Things to know before getting first tattoo?

Gong

Gong

Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
674
I'm thinking about getting a tattoo in the very near future. What are some things I should know before getting one? Things like... how to tell if the artist doesn't suck? What's a decent price for a relatively simple drawing on my upper back?

I'm not even sure what other questions to ask, just general advise from the more experienced is what I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance!
 
Find other people who have got that artist's work and see how it looks.

See if their work has good definition, clean lines, proper fading, and watch them to see if they are working in a clean shop and sterilizing everything regularly.

They must always use gloves, new needles, and never re-use ink bottles that they work out of when they dip the needle.

Finally, make sure that whatever design that you select will still be something that you like in 20 years! Make sure that if you pick Chinese or Japanese letters that you for sure know what they mean.:eek:
 
Everything Daniel said is good advice :thumbup:
I also find tattoo's are addicting, after my first was done I immediately wanted a second, just haven't found the right design or whatever to have a tattoo of. Make sure to take good care of it and follow after care instructions carefully. I recommend Tattoo Goo for keeping it in good shape too, worked great for me.
 
write/draw what you want your tattoo to be. date it, and put that drawing in your desk drawer.

then wait a year. if, in a year, you still want that tattoo, then get it.




your artist will likely have albums of tattoos he/she has done. check them out to make sure he/she has experience and talent. talk to your artist as well-- find out what he/she likes to draw the best as it would give you an idea as to whether that artist is right for you. communication is key.

when you get a tattoo, the first thing your artist will do is draw the negative on this blue transfer paper (dunno what it's called). then he'll wet it and stick it to your skin (just like a temporary tattoo). this will be like a stencil for them to make the outline of the art, then they'll fill it in. so take a good look at the stencil to make sure it's exactly what you want.

and proper hygiene is important. go somewhere reputable, make sure you pay attention to they use of clean needles, sterizilation, and clean atmosphere. i think it's law, at least in michigan, you actually have to sign waivers that says you saw your artist dispose of old needles in biohaz containers, opened new needles, used new ink, etc.


whatcha gettting?
 
also, just in case, if you ever plan on joining military service you will have a difficult time getting in if you have tattoos. you won't be able to serve if you have any visible tattoos on the hands/face/neck, or anywhere that would show while wearing the class A uniform.

i dunno if this applies to you, but i figured i'd throw it in because it was a problem for me.

good luck!
 
Only advise I have is DON'T GO TOO SMALL! It is my only regret on any tattoo. Sure I would have liked better artists and even better choices but all that came with experience.

I don't go small anymore - this is my back on my first book.

Good luck! Remember - go big or go home.

granttat.jpg
 
it's a wrench in the gears. mwuhahahahhah!


wrench.JPG



this was a fairly simple drawing, 4"x3", cost me about 130.00 and i tipped my artist 10.00 more. it only took about 1.5 hours to finish. price really shouldn't be an issue to consider, however. this type of thing is for life. don't skimp.
 
Hi Gong-

Make certain it's not a tattoo that will be absolutely absurd in a few years like getting Tweety Bird, Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil, or another cartoon inked onto your body. It goes without saying you shouldn't get the name of a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife inscribed on your body...because love is often not forever.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Sorry if I'm wrong here but I didnt see anyone say "make sure the atattoo is something very important to you".
Never and I repeat never , get a chicks name on you , ever.
Make sure the artist has at least 3 years experience , often you can find cheap if not free work from people who havent done too many tats , been there, dont do it.
Dont get one if your only going to get it removed 3 years from now.
Dont get something controversial in a place where everyone can see it. (i.e. swastika's on forehead tend to alienate folks).

After you get it buy yourself some neo sporem *sic , to keep it moist while it heals , do not scratch it , do not let it it get in the sun until healed.

Enjoy man , hope it works out for you , post some pics after :D
 
All of the above are excellent posts, I really second the go big or go home, that and I never shop for the cheapest price. The guy that did my first one had about 16 years of experience at the time and had won some nice awards for his work. The other really good advice is to wait at least 6 months once you have picked a design. That gives you plenty of time to find a good artist that specializes in the style you want. I am about to hit 6 months or so on my second design so should be some new ink soon.:D
 
No one else has said it, so I guess I will... It hurts! :D It feels like a burning/stining sensation. After the outline is done, the coloring-in isn't as deep and does hurt as much (But you're kinda numb by that point.) I picked my artist because she was quoted in the paper for wanting stricter regulations and hygeine practices for artists(Pa., ~20 years ago). She wore gloves, threw the used needles away and was competely professional. She was also tickled, because in 16 years, she'd never done a Grimace!
 
Thanks for the advise guys. I'm gonna look for a place tomorrow, I'm looking at tattoo studio's websites from my area tonight. I should have mentioned in the first post I want to get a BM42 on the back of my shoulder. Almost completely open, pointing towards my butt.

I was gonna go with the swastika on my forehead, but rebeltf made a good point! :D :thumbup:
 
Daniel said:
\ Snipped
Make sure that if you pick Chinese or Japanese letters that you for sure know what they mean.:eek:
Click to expand...

