How to Make the Right Tattoo Choice

How to Make the Right Tattoo Choice

tattoo choice

Learn how to make a tattoo choice you will never regret

We all have that friend who made the wrong tattoo choice. Someone who drunkenly stumbled into a back street tattoo studio while they were on vacation and pointed at the first picture in the book. Basically, you are about to find out how NOT to be that guy…

Think About It for a While

Making the right tattoo choice requires a certain level of consideration

Tattoo Choice

Before you even start to look at images and colors, you should think about some of your deeper motivations. Knowing why you really want a tattoo will help you select the right one for you. 

Ask yourself why you even want a tattoo in the first place. Do you really want to have something on your body forever? Are you doing it for yourself or for someone else? Do you want to get a tattoo because you finally don’t need parental permission? Are you getting a discount? 

Remember that tattoos can have consequences. If it is somehow deemed to be offensive or inappropriate a tattoo can easily have an undesirable effect on your work or your social life.

Do Your Research

Once you have contemplated the idea of getting a tattoo, and why you want one, you can begin researching different aspects of the art form. Here is where you can look at different styles, colors, languages, and patterns. You should also try and find out which are the reputable studios and artists in your area. Perhaps you will come across an artist or a studio who you feel is perfect for you.  

Go in and visit each shop or studio, and see how the experience is. Is their shop clean? Do they have the relevant health certifications and licensing that’s relevant for your area or city? Were the shop staff friendly and genuinely interested in helping you?

These are all very important questions to find out. Another good idea is to talk to people who have a tattoo and ask them about their experiences. Many people learned the hard way about the art form and will have some worthwhile advice to pass on to you.

Find the Right Artist

Tattoo Choice

Seeking out the right artist is a crucial element in selecting the right tattoo. Finding an artist whose previous work you admire; someone you are convinced will create a design and tattoo that you will be happy with is most of the battle. 

Every tattoo shop and artist worth their salt will have a portfolio with pictures of some of the tattoos that they have done recently. You can look through these and see if a certain artist’s style of tattooing matches your vision for your tattoo design.

Nowadays, most tattooists will have many great photos and pictures of their tattoos online on different social media sites and websites. All of this can go a long way to helping you make the right tattoo choice.

One trick is to find the tattoo work that you really love and ask their owners where they got them done. After that, you can go check the artist’s work and find out whether they are everything you had imagined. If they have a website, READ IT.  Their website can offer tremendous insight into their work ethic, values, priorities, artistic sensibilities, disposition, and stability. 

Have a Consultation

Even after finding the perfect tattoo artist you should still go through one more round of screening. This is called a consultation, a chance to meet the guy or gal in question. Here you can get a feel for their personality, their standards, and their philosophies. 

Hopefully, they will be interested enough to offer you some advice and input on your tattoo and what they think will work for you. Ideally, you want to leave your consultation with the impression you have the right person, someone who gets you and the tattoo choice you’re going for.

Here are some things to consider:

  • Is the tattooer friendly, respectful, and easy to talk with?
  • Does the tattooer pay attention to what you are saying?
  • Did the tattooer make you feel rushed?
  • Does the tattooer show their own portfolio?
  • Has the tattooer produced other art? 
  • Is the tattooer clean and well-groomed?
  • Does the tattooer seem genuinely interested in and excited about your idea?

Work on Your Design

This is where you need to be creative. 

Even in the act of selecting a design you like there is creativity, and be aware that your artists are probably capable of adapting a design to meet your own requirements. Whether you are a decent artist in your own right or you just want to noodle something down to get your idea across, being involved really helps. 

Stay responsive to your artist as they have a lot of experience with what will and will not work. This is especially true when it comes to size color and location. However, at the end of the day, it is your body and your decision and you should be happy and confident with your design choice before you go in. Following the first four of these steps thoroughly will help to ensure you have a design that really works for you. 

So there you have it

You are now ready to get your tattoo done. Make sure you follow this advice and there is every chance you will have a tattoo you can be proud of for the rest of your days. If not, there’s always tattoo removal.

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Written by
Peter Smith
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Peter Smith

Peter Smith is a professional writer who has been writing about the tattoo removal industry for the past five years. He also writes on vehicle safety, budget travel, and cultural issues. He lives with his family on the West Coast of America.

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