the short version
- 3ways to get paid for drawing time. pick one and write it down.
- 30%is the most common deposit on goodwork. for most pieces it covers the drawing.
- 1rule that matters most: say it before they pay, not after.
drawing is real work, and it happens before the client ever sits down. here are the three common ways artists get paid for it, with wording you can copy.
the options
there are three common ways to handle it
ways to charge for drawing time
these are common setups, not rules. lots of artists mix them, like a deposit for most work and a design fee only for big pieces.
option 1
for most pieces, let the deposit cover the drawing
los angeles artists on goodwork take a percentage deposit, usually 30%.
is the usual flat deposit for everyone else.
this is the simplest setup. the client pays a deposit to book, you draw, and the deposit comes off the final price. one payment, nothing extra to explain.
copy this
your deposit holds your date and covers the time i spend drawing your piece. it counts toward your final price. if you cancel or miss your appointment without notice, the deposit covers the drawing time and isn't refunded.
the 30% and $100 come from our state of tattoos report (july 2026). on goodwork you choose whether your deposit counts toward the price or sits on top of it.
on goodwork
let clients see your prices before they ask
your deposit, your prices and your flash on one page. free to list. 15% only on the first booking of a new client goodwork finds for you. repeats and your own link are 0%.
create your free profileoption 2
for big custom work, a separate design fee is fair
a full sleeve or a back piece can take hours of drawing and a few rounds of changes. some artists charge a design fee for that, on top of the deposit, so the drawing is paid for even if the session moves.
copy this
for large custom pieces, there's a design fee of $___. it covers the drawing and up to ___ rounds of changes. it's paid before i start drawing and doesn't come off the tattoo price. the design is drawn for your tattoo with me.
what to do with this
- decide what counts as "big" (say, anything over one session) so you're not deciding case by case.
- say how many rounds of changes are included. it keeps everyone on the same page.
- price the fee from your hourly. if a sleeve takes you 3 hours to draw, that's your starting point.
not sure what your hourly is? the rate calculator works it out from your costs.
option 3
a drop-off fee only kicks in if plans change
some artists don't want to charge for drawing up front. instead, the deposit covers it only if the client cancels after the drawing has started. if they show up, they pay nothing extra.
copy this
once i start drawing your piece, your deposit covers that time. if you cancel after that, the deposit isn't refunded. if you need to move your date with at least 48 hours of notice, your deposit moves with you.
keep it to the deposit. a fee that's bigger than the time you actually spent can read as a penalty. not legal advice.
when a design goes elsewhere
a clear policy upfront saves the awkward talk later
sometimes a client changes their mind, moves away, or decides to get the piece somewhere else. it happens, and it usually isn't personal. the easiest fix is a policy they agreed to before you drew anything.
- 1say who the drawing is for"the design is drawn for your tattoo with me." one line, no drama.
- 2show sketches, not finished filesa lot of artists share the final drawing at the appointment.
- 3let the deposit or design fee cover your timethen if plans change, your time is already paid for.
next
put it in writing in two minutes
the deposit policy generator has a "drawing time" option: in the deposit, or a separate fee. pick yours and copy the whole policy.
what to do with this
- pick one setup for most pieces, and one for big custom work if you need it.
- put the wording where clients see it before they pay: your booking form, your link in bio, your goodwork page.
- use the same wording every time. it makes the conversation easy.