Great advice!!! My friend, his wife and their three over 18 year old kids all had the same Japanese/Chinese symbol tattooed on their right shoulder. They were told and believed the symbol meant "family". One of the girls was in a store recently and an Asian woman approached after seeing said tattoo and asked why she had that symbol. The girl replied "It means family", the woman replied "NO, IT MEANS BOOK"

So now this family of five has "book" tattoed forever!!!:eek:
 
Some advice I would give that no one else has is for you to pick a really badly drawn ( shaky lines, lines not connecting in the design, lot's of the color white, ) crappy design and see what the artist tells you. If there willing to go ahead and do it with no reservations shop elsewhere. You know the knife world has hacks ( United, Frost, Taylor ) but so does the tatto world.
 
as it goes im a tattooist. it really is worth going and finding someone you likew on the net. here are some of my favorite arists

www.joecapobianco.com
www.brandonbond.com
www.hopegallerytattoo.com
www.hyperspacestudios.com
www.bobtyrrel.com
www.darkimages.com

if your only having simple stuff go with local guys. check thyre work out, shop around. if you want more arty or custom stuff, go find a famous tattooist famous for his own stuff. im sure you appreciate the difference between spyderco(who are good)
and brian tighe(nuff said)

obvious stuff, clean needles, placed resembles a dental surgery. the tattooists bag theyre cords(plastic bags over tattoo machine cords.

and make sue you feel comfortable with the guy.

i tattoo my mate,but we went to a convention and both got tattooed by different people.
when we got home we were sorting out aftercare and i was tryingto tell my buddy what to do.
he had been given a card with aftercare instruction which were very different to my own.
i couldnt convince him as he then even showed me that the card said
"dont listen to friends or people down the pub"

not bad advice but he felt he was in one of these situations even though i am a tattooist.

anyway, the name of the game is to keep it moist, stop it from drying out and forming a scab. when you get home form the shop, wash tyhe tattoo thoroughly with hot hot water and soap, then cold cold water and pat dry with clean towels.
also keep it clean for the healing time-4 days-2 weeks. when you cream it up it will ooze about 20 mins later. if the ooze drys it forms a scab, so wash this off. cream it 4 times a day or more with healing cream, do not use vasaline based stuff.

i reccomend over anything(even tattoo creams) a nappy rash cream 'bepanthen', if youdont have cream to hand use maybe some olive oil.

and take the 'go big' advice. if you look at your shoulder etc 2 years later and see a design in the middle with loads of sppace around it you think, sh*t, if that was 3 inches bigger it would look so much better.

small things in the middleof big spaces look out of place.

if you want me tofindout more on pricing for you in your area i will.
im sure you wont get ripped off.

FACT-FAMOUS KNIFEMAKER TIM HERMAN IS ALSO A TATTOOIST ,IMET HIM AT A TATTOO FORUM, HE IS DOING CARVING,ENGRAVING AND INLAY WORK FOR A FAMOUS TATTOOMAHCINE COMPANY AT THE MOMENT.

if ya needany more help just ask.
 
wolfmann601 said:
Great advice!!! My friend, his wife and their three over 18 year old kids all had the same Japanese/Chinese symbol tattooed on their right shoulder. They were told and believed the symbol meant "family". One of the girls was in a store recently and an Asian woman approached after seeing said tattoo and asked why she had that symbol. The girl replied "It means family", the woman replied "NO, IT MEANS BOOK"

So now this family of five has "book" tattoed forever!!!:eek:
Click to expand...


For years, when someone would mention tattooing, I'd say, "Sure, go for it. Get lots!"

And they'd say, "But Chuck, I never thought you'd say that? And you don't seem to have any."

I'd reply, "True, but I'm heavily invested in several companies developing new tattoo removal technologies!"

Then I thought about my little joke and said to myself, "maybe I should."

So, I did a little research and found several companies developing new tattoo removal technolgies and made some small investments. I should have made big investments.

I read an article about the booming business in tattoo removal some time ago. It noted that there was a company that made and sold stock tattoo designs to tattoo parlors in the 80s that offered a set of posters of Asian characters and the matching transfer paper patterns (as Midget mentioned). This particular company sort of tended to market to the "low end" of the business, those parlors that are across the street from college campuses, that sort of thing. The set in question was very inexpensive. Those Asian characters were very popular. Those tattoos tend to be very cheap and easy to sell and very quick and easy to do. So, this set sold very well and a lot of people ended up getting those characters tatttooed on them. Unfortunately, the set contained a few with close-but-not-quite-right translations. One doctor interviewed in the article reported removing the same tattoo from that set from about ten different patients. The tattoo in question was supposed to say, "Blood and Guts." It actually says bloody entrails. Close... but probably not something you want tattooed on your arm.

So yeah, go for it. Get a tattoo. Get a big one. Get some of those Asian characters. Get it in a really prominent place. Because I'm still invested in tattoo removals. I think that's gonna end up being a profitable sector for a long time.
 
Make sure you are sober and don't have a few drinks for Dutch courage. I know a guy who has a tattoo with 'Jane' and 'Name' in two boxes with flowers, because he was too drunk to realise when he pointed at the poster and said I want 'that', he had to specify his own name, and despite the tattooist's best efforts, he just insisted "Jane, just like that".

Make sure you really want it, it is pretty permanent and how will it look when you are 65? Where will it be and what will an employer think if he saw it at interview. I know another guy who is covered in tattoos, but in a shirt and tie you can't see any of them. His nickname is 'Spider' and he has a big one on his neck, but it finishes below the collar.
 
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