What Tattoo Should I Get For My First One?
For a first tattoo, find an artist who’s inspiring, and consider getting a tattoo that is personal in some way. For some people, it could have sentimentality; for others, it could simply be an image they find beautiful. Meaningful quote tattoos and memorial tattoos are both popular choices.
Contents
What should I get for my 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.
Where should a beginner get a tattoo?
What is the most common first tattoo?
When it comes to getting a first tattoo, there are good placement choices and ones that most artists would discourage (or outright) refuse for a client. For example, most tattoo artists give a first timer a design on their hand, neck or face—because these locations are extremely visible and they want people to understand the consequences that these types of tattoos can have on a person’s life.
However, if you’re in the majority and don’t plan on getting a job stopper for your first tattoo, it’s time to discuss some of the best and most common placements for a first tattoo. Whether you’re selecting the placement for a tattoo because of the design, the pain or the ability to cover it up—we’ve narrowed down our top 9 tattoo locations for first timers.
Take a look at the gallery below to see where we’d recommend you get a first tattoo and let us know where you got your first tattoo in the comments section on Facebook. 
Hip The hip is a great place to put a first tattoo because it’s very easily hidden. Under most circumstances, besides the beach, a hip tattoo will not be seen in people. Therefore, it’s a safe way to wade into collecting tattoos. 
Forearm The forearm is an excellent place for a first tattoo because it’s a clean canvas for the artist and one of the least painful spots on the body for a client. Whether you go big or go small, that’s up to you but there’s no going wrong with a tasteful forearm tattoo. 
Thigh Over the past few years, thigh tattoos have become increasingly popular among first timers. It’s a large, open space that can be easily hidden—and I personally can attest to the thigh being a prime location for a first tattoo. 
Wrist While wrist tattoos are among the most visible tattoos a person can get, if done well, there’s really no harm with a classy and well-done tattoo on the wrist. 
Ankle Ankle tattoos are perhaps the most popular designs for first times and based on the many tasteful and subtle examples out there—we can tell why many tattoo virgins go for the ankle. 
Inner Bicep Inner bicep tattoos are awesome because they still allow for the edge of having an arm tattoo, however, they allow the wearer to slide under the radar as a tattooed person. 
Outer Bicep But if you’re committed to being a tattoo collector and want to make a bold statement with your first tattoo—why not give an outer bicep tattoo a shot? This tattoo can still easily be hidden under clothes, but it’s still totally badass. 
Shoulder Blade Want a tattoo that even you can’t see? Well, a shoulder blade piece may be for you. Shoulder tattoos are extremely elegant and you’ll surprise everyone with your well hidden ink. 
Calf Lastly, calf tattoos are a great choice for first time tattoo clients because they can be effortlessly disguised under pants. If you’re someone who frequently wears pants to work but prefers to show off your legs on the weekend—you’ll love having a tattoo on your calf..
How do I decide what tattoo to get?
What is the best age to have a tattoo?
The safest bet is to wait until you’re 18 to start getting inked, but if you just can’t wait, there are many ways to still get one with parental consent. Regulations are for your safety and well-being, as well as that of the tattoo artist and the shop.
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 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.
Who should not get a tattoo?
Eczema – There are different types and degrees of eczema. Those that seldom have or have small flares are better candidates to be tattooed. While those with frequent, large and severe eczema should speak with their doctor before speaking to a tattoo a shop.
People with eczema can have more sensitive skin, which could lead to allergic reactions to the pigments in tattoo ink. The process of getting a tattoo itself has the chance to cause skin irritations or flare ups – as the skin is punctured thousands of times and foreign particles (ink) is deposited below the skin to create a design.
If your new tattoo triggers a flare up, it runs the risks of not healing well and lengthy healing time – which also makes it more vulnerable to infection.
How long does a small tattoo take?
Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Tattoo | Dos and Don’ts
Expect about half an hour to an hour for a simple, small tattoo. Keep in mind, however, a small tattoo with lots of color, line work, details, or a tricky placement could take several hours. Small tattoos are great for people who don’t want to go through a lengthy tattoo process, but still want some cool ink.
