Paying an artist to create a design for tattoo use, not a specific tattoo artist

spottybananas

Hi there,

If this question goes against the rules in any way mods just delete it, but I hope it's ok.

I've been asked to design tattoos for some people based on some of my own artwork, they want me to make personalised ones for them to then take to a tattooist to get done. I'm just wondering if anyone who has perhaps done this in the past, commissioned a design NOT with the tattoo artist but to bring to the tattooist, is there some obvious way to price the work, or a general range? Usually art being purchased would be printed, framed, etc, but this can literally just be attached as a document or even sent as just a photo from a phone as they're not complicated coloured designs, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to price it.

I did ask in a local tattoo place but the guy didn't really get what I was asking, just kept telling me the cost of getting them to design and do a tattoo and that they won't copy someone else's tattoo (they would be one off drawings, not other people's tattoos).

Thanks for any help, if you could even point me in the direction of an artist that you know of who does tattoo designs as part of a larger creative business that would help!

intheclouds

Im not really sure why you would want to do this?

Star Lord

My first tattoo was from a pic I found online on Deviantart. Asked the artist for permission to use it for a tattoo, and they said to go ahead, all they'd ask is that I send them a pic of the finished tattoo.

Commissioning something to be designed is different. I'd say it doesn't matter what form the final thing will take, if you're being commissioned to design something, that's it. So price as if you're commissioned to design a digital image.

spottybananas

intheclouds wrote: »

Im not really sure why you would want to do this?

Because people have been asking me to create designs for them, and offering to pay me, and I have absolutely no idea how to charge but as I already work in a self employed creative business I'm not about to turn down an opportunity to explore another avenue. There's actually a lot more that I'm being asked to do in terms of the designs but this is one of them, the others I can work out pricing for myself, but not this. So I asked for help, is there something inherently wrong with this that I'm missing?

spottybananas

Star Lord wrote: »

My first tattoo was from a pic I found online on Deviantart. Asked the artist for permission to use it for a tattoo, and they said to go ahead, all they'd ask is that I send them a pic of the finished tattoo.

Commissioning something to be designed is different. I'd say it doesn't matter what form the final thing will take, if you're being commissioned to design something, that's it. So price as if you're commissioned to design a digital image.

Thanks for your reply. Digital images is another aspect I've been asked to do, my current business while creative is in a totally different area so I don't usually design any kind of images, sorry if this is annoyingly vague. I'm in the process of pricing the digital image option so maybe I'll just concentrate on that for now and go from there to price them. Thanks again.

Austmcc

To be honest I don't see a problem with this. For the person getting the tattoo, its is the same as going in with a pic or drawing and asking them to copy it, and the price they get charged will probably be per hour it takes to get done. I have a few friends who do things like this (draw out their own tattoos and then go into a tattoo studio with the design). The main thing is to not be completely stuck on the drawing cause what works on paper may not work well on whatever body part.

As for how much you charge for your design, it is your artwork so regardless of what the other person will do with it after they buy it, be that hang it on a wall, or get it tattooed, thats their prerogative. So if it was my drawing I'd sell it to the individual at a similar price point to your other paintings/sketches etc (if thats what you do). or price it accordingly to hours spent, or something along those lines.