My guide for anyone that wants a tattoo

-Visit the shop you are considering, meet the employees and look around. Are you comfortable there? Is it clean? Do they have the proper health inspection certificates displayed, or will they show you if you ask? Do the employees seem like they have any passion for their work, or are they there only because it makes them feel like rock stars?  Do not commit to any work or an appointment when you first visit, even if your impressions are good.  Leave and consider what you saw and felt for at least a week, then call back for an appointment if you still feel the same way.

-Personality; although this may not seem important, the personality of the artist you chose can have a big impact on your tattoo.  Find someone with a personality that you find pleasant and your tattoo experience will be much better than if you sit with someone you find annoying or intimidating.

-Experience - How much do they have, how did they get it, and are their rates appropriate for how experienced they are?

-Reputation; Do they have one?  Is it good?

-Type of artwork; If you want an original piece, does the artist have a style that you like?  Do you want to pick your favorite image, or have someone draw a one-off? 

-Will it last? Poorly done tattoos can turn into blurry globby messes after only a few years.

-Cost; Truthfully, cost should never be a consideration.  Finding the right artist for your tattoo should be the most important part.  If what you want will cost more money than you have, wait and save up until you have enough.  Quality costs money.  Be careful though, just because an artist is expensive does not mean that they are talented.  Do your homework, get your money’s worth, but don’t be a cheapskate.

-Tenure; Has the shop been around for a while or is it brand new.  Good shops stay in business a long time.  You want the shop to be there in case you ever want or need to go back.  Many artists won’t touch the work of other tattooists.  This means that if you end up with a crappy tattoo that needs to be touched up, and your original shop is out of business, you’re screwed.

-Inspiration; Not every tattoo has to be meaningful and have a touching back story.  EVERY tattoo, original, flash, logo, cartoon, whatever needs to have thought put into it.  This is not a pair of pants that you can hand down to your little brother or sister when you get sick of it, so don’t go get a fashionable or impulsive tattoo just because you think it’s cool.  Once it’s there, you cannot change your mind.

-Patience; tattoos are not impulse items.  Good shops often take weeks or even months to get an appointment for.  The wait is worth it.  Enjoy the anticipation.  Relish the excitement of counting down to your appointment.

    Check 'em out, visit as many as you can before you choose a shop/artist.  Ask around to see where people have been, and what they have to say.  Ask not only where they were, but what artist they saw.  Remember that people often get attached to tattoo artists, so they may overstate things, or only have one experience to speak from.  Do whatever it takes to find the right place for you.  I don't mean to make this seem like a big pile of work, but I really want you to know what to expect when the big day comes, and most of all, to have a good experience that you will remember fondly rather than with rue and regret.

    Please remember that this is just my opinion, with a generous helping of common sense.  I’m not an expert on the subject, and my thoughts may not apply to everyone, but I do know how the process feels as a customer, and how easy it can be to get swept up to the point where you might have regrets later.  A lot of the information about this topic available on the internet is from the perspective of the tattooists who do this every day, and may take for granted that you already have answers to a lot of the questions that this page should get you to think about.  Don’t be afraid to think it all out carefully, your tattoo will be better for it.