Step 5: Tipping/Paying

You've done everything you could do. You've prepared, you've consulted, you've sat, and now at this point you're admiring your new piece of art. Now you can't just walk out of there and say see ya later. You just went through a lot with this person. They gave you something that you'll have forever. The least you can do is give them a hearty tip, 20 percent.

Most of the time there will be signs in the shop hinting that tips are appreciated, tips are welcome, they'll like you better if you tip us, things of the sort. It's very true. You tip dog groomers, waitresses, valet's and other professional services so why not artists as well? Especially if they did a great job. I really hope that you would realize the chances of a bad job before willingly going to that artist and setting up the appointment.

And if the artist does a bad job? I have yet to encounter this problem so please leave feedback when about your experiences.

Step 4: Dealing with Pain

By now, it's possible your nerves are through the roof. You're nervous, anxious, and, if it's your first one, not really sure about what's going to happen. Just take with you a non-alcoholic beverage and a solid friend, whether or not this friend has tattoos is not a big deal. A solid friend is a solid friend, tattoos or not. This is someone who will do their best to keep you as calm as can be, and will sit with you the whole time. They won't get in the way of the artist, but they'll be there when you need it.

The artist will greet you and probably go straight to work. They'll ask if you're sure you want it in the placement you hopefully decided on during the consultation. The stencil can be wiped off and placed on again, but once they start with the tattoo machine, there's no changing it. Placement and size are really important. You want your tattoo to fit in the area that it will be in. If it's too big or too small it will look a little bit off and then, once you can't change it, it'll bother you. For example, like myself, let's say you get a knee tattoo.

You want a knee tattoo, and you want the head of an elephant. You want the head to be on your knee with the trunk coming down your shin. Your result should be the image to the right. Danielle Distefano traced the outline of my leg and a general area of where my knee cap was and it wound up being exactly that. Once fully drawn, it fit perfectly. If it had been too much smaller it would've looked really awkward and probably slightly misshapen. It would've looked like just a bad judgment call if it was any bigger.

I'm not saying that every back tattoo has to take up your whole back or every thigh tattoo has to cover your entire thigh, but it does need to be proportionate to what you're getting and where on your body it's going. The thigh tattoo I posted in the last post is a good example of proportionate thigh tattoos.

Once placement is one hundred percent positive, they'll shave you (FYI- it really hurts when they don't shave you. Your body fuzzies get caught in the machine and when it's healing the scabby pieces stick to your arm fuzzies- ouch!) and the stencil will go on. You'll look in the mirror and check to make sure everything looks right. If something is wrong, tell them now. Then you'll sit down and they'll get all of the ink and machine's ready and begin.

The first few minutes are the worst. But after those first couple of lines are done, it's not bad at all. Tattooing over the muscle was the least painful spot so far for me personally. Tattooing directly over the bone is an awful vibration that runs through your whole body. It's a very strange feeling but short lived. I blocked it out of my memory as soon as it was over. I don't recommend pain killers because they will just make you bleed more but to each his own. Holding someones hand seems to be a crowd favorite but my personal favorite is talking to the artist or the friend you're with. It takes your mind off the actual pain and usually can bring up some really interesting topics or stories. Talking and listening got me through three hours on my knee and the not painful but sensitive bicep.

If you are getting a larger tattoo and you start to get really cold and shake you probably want to take a short break and drink some water or eat a small snack. I don't know what's physically happening but basically this is when your body is saying, "What the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is this crazy human doing to me?!" It isn't anything to panic about, but you also shouldn't ignore it. Take a little break, eat something small but substantial (crackers, cookies, french fries, etc.), and depending on how much longer you have to go, continue soldiering on. If you have a long way to go still, it may be time to stop.

