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What Is A Tap Out Tattoo Session?

• Julia
• 12.09.2022
• 0
• 116

A tap out session is any tattoo regardless of size, subject or detail. It could consist of one large tattoo or multiple tattoos. This day is designed to get as many tattoos in a single session within STUDIO HOURS.

How long can you be tattooed for in one session?

When they were done, they both looked halfway dead. So, yeah, if you want to get tattooed by someone at a convention or when you’re visiting somewhere far from home, the ordinary rules do get thrown out the window. But optimally, four to six hours is the limit.

Can you get multiple tattoos in one session?

Placement of Each Tattoo Dictates Viability  – You won’t be able to get two tattoos if the placement of the second tattoo interferes with the first. Remember, you will have just received a fresh ink job, and it will experience after-session pain, swelling (within reason) and bleeding.

• You can’t exactly roll over onto it while your artist dives into design number two;
• For example, getting a tattoo on each side of your ribs for a cool bookend effect may be a great idea, but it simply won’t work if the design calls for you to lay on your side;

Before planning your dynamic duo, consider where the first one will be placed, and if it may impede upon the application of the next. If so, wait until the tattoo has healed enough so that friction won’t impact its integrity or your comfort.

Can you get a full sleeve tattoo in one session?

How Long Does It Take to Get a Sleeve Tattoo? – The average time required for an arm sleeve is 10–15 hours, but some take 80 hours or more. A sleeve involves multiple sessions that may take weeks, months, or even years to complete. The time it takes will all depend on how elaborate the design is and how long it takes your body to heal between sessions.

What is the longest tattoo session ever?

Who Aleksandr Pakostin What 60:30:00 hour(s):minute(s):second(s) Where Russian Federation ( Moscow) When 12 September 2019 Age Restriction: Applications for this record title will only be accepted if the applicant is 16 years of age or over. The longest tattoo session (multiple people) is 60 hr 30 min, and was achieved by Aleksandr Pakostin (Russian Federation) in Vologda, Russia, on 12 September 2019. Aleksandr is the founder of tattoo studio ‘Kolnya’, in Vologda, Russia, where the record attempt took place..

How big is a 2 hour tattoo?

2 Hour Tattoo Size At first glance, this roughly 6-7 inch tattoo (by our estimates) is quite detailed and looks like it would take hours to complete.

How Much Should U Tip a tattoo artist?

How Much to Tip Tattoo Artists – Unfortunately, there’s no hard and fast rule governing how much to tip tattoo artists. As with tipping waitstaff, 20-25% percent is a good standard. An easy way to include tipping in your budget is to add it in when getting the estimated costs for having your work done.

So, if your tattoo is expected to cost $200, with a 20-percent tip, that’s $240. That said, you can tip more or less, depending on several factors. For one thing, your willingness to tip will depend on how pleased you are with their work.

If you don’t like the work, it makes sense that you would want to tip less. That’s up to you. But keep in mind that a tattoo is a piece of art you wear on your body for personal expression. The tattoo artist makes your vision a reality on your skin. Choosing the right tattoo artist is as important as choosing the right tattoo.

• Do your research, first;
• Don’t be afraid to ask people with great ink where they got it done;
• Chances are they’d love to tell you about their tattoo artist and the experiences they had with them;
• Another reason you might tip less or choose not to tip at all is because of a bad experience;

But, like any service-based industry, it’s not just the artist’s attitude that’s a big deal. You want to be treated with dignity and respect, but so does your tattoo artist. Tipping is a part of that, but so is showing up on time and being ready for your appointment.

In most instances, tipping is appropriate and encouraged. While you can tip less than 15%, try to avoid it. Good work should be recognized, and being broke is no excuse not to tip. If you don’t have the money to tip your artist, rethink getting tattooed until you can.

Or, ask your artist if they’d be interested in being tipped in goods or services if you run your own business and can float a sweet freebie their way in lieu of cash. Tipping in cash is fine. That way your tattoo artist gets the entirety of the tip and avoids any service fees or taxes.

