tip etiquette

I was hired to work a grand opening for a children's store. Would it be wrong to put out a tip jar?

For me it all depends on the sponsor you have to ask them, sometimes when they pay your full rate don't want for you to "ask" for tips, some of them don't care.

Definitely a question for the client. Personally I never put out a tip jar when I'm being paid by the hour (they are of course paying me to be there so it is free to their guests). The only time I ask and did use a tip jar was at a gig that I've done for years where they WAY over-work us and refuse to hire additional artists to help with the workload. So, that helped offset the back breaking-ness of the gig! ;-)

I always ask the hiring party. It's on my service agreement. Usually, if I'm offering a discount for some reason, it's a stipulation I make.

I don't put out tip jars. If someone wants to tip, they hand it to me and that's always worked really well for me. A tip jar is just one more thing to have to worry about. Personally, I wouldn't put a tip jar at a children's store.

I also don't use one if I am being paid by someone, but it doesn't hurt to ask if you want to but it might make parents feel uncomfortable.

I'm also in the camp that it's something you need to ask the client. You can even put a little checkbox on your contract for full-price hourly gigs. I have also worked some gigs for charity where the client paid hourly but made sure that tip jars went to the charity to recoup some of their expense.

If I discount AND the public is getting it free, then I ask the client if I can put out a tip jar. Most say yes! But I always ask. Lynne (Pinkundies) and I do a yearly busy store gig where the store pays us and the customer gets it free. It's a busy place, we EACH put out our own tip jar and we do very well. Client has no issue with it.

Tina, I am curious..do alot of people tip you if the service is free? I would think so, but I don't know. I always tip entertainers if they are playing or working for free to me

I have a spot on my contract that asks "is it ok for the artist to put out a tip jar?", yes or no. If it's a community event where the painting is free for the public and the client checked Yes, then I will put out a tip jar. Sometimes people check yes when it's a house party, but I never put a jar out for that kind of event.

I don't put a tip jar out when im paid my full rate..the client is paying for the customer to get their faces free. If im painting at a discounted rate then I do ask if I can put one out...