The process is outline, black shading, and lastly color. Outline's use a different machine and I don't think is very painful but some people say that it is more painful than shading or color. To me, it feels like someone is drawing on me with a pen or pencil, unless it's over the bone. Black shading is the most painful to me. When they are putting the deep blacks in they have to go over one area usually a few times. It isn't extremely painful or usually take a long time. Color is never really an issue for me. By the time they get to color, you just can't feel it anymore. For me this is when the conversation is in full swing so I don't think about the pain.

Periodically throughout the tattoo the artist will stop and clean it with green soap. The soap is always cold and always feels good, although I've heard some people say it stings. I think it feels good and sends chills throughout my body. This wipes away excess ink and so the artist can step back and see what they're doing.

Afterwards

Step 3: The Day Of

For starters, try to be only a little nervous. A little bit of nervousness keeps you on your toes but doesn't allow you to freak out and panic. Nobody wants you to panic but I'm sure it does happen. In Jeff Johnson's book, Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink, he writes about a couple of instances where clients panicked and in the worst cases, passed out and fell on him out of the chair. It's a very interesting read.

What to Eat
Be sure to eat something, anything. Especially if it's your first tattoo, you don't know how your body will react and if you eat, it just gives the body one less thing to worry about. I get really low blood sugar so if I don't eat I not only get really irritable I can also get really sick. Don't eat foods that are going to make you gassy or generally uncomfortable. I don't advise going to eat 100 of the hottest chicken wings with jalapeno's on top before going to get a tattoo.

What to Wear
This is obviously subjective to where you're getting your tattoo and what time of year you're getting it. I don't recommend any tight clothing. Stretchy or slightly breezy clothing always seems to be the easiest to deal with while getting tattooed. It doesn't get in the way and cooperates when you want to expose the designated skin area. For example:

This is a tattoo by Ron Wells on a friend of mine who would like to stay unnamed.  It may be hard to see but those are black spandex shorts rolled up so he could work on her thigh. She wore a flowy skirt over that and not only looked super cute, but didn't flash anything and the clothing didn't get in the way at all. This was all in one six-hour sitting and her first tattoo, very impressive. Another good option for hip/upper thigh tattoos on ladies is swimsuit bottoms.







Just remember that you will be exposing the skin and to wear something appropriate and simple. Avoid wearing anything with stiff fabric that doesn't want to cooperate. Also avoid too many layers. I know in the winter time the best way to stay warm is to layer, but try to limit it when getting tattooed. Do you really want to be in the shop about to get tattooed and then it takes you ten minutes to de-layer? In the winter I feel like it even takes too long to take off one thick jacket and a sweater. However, this is also due to the fact that I get overly excited when about to be tattooed.

Money
You may need to go to the ATM to take out some cash, or you just need to make sure you have plenty on your card. If it's plastic or paper, you need to make sure you have the money. During the consultation, you should've asked a price range of about how much it would be. Bring however much that maximum was with a little extra for tipping. It seems like common knowledge, but you should really have the money when you make the appointment and set it aside. If you don't have the money when you make the appointment, chances are you aren't going to have it the day of.

Now, you're wearing the right clothes, you've eaten something, you've got money in your pocket, time to go get tattooed.  

Step 2: The Consultation

This is what you do when you're considering an artist or you've already decided who you want to go. You get to meet the artist! How exciting, no pressure but it is like a first date. This is the first time you're meeting someone who may or may not be giving you something permanent that will be on your body for the rest of your life. Be warned, I overthink things on a regular basis but it is a big deal. If they're an asshole, feel free to walk out. You want to feel comfortable with the person. You don't want to worry about feeling judged or have them put you down. Even if they are the most talented artist you've found and they're a complete turd and put down your idea you don't want them to tattoo you and they don't want your business. There are way too many nice people who want your business to go to someone who is rude.

The first time I ever walked into a shop to get my first tattoo, the script "Not all who wander are lost." On my chest, the artist said that he could not do it the way I wanted it and he could do it with huge letters going across my whole chest. So I took my business elsewhere to someone who could do what I wanted. Now I'm perfectly happy with what I have.

