Getting a tattoo is an important decision as you are altering the appearance of your body. Regardless of if you are getting your first tattoo or your tenth tattoo, you want to make sure you get it right.
Take Your Time
Never rush getting a tattoo. You don't need to get a tattoo in any specific time frame. Don't put a time pressure on yourself to get a tattoo. Take your time coming up with the idea. Once you start working with a tattoo artist, don't feel the need to rush. If you don't like the preliminary sketches, talk to the artist you are working with. Only move forward when you are happy with the idea of a tattoo.
Research Your Design
If you know you want a specific type of object, such as a tree or cartoon character, look into different types of designs. There are lots of different ways to draw pretty much anything, so think carefully about what type of design you are looking for and what type of artistic style you are interested in. For example, you may want an American traditional tattoo or a Neo-traditional tattoo.
Look into the Shop
Getting a tattoo is not just about the design, it is about who applies the design to your body. The tattoo artist and tattoo shop that you choose are important. Look up reviews that people have left about the tattoo artist and shop. Look at the artist's work books and make sure the quality of work meets what you want in your tattoo. A tattoo is a personal experience, and you may find some tattoo artists with amazing work whose style isn't the style you are looking for. It is not wrong to reject a tattoo artist because their work isn't what you are looking for. Make sure that the tattoo artist fits with your artistic style.
Think About Location
Finally, you need to think about where you want the tattoo. Where you want the tattoo will have a great impact on the design and the way that it is applied to your body. For example, a tattoo on your back, a large flat surface, will be crafted differently than a tattoo on your leg or your arm.
When you get a tattoo, be sure to take your time. Research the design, the tattoo shop, and tattoo artist you want to work with. Finally, think about how the desired location of the tattoo will impact the overall design.