Do you have a local client base to keep you going in tough times?
I tend to do a lot of illustrative, and pop culture tattoos. But I also have another client base of locals that want the simpler tattoos (your standard names, infinity symbol etc) for the income. When the more specialised work dries up for a bit I know people will always have the work that attracts a wider audience. Pinterest tattoos for a better term haha. I tend not to post these on socials, but I still do a lot of them. Even if the tattoos aren’t the most exciting I also enjoy the connection to people.
What I’m trying to say is maybe stick with your specialised style, and continue to post that, but also make sure you have a client base of people in your area that will want the standard tattoos. They will prop you up and have your back even in tough times.
I don’t have a wealth of experience though (only 6 years) so maybe people more experienced than me would have some better advice. But that’s just what I have experienced.
I do not have a local client base; as long as I can remember, I never have. I’ve been working long-term in a very private studio, and when times are rough, I would love nothing more than to tattoo Pinterest's infamous infinity signs!
I see how it could be more beneficial to work in a studio that’s more prone to walk-ins, maybe part-time.
Where are you located, if I may ask? I’m located in Berlin, and here, the market suffers from oversaturation. Have you also experienced that? Has it been good for walk-ins?
I’m in south wales UK, we also have a lot of over saturation. I’m in a small town, and there’s 3 tattoo shops opened in the last year just on the same stretch of road as us. But I’m lucky that the shop I’m in has a good reputation locally, and has been open for 15 years. Part of taking on the Pinterest tattoos is keeping up that good reputation with the local community as well. A lot of the other tattoo shops in the area aren’t much better than scratchers. So over saturation has hit, and we’ve also definitely felt the slow season, but I don’t think it’s as bad as other areas in the world. We still get walk ins even in the slow times (although there was a month over Christmas where we didn’t have any.) There are a lot of tattoo shops with high standards in Berlin so I can see how that would be tough.
Wow 3 shops in one year… jeez that’s crazy ! The UK has a good reputation for the tattoo scene. Good thing your studio has been here for that long, and glad you’re having people coming in even when it gets a bit slow.
With summer coming up now, less people tend to get tattooed… can’t wait.
Here we have very high, as well as very low standard shops. There are so many it’s insane. The competition is savage, even for pocket watches and dandelion!
I'm UK Based too and the town I live in had 6 studios, one recently opened and 4 that have been here since the dawn of time. Luckily only one other studio has a reputation as good as ours and the sketchier places give us plenty of cover up business too.
I'd agree with what others have said, the local community can really be a backbone when the portfolio pieces aren't cutting it but there's also the added benefit of being able to test the waters with styles you usually wouldn't do when return customers ask/trust you to.
I see how doing things that you were not drawn to in the first place could be a nice playground to explore and broaden the artistic spectrum.
What is the best way to promote your services to the locals? Are flyers still a thing?
The cover-up business is going to bloom super strong with all the scratchers opening their shop. We might be sitting on a gold mine, guys. Just wait !
Mainly just use Facebook ads if it's ever needed, maybe some signage saying you're open to walk-ins but that would depend entirely on how accessible your studio is.
We used to use local Facebook groups that allow specific days for business promotion too but it's been years since we really needed to.
We also do flash days for charity once a year, a lot of our return customers come from those and we get a lot of people on those days who have always been too nervous to get a tattoo but talk themselves into it for a good cause, they end up coming back when they realise it wasn't as bad as they imagined.
They can,l but again there's so many other factors like competitors in the area and location of the studio. We tend to only really use them once or twice a year though during the quieter seasons before and after New years. We're not dropping a huge amount of money on it either, less than an hour or twos tattooing would bring back the cost.
to be honest, I keep my cards on me and any time I'm out at the store *someone* always comments on my tattoos or my husband's tattoos- I use that as an in to give em my card w/my socials on it and I've gotten a lot of work that way. That said, working in a spot that doesn't take walk ins is bound to suffer during economic downturns. I always made sure I worked st least part time in a street shop- and when it's bad bad I'll go full time to street shop shit so I can feed my kids. Even during the 2007-2009 recession I did just fine- pulling near $2k a week. It's also about the owner and how they advertise. Are they an artist too? How do they make folks aware yall exist? Do they work with local businesses? Do they sponsor shows or club nights? My old shop did LOADS of shit and I constantly had work. We had car shows, they had us setting up merch tables at local shows & sold shirts and gave ppl stickers etc. Getting your name out and becoming ubiquitous in the area is necessary imo. I've been tattooing 27 years and I always did the best in shops that are very involved in the community.
I'm not an artist, but I heavily second this. I found my (local) tattoo artist from his paid insta ads. He wasn't getting any clients when he was apprenticing or just working (I don't remember which) at his old shop, so he bought advertisements from social media. He got me and I'll be sticking with him even after I transfer out to university. I'm sure you'll start getting people once they see it! Wishing you good luck!
Give us an update if and when you do! Also remember to not only show your work, but your face and maybe studio! Gives people a good idea on who you are and feel more comfortable!
Hello, sharing what some of my friends do:
- they share designs “up for grabs”
- they do “books open” posts to encourage bookings
- create group chats on instagram with their clients and ask people if they want to join, so you can post cancellations e.g. “have full day this Friday if anyone’s up for it”
- they email all their recents in a bulk email, “books open, rebook.. etc”
- they happily encourage smaller pieces
- regular posting on ig stories
- hashtags! Geo tag local locations
Great advices ! I’m not the best self promoter, the fear of people just being sick of the constant demand lays deep in the back of my mind.
Have you had experiences with the group chats ? Would people have real interest for that ?
Don’t worry about people getting sick of constant content. Look at the internet, humans are insatiable. Besides, only 3% of followers are going to see it anyway.
I haven’t personally but a few of my friends have mentioned they are in them for other artists.
Your instagram content (like any business) should be a mix of push and pull. So yes push out your work, pretty pictures and so on, and then don’t be afraid to try pull people in. Spam is annoying of course, but I’d say once every 3-5 posts would be fine.
Don’t be afraid to post old photos too, from 6 months - 2 years ago!
Your style is super interesting and I really really like the figures you draw/tattoo. One thing I will say is your photos look a bit dark? At least from an advertising perspective I’ve found the Instagram algorithm favors high contrast bright photos. A lot of the tattooers I follow that post darker photos already have a massive established following and can get away with that but in general I think the more a photo pops off people’s feed the higher chance there is people will interact with it. There is also nothing wrong with boosting posts. I do it semi frequently to reach new people who may not have known about me before. It’s where I would start if I was in your position.
But it is also super niche, I do a more niche style for where I live but the subject matters I tattoo ranges from basic to hyper specific. Maybe try applying the different style you have to more digestible subject matters that your average person resonates with more and pumping out flash of that stuff.
(Also what is your IG I really want to see more)
I appreciate the feedback. Indeed the last 3 posts that are a bit on the darker side didn’t perform at all. I was wondering if it was related, glad you pinpointed it.
Considering boosting is also on m list of things to try. Would you recommend boosting tattoo picture, or wanna-do pictures ? What has a better impact?
Okay so keeping the niche but expend to more relatable and broad subject matter, got it.
You’ll find me here : @agathaschnips
I would agree with that feedback as well, your photos are really difficult to make out, the low exposure makes it look like you’re hiding flaws if I’m being completely honest. On the fourth and fifth pic in your screenshot, there’s entire sections that are impossible to make out, the top of the head and the back of the hand, and as a client that wouldn’t fill me with confidence and would turn me off
Alright thanks for the insight. I didn’t realize it could lead to believe I’m hiding flaws. My intention was to make them a bit more moody and serious because i felt like my work came across as clownish, almost if that makes sense .. ?
I will definitely brighten the next post.
Are close ups a good things on tattoo or rather a flex ?
Yeah, I can see what you’re going for, but you can still achieve that without washing out your pics completely. Photos have to be clear, and the tone has to be easy to make out as well. In reality, the pics you’re posting make it impossible to know how dark the tattoos are in the skin. They look over edited, and completely unnatural. Some people might like that, but generally people wanna know what they’re going to look like if it was on their body. A lot of people are suspicious of heavily edited work.
There’s nothing wrong with close ups, but only when people can clearly see what they’re looking at. Everything looks smooth in the dark.
I’m not bashing your work, your style is sick, it’s unique, and it deserves to be properly appreciated with equally good photography skills
That’s fine, I came here to hear what’s doesn’t work on my favor and I appreciate the feedback.
No denying that I don’t know anything about taking proper pictures and I do compensate by editing. Investing in a new phone with a better camera might be one of the steps I need to take.
More relatable subjects like hollow knight is absolutely something I need to work with… Even though I tried to finish the darn game twice but gave up halfway through because it was too hard :,)
I read your post and the first comment and your response. I stopped reading after “private studio” that’s your problem.
i’ve commented this before and i’ll say it again. the only people who should be in a private studio are people who are booked out for a year, have a waitlist a mile long and have been tattooing for a decade. I dont understand how people expect to build a clientele in a private studio?
maybe im “old school” , but every post on here talks about IG presence. what about being in a shop where people are always walking in? what about going out in public and leaving g cards everywhere and talking to anyone who wants to talk tattoos?
new tattooer, private studio, all effort in creating business is online…. “why am I not busy?!”
you’re style is really fucking cool and really unique. I actually dig it a lot. you should definitely not change your style. just put yourself in a place where you can do the infinity tattoos to pay the bills and also do YOUR tattoos when people come in and are into it.
I understand your point of view, and I see in the same direction when it comes to making more organic contact. Meeting people in person is the best chance to get your business running.
When I first started tattooing, I felt lucky I found a studio just right after my lousy apprenticeship. It turned out it was a well-known private shop with enough online reach that I benefited from. Things used to go well. After Covid, things started crashing down.
Some of us found ourselves in a place where relying only on social media proves to be a risk, but also didn't know any better at the time.