I did learn a lot. I learned to stick to what I believe in, and accept constructive criticism when it is constructive. This artist was not constructive and made me feel like an idiot. Now when I go into shops, I always bring a lot of refernces, try to be as clear as possible, and straight forward. However, you have to remember that this is their profession and they probably have the best advice on what looks good on skin. They will offer advice, but they shouldn't tell you what to get where, unless you tell them to do whatever they want wherever they want.

Some keys things to ask them about are:

Pricing. You will be seriously screwed if you set up the appointment, get the tattoo, and then you can't afford it. They will be able to give you a price range or an hourly rate. This is the most important question to ask, in my opinion. Prepare to bring more than they say just so you can have plenty of money to tip too.

How long it will take. I usually try to leave the whole day open but if there are other things planned I suggest going after whatever you already have planned. You will be a strange mixture of sore and exhausted but also excited. This is another incredibly good question.

How many friends. I usually either bring one or none to the actual appointment, but I have a couple and usually feel really comfortable. I take someone to the consultation to help me decide if I really want to go to that artist for that tattoo.

What to wear. I suggest being comfortable, but it depends on what you're getting and what time of year. Don't wear anything tight cause you'll be uncomfortable.

What to do and what not to do before the day of the appointment. In posts soon to come, I will offer my advice but I am not a professional artist.

Getting a Tattoo Step 1: Finding An Artist/Shop

So! You know what you want to get. Now what? So many people have tattoos now but where do they go to get them? I honed in my artist-finding-skills when I lived in NYC. I used to walk around and stumble across shops all the time. Here you could drive around but the shops are more spread out. Don't worry, I plan on answering any question's and concern you may have.

For starters, there will be weekly profiles on local artist's and shops coming very soon. For the time being, there are a few of my favorite shops listed in the blogroll to the right of the screen.

Talented artist's come first. I strongly recommend looking at an artist's portfolio online before you go in. If you hear amazing things about an artist but they don't have an online portfolio, just go into the shop and they will definitely have one. Be sure to look at their skill level, content, and consistency.

First, you have to be sure that the artist can do what you're asking. This isn't usually a big deal for most tattoos, but there are tattoos for everything imaginable. Sometimes tattoos require a lot of different color's, or a lot of detail.

That is a compass rose, on my dear friend Anna Laytham's wrist. She came to me last year asking about tattoo artist's in New York City. I told her it would be hard to fit so much detail in such a small area, but after digging around we found Bart Bingham at Adorned. We went into the shop and Anna told the shop boy she wanted a lot of detail in a small area and he sent her to Bart saying that he was the perfect man for the job. So we looked at his portfolio and almost the entire thing was tons of detail in small areas.

Shon Lindauer was the perfect artist for my wolf in sheep's clothing tattoo. I had been a huge fan of his traditional work for over a year before I finally decided to go into the shop and present my idea. The fact that he was really excited on it just made me more excited to get it.









Before I start rambling into oblivion, my point is that you have to find the right artist for the job. So when you're looking at artist's work you have to realize that what you want may not be their thing, but it will definitely be someone else's. Some artist's enjoy fitting a lot of detail into a small area, which may drive some other artist's crazy. Some artist's really like old school traditional style work with a lot of bold color. Some artist's really love tattooing giant monsters on large areas of skin. Some artist's only like to do black and gray. If they generally like doing those different type's, they're probably really good at them because they did a lot of them.

That already covered most of the content part of it too. Why would you even bother going in to a shop to talk to an artist who strictly does black and gray, if you want a large colorful tiger with a landscape behind it on your back? You get the idea.


Artist's who have been in the business a couple years will already have consistency, but this will tell you how new to tattooing an artist is. If they have developed they're own personal style, they're really good and you know what you'll get going into it. It doesn't have to be the same girl on the side of the thigh over and over, but if they have the same style or same look to a tattoo where you can see a tattoo and go, "Oh that's a Shon Lindauer tattoo." Then you're looking in the right direction.

