sidejobs

i just finished an apprenticeship an started tattooing full time at a shop but ill do tattoos on the side at my house with my own clientel now the shop owner says its stealing from the shop but i dont take the shops clientel. and ive asked other shops some said they dont give a shit what you do on your free time and some feel that hes right all tattoos should be done at the shop. what do you guys think.

I'm curious what the artists here will have to say. I've often wondered about it. I don't blame any boss who expects all tattooing to be done in the shop. But artists always tend to "make friends" who expect something for nothing (or very little). But it's not really fair to expect to do free or discounted tattoos in a shop setting either. From the shop owners perspective, I think you are stealing from the shop either way. Not to mention that many people in the industry simply frown upon tattooing from home. And although it's hard, I think you need to draw a line very early and be firm about charging for your work, where ever you do it from. This may be a naive suggestion but I'll mention it anyway. Do all your tattoos at the shop, this will make the boss happy. (wouldn't you rather have a job than work from home?). Charge your personal clientele for whatever cut the boss makes and give him all the money. (your clients still get a huge discount, boss still makes money) You may lose out but you get to keep your job, please your clients, always tattoo from a professional setting AND, while you have to eat the cost, you'll be honing your skills. I could be wayyy of here. Again, I'm interested in what others will have to say.

First of all tattooing out of your house is irresponsible and a great way to earn a horrible reputation. It's in poor taste to bring clients to your house rather than the shop you work at for a number of reasons. I highly doubt the area you're tattooing out of in your house is close to as sterile as it should be, and it likely a huge health risk for your clients and yourself. Also, the shop you work at took the time and money to apprentice you, by taking clients to your house your not supporting the business that supported you, and potentially hurting the overall reputation of the shop. You may not be "stealing" the shops clients, but rather than suggesting to your friends, or whoever your tattooing out of your home, that they should come to the shop to get tattooed, I assume you're telling them they can get tattooed cheaper at your house. It's insulting and rude to the people who have taken the time to teach you. I would stop immediately before you ruin your relationship with other shop employees or lose your job. A few extra bucks from tattooing at home isn't worth throwing everything else away.

First of all tattooing out of your house is irresponsible and a great way to earn a horrible reputation. It's in poor taste to bring clients to your house rather than the shop you work at for a number of reasons. I highly doubt the area you're tattooing out of in your house is close to as sterile as it should be, and it likely a huge health risk for your clients and yourself. Also, the shop you work at took the time and money to apprentice you, by taking clients to your house your not supporting the business that supported you, and potentially hurting the overall reputation of the shop. You may not be "stealing" the shops clients, but rather than suggesting to your friends, or whoever your tattooing out of your home, that they should come to the shop to get tattooed, I assume you're telling them they can get tattooed cheaper at your house. It's insulting and rude to the people who have taken the time to teach you. I would stop immediately before you ruin your relationship with other shop employees or lose your job. A few extra bucks from tattooing at home isn't worth throwing everything else away.

I own my shop and I have had problems in the past as well. It starts out as a feeling as though I should say something and then i try to think of how does it really affect me. After all the thinking I can tell you "yeah it makes me angry"! I am sinking all my money into the shop but more importantly YOU. I make my shop about my guys. I advertise for them, help them with personal issues and money and if they want to go and do stuff at home it is insulting. If the bills don't get paid you won't either. An artist has to think of their permit to tattoo as a CDL driver does of his. You dont go out drinking and driving if you really value your career. I certainly think if you know you could lose your permit because you are operating away from the permitted facility and you do it anyway you should be fired. I will let the guys do trade work as long as there is something in it for me. Otherwise I should just pay them a set salary!??? You will always meet people that want something for nothing but you have to know that you CAN get blood from a turnip if you squeeze hard enough. It may come from your hand though.(give to get) As the other comment said do it for the owners %. The fruit of your labor is your portfolio and so sometimes you have to do it cheap or free so you can do it your way. Just remember that when they leave you are still supported by the owner not the client so make sure he is happy and you will have more clients.

When you are employed at a shop, you tattoo at the shop.. any outside work should be considered a conflict of interest. If they aren't clientelle of the shop you are working at then.. why not make them clientelle? If you show your loyalty the studio will not only be more confident in you but also gain clients. If you tattoo outside the shop without consent you may as well spit on your mentor. They apprenticed you so you could carry some of the work load and add too it.. not take your own clients in your own time.. even if it is for free. My suggestion would be to listen to your boss and respect the decision.. or don't expect any respect in return.

Talk to your shop owner. They should be more than happy to work out something that makes everyone happy. One or two friends i have i would tattoo for next to nothing because they are long time friends of mine, and we would do something i was really into, and i just wanted to do it for them. They had two choices. They would come while i was working, and pay me half of the normal rate, and i would give all that money to the shop, so the shop wasnt losing any money. OR. I would stay late on sundays, when the shop closed at 6, and tattoo them after hours for 40bucks. I would take half to cover my cost of materials, and put the other half in the shops register for letting me have the shop open...and using the heat, power, water, paper towels, and such things that the shop provided. The owners had no problems, didnt lose money or potentially lose money by my friend taking up time a paying customer could have. At that shop, my room was used on my days off by our part time artist. At my new shop there are four artist and four rooms. Im allowed to tattoo my close friends/girlfriend or people on the barter system on my days off, since my room isnt being used. And dont get too open about doing this for many people. I do this for one or two of my closer friends, my girlfriend if its serious and long term, or someone that can do something to trade(like a mechanic that would rather have a tattoo to fix my car than cash). People who just dont want to pay full price for a nice tattoo, dont get tattooed by me. Its that simple. Good work cost what it does for a reason(or many). Dont tattoo outside of the shop. Its just bad news in all but a very select few situations. Your a professional? Be professional.

if youre at a shop and bootlegging on the side in the samr town and not giving th percentage to your boss you are a thief. you should be out of the shop. i have clients out of state that i need to see and sometimes i go to them and we ink out of there house but im out of state and ok with boss. NOT IN TOWN that had best be done at the shop.tattoo out of your home shop while there youre on the road thats different.bad choice here learn the meaning for RESPECT.MY FRIEND.you are loosing it by stealing from your boss.

You are an artist, your skills/ tallent is yours and you can do what you choose whit them. Once you walk out that door you are a free man, and It's you own falt if you choose to let your boss run lour life.. Keep Rockin!

respect. respect and more respect is needed. more to this than thinking ya can ling ink and youre a fucking rock star at it. enough said