Confused..In need of an answer

I've been apprenticing for a little over 3 months now. Today I finally got him (my teacher) to do some new work on ME. This was after being told he'd work on me the second week I was there, and just about every week since then. He told me one of the perks of being an apprentice was, I got "free tattoo's", all I had to do was tip out the artist(Him). Of course this sounded great to me. My problem was being new in this indusrty, what a sufficient tip was. I didn't want to insult him. I'm sure this varies widely from artist to artist, and different areas. So being clueless, one day I asked what was an acceptable tip. The answer I got was apparently for a paying customer, (5-20%). Not knowing the cost of my "free ink" I figured it on what a paying customer would have been charged for what I had done, around $150.00 (and had a 20% or 30.00 tip ready) He said that was insulting......hell I didn't know!! He said that when he visits other artist for a "free tattoo" that it's customary and generally a good idea, to tip them out $100.00. That makes the whole "free" part, not seem so grand anymore. Is this true, or is my naiveness being taken advantage of because he's been slow and in need of some quick cash.....at my expense? I'd like to know as I made a trip to the ATM for the rest of the 100. Someone clue me in to the ways of the tattoo world?! Thanks in advance.

Aaaahh, the mysterious ways of the tattoo artist world. Okay, enough of the exaggeration. I look at tips at different levels. 1) when dining out, I tip 20% for a waitress to bring food to my wife and myself, including drinks and good service. 2) when at a bar, I tip $1 for a beer , which equates to roughly 33% just for opening the cap (which I usually have a bottle opener handy just for that, but hey, it's their job) 3) when getting tattooed, I try to have at least $50 for a tip ($100 if it's an awesome job) just for the simple fact that they did a piece of art on my body that not only took more than a few hours, but IT IS A PERMANANT PIECE OF ART! However, the scenario that you brought up sounds somewhat fishy (hope you didn't get a koi, if so, no pun intended) about the manditory tip for art that is supposedly owed to you, but as they say, there's 3 sides to every story, yours, the other guys, and the truth. I'm not saying you're lying, just exploring the possibility of a misunderstanding. How much do you respect your mentor? If their work is worth it, it's always good to have at least enough to cover the tattoo handy just to be safe. I know if I was hanging around Hope Gallery, and Joe Capobianco just decided to ink me up for free, (cuz, you know, his schedule is open like that) I'd make damn sure I had enough cash to cover the tattoo on me, free or not, the tip in that sense should at least cover the artists time. However, if your mentor is some shmuck who not only tattoos, but has cock fighting in the basement and has a discount lima bean franchise that you're just following hoping to get into the trade, well, his work is only worth what you the client feels it is, know what I mean?

Thanks for the reply. It wasn't "owed to me", it was explained, by him, when I started my appreticeship, that one of my "perks" would be I'd get worked on for free. I've recieved differences of opinions on this topic on several different forums, mostly the concensus is that free should be free. There are some that say artists who work on one another, don't tip one another, and others that say it's an acceptable practice. So basically, I'm still unsure of an "industry standard". I'm not sniveling nor am I against tipping an artist for their time, but 100.00, didn't seem to be much of a free tattoo. Just my .02. As far as his work....I've not seen anything in my three months that has, what I'd say, blown me away. He's an alright artist, I've seen much better AND much worse, average at best. The piece he did on me was an original piece I designed for a cover up. Actually it was the second piece I designed, but he didn't seem to want to attempt to tackle or confident enough in my first idea. Maybe that was the cause for the Long delay, I don't know. I'm not stretching the truth, simply laying out the facts as I see them to be, and looking for an answer. It took him, counting cigarette breaks, personal phone calls, and him having me get up and help customers that walked in while I was being worked on, just under three hours. He did 95% of the work, then got up and an old artist of his that was sitting in there the whole time B.S.'ing with him while he was working on me, finish the rest. I was relieved when he did, the guy that finished me, was so much lighter handed, I actually couldn't tell if he was doing anything if I hadn't been watching him. I have repeatedly heard how things have been slow lately and he really needed to make some cash, just hoping I wasn't being taken. I may have to think twice, before getting my next "free perk", if I'm going to end up paying, I'm going to seek out someone more gifted and dedicated to the love of the art, than someone who's just in it for the quick buck!

Hey look....I have been tattooing for over30 years and have done hundreds of freebies on my fellow artists including apprentices and have had my share of freebies....I have never EVER known any stand up artist to do a freebie and then expect (in your case demand) a tip.Tips are great they show respect for the artist and his/her work but never feel as if you have to tip! In my studios the sign on the wall says "If you liked our work the only tips we ask for are you showing your work with pride (and saying who did it. Now if you are actually apprenticing under this guy... well in my shop an apprentice is just another member of the family...would you make you brother or sister tip you? Tips are NEVER demanded!...Taz

I was confused about the tipping thing, because as of yet, I don't do work on him or anyone else, just fruit for the next three months is what I'm allowed, until I've reached six months. I've got a bunch of people already asking me to ink them, but I thought with an apprenticeship under my belt I'd have a better understanding of the proper methods and precautions. I'm paying my mentor 1500.00 for six months, and when that's up another 1500.00 for the last six months. I'm seriously having second thoughts, not about wanting to tattoo, but forking over another wad of cash to someone that seems half hearted about teaching me, and in my professional opinion (coming from a management background), most of the time, run's his shop, half assed at best. As for my responsibilities there, I open the shop daily, he saunters in when he "feels" like it, I clean the shop, tubes, bars, make needles, do 99% of all custom artwork, make all stencils, prep and stencil customers, set up and tear down his work area, run errands, pick up food and his kids, and close up for the evening. I'm not bitching though, don't get me wrong. I love what I do, and know I'm to be treated like a piece of crap to prove my worthiness and commitment. I don't have a problem with that. Just the lakadasical way the business is run and the absense of commitment on his part. I guess I should have researched him and his business a bit better before I committed and handed over my money. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me!!