GET the Perfect Tattoo

8/11/2019 GET the Perfect Tattoo

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Getting The

Perfect Tattoo

Whether youre looking for your firstsmall tattoo or youre planning out the restof your bodysuit, your goal is the same:getting the perfect tattoo. Essentially all

you need to do is match the perfect tattoodesign with the perfect tattoo artist. If onlyit were as easy as it sounds.

Because of its relative permanency, a tattoois not something to be taken lightly unless

you already have a thorough knowledge

of, and experience with, the process. Theymay be painful to get, but theyre evenmore painful to remove. In tattooing,mistakes are very easy to make, and verydifficult to fix. But luckily, its easier thanever to make smart tattoo decisions, dueto the wealth of information now at ourfingertips.

Without doubt, the decision you maketo get tattooed will affect you for the restof your life. This guide will help you getstarted in the right direction.

What is a tattoo?

Technically speaking, a tattoo is a lastingpattern, picture, or mark accomplished by

making punctures in the skin, into whichpigments are inserted. These pigmentsheal into the dermis, or second layer ofskin, about 1/64th of an inch below theouter surface. In healing a tattoo, a personsucceeds in tricking their body in orderto avoid scabbing, which in turn producesa very thin, almost unnoticeable layer ofscar tissue. The skin cells that compose thisscar tissue each encapsulate tiny bits offoreign pigment.

As the tattoo heals, the skin cells bondwith the pigments as the skin produces avery thin, almost unnoticeable layer of scartissue.

(Although we speak of tattoos aspermanent, nothing is truly forever.Tattoos only last until you cover them upwith new ones, get them removed withlaser treatment, or suffer the misfortune ofa freak accident.)

How to Research

Tattoos

A very important part of getting the perfecttattoo is being patient. Mistakes can beavoided by studying this amazing art formbefore taking action. Doing the necessary

research can take some time. Here aresome suggestions to get you started:

Visit tattoo conventions and studios inyour area

Surf tattoo websites for hours

Email and talk with tattooed people

you know*

Read tattoo magazines and books

Learn about art, not just tattooing

*When talking with heavily tattooedpeople about tattoos, approach the subjectpolitely. Many heavily tattooed peopleput up with minor public hassles likestaring, whispers and comments. Tattooedwomen in particular, complain of strangers

touching their tattooed skin. Remember tomake sure someone is willing to talk abouthis or her tattoos before engaging them.Theyll usually appreciate your tattooetiquette and be more willing to show offtheir tattoos.


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The Perfect Artist

Finding the perfect tattoo artist is moreimportant than finding the right design,though many clients dont realize this.After all, if you find the right tattoo artistthey will make sure you get the perfectdesign, whether you have it in your handto begin with or not. If you only have avague idea, a capable tattoo artist will beable to work with you to make that idea areality. On the other hand, you could havea perfect tattoo design executed poorly byan incapable artist! To avoid this, here are

some qualities to look for in a tattoo artist:

Clean and sanitary

Technical ability to apply good tattoos

Artistic talent

A professional demeanor

A good reputation

Finding a good tattoo artist will taketime and effort. Although you trust yourfriends, their opinion alone may not beadequate. Get as many good referencesabout a tattooer as you can. Its worthrepeating that every phase of the tattooprocess involves being patient.

Clean and Sterile

Tattooing can be considered minorsurgery: it involves the puncturing of theskin with a foreign object. Therefore,tattoo artists must always keep theirwork area clean, and be trained toavoid contamination from blood-bornepathogens. Here are some things to lookfor in your artists studio:

Neat and clean appearance

Autoclave and ultrasonic cleaner*

Clearly labeled sharps container for

needle disposal

Plastic barriers on all tattooing

equipment

Instruments that are taken out ofautoclave pouches with proper sterility

indicator

*If a studio uses all disposable supplies,an autoclave and ultrasonic arent neededto maintain safety and cleanliness. In thisscenario, ask to see sealed, dated, single-usepackaging on all needles and tubes (seefigure x and y).

