Artist Guide
Welcome to InkLink. This guide covers everything you need to manage your bookings, set your availability, publish flash designs, handle payments, grow your social presence, and track your earnings -- all from one platform.
What you can do as an artist
Manage Bookings
Accept, counter-offer, or decline booking requests. Start and complete sessions with built-in timers.
Set Availability
Define your own work hours, block off time for breaks, and set holidays -- independently of any shop schedule.
Publish Flash
Create flash sheets, set prices and quantities, and share them with customers who can reserve instantly.
Earn & Track
View detailed revenue reports, per-shop breakdowns, and historical analytics on your earnings dashboard.
Build Your Brand
Post portfolio work, share stories, message followers, and collaborate with other artists on the platform.
Host Events
Create competitions, publish tutorial courses, and host live streams to engage your audience.
Setting Up Your Profile
Your profile is the first thing customers see when they discover you on InkLink. A complete profile builds trust and helps customers decide to book with you.
Add a Profile Photo
Navigate to your profile and tap the camera icon. Upload a clear, professional photo of yourself or your logo. This appears on your booking page, posts, and search results.
Write Your Bio
Add a short description of your style, specialties, and experience. Customers use this to decide whether your work matches what they are looking for.
Set Your Tattoo Styles
Select the tattoo styles you specialise in (such as traditional, realism, blackwork, watercolour, or fine line). This helps customers find you through style-based search filters.
Add Portfolio Work
Upload high-quality photos of your completed work. Your portfolio is displayed prominently on your profile and acts as your visual resume on the platform.
Configure Your Booking Preferences
Set your minimum booking price, hourly rate, and deposit percentage. These values are used when customers submit booking requests and when you create counter-offers.
Work Hours
Work hours define when customers can book appointments with you. You set a schedule for each day of the week, and InkLink uses this to show available time slots on your booking page.
Open Availability Settings
Go to your profile, then tap Availability. This opens the weekly schedule editor.
Set Hours for Each Day
For each day of the week, set a start time and end time. If you do not work on a particular day, leave it toggled off. You can set different hours for different days.
Save Your Schedule
Tap Save to apply your availability. Customers will immediately see updated time slots when attempting to book.
Holidays
Holidays let you block out entire days when you are not available. Use these for vacation, personal days, public holidays, or any other full-day absence.
Open Holiday Settings
Navigate to Availability and tap the Holidays tab.
Add a Holiday
Tap Add Holiday, then select the date or date range. Give it a name (such as "Summer Vacation") so you can identify it later.
Save
Confirm the holiday. Those dates will be removed from your available slots, and customers will not be able to request bookings during that time.
Block Time
Block time lets you mark specific time windows within a workday as unavailable. Use this for lunch breaks, personal errands, or any period where you need to prevent bookings without taking an entire day off.
Open Your Calendar
Navigate to your calendar view. Tap and hold on the time slot you want to block, or tap the + button and select Block Time.
Set the Time Range
Choose the start and end time for the blocked period. You can optionally add a note (such as "Lunch" or "Meeting") for your own reference.
Confirm the Block
Tap Save. The blocked time will appear on your calendar, and those slots will not be offered to customers looking to book.
Independent Availability
If you are connected to a shop, the shop has its own operating hours. By default, your availability is constrained by those shop hours. However, InkLink gives you the ability to override this and set your own independent schedule.
Enable Independent Availability
Go to Availability settings. You will see a toggle labelled Use Independent Hours. Enable this to decouple your schedule from the shop's operating hours.
Set Your Own Hours
Once independent mode is on, configure your personal work hours for each day of the week. These hours will be used for all booking availability calculations instead of the shop's hours.
Save and Verify
Save your settings and check your public booking page. The available time slots shown to customers will now reflect your independent schedule.
Reviewing Requests
When a customer submits a tattoo booking request, it appears in your bookings list with a "Requested" status. You receive a push notification and an in-app alert so you can respond promptly.
Open the Bookings Tab
Tap the Bookings icon in the bottom navigation bar. New requests appear at the top, highlighted with a "Requested" badge.
