Custom tattoo commission agreement

Summarize the piece in the client's own agreed terms: subject, placement, style, and any important limits. Include the references you have accepted as a direction without promising to copy another artist's work. Confirm what the client is booking and what still needs consultation. If a coverup or an existing tattoo changes the assignment, make that uncertainty visible before accepting the commission.

Explain how the agreement connects to the studio's other documents. Booking terms describe the creative work and appointment process; consent, eligibility, and aftercare procedures serve different purposes. Tell the client which documents they will review before the session. Use a version that can be saved and revisited, not a policy hidden in an old social post. Invite questions before the deposit is paid so a disagreement about the commission does not arrive with the client.

Describe what the deposit reserves and whether it contributes to drawing time, appointment time, or both. Explain how it is credited to the final session charge, especially when a piece requires further appointments. Write the actual amount and payment method into the individual booking. A client should be able to understand the arrangement without calculating it from a studio message thread.

Discuss cancellation conditions before taking payment. Calling a deposit non-refundable does not by itself establish what local law permits. Have the policy reviewed for your jurisdiction and distinguish client cancellation from cancellation by the artist or studio. Record the process for returning or carrying forward money when you cannot provide the booked service. State how a substantially changed concept affects the existing deposit rather than treating any design change as an automatic forfeiture.

Tell the client when they can expect to see the design and how they can respond. If your process involves showing it at the appointment, explain that before booking rather than surprising someone who expected an emailed drawing. Identify the adjustments included in the commission, such as adapting placement or correcting a detail, and distinguish them from requesting a completely different subject.

Describe how a major redraw affects scheduling. You should be able to pause when there is no shared direction instead of rushing an unsuitable design because the appointment has arrived. Ask the client to consolidate their references and feedback through the agreed channel. Clarify whether design previews may be shared publicly or passed to another artist. Your agreement can protect the drawing process while still giving the client a meaningful chance to approve what will be tattooed.

Name the approved contact channel for schedule changes and explain when a message counts as received. Separate a timely reschedule from a missed appointment or a late cancellation. Describe what happens to the deposit under each circumstance using the studio's reviewed policy. Include a route for discussing genuine problems, while avoiding promises that every interruption can be absorbed into your calendar.

Lateness may reduce the available session or require another appointment. State who makes that decision based on the piece and remaining time. Do not imply that lost time will be recovered by working unsafely or overlooking preparation. Explain what happens if the artist is delayed as well. A useful booking document sets expectations on both sides; it is not simply a list of penalties that the client first encounters after something goes wrong.

Address the drawing and the finished tattoo as distinct things. Explain whether the client receives a digital design file, whether the artwork may be reused, and what permissions are actually included. If your practice creates an exclusive custom piece, define what that means instead of relying on a phrase that each person may interpret differently.

Consider photographs too. The client may want to share their finished tattoo, while you may want documentation for your portfolio. Ask for the relevant consent and respect any agreed privacy restrictions. Do not assume that booking terms grant unlimited advertising rights over a person's photograph. If another party requests reproduction of the drawing on products or promotional material, arrange a separate rights discussion. Get specialist advice when a commission raises copyright questions beyond the practical boundaries recorded in the agreement.

Define any included touch-up offer in terms of the work you provide and the circumstances you are prepared to assess. Explain how the client contacts the studio and what information you need before arranging a visit. Do not promise identical healing outcomes or treat every later change as a defect that can be corrected under the original booking.

Direct clients to the studio's individualized aftercare guidance and qualified medical advice for health concerns. A template cannot evaluate whether someone should be tattooed or determine what a skin reaction means. Keep sensitive health disclosures out of ordinary marketing or proposal notes and use the studio's appropriate intake process. Review the completed agreement alongside your operating procedures so an attractive booking document never contradicts the instructions actually given at the appointment.