Talk with your chosen tattooist, and askquestions about these things before anytattooing begins. A responsible tattooistwill know the safety concerns of their craft,and should be happy answering some basicprecautionary questions. If they answer

your questions clearly and show a genuineconcern for safety, then youre probably ingood hands. No tattoo artist should everbe annoyed that you are asking about yoursafety, because its also about their safety.They dont want to contract a disease fromthe tattoo process any more than you do.

Sterilization Pouch

Sterile Needle

Color Coded

Sterile Marker


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Autoclaves

Clean work area

Items to look for...

Sharps Containers

Typical Setup

...in every tattoo shop.


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Remember: good art does not guaranteea good tattoo, and a good tattoo doesnot mean that its good art.

Artistic Talent

Often tattoo clients dont realize that tattooartists vary drastically in artistic ability.Some specialize in creating complex andunique works of art on skin, while othersprefer merely to copy simple pre-madedesigns. Each approach has its merits, andcan be appropriate for different situations.Having some entry-level art knowledge willhelp you recognize the artistic talent levelof the tattooer youre approaching. Arethey the right person for the job?

Selecting a tattoo artist can be comparedto shopping for a car. With a bit ofbackground knowledge, you can easilyrecognize the difference between an old,beat up Chevy and a fancy new Mercedes.

Technical Ability

Artistic talent alone does not make a goodtattoo. Tattoo artists need to combine theirvisual talents with precise technical ability.These are two distinct areas of expertise.Here are some ways to gauge the technicalability of a tattoo artist when viewing theirportfolio:

Crisp, consistent outlines

Evenly saturated color

Smooth blending and shading

WARNING SIGNS OF POOR

TATTOOING ABILITY:

Blurry, inconsistent outlines

Faded, patchy colors

Choppy, irregular blending and shading

Obvious scarring

These are just a few examples of bad

tattoos, for more examples of both

good and bad, see pages 29-30

Choppy Blending

Uneven application of inkAn example of a bad tattoo

Bad tattoo: raised outline

Bad tattoo: choppy blending

Bad Tattoo: blown out outlines

Bad tattoo: blurry details

Good Tattoo: Smooth blending


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Honesty, Courtesy,

and Ethics

Tattoo artists come in all temperaments.We recommend finding an artist whois honest, courteous, and behavesprofessional ly. A quality tattoo artistshould be honored that you want theirartwork on your body for the rest of yourlife. You are giving them the ultimatecompliment by requesting their artworkand letting them use your skin as a canvas.If an artist doesnt treat you well, luckilynowadays you have many choices. Of

course, you also owe it to your tattoo artistto be honest about your expectations. Forexample, its a matter of courtesy not tomake an artist draw for hours, then skip

your appointments, or to make one artistdraw something and take it to anothertattooer. A healthy tattoo relationshipis one based on trust, respect, andcommitment that goes both ways.

Artist Loyalty

vs. Collection

Its common for tattoo artists and clientsto form a bond. After all, youre spendingtime in their chair, talking, and having themchange your skin forever. Despite this, you

should never feel like you owe your skinto a tattoo artist. Any decision you makeabout your own body is completely yourown to make, including mistakes. Manypeople like to have a diverse collection ofbody art. Of course, theres nothing wrongwith sticking to one tattoo artist if yourehappy with their work and the bond youform with them is just right.

Despite the connection that many tattooersform with their clients, a tattoo artist hasno right to your skin. If you choose towork with another tattooist, make surethey meet the same or higher standardsas your original choice. Many people endup with tattoos that are being finishedor reworked by a different artist than the

greater chance of deteriorating over time,due to the aging of the skin. Trust yourtattoo artists advice when it comes to smalltattoo designs.

