Reinventing The Tattoo Forum

One thing to get the client in- is give insentive to sit longer.  If you charge $150-$200 per hour.  Tell client if they sit for 4 hours or more, you will reduce the hourly price to $100-$125 per hour. (1-3 hour sessions are full hourly price.) They sit longer, and it makes it more affordable for them to come in (spend $400, but save $200).  Just be blunt about last minute reschedules and no shows.  If that happens you will take away their "reduced hourly deal" for all future work.....
 

I've never done a change in the hourly rate, but the few times that scenario happens to me I have to lay it out bluntly.  After the initial deposit, I'm fine if someone cancels with enough notice that I could take walk-ins at least and we just reschedule.  But with any large piece I set the expectation from the beginning that if there are any no call/no-shows, the initial deposit is forfeit and another, equal deposit will need to be left before another appointment can be set.  The deposit has to be large enough to hurt if they don't show up.  At the end of the tattoo, if they haven't been a total jerk the whole time and had understandable reasons for standing me up, often times I will credit back both deposits if they are less than $100, because I want to represent my shop in a good light.

In your case, next time you speak with that person maybe you should just make it clear that you expect them to keep their appointments - the deposits are for both your benefits.  If he or she is truly serious about getting their work finished, they should be willing to pay that deposit.  You're not only wasting your time, you're potentially losing money, and your time is valuable.  If they don't understand that, then maybe this is just one of those cases where you get done what you can, when you can, and be finished with that person.  I still think you could ask for another deposit since he has canceled so many times - it should send the message that you aren't going to tolerate it anymore.  If it's that large of a piece, not too many other artists are likely going to want to touch it anyway, and should ask him why he didn't have you finish it.  In which case he would either tell the truth and they should refuse him, or he will lie and say you were hard to work with, impossible to schedule with, etc.  

Seems like no one serious about getting large pieces done should have any problem whatsoever leaving a deposit.  If they do what they're supposed to do, they get the deposit back.  Same as renting an apartment.  I feel like some people struggle to understand what the point of a deposit is...some people think I'm asking for it just to rip them off, so I've learned to explain it as throroughly as I can during the consultation.  I tell them up front the deposit is to cover drawing time and to save your time slot for your appointment, and while non-refundable, will be taken off the final cost of the tattoo, or last session if it's going to take more than one sitting.  Once the deposit is received, I will begin drawing.  

Another side if this initial phase that I've been burned on more than once is people's expectations when it comes to the drawing.  They've paid their deposit, their appointment is set for a later date...and two days later they're calling me asking if I'm done with the drawing and can I text them a picture of it.  I've had to learn to set the expectation with this as well - Drawings are done in order of appointment, that person is in a queue.  If I get it finished with a few days to spare, I will notify them and they can come to the shop to view it if they wish, but oftentimes I'm drawing to the last minute.  There's a very good chance they will not see the drawing before their appointment.  If they wish to modify it, I will allow it and work it in as time allows, but large modifications may require a new appointment to be made.  This, along with the deposit explanation, is usually enough for most people, though some people don't accept it.  And at the end of the day, I suppose I would rather work with people who understand the process and know what they're getting into from the beginning.  If they want to resist it, maybe that's not someone I need to be working with.  I feel this is most necessary for people who've never been tattooed.  If they like your work, they keep coming to you, and things are easy with them from here on out.  Or, if they visit another artist down the road, you've set the expectation and you've helped out the other guy.  So really it helps everybody.  It's tough though, sometimes you just want to help out the client and you don't ask for the deposit, or you make exceptions because you don't want them to go somewhere else if you're really excited about their idea, but in the end all that does is feed into their instant-gratifications.

point is, I wouldn't get hung up on this guy.  It sucks when it's a piece you're really excited about, but in the end he's the one having to wear it unfinished.  Only you have the vision for it, and maybe he'll find someone cheaper to finish it for him, but chances are he'll regret it.

Also, you could also support your request for the deposit by saying it's required by your new studio.  Some studios are across the board with this and some aren't...mine is sort of in the middle.  We aren't crazy strict with it but we try to be consistent so repeat clients know what to expect regardless of who's tattooing them.