Studio Policies & Responsibilities.
This document outlines the operational guidelines, code of conduct, and division of responsibilities within the studio. Its objective is to ensure a safe, professional, and compliant environment for everyone — including management, commission-based artists (percentage structure), booth renters, and apprentices.
What the Studio Supplies & Provides
The studio is committed to funding, managing, and maintaining a high-end, clinically safe, and fully compliant infrastructure. The following overhead costs, facilities, wholesale supplies, and administrative services are covered entirely by the studio to keep the establishment running correctly and up to date.
Common Areas & Hygiene. Complete maintenance and cleaning of common areas (restrooms, lobby, and handwashing stations). Fully stocked restroom supplies including hand paper towels, hand soap, and trash bins. Mandatory and dedicated handwashing sinks are kept strictly compliant with health regulations.
Studio Schedule. The official operating and business hours of the establishment are Wednesday and Thursday, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm.
Biohazard Waste Management. The studio provides red biohazard bags and standard trash bags for regulated waste, along with wall enclosures and specific needle replacements (EnclosureSharpSafety™ Wall Enclosure for 2 and 5-quart containers). It fully absorbs the payment and collection of all biohazard and sharps waste by a certified company, along with standard municipal trash collection.
Facility Bills, Licenses & Insurance. Timely payment of the establishment's monthly rent/lease, all commercial utility bills (FPL, Peoples Water, ECUA, and waste disposal), internet service, dedicated ATM internet, general studio liability insurance, and the renewal of all mandatory monthly and annual commercial and health licenses.
Studio Amenities & Infrastructure.
- —Shared regular and stencil printers, including paper and ink for both.
- —A secure in-studio ATM machine for client convenience.
- —Refrigerator and workplace amenities such as a coffee maker and microwave.
- —Dedicated area for material and supply storage.
- —Front desk personnel responsible for managing, greeting, and assisting clients.
- —Payment processing methods and platforms (Square).
- —General studio maintenance, including painting, client seating, and business cards.
Media, Marketing & Social Media. Dedicated photography area and access to professional studio photography/videography setups (high-end cameras, polarization filters, and specialized lighting). Comprehensive studio marketing campaigns and active, regular updates across all studio social media platforms. Updated website and online appointment management.
Universal and Common Artist Responsibilities
Regardless of contract modality or payment structure, all artists in the studio share a mandatory set of fundamental obligations to ensure the legality, sanitation, and prestige of the brand.
Paperwork & Consent Forms. Each artist must accurately complete and systematically file the mandatory studio consent form for every single client serviced. Tattooing a client without a fully executed consent form is strictly prohibited.
Hygiene, Sanitation & Ink Control. It is mandatory to keep the workstation immaculately clean, sanitized, and organized before, during, and after each procedure. Leaving ink stains on the floor or furniture is strictly prohibited. For cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, chairs, and Mayo trays, artists must exclusively use approved, hospital-grade disinfectants authorized by the Department of Health (e.g., Madacide) provided by the studio.
Legal Compliance and Licensing. Each artist is individually responsible for keeping active, punctually renewing, and publicly displaying all mandatory personal licenses at their station, including a current Tattoo Artist License and a valid Bloodborne Pathogens certification. Working with expired documentation is strictly prohibited.
Professional Conduct and Client Care. Ethical, respectful, and strictly professional behavior is required at all times within the facilities. Client service must be top-tier: polite, clear, and focused on providing a safe, high-quality experience.
Supply of Work Materials. Beyond the basic disposable supplies provided by the studio, each artist has the obligation to supply and fund independently all their primary tools and specific materials (machines, needles, inks, power supplies, special cartridges, etc.) required to perform their craft.
Artistic Quality and Portfolio. Every team member must formally commit to maintaining maximum quality and technical excellence in their artistic work to protect both the artist's portfolio and the studio's reputation. To support studio marketing, artists must submit photos or videos of completed work weekly in the studio's suggested format for the global portfolio.
