With the advancements made in laser removal of tattoos, many tattoo newcomers mistakenly believe that they can always change their minds later, and cover up or entirely remove a tattoo at will. Unfortunately, this is just not the case. Laser removal is inconsistent at best, certain colors are difficult to remove, and scarring is very common. So while you might be eager to get your new ink, take your time and make and an informed, lifelong decision.
1) First and foremost, do your research. There's no sense even looking into the tattoo artists or the cleanliness of the environment unless the parlor itself comes highly rated. This is much easier than it sounds, as you're not really trying to find the best parlor at the stage; instead, you're trying to weed out the worst.
2) Ask around. Chances are that your friends and acquaintances have tattoos and you can ask about their experiences. Of course, if their tattoos are awful, don't bother asking! Surprisingly, even strangers are open to talking about their tattoos. After all, they are visible, so their owners want them to be noticed, and they're impersonal enough that few people take offense to questions. And it's a great way to meet people to boot.
Once you have personal recommendations, do some web searches for each of the specific parlor names. Search for phrases like "tattoo-shop-name problems, "tattoo-shop-name complaints," etc.
Your local independent paper is a great way to find at least one leading local tattoo parlor. Tattoo shops very often advertise in these papers, and if the ads are recurring, odds are very high that the shop is favored in the community.
3) Do your safety checks. Once your list has been narrowed down, take a trip to each one. At this point you are interested in safety and cleanliness.
* Are the tattoo artists wearing gloves? * Do they wash their hands between tattoos? * Is smoking prohibited in the studio? * Is the parlor licensed? * Is the parlor clean? * Do the artists pull their needles from the autoclave (sterilizing equipment) prior to each tattoo? * Are single-use supplies used during a session? For example, look for things like disposable ink cups, fresh needles, and the like? * Do the artists shave and disinfect each client? Are plastic bags present and wrapped around hand-held equipment? This helps prevent cross-contamination.
4) Find an artist. If you're satisfied that the shop is clean, it's time to look for a specific artist. This is a matching process. While most artists are very versatile, if you're looking for a skull tattoo, wouldn't it make more sense to get it from someone who specializes in skulls? Often by looking through the art books in the parlor, you can get a feel for the style of each artist.
Tattoo studios receive a lot of walk-in traffic that is just shopping around or browsing through books, and many people getting tattoos get art that the tattooists find a bit boring. So don't expect the artists to bend over backwards to accommodate you, but they should still be friendly, helpful, and offer advice without pushing your decision. Most good, qualified artists know that informed clients make satisfied clients.
If you feel that you are being led to a design or decision that you don't like, or if the artist is dismissive of your questions, you might need to move on. Many experienced artists prefer working on intricate, large designs, so you might just fall under their radar. It's nothing to worry about: there is someone out there perfect for your tattoo.
5) Don't price it. Never, ever, under any circumstance, comparison shop for prices. The cost of your tattoo is the absolute last consideration that should enter your mind. This tattoo will be with you for a lifetime. Trust it only to the best shop you can find and don't let price affect your decision.
6) Choose your location. Sensitive areas and areas closer to bone tend to be more painful, but you shouldn't let pain determine your tattoo's location. Hip tattoos are very popular, as well as lower-back and shoulder tattoos. Growing in popularity are hand tattoos and foot tattoos, while the old standbys like arm tattoos are still going strong.
7) Choose your design. Similar to pricing your tattoo, don't settle for any old design you find in their books. With the abundance of tattoo designs available in online galleries, there is no reason you can't find the perfect tattoo for your skin. Your best option is to make use of a quality tattoo finder to browse designs. You'll be able to find and download artwork, and see real life pictures of what the tattoos look like on people. - 16651
1) First and foremost, do your research. There's no sense even looking into the tattoo artists or the cleanliness of the environment unless the parlor itself comes highly rated. This is much easier than it sounds, as you're not really trying to find the best parlor at the stage; instead, you're trying to weed out the worst.
2) Ask around. Chances are that your friends and acquaintances have tattoos and you can ask about their experiences. Of course, if their tattoos are awful, don't bother asking! Surprisingly, even strangers are open to talking about their tattoos. After all, they are visible, so their owners want them to be noticed, and they're impersonal enough that few people take offense to questions. And it's a great way to meet people to boot.
Once you have personal recommendations, do some web searches for each of the specific parlor names. Search for phrases like "tattoo-shop-name problems, "tattoo-shop-name complaints," etc.
Your local independent paper is a great way to find at least one leading local tattoo parlor. Tattoo shops very often advertise in these papers, and if the ads are recurring, odds are very high that the shop is favored in the community.
3) Do your safety checks. Once your list has been narrowed down, take a trip to each one. At this point you are interested in safety and cleanliness.
* Are the tattoo artists wearing gloves? * Do they wash their hands between tattoos? * Is smoking prohibited in the studio? * Is the parlor licensed? * Is the parlor clean? * Do the artists pull their needles from the autoclave (sterilizing equipment) prior to each tattoo? * Are single-use supplies used during a session? For example, look for things like disposable ink cups, fresh needles, and the like? * Do the artists shave and disinfect each client? Are plastic bags present and wrapped around hand-held equipment? This helps prevent cross-contamination.
4) Find an artist. If you're satisfied that the shop is clean, it's time to look for a specific artist. This is a matching process. While most artists are very versatile, if you're looking for a skull tattoo, wouldn't it make more sense to get it from someone who specializes in skulls? Often by looking through the art books in the parlor, you can get a feel for the style of each artist.
Tattoo studios receive a lot of walk-in traffic that is just shopping around or browsing through books, and many people getting tattoos get art that the tattooists find a bit boring. So don't expect the artists to bend over backwards to accommodate you, but they should still be friendly, helpful, and offer advice without pushing your decision. Most good, qualified artists know that informed clients make satisfied clients.
If you feel that you are being led to a design or decision that you don't like, or if the artist is dismissive of your questions, you might need to move on. Many experienced artists prefer working on intricate, large designs, so you might just fall under their radar. It's nothing to worry about: there is someone out there perfect for your tattoo.
5) Don't price it. Never, ever, under any circumstance, comparison shop for prices. The cost of your tattoo is the absolute last consideration that should enter your mind. This tattoo will be with you for a lifetime. Trust it only to the best shop you can find and don't let price affect your decision.
6) Choose your location. Sensitive areas and areas closer to bone tend to be more painful, but you shouldn't let pain determine your tattoo's location. Hip tattoos are very popular, as well as lower-back and shoulder tattoos. Growing in popularity are hand tattoos and foot tattoos, while the old standbys like arm tattoos are still going strong.
7) Choose your design. Similar to pricing your tattoo, don't settle for any old design you find in their books. With the abundance of tattoo designs available in online galleries, there is no reason you can't find the perfect tattoo for your skin. Your best option is to make use of a quality tattoo finder to browse designs. You'll be able to find and download artwork, and see real life pictures of what the tattoos look like on people. - 16651
About the Author:
Ben has a growing collection of body art and helps match people with their perfect tattoos. If you're looking for a high-quality tattoo finder, visit Ben's site for access to the largest collection of pictures of tattoos on the web! You'll find hip tattoos, shoulder tattoos, foot tattoos, tattoo crosses, sleeve tattoos, lower back tattoo designs, and more.
