Deciding to get a tattoo is a big decision and choosing a tattoo design is an even bigger one. Think about it. It’s not like hanging art in the living room for a few years and then switching it up when you get bored of looking at it. This is a lifelong commitment of art that is with you 24 hours a day, wherever you go, so you better be like it.

So, where to you start on the quest to find the perfect tattoo design?

Well, the best place to begin is by looking at tattoo designs for inspiration. Sounds simple, right? But, you have to narrow down your process, otherwise you can get burnt out and frustrated quickly if you don’t find anything that interests you.

There a several ways that you can find the perfect tattoo for yourself faster.

First, here’s a few tips that can help you find a tattoo design that suits you when you are searching online:

1. Use specific search terms in Google Images
Go to Google Images so that your results are images only. Do you know what part of the body that you want tattooed? Then, make sure you add that to the search. For example, you could search “lower back tattoos”.

Another tips is to search large images (Google lets you select the size). Smaller images are almost always lower quality, plus you will see more detail if you are looking at intricate designs.

2. Free tattoo design galleries
If you aren’t having any luck with Google Images, you can do a regular web search for “free tattoo galleries”. There are a plethora of free tattoo galleries that list tattoos by category and body type.

You will still need to weed through some of the low quality sites, but typically, you can come across some good ones in a short amount of time.

3. Paid tattoo design galleries
There are also tattoo design galleries like ChopperTattoo.com that charge a few to get access to thousands of high quality tattoo designs to choose from. This obviously is the fast route and if you can spare a few bucks to save yourself the time searching, then it might be worth your while to go that route.

Straight From The Artist

Another idea is to go the old school route and simply go visit a few tattoo studios. Flip through their design portfolios and chat with one of the artists about what type of tattoo you’re thinking about getting. This is what they do for a living so they’ll likely be able to give you some ideas.

In fact, depending on your tattoo design budget, you can even pay extra to have your tattoo artist turn your idea into a custom tattoo design that he creates from scratch.

This is often the preferred action to take, but can be quite expensive. You can cut down on costs by having a really good idea of what you want before asking the artist to create the design.

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There’s absolutely no question that getting a tattoo is a big decision that requires a lot of thought. Not only do you have to be 100% sure that you want a tattoo, but you have to be certain of the design as well. Once you’ve made it to that point, there’s still another important step you have to take, and that’s choosing a tattoo artist.

Choosing a tattoo artist is not something to be taken lightly, and it’s wise to take the time to research your options. It may seem dull compared to the excitement of getting inked, but if you skip this step, you are putting yourself in a risky situation.

If you choose a tattoo artist that doesn’t do a good job on your tattoo design, there’s no going back.

So, here’s a few tips to keep in mind when you’re looking for a tattoo artist to give you a tattoo:

Reputation And Professionalism

Word of mouth spreads fast in the tattoo world and developing a stellar reputation means everything to a tattoo artist. So, the first thing you should do is ask around. If you happen to know people who have nice tattoos, ask them where they got them done and who they think is the best artist in your area.

Find out the names of all the tattoo parlors in your city and Google them. Try and find reviews and photo galleries from past customers and if it’s a forum environment, ask questions.

Go down to the tattoo parlors. Give them a call beforehand as well to see if you can make an appointment to speak to a tattoo artist for a few moments. Write down any questions you may have so that you don’t forget them when you get there.

Pay attention to the professionalism of the shop. Is it clean? Is the artist you are talking to helpful, friendly, and polite?

Ask to see their portfolio of past customers to see if their work is high quality.

Experience And The Right Style

Ask the tattoo artists that you are considering how long they have been doing tattoos and what kind of experience and training they have as an artist. Typically, they will be more than happy to chat with you and answer your questions.

You will also want to ask what style of art they do best. For instance, an artist that can tatoo the most beautiful dragon design you’ve ever seen, might not be able to design the black and white portrait tattoo that you want. Always ask to see portfolio examples that match the style of art you want to get.

Take A Trip

A tattoo is for life, so if you can’t seem to find a tattoo artist in your city that makes you feel confident about getting the tattoo, then head out of town to reputable shops outside of your locale. It may be more time consuming and expensive, but it will be worth it in the end when you get the perfect tattoo.

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So, you’re thinking about getting tattooed, but have no idea how the whole process works? Since a tattoo is for life, it’s good to know what you’re getting into, and the first step is understanding how a tattoo works and what you’re actually doing to your body when you decide to get tattooed.

The Tattoo Gun

Tattoos are accomplished by using an electric-powered tattoo gun. The tattoo gun has a needle at the end of it that is used to put ink inside of your skin deep enough so that it does not come out. When the gun is turned on, the needle moves up and down rapidly (up to 200o times a minute) and is able to deposit a small drop of ink deep into your skin with each puncture.

Tattoo guns have come a long way since the early days of tattooing but are still made a few basic components, those being an electric motor, a sterilized needle, and a tube system. There is also a foot pedal, similar to a sewing machine, that allows the tattoo artist to control the movement of the needle.

Tattoo Safety

Safety has always been a big concern with getting tattooed, since anytime you are dealing with puncture wounds, you have a risk of infection.
Fortunately, it is much more commonplace these days for tattoo artists to open brand new, sterile needles from the packaging right in front of you before you get tattooed.

