Find the Best Tattoo Designs
Tips for Getting Tattoos
While getting a tattoo for fun, on a whim or for the love of art is great, many people get tattoos as a permanent reminder of something. Sometimes its love, in memory of someone, remembering an event, honoring ones heritage, religion, beliefs and the list goes on.
The important thing is that you take TIME to think of what you want to get. This amount of times varies so it could take you a week, a month, a year or even longer to come up with an idea you are sure of. Be patient, run ideas by friends and try to imagine how the tattoo will hold up 20 years from now. Would you be happy with this tattoo if you were much older, married or under some other circumstance?
You should also be aware of the meaning of the design you are getting. It may have one meaning to you, but in other cultures or to other people it could mean something very different. So unless your design is totally unique and created out of the blue, be sure to research its meaning in other cultures.
Where to find Tattoo Designs
Check out our tattoo design categories on the right hand side of our site for info, tattoo pictures and more!
The Design and Style of Your Tattoos
After you have your idea for a great tattoo you need to figure out how to display it with ink. The best way to do this is to Browse Tattoo Designs to find something that catches your interest. For example if you wanted a tattoo for good luck you might consider getting a Koi Fish Tattoo. Now this koi fish tattoo could be represented in many ways depending on the artist who draws it. So you need to look for a design and style you love.
Feel free to check out the Print Tattoos Online library for some great tattoo inspiration. If you find a design you like you can buy it, print and it bring it to an artist so the tattoo artist knows exactly what you want. He or she can then tattoo it on you as closely as possible or add their own personal touch to it. Its always a smart idea to bring in samples of what you want so you don’t leave the tattoo artist guessing.
Tattoo Colors
This is often a difficult part of choosing a good tattoo design because the color of your tattoo can greatly alter its appearance and feeling. Bringing in samples of tattoo designs you like will really help you here, otherwise the artist will have to guess at what colors you want. Some people opt for bright colors, some for dark and some just go for classic black ink tattoos, but plan it out cause you don’t want the artist to make your skull tattoo pink and yellow if you really wanted it black and red.
Just remember to protect your tattoos as much as possible especially if you are going out in the sun often. Tattoo ink can fade so the more you care for your tattoo the longer it will look amazing!
Location and Size of Tattoo Designs
Picking the size and location of a tattoo can be tricky. Some people love to display their tattoos proudly and do not care about what other people think. Others want a more intimate tattoo or a tattoo that won’t interfere with the unfortunate stereo types that exist. For example one common issue for many people is a tattoo that people at work could see. Some offices are very strict and while people should not judge you just based on a tattoo, people still do.
So just think ahead and make sure you realize getting a tattoo in a visible location CAN affect you and how people perceive you. Also realize that tattoos in certain locations can hurt more. For example a tattoo on your neck would most likely be a lot more painful than an arm tattoo, but this is just a general rule because people’s pain tolerances differ.
Large tattoos will also take more time and money. A small 2 inch tattoo may take an hour and $100, while a full sleeve could take 20+ hours and several thousand dollars. So factor in your time and budget as well.
Choosing a Tattoo Artist
Picking the right tattoo artist is probably the most important part of how to choose a good tattoo design. You need some one who is experienced not only as a tattoo artist, but experienced in the style of the design you want. If you want a Koi Tattoo make sure the artist has done at least several of them before and be sure to look at examples.
Ask around, read reviews, go to conventions, look at portfolios online and do whatever it takes to find the perfect artist. Don’t be afraid to travel a little or pay more for a great artist. It may be tempting to let your friend tattoo you for free with his home tattoo kit, but nothing beats the experience of a professional tattoo shop.