Charging for Tattoo Design Time?

Tattoo artists put a tremendous amount of time and energy into every custom piece — long before the tattoo machine ever touches the skin. For artists who specialize in highly detailed, fully customized tattoos (like I do here at Rose Noir Studio), the creative process begins well before the appointment.

Even for smaller tattoos, I often spend at least four hours researching, collecting reference images, and designing. For large-scale pieces — full sleeves or backpieces — that number easily climbs to 10 hours or more. Each design is a collaboration between my artistic vision and your story, and I pour a lot of heart and focus into getting it just right.

So, when it comes to charging for design and drawing time — what’s the deal?

Many artists choose to charge for this time, and honestly, I completely understand why. The preparation process is professional work — hours of artistic labor that deserve fair compensation. However, it can be difficult to track and verify exactly how many hours go into a design. When I’m tattooing, you’re right there watching the work unfold in real time. But the design process happens behind the scenes — sometimes over days — and relies on the artist’s honesty about how much time was actually spent.

As someone who values integrity, I take that seriously. But I also know myself — sometimes I’ll have a serial killer documentary playing in the background while I’m sketching! If I get momentarily distracted, I don’t feel right charging for that time.

That’s why, at Rose Noir Studio, I’ve chosen not to charge separately for design time. My design hours are simply part of the creative investment I bring to every client. The only exception is when someone no-shows or cancels last-minute.In that case, their deposit is forfeited — and that deposit becomes the compensation for the design work already completed in preparation for their appointment.

In the end, every tattoo is a collaboration built on mutual respect — your trust in my creative process, and my dedication to giving you a one-of-a-kind piece that’s worth every ounce of effort.