To ensure the safety of both the customer and the tattoo artist, tattooing materials like ink, needles, and gloves are all made for single use only.

Tattoo Preparation

Minutes before your tattoo session begins, your artist will often begin chatting with you to make you feel relaxed. The chatter is usually accompanied by the artist washing their hands, checking themselves for cuts and abrasions, and disinfecting the entire work area to begin preparation for your tattoo.

When the cleaning of his work area is finished, he will then shave the area of your body that is getting tattooed, disinfect it with soap and water, and open the sterile equipment needed to get the job done.

Getting Tattooed

Once the tattooing begins, you will feel some pain, but how much largely depends on your tolerance and the location of your tattoo on the body, as some areas will obviously be more painful than others.

During the entire tattoo process, the tattoo artist will continue to clean the tattooed area until it is finished.

Tattoo Aftercare

At this point, when you’re tattoo has been completed, the artist will put some ointment on the area and give you a rundown of how to take care of your tattoo so that it heals properly.

Most of the time, you will receive an information sheet so you don’t forget what’s needed to be done. It is extremely important to follow the instructions you were given for tattoo aftercare. Not only are you lowering the risk of infection, but you will be decreasing the chances of your tattoo not healing properly and losing ink or not looking like it’s supposed to.

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The tattoo decision making process challenges people since it involves a decision that will literally mark your body for life. This same challenge compels people to submit themselves to the ever daunting tattooing process and dare themselves to live up with the consequences of their actions whether the outcome is good or bad.

In reality, the hardest obstacle to a first timer would be the one to make or break the experience; that is the tattooing process itself. This is the point when there is no turning back. The tattoo gun which consists of the ink holder, ink tube and the needle, will inject the ink to the deep layer of the skin called the dermis.

It is always recommended that you do your research first to ensure that you will end up with a design you will be able to live with for a long time. Your research should include your design, the tattoo artist, the cost, and the tattoo parlor where it will all happen. You should establish a good connection with your artist so that  you are able to express your concerns, needs and expectations prior to the tattooing itself. Discuss your design and maintain an open mind for suggestions made by your artist. Bear in mind that this person knows what looks best on your skin so his or her advice is valuable. On the other hand, if you don’t have a design in mind, don’t hesitate to ask your artist for assistance. Make decisions with your tattoo artist regarding the color and size of your chosen design.

Once a design is agreed upon, your artist will make a stencil of the tattoo. This is, more or less what your tattoo should look like. If you don’t have any problems with it, the stencil will be traced directly to your skin and the tattooing process using the tattoo gun should begin from here. The client will be asked to sit still for the whole duration of the procedure which can be rather uncomfortable when your design takes time to complete. Small and simple designs are easily accomplished in an hour or less but larger, intricately designed artwork will require huge amounts of time and could even take several sessions to complete.

Prices depend on many factors such as the location of the tattoo studio, the service rendered, difficulty of the design and color variations. Generally, tattoo parlors charge $40-$150 per hour and more but sometimes the artist will set a flat-rate or fixed-price for the whole process. Instructions for care are given by the artist after tattooing.

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You’ve considered the pros and cons that come with the lifelong commitment of having a permanent mark on your body, as well as the implications of the procedures you will have to go through if and when the need for tattoo removal arises. Now that you’ve decided to take the plunge and get a tattoo, the next step is to find the perfect tattoo artist to make your vision happen.

To find the perfect tattoo artist for you, you will need to do some research by asking friends and family for referrals. This way, you will have an idea how it’s done and their experiences during and after the tattooing process. Inquire about the cleanliness of the tattoo studio and if their planned designs turned out to be as exactly what they wanted it to be. If a particular tattoo artist is talented, experienced, and reputable, their name will come up.

You can also join online tattoo forums and chat rooms to get names of artists that you can contact. If possible, get their studio addresses and personally visit them so you can see the area they work in and take a peek at their portfolio in person. Ask any and all questions you might have and more importantly, check out if their studio follows the necessary sanitary procedures. Most tattoo parlors are more than willing to show you around to ensure safety and cleanliness of the place. If, upon your visit, you witnessed something that bothers you then it is best to take your business elsewhere.

More often than not, tattoo artists are friendly, accommodating people, especially if you are interested in their craft and how they work. If you feel uncomfortable with the artist, it’s a good idea to just move on and find another one. You must be comfortable working with the artist to make your vision come to life in a tattoo design that you are happy with for the rest of your life. Communication is the key to a perfect tattoo that will leave you satisfied for years to come.

Also, do take note that every tattoo studio has their own expertise when it comes to design and color. It is common practice of every tattoo artist to take pictures of their work and include them in their portfolio. Some of them mastered the art of color mixing while others are greatly noted for black-and-gray shadings and renditions. Then there is the tribal design and pin-ups and other specialties like portraits.  If you already have a design in mind, be sure you are in the right place by checking the studio’s portfolio and making sure that they have the right artist to do the design for you. Remember, once it’s inked, there’s no turning back.

Your satisfaction greatly depends on the tattoo artist’s capabilities and how well he tattooed the design for you. If you overlooked important things during your initial meetings, it could lead to undesirable results which unfortunately, you will have to live with for the rest of your life. Tattoo is permanent, which is why it should be carefully thought of and well-planned.

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