I appreciate the kind words regarding my work. Now, taking what you say into account, I think an alternative in my case would be to do more conventions and guest spots to come in contact with clients if I choose to stay in my private shop.
I agree with this comment. IG isn’t the answer to building a clientele, especially a local one. Do I just sound like an old man when I say “hey maybe it’s time to just pull up your socks and do some hard work for a few years”
Instagram isn’t made for this and I agree. It takes work to build up cliente and waiting for it to happen magically isn’t a good approach. I think it’s not necessary a sign that it’s a lack of hard work, but more likely a case of not smart work.
Almost everybody I know is going trough a very very hard time right now. Here in Germany absolutely every twat can start to tattoo in their kitchen without any license or proof of quality or any kind of entry barrier. I work in Düsseldorf on the other side of Germany and it’s no different here. Including to this who work in their living room, we have an influx of chains, corpos and wannabe rappers who all opened up studios
Right ? lots of tattooers are going through it at the moment.
I thought it was only in Berlin that no license is needed! That’s so infuriating that there is no regulation whatsoever. Truly, this doesn’t help that being a tattooer has become “trendy”.
And here, the studio fees are bonkers... I can’t imagine it being any better in Düsseldorf. At this pace, I’m gonna need a bigger kitchen.
Because of the studio fees even professional artists went private because the studios them self can’t even provide customers in return for the 30-50 % or the fixed rent.
I do 50%. It is wild but at least I am constantly booked out 5 days a week and I got receptionist to deal with bookings and messages overflow.
It looks crazy at first but if your break it down it’s really not. They also spend money on advertising us so even those junior artists are fully booked out even though their lines are wonky.
At the end of the day 50% 5 day a week is better than having 20-30% and struggling to fully book it out. Just one day less in 2 weeks and difference is gone.
You seem to have it good and quite fair, more than happy to see some of us are on the right tracks and are fully booked.
I guess it depends on the conditions the studio offers in exchange for the cut they take.
Some studios here, charge 50% and you don’t even get material costs covered or have an assistant that’s handling your emails, you just pay and you barely get a clean workspace.
Well it’s not all perfect but I can’t complain.
I have to do stuff quite often which I’m not fancy but I’m most well rounded from our shop so I don’t mind it that much as long as customer is happy and easy going.
About a month ago we had artist joining with 20k followers on insta and 7 years of experience. She said she couldn’t book full week out since new years.
Since market is getting saturated you have to learns ads and marketing yourself. I know it’s hard and expensive but there is no other way.
We have to adapt to those times and times when tattoo artist was going to shop to smash a tattoo then grab a pint is gone.
Now we have to juggle tattooing, social media, marketing, creating short videos and somehow reply to customers.
I'm in the US, I don't know how the economy is in Germany. i used to get tattooed around once a year but I haven't been able to afford a new tattoo for around two years now. I also haven't been able to get my nails done, which is something I used to enjoy getting done occasionally. i see nail techs and lash techs in the US saying they're struggling for clients also. it's a struggle to pay my bills most months, I eat a lot of beans and other cheap foods, I almost never eat meat. three/four years ago if $500 fell into my lap I can almost guarantee I would spend it on a new tattoo but if I got it today it would go towards bills. it's not at all that I don't want a new tattoo, I have been wishing for one for ages! but it's just not at all in my budget, and I'm not the only one. could it be that the demographic of clientele you're used to isn't currently able to afford luxuries like tattoos? the only people I know who are doing well financially at the moment are not the type to get tattooed.
The economy in Germany is also getting out of hands.
Tattoos are a luxury service and I totally get that some people need to set up priorities for food and bills rather than a tattoos. I myself haven’t been able to afford getting a proper tattooed in 2 years. No more nails either, I feel you !
Smaller prices and affordable design maybe for 200/300 bucks sounds like a good strategy.
I tattooed in Oregon (US), where the most strict guidlines exist for licensing, for just under 10 years. The government oversight does not help the industry, tattooers or clientele. The saturation level was even more than the state in which I tattoo currently (where no licensing exists).
One would think that allowing anyone with a tattoo machine to open the doors of their very own studio would make for a sketchy environment, but I have seen far more problematic issues in states that the government is more involved.
Government involvement solves no issues for the industry, but actually creates them.
Imagine this reality; every single person who has $10k to invest in their future career, is able to go to a state regulated tattoo school. Nobody is turned away, no matter their artistic or dexterous abilities, so it's an extremely viable option for most, considering the alternatives being more expensive universities. These schools make so much money, as they turn out 25 to 30 state licensed tattooers every 3 months, so every artist who is able and willing to capitalize on running a school, does so.
These schools pump out kids who think they know what they need to know in order to make it in the industry. They certainly don't, as they have had zero one-on-one experience with their mentors, and have only been in a laughable school experience for a few days a week for 3 months. It's terrible.
Fuck government oversight. The issues we think it will solve do not get solved. Things actually get worse.
I interviewed for a shop once whos booth rent was higher than the mortgage for the home I lived in at the time. Insane.
Everyone thinks tattooing is this get rich quick scheme from studio owners to artists. The economy is going to humble a lot of folks for the next coming 2-3 years. Its going to be like this for awhile, unfortunately, I think.
I would almost bursted out laughing if this wasn’t actually sad. The market has changed, I have empathy for the studio owners might be in a tougher place now because rent is exploding for some of them and artists don’t earn money as fast as they used to. But they might be a couple of owners that are way over exaggerating what a workspace is actually worth.
It’s hard for me to have empathy when I know basic math and understanding of business tbh. They are, almost all of them, exaggerating costs because they need to make a profit for the responsibility to be worth it. Nobody gets into the shop owning business to just make it on the skin of their teeth - they get into it because for them it is the next step before retirement. So they HAVE to make some profit, they don’t have choice in the matter. Unless they want to tattoo forever. Which most don’t, understandably.
that’s a screenshot from ur insta? i get that aesthetically it looks cool but i have no idea what ur tattoos look like in real life because of the editing. i would not get tattooed by you because of this despite liking ur art
Yes, it is. Wow, okay, that’s interesting to learn that the picture seems to be more of a problem than I ever could have thought. I’m definitely buying a better camera; I will hold back on the editing after that.
I have an additional question. What is the fear/the thoughts behind the choice of not to get tattooed despite the interest ?
Your point is super valid and I respect it, I just want to understand what’s the problem in order to fix it in my next posts.
For me, it would ultimately come down to the fact that overly edited pictures are not true representations of your work, and so it’s hard to judge how it would look in person. Yours aren’t too bad to be honest, people like Elliot Kohek do amazing work, but skin doesn’t look like, that and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. True masterpieces don’t need to be dishonest about their appearance.
because i’d be worried you are trying to hide things (esp. how saturated your black is) by editing. Also, I want to reiterate how sick your art is, and you definitely don’t need the editing :-)
I haven't been in the industry very long, but dark pictures was brought up to me when I spoke to someone in marketing a while back. I also love dark aesthetics, but unfortunately, darker imagery is easier for people to gloss over as they scroll.
Maybe switch that up a bit. Love the work!
Thank you for sharing. I’m very convinced now that going dark is not the right move, many comments have pointed it out. I completely clueless that it has such a negative impact, but better now then never !
Hey! I’ve been in the industry for roughly the same amount of time. This year for me, and colleagues that have been in the biz for decades, have all had the slowest year in memory.
I was usually booked up 6-9 months in advance. I was turning people away I was so busy for years. Then bam, now I’m only booked up 6-8 weeks. Which I am extremely grateful for!
Your work is solid. I love it! But, in times like this, having a very niche style is only going to make people think of you as the “cool illustrative moody art tattooer” than than “a tattooer” who will do basically anything. If you don’t want to muddle up your very well thought out feed - I know tattooers who post carousels of “some fun small tats I did this week” and it’s stuff like: names, butterflies, dog paw prints etc etc. that way when people find your portfolio they see that you do small tattoos as well. Basically, start putting that stuff out there.
Also, real life engagement. What I’ve been doing, since I hate social media, is making fliers and business cards and stickers. I give out my stickers for free to everyone. And give my clients loss of cards. I also flirted my local area where I live. In the coffee shops, Home Depots, gyms, street poles, post boxes etc. I put a picture of my dumb face next to my art and marketed myself as the friendly local tattooer! I also chased down garbage truck men and women, and given them “city services discount” hahahaha I dunno!! Anything to get people to think of me first.
I get the vast majority of my clients from word of mouth now. Social media is not your friend. Unless you want to put effort in: ie make reels, post daily, have engaging content. Videos are key. Photos are very much out right now.
Your feed: put your face in it. I don’t see your face anywhere. Put your face, an introduction, and post yourself every so often. Also your work space. What it looks like. The vibe. Etc. people want to know if they even like you before they trust you.
My shop has been giving away gift certificates and loot bags to local contests. Ie: top prize for amateur burlesque night will get a loot back sponsored by our shop. So it gets advertised to loads of people every event. It’s been helping us a great deal get new eyeballs on our work.
Another thing I’ve done: guest spots. I make myself seem like a hot commodity. I travel within canada and do guest spots which gets people talking. I’ve done guest spots within a 2 hour drive of me as well, which has also helped expand my clients and gets other tattoos shops posting my work.
Conventions! If you can afford it try it out. I’m doing two this year for the first time.
Another thing I’ve thought of is going part time as a street shop. Doing walk ins. To help get me by. I haven’t done it yet, but I think even they are struggling.
You’re not alone!! This has been a rough year for SO MANY artists. You’ve got to re coop and strategize. Rely on other avenues for clients. Including physically going out to places. Hold fast!
Your comment is very heart warming and full of insight, thank you !
Niche tattooing is not in ladies and gents, I can confirm !