If adding your tip to a credit or debit transaction, add a bit more to cover those fees. The best time to tip is after your appointment when you’re paying for your services. If your tattoo artist isn’t the person checking you out, just hit them up afterward with a thank you and, “This is for you.

” They’ll appreciate it. Remember, you’re tipping them based on their professionalism and the quality of their work, so there’s nothing wrong with waiting to make sure you’re pleased with the experience before you tip. You also don’t need to let your tattooer know you’re tipping, but it’s not a bad idea.

That way they know you didn’t accidentally overpay them or think they owe you change. In some rare instances, a tattooer might not accept tips if they’re the owner of the shop, but that’s very unlikely to be the case.

There’s no reason to ask your artist about tipping if you plan on tipping them with cash. And, most credit card interfaces offer prompts for adding tips as part of the check-out process, making it even easier. Gratuities are part of the tattoo experience so don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable about them. .

What do tattoo artists hate?

What should you not say to a tattoo artist?

Is it rude to wear headphones while getting a tattoo?

Conclusion – The tattoo process is a personal thing and what’s acceptable will vary depending on your tattoo artist. Make sure that you speak to them to understand what they expect and what is acceptable during the procedure. You need to be comfortable but so do they.

How much do you tip for a $500 tattoo?

💲 How much do you tip for a $500 tattoo? – It depends on the percentage that you are ready to pay. The average percent of tips to a tattoo artist is 15-20%. So, for a $500 tattoo, you can tip $75-100.

What takes longer linework or shading?

Tattoo Shading – Unlike outlining, shading isn’t necessary for every tattoo. Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo.

• If you’ve already made it through your line work, pat yourself on the back;
• You’ve likely conquered the most painful part already;
• You can do this! That said, you should understand what is happening during the shading process;

It’s not the simple, single pass of an outline. Rather, your artist will be packing ink into your skin repeatedly, often for hours at a time, over the same area—which is why some people mistakenly expect it to be more uncomfortable than outlining. But remember: Outlining is very detailed, and your tattoo artist uses needles of a different size for the process.

Is a 3 hour tattoo session long?

Session Length – Another determining factor in how long a tattoo will take is session length. Longer sessions can mean fewer visits to complete a tattoo. With an expected 3 weeks between sessions, this can mean a huge difference in how long your tattoo takes.

That being said, it is not necessarily the best idea to book a long session right out of the gate. If you are getting your first tattoo, 3-5 hours is probably as long as you should go. Everybody has a different pain tolerance for tattoos, and on your first visit, you won’t know how long you can handle.

After the first session, you may decide you are able to handle longer tattoo sessions. If not, that’s okay. Your tattoo may take a little longer to complete. But it is more important to get it right, have it heal, and end up with a tattoo you love. The longest tattoo session ever was 52 hours and 56 minutes.

Which country does not allow tattoos?

Denmark. Ever since 1966, Danes have been forbidden from getting their face, head, neck, or hands tattooed.

How do you prepare for a full day tattoo?

Can your body go into shock from a tattoo?

Tattoo Frequently Asked Questions Does It Hurt? This is number one in our Frequently Asked Questions simply because it is surprisingly just that. The simple answer is, yes it does. However, not as much as some people might like you to believe, as after a short period of time your body’s natural pain-killers (endorphins), kick in and make things much more manageable.

How long these endorphins last usually defines your natural ‘limit’ as to how long a tattoo session you can handle (usually between 2-3 hours), after this time you will tend to become very uncomfortable.

The pain of a tattoo is often likened to a mild burning sensation or a cat scratch. However, the real factor as to how much a tattoo hurts is really down to where you intend to get it. Any area directly over bone will be particularly sensitive; this includes ribs, feet, hands, head, and pelvis to name a few.

