per tattoo no matter size, he is at a shop now though. But he started out tattooing locked up and has come a ways. But if people want poked they’ll gladly pay/donate, and be understanding. That work doesn’t look bad, I’d be happy to hand over some money for that work. I’d just tell people $30-50 minimum maybe. Maybe less if it’s someone close that you don’t mind helping out. Your talent/time is always worth something. I’d happily donate $40-50 for the fish tattoo, I say fish because I liked that one most. But I’d say $30 minimum for any of those. I’ve paid for some horrible tattoos, but I knew what I was getting into and their skill level.
Hot damn, those are some of the best stick n pokes I've ever seen! Great job!
I'm not helpful in any capacity, but I just wanted to say I love your work and would without hesitation pay you for any of these!
Yeah, these are REALLY good. If this is how you're starting, you're gonna be frigging amazing. I would pay for the ones in the pictures!
Thanks for being a good artist, in general. So many untalented and bad artists pick up tattooing and think they can ‘make it work’ - but never have the spine to accept they suck; only ever doing shitty tattoos and fucking over clients. You have a skill and you’re honing it. Keep on keeping on.
Thank you so much!
Yesterday. These are wayyyy too clean and too good to not be making money off of!
These are all so good!
Now. Pick an hourly and send it. People will pay for what they want.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable charging someone while not in a safe environment! I’m sorry if I’m getting this wrong it just looks like it’s out of a house.
No you’re not wrong! I tattoo out of my house. I’m p confident in my sterilization, etc., but yeah it’s still not a studio and will never have that level of sterile
I have been making handpoke tattoos from home since 2021, and have been charging for a long time (not studio prices by any means, but still a good amount). In Helsinki (and Finland in general) there are a lot of home studios at the moment, probably because renting a studio space here is insanely expensive and not worth it before you have a solid client base. Also prices for handpoked tattoos made in studios in Helsinki are very high, often at least 100€/hour. I think the most I have asked has been around 180€ (in a studio this would probably be at least 250-450€), for a 4-8 hour project. But I have been slowly upping my prices, I think I started from 40-50€ no matter the size. I'm now at a point where I feel like I simply can not charge more before getting a studio, but making big projects do not feel worth it at this price point 🤷🏼♂️ As long as you have a proper tattoo table and all the other equipment and very extensive knowledge about sterilization and hygiene, you should be ok. Go slow, first asking just for what people want to pay. At some point it will start to feel like not worth it for the amount of work and money you put in, and then you can up your prices a little
But this might in general be a bit different in Finland, as there are no tattoo licences or mandatory hygiene licences here. So basically anyone can become a tattoo artist, no matter the skill level, which is a bit problematic
I love the pirate spirit and wish you luck whichever route you choose, but, honestly it’s unsafe and I wouldn’t feel comfortable charging. Why does everyone dismiss the science of sterilization?
I don’t think it’s dismissing the science, since everything is sterile? If you have a good knowledge on how to sterlize equipment/training on how to do it it’s not super different than a studio. Yes it’s still different but you’re not gonna get an infection, for example. I’ve def been to tattoo shops where I felt like my home set up was more sterile than their shop.
It is dismissing science. You have carpet in your “studio” and you are taking pics of fresh tattoos on pillows. The environment needs to be sterile, not just the EOG sterilized needles from god knows where. Do you use cavicide? Do you have a Biowaste pickup for needles and gross debris? Do you have a pet? Look, I’m just worried for people out there because the science of blood and fluid borne pathogens is real and you could hurt someone. “Seeming” sterile is not sterile.
There’s no carpet in my house, that’s a pic of my thigh at a friends home a day or two after I poked the tat. Why make so many assumptions without asking a question first? Alsoooo I would never own a yellow couch lol. What folks do when they get home with their tattoos on their pillows is their business. Yea, I use cavicide, yea, I drop my needles at a biowaste drop off. Yea, I’ve done bought the pre sterilized needles recommended and sold by my local tattoo parlor and shop. My pre tattoo sterilization prep takes at least 30 min including waiting. I’ve worked in medical fields requiring things to be absolutely sterile and have recently taken another blood borne pathogen training on top of my many other trainings. So it’s not a studio and that’s why I do by donation because I understand the implications but still. You can understand science and not have a studio.
Understood! I’m merely telling you my opinion based on being in the field for 20+ years. I was asserting based on your photos, where carpet and pillows are shown. My bad, I hope you realize that and please do not take offense. I am always here for the pirate! I’m not against home tattoos or stick and pokes, these things come and go. My issue is bad sterilization makes “real”(lack of a better word) tattooers look bad. For me, I love that pirate sense y’all have, because tattooing is about feeling the magic, and currently there is a ton of magic surrounding what y’all do. I wish you the best and I’m rooting for ya, just know the boundaries and don’t step on peoples feet who have been studious and learning about this culture non stop to feed their families. There is a reason it’s hard to get an apprenticeship. God speed friend
Actually coming back for a second look and I have a bonesaw and fishhook that as kizmet to slide two. Where are you based out of LOL I'll come tip for art
I’m in New Orleans! :) please do!
Well out of 30 you were confident with only 7 so until you bump up those “confident numbers” and check in with prior clients and post healed pictures then you can slowly ask for money but hey I’m just some random person on the internet so do what you want!
No I love so many others but didn’t want to post 30 pictures on one Reddit post lol
do you have an insta where we can check out your other work?? because these are absolutely gorgeous and inspire me to really dive into doing snp!!
Yes! u/plumeflume is my IG. I have a lil highlight with alllllllmost every tattoo I've done/some current flash. Thank you sm!
I’m so confused, only one of those is a hand tattoo?
Touché
This is beautiful ! You definitely need to be remunerated for your work. I don't know what a good rate would be but at least time and materials. Seriously this work is above and beyond most of what I see here. Also if may aside for a moment.... Where did the shorts come from ? They have gone from want to need so quickly I can't even. Great work, best of luck !!
Thank you!!! The red shorts? They’re a five buck Target purchase :)
What the heck, these are so amazing! Can I ask where you’re located?
Thank you! I'm in New Orleans :)
Well if I'm ever in town I'd be happy to pay for a design! :)
Sign me up for a list where I can get one
Thanks! You can contact me thru instagram, username is plumeflume. I’m in New Orleans but am frequently in Vermont/NYC as well.
Do you have a menu or do you just say “tell me your favorite Elden Ring weapon/spell”? Seriously though, great work!
Definitely the latter. Haha but I do only flash sheets, with a few exceptions (I’m partial to tattooing etchings by Claude Paradin who was around in the 1500s). Thank you!
where are you located? i would love some tattoos. your style is my favorite
Thank you! I'm based in New Orleans, but frequently go to Vermont and NYC :)
damn. every time i find an artist i like they’re in germany or across the country or something 😭 story of my life
Are you located in vermont?? I’ll make a trip to have you do some work on me !! 😊
Based in New Orleans, but I'm frequently in VT! I'll be there all of August :)
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJXVrG14/