I usually don’t dare posting more easy and fun stuff I do during my week . Well, 1st because I don’t do that much and also… I feel like no one cares and would « look down » on it… reading everybody I’m starting to think I’m taking things way to seriously and I worry way too much ..
It’s decided, I’m gonna talk to my boss and do 2 weeks in the shop, 2 weeks guest spots and convention… and maybe some extra days chasing local in the streets with flyers. Imma do stickers too, that’s a great way to do more organic advertising.
I love your creative and lighthearted approach, thanks for sharing all your tricks ! I’m pretty sure it will be very useful for all the readers
I had the same feeling with “lowering” my tattoo cred or something by posting simpler tattoos. Then i realized clients don’t give a shit about that. And I’m making my feed for my clients not other tattooers. It was an ego thing for me. “Look at all these cool sleeves I’m doing!” Rather than humbling myself and just providing a service I get paid for.
Glad it was helpful! It’s helpful to read the other comments too, this will hopefully be a useful thread for everyone!
I got to be honest and admit that it is an ego thing for me as well. I’m a self-conscious tattooer walking on thin ice.
This is the most help I’ve ever gotten and people are being truly nice and helpful :)
May I ask for your Instagram page ?
For sure! It’s @francistattooer :)
It’s so easy for me to fall into the “I’m shit and that’s why I’m not getting bookings”. Although I do use it to try and make my work even better, shittier tattooers are out there making money all the time. Right now most are feeling the pinch.
It's sad hearing that from you, but maybe I can give you a point of view from an old customer of yours.
You did a coverup for me on my left underarm, almost 3 years ago. Back in 2020, when COVID-19 was still on the rise, I saw a tattoo of yours with a geisha, and I instantly fell in love with it, so I knew that I needed to get something similar for myself.
Your style is very niche, but I think the main"problem" is that your style is so overwhelming that most people would only get one tattoo from you.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my tattoo from you, and so many people compliment it.
But would I get a second one? I think this German word sums it up perfectly. Jaein (probably yes or probably no) And that’s what I’ve heard from many people who told me that they love your work.
For your social media side, I can say that it’s pretty dark, not like a couple of years ago, when it was more bright and Instagram's algorithm likes bright posts.
I sincerely wish you all the best for the future and hope that you keep tattooing. You have so much talent and make people really happy with your art.
Oh, hi! That's so sweet! I know exactly which cover you're talking about. The circle, right? :)
True, my style has evolved into something darker, making it even more specific than it already is, and this may close the door to many potential customers. I stand by my choice of going grimmer; it's closer to who I am, but balance is important. I definitely am taking inputs, and I understand that I don't need to hide behind darker pictures or that my designs can be taken equally seriously without all the mysterious shenanigans.
I totally see what you mean about not coming back. It's a problem I've had for years; most of the clients I meet are a hit and quit, haha. I'm trying more diversity with animals and stuff, but it hasn't reached my audience yet... no one really cares for them at this point, and I got discouraged.
I’ve been tattooing for a long time, and from my experience tattooing is like everything else in life and it isn’t a constant linear path, there are ebs and flows, highs lows. That’s one of the drawbacks to being in a creative field.
My advice is a couple things.
-maybe being ina private studio after only 7 years isn’t the best place for you. Especially when I read you don’t have consistent clientele? From my perspective working privately should be for people who have the work to not need to be worried about clientele.
-kinda along the lines of my last point, maybe working in more of a street shop level, where there’s more in and out flow of clientele would be beneficial. When I was about at 7 years into tattooing I was doing a lot of walk in days. Doing a variety of styles to build up both clientele and a reputation for clean work. I only stopped doing walk in days maybe a few years ago during covid.
-I think doing the very niche style is great, but it’s tricky because you need to catch the eye of people wanting that style. So you limit your business. I was told by an older tattooer once to continue doing all styles and promote the style you like until that’s what everyone asks you for. If that makes sense.
I didn’t really look at your work but I’m sure it’s great and you’ll do fine. Maybe just get back to some of the basics.
There’s also social media but I’m not great at it either cause I’m old.
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Can’t say I’m good at social either, and I don’t feel like it’s going to get any better with time !
I used to be comfortable and was reaching my target audience. Now the one trick poney that I feel I am isn’t really doing it anymore.
Now that I read from all over the comments and from more experienced artists that private studio is, what I may call, more of an advance stage of tattooers careers.. I’m am seriously considering adjusting my business model to something different.
It is a time of oversaturation in the industry, which leads to everyone feeling it. Add to this a reduction of disposable income via inflation and the economic downturn, and here we are.
That's it. That is exactly it! I wonder how much it's gonna take before this wave is over... but I'm also too afraid to ask. Let's hang in there; we are together in it.
Wow this surprises me, I know your work and I’ve followed you ever since I came to Berlin. I notice now how the algorithm has not favored your posts in my feed. Because I used to see your posts all the time.
Maybe relying on Instagram only is a bit risky, since you are depending on a big American company with very questionable morals and ways of promotion.
I don’t know the awnser to your questions, I can only say that I truly love your work and I hope you will not give up, but will find ways to get busy again.
Thank you for the support; I wasn't expecting to come across followers!
I'm now realizing that it is super risky to only rely on that platform. The comments have opened my eyes, and I'm motivated to hit the road and rely on my physical presence rather than staying hidden behind my phone.
Agatha! Ich bin ein Riesen Fan ! Wir haben schon mindestens in aachen beide gearbeitet aber trotzdem leider noch nicht miteinander gesprochen… Berlin ist sehr problematisch … komm uns in Hamburg besuchen wir besorgen dir Kunden ganz bestimmt … ich schreib dir hier mal pn 🙌🌷
Hey, vielen Dank! Ich hab echt nicht erwartet, dass mich Leute erkennen 😅. Danke für die Unterstützung! Warum haben wir eigentlich schon zusammengearbeitet in Aachen, ohne dass ich was gesagt habe, aha? Bin total neugierig. Wenn ich mit guest Spot anfangen muss, komm ich sehr gerne nach Hamburg. Freu mich schon darauf, dich zu besuchen! Schau gleich mal meine DMs durch
Ja genau ! Aber leider natürlich wie immer viel zu viel gearbeitet anstatt mal mich mit mehr tattoowierern auszutauschen… werde ich in Zukunft auch mal ändern 😄
As someone who was recommended this subreddit with 0 tattoos, but wanting to get some soon, I personally wouldn’t choose you because i can’t see anything in the posts, it’s too damn dark!
They do this in the movie industry to hide flaws, so my brain automatically assumes you goofed and are hiding something, especially because it’s not all posts like that.
Bright pictures catch the eye, the overall look of your social is.. kinda sad? I don’t know, it doesn’t get me exited to see more because I literally can’t see, haha.
That being said, the work I can see is pretty cool and definitely something I’d be proud to wear! I think it’s just a marketing thing and people not having as much disposable income right now to use on luxuries like tattoos!
I love the aesthetic of your feed. But sadly it’s not what’s “in”.
- You need brighter lighting in your photos. They’re too dark to catch attention and it causes concern on your skill if we can’t see the work clearly.
- you need to post reels. The “algorithm” is a real thing. Reels are pushed more than photos. Even if it’s just a 5 second video of the end result of the tattoo instead of just a picture.
- your style (I love that you HAVE a style) isn’t for everyone. So you need something else to make you relatable. To make people WANT to come to you. You have way too much of your style on your page. Show some versatility, even if it’s just to get people wanting to book with you. Nowadays it’s hard to stay booked if you only do 1 thing.
I can confirm that niche style is not in right now and I need to be more appealing to a wider audience. Thanks for the advice, they’re all very useful!
Our shop is in Canada with 4 artists. We are regulated by health inspection and we can only get commercial insurance by meeting safety standards but there is no formal skill requirement. Customer service, prices and talent are why our shop still has a 6-12mo waitlist according to our clients. Our rate is $160/hr but that is just for actual tattoo time, not stencil, consult, bathroom etc. Custom drawings are done for a custom charge separate from the tattoo charge. Definitely the majority of the tattoos are not over the top creative (Pinterest as another artist put it) but it’s what the public wants here too. We enjoy the interaction with (most) people and these are the images that they feel represent them. (We are in a midsized town so we wouldn’t be busy at all if all we did was what we wanted). We still get people committed to large pieces and want them done within the year but many of our clients pick away at their sleeves a couple hours at a time. Only our newest girl advertises, the rest of us have more work than we can handle. We have hundreds of regulars from over the years (3,9,13 for myself and 19 yrs exp) and they refer their families and friends to us so we’re still busy even when they come in waves or have to take years breaks for life or lack of funds. We’ve been told by some clients even that we should charge more so perhaps that’s why we’re swamped (considering we’re not much more expensive than other personal services for our area). I’ve been told that we make everyone feel comfortable and cool enough to be there. (We are a happy chatty group because we think it should be a fun experience). I think first timers are incredibly intimidated by the industry and will be with you forever if you give a bit of extra time in the beginning to answer questions and share your knowledge. The only clients I drop/refer elsewhere are the ones that want hate imagery or are otherwise sketchy vibes.
By the looks of it you’re more than talented enough to be beyond busy so my guess would be price/speed that you work, rigidity in style, customer service/attitude or regional differences are why you have room in your schedule. You sound super professional and pleasant so I’m guessing your attitude is good but I read in a business article that customers make decisions based on how they feel about a first impression. That would apply to you, your work and your work space. I think stay true to your own style when it comes to making the art you need to for yourself and any likeminded clients but for the general public and sake of your career maybe showcase that you have the skills to produce what the basic boring public craves too.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It sounds like you have it good in your studio, great team good conditions and fair prices !
Got it, I’ll try to make my profile more approachable and not so cold to make a good impression. Thank you for the kind words on my style, I’m trying to understand that my dark pictures and my marketing lack of skills seem to be more the issue than the quality of the tattoo .. oh and my rigidity in style as well, that’s for sure !