1. Add to this the number of nerve endings in an area and this defines the most painful places;
2. If you are looking for a less painful spot, then you should consider a less sensitive area protected by a large muscle; such as the fore-arm, upper-arm, shoulder, calf and thigh;

That being said, everyone’s pain threshold varies, so there are no hard and fast answers to this question. How long does a tattoo take? Tattooing is not a quick process, nor should it be rushed as you will be living with the results permanently. An averagely complex piece of work about the size of the back of your hand, usually takes about two hours to complete.

Larger or more complex pieces can take tens of hours, and will require several sittings to complete. Usually appointments are made in multiples of hours, but some smaller pieces may only require a thirty minute appointment.

A full sleeve (done by any decent artist), could take anything from ten to fifty hours work to complete depending on complexity. How much does it cost? When it comes to tattooing, you get what you pay for. Do not expect a good artist to come cheap, and if that’s the way you go, you could end up spending a great deal more further down the line, when you have to pay for a large cover-up or laser tattoo removal.

Save your money until you can afford what you really want! Don’t settle, just because you are impatient to get some ink, this decision will be with you for a long time. Most of the laser removal we do here at SECRET INK, is for just that reason, impulse tattoos! At SECRET INK we are happy to do a payment plan with you where you can pay for the tattoo you really want gradually.

Can I use numbing cream or pain killers? This is a less frequently asked question than you might expect. You can use numbing cream, but very few tattoo studios will recommend it for several reasons. Firstly, it needs to be applied several hours before you sit for your tattoo and can only last for around thirty to forty-five minutes.

1. Tattooing being an art-form and therefore not an exact science, means that sometimes there could be a period of waiting past your appointment time, while the tattooist finishes off a piece of work that took longer than expected;

This makes it very difficult to time the application of the cream. Secondly, even if you manage to time its application correctly, the potential short working period of the cream makes it a very limiting to anything but the simplest and smallest of tattoos.

1. Lastly, if your tattoo is not finished before the cream wears off, then the pain will come back with a vengeance! Your body has been fooled and will not be producing those handy pain-killing endorphins, so will be hit with the force of the returning pain with no protection;

From the tattooist’s perspective, the creams can cause the skin to become a little puffy in some customers. This means that the tattooist needs to work harder to get the ink into the skin, which can cause additional trauma. This will obviously have some repercussions during the healing process and can create an undesirable amount of scabbing during that time.

Some tablet pain killers can also cause a problem. Aspirin is the biggest problem as it thins the blood and reduces clotting, this will cause excessive bleeding during your tattoo, which will affect the quality of the finished tattoo.

Aspirin will also extend the healing time that your tattoo needs so it is best avoided. Paracetamol will have little effect (positive or negative), other than a placebo. Ibuprofen based painkillers can give minor pain relief during the process, by reducing localised swelling, and will not hinder the tattoo in any way.

Can tattoo’s be removed? They can, completely and without scaring. There are several options available to you if you have ink that you want rid of. The first, and by far most common way is the cover-up. This involves working with your tattoo artist to come up with a design that will go over and ‘cover-up’ the old one.

There are a few misconceptions regarding cover-ups, it is not as easy as just doing another tattoo over the top. The new tattoo will sit in the same layer of skin (the dermis), as the old one, so the cover-up needs to be darker than the existing tattoo in order to over-power it.

1. This makes very old or faded tattoos easier to cover up than new bright ones;
2. The black panther was a big cover-up favourite with the ‘Old School’ tattooists, for obvious reasons;
3. This also means that the new tattoo generally has to be a great deal bigger than the one to be covered up, so that the old design can be lost in the new one;

Obviously this very much depends on the tattoo to be covered and the skill of your artist. The second option available to you is laser removal. This can be very effective, again depending on age and colour of the tattoo, but can also be very time consuming.

Have a look at the Laser Removal Frequently Asked Questions ( Laser FAQs ), on our website if you are interested in more information on removal. The third option available is a combination of both of the above.

The laser removal can be used to reduce the density of the offending tattoo, so that a much more desirable (and often smaller), tattoo can be used to cover up the old design. This takes much less laser treatment than removal, and gives much better cover-up results on the new tattoo.

