How to Submit Your Idea to a Tattoo Artist
Once you’ve conceptualized your tattoo design, it’s time to put that vision into writing, and send it off to your dream artist! But with all the describing, different ways of communicating; this is a lot easier said than done for many, making this step in the tattoo process potentially more intimidating than getting the tattoo itself. That’s why Tattd is here to make your initial tattoo idea submission the best it can possibly be!
While no two tattoo designs are the same, there is a somewhat concrete protocol when it comes to submitting your design idea to an artist. Upon opening their books, tattoo artists will always ask clients to provide all, or a selection of the things listed below when making initial contact:
A thorough explanation of your concept/idea, in as much detail as possible.
The area of your body that you’re looking to get tattooed.
The ideal size of your tattoo, especially if the surrounding area(s) is already tattooed.
The desired style that you want the tattoo to be (if your artist specializes in more than one style).
Any and all inspiration images that you can provide.
When reaching out to a tattoo artist, it’s crucial to look into their preferred way(s) to be contacted by clients for booking tattoos. Booking forms on their website, emails, and direct messages on Instagram are the most common means of contacting an artist to set up a tattoo appointment; with texting and phone calls being a distant second-choice.
Even though all of these means of booking lead to the same end result, they do have some differences that should be noted, especially for first time tattoo-getters. Incomplete information could possibly lead to never receiving an appointment, and nobody wants that!
Booking Forms
Booking forms are arguably the easiest way to submit a tattoo idea to an artist, solely because all of the information the artist is looking for is in a designated field to fill out! Found on the artist’s or studio’s website, these babies will make your idea submission super streamlined and easy, especially if you’re a tattoo newbie! All booking forms out there will ask you for the information listed above in some capacity, and will usually specify how much to elaborate on certain aspects of your design.
Emails
Emails are the second most-popular choice for artists when it comes to booking tattoo appointments; and they come with the frightening responsibility of writing your tattoo idea out completely with no prompts! When formulating your email, it’s extremely important to articulate EVERYTHING, and take your time writing so you don’t leave out anything vital to your design. Many artists will abandon your idea all-together if you don’t provide enough information up-front, especially if the artist is dealing with a decent amount of inquiries. There is no wrong way to set up this email, but the numbered list above is the most common!
Instagram DMs
With Instagram being a vital part of the tattoo industry, many artists utilize Instagram’s direct messaging to set up tattoo appointments with clients. Submitting your tattoo idea via Instagram DM shares all the same protocols as the email route, the only difference being the platform you’re talking to the artist on!
A huge perk of submitting your tattoo idea through Instagram DMs is that you can actually see when the artist views your message! Just make sure that you don’t double-message them if they leave you on read; they’re probably working some scheduling magic before getting back to you with anything concrete!
No matter how you submit your tattoo idea to an artist, it’s important to always have patience when it comes to getting a response back. Most artists will receive dozens, if not 100s of inquiries at a time, which all have to be taken care of manually by the artist, or their assistant. Initial response times could take a few days, or a few weeks; and you might not always receive an appointment depending on scheduling, and if the artist believes they’re the right fit for your design.
