3,000 years ago, tattoos were used to show people’s status or what their lifestyle was like.
Today, tattoos are everywhere. With shows like Miami and L.A Ink, the practice is in high demand. But what things do you need to know before you go under the needle?
For starters you need to know generally what you want. Whether it is a dragon flowing over your shoulders or even a design on your lower back, you need to have these ideas before you go to the shop.
If you only know that you want a sun, the artist will work with you to make sure the design is exactly what you want. The artists will even take a general idea and sketch out a design for you. Make sure you make an appointment with the artists before you walk in. They will have more time to work with you.
The second thing you want to think about is placement. If you have an office job, where tattoos are not acceptable, it would be a good idea not to get one on your neck or anywhere it could be seen. The actual placement is key to a great tattoo.
Pain can be a factor. A needle hitting right on the bone can be very painful and so can a needle poking close to a vein. If you don’t like pain it might be a good idea to look into Henna tattoos. However, the pain is temporary and you wont remember how it felt once you have the finished product.
Shawn Horton, a tattoo artist at Windham Tattoo and Piercing, has been tattooing for seven years and his advice is to “make sure they do solid work.” You could go to a tattoo parlor and have a design that you want the artist to transfer, but unless you have seen their other work, you never know what you are going to get.
An artist’s portfolio is always something to check out. They should have a book in the shop for you to see what type of work they have done in the past. The portfolio is like their resume; they may seem like they could do a great job but, if their resume doesn’t back it up, leave.
It is important for the shop to have a good reputation as well. Horton for instance will not do a racist tattoo. Unlike a painting that is stuck on a wall, Shawn’s art travels all over the place. If he does a great tattoo, people will know that he did it. But if he does one racist tattoo his reputation will be scarred as well as the shop where he works.
“Cheaper is not the best,” says Horton. With tattoos you pay for what you get. It’s better to save up an extra hundred dollars and get a great product than pay $80 for a tattoo you will ultimately regret.
You need to be at least 18 to get a tattoo. If a shop lets someone who is underage get a tattoo, they are not a reputable establishment. The same goes for shops who allow drunk or otherwise inebriated people to get inked.
Cleanliness is key to a good tattoo parlor. If you walk into a shop and it’s dirty, don’t bother staying. There are plenty of clean establishments where you can get solid art done.
Definitely do your homework. There are plenty of websites dedicated to educating the public about getting a tattoo and taking care of one.
The aftercare of a tattoo is very important. If you don’t do it right, the tattoo could get infected or it could fade. After the tattoo is finished the artist will bandage it. After about an hour or two, take of the bandage and don’t bandage it again. Keep the area moist with Polysporin or Aquaphor. These products do not have any medication in them and are used to keep the area moist.
It is important to keep the tattoo moist at all times. It will start to peel and hurt if you do not apply the ointment regularly. If your tattoo starts to peel or hurt make sure to use one of these products as soon as you can. Remember to keep the area clean as well. Any unscented antibacterial hand soap will work well.
The most important thing is to be smart about where you go and what you want because tattoos are permanent. The last thing you want is to spend more money to get the tattoo removed because you will end up with scarring and the tattoo will never completely disappear. It is cheaper to get the tattoo covered up than to go through the process of getting it removed.