1. How do I decide on a design? Traditionally, you would have chosen your tattoo design from the designs on the wall of your tattoo studio, or from their stock books of pre-drawn designs;
2. These designs are referred to as ‘Flash Art’;

This work was rarely designed by the tattooist, but instead bought in from ‘Flash Art’ suppliers. Thankfully today things are different. While there are still tattooists who rely heavily on Flash (often because they have limited artistic ability of their own), there is an increasing number of tattooists who will design custom work to your specifications.

1. This obviously requires a higher degree of artistic skill, so you should expect to pay slightly more for bespoke work than for Flash, but you will be guaranteed an original piece… not the same tattoo that five other people are walking round town with! In addition to this, your artist will be able to work with you to generate a tattoo that is personal, has more meaning and is less likely to go out of favour with you in a few years;

This all adds up to better value in the long run. At Secret ink Tattoo, we don’t carry ‘Flash’ art. All our tattoos are generated bespoke for the customer to ensure you only get the best in custom designs, unique to you. Because of this, we suggest that you begin with an initial free consultation with your artist to discuss your design.

• If you can bring your tattoo artist any reference material that you think is relevant, it will help both of you understand each other much easier;
• You don’t have to have exact images, even if your examples simply have the same ‘feel’ as what you are trying to convey it will help your tattoo artist understand your needs;

Your tattoo artist should also give you lots of good advice regarding the limitations of the art (don’t forget, we are talking needles, ink and skin here, not pen and paper). They should advise you as to placement, and how the tattoo is likely to be viewed, for example; a small piece that would work well on the wrist, might not work as well placed on the thigh.

• They should also discuss how well your tattoo will stand the test of time;
• You can generate some amazingly complex and delicate tattoos, but tattoo ink spreads and thins under the skin over time, so your dainty tattoo might look great on the day, but may look fuzzy and unrecognisable after just a couple of years;

A slightly bolder design could look great for ten years or more. The choice is always the customer’s, but it should always be an informed choice. Once you have had the initial conversation with your tattoo artist, you will usually then want to book in for some time at the studio.

Your tattoo artist will usually have a good idea at this point as to how long your tattoo is going to take, and will be able to advise you on cost. Booking your appointment usually requires a deposit (£50 unless your tattoo comes in under that price), which is to discourage time wasters and to offset against the artwork the tattoo artist will produce for you, should you not turn up.

When you do turn up however, your design work will be free and your deposit will be then offset against the price of your tattoo. A few days before your appointment, we will usually email your design to you (unless other arrangements have been made), so that you can approve the design or make any changes that need to be made to the design.

We are not precious over designs, we understand that it is your tattoo, so don’t worry about offending our artists if you don’t like your design, it will be redrawn as many times as needed to make sure it is perfect for you.

How do I decide on a studio? Visit studios, talk to the tattoo artist, get a general feel for them. Getting a tattoo is a very personal experience, you should have a rapport with your tattooist, and feel comfortable in their studio. How is their customer service? Many tattooists will treat customers with contempt, as if it’s a burden to them to work with you, especially if it is your first tattoo… just walk away, there are plenty of tattooists who will treat you with respect.

If you get an unhelpful response, or are told to ‘pick something from the Flash’, when you ask for help, again maybe the best course of action is to find another studio. Is the studio clean and well presented? If a tattoo artist can’t keep their house in order, what other corners might they be cutting? You could potentially be putting your own health and wellbeing at risk.

Ask yourself; if this was a dental surgery and not a tattoo studio, would I let them touch my teeth? Potentially there are a great deal of similarities between the two regarding the possibility of cross contamination of instruments and equipment, and the transmitting of blood-borne pathogens.