Next, Step 2: The Consultation.

Introduction to Getting a Tattoo

Wanting to get your first tattoo but don't have a clue where to start? Last post we covered the different styles of tattoos. Now that we've covered that, you should have a clearer idea of what you're looking for. I will start a 6 part series on the process of getting a tattoo. It will cover everything you need to know before going in, while sitting in the chair, and when you leave.

Step 1: Find an artist/shop - This post will help point you in the right direction of what to look for in the right artist for what you want to have done.

Step 2: The Consultation - So you've found a couple artist's that you really like, next is the consultation. This is when you go meet the artist that you really like and discuss what you want to have done and to see if the tattoo and artist will be a good fit - and most importantly, that you like the artist too.

Step 3: The Day Of - A walk through of before you go into the shop the day of your appointment.

Step 4: Sitting in the Chair - Tips to deal with pain and calming the nerves.

Step 5: Tipping/Paying - Ways to keep everyone involved happy.

Step 6: Healing - Every tattoo artist will offer aftercare advice, but everyone heals their tattoos differently. These are some different suggestions in case what the artist recommends doesn't work out. We'll also cover how you'll know the aftercare remedy isn't working since it's different for everyone.

Styles

        Have you ever seen a tattoo that kind-of looks like a cartoon? What about just thick black designs? Or something you immediately know what it is? These are different tattoo styles; traditional, realistic, tribal, and  black and gray. Different parts of the country or world give them different names but they all have the same meaning.

Sailor Jerry flash by Andy Howl

        American-traditional are inspired by the places American's have been and experiences they've brought back with them. A pioneer in the style, Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, created this style from gathering information from his clients and inspiration from Japanese style.  He is especially famous for his flash, which most famously includes sparrows, anchors, and of course, pin-up women. This style usually includes very simple and basic lines with bold colors and shading. There isn't a lot of technicality to it and is meant to be this way. Although Sailor Jerry is the father of American-traditional, today his flash is everywhere and still inspires this style of tattooing.

Portrait by Mike DeVries

        Ed Hardy took a new spin on mentor, Sailor Jerry, to create a more realistic style. Daniel Higgs and Freddy "Mr. Niceguy" Corbin worked at Hardy's San Francisco custom-tattoo's-only shop. They worked to give their clients their original piece of art to wear on their skin. Nowadays, artist's like Mike DeVries take the level of realism to a whole new level with color portraits.

Photo by Diane Mansfield

       Tribal tattoos began in tribes all over the world to show what tribes that person was in or what rank within the tribe. The American father of neo-tribalism is Leo Zulueta. He includes Polynesian traditions in modernized designs. Most American artists have moved away from focusing on tribal, but Zulueta still carries the same traditions and belief's he's always worked with.

Jack Rudy

   

Black and gray style is exactly what it sounds like. The tattoos are generally towards the more realistic style and use only black ink, but not in the same way tribal artist's do. They use shading techniques to make the ink a deep black or fade it out to make various shades of gray. Jack Rudy is considered the father of black and gray and single-needle tattooing. This style is still heavily used today. New York artist Thomas Hooper doesn't strictly do black and gray but it seems to be what he does the most. Hooper tattooed the twins with almost identical tattoos shown above.

Horiyoshi

Japanese style is traditional to Japan. It originated by the Edo firemen getting these body suit tattoos to protect them from danger. Some samurai warriors also got body suits to protect them. They usually have koi fish, tiger's, dragons, cherry blossom trees, Geisha's or demons in them, depending on what the client wants. Atlanta's own Matt Greenhalgh at Only You Tattoo is well known for his Japanese style tattoo's.


Next post will be an introduction into a very useful 6-part series so be sure to check back soon!