Review the Request Details
Tap a request to see the full details. This includes the customer's name, requested date and time, placement, size, description, reference images (if any), and the quoted price.
Review Intake Form Responses
If the shop or artist has an intake form configured, the customer's answers are displayed within the booking detail. Review these for medical history, allergies, or special requirements.
Accept, Counter, or Decline
After reviewing a booking request, you have three options. Each triggers a different flow for the customer.
Accepting a Request
Tap Accept
If you are happy with the requested date, time, and price, tap the Accept button.
Deposit Request Sent
The system automatically sends a deposit request to the customer. The deposit amount is based on your configured deposit percentage of the total price.
Booking Confirmed
Once the customer pays the deposit, the booking moves to "Confirmed" status. It appears on both your calendar and the customer's appointments list.
Counter-Offering
Tap Counter
If you want to suggest a different price, date, or time, tap Counter.
Adjust the Details
Modify the price, date, time, or add a note explaining your counter-offer. You can change any combination of these fields.
Send the Counter-Offer
Tap Send. The customer is notified and can either accept your counter-offer, submit a new counter, or decline. The booking status changes to "Counter Offered".
Declining a Request
Tap Decline
If the booking does not work for you, tap Decline. You can optionally add a reason so the customer understands why.
Customer Notified
The customer receives a notification that their request was declined. The booking is removed from your active requests.
During a Session (Start / Finish)
When the appointment day arrives and the customer is in the chair, InkLink provides tools to track the session from start to finish.
Open the Booking
Find the confirmed booking in your Bookings tab or calendar. Tap it to open the booking detail screen.
Start the Session
Tap Start Session. This marks the booking as "In Progress" and starts the session timer. The customer is notified that the session has begun.
Work on the Tattoo
The timer runs in the background. You can leave the app and return at any time -- the timer continues accurately.
Finish the Session
When the tattoo is complete, return to the booking and tap Finish Session. The timer stops and the session duration is recorded.
Remaining Payment
After a session is finished, the remaining balance (total price minus the deposit already paid) must be collected from the customer. InkLink handles this through the remaining payment flow.
Review the Balance
After finishing the session, the booking detail screen shows the total price, deposit paid, and remaining balance. Verify that the remaining amount is correct.
Request Remaining Payment
Tap Request Remaining Payment. The customer receives a notification with the amount due and can pay directly through the app using their saved payment method or wallet balance.
Payment Confirmed
Once the customer pays, the booking status updates to "Completed". The full amount is reflected in your earnings dashboard.
Creating Flash Sheets
Flash sheets are collections of ready-to-tattoo designs that customers can browse and reserve. Each sheet contains one or more individual flash designs grouped under a common theme or style.
Navigate to Flash
Open the Flash tab from your artist dashboard. This shows all your existing flash sheets and a button to create new ones.
Create a New Sheet
Tap Create Flash Sheet. Give the sheet a title (such as "Spring Florals" or "Neo-Traditional Collection") and optionally add a description.
Set a Cover Image
Upload a cover image for the sheet. This is the thumbnail that customers see when browsing flash sheets in the app.
Adding Designs to a Sheet
Once you have created a flash sheet, populate it with individual designs. Each design has its own image, price, and optional quantity limit.
Open Your Sheet
Tap the flash sheet you want to add designs to. On the sheet detail page, tap Add Design.
Upload the Design Image
Choose a high-resolution image of the flash design. This is what customers will see when deciding whether to reserve.
Set the Price
Enter the price for the design. This is the total amount the customer pays when they reserve and book this flash piece.
Set Quantity (Optional)
If you want to limit how many times a design can be tattooed, set a quantity. For example, a quantity of 1 means it is a one-of-a-kind piece. Leave this blank for unlimited reservations.
Save the Design
Tap Save. The design is added to the sheet. Repeat for each design you want to include.
Publishing a Flash Sheet
Flash sheets are created in draft mode. They are not visible to customers until you publish them.
