ALT-1 What it Pays to be a Tattoo Artist
In terms of income, tattoo artists vary as widely as any other field. Typically, tattoo artists are paid a percentage of the charge to the client- in other words, an artist takes home only part of the cost to the client. There are three "tiers" within the industry, as regards pay scale; contractor, employee, and owner/sole artist.
A contractor usually is paid a straight percentage of the cost of each tattoo. Shops vary widely in accounting methods and starting pay, but a typical beginning artist will take home 40-50% of the total. Of course, raises come along with experience and repeat clientele. An employee, on the other hand, has less overhead. While contractors usually provide all, or nearly all, of their own equipment, employees are often spared this cost. They are usually paid a lower percentage; often, they also must pay into the same things any regular business employee would- insurance, taxes, and IRAs included. A sole artist or shop owner is in the most profitable position, since they can reduce their overhead in various ways and keep all remaining profit.
Most beginning artists are near the poverty level- of course, this again varies depending on the artist's ability, location, and commitment to simply applying popular images. Although tattooing seems lucrative to many otherwise-starving artists, in reality it is difficult and demanding work done at average incomes with health risks not encountered in other workplaces.
The one perk that makes the field irresistible to some is the personal freedom it allows, in both appearance and personal quirks. Most clients expect their artist to be a bit eccentric, strange, and body-modified; this allows tattoo artists to be as bizarre (or as boring) as they choose. Many people will sacrifice higher income brackets for this freedom alone. Also, the hours are extremely flexible, within reason. Not many clients are shopping for tattoo art at eight AM, nor are they sober enough to be tattooed at three AM. Almost any other schedule is within reason. Given enough experience and a good attitude it is possible to work very limited hours and spend all that spare time fishing, or hiking, or painting, or simply not working.
One thing which affects tattoo artists' incomes nearly as much as experience and capability is willingness to perform mundane artwork. The majority of tattoo clientele either have a pre-existing design (which is usually drawn by a - very- amateur artist) or want something very similar to other tattoos they have seen. This presents a difficulty to many artists, who are interested in, and satisfied by, tattooing because it allows them artistic integrity.
Walking the fine line between satisfying a client's demand for mediocrity, and expressing something in a more aesthetically pleasing way, is one of the most infuriating and confusing aspects of the work. It is also one of the main reasons so many skilled artists earn less than they might. In my personal experience, simply making as many small improvements to a design as possible, without altering its basics, allows enough freedom to satisfy me while still making the client happy with the end result. It's easy for some tattoo "artist" to forget, too, that they are not performing "high art" or fine art, but are performing commissioned illustrations. The snobbery implied by insisting on too much freedom can become a bit ridiculous at times. Being aware that tattoos are illustrations, not paintings, can make a major difference in willingness and in customer relations.
The satisfaction to be gained from knowing that there are many people happily wearing your artwork permanently is more meaningful than the money to be earned tattooing. A reasonable income for a tattoo artist will support them and allow them enough savings to have a normal level of financial security. This again will vary from place to place and person to person.
A dedicated and experienced artist working full time, fifty weeks a year, can easily earn at least 50k. This routine usually leads to "burnout" for an artist with any level of skill and conscience before the year is over, unfortunately. Being tired or creatively drained can result in poor choices which harm the clientele and therefore lower the artist's future income. Taking less money and spending more time learning and relaxing helps in the long run, and the longer an artist works in this field, the more they can earn by the hour. Longevity in tattooing is difficult to attain. Those who have the best pay in this field are careful to pace themselves and be cautious with their time, and continue to work until they are ready for retirement.
