A guest spot needs six to eight weeks of lead time: enquiry and confirmation, fixed dates, then the announcement with a booking link. The revenue split is usually a percentage, in practice often 30/70 in favour of the artist, or a day rate plus supplies. Everything important belongs in writing beforehand: dates, split, supplies, deposits, cancellation, accommodation, client data and photo rights.
- Six to eight weeks of lead time is the minimum, otherwise there is no room for the announcement and the bookings.
- Percentage or day rate: both work, what matters is who supplies materials and who takes the deposits.
- Anything not written down becomes an argument on the last day. One page of text is enough to prevent it.
- Without deposits taken through a booking link, a guest spot fills slowly and empties fast.
- Notification duties, consent forms with the correct studio address and receipts apply to you as a guest too.
Contents
Guest spots are the simplest way for an artist to become visible in a new city, and the simplest way for a studio to fill the calendar and bring new clients through the door. The tattooing itself rarely goes wrong. What goes wrong is that the dates were announced too late, that nobody knew who supplies the materials, or that two people did the maths differently at the end.
A guest spot from two sides: artist and studio
For the guest artist a guest spot is a sales window on a timer. You travel, you have a fixed number of days and you have to fill them, otherwise the trip costs you money. For the hosting studio it works the other way round: an empty chair costs nothing, a full guest chair brings revenue, reach and clients who had never been in the building.
That creates a clear division of labour. The guest brings style, portfolio and their own waiting list. The studio brings the space, the local audience, supplies on site and a contact point for questions. Both have to work on the announcement, otherwise it does not land.
How much lead time does a guest spot need?
- Week 1 to 2: enquiry with portfolio, style, preferred period and a direct question about the revenue model. Keep it short but specific.
- Week 2 to 3: fix the dates and confirm them in writing. Only then book travel and accommodation.
- Week 3 to 4: set up a booking link or enquiry form for the guest days, define price range and deposit rule.
- Week 4 to 6: announce on both channels, message the waiting list for that city, send the studio newsletter.
- Week 6 to 8: promote remaining slots, confirm appointments, agree the supply list and plan the journey.
Less than six weeks only works if you already have a waiting list in that city. More than eight to ten weeks does no harm but produces more cancellations, because people plan badly that far ahead.
How is a guest spot settled financially?
There are two common models plus hybrids. Both are industry practice rather than rules, so both are negotiable. What matters is that everyone has the same number in mind before the first client sits down.
| Model | Advantage | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage, often 30/70 in favour of the artist | No risk for the guest, the studio only earns on actual revenue | Expensive for the guest when the calendar is full, needs documented takings |
| Fixed day rate | Predictable for both sides, the guest keeps everything above the rate | The guest carries the risk of empty days |
| Day rate plus supplies | Clearly separated, the studio stays cost covering | Supply prices have to be named in advance or discussions follow |
| Percentage with a minimum | Covers the studio fixed costs and still rewards a full calendar | Harder to explain, needs a written formula |
The second friction point is deposits. The clean rule: whoever provides the booking link takes the deposits and offsets them in the final settlement. If everything runs through the studio, the guest is paid their share after the guest days. If it runs through the guest, they pay the rent or the studio share on the last day. How these models look in day to day operation is covered in the article on studio and artist splits.
What has to be agreed in writing?
- Dates and hours: exact days, start, end, whether the Sunday or Monday counts.
- Split or rent: the number, when it is paid and whether it is calculated gross or net.
- Supplies: what the studio provides, what the guest brings, what costs extra.
- Deposits: who takes them, how much they are and what happens on a cancellation.
- Cancellation: what applies if the guest spot is called off, by either side.
- Accommodation and travel: who pays, where you sleep, whether a room at the studio is part of the deal.
- Client data: who keeps the contacts and that they are used for this purpose only.
- Photos: who shoots, who may post, always with client consent.
How do you find clients for a guest spot?
- Announcement with booking link: one post with city, dates, style, price range and the direct link. Without a link you get a hundred DMs and thirty fewer appointments.