Review Your Sheet
Open the flash sheet and review all designs, prices, and quantities. Make sure everything looks correct before going live.
Tap Publish
Tap the Publish button. The sheet and all its designs become immediately visible to customers browsing flash on the platform.
Managing Flash Designs
After publishing, you can continue to manage your flash sheets and individual designs. Here are the key management actions available to you.
Unpublishing a Sheet
If you need to temporarily hide a flash sheet from customers, tap the sheet and select Unpublish. The sheet returns to draft mode and is no longer visible in search or browsing. Any pending reservations on designs within the sheet remain active.
Archiving a Design
When a design has been fully reserved (all quantity slots filled) or you simply no longer want to offer it, you can archive it. Archived designs are hidden from customers but remain in your records. Open the design and tap Archive.
Adjusting Quantity
You can increase or decrease the available quantity of any published design at any time. Open the design, update the quantity field, and save. If you reduce the quantity below the number of existing reservations, the existing reservations are honoured -- only new reservations are prevented.
Assigned Services
Shops can create services (such as piercings, laser removal, touch-ups, or consultations) and assign them to specific artists. When a customer books one of these services, the booking is automatically routed to the assigned artist.
Check Your Assigned Services
Go to the Services section in your dashboard. Here you can see all services that the shop has assigned to you, along with their descriptions, durations, and pricing.
Receive Service Booking Notifications
When a customer books one of your assigned services, you receive a push notification. The booking appears in your service bookings list with all the details.
Starting and Completing Services
The workflow for service bookings is similar to tattoo bookings. You start the session when the customer arrives and finish it when the service is complete.
Open the Service Booking
Navigate to the service booking from your calendar or the service bookings list. Review the service details, customer information, and any notes.
Start the Service
Tap Start Session to mark the service as in progress. The status updates to "In Progress" and the session timer begins.
Complete the Service
When the service is done, tap Finish Session. The session duration is recorded and the booking moves to the payment collection phase.
Service Remaining Payment
If the service required a deposit, there will be a remaining balance to collect after the session. The flow is the same as for tattoo bookings.
Check the Remaining Balance
After finishing the session, the booking detail shows the total price, deposit paid, and remaining amount due.
Request Payment
Tap Request Remaining Payment. The customer receives a payment request notification and can complete the payment through the app.
Booking Completed
Once paid, the booking is marked as "Completed" and the earnings appear in your revenue reports.
Joining Shops
InkLink lets you connect with tattoo shops. When connected, you appear on the shop's profile, can be assigned to services, and your bookings can be managed through the shop's calendar.
Receive an Invitation
Shop owners send connection invitations to artists they want to add. You receive a notification when a shop invites you. Alternatively, you can search for shops and request to join.
Review the Invitation
Open the invitation to see the shop's name, location, description, and the commission rate (if any) they have set for your bookings.
Accept or Decline
Tap Accept to join the shop or Decline if you are not interested. You can be connected to multiple shops simultaneously.
Managing Connections
Once connected to a shop, you can view and manage the connection at any time.
View Your Shops
Go to Settings and tap My Shops. This lists all shops you are currently connected to, along with the connection status and commission rates.
View Shop Details
Tap any shop to see its full details: operating hours, other connected artists, services you are assigned to, and recent bookings through that shop.
Disconnecting from a Shop
If you leave a shop or no longer want to be associated with it, you can disconnect at any time.
Open the Shop Connection
Go to Settings, tap My Shops, and select the shop you want to disconnect from.
Tap Disconnect
Tap the Disconnect button. A confirmation dialog appears to prevent accidental disconnection.
Confirm
Confirm the disconnection. You are removed from the shop's artist roster. The shop owner is notified of the disconnection.
Revenue Reports
InkLink provides detailed revenue tracking so you always know how much you have earned. Your earnings dashboard aggregates all income from tattoo bookings, flash reservations, service bookings, and events.
Open Earnings
Tap the Earnings section from your artist dashboard. The overview screen shows your total earnings for the current period.