1. The regulations in the tattooing industry are minimal at best, so it is very much up to the individual studio to police themselves past the very basic health and safety requirements;
2. Because of this the cleanliness of the studio, will very much reflect their attitude towards their customer and their customer’s wellbeing;

Should I have a drink before my tattoo to steady my nerves? No. This is not advisable for several very real reasons, other than the obvious difficulties of tattooing a drunk person, and the fact that any good tattooist will refuse to tattoo you if you have.

The main reason is that alcohol thins your blood considerably. In turn this causes excessive bleeding while you are having the tattoo, which not only makes it difficult for the tattoo artist, but will have the effect of ‘washing out’ ink as it is being put in.

This makes the process much longer, and can produce poor results. Alcohol can have an effect for several days, so it is also not a good idea to have a tattoo after a night drinking, even if you have not consumed anything on the day. What should I do on the day of my tattoo? There are several things you can do to make your experience easier and more enjoyable.

Firstly, try and make sure you have had something to eat and drink about an hour before your tattoo. During the tattoo, your body behaves in a way very similar to going into shock, as it generates endorphins to deal with the attack on the skin.

This can cause a drop in blood sugar, resulting in light-headedness, and sometimes nausea or fainting. Having a meal and consuming natural sugars, such as orange juice can help to prevent this. If you feel faint during your tattoo, let your artist know immediately, and they will help you through it.

Don’t be ashamed of telling them, if you have chosen your studio wisely, they will be totally sympathetic to your needs and help you through the experience with dignity. Often a tattoo studio will offer you hard boiled sweets or a lolly to help keep your sugar up during the tattoo.

Secondly, think about what you are going to wear. You know where you are likely to get your tattoo, so make sure you dress so that you can expose this general area while at the same time maintaining your dignity. Usually the studio area can be covered (door closed or a screen put in place), if you are feeling particularly vulnerable.

• Have these conversations with your studio and they should be able to tell you what they can put in place to make you feel comfortable;
• Don’t wear your Sunday best;
• While tattoo ink will generally not stain clothes, and your artist will do everything they can to keep your clothing clean, there is always the possibility of getting ink on your clothes so dark clothing is favourable;

Tattoo ink is very concentrated, and will go a very long way, so it’s always best to bear this in mind when choosing the day’s wardrobe. If you do need to remove tattoo ink from your clothing, you will need to do so on a very hot wash. Thirdly, shave the area if possible.

1. If you know where you are having your tattoo, shave the area (and surrounding area), the morning prior to getting inked;
2. Even if you don’t think it needs doing, shave it anyway, as even the smallest, downiest hairs can have a detrimental effect on the tattoo process, but don’t worry, your tattoo artist will still shave you if you haven’t;

This will save time applying the stencil and mean that more of the time you are paying for is going towards your tattoo rather than preparing the area. It is a small thing, but your tattoo artist will really appreciate that you have taken the time to consider this.

However at SECRET INK this is not a huge concern as we do not feel there should be any financial pressure on the customer during preparation, so will only charge for the time you are actually being tattooed.

Other things you may want to consider bringing might include an MP3 player, or other distraction like a book or smart phone etc. Some people like to chat to the tattooist, others like stony silence, others prefer a distraction like the things mentioned above.

• Can I catch anything from getting a tattoo? Yes you can, but it is very unlikely;
• If you have followed the advice above and chosen your tattoo studio wisely, then the chances of catching anything are similar to a visit to the dentist;

Everything will be either sterilised to medical standards or be disposable single use. Again, a reputable tattooist will be certified in infection control and have no issues discussing their procedures with you. If they do, don’t think twice, just walk away.

1. If correct infection control procedures are not followed, there is the potential of transmitting blood-borne pathogens from one customer to the next, or from the tattooist to the customer;
2. This could potentially include HIV or Hepatitis;

However, before you become unduly worried, the vast majority of tattooists work safely, and the chances of you contracting anything like this from having your tattoo are extremely slight. Again, if you choose your studio wisely, this won’t even be a consideration.

