How To Choose A Tattoo?
Be Patient – Rawpixel / Getty Images Ultimately, gradually and thoughtfully are the best ways to proceed with your body art. Once you have a plan for your tattoo in a style you like, you can then scope out inspiration for design ideas that will have more significance and meaning later.
- “You should also take the time to read up on different styles of tattoo designs,” Forte says;
- “During the process you’ll find some you like and come up with a solid game plan on what design(s) would be perfect for you;
” Don’t be in a hurry to commit to a design, especially if you want a tattoo with meaning. Remember, this is permanent (unless you undergo painful tattoo removal )..
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What are 3 things you should consider before getting a tattoo?
What is a good first tattoo?
While upper arms, forearms, thighs, and calves are all great locations, Brodsky says elbow and knee tattooing can be ‘kind of spicy, but it’s still doable. ‘ Tattoos on the torso hurt worse, she explains, because the skin is softer and lighter.
What makes a good tattoo?
For people outside of the tattoo industry, it may be difficult to tell if a tattoo is bad. Believe it or not, but many people out there don’t know that their tattoo is poorly done. However, for those of you that want to ensure that you go to an artistically and technically qualified artist, then its time you learned from the experts at INKED. 
@stevebutchertattoos 1. Saturation A good tattoo should have fully saturated black, color and shading. When it heals, there shouldn’t be gaps or shapes in the tattoo that indicate it wasn’t filled in properly. Linework The lines of a tattoo should be crisp, straight and consistent throughout the tattoo.
We’ve narrowed down our top 9 ways of telling if a tattoo is good or bad—and we’ve given detailed examples of each category. Take a look at our in depth guide in the gallery below and let us know if you have a good eye for spotting bad ink in the comments section on Facebook.
Wonky lines are a huge indication of an inexperienced artist. Composition Composition relates to the flow of different items within a tattoo. The different aspects of the tattoo should fit together seamlessly and it takes an experienced artist to understand how to arrange the different elements of a tattoo. 
@jakconnollyart 4. Healing How a tattoo heals is a huge indication of a good tattoo vs a bad tattoo. If a tattoo scars, blows out or straight up falls out of the skin—it’s a bad tattoo. Placement It doesn’t take an expert to tell if a tattoo is crooked, but many people outside of the industry may not recognize the rules surrounding placement.
First off, if a tattoo is a face it should always be facing in toward the body vs away. Second, text should appear upside down to the wearer. Third, you should never put a tiny tattoo in the middle of a large canvas.
Contrast A tattoo needs a variety of tones in order for it to appear multidimensional and that its jumping off the skin. If the tattoo has bad contrast, it will appear flat and washed out. 
@popotattoo 7. Proportion Faces and body parts can be very tricky, because one wrong move can ruin a perfectly good drawing. It takes years of practice to create a realistic portrait, so enlist the best of the best for this task. 
@victor_chil 8. Detail Details can take an average tattoo to an extraordinary tattoo very quickly. You want to feel like you can run your fingers over a tattoo and feel every single detail—whether it be the texture of the hair or the consistency of the eyes. Legibility Last, but not least, you should be able to look at your tattoo and know exactly what it is or what it says.
How do you think your tattoo is meaningful?
Consider What’s Meaningful to You – Once you know where you want to get your tattoo, it’s time to think about the visual elements you want involved. Christine V. suggests you keep in mind “what… you actually want in your tattoo, what personal meaning will it carry?” She advises against getting too literal with your design if, at all possible, “Sometimes it is good to consider more metaphorical symbolism, and not just go with a literal theme or idea.
- Being a bit more subtle and symbolic will yield a more personal and unique tattoo”;
- Christine D;
- , another artist at CTD, believes that if you’re looking into getting a custom design, you already have some kind of inspiration in mind – even if you don’t consciously know it yet, “…it is pretty rare for someone to simply get a custom tattoo designed ‘just because’… There is always a trigger for the desire [to get] a tattoo”;
She goes on to explain: When someone seeks an unique design, made just for them, it is a sign that there is something very special that they feel connected to, and that they need to make it a visible part of themselves, but…the person [doesn’t always have] a clear picture of what they want, sometimes what they have is just a feeling.