Filter by Date Range
Use the date range selector to view earnings for a specific week, month, or custom period. The totals update in real time as you adjust the range.
View Transaction Breakdown
Scroll down to see individual transactions. Each entry shows the booking type, customer name, amount, date, and status (paid, pending, or refunded).
Shop-specific Reports
If you are connected to multiple shops, you can filter your earnings to see a breakdown by shop. This is useful for tracking commissions and understanding where most of your income comes from.
Select a Shop Filter
On the earnings screen, tap the shop filter dropdown. Select a specific shop to see only earnings from bookings through that shop.
Review Commission Details
The shop-specific report shows your gross earnings, the shop's commission amount, and your net take-home for each transaction.
Analytics
Beyond raw revenue numbers, InkLink provides visual analytics to help you understand your business trends over time.
Key Metrics
- Total Revenue -- Your gross earnings over the selected period.
- Booking Count -- How many bookings you completed.
- Average Session Value -- Your average earnings per completed session.
- Average Session Duration -- How long your sessions typically last.
- Flash Reservations -- Number of flash designs reserved and converted to bookings.
Charts and Trends
The analytics section includes charts showing revenue over time, booking frequency, and income source distribution (tattoo bookings vs. flash vs. services vs. events). Use these to identify busy periods, spot trends, and plan your schedule accordingly.
Posts and Portfolio
InkLink includes a built-in social platform where you can share your work, build a following, and attract new customers. Posts appear on your profile and in the feeds of users who follow you.
Create a Post
Tap the + button from the main feed or your profile. Select one or more photos or videos of your work.
Add a Caption
Write a caption describing the piece, the style, or the story behind it. You can tag the shop where the work was done and mention the customer (with their permission).
Tag Styles and Location
Add relevant tattoo style tags (such as "realism" or "blackwork") and your location. Tagged posts are discoverable through style and location search filters.
Publish
Tap Post to publish. The post appears immediately on your profile and in the feeds of your followers.
Stories
Stories are short-lived posts that disappear after 24 hours. They are ideal for sharing behind-the-scenes content, in-progress work, studio atmosphere shots, or quick announcements.
Open the Story Camera
Swipe right from the main feed or tap your profile picture with the + icon. The story camera opens.
Capture or Upload
Take a photo or video with the camera, or upload from your gallery. You can add text overlays, stickers, and drawings to the media.
Share the Story
Tap Share to publish the story. It appears at the top of the feed for your followers and on your profile ring for 24 hours.
Messaging
InkLink has a built-in messaging system for direct communication between artists, customers, and shop owners. Use messaging to discuss bookings, share reference images, or coordinate schedules.
Open Messages
Tap the Messages icon in the navigation bar. Your conversation list shows all active and recent conversations.
Start a Conversation
To message someone new, tap the compose button and search for their name. You can message any user on the platform.
Send Text, Images, or Files
Type your message and tap send. You can also attach images (such as reference photos) and files. Messages are delivered in real time with push notifications.
Collaborations
Collaborate with other artists on InkLink by tagging them in posts, co-hosting events, or working on joint projects. Collaborations increase your visibility by exposing your work to the other artist's audience.
Tagging Collaborators on Posts
When creating a post, use the "Tag People" option to tag another artist. The post then appears on both your profile and theirs, giving both audiences the opportunity to discover each other.
Co-hosting Events
When creating an event, you can add other artists as co-hosts. Co-hosted events appear on the profiles of all co-hosts and send notifications to all their followers.
Creating Events
InkLink supports multiple event types that artists can create and manage. Events help you engage with your community, earn additional income, and build your reputation.
Navigate to Events
Open the Events tab from your dashboard. Tap Create Event to begin.
Choose the Event Type
Select the type of event: Classic Event, Competition, Course, or Live Stream. Each type has a different setup flow and features.
Fill In the Details
Add the event title, description, date, time, location (for in-person events), and a cover image. Set the ticket price if the event is paid, or mark it as free.
Publish the Event
Review all details and tap Publish. The event becomes visible on the platform, and followers receive a notification about it.