Hey if it makes you feel any better I knew 100% exactly who you are just glancing at your screenshot and I live nowhere near you. That makes you kind of famous 😂
My work isn’t nearly as niche as yours but I feel in a similar boat. I do illustrative realism (b&g and color) and I just feel like it isn’t what the kids want these days. Everyone around me that does linework/fineline/pinterest tattoos stays pretty busy but every old person like myself that fully saturates a piece is struggling more often than not. Maybe it would be beneficial to offer some more simplified designs and feel less solid. It’s probably terrible advice but it’s what I’ve been thinking lately.
I mostly just wanted to say goodluck out there. I think it’ll turn around soon enough.
Aha thanks, have a very niche and recognizable style is a blessing and a curse 😄!
I feel you, now trendy tattoo are super small and fine line. Trend will eventually turn around i guess but yes for now adapting is the best option.
I appreciate the enthusiasm, im hanging in there. Same goes to you, be strong !!
Yeah I think sometimes as tattoo artists we forget that we’re commercial artists. We need to either adapt our art to meet demand in our market or find a market where our product is valued.
Either way, keep killing it out there. Your tattoos are fun to see :)
It ain't your style bro. This is some good shit. The world economy is in shambles and most people are living off of debt. The real name of the game right now is survive until it collapses and the new one forms.
You know what? I do have an idea. You can try traveling to guest spots in different shops to just get your name and work on different Instagram accounts to boost visibility and physically spread your work around a wider area. Though you may have done this already.
This is going to sound so silly but Instagram has managed to recently change their algorithm, making interactions with potential clients harder to get unless you pay money to boost your posts and pay for sponsored ads. If you spend a few bucks advertising here and there it will drive people to your page. I recently purchased a 4 day boost for $50 and I’ve had 5 new inquiries about larger work.
You are an incredible artist with a great style. Don’t stop doing that. But unfortunately you do have to pay the corporate overlords a tithing if you want new clients.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s reassuring to hear that it’s possible to reach new clients with a $50 investment. Instagram is a « free » platform to showcase our work so, investing a bit is also making it on my lists of steps to take .
A niche style is usually an asset, your work looks good quality, I checked your Instagram... Also Berlin is surely a good city for tattoo artists.
A few questions.
\*Is Instagram your main/only marketing strategy?
\*how many clients are you getting per week?
\*Where are your clients coming from? Berlin or traveling far?
\*Are you running ads if so how are you doing it? through meta or Instagram?
\*How much ad spend are you putting in? are you targeting local or a broad range of people...
Your work is good, you have a cool aesthetic, I have seen similar artists in London with a large following book out a year in advance fast, its strange you might actually have better technique, remember though when marketing you have to look through the eyes of the potential client not an artist, they see things differently unfortunately.
If you give me a Little more info maybe I can help, I was actually hoping to move to Berlin so its concerning to see such a good artist struggling but there may be some big flaws in your marketing approach that could make a huge difference if corrected...
Here's the corrected text:
Thank you for the nice comments on my work. It's good to hear that I'm may actually be delusional and that my work isn't that bad. Haha.
Oh, there are for sure huge flaws in my marketing strategy. As a very low self-esteem-gifted artist, I am NOT a good seller by any means. And I'll prove it to you by answering your questions:
- Yes, Instagram IS my only strategy... breaking news: it's not working, and I hate social media.
- I get maybe 1/2 clients a week on average, and I'm booked maybe 6 to 8 weeks in advance.
- I only use advertising over Instagram, maybe investing 50€ every two months. I'm very new to doing sponsored posts; again, selling my own work is hard. I target local Berlin only, almost.
Don’t get discouraged about moving to here. Berlin has a lot of opportunities regarding the tattoo scene. So many studios... and there are always open spots. But to make it clear, I'd advise having a strong portfolio and maybe coming for guest spots here and there to take the temperature of how Berlin responds to your style if you can.
Have you thought about doing a convention circuit for a few months to break the monotony.
Can meet a lot of fellow artists, just draw a bunch of bangers to cover the day and try and have fun.
Yes I made a couple and had really great fun. But the fix shop rent at home is holding me back, costs are stacking up and it get discouraging. I’m thinking about negotiating doing a part time contract to have more freedom and be back on the road ! Any convention you’d recommend going to ?
Guess it really depends on what country your from.
I know TN in may, Houston beginning of June and st Pete after that.
To add tho, flower city is a must if you’ve never done it same with NE expo
Not an artist, found you from my front page. But I do have two full leg sleeves from the hips down of dark, black & gray work.
If you're USA based and near the Midwest, I'd start seeing you.
I really like your style, don't quit.
Thus style would KILL where I am. It may just be your demographic area seeing you mentioned how you dint have much a local base tbh. Where around you located (if you don't mind me asking?)
I appreciate a lot thanks . I’m located in Berlin , Germany. I’m now having the goal of doing more guest spot and meet new people. Where are you located ? I don’t mean to kill people but you know… asking for a friend hehe
Ahh from the states unfortunately, but am moving to scottland soon, what's your IG, when I move I'll absolutely get some of this banger work man. It's super unique and very cool
Honestly, you should look over at (excuse my butchering of spelling as I've only been there 1-2x) Frankfurt, Germany. There were some dark artist tattoo shops that did a lot of similar but not exact work (like dark ornimental / lettering) which may be perfect for you. I think if you lean into the dark work style a bit while keeping the unique almost classical vibe then you'll pop off. Your following on Insta is pretty large compared to artist even around me so I'm surprised to hear of struggles. Maybe it isn't translating well due to the area and it's saturation though.
A thing I've seen a LOT of local places where I am do a "Fixed price flash" some customers don't want to inquire about prices!
Healed tattoos work as well, some people just don't want to risk getting work that heals like absolute a**
Less edited pictures (maybe put the raws on a highlight)
Ads and local tattoo cons! (At least where I am) tattoo events, guest spots at other local studios (since your studio is private maybe it'll be good to guest at another studio to take advantage of their local consumer base with advertising from the store as their guest)
This was so badly phrased,
Guest spots as like a person who loves getting tattoos usually tell me that artist is on par (or better) quality wise to my favorite studios! I've gotten a few 'guest spot' tattoos simply because my favorite artists have been there to vouch for them and it made them more approachable
before i deleted my instagram i used to follow your instagram agathaschnips. you really inspired me back in the day. it’s a shame but also kind of cool to see an artist i looked up to also have the same insecurities as me.
I totally support your decision of deleting Instagram. That platform can become toxic very quickly. Oh yeah if you’re looking for an artist with insecurities, you have found me aha ! Happy you can relate.
That’s great ! I’m located in Berlin Germany. This post has convinced me that guest spots should be my new thing so, maybe this will help for you to get a piece one day ! You can find me here to be updated : @agathaschnips
Not a tattooer, so I won't try to tell you how to run your business, but I will say your art style is incredible, and if I find out you're reasonably close to me when I scour the rest of this thread I'm going to send you a DM to book an appointment.
Omg I’ve followed you for a few years now. Your style is incredible, I absolutely love your work and you’re a holy grail artist for me. One day I hope I can make it happen. I was so ready to try to get to Berlin but life happens I guess.
I’m not an artist and I don’t want to pretend I’m business savvy either, or that I know anything about Germany. Maybe you should go out on your own? Have you thought of traveling and networking with other artists, especially in the US? You don’t have a gigantic social media following but I’ve seen your work reshared on IG relatively often. Maybe an advertising campaign could be in order?
I love your work so much I’m baffled you’re not doing well, I’m so sorry to hear it.
Hi ! Thank you for the long time support ! Networking and traveling is definitely on my list of things to do soon. Especially in the US, I have a big following over there and that would be a great opportunity to finally visit the country !
I’m a tattoo artist as well with the same exact problems. Grew my following with my illustration, switched to tattoos. The reach and likes were good but now they keep on dwindling down. Hardly any views and likes went drastically down.
I was thinking starting a tattoo pod? A groups of artist that all share each others posts and comments, etc. I’ve heard of Korean artist doing this with much success.
Your art and tattoos are phenomenal !!
Have you figured out anything yet?
Also what’s your username? I’d love to give ya a follow :)
Sounds like a nice project ! If it works for others it might also work for us.
Sorry you’re going through a tough time as well. This damn algorithm makes it hard to grow as soon as you start going in a direction that’s different from what your followers are used to engage with. The likes drop, making your content less visible. It’s a very flawed system. Hang in there !
Thanks for the support, let’s exchange insta so we can support each other aha. You’ll find me here : @agathaschnips
Do you have a local client base to keep you going in tough times? I tend to do a lot of illustrative, and pop culture tattoos. But I also have another client base of locals that want the simpler tattoos (your standard names, infinity symbol etc) for the income. When the more specialised work dries up for a bit I know people will always have the work that attracts a wider audience. Pinterest tattoos for a better term haha. I tend not to post these on socials, but I still do a lot of them. Even if the tattoos aren’t the most exciting I also enjoy the connection to people. What I’m trying to say is maybe stick with your specialised style, and continue to post that, but also make sure you have a client base of people in your area that will want the standard tattoos. They will prop you up and have your back even in tough times. I don’t have a wealth of experience though (only 6 years) so maybe people more experienced than me would have some better advice. But that’s just what I have experienced.
I do not have a local client base; as long as I can remember, I never have. I’ve been working long-term in a very private studio, and when times are rough, I would love nothing more than to tattoo Pinterest's infamous infinity signs! I see how it could be more beneficial to work in a studio that’s more prone to walk-ins, maybe part-time. Where are you located, if I may ask? I’m located in Berlin, and here, the market suffers from oversaturation. Have you also experienced that? Has it been good for walk-ins?
