What Makes A Good Tattoo?
Julia
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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.
Contents
- 1 What are 3 things you should consider before getting a tattoo?
- 2 How do you make sure you get a good tattoo?
- 3 How much do you tip on a $300 tattoo?
- 4 What is the most requested tattoo?
- 5 Can I get a tattoo on my period?
- 6 What do u need to get a tattoo at 18?
What are 3 things you should consider before getting a tattoo?
How do you make sure you get a good tattoo?
How do I know if my tattoo artist is good?
Quora A tattoo artist works on a tattoo based on an image of Albert Einstein on March 17, 2014 in London. Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images This question originally appeared on Quora , the best answer to any question. Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on Twitter , Facebook , and Google Plus.
- Answer by Kevin “Jack” Allaire , licensed freelance tattoo artist: This is easy and difficult at the same time;
- The first thing you have to do is look through the portfolio of the artist;
- As with a lot of things, a person’s previous work speaks volumes;
Make sure there is a large variety of different work in the portfolio: color, black and gray, traditional, realism. If a portfolio is filled with pieces of flash art (small, common, money-making pieces picked from off the wall), I would call that person a tattooist and not a tattoo artist.
Original designs of great detail are a sure sign of an artist who does tattoos as his medium of choice. And as silly as it sounds, price of the artist determines a lot. The old adage of you get what you pay for generally rings true.
You pay for quality. A typical price of an average artist is $75 to $100 an hour. Your better artists are generally two to three times that at a minimum. Ask all the questions you want to! Good tattoo artists love to answer questions and provide comfort to their clients, from what kind of machines they use to what kind of ink they use to how long they’ve been at it and what they have a preference for doing.
- The look and presentation of the shop itself speaks volumes about the artists in the shop;
- You won’t find a great tattoo artist in a dingy, dirty shop;
- Remember, this is technically a minor medical procedure, so run from a dimly lit, cramped, and dingy shop;
But the No. 1 rule of thumb is to look at an artist’s work—all of it! Look at the lines closely. Do they look nice and thin and clean and crisp? Do they look like they have bled, like holding a marker on paper too long? Does the skin look beat-up and red and bleeding? Look at the detail in the pieces in the artist’s portfolio.
- Minute details are the difference between someone who wants to get you in and out of the seat for money and someone whose focus is solely making a great tattoo;
- Look for saturation and boldness of colors;
Packing solid color into skin is difficult if inexperienced, and most will beat up the skin, and you will see blood and areas of light color. If you look through a portfolio and see a lot of the same simple, small pieces you would find on the wall, the person is most likely a tracer and not an artist.
You wouldn’t trust a doctor to operate on you if he’s only ever treated colds, right? Variety and difficulty of the pieces in the portfolio truly speaks for itself. Also, thanks to the Internet, you can search just about anyone and find reviews for him or her.
Listen to what people say! These are permanent pieces on your body, and people won’t lie about their experiences. If an artist is uncomfortable with any of these things, gets annoyed, or has issues with anything you ask (don’t demand though), walk away.
Also ask him if he does conventions, which ones, if he’s worked at other shops. Then look it all up. Don’t make spur-of-the-moment decisions. Do your research. Again, it’s permanent. But don’t get me wrong, some artists have specialties they prefer to do.
Some love portraits. Some love photorealism. Some love traditional. The key is: Is it original work, or is it stuff people come into the shop and point to the wall and say, “That one”? If you encounter an artist that has a specialized niche, he or she will be well-known for it.
- Generally, only established artists have the ability to specialize in one genre of work, and you will be able to tell from the quality of the work presented to you;
- If all else fails, come to Quora and ask about a specific artist;
Some top artists are Andy Engel, Kirk Alley, Mario Barth, Nikko Hurtado, Paul Booth, and Mike Devries. Also go to Sullen Clothing , Intenze , and Eternal Ink to look at the teams of artists they support. These are industry leaders that “sponsor” the best of the best, and you will get an idea for what truly great tattoo artist work looks like. More questions on Quora :
- Body Art : What do I need to consider before getting a tattoo?
- Tattoo Artist : What is the typical working arrangement between a tattoo artist and a tattoo shop?
- Tattooing : What are some tips from tattoo artists about getting a custom tattoo?
What kind of tattoos look good?
Tattoos With A Bold Design – Simple, minimalist tattoos are enduringly popular, but bold tattoos tend to last the longest. You can count both the size and the thickness of the lines as two of the reasons why these tattoos age well. “Bold, black text and traditional American tattoos still look badass when they fade,” Villani says.
What should you not do after a tattoo?
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.
How much do you tip on a $300 tattoo?
How much do you tip on a $300 tattoo? – You would tip around $60 – $90 for a $300 tattoo. So, the final price you’d expect to pay for the service is $360 – $390.
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.
How much do you tip on an 800 dollar tattoo?
The Takeaway – Tipping may not be mandatory, but it’s a way to show that you appreciate all of the hard work and effort—physical and monetary—that your artist put into your new tattoo. Remember: A tip isn’t about you, it’s about the artist. If your artist made your tattoo experience good, great, or amazing, a tip is a sincere way to show your gratitude.
Plus, it helps their business out in the long-run. “When you show your artist you’re grateful for their work, it helps them create and share more artwork with the world—which, at the end of the day, is what it’s all really about!” says Fiore.
The best rule of thumb you can follow is to tip at least 20 percent of the total cost of your service, and tip even more for custom, intricate designs. It’s the human thing to do..