Competitions
Competitions are special events where participants submit entries (typically photos of their work) and the community votes to determine winners. As the organiser, you set the rules, categories, and prizes.
Create a Competition Event
Select "Competition" as the event type. Enter the competition name, description, start and end dates, and submission rules.
Define Categories and Prizes
Add categories (such as "Best Traditional", "Best Realism") and describe the prizes for each. You can offer free flash designs, discounts, or other rewards.
Set Voting Rules
Choose whether voting is open to all users or restricted to event attendees. Set the voting period start and end dates.
Manage Submissions and Winners
During the competition, review submissions as they come in. After voting closes, announce winners through the event page.
Courses
Courses (also called tutorials) let you teach techniques, share knowledge, and earn income from educational content. Courses consist of one or more video lessons that customers can purchase and watch at their own pace.
Create a Course
Select "Course" as the event type. Enter the course title, description, and a cover image. Set the price for the course.
Add Lessons
Upload video lessons to the course. Each lesson has a title, description, and video file. Order the lessons in the sequence you want students to watch them.
Set Pricing
Enter the price customers pay to access the course. Pricing is a one-time purchase that grants permanent access to all lessons.
Publish
Tap Publish to make the course available. Customers can purchase and start watching immediately.
Live Streams
Host live streaming sessions where your followers can watch you work in real time, ask questions, and interact with you. Live streams are a powerful engagement tool for building your audience.
Schedule a Live Stream
Create a live stream event with a date, time, title, and description. Followers receive a notification about the upcoming stream so they can set a reminder.
Go Live
When it is time, open the event and tap Go Live. InkLink starts broadcasting your camera feed to all viewers who have joined.
Engage with Viewers
A live chat runs alongside the video feed. Viewers can send messages, ask questions, and react. Engage with the chat to build rapport with your audience.
End the Stream
When you are finished, tap End Stream. The stream recording may be saved (depending on your settings) for viewers who missed the live broadcast.
Notifications
InkLink sends notifications to keep you informed about booking activity, messages, payments, and more. You can customise which notifications you receive and how they are delivered.
Notification Types
- Booking Requests -- When a customer submits a new booking request.
- Booking Updates -- When a booking status changes (deposit paid, confirmed, cancelled).
- Messages -- When you receive a new direct message.
- Payments -- When a payment is received or a remaining payment is made.
- Flash Reservations -- When a customer reserves one of your flash designs.
- Social Activity -- Likes, comments, and new followers on your posts.
- Shop Updates -- Announcements or changes from shops you are connected to.
Managing Notification Preferences
Go to Settings and tap Notifications. Toggle individual notification types on or off. You can also control whether notifications are delivered as push notifications, in-app alerts, or email.
Settings
The settings screen gives you control over your account, profile, and app preferences.
Account Settings
- Edit Profile -- Update your name, bio, profile photo, and tattoo styles.
- Change Password -- Update your account password for security.
- Email and Phone -- Update your contact information. Email changes require verification.
- Language -- Switch the app language if available in your region.
Booking Settings
- Minimum Price -- Set the minimum amount for a tattoo booking.
- Hourly Rate -- Your base hourly rate, displayed to customers during booking.
- Deposit Percentage -- The percentage of the total price collected as a deposit at booking time.
- Cancellation Policy -- Define your cancellation terms (how far in advance a customer must cancel, refund policy).
Privacy Settings
- Profile Visibility -- Control whether your profile is publicly visible or only visible to connected shops and existing customers.
- Message Privacy -- Allow messages from anyone or restrict to followers and connected users only.
Help and Support
If you encounter issues or have questions that are not covered in this guide, InkLink provides several support channels.
In-App Support
Go to Settings and tap Help & Support. From here you can browse the FAQ, search for answers, or submit a support ticket directly from the app.
Email Support
For account or payment issues, you can email the InkLink support team directly. Response times are typically within 24 hours on business days.
Community
Join the InkLink community channels on social media to connect with other artists, share tips, and stay updated on new features and platform announcements.