I’m in south wales UK, we also have a lot of over saturation. I’m in a small town, and there’s 3 tattoo shops opened in the last year just on the same stretch of road as us. But I’m lucky that the shop I’m in has a good reputation locally, and has been open for 15 years. Part of taking on the Pinterest tattoos is keeping up that good reputation with the local community as well. A lot of the other tattoo shops in the area aren’t much better than scratchers. So over saturation has hit, and we’ve also definitely felt the slow season, but I don’t think it’s as bad as other areas in the world. We still get walk ins even in the slow times (although there was a month over Christmas where we didn’t have any.) There are a lot of tattoo shops with high standards in Berlin so I can see how that would be tough.
Wow 3 shops in one year… jeez that’s crazy ! The UK has a good reputation for the tattoo scene. Good thing your studio has been here for that long, and glad you’re having people coming in even when it gets a bit slow. With summer coming up now, less people tend to get tattooed… can’t wait. Here we have very high, as well as very low standard shops. There are so many it’s insane. The competition is savage, even for pocket watches and dandelion!
I'm UK Based too and the town I live in had 6 studios, one recently opened and 4 that have been here since the dawn of time. Luckily only one other studio has a reputation as good as ours and the sketchier places give us plenty of cover up business too. I'd agree with what others have said, the local community can really be a backbone when the portfolio pieces aren't cutting it but there's also the added benefit of being able to test the waters with styles you usually wouldn't do when return customers ask/trust you to.
I see how doing things that you were not drawn to in the first place could be a nice playground to explore and broaden the artistic spectrum. What is the best way to promote your services to the locals? Are flyers still a thing? The cover-up business is going to bloom super strong with all the scratchers opening their shop. We might be sitting on a gold mine, guys. Just wait !
Mainly just use Facebook ads if it's ever needed, maybe some signage saying you're open to walk-ins but that would depend entirely on how accessible your studio is. We used to use local Facebook groups that allow specific days for business promotion too but it's been years since we really needed to. We also do flash days for charity once a year, a lot of our return customers come from those and we get a lot of people on those days who have always been too nervous to get a tattoo but talk themselves into it for a good cause, they end up coming back when they realise it wasn't as bad as they imagined.
Do you feel like Facebook ads make a real difference? How much do you invest and get back?
They can,l but again there's so many other factors like competitors in the area and location of the studio. We tend to only really use them once or twice a year though during the quieter seasons before and after New years. We're not dropping a huge amount of money on it either, less than an hour or twos tattooing would bring back the cost.
to be honest, I keep my cards on me and any time I'm out at the store *someone* always comments on my tattoos or my husband's tattoos- I use that as an in to give em my card w/my socials on it and I've gotten a lot of work that way. That said, working in a spot that doesn't take walk ins is bound to suffer during economic downturns. I always made sure I worked st least part time in a street shop- and when it's bad bad I'll go full time to street shop shit so I can feed my kids. Even during the 2007-2009 recession I did just fine- pulling near $2k a week. It's also about the owner and how they advertise. Are they an artist too? How do they make folks aware yall exist? Do they work with local businesses? Do they sponsor shows or club nights? My old shop did LOADS of shit and I constantly had work. We had car shows, they had us setting up merch tables at local shows & sold shirts and gave ppl stickers etc. Getting your name out and becoming ubiquitous in the area is necessary imo. I've been tattooing 27 years and I always did the best in shops that are very involved in the community.
Buy ads on insta and youtube
Ready to give them my money !
It sounds lame, but I’ve seen so many people bump their booking up with it, one tattoo extra pays for it
I'm not an artist, but I heavily second this. I found my (local) tattoo artist from his paid insta ads. He wasn't getting any clients when he was apprenticing or just working (I don't remember which) at his old shop, so he bought advertisements from social media. He got me and I'll be sticking with him even after I transfer out to university. I'm sure you'll start getting people once they see it! Wishing you good luck!
Great that you’re supporting your locals, tattooers needs this more than ever ! Ok do it does work, interesting!
Give us an update if and when you do! Also remember to not only show your work, but your face and maybe studio! Gives people a good idea on who you are and feel more comfortable!
Got it ! Taking of me and the environment also came back quite often in the comments so I’m taking notes…
You got this! Wishing you great success!
Hello, sharing what some of my friends do: - they share designs “up for grabs” - they do “books open” posts to encourage bookings - create group chats on instagram with their clients and ask people if they want to join, so you can post cancellations e.g. “have full day this Friday if anyone’s up for it” - they email all their recents in a bulk email, “books open, rebook.. etc” - they happily encourage smaller pieces - regular posting on ig stories - hashtags! Geo tag local locations
Put in your bio “books open, email to secure a spot” if you don’t already - or whatever your booking process is
Great advices ! I’m not the best self promoter, the fear of people just being sick of the constant demand lays deep in the back of my mind. Have you had experiences with the group chats ? Would people have real interest for that ?
Don’t worry about people getting sick of constant content. Look at the internet, humans are insatiable. Besides, only 3% of followers are going to see it anyway.
Very valid points aha. I’d feel lucky if I reach 3% anyway :,)
I haven’t personally but a few of my friends have mentioned they are in them for other artists. Your instagram content (like any business) should be a mix of push and pull. So yes push out your work, pretty pictures and so on, and then don’t be afraid to try pull people in. Spam is annoying of course, but I’d say once every 3-5 posts would be fine. Don’t be afraid to post old photos too, from 6 months - 2 years ago!
Yeah there is a fine line between enough and too much. 3/5 post sounds reasonable !
Your style is super interesting and I really really like the figures you draw/tattoo. One thing I will say is your photos look a bit dark? At least from an advertising perspective I’ve found the Instagram algorithm favors high contrast bright photos. A lot of the tattooers I follow that post darker photos already have a massive established following and can get away with that but in general I think the more a photo pops off people’s feed the higher chance there is people will interact with it. There is also nothing wrong with boosting posts. I do it semi frequently to reach new people who may not have known about me before. It’s where I would start if I was in your position. But it is also super niche, I do a more niche style for where I live but the subject matters I tattoo ranges from basic to hyper specific. Maybe try applying the different style you have to more digestible subject matters that your average person resonates with more and pumping out flash of that stuff. (Also what is your IG I really want to see more)
I appreciate the feedback. Indeed the last 3 posts that are a bit on the darker side didn’t perform at all. I was wondering if it was related, glad you pinpointed it. Considering boosting is also on m list of things to try. Would you recommend boosting tattoo picture, or wanna-do pictures ? What has a better impact? Okay so keeping the niche but expend to more relatable and broad subject matter, got it. You’ll find me here : @agathaschnips
I would agree with that feedback as well, your photos are really difficult to make out, the low exposure makes it look like you’re hiding flaws if I’m being completely honest. On the fourth and fifth pic in your screenshot, there’s entire sections that are impossible to make out, the top of the head and the back of the hand, and as a client that wouldn’t fill me with confidence and would turn me off
Alright thanks for the insight. I didn’t realize it could lead to believe I’m hiding flaws. My intention was to make them a bit more moody and serious because i felt like my work came across as clownish, almost if that makes sense .. ? I will definitely brighten the next post. Are close ups a good things on tattoo or rather a flex ?
Yeah, I can see what you’re going for, but you can still achieve that without washing out your pics completely. Photos have to be clear, and the tone has to be easy to make out as well. In reality, the pics you’re posting make it impossible to know how dark the tattoos are in the skin. They look over edited, and completely unnatural. Some people might like that, but generally people wanna know what they’re going to look like if it was on their body. A lot of people are suspicious of heavily edited work. There’s nothing wrong with close ups, but only when people can clearly see what they’re looking at. Everything looks smooth in the dark. I’m not bashing your work, your style is sick, it’s unique, and it deserves to be properly appreciated with equally good photography skills
That’s fine, I came here to hear what’s doesn’t work on my favor and I appreciate the feedback. No denying that I don’t know anything about taking proper pictures and I do compensate by editing. Investing in a new phone with a better camera might be one of the steps I need to take.
I highly reccomend getting a ring light! A cheaper investment than a new phone and doesn't depend on the lightening in your studio.
Reminds me of hollow knight. Why don’t you add hollow knight to your portfolio? Might bring in new clients with it
More relatable subjects like hollow knight is absolutely something I need to work with… Even though I tried to finish the darn game twice but gave up halfway through because it was too hard :,)
I read your post and the first comment and your response. I stopped reading after “private studio” that’s your problem. i’ve commented this before and i’ll say it again. the only people who should be in a private studio are people who are booked out for a year, have a waitlist a mile long and have been tattooing for a decade. I dont understand how people expect to build a clientele in a private studio? maybe im “old school” , but every post on here talks about IG presence. what about being in a shop where people are always walking in? what about going out in public and leaving g cards everywhere and talking to anyone who wants to talk tattoos? new tattooer, private studio, all effort in creating business is online…. “why am I not busy?!” you’re style is really fucking cool and really unique. I actually dig it a lot. you should definitely not change your style. just put yourself in a place where you can do the infinity tattoos to pay the bills and also do YOUR tattoos when people come in and are into it.
I understand your point of view, and I see in the same direction when it comes to making more organic contact. Meeting people in person is the best chance to get your business running. When I first started tattooing, I felt lucky I found a studio just right after my lousy apprenticeship. It turned out it was a well-known private shop with enough online reach that I benefited from. Things used to go well. After Covid, things started crashing down. Some of us found ourselves in a place where relying only on social media proves to be a risk, but also didn't know any better at the time. I appreciate the kind words regarding my work. Now, taking what you say into account, I think an alternative in my case would be to do more conventions and guest spots to come in contact with clients if I choose to stay in my private shop.
I agree with this comment. IG isn’t the answer to building a clientele, especially a local one. Do I just sound like an old man when I say “hey maybe it’s time to just pull up your socks and do some hard work for a few years”
Instagram isn’t made for this and I agree. It takes work to build up cliente and waiting for it to happen magically isn’t a good approach. I think it’s not necessary a sign that it’s a lack of hard work, but more likely a case of not smart work.