Is it better to eat before getting a tattoo?
The bottom line – Tattoo artists recommend you eat one to two hours before your appointment and a meal full of protein and vegetables is a good choice. Beyond the nutritional benefits, it’s unlikely that a healthy meal will overstuff you to the point of nausea — a bonus if you’re especially squeamish around needles.
If you’re planning on packing snacks, check with your artist on whether food is allowed and what to bring. Peanut butter cups won’t be a smart move if your artist is deathly allergic and a bag full of fast-food is just plain aggressive.
And that’s no way to start a session, is it?! If you liked our story Here’s What to Eat Before Getting a Tattoo, Plus Foods to Avoid, make sure to check out the 13 Important Things to Know Before Getting Your First Tattoo ..
How much do tattoos cost?
Factors of Average Tattoo Prices – There is a lot that goes into figuring out the cost of your new tattoo. It isn’t a straight forward answer. Things like materials, size, location, and type of tattoo affect the price. On average you can expect to charge $50-100 for a small tattoo, up to $200 for a medium tattoo and over $250 for a large tattoo.
How painful is a tattoo?
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. Tattoos are among the most common body decorations globally. According to a 2010 study , a whopping 38 percent of people 18 to 29 years old have been inked at least once in their lives.
A natural question to ask is, “Does getting a tattoo hurt?” While most people will say yes, in reality this is a complex question to answer. Tattooing involves repeatedly piercing your skin’s top layer with a sharp needle covered with pigment.
So getting a tattoo is generally always painful, though people may experience different levels of pain. People who are biologically male tend to experience and cope with pain differently from those who are biologically female. In addition, the various parts of the body experience different levels of pain when tattooed.
- While there is no scientific evidence that says which areas of the body will feel the most and least pain when getting inked, we gathered anecdotal information from sites run by people in the tattoo industry;
Here’s the general consensus: The least painful places to get tattooed are those with the most fat, fewest nerve endings, and thickest skin. The most painful places to get tattooed are those with the least fat, most nerve endings, and thinnest skin. Bony areas usually hurt a lot.
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.
Do tattoos make you hotter?
In a study, women rated tattooed men as healthier but not more attractive than men without tattoos. Men viewed tattooed men as more attractive but not healthier than men without tattoos. Women judged men with tattoos as worse potential parents and partners than men without tattoos.
How do you see if a tattoo looks good on 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 can I take before a tattoo to ease the pain?
Avaliani recommends taking three or four Ibuprofen tablets an hour before your appointment so that your pain tolerance is higher by the time you feel the needle (which, by the way, looks more like the tip of a pen than a needle, in case that word scares you like it scared me).
Will my first tattoo hurt?
For those worried about pain, Lavriv says tattoo newbies should start small. ‘I always recommend getting a smaller piece — under an hour — as a first tattoo,’ she says. ‘ Tattoo pain is a very subjective thing and while it can feel like not a big deal to some people, it can be excruciating for others.
Is having a tattoo a sin?
Sunni Islam [ edit ] – The majority of Sunni Muslims believe tattooing is a sin, because it involves changing the natural creation of God, inflicting unnecessary pain in the process. Tattoos are classified as dirty things, which is prohibited in Islam.
They believe that a dirty body will directly lead to a dirty mind and will destroy their wudhu, ritual ablution. [24] Some Shafi’i scholars such as Amjad Rasheed argue that tattooing causes impurity and that tattoos were prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad.
They also claim that those who are decorated with tattoos are contaminated with najas , [25] due to potential mixture of blood and coloured pigment that remains upon the surface of the skin. [26] Blood is viewed as an impure substance, so a person with a tattoo cannot engage in several religious practices.
- [27] However, in the present day, it is possible to get a tattoo without mixing dye with blood after it exits onto the outer surface of the body, leaving a possibility for a Muslim to wear a tattoo and perform a valid prayer;
Scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi states that tattoos are sinful because they are an expression of vanity and they alter the physical creation of God. [28] According to the online South African Deobandi fatwa service called Ask-the-Imam , Muslims should remove any tattoos they have if possible or cover them in some way.
How do I prepare for my first tattoo pain?