What should you not say to a tattoo artist?
What is a bad tattoo artist?
It’s a question as old as time— how do you tell a good tattoo artist from a bad one? Well, we finally have the answers for you. There are many different factors that go into separated the good from the bad artists, however, it’s essential that our audience is knowledgeable and walks away with a great tattoo. Good: Takes the Proper Health and Safety Precautions Every artist should take the proper health and safety precautions. This means having an updated bloodbourne pathogens certification, always wearing gloves, always cleaning their machines and keeping a tidy work station.
Bad: Tattoos Highly Intoxicated Clients While there is some gray area with stoned clients, a tattooer should always refuse service to someone who is drunk or on drugs (other than marijuana. ) Of course, if it’s a friend it can be a different situation, however, for a walk-in client an artist should refuse to tattoo someone who cannot properly consent to the tattoo.
Good: Has Solid, Consistent Linework A good tattooer, regardless of their style or experience, should have solid and consistent linework. Linework is the foundation of most tattoos and an artist should make sure that the linework in their tattoos is as crispy as possible.
Bad: Tattooing Without Gloves Under no circumstances should an artist tattoo without gloves. This is a big no-no regardless of who you speak to and is a huge indicator of someone not taking accountability for their craft or their client’s safety.
Good: Can Pack Saturated Color Into the Skin A good tattoo artist should be technically trained to pack color into the skin. The tattoo pigment shouldn’t be patchy and shouldn’t fade drastically over time. This is an indicator of application and artists should be knowledgeable on the fundamentals before attempting this style of tattooing.
Bad: Copies Another Artist’s Work Here’s the thing, an artist should know better than to rip off another tattooer’s work line for line. There’s a distinctive difference between taking inspiration from someone’s work and straight up duplicating the design on another client’s skin. While tattoo copying isn’t illegal, the industry has certain ethics that discourage artists from doing it.
Good: Walks Before They Run Another indication of a bad tattooer is someone who bites off more than they can chew and tackles a design that they aren’t technically or artistically experienced enough to properly execute. Every artist out there, including the industry icons and the hot shots, started somewhere and learned the basics before moving on to more intricate work.
Bad: Does ‘Party’ Tattoos While there’s nothing wrong with an artist setting up a tattoo station at a party, in this instance, we’re specifically referring to scratchers that tattoo their friends at social gatherings. If you see someone that’s not a professional artist whip out a machine at a party, we advise against getting a tattoo done by them—even if they offer up their services for free.
Good: Posts Healed Tattoo Photos A good artist should be transparent about their tattoos, both fresh and healed. There are plenty of tattoos that look great right after the tattoo but because of poor application, heal like crap. Keep this in mind when researching an artist for your next tattoo.
Bad: Tattoos in Unsanitary Locations This should be a no brainer, but getting tattooed in a bathroom, on a subway car and even in a grimy shop is a bad idea. Tattoo infections are no joke and many clients have died from getting a dirty tattoo..
How do you tell if a tattoo artist is ripping you off?
What tattoo artists hate?
Where do tattoos age the worst?
Worst: Areas That Rub Against Clothing – “Any area of the body that commonly rubs against other body parts, [such as] in between fingers, thighs, armpits, and [the] inner biceps will generally be likely to fade quicker,” Palomino says. “Similarly, areas where the tattoo is exposed to constant rubbing will possibly fade more quickly, such as [.
] the waistband of your pants, bras, and belts or other areas where your clothing fits tightly and rubs against your skin. ” While you can obviously get a tattoo wherever you like — and touch up any ink that starts to fade — some locations are better than others when it comes to ink that’ll look good forever.
It can help to follow these tips, and ask your tattoo artist for even more advice, when choosing the perfect placement. Additional reporting by Kui Mwai. This article was originally published on July 6, 2018.
What is the most requested 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 you need for your first tattoo?
Let the final tattoo preparations begin – Don’t leave your house or apartment without taking a few final preparatory steps. You’re probably nervous, which is perfectly understandable, but don’t compound your anxiety by not taking care of a few things first.
For starters, check your health – are you feeling sick? Do you feel a cold or another illness kicking into gear? If so, you need to reschedule your appointment. First, you’ll risk getting everyone else sick in the shop sick, too, plus you want to enjoy your first-time experience as much as possible.
Save the coughing and sneezing for inside your own four walls. You may also want to bring a small supply of essentials, such as some snacks, water, and a fully-charged cell phone. Make sure you bring headphones if you plan to listen to your favorite music during the tattoo session.
- You’ll also want to make sure that you don’t show up on an empty stomach;
- Keep your blood sugar levels elevated, if possible, at least enough to keep you alert and not feeling sluggish or drowsy;
- Getting a tattoo may lower your blood sugar levels, which may cause you to become light-headed or feel nauseous;
It’s even a good idea to bring a sugary snack with you to help perk you up as you’re getting inked. Take a shower and follow your normal grooming routine before you leave. While it won’t necessarily improve the appearance of your tattoo, you’ll do your tattoo artist – and everyone else in the shop – a favor by not having over-the-top body odor.
You should also go light on your favorite cologne and aftershave, too; you don’t want to overpower anyone’s senses, especially not the person doing your tattoo. There’s no need to shave the part of your body that’s getting tattooed.
Your artist can handle that for you and will probably do a better job of it. Besides, there’s no need risking a cut or razor burn before arriving at the studio.
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 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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