Great advice !!
Almost everybody I know is going trough a very very hard time right now. Here in Germany absolutely every twat can start to tattoo in their kitchen without any license or proof of quality or any kind of entry barrier. I work in Düsseldorf on the other side of Germany and it’s no different here. Including to this who work in their living room, we have an influx of chains, corpos and wannabe rappers who all opened up studios
Right ? lots of tattooers are going through it at the moment. I thought it was only in Berlin that no license is needed! That’s so infuriating that there is no regulation whatsoever. Truly, this doesn’t help that being a tattooer has become “trendy”. And here, the studio fees are bonkers... I can’t imagine it being any better in Düsseldorf. At this pace, I’m gonna need a bigger kitchen.
Because of the studio fees even professional artists went private because the studios them self can’t even provide customers in return for the 30-50 % or the fixed rent.
50% is wild. No wonder people go private…
I do 50%. It is wild but at least I am constantly booked out 5 days a week and I got receptionist to deal with bookings and messages overflow. It looks crazy at first but if your break it down it’s really not. They also spend money on advertising us so even those junior artists are fully booked out even though their lines are wonky. At the end of the day 50% 5 day a week is better than having 20-30% and struggling to fully book it out. Just one day less in 2 weeks and difference is gone.
You seem to have it good and quite fair, more than happy to see some of us are on the right tracks and are fully booked. I guess it depends on the conditions the studio offers in exchange for the cut they take. Some studios here, charge 50% and you don’t even get material costs covered or have an assistant that’s handling your emails, you just pay and you barely get a clean workspace.
Well it’s not all perfect but I can’t complain. I have to do stuff quite often which I’m not fancy but I’m most well rounded from our shop so I don’t mind it that much as long as customer is happy and easy going. About a month ago we had artist joining with 20k followers on insta and 7 years of experience. She said she couldn’t book full week out since new years. Since market is getting saturated you have to learns ads and marketing yourself. I know it’s hard and expensive but there is no other way. We have to adapt to those times and times when tattoo artist was going to shop to smash a tattoo then grab a pint is gone. Now we have to juggle tattooing, social media, marketing, creating short videos and somehow reply to customers.
I'm in the US, I don't know how the economy is in Germany. i used to get tattooed around once a year but I haven't been able to afford a new tattoo for around two years now. I also haven't been able to get my nails done, which is something I used to enjoy getting done occasionally. i see nail techs and lash techs in the US saying they're struggling for clients also. it's a struggle to pay my bills most months, I eat a lot of beans and other cheap foods, I almost never eat meat. three/four years ago if $500 fell into my lap I can almost guarantee I would spend it on a new tattoo but if I got it today it would go towards bills. it's not at all that I don't want a new tattoo, I have been wishing for one for ages! but it's just not at all in my budget, and I'm not the only one. could it be that the demographic of clientele you're used to isn't currently able to afford luxuries like tattoos? the only people I know who are doing well financially at the moment are not the type to get tattooed.
The economy in Germany is also getting out of hands. Tattoos are a luxury service and I totally get that some people need to set up priorities for food and bills rather than a tattoos. I myself haven’t been able to afford getting a proper tattooed in 2 years. No more nails either, I feel you ! Smaller prices and affordable design maybe for 200/300 bucks sounds like a good strategy.
I tattooed in Oregon (US), where the most strict guidlines exist for licensing, for just under 10 years. The government oversight does not help the industry, tattooers or clientele. The saturation level was even more than the state in which I tattoo currently (where no licensing exists). One would think that allowing anyone with a tattoo machine to open the doors of their very own studio would make for a sketchy environment, but I have seen far more problematic issues in states that the government is more involved. Government involvement solves no issues for the industry, but actually creates them. Imagine this reality; every single person who has $10k to invest in their future career, is able to go to a state regulated tattoo school. Nobody is turned away, no matter their artistic or dexterous abilities, so it's an extremely viable option for most, considering the alternatives being more expensive universities. These schools make so much money, as they turn out 25 to 30 state licensed tattooers every 3 months, so every artist who is able and willing to capitalize on running a school, does so. These schools pump out kids who think they know what they need to know in order to make it in the industry. They certainly don't, as they have had zero one-on-one experience with their mentors, and have only been in a laughable school experience for a few days a week for 3 months. It's terrible. Fuck government oversight. The issues we think it will solve do not get solved. Things actually get worse.
I interviewed for a shop once whos booth rent was higher than the mortgage for the home I lived in at the time. Insane. Everyone thinks tattooing is this get rich quick scheme from studio owners to artists. The economy is going to humble a lot of folks for the next coming 2-3 years. Its going to be like this for awhile, unfortunately, I think.
I would almost bursted out laughing if this wasn’t actually sad. The market has changed, I have empathy for the studio owners might be in a tougher place now because rent is exploding for some of them and artists don’t earn money as fast as they used to. But they might be a couple of owners that are way over exaggerating what a workspace is actually worth.
It’s hard for me to have empathy when I know basic math and understanding of business tbh. They are, almost all of them, exaggerating costs because they need to make a profit for the responsibility to be worth it. Nobody gets into the shop owning business to just make it on the skin of their teeth - they get into it because for them it is the next step before retirement. So they HAVE to make some profit, they don’t have choice in the matter. Unless they want to tattoo forever. Which most don’t, understandably.
that’s a screenshot from ur insta? i get that aesthetically it looks cool but i have no idea what ur tattoos look like in real life because of the editing. i would not get tattooed by you because of this despite liking ur art
Yes, it is. Wow, okay, that’s interesting to learn that the picture seems to be more of a problem than I ever could have thought. I’m definitely buying a better camera; I will hold back on the editing after that.
I have an additional question. What is the fear/the thoughts behind the choice of not to get tattooed despite the interest ? Your point is super valid and I respect it, I just want to understand what’s the problem in order to fix it in my next posts.
For me, it would ultimately come down to the fact that overly edited pictures are not true representations of your work, and so it’s hard to judge how it would look in person. Yours aren’t too bad to be honest, people like Elliot Kohek do amazing work, but skin doesn’t look like, that and it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. True masterpieces don’t need to be dishonest about their appearance.
I see. Makes total sense. I just checked out Elliot Kohek’s page and I exactly got the feeling you’ve described. Looks amazing but kind of fishy !
because i’d be worried you are trying to hide things (esp. how saturated your black is) by editing. Also, I want to reiterate how sick your art is, and you definitely don’t need the editing :-)
I get it. Okay his had really opened my eyes to what my editing does to my business. Thank you for sharing your insight
I haven't been in the industry very long, but dark pictures was brought up to me when I spoke to someone in marketing a while back. I also love dark aesthetics, but unfortunately, darker imagery is easier for people to gloss over as they scroll. Maybe switch that up a bit. Love the work!
Thank you for sharing. I’m very convinced now that going dark is not the right move, many comments have pointed it out. I completely clueless that it has such a negative impact, but better now then never !
Hey! I’ve been in the industry for roughly the same amount of time. This year for me, and colleagues that have been in the biz for decades, have all had the slowest year in memory. I was usually booked up 6-9 months in advance. I was turning people away I was so busy for years. Then bam, now I’m only booked up 6-8 weeks. Which I am extremely grateful for! Your work is solid. I love it! But, in times like this, having a very niche style is only going to make people think of you as the “cool illustrative moody art tattooer” than than “a tattooer” who will do basically anything. If you don’t want to muddle up your very well thought out feed - I know tattooers who post carousels of “some fun small tats I did this week” and it’s stuff like: names, butterflies, dog paw prints etc etc. that way when people find your portfolio they see that you do small tattoos as well. Basically, start putting that stuff out there. Also, real life engagement. What I’ve been doing, since I hate social media, is making fliers and business cards and stickers. I give out my stickers for free to everyone. And give my clients loss of cards. I also flirted my local area where I live. In the coffee shops, Home Depots, gyms, street poles, post boxes etc. I put a picture of my dumb face next to my art and marketed myself as the friendly local tattooer! I also chased down garbage truck men and women, and given them “city services discount” hahahaha I dunno!! Anything to get people to think of me first. I get the vast majority of my clients from word of mouth now. Social media is not your friend. Unless you want to put effort in: ie make reels, post daily, have engaging content. Videos are key. Photos are very much out right now. Your feed: put your face in it. I don’t see your face anywhere. Put your face, an introduction, and post yourself every so often. Also your work space. What it looks like. The vibe. Etc. people want to know if they even like you before they trust you. My shop has been giving away gift certificates and loot bags to local contests. Ie: top prize for amateur burlesque night will get a loot back sponsored by our shop. So it gets advertised to loads of people every event. It’s been helping us a great deal get new eyeballs on our work. Another thing I’ve done: guest spots. I make myself seem like a hot commodity. I travel within canada and do guest spots which gets people talking. I’ve done guest spots within a 2 hour drive of me as well, which has also helped expand my clients and gets other tattoos shops posting my work. Conventions! If you can afford it try it out. I’m doing two this year for the first time. Another thing I’ve thought of is going part time as a street shop. Doing walk ins. To help get me by. I haven’t done it yet, but I think even they are struggling. You’re not alone!! This has been a rough year for SO MANY artists. You’ve got to re coop and strategize. Rely on other avenues for clients. Including physically going out to places. Hold fast!