DIY Tattoos

Like to Do-It-Yourself as much as possible? Well, if you really want to, you can even DIY tattoos! It involves india ink, a pencil, a jar lid, and a sewing needle. Or, calligraphy pens look super classy, and have two prongs and have a little well to hold the ink. I personally don't have any and will probably never have any. Call me a coward, but I just don't think I can handle that. The process is much slower than with a machine as you are literally being poked with a single needle over and over, one at a time (or if you use a calligraphy pen, two at a time).

However!
Plenty of people love them and some people are very talented at giving stick-n-poke tattoos and they can look really beautiful. Nowadays they are the modern version of what Ploynesian peoples and certain tribal groups all over the world practiced. This form of tattooing has been around since at least the Neolithic times. Tattooing was mainly used for identification and rank within the tribes and groups of people. These traditions are still continued today in places like Thailand, Philippines, Africa, South America, Japan, Cambodia, and New Zealand.

If you decide to get a stick-n-poke tattoo, I advise you to be safe and make sure everything is new and fresh and of course, make sure you love whatever tattoo you decide to get. Today I will leave you with some my roommate and her best friend stick-n-poke's.

Edit: The day after this was posted I stumbled upon the blog, Draw to Death. It is mostly drawings done by the creator, Alex Snelgrove, but there are a couple stick-n-poke tattoos like this bride of Frankensteinand this whale.

Is this your first tattoo?

There is a first for everything. Including tattoos, obviously. Tattoos aren't something I recommend "figuring it out as you go." So I'm glad to see you found yourself here while doing your pre-first-tattoo research. I know I had a lot of questions before getting my first one. I've always asked friends if their tattoos hurt, (if they didn't mind me asking) how much it cost, and who the artist was. The most important question to me was who the artist was. By asking this question, usually the person with the tattoo will elaborate on how much they enjoyed or not enjoyed getting tattooed by that person. I've always found that there are plenty of amazingly talented artists with personalities to match that I don't need to go to an amazingly talented jerk. Actually, I would never go to a tattoo artist who I thought was a jerk.

Here are some questions I put together and answered from my own personal experiences:

How bad does it hurt? It depends on how much of a masochist you are. Just kidding, it really just depends on the individual. One friend thought she had an incredibly low pain tolerance but for her first tattoo she sat for six hours (Your first one does not have to be a marathon by the way. I got two small tattoos before I got my first big one). I would much rather sit for a tattoo than stub my toe or get a shot.  I have tattoos directly over the bone and some that are directly over muscle. Any spot that is directly over the bone is going to be the most painful spot. But if you can sit through the machine going over your bone, a tattoo on the muscle is a cakewalk.

How much is it going to cost? It depends on the artist and the shop. Some shops charge by the hour and some charge by the individual tattoo. A tattoo that takes roughly two and a half hours will generally run you between two and three hundred dollars. But again, each shop does things their own way.

To tip or not to tip? I always tip but I also go to artist's that I really admire and probably will go back to again someday. I don't want to leave on a sour note after having such a good time with the artist.

How safe is it? It's very safe as long as the artist and the shop follows safety regulations set by the state. Karen Hudson from About.com Guide wrote a great Tattoo Safety Checklist that everyone looking to get a tattoo should read.


 Do they use new needles and inks every time they tattoo a new person? Please run away as fast as you can from any shop that doesn't.

Is there anything I should do the day I'm getting the tattoo before I go in to the shop? There are many things you can do before going in.

1. Eat something. Don't stuff yourself and don't eat anything that's going to make you gaseous. You can get very light-headed or faint if you don't eat. Getting a tattoo is very stressful. Going into it you're probably either nervous or anxious. While getting it, you may or may not be experiencing extreme pain. If you don't feel it, your skin and muscle is certainly feeling it. You will also probably be sore and swollen afterwards. If you eat something, your blood sugar will be even and one less thing for your body to worry about.

2. Drink something. Stay hydrated. I'm strongly advising you to not drink alcohol before getting a tattoo. Your blood will be thinner and you will bleed more (same thing with pain killers). Depending on the amount of alcohol intake, you could be incredibly drunk or pass out or puke or all of the above. You could also be a total jerk to everyone around you. Finally, you could decide to get a horrible tattoo that you regret with every moment.

