OpenInk Studio · Updated
Tattoo Brief Template: A Reusable Client Request Worksheet
A Tattoo Brief is a short working record of the client's idea and the details an artist needs before quoting or designing. Use this free template in a document, email or your existing intake process. Keep the client's original words alongside your notes, and mark unanswered details instead of guessing.
Copy the worksheet
Replace the bracketed prompts. This is a working brief, not a booking confirmation, consent form or final design approval.
Copy the worksheet Replace the bracketed prompts. This is a working brief, not a booking confirmation, consent form or final design approval. Client and contact: [Name, preferred contact method, and date of request] Idea and meaning: [Main subject, story, must-have elements, and elements to avoid] Placement and size: [Body area, left/right, orientation, approximate width and height in cm] Style and colour: [Style, black/grey or colour, linework preferences, flexibility] References: [Links or attached images; explain what you like about each one] Budget and timing: [Client's budget range, currency, preferred dates, flexibility] Existing tattoo or cover-up: [Existing ink in the area; note whether an in-person review is needed] Artist review and next step: [Missing details, feasibility notes, proposed next action; quote and booking still to confirm]
A filled-in example
Illustrative request written for this guide. It is not a real client record or an approved tattoo design.
Subject: a botanical branch with no lettering. Placement: outer left forearm, about 12 × 5 cm, following the arm. Style: black linework, open to the artist adjusting spacing. References: leaf shapes from image A and the lighter line weight in image B. Budget: US$300–450. Timing: flexible in November. Artist review: confirm a placement photo and final size before quoting; no appointment confirmed.
Separate the client's request from your decisions
Write the client's budget as their budget, not as an accepted price. Describe references as direction, not permission to reproduce another artist's work. Record a hoped-for date as a preference until both sides agree. Leave price, final design and appointment status for the artist to confirm.
Review the brief before sending a booking link
Read the original request first, then use the worksheet to check what is missing. A short list of specific follow-ups is more useful than filling empty fields with assumptions.
- Check that placement and size describe the same idea.
- Ask which details of each reference matter to the client.
- Clarify budget, deadline and any existing ink before quoting.
- Confirm the design direction and booking terms with the client.
Use it with your current tools or OpenInk Studio
The text template works without an account. In OpenInk Studio, clients submit a consultation form with reference images, and you review the original answers and continue the conversation in the consultation. This worksheet is an optional planning aid; it does not promise automatic brief generation or replace your form.
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