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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Getting a tattoo can be daunting, especially if you think of the long and painful process you must go through in order to complete a well-made work of art. This thought alone frightens many from getting their own tattoos, therefore they discourage people around them from receiving one as well. Often, the decision against one is made based on the fact that the tattooing process seems painful and the instruments used for the process can quite scary to some.

For a normal person to overcome this feeling, she must familiarize herself with the procedure first and what’s involved in it’s entirety. Basically, the concept of tattooing is applying permanent ink to the skin by injection.

Our skin consists of two layers, namely the dermis and epidermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. This is the exposed part of the skin that we can touch and feel. Underneath it is the deeper layer called dermis; one cannot touch or feel it. In a tattooing process, the ink is injected straight into the dermis or the deeper layer and not on the surface or the epidermis. This is because the epidermis sheds cells regularly and the dermis won’t. In order for the tattoo to be permanent, it must be applied to a place that will not shed or peel so it is applied to the dermis. Tattoos have been done this way since the beginning, only the instruments have changed over the years. Today, the machines that are used for tattooing provide both better precision for the artist and less pain for the one who is being tattooed.

Tattooing is basically images that are formed by creating series of dots. By strategically spacing them apart, an artist can make the concentration either darker or lighter, depending on the demands of the design. The tattoo gun itself consists of three parts: the ink, the tube connecting the ink to the needle and of course, the needle. The needle injects the ink to the dermis. After a procedure is done, the needle is disposed of and the equipment is sterilized properly. This is done for each and every client that comes in for a tattoo to keep everyone safe from diseases and is strictly enforced.

Clients are encouraged to choose their own colors to go with their design but you can let your artist choose for you if you are having trouble choosing one. After you have chosen your colors, design and location of the tattoo, the procedure is ready to begin. The duration of the whole tattooing process depends on the size and complexity of the design.

It is normal to feel tolerable pain during the process but one will have to sit still and not move for the entire length of the procedure so that there are no mistakes made by a quick movement and slip of the tattoo gun. Pain depends on your own tolerance for pain; worse if you are afraid of needles but not at all bad as one might expect.

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