Reference Material

To get the best tattoo, you may need tofind and bring some reference materialto the tattoo artist. He or she can lookat your reference in order to incorporatethe images into their own drawing style.The more choices you give the artist asreference, the more likely they are to design

the perfect tattoo for you.

You can use a variety of reference materialsto communicate your idea. These mayinclude:

Tattoo ash (pre-drawn and mass-produced designs, meant to be copied

and tattooed)

Photographs

Original artwork

Movie stills

Sculptures

Your own sketches or written

descriptions

Copying Other

Tattoos

Many people learning about tattoos tryto find other tattoos upon which to basetheir own design or idea. When browsingtattoo portfolios, its most helpful to lookat the quality of the artists work ratherthan the designs themselves. Copyingother peoples tattoos is considereddisrespectful to the wearer of the tattoo,

and to the artist who designed andtattooed it.

Many tattoos are reproductions of popularphotographs or famous artwork. Thisis widely accepted, as long as the artist isreferring to the original image, and not atattoo of that photograph or painting.

Allergic Reactions

A very small percentage of people developallergic reactions to some of the pigmentsused in tattoo inks. In recent years asthe quality of tattooing supplies hasrisen, allergic reactions have declined.Your tattoo artist should have a basicunderstanding of pigment issues and beable to show you a bottle of what theywill be tattooing into your skin. If youthink you may be allergic to a certain

pigment, you can ask your artist to tattooof a small amount of pigment somewhereinconspicuous on your body. Then aftera few weeks, have your tattooer examinethe test area of skin to make an assessment.For questions about specific pigmentscontained in the tattoo ink, you can requesta Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) fromthe manufacturer.

A second common allergy is to latexproducts. If youre allergic to latex, you canrequest that your artist wear nitrile glovesduring your tattoo process.

one who started them. The reworkingand covering up of older tattoos is alarge aspect of the tattooing art-form, sotheres no need to feel ashamed or angryif you end up in that situation yourself.Just be sure to go about it in a polite andrespectful way.

The Perfect Design

Only you can know what the perfect designis for you, and its an extremely importantdecision to make about your tattoo. Mosttattoo artists will put whatever you want

on your skin to the best of their ability,because its their job. Of course, manyartists are so sought after that they can pickwhich client requests they choose to workon. These artists may pass on doing tattoosthey know will come out poorly. Often itsnecessary to find a compromise between

your idea and your chosen artists vision.Be prepared for a little give and take duringthe consultation process. Its often helpfulto state your goals, thoughts and concernsabout the tattoo, and then let the artist takeit from there.

Good Tattoo Artists

Know Better

While you know what you want to see on

your body, tattoo artists have expertiseabout how tattoos look on the humanbody. There is a flow to the body basedon its shapes, proportions and anatomy,which can determine how successfullycertain designs work with various bodyparts. An expert tattoo artist knows besthow to size and shape your tattoo, the bestplacement for it, what colors will workbest, and how it will age.

One common issue between a tattoo artistand a first-time tattoo client is the size oftheir tattoo. Often people will make thedecision to get a very small tattoo in orderto test the waters. However, small tattoosusually cant hold much detail and stand a


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Remember that your fresh tattoo is anopen wound and should be kept clean,

or youll increase the chances of gettingan infection.

Distance, Patience and

Commitment

If youre considering a larger tattoo, beprepared for a longer process involvingmultiple sessions over a span of weeks,months, or even years. You may also findthat your preferred tattoo artist is notlocated very close to you. You may haveto make arrangements to travel to yourartist once its time for your appointment.Travel is a relatively small inconvenience toendure considering the permanent natureof a tattoo. Dedicated tattoo collectors and

enthusiasts often fly or drive long distancesto get their perfect tattoo.

Age and Maturity

In the U.S. the legal age to get a tattoowithout parental consent is 18. However,teenage years are often a time of rapidgrowth, change, and discovery. Thus manyteenage tattoo decisions are often regrettedlater in life. It bears repeating that patienceis vitally important to getting qualitytattoos.