The other thing you might hear people say is; “I got my tattoo/piercing form Joe Blogs Tattoo, and it got infected, I must have got the infection from there!” This is absolute rubbish! Apart from blood-borne infection (viral), as mentioned above, you won’t catch an infection like they are discussing from a studio, as what they are talking about is an infection caused by bacteria.

You don’t catch bacteria, it builds up over time. That only means one thing, poor aftercare. That applies for tattooing, piercing and laser removal, the only way bacteria will infect you is if you’re not keeping the wound (yes it is a wound), clean. For further information on how to look after your new tattoo, piercing or laser treatment , check out the relevant sections on our website.

• How safe is Tattoo Ink? It depends where it comes from;
• There are many inks on the market today that are readily available;
• High quality tattoo ink, Ink has been tried and tested over generations without ill effects;

Nowadays, the manufacture of inks is regulated to meet certain health and safety standards, but only in some countries (EU and USA). sale of tattoo inks on eBay, has unfortunately opened the market up to cheap Chinese inks, and counterfeit copies of well known and respected brands.

These Chinese inks can be dangerous. A report was recently released in which some of these inks had been analysed and shown to contain both banned and toxic substances. With this in mind, it is no longer good enough that your tattoo artist uses trusted brands, they must also source their inks directly from the manufacturer, or manufacturer’s approved outlet, to ensure the integrity of their product.

If you have any other questions that we haven’t answered here, please feel free to contact us..

Is 5 hours long for a tattoo?

The size of the tattoo is only one factor that goes in to determining how long it would take the artist to make a certain tattoo. There are many other things to consider. Apart from the size, the style, complexity of the design and even the pace the artist is working at, all those factors go in to the time it’s needed to get the tattoo done. The time it takes to make a tattoo is not only based on the size Account for the time it takes to set everything up, get the area shaved, apply the stencil or the freehand drawing, do some last-minute changes… Could take 30 minutes to get it all done. A simple, black ink only palm sized tattoo of a very simple design, it would probably take less than an hour for the tattoo artist to make. A detailed, shaded or coloured tattoo of that size, could take longer, two to three hours to get tattooed. The more detail and technique goes in to the tattoo, the more it will take for it to get done. Here’s a quick overview of how long it would take for different sizes of tattoos to get done:

• Small tattoos usually take under an hour to make.
• Palm-sized tattoo would take from one to three hours to make.
• Hand sized tattoo can take up to 5 hours to make.
• Full sleeve tattoo can take 6-10 hours to make.
• Very large tattoos , such as a back piece, can take up to 30 hours to make.

Please, use this only as a very rough estimate as it all greatly depends on factors other than the size of the tattoo.

How many hours is a half day tattoo session?

I offer 3 appointment options: half day (2-3 hours), full day (4-5 hours), and multi-session tattoos (max 4-5 hours each session). Exact estimates aren’t always possible because some tattoos take longer than others for reasons outside of our control. THESE TIME ESTIMATES ARE FOR BLACK INK TATTOOS DONE BY EM16.

1. For tattoos that require lots of detailing , such as snake scales/feathers or detailed dotwork realism, double the time listed for the detailed area (x2).
2. For full color or fully blacked-out tattoos , triple the time listed (x3). For partial color, only consider those areas.
3. For areas where your skin is stretchy, such as the ribs, belly, or upper back , double the time (x2).
4. Pay attention to the object limit on each item. This is the limit of objects you can include in one tattoo.

1/2 Day Session

• 4″x4″/PALM SIZED TATTOO: limit of 2 objects
• 8″x4″/HAND SIZED TATTOO: limit of 3 objects

Full Day Session

• 8″x7″/SHOULDER CAP OR UPPER CHEST TATTOO: limit of 4 objects
• 9″x12″/QUARTER SLEEVE OR THIGH TATTOO: limit of 5 objects
• SIMPLE HALF SLEEVE: limit of 6 objects, may require an additional 1/2 day session.

