Articles on: Artists

Setting Special Pricing for Flash Work

Learn how to price flash designs competitively while maintaining profitability and managing client expectations.

Overview

Flash designs can have special pricing separate from your standard hourly rate. This allows you to offer attractive pricing for pre-drawn work while still being compensated fairly for your time. This guide covers flash pricing strategies, how to set prices, and best practices for balancing profitability with volume.

Why Flash Has Different Pricing

Flash designs typically cost less than custom work for good reasons:

Time Savings:

No design consultation - Design is already done
No back-and-forth revisions - Client books what they see
Faster tattooing - You've practiced the design
Streamlined workflow - Less project management

Volume Benefits:

Multiple bookings - Same design tattooed multiple times
Higher booking rate - Attractive pricing drives sales
Fill schedule gaps - Quick flash bookings fill open slots
Predictable sessions - You know exactly how long it'll take

Flash Pricing Strategies

Strategy 1: Fixed Pricing

Set a specific price for each flash design.

Example:

Small flash: $100 flat
Medium flash: $200 flat
Large flash: $350 flat

Advantages:

Simple - Clients know the exact cost
Fast checkout - No estimating needed
Clear expectations - No surprises

Best for:

Designs with predictable size and duration
Standard flash sizes
Simplified booking process

Strategy 2: Tiered Pricing

Create price tiers based on design complexity.

Example:

Tier 1 (Simple): $80-120 - Basic line work, minimal detail
Tier 2 (Standard): $150-250 - Average detail, some shading
Tier 3 (Complex): $300-450 - Heavy detail, extensive shading

Advantages:

Flexible - Accommodates different design complexities
Fair - More complex work costs more
Scalable - Easy to categorize new flash

Best for:

Artists with varied flash styles
Collections with different complexity levels
Larger flash galleries

Strategy 3: Time-Based Discount

Discount your hourly rate for flash work.

Example:

Standard hourly rate: $150/hour
Flash hourly rate: $100/hour
Estimated time × flash rate = flash price

Advantages:

Proportional - Price scales with time needed
Consistent - All flash gets same discount percentage
Simple calculation - Easy to explain to clients

Best for:

Artists who prefer hourly-based pricing
Varied design sizes
Maintaining consistent hourly earnings

Strategy 4: Promotional Pricing

Special pricing for limited-time flash events.

Example:

Friday the 13th: $13, $31, $50, $100 flash
Halloween: 20% off all spooky flash
Flash sale: All designs $150 this week

Advantages:

Creates urgency - Limited-time offers drive bookings
Marketing tool - Generates buzz and excitement
Volume driver - Books multiple appointments quickly

Best for:

Holiday events
Slow periods
Building new client base

How to Set Flash Prices

Step 1: Calculate Your Base Cost

Determine minimum pricing based on time and materials:

Time Investment:

How long to draw/design: (already done, but factor into multiple uses)
How long to set up: Stencil prep, ink setup, station setup
How long to tattoo: Actual tattooing time
How long to clean up: Station breakdown, aftercare instructions

Materials Cost:

Ink usage
Needles/tubes
Stencil paper
Gloves, barriers, wrap
Aftercare products

Example Calculation:

Setup: 15 minutes
Tattooing: 2 hours
Cleanup: 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Materials: $15

Your hourly rate: $150/hour

Standard price: $150 × 2.5 = $375

Step 2: Apply Flash Discount

Determine your flash discount rate:

Common discount ranges:

Conservative: 10-20% off (flash still highly profitable)
Moderate: 20-30% off (good balance)
Aggressive: 30-40% off (volume play)

Example (30% discount):

Standard price: $375
Flash discount: 30% = $112.50 off
Flash price: $263 (round to $250 or $275)

Step 3: Consider Market Factors

Research comparable pricing:

What do other artists charge for similar flash?
What's the local market rate?
What does your clientele expect?

Adjust based on:

Your experience level - More experienced artists charge more
Design uniqueness - Original, custom-drawn flash commands premium
Demand - Popular styles can have higher pricing
Your booking volume - If you're slow, price more aggressively

Step 4: Set Price in Apprentice

Open the flash design you want to price
Click "Edit"
Find the "Special Pricing" section
Enter your fixed flash price
Click "Save"

The flash price overrides your standard hourly rate for that design.

Testing: Start with moderate pricing and adjust based on booking rate.