Projecting a Self Image

Another consideration is the image ofyourself that your tattoo will portray toyour family, friends, workplace colleagues,and anyone else you may interact with.Just like a painting is meant to affectthe viewer, your tattoos will affect theirviewers, even though you may have gottenthem solely for your own enjoyment.Images of death and destruction are verypowerful, as are those of beauty, but theformer may lead other people to stereotype

you in a negative way. Give the properthought to the images you choose to adorn

your body with for the rest of your life,and be sure that you can live with anyforeseeable consequences.

Good outline 3 weeks

Pain ManagementYes, getting tattooed hurts.People areaffected in different ways, based on theirindividual anatomy, placement of thetattoo, techniques of the artist, and mostimportantly, their attitude. Relaxation andmeditation techniques, such as controlleddeep breathing, can help you endure thediscomfort. If all else fails, rememberthat the art is permanent, and the painis temporary.

Money

Getting a tattoo is nothing like shoppingfor a bargain at the grocery store. Itshelpful to think of tattoos as an investmentrather than a one-time impulse purchase.Because there is no industry-wide ratestandard, each tattoo artist determineshis or her own rates and policies based onwhat they feel their work is worth.

For small tattoos many artists simplycharge a flat rate. In addition, most artistsdont appreciate bargaining over theirstated price. Discuss any pricing concernsin advance so there are no surprises ordisputes when its time to pay.

Its often difficult for an artist to give anexact price in advance for large, multi-session tattoos. In those situations, artistswill usually request payment at the time of

each session. If your budget is a concernits helpful to suggest a spending limit inadvance, when presenting your idea. Thisgives the artist the option to tailor thetattoo to your budget.

In the ideal scenario, money would not bea factor in any tattoo decisions. Insteadthe focus would be on getting the highestquality tattoo possible. In reality, however,money is a concern for most people.Therefore simply try to make the bestdecision for your set of circumstances.Often its better to save up for later than tosettle for something now. Remember, goodtattoos arent cheap, and cheap tattoosarent good.

Healing and Aftercare

Sadly, poor healing and aftercare haveruined many beautiful tattoos. To avoidthis, follow your tattoo artists healinginstructions very carefully. Its veryimportant to understand how to heal yourtattoo before you leave the tattoo studio.Most tattoo artists will be concerned with

your tattoo healing well, and will likelyhave instructions for you to follow closely.

Infections can become severe, so alwaysbe careful with your new tattoo until ithas finished healing. If you suspect aninfection has occurred, do not hesitate tosee a doctor or dermatologist.

Your tattoo will change slightly over time,as your skin ages. Eventually, the sharpedges of the tattoo will become slightlyblurry and all pigments will become lesssaturated. Keeping your skin healthy willhelp slow this deterioration. However,all tattoos are subject to a retouch or acomplete reworking after 10 to 20 years,regardless of your skin care regimen.

Lastly, ultraviolet rays from sunlight willaccelerate this deterioration of your tattoo,which may require touchups to be donesooner.

Successful Mid-Heal Fallout


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Tattoo Categories

All art, including tattoo art, falls undercertain stylistic categories. Therefore, wellonly discuss the most basic and generalvarieties of tattoos here. Your own researchwill be best for finding the exact style oftattoo that youre after.

Blackwork, Black and

Grey, and Color Tattoos

Perhaps the three most generalclassifications of tattoos are blackwork,black and grey, and color. Every tattoo thatexists fits into one of these categories.

Blackwork tattoosconsist of solid shapesor designs made only with black ink.

These originate from Indigenous culturesall over the world. There are modernvariations as well, which in America, tendto fall under the category of tribal.

Black and gray tattoosconsist of pureblack tattoo ink which is diluted withwater in varying amounts to produce agray value scale. This type of tattooingcompares very closely to graphite pencilshading on paper.

