Tattoo

Posts Tagged ‘italian tattoos’

Getting a tattoo is a lifelong commitment, there is no way around that. While you might be eager to get your ink, take your time to find the right tattoo studio and artist for you. Laser removal of tattoos is not nearly as advanced as some would lead you to believe, it’s unreliable at best, and let’s not forget that removal is pricey and the process is lengthy (multiple sessions spread out over a year or more). So what you get today could be with you for decades. Make sure it’s an informed decision.

1) First and foremost, do your research. Don’t even bother looking for a tattoo artist until you find a reputable parlor. These days, this is simpler than it sounds, thanks to our favorite online research and rating tools. Plus, you’re not looking for the best parlor yet — just eliminating the worst.

2) Ask around. With the number of people getting tattoos these days, you have a huge pool of references that you can leverage. Of course, if their tattoos are awful, don’t bother asking! While this is out of some peoples’ comfort zones, people you’ve never met are often open to talking about their tattoos. If they are in public view, the owner wants them to be seen, and will be flattered that you thought enough of their ink to task them about it.

Once you’ve gathered these personal references, do some web searches for each of the specific parlor names. Search for phrases like “tattoo-shop-name complaints,” “tattoo-shop-name sucks,” 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. Now that you have a shortlist of potential providers, visit 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?
• Are people smoking in the shop?
• Is a license present and visible in the shop?
• Is the studio free of dirt and debris, i.e. is it 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 spray bottles and other hand-held equipment wrapped in plastic bags (prevents 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. Not to worry: 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.