Pricing by Flash Type

Simple/Small Flash

Characteristics:

Minimal line work
Small size (2x2 to 3x3 inches)
30-60 minute tattoos
Little to no shading

Price Range: $50-150

Example: Simple symbols, small text, basic outlines

Medium Flash

Characteristics:

Moderate detail
Medium size (3x5 to 5x7 inches)
1.5-3 hour tattoos
Some shading or color

Price Range: $150-300

Example: Roses, animals, traditional designs with color

Large/Complex Flash

Characteristics:

Heavy detail
Larger size (6x8+ inches)
3-5+ hour tattoos
Extensive shading and/or color

Price Range: $300-500+

Example: Large traditional pieces, detailed realism, complex compositions

Seasonal & Event Pricing

Friday the 13th Flash

Traditional Friday 13th pricing tiers:

$13 flash - Tiny, simple designs
$31 flash - Small with minimal detail
$50 flash - Small with moderate detail
$100 flash - Standard size, full detail

Tips for 13th events:

Create many options at each tier
Limit inventory to 1-3 per design
Prepare for high volume
Set clear expectations (no modifications)

Holiday Flash

Theme-based pricing:

Halloween: Spooky designs at $100-200
Valentine's: Heart/love designs at $80-150
Christmas: Winter themed at $100-250

Promotional strategies:

Limited-time availability
Percentage discount (e.g., 20% off)
Buy-one-get-one deals (two small flash, one price)

Flash Sales

Discount events to drive bookings:

"Flash Sale Friday": All flash 25% off
"Summer Flash Special": Select designs $150 flat
"Clear Out Sale": Old flash at deep discount

Deposit Requirements for Flash

Setting Flash Deposits

Flash can have different deposit requirements than custom work:

Common approaches:

50% deposit - Standard for most flash
Full payment upfront - For very popular or cheap flash
No deposit - Risky, but possible for low-cost flash

Why require deposits for flash?

Commits the client - Reduces no-shows
Compensates for prep - Covers your setup time
Manages demand - Ensures serious bookings

In Apprentice:

Set deposit amount when configuring flash
Or use your default deposit percentage
Clients pay deposit when booking

Communicating Flash Pricing

On Your Public Page

Be clear about:

Flash pricing is separate from hourly rates
Prices are as shown (no modifications)
Deposit required to secure booking
Total price includes everything (no surprise fees)

When Clients Ask

Example script:

"This flash design is $200 flat. That includes the tattoo, setup, and aftercare. No modifications can be made to flash designs—it's tattooed exactly as shown. A $100 deposit is required to book."

In Booking Confirmations

Include:

Flash design image
Total price
Deposit paid
Balance due
Size expectations
What's included

Balancing Volume and Profitability

The Flash Equation

Lower Price × Higher Volume = Similar Revenue

Example:

Custom tattoos: $200/hour × 20 hours/week = $4,000
Flash tattoos: $150 flat × 30 bookings/week = $4,500

Lower prices but more bookings can equal or exceed custom work earnings.

When to Prioritize Volume

Building your client base
Filling gaps in your schedule
Slow seasons
New to the area
Expanding your reach

When to Prioritize Profitability

Fully booked schedule
Established reputation
High-demand flash
Limited capacity
Exclusive/unique designs

Adjusting Flash Prices

When to Increase Prices

Indicators you should raise prices:

Flash sells out within minutes
You're overbooked with flash
Your skill level has significantly improved
Demand consistently exceeds supply
You want to do less flash, more custom

How much to increase:

10-20% increments
Test the market response
Monitor booking rate changes

When to Decrease Prices

Indicators you should lower prices:

Flash isn't booking
Inventory is sitting unsold
Local market is more competitive
You want to increase volume
Need to fill schedule gaps

How much to decrease:

10-25% reduction
Run a limited-time sale first
Test response before permanent change

Tips for Profitable Flash Pricing

Start moderate - You can always adjust
Track performance - Note which prices book best
Bundle deals - Offer packages for multiple flash bookings
Time-limited discounts - Create urgency without devaluing work
Tiered inventory pricing - First 3 bookings at one price, next 3 higher
Minimum pricing - Never go below your costs + fair compensation
Communicate value - Explain the quality clients receive
Be consistent - Keep similar designs in similar price ranges
Test and adjust - Use data to refine your pricing strategy

Common Issues

Issue: Flash selling out too fast at current price → Solution: Your prices are too low. Increase by 15-25% for next release
Issue: Flash not booking at all → Solution: Price may be too high, design may not appeal to your audience, or visibility/marketing needs improvement
Issue: Clients asking to modify flash → Solution: Explain flash is as-is only. Offer custom design option at standard rate
Issue: Making less per hour on flash than custom → Solution: Raise flash prices or reduce time investment per piece. Flash should be efficient, not unprofitable
Issue: How to price a design that took me 10 hours to draw? → Solution: Amortize design time across inventory. If you tattoo it 5 times, that's 2 hours design time per tattoo

Updated on: 16/01/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!