And how to put a feeling into paper? Which is where working with an artist comes into play. “A tattoo is always more than a piece of artwork, it is an inspiration”, says Christine D. , so she encourages potential clients to think about what inspires them, whether it be music, art, someone special in your life, or a symbol to represent your own personality and experience.
Jen also recommends you think about what’s meaningful to you, because tattoos are “such a personal form of self-expression”, you could take inspiration from: one of your favorite places, animals, flowers, people you want to celebrate or remember, significant moments in your life, hobbies or media you enjoy, your heritage, mythology that resonates with you, or any symbolism that you feel connected to.
If you can’t decide on just one theme, don’t worry, Jen says, “tattoos… don’t necessarily need to have one driving theme in order to be a beautiful piece of art. If you are having trouble focusing on one theme, you can always incorporate several themes and elements into your tattoo”.
There a few different techniques that an artist could use to do this, like, “we can use filler elements (like clouds, waves, flowers, etc. ) to tie all the elements together into a cohesive whole, or just draw everything in a specific tattoo style which will unite all the disparate elements”.
Tattooist and CTD artist Andy W. echoes the idea of going with something personal, “so that it will mean something for the rest of your life”. He would not, however, advise going with a spouse’s name, “Personally, I think a partner’s name is a bit risky, as anything could happen”.
But that person can be inspiration for a symbol that represents your relationship , and make for a unique and lasting tattoo. There’s a ton of room for creativity and expression through art when you’re coming up with a tattoo design idea, but choosing something that is meaningful to you personally increases the chances that you’ll be happy with the tattoo in the long-term, as opposed to getting a trendy, ‘current’ design done..
When should you not get a tattoo?
Blood Disorders – 
There are several different types of blood related disorders or conditions. Some of them cause excessive bleeding or issues with clotting, which is not ideal for tattooing. Those with blood disorders may be turned away by shops due to the risks and issues posed by being tattooed. Blood disorders could lessen the artists visibility, extra wiping could cause the stencil to come off early compromising the design, and even dilute or push out some of the tattoo ink.
What should you not do after a tattoo?
What should you not do before getting a tattoo?
What is the least painful tattoo spot?
Least painful to tattoo – The least painful places to get a tattoo are areas of your body with fewer nerve endings. Think outer shoulder, calf, buttocks, and outer arm. While people generally focus on the location on the body, Stanley Kovak , a cosmetic physician, theorizes that pain is more about size.
Where does tattoo hurt most?
How do you know if a tattoo will suit you?
One way to really test out a look on your body is to book an appointment with the tattoo artist you are considering for a trial tattoo. It may cost you if you are spending a significant amount of time, so check with your artist of choice how they would like to proceed.
What should you not say to a tattoo artist?
Where should my first tattoo be?
Your Wrist – Most female customers will choose the wrist as the location for the first tattoo. It’s the perfect placement for a tattoo that is delicate and dainty. But be warned! The wrist has a lot of nerve endings, making the tattoo itself more painful than in other more cushioned areas of the body.
- Also, you’ll find it harder to cover up this bad boy in warm weather;
- Be mindful of your choice of colors too, with the wrist spending much time in the sunlight, you may find that your tattoo fades quicker than it would in other areas;
Chat to your tattoo artist about what color choices he would recommend for a tattoo on your wrist.
Will I regret getting a tattoo?
It’s not unusual for a person to change their mind after getting a tattoo. In fact, one survey says 75 percent of their 600 respondents admitted to regretting at least one of their tattoos. But the good news is there are things you can do before and after getting a tattoo to lower your chances of regret.
What tattoo represents strength?