Color tattooscombine black and whitetattoo ink with various colored pigmentsto form a full-spectrum of possible colors,tints, shades, and hues. This type oftattooing compares most closely to acrylicor oil painting.

Neo Traditional Tattoo

Traditional Tattoo

Stylized Asian Tattoo

Custom TattoosCustom tattoos are designed and tattooedupon a specific request from one client.These designs are usually never tattooedmore than one time, on one person. Youllget the best tattoo when your chosen artistfeels inspired by the art theyre creating for

you. Custom tattoos dont have to be huge,intricate , or expensive. They only requirea capable tattoo artist, an open-mindedclient, and a trusting relationship betweenthe two.

Realistic TattoosThese tattoos are usually exactreproductions of photographs or still videoimages, including portraits. However,anything can be made to look realistic ina tattoo, even imaginary subjects. Oftenmultiple tattoo sessions and layers ofpigment are required to create the mostimpressive realistic tattoos. However, theprimary concern with incredibly subtle,finely detailed tattoos is how well they holdup in the skin over time.

Traditional Tattoos

These tattoos are bold, simple designsconsisting of thick black outlines and alimited color palette. Most traditional

tattoo subject matter is derived fromnautical, military, and motorcycle themesof the 1900s. This style has remainedpopular throughout the years due toits classic simplicity and historicalsignificance.

Portrait Tattoo

Tattoo Scab

Black and Gray Tattoo

Realistic Tattoo

(Note: Myth! Color ink doesnt stay inthe skin very long. - Assuming you have a

competent tattooer, color inks will look great

in skin for many years.)


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new pigment mixes with the old, whichcan completely or partially obscure it,depending on the level of saturationand desired effect. Although coverupsand reworks arent a style, they deservea separate mention due to the advancedknowledge needed by the tattoo artistwho attempts them. Changing orcompletely hiding the existing tattoorequires planning, vision, and a high levelof graphic cleverness, making them aspecialized skill.

Cover up: outline

Cover up process

Neo-Traditional TattoosAs its name suggests, this genre combinesmany attributes of the traditional stylewith modern influences and techniques toform a more varied hybrid. For example,a neo-traditional design might contain thebold black outlines and simplified shapesof a t raditional piece, while incorporatinga broad color palette and very modernor unusual subject matter. This style oftattooing can be a great compromise forthe collector who appreciates both thetraditional and modern styles.

Asian TattoosLike the traditional American style,traditional Asian tattoos follow a veryspecific and distinct set of visual traits. Allof the classic Asian tattoo subject mattersuch as dragons, geisha, koi fish, waves, anddark backgrounds contain rich culturalsymbolism. It takes a certain level ofdedication and appreciation for both theclient and the tattoo artist to learn thismeaning and method of stylization.

Ethnic TattoosOther ethnic tattoo styles are Polynesian,Tibetan, Celtic, South American, Indian,and tattoos originating from anyspecific religion. All have rich historicalbackgrounds and come with their ownmeanings and methods of stylization. Onceagain, it takes a certain level of dedicationand appreciation in both the client and thetattoo artist pursuing these styles.

Coverup and

Rework Tattoos

As weve mentioned before, old tattooscan get covered up, or merely changed,by tattooing over them after a period oftime passes. These two categories areshare the same process, which is forcingnew pigment into an area of skin thatalready has pigment healed inside it. The

Rework Tattoo

Cover Up Tattoo


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ConclusionIt bears repeating that getting the perfecttattoo involves thinking, learning, andpatience. Those who embrace this processreap great rewards in the form of amazingbody art and meaningful experiences.There are many different paths a personcould take in their own tattoo journey,and there are many important factors thatdemand careful consideration along theway. There are trials and tribulations , andeven some pain to endure before the entireprocess is complete. All of these thingsmake the quest of getting the perfect tattoo

fulfilling, exciting, and meaningful.

An example of saturated color


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GET the Perfect Tattoo