Complimentary Consultations. To ensure proper planning, design accuracy, and exceptional execution (especially for complex realism pieces), all initial consultations and design planning sessions must be completely free of charge for the client. Charging for initial consultation time is not permitted.
Studio Security. Shared and mature responsibility regarding the proper use and safekeeping of the studio key (for authorized artists).
Specific Responsibilities by Work Structure
Booth Rent Artists (Independent Contractors)
Booth renters operate as independent businesses within the studio space. The use of their assigned space is subject to strict compliance with the following obligations.
Rent Timeliness and Fees. Strict obligation to submit monthly booth rent in full and on time, adhering to the deadlines established in individual commercial lease agreements. Current monthly rent (subject to change): $1,100. Payment window: between the 30th and the 2nd of each month. Late fee: an automated $50 penalty applies for late payments. The studio commits to providing a formal receipt for every monthly payment received.
Schedule and Pricing Autonomy. As independent contractors (self-employed), artists maintain complete control over their rates, pricing policies, and appointment calendar without administrative intervention. The studio does not generate any annual tax documentation (each artist manages their own tax accounting).
Promotion and Events. The artist is primarily responsible for marketing their own work. Participation in flash sales or studio-sponsored promotions to attract new clientele is completely optional.
Hours of Operation. The studio does not interfere with the artist's preferred working schedule, which includes the freedom to work on Mondays and Tuesdays (days when the studio is officially closed).
Station Care and Common Area Boundaries. Responsible for keeping their assigned cubicle immaculately clean, organized, and structurally sound. At the end of the working day, the station must be left spotless. Invading shared common areas (hallways, reception) with personal items or work materials is strictly prohibited to preserve the studio's clean and high-end aesthetic.
Commission-Based Artists (Percentage Structure)
Commission artists operate under a collaborative business model with studio administration and must strictly adhere to the following financial and operational rules.
Schedule Commitment. Mandatory obligation to respect studio hours, opening/closing routines, and assigned shifts to guarantee availability for scheduled appointments and walk-ins.
Digital Payment Processing (Square). All digital, credit, or debit card transactions must be processed obligatorily and exclusively through the studio's official Square account. Using personal payment processors or terminals is strictly prohibited.
Mandatory Cash Protocol. A strict, non-negotiable rule: every cash payment received must be documented with a duplicate receipt issued on the spot. One copy must be given to the client and the other submitted to administration for daily cash auditing.
Payouts and Taxes. The artist is responsible for providing complete banking and billing information to ensure accurate, timely commission payouts. Artists must keep their tax documentation updated for year-end tax reporting.
Provided Furniture and Limitations. For the execution of their work, the studio exclusively provides the client chair and the basic station furniture. The studio does not provide work lamps or specific tattooing materials (needles, inks, machines, etc.), which are the sole responsibility of the artist.
Walk-In Client Protocol and Management
To guarantee a premium client experience, optimize daily workflow, and ensure a transparent and fair distribution of walk-in business, the following strict protocol is established.
Centralization of Reception. Only authorized personnel (the Studio Manager and the Owner) are permitted to greet, consult, and manage walk-in clients. No artist is authorized to negotiate, assign, or accept a walk-in client directly at the front desk area without prior coordination and approval from management.
Efficient and Specialized Assignment. Walk-in distribution is executed strictly at management's discretion, based on two fundamental factors:
- —Requested style and technical requirements — priority is given to the artist whose technical specialization or artistic style best aligns with the design requested by the client.
- —Immediate availability — the client will be assigned to the artist who has the proper time frame open to execute the piece with the calm, precision, and excellence demanded by the studio.
Mandatory Weekly Availability Reporting. To enable management to properly plan, offer rapid booking slots, and distribute walk-ins fairly, it is a mandatory responsibility for every artist to report their open slots and weekly schedule availability to the master calendar. Without this weekly update, management cannot guarantee the allocation of walk-in clients to their station.