Lotus/Floral Tattoo Design – As mentioned earlier, the lotus flower is an ultimate symbol of personal emotional, and physical strength. The lotus design is suitable for both men and women and represents power, strength, endurance, and one’s ability to overcome life’s struggles.
The design is incredibly beautiful, and the tattoo can be either small or big, simple or intricate. Some people tend to chose wonderful color schemes for their lotus tattoo, while others go with a more minimalistic approach.
Either way, you cannot go wrong with a lotus design.
- Tattoo highlights – just like with any design, the lotus tattoo can be either less or more expensive depending on the size, intricacy of the design, and the choice of color. Smaller designs can cost you up to $800 , while larger lotus tattoos with intricate design can cost up to $2,500.
- Best body placement – forearm, wrist, ankle, foot, middle of the chest, side of the neck, the bottom of the neck, lower back, shoulder area, etc.
Other Design Recommendations .
What tattoo means keep going?
Tattoos are forever and that’s exactly why most people think about the exact tattoo they want much before actually getting it inked. The reason for it is quite simple: we all want a meaningful tattoo. If you fall into the category of people who’ve been thinking about getting something meaningful inked, we say you go for designs that will serve as a reminder of motivation on a daily basis. 
sophieetc 2. The semicolon tattoo is now a symbol for mental health awareness. In literary terms is represents a pause. The semicolon tattoo represents the fact that you could have chosen to end things but you treated the phase of struggle as a pause and, not the end. 
pinterest 3. An ampersand tattoo means that anything happening in your life won’t last forever. There will always be an ‘and’ that will change how your life looks. 
pinterest 4. A wave represents the highs and lows of your life. If you think life is too low, it will remind you that there will be a high as well. 
pinterest 5. This is a viking symbol called ‘inguz’ which means where there’s a will, there’s a way. It will, hopefully, help you keep your will intact. 
pinterest 6. A lotus, which grows in muddy water, maintains its purity. It still grows out beautiful. It’s a reminder to keep fighting your personal battles and emerging out of them beautifully. 
pinterest 7. A design that represents change, this minimalist triangle will remind you that tough times don’t always last. 
pinterest 8. Words can serve as a good reminder and that’s why this ‘hustle’ tattoo will keep you going. 
pinterest 9. If you’re looking at a more elaborate design, your favourite motivational quote as a tattoo could be a wonderful idea. 
pinterest 10. An anchor will keep you grounded when you think you’re losing all control. 
pinterest 11. A yin and yang tattoo represents the fact that there is always something good in something bad. Hopefully, it will help you find the silver lining in the situations you face in life. 
pinterest.
What should you not do before getting a tattoo?
Can I get a tattoo on my period?
This is my first tattoo – will it hurt? – Firstly please DO NOT listen to the experiences of friends. Mean friends often unfairly wind customers up! Tattoos do hurt, but every individual’s experience is different. Pain tolerances vary from person to person, different parts of the body hurt more than others, and the same spot on one person can hurt whist another person would barely mind.
It’s OK to be nervous, but most customers often comment it wasn’t as bad as they thought! Tattooing is certainly not an unbearable sensation, especially for short sessions, and it is, for the most part, more of a mild to moderate annoyance than outright agony! As mentioned above, being well-fed and well-rested will minimise discomfort, and for longer sessions of over an hour or so, you might also find a mild anti-inflammatory pain reliever like Ibuprofen or a Paracetamol helps.
We’re a very quick and efficient tattooists, so whilst quality comes first, we are also mindful of how quickly we’re working. We work fast to keep pain to a minimum. (Please note with females, it needs to be mentioned that getting tattooed whilst on your period will make the body more receptive to pain, so take that into account whilst booking where possible).
What do u need to get a tattoo at 18?
Other Countries –
- Austria, Germany, and Denmark also have an age minimum of 18, but with some exceptions.
- Countries like Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Hungary have no age restrictions
- Spain allows minors as young as 14 to be tattooed with parent consent.
- France has an age minimum of 16.
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What I wish I had known before getting a tattoo?