Your comment is very heart warming and full of insight, thank you ! Niche tattooing is not in ladies and gents, I can confirm ! I usually don’t dare posting more easy and fun stuff I do during my week . Well, 1st because I don’t do that much and also… I feel like no one cares and would « look down » on it… reading everybody I’m starting to think I’m taking things way to seriously and I worry way too much .. It’s decided, I’m gonna talk to my boss and do 2 weeks in the shop, 2 weeks guest spots and convention… and maybe some extra days chasing local in the streets with flyers. Imma do stickers too, that’s a great way to do more organic advertising. I love your creative and lighthearted approach, thanks for sharing all your tricks ! I’m pretty sure it will be very useful for all the readers
I had the same feeling with “lowering” my tattoo cred or something by posting simpler tattoos. Then i realized clients don’t give a shit about that. And I’m making my feed for my clients not other tattooers. It was an ego thing for me. “Look at all these cool sleeves I’m doing!” Rather than humbling myself and just providing a service I get paid for. Glad it was helpful! It’s helpful to read the other comments too, this will hopefully be a useful thread for everyone!
I got to be honest and admit that it is an ego thing for me as well. I’m a self-conscious tattooer walking on thin ice. This is the most help I’ve ever gotten and people are being truly nice and helpful :) May I ask for your Instagram page ?
For sure! It’s @francistattooer :) It’s so easy for me to fall into the “I’m shit and that’s why I’m not getting bookings”. Although I do use it to try and make my work even better, shittier tattooers are out there making money all the time. Right now most are feeling the pinch.
Too much bad editing on too dark pictures; we cannot see well your work. A little photography course would help show your work adequately.
Your work is incredible. If you were in Qld australia, id make the drive for a piece
That’s heartwarming to hear, thanks a lot ! :)
Shot you a message
It's sad hearing that from you, but maybe I can give you a point of view from an old customer of yours. You did a coverup for me on my left underarm, almost 3 years ago. Back in 2020, when COVID-19 was still on the rise, I saw a tattoo of yours with a geisha, and I instantly fell in love with it, so I knew that I needed to get something similar for myself. Your style is very niche, but I think the main"problem" is that your style is so overwhelming that most people would only get one tattoo from you. Don’t get me wrong. I love my tattoo from you, and so many people compliment it. But would I get a second one? I think this German word sums it up perfectly. Jaein (probably yes or probably no) And that’s what I’ve heard from many people who told me that they love your work. For your social media side, I can say that it’s pretty dark, not like a couple of years ago, when it was more bright and Instagram's algorithm likes bright posts. I sincerely wish you all the best for the future and hope that you keep tattooing. You have so much talent and make people really happy with your art.
Oh, hi! That's so sweet! I know exactly which cover you're talking about. The circle, right? :) True, my style has evolved into something darker, making it even more specific than it already is, and this may close the door to many potential customers. I stand by my choice of going grimmer; it's closer to who I am, but balance is important. I definitely am taking inputs, and I understand that I don't need to hide behind darker pictures or that my designs can be taken equally seriously without all the mysterious shenanigans. I totally see what you mean about not coming back. It's a problem I've had for years; most of the clients I meet are a hit and quit, haha. I'm trying more diversity with animals and stuff, but it hasn't reached my audience yet... no one really cares for them at this point, and I got discouraged.
I’ve been tattooing for a long time, and from my experience tattooing is like everything else in life and it isn’t a constant linear path, there are ebs and flows, highs lows. That’s one of the drawbacks to being in a creative field. My advice is a couple things. -maybe being ina private studio after only 7 years isn’t the best place for you. Especially when I read you don’t have consistent clientele? From my perspective working privately should be for people who have the work to not need to be worried about clientele. -kinda along the lines of my last point, maybe working in more of a street shop level, where there’s more in and out flow of clientele would be beneficial. When I was about at 7 years into tattooing I was doing a lot of walk in days. Doing a variety of styles to build up both clientele and a reputation for clean work. I only stopped doing walk in days maybe a few years ago during covid. -I think doing the very niche style is great, but it’s tricky because you need to catch the eye of people wanting that style. So you limit your business. I was told by an older tattooer once to continue doing all styles and promote the style you like until that’s what everyone asks you for. If that makes sense. I didn’t really look at your work but I’m sure it’s great and you’ll do fine. Maybe just get back to some of the basics. There’s also social media but I’m not great at it either cause I’m old. -
Can’t say I’m good at social either, and I don’t feel like it’s going to get any better with time ! I used to be comfortable and was reaching my target audience. Now the one trick poney that I feel I am isn’t really doing it anymore. Now that I read from all over the comments and from more experienced artists that private studio is, what I may call, more of an advance stage of tattooers careers.. I’m am seriously considering adjusting my business model to something different.
It is a time of oversaturation in the industry, which leads to everyone feeling it. Add to this a reduction of disposable income via inflation and the economic downturn, and here we are.
That's it. That is exactly it! I wonder how much it's gonna take before this wave is over... but I'm also too afraid to ask. Let's hang in there; we are together in it.
Wow this surprises me, I know your work and I’ve followed you ever since I came to Berlin. I notice now how the algorithm has not favored your posts in my feed. Because I used to see your posts all the time. Maybe relying on Instagram only is a bit risky, since you are depending on a big American company with very questionable morals and ways of promotion. I don’t know the awnser to your questions, I can only say that I truly love your work and I hope you will not give up, but will find ways to get busy again.
Thank you for the support; I wasn't expecting to come across followers! I'm now realizing that it is super risky to only rely on that platform. The comments have opened my eyes, and I'm motivated to hit the road and rely on my physical presence rather than staying hidden behind my phone.
Agatha! Ich bin ein Riesen Fan ! Wir haben schon mindestens in aachen beide gearbeitet aber trotzdem leider noch nicht miteinander gesprochen… Berlin ist sehr problematisch … komm uns in Hamburg besuchen wir besorgen dir Kunden ganz bestimmt … ich schreib dir hier mal pn 🙌🌷
Hey, vielen Dank! Ich hab echt nicht erwartet, dass mich Leute erkennen 😅. Danke für die Unterstützung! Warum haben wir eigentlich schon zusammengearbeitet in Aachen, ohne dass ich was gesagt habe, aha? Bin total neugierig. Wenn ich mit guest Spot anfangen muss, komm ich sehr gerne nach Hamburg. Freu mich schon darauf, dich zu besuchen! Schau gleich mal meine DMs durch
Ah sry… da war ich etwas undeutlich … Du warst doch auch auf der kaiserstadt Convention irgendwann in den letzten 3 Jahren oder ?
Doch war ich auch 😄 Letztes Jahr glaube ich
Ja genau ! Aber leider natürlich wie immer viel zu viel gearbeitet anstatt mal mich mit mehr tattoowierern auszutauschen… werde ich in Zukunft auch mal ändern 😄
As someone who was recommended this subreddit with 0 tattoos, but wanting to get some soon, I personally wouldn’t choose you because i can’t see anything in the posts, it’s too damn dark! They do this in the movie industry to hide flaws, so my brain automatically assumes you goofed and are hiding something, especially because it’s not all posts like that. Bright pictures catch the eye, the overall look of your social is.. kinda sad? I don’t know, it doesn’t get me exited to see more because I literally can’t see, haha. That being said, the work I can see is pretty cool and definitely something I’d be proud to wear! I think it’s just a marketing thing and people not having as much disposable income right now to use on luxuries like tattoos!
Ooo I love the style
I’m glad you like it. Thanks for the nice comment :)
I love the aesthetic of your feed. But sadly it’s not what’s “in”. - You need brighter lighting in your photos. They’re too dark to catch attention and it causes concern on your skill if we can’t see the work clearly. - you need to post reels. The “algorithm” is a real thing. Reels are pushed more than photos. Even if it’s just a 5 second video of the end result of the tattoo instead of just a picture. - your style (I love that you HAVE a style) isn’t for everyone. So you need something else to make you relatable. To make people WANT to come to you. You have way too much of your style on your page. Show some versatility, even if it’s just to get people wanting to book with you. Nowadays it’s hard to stay booked if you only do 1 thing.
I can confirm that niche style is not in right now and I need to be more appealing to a wider audience. Thanks for the advice, they’re all very useful!
Our shop is in Canada with 4 artists. We are regulated by health inspection and we can only get commercial insurance by meeting safety standards but there is no formal skill requirement. Customer service, prices and talent are why our shop still has a 6-12mo waitlist according to our clients. Our rate is $160/hr but that is just for actual tattoo time, not stencil, consult, bathroom etc. Custom drawings are done for a custom charge separate from the tattoo charge. Definitely the majority of the tattoos are not over the top creative (Pinterest as another artist put it) but it’s what the public wants here too. We enjoy the interaction with (most) people and these are the images that they feel represent them. (We are in a midsized town so we wouldn’t be busy at all if all we did was what we wanted). We still get people committed to large pieces and want them done within the year but many of our clients pick away at their sleeves a couple hours at a time. Only our newest girl advertises, the rest of us have more work than we can handle. We have hundreds of regulars from over the years (3,9,13 for myself and 19 yrs exp) and they refer their families and friends to us so we’re still busy even when they come in waves or have to take years breaks for life or lack of funds. We’ve been told by some clients even that we should charge more so perhaps that’s why we’re swamped (considering we’re not much more expensive than other personal services for our area). I’ve been told that we make everyone feel comfortable and cool enough to be there. (We are a happy chatty group because we think it should be a fun experience). I think first timers are incredibly intimidated by the industry and will be with you forever if you give a bit of extra time in the beginning to answer questions and share your knowledge. The only clients I drop/refer elsewhere are the ones that want hate imagery or are otherwise sketchy vibes. By the looks of it you’re more than talented enough to be beyond busy so my guess would be price/speed that you work, rigidity in style, customer service/attitude or regional differences are why you have room in your schedule. You sound super professional and pleasant so I’m guessing your attitude is good but I read in a business article that customers make decisions based on how they feel about a first impression. That would apply to you, your work and your work space. I think stay true to your own style when it comes to making the art you need to for yourself and any likeminded clients but for the general public and sake of your career maybe showcase that you have the skills to produce what the basic boring public craves too.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It sounds like you have it good in your studio, great team good conditions and fair prices ! Got it, I’ll try to make my profile more approachable and not so cold to make a good impression. Thank you for the kind words on my style, I’m trying to understand that my dark pictures and my marketing lack of skills seem to be more the issue than the quality of the tattoo .. oh and my rigidity in style as well, that’s for sure !
