Being A Tattoo Artist Is Tough, And Here Are 43 Times They Had To Deal With Delulu Clients

It’s vital that you know and enforce healthy boundaries at work, no matter your profession. If a client’s demands genuinely make you uncomfortable, go against your values, or are outright dumb, you have to speak up. You’ll only regret it if you don’t.

Sometimes, your customers might not be aware that their ideas are insensitive or risky. They might lack life experience or basic context. You can inform them, warning them that, in your opinion, as a professional, they’d be making a huge mistake.

As ‘10 Masters’ explains, tattoo artists need to be comfortable with the work that they do because it’s their reputation that’s on the line. You don’t have to try to please every single customer.

It’s by saying ‘no’ and having boundaries that you define your values. Some designs might be offensive or hateful. Meanwhile, other designs might be so complex or in such high-risk body areas that you don’t (yet) have the skills to do them well.

According to ‘10 Masters,’ you should be honest and kind with your clients. Explain your position as clearly and politely as possible. For instance, you could gently reject them with: “I appreciate you considering me for your tattoo, but after reviewing the design, I don't think I can figure it out in the best way.”

Furthermore, you can then point out that you, the artist, and they, the client, need to share the artistic vision. If you don’t feel enthusiastic about the design, the end result might be a far cry from what they wanted.

If the design is outside your wheelhouse, niche, or style you focus on, you could always point your customer toward another artist you respect and can vouch for.

‘Business Insider’ notes that clients who come to tattoo parlors should treat the space and the artists respectfully.

“Oftentimes, a client comes into the shop and treats it with a weird level of disrespect that they would not normally do at any other place of business. I would encourage clients to treat their shops with the same kind of respect that you would treat a bank, a clothing store, or a restaurant,” tattoo artist Jordanne Le Fae told BI.

What’s more, basic etiquette demands that you avoid touching the items and surfaces in the parlor. The environment needs to be sterile to reduce the risk of contamination.

When it comes to pricing, it’s bad form to try to haggle over the price of the designs. Have some respect for the artists.

“You would not go into a clothing store and suggest that they lower the price of the jeans you want, so do not go into a tattoo shop and ask your artist to lower the price of the tattoo. It is insulting to your artist and it can result in your artist refusing to tattoo you,” Le Fae explained to BI.

Who's the most entitled and delulu person you’ve ever witnessed crossing the threshold of a tattoo parlor? How did you deal with them, as a tattoo artist, and how did they react?

Meanwhile, what’s the weirdest, dumbest tattoo you’ve ever seen someone brag about getting? Share your experiences in the comments, at the very bottom of this post. We can’t wait to read them!