Time: A tattoo takes time and patience to get done properly. It is important that you dedicate the day for your tattoo and you don’t make any plans for after the session if your design requires a full day. A good tattoo cannot be achieved by an artist who is rushing to get the job done simply because you have another appointment after the tattoo.
Moving: It’s important that you do not move the area being tattooed and keep in mind that any movement through the body will move the tattoo area as well, so limit movement as much as possible. If you need to move, ask the tattooist for a short break. It is typical that the artist will give you a break every hour to allow you to move and stretch. Keep in mind that requesting extra breaks will result in the tattoo taking longer to be completed, which may affect the price.
Pricing: It’s always good to ask for an estimate price for your piece, however you must be aware that there are a lot of variables. First off, an artist can charge by hour, by day or by piece. If it is by piece, then problem solved. The artist will give you a fixed price and agree on that. Same goes to artists who charge by day. However when an artist charges by hour, s/he can give you an estimate based on experience. The type of skin, intricacy of design and the amount of times the client moves during a session will effect the time consumed. Every artist tries to give the best possible tattoo for their clients and it is never our intention to take more time than needed. Your artist will not appreciate you heckling for a better price or trying to rush things to get it cheaper.
Copy and paste: If you already have a design that you want to get tattooed, it is important that you are ready to have some slight adjustments, which are done simply to make the tattoo fit better in the area and make it look better.
Creativity: Keep in mind that you are dealing with an artist, and artists are creative individuals so it is not the best thing to simply have them copy an image. Give them the space to be creative and you can be sure that with the right referencing and guidance from you they will create a project that you would definitely love.
Clothing: Wear appropriate attire for your tattoo. Make sure that the area to be tattooed can be easily accessed without the need to completely undress whenever possible. For example, a woman getting a back tattoo can wear a button-up shirt/zip-up and wear it with the opening at the back during the tattoo session.
Aftercare: Each tattoo artist has his/her own procedure for aftercare but they are all more or less the same. It is important that you pay attention to the instructions and you follow them properly as they are meant to ensure both the safety of the client and the long-term quality of the tattoo.
Hygiene: One should always shower before going for his/her tattoo both for hygienic purposes and also for the artist. It is not nice to have to smell bad odours while tattooing.
Friends: It is ok to bring a friend for moral support. Do not bring along an entourage with you – it will distract the artist.
Alcohol & Drugs: It is crucial that one does not drink alcohol or take any kind of drugs the night or the morning before getting a tattoo. It may cause complications during the tattooing process as well as after.
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