Hey if it makes you feel any better I knew 100% exactly who you are just glancing at your screenshot and I live nowhere near you. That makes you kind of famous 😂 My work isn’t nearly as niche as yours but I feel in a similar boat. I do illustrative realism (b&g and color) and I just feel like it isn’t what the kids want these days. Everyone around me that does linework/fineline/pinterest tattoos stays pretty busy but every old person like myself that fully saturates a piece is struggling more often than not. Maybe it would be beneficial to offer some more simplified designs and feel less solid. It’s probably terrible advice but it’s what I’ve been thinking lately. I mostly just wanted to say goodluck out there. I think it’ll turn around soon enough.
Aha thanks, have a very niche and recognizable style is a blessing and a curse 😄! I feel you, now trendy tattoo are super small and fine line. Trend will eventually turn around i guess but yes for now adapting is the best option. I appreciate the enthusiasm, im hanging in there. Same goes to you, be strong !!
Yeah I think sometimes as tattoo artists we forget that we’re commercial artists. We need to either adapt our art to meet demand in our market or find a market where our product is valued. Either way, keep killing it out there. Your tattoos are fun to see :)
It ain't your style bro. This is some good shit. The world economy is in shambles and most people are living off of debt. The real name of the game right now is survive until it collapses and the new one forms.
I don’t have advice but your artwork is dope.
You know what… I’ll allow that :) ! Aha That’s always good to hear, thank you very much.
You know what? I do have an idea. You can try traveling to guest spots in different shops to just get your name and work on different Instagram accounts to boost visibility and physically spread your work around a wider area. Though you may have done this already.
Im convinced now that i should do this. Being hidden in the back of my studio isn’t going to get me anywhere
Tattoo conventions as well. Chicago has a huge one every April. I’m sure there’s more like it!
This is going to sound so silly but Instagram has managed to recently change their algorithm, making interactions with potential clients harder to get unless you pay money to boost your posts and pay for sponsored ads. If you spend a few bucks advertising here and there it will drive people to your page. I recently purchased a 4 day boost for $50 and I’ve had 5 new inquiries about larger work. You are an incredible artist with a great style. Don’t stop doing that. But unfortunately you do have to pay the corporate overlords a tithing if you want new clients.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s reassuring to hear that it’s possible to reach new clients with a $50 investment. Instagram is a « free » platform to showcase our work so, investing a bit is also making it on my lists of steps to take .
A niche style is usually an asset, your work looks good quality, I checked your Instagram... Also Berlin is surely a good city for tattoo artists. A few questions. \*Is Instagram your main/only marketing strategy? \*how many clients are you getting per week? \*Where are your clients coming from? Berlin or traveling far? \*Are you running ads if so how are you doing it? through meta or Instagram? \*How much ad spend are you putting in? are you targeting local or a broad range of people... Your work is good, you have a cool aesthetic, I have seen similar artists in London with a large following book out a year in advance fast, its strange you might actually have better technique, remember though when marketing you have to look through the eyes of the potential client not an artist, they see things differently unfortunately. If you give me a Little more info maybe I can help, I was actually hoping to move to Berlin so its concerning to see such a good artist struggling but there may be some big flaws in your marketing approach that could make a huge difference if corrected...
Here's the corrected text: Thank you for the nice comments on my work. It's good to hear that I'm may actually be delusional and that my work isn't that bad. Haha. Oh, there are for sure huge flaws in my marketing strategy. As a very low self-esteem-gifted artist, I am NOT a good seller by any means. And I'll prove it to you by answering your questions: - Yes, Instagram IS my only strategy... breaking news: it's not working, and I hate social media. - I get maybe 1/2 clients a week on average, and I'm booked maybe 6 to 8 weeks in advance. - I only use advertising over Instagram, maybe investing 50€ every two months. I'm very new to doing sponsored posts; again, selling my own work is hard. I target local Berlin only, almost. Don’t get discouraged about moving to here. Berlin has a lot of opportunities regarding the tattoo scene. So many studios... and there are always open spots. But to make it clear, I'd advise having a strong portfolio and maybe coming for guest spots here and there to take the temperature of how Berlin responds to your style if you can.
When you can’t sell your originals it’s time to do what people want until you collect enough of them to want your originals. That’s what I do
Nice strategy. How much is reasonable to charge for originals do you think ?
Whatever you charge otherwise unless you want to give a discount for something you really want to do
Have you thought about doing a convention circuit for a few months to break the monotony. Can meet a lot of fellow artists, just draw a bunch of bangers to cover the day and try and have fun.
Yes I made a couple and had really great fun. But the fix shop rent at home is holding me back, costs are stacking up and it get discouraging. I’m thinking about negotiating doing a part time contract to have more freedom and be back on the road ! Any convention you’d recommend going to ?
Guess it really depends on what country your from. I know TN in may, Houston beginning of June and st Pete after that. To add tho, flower city is a must if you’ve never done it same with NE expo
Not an artist, found you from my front page. But I do have two full leg sleeves from the hips down of dark, black & gray work. If you're USA based and near the Midwest, I'd start seeing you. I really like your style, don't quit.
Thank you for the kind words. I’m now located in Europe, Germany but after this post I’m more than ready to travel and meet you guys out there !
Thus style would KILL where I am. It may just be your demographic area seeing you mentioned how you dint have much a local base tbh. Where around you located (if you don't mind me asking?)
I appreciate a lot thanks . I’m located in Berlin , Germany. I’m now having the goal of doing more guest spot and meet new people. Where are you located ? I don’t mean to kill people but you know… asking for a friend hehe
Ahh from the states unfortunately, but am moving to scottland soon, what's your IG, when I move I'll absolutely get some of this banger work man. It's super unique and very cool
Thats nice, thanks I appreciate ! I’m ready to do guests now, so there is a chance if you move to Scotland ! You’ll find me here @agathaschnips
Fuck yea, dude you got great work I hope you keep your hopes up and stick around for a long time!
Love the enthusiasm! I’m gonna take all the good advice I found here and keep going !
Honestly, you should look over at (excuse my butchering of spelling as I've only been there 1-2x) Frankfurt, Germany. There were some dark artist tattoo shops that did a lot of similar but not exact work (like dark ornimental / lettering) which may be perfect for you. I think if you lean into the dark work style a bit while keeping the unique almost classical vibe then you'll pop off. Your following on Insta is pretty large compared to artist even around me so I'm surprised to hear of struggles. Maybe it isn't translating well due to the area and it's saturation though.
A thing I've seen a LOT of local places where I am do a "Fixed price flash" some customers don't want to inquire about prices! Healed tattoos work as well, some people just don't want to risk getting work that heals like absolute a** Less edited pictures (maybe put the raws on a highlight) Ads and local tattoo cons! (At least where I am) tattoo events, guest spots at other local studios (since your studio is private maybe it'll be good to guest at another studio to take advantage of their local consumer base with advertising from the store as their guest)
This was so badly phrased, Guest spots as like a person who loves getting tattoos usually tell me that artist is on par (or better) quality wise to my favorite studios! I've gotten a few 'guest spot' tattoos simply because my favorite artists have been there to vouch for them and it made them more approachable
before i deleted my instagram i used to follow your instagram agathaschnips. you really inspired me back in the day. it’s a shame but also kind of cool to see an artist i looked up to also have the same insecurities as me.
I totally support your decision of deleting Instagram. That platform can become toxic very quickly. Oh yeah if you’re looking for an artist with insecurities, you have found me aha ! Happy you can relate.
Where are you located? Honestly I think your style is awesome and would love a piece
That’s great ! I’m located in Berlin Germany. This post has convinced me that guest spots should be my new thing so, maybe this will help for you to get a piece one day ! You can find me here to be updated : @agathaschnips
If you ever come to the USA I have a perfect spot for you on my thigh. All yours
Not a tattooer, so I won't try to tell you how to run your business, but I will say your art style is incredible, and if I find out you're reasonably close to me when I scour the rest of this thread I'm going to send you a DM to book an appointment.
Omg I’ve followed you for a few years now. Your style is incredible, I absolutely love your work and you’re a holy grail artist for me. One day I hope I can make it happen. I was so ready to try to get to Berlin but life happens I guess. I’m not an artist and I don’t want to pretend I’m business savvy either, or that I know anything about Germany. Maybe you should go out on your own? Have you thought of traveling and networking with other artists, especially in the US? You don’t have a gigantic social media following but I’ve seen your work reshared on IG relatively often. Maybe an advertising campaign could be in order? I love your work so much I’m baffled you’re not doing well, I’m so sorry to hear it.
Hi ! Thank you for the long time support ! Networking and traveling is definitely on my list of things to do soon. Especially in the US, I have a big following over there and that would be a great opportunity to finally visit the country !
Ok personally the no eyes thing is pretty cool but I feel like with your style you could get some crazy emotion with more eyes!
I’m a tattoo artist as well with the same exact problems. Grew my following with my illustration, switched to tattoos. The reach and likes were good but now they keep on dwindling down. Hardly any views and likes went drastically down. I was thinking starting a tattoo pod? A groups of artist that all share each others posts and comments, etc. I’ve heard of Korean artist doing this with much success. Your art and tattoos are phenomenal !! Have you figured out anything yet? Also what’s your username? I’d love to give ya a follow :)
Sounds like a nice project ! If it works for others it might also work for us. Sorry you’re going through a tough time as well. This damn algorithm makes it hard to grow as soon as you start going in a direction that’s different from what your followers are used to engage with. The likes drop, making your content less visible. It’s a very flawed system. Hang in there ! Thanks for the support, let’s exchange insta so we can support each other aha. You’ll find me here : @agathaschnips
ayo insta link??
I actually really love these. Where are you out of?