- Waiting list by city: everyone who contacted you and lives nearby hears first. More on that in the article on waiting lists.
- Studio newsletter: the host writes to their regulars. It is the strongest channel and the one most often forgotten.
- Stories and reminders: three stories spread over two weeks, each with the link, instead of one single post.
- Show remaining slots: ten days ahead, say openly what is still free. Concrete slots book better than 'still taking bookings'.
Legal points and the routine on site
As a guest you tattoo in another country or canton, and the rules there apply. In Switzerland tattooing must be notified to the cantonal enforcement authority, in Germany the local health office is responsible and the hygiene ordinance of the federal state applies, in Austria tattooing is a regulated trade requiring a licence. Clarify with the hosting studio in advance what applies to you and what is covered by the licence of the house.
- Consent: the form names the address of the hosting studio and the artist doing the work, not your home address.
- Receipts: every payment gets a document with name, address, date, service and amount, whoever collects it.
- Bookkeeping: travel, accommodation and chair rent are business expenses, so collect the receipts as you go. Details in the article on business expenses.
- Setup: agree the supply list beforehand, set up the station on arrival day, check inks and needles.
- Aftercare: every client gets the written text plus a way to reach you that still works after you leave.
- Touch-ups from a distance: decide in advance whether the hosting studio handles them, whether they wait for your next visit and what they cost.
Before you say yes 1. Dates, number of days and working hours agreed 2. Revenue model and the number confirmed in writing 3. Supplies: what the studio provides, what you bring 4. Deposits: who takes them, how much, what on cancellation 5. Accommodation and travel costs settled 6. Notification duty or trade law at the host location checked Six to four weeks ahead 7. Booking link or form live for the guest days only 8. Price range and minimum price communicated 9. Announcement published on both channels 10. City waiting list and studio newsletter contacted Two weeks ahead 11. Appointments confirmed, remaining slots promoted concretely 12. Supply list finalised with the studio 13. Consent template prepared with the studio address 14. Aftercare text ready, digital and printed On site 15. Station set up, hygiene and waste disposal clarified 16. Receipt issued for every payment 17. Photos only with consent, rights agreed beforehand After the guest spot 18. Settlement within a week, with an itemised breakdown 19. Travel and accommodation receipts filed 20. Touch-up rule communicated to every client
Frequently asked questions
How long does a guest spot usually last?
Three to seven working days is common. Shorter rarely justifies the travel, longer becomes hard to fill if you have no regulars in that city yet. Many artists start with four days and extend on the second visit, because repeat appointments and word of mouth start feeding the calendar by then.
What percentage does a studio take on a guest spot?
In practice the studio share on guest spots is often around 30 percent, leaving 70 for the guest. The alternative is a fixed day rate, sometimes plus supplies. Both are industry practice and negotiable. What matters is that the split, the supply costs and the deposits are agreed in writing before the first appointment.
Who takes the deposit for a guest spot?
The cleanest rule is that whoever provides the booking link takes the deposits. If bookings run through the studio, the studio collects and settles with the guest at the end. If they run through the guest, the guest pays the rent or studio share on the last day. There should only ever be one route.
Do I need to register for a guest spot abroad?
The rules of the host country apply. Switzerland requires notification to the cantonal enforcement authority, Germany puts the local health office in charge alongside the hygiene ordinance of the federal state, and in Austria tattooing is a regulated trade. Clarify the procedure with the hosting studio and the authority before you travel.
How do I fill a guest spot with clients?
Announce it six to four weeks ahead with city, dates, style and price range, and attach a booking link so enquiries turn into appointments immediately. Message your waiting list for that city directly and ask the hosting studio to use its newsletter. Ten days before, promote the specific slots that are still open.
Who does the touch-up after a guest spot?
This has to be agreed in advance, because you are no longer on site after you leave. Common solutions are a touch-up at your next guest spot in the same studio, a handover to an artist of the hosting studio by arrangement, or a credit. Communicate the rule to every client together with the aftercare information.
By the Taddoo team, built by artists and booking managers for artists. Published September 9, 2026, last updated September 9, 2026.
