A user named Courtney Monteith uploaded a video to TikTok, detailing her experience with a tattoo artist who attempted to charge her extra for designs.
Courtney began by explaining that she had reached out to a tattoo artist she admired about having a tattoo done of a fox on her upper arm. After paying $180 for a consultation that took place over Zoom, the tattoo artist informed her that she had a "design fee."
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Courtney then explained that she was presented with three separate design fees ranging in price from $1,500 to $6,000, with the cheapest option being a concept sketch with one minor change to the artist's original design.
Courtney agreed to the cheapest option for a sketch and received a design that was nothing like what was discussed. When she shared her disappointment with the artist, she was told it was her fault she was not clear about wanting a full fox, even though Courtney shared photos of what she wanted.
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Courtney was then told she would need to pay the tattoo artist an additional $2,260 to redraw her sketch along with a $1,000 down payment for the tattoo appointment.
All before learning that the design fees were actually optional and considered a "design collab."
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"I was never told that that fee was optional. She presented me with three options, asked me which one I was most comfortable with. I should’ve walked away at that point, that’s on me," Courtney explained.
At the end of the day, Courtney finally decided to not get a tattoo with the artist but lost $2,600 in the process.