Tattoo Etiquette 101

A little appreciation goes a long way

It was afternoon. The henna artist was tired. She had just completed a string of appointments since morning, one of which included an entire bridal party that wanted ten different henna designs.

After she instructs a mother of five on how she should keep a henna tattoo on a boisterous toddler from smearing, she receives a frantic call from a woman in Pasadena looking for belly blessing services.

Henna Party Design in Beverly Hills, CA

A few hours later, she successfully completed the job. The pregnant woman tearfully told her how she needed some cheering up and a henna tattoo had just done it. Her husband had been enlisted and hadn’t been around during her pregnancy. 

And that, just made the entire day worth it.

An appreciation note from a mom.Loved it!!

What’s the lesson? It pays to appreciate the work of a tattoo artist. Art comes from emotion, and there are a very few artists who choose to stick to their craft if there is no one to appreciate it other than themselves.

There are also some, like henna artists, who love what they do and do not have any qualms about traveling to their client’s to render their services.

Needless to say, you can do your part to ensure that they feel appreciated. Here is how -

Do not Haggle about the Price

As any tattoo enthusiast knows, creating a work of art on the body requires quite a lot of skill. Henna artists are no different. Remember, a tattoo artist puts a custom tattoo right on your body. Trying to cut down on her price is an insult to all she stands for.

Your body is a canvas

To a tattoo artist, the body is a canvas. And a body that hasn’t seen a bar of soap makes for a very grimy canvas. Plus, such an oversight before a henna appointment is just plain rude. Take some time to shower before a belly blessing appointment or make sure that your hands are clean if you only want the artist to henna your hands.

Remember, you do not always have to heap on the praise in order to appreciate a henna artist’s work. While the occasional “I love your work” does go a long way in making her feel appreciated for the time she took to painstakingly apply her skills on a canvas of skin, some incentives on your part can also go a long way.  

Have you ever badgered a henna artist about her asking price? Did you ever skip on a bath before the artist applied a henna tattoo in Pasadena and wondered why she kept scrunching up her nose? Did you appreciate her work? Tell me about any other experiences you might have had.

Courtesy: www.hennabysalma.com