Multi Session Tattoo

• DETAILED HALF SLEEVE: 2-2. 5 sessions hours & a limit of 8 objects
• SIMPLE FULL SLEEVE: 3-4 sessions & a limit of 10 objects
• DETAILED FULL SLEEVE: 4-6 sessions & a limit of 12 objects
• FULL FRONT OR BACK PIECE: 4-8 sessions & a limit of 16 objects

Multi-session tattoos require a minimum of 2 week healing periods between. You will be scheduled for the next appointment at the end of your first..

Can you take breaks during a tattoo?

What to do and what to expect while getting a tattoo –

• Yes it will hurt, but probably not nearly as bad as you think it will. Unless you don’t think it will hurt at all. Then it might hurt really, really bad. Tattoos have been described as feeling somewhat like an “electric cat scratch”; tingly and scratchy at the same time.
• A very small and simple tattoo could take as little as ten minutes to apply. Most will take much longer than this. Except for large tattoos, (which usually get breaks) you’re probably going to have to sit still the entire time of the tattoo. You will want to prepare yourself to endure pain for that long, without moving around. You’ll have to figure out how to keep yourself calm and will perhaps want to practice calming yourself down by breathing through the pain.
• Don’t be afraid to tell your artist that you’re nervous or scared. They see nervous and frightened people all the time and can often help your state of mind by explaining the process to you. Usually they can give you some funny anecdotes about other people worse off than you!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if you are nauseous, dizzy, or feel confused about anything. Sometimes people feel faint when getting tattooed, particularly during the first few minutes, (sometimes even if it’s not their first time!) there’s no need to be embarrassed or afraid. Let the artist know if you are feeling anything unusual besides the tattoo itself.
• Tattoo needles are not like hypodermic needles! They’re not hollow, they don’t penetrate the skin entirely (a few millimeters at most), and they do not inject anything into you. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you may ask your artist before they start if they can show you what they are using. This might help some people feel less anxious.
• You’ll need to sit however the artist asks you to sit which might be difficult at times. From your perspective it may even seem harder for the artist to reach an area in these positions, but artists are also concerned with stretching out the skin not just reaching it. Be careful if you find yourself straining to hold a position because it may make you shake or twitch.

  If you’ve taken classes or practiced any yoga or meditation you’ll benefit from the breathing exercises you learned. You’ll have to try your absolute best to stay completely still in the position they choose.

  If your leg or arm falls asleep or if you feel like you can’t maintain a position much longer, let the artist know before it becomes a struggle for you! There are often alternative positions the artists will have you try to make it easier for you.

• Needless to say, if you ask to take frequent breaks or feel the need to constantly adjust your position to see the artist’s progress, it’s going to take longer. The artist will work as fast as they feel comfortable working, but you should be aware that regular stops tend to break up their rhythm and could make it take much longer. Think of it as, “Are we there yet?” syndrome.
• If you’re familiar with other kinds of artists, you won’t be surprised to find that sometimes tattoo artists can be very introverted. They may prefer not holding a conversation while they’re tattooing. It wouldn’t hurt to ask them beforehand if they’ll mind conversation. If they don’t and you feel you’ll need to talk to someone to help you cope, bring a friend. Wearing headphones and listening to music or audio books might also help you relax.
• During the entire procedure you’ll need to pay attention to any instructions the artist might give you. They might need you to remove your belt, lower a sock, turn an elbow, take a breath, sit up straight, slouch over, or whatever, but you’ll need to be paying attention for when they do ask. If you feel uncomfortable you can always let the artist know.
• During longer sessions, ask to take breaks if you need them. Usually a tattoo artist will allow a break every hour or so. Much more than that can interrupt the progress. When you do get a break make sure to use it wisely; use the bathroom, smoke a cigarette, drink water and munch on your snacks. You’ll probably notice that after a break the tattoo hurts pretty badly.
• Hold still! If you find yourself needing to cough, readjust your position, stretch your leg, wiggle, laugh, or flinch; you have to give the artist warning first. You should also not assume that because you don’t hear the machine running, they don’t still need you to be motionless.