3. Make sure you have enough money. Tattoos can be very expensive and sometimes one's bank account isn't always flowing endlessly with money. When you are picking your artist, go to the shop, speak to the artist in person, ask how long it will take and how much it will cost. They will give you price range and tell you whether you need to bring in cash or if they take plastic. If you cannot afford the tattoo at the time of the consultation, you should probably wait until you know you will have the money.

4. Bring a friend. For your first tattoo I strongly advise bringing a friend. Continue bringing a friend until you are 100% comfortable. With your first one, you don't know how you will react to the pain, stress, and general nervousness. Plus, a little support never hurt anyone. Key word, support. Don't bring a friend that is going to put you down, insult your tattoo or the artist, or try to change your mind. It's your tattoo, not theirs. They are there for support and conversation. So friends, make sure at the very least the tattoo recipient is hydrated. Hold their hand if need be, encourage them to sit as still and as relaxed as possible. If they are freaking out and losing their mind, tell them to calm down in a very stern voice. Once a tattoo is started, there's no stopping so crying and screaming doesn't help anybody. If they are in extreme pain, take their mind off it by starting conversation. I have fond memories of inspiring a woman to get a cupcake tattoo and then holding her hand while talking to her about her boyfriend till it was over.

5. Make sure your artist shaves the area. This will obviously be once you're in the chair and he's about to put on the stencil, but one time the artist didn't shave my bi-cep. You probably have hair all over your body, even if their little arm fuzzies. When the artist is moving the machine over your skin and it isn't clean shaven, your hair will get stuck in the machine and you will feel it ripping out of your skin. Ouch. Also, when your tattoo is healing and the scabs are coming off, they will get caught on the hair as well. Double ouch (this goes back to I'd much rather get a tattoo than rip off a Band-Aid).

How do I heal my tattoo? Ask the artist and they will have endless amounts of advice on aftercare instructions. I personally use a very thin layer of A&D Ointment for a few days and then once it scabs up switch to non-scented Lubriderm lotion. Some people use Aquaphor, some people use non-scented lotion from the beginning. Be aware of how much you are applying, you want to put on a very thin layer. If you put on too much or your skin doesn't like whatever you are using, you might break out with acne around the tattoo. Also, your tattoo will itch when it starts peeling. Don't peel it and don't itch it. Either ignore it or apply a small amount of lotion.

How do I pick the artist I should go to? Ask people with tattoos who they went to and what they liked or didn't like about that artist. I usually find artists through word of mouth or online. Most shops have portfolios online so first find an artist who has a style you like. You'll know when you see it. Then call the shop and ask when you can come in for a consultation. They are usually free but ask before you come in. Talk to the artist and see what they think about your idea, any suggestions they have to improve it (Remember you are not a tattoo artist and that this is their job - they probably know what they are doing), and how much it will be. Decide from there who you would like to go to and enjoy!


If you have any other questions you would like answered, please ask whenever it comes to you and I will answer them to the best of my ability or find an artist to answer them if I can't.

Welcome!

Welcome avid tattoo aficionado or casual reader! The blog you have stumbled upon is here to write about everything you may or may not want to know about tattooing. My name is Kathryn and I currently have 7 tattoos. They all, in some way, describe where I was in my life at the point that I got them. I cannot remember specifically when I first became interested in tattoos, but I know my hairdresser was a big influence in how I go about getting tattooed but that’s another story for another time. I’ve had the bug since the very first one. If you don’t have any tattoos, I foreworn you now, you will get the bug. I will write about the artists I went to, why I went to them, who I wish to go to in the future, how to deal with disapproving audiences, and my experiences being in tattoo shops or around tattoo culture. I will try to answer the questions I had before I got my first tattoo and any questions I still have. I will post pictures and profiles on shops or artists. Also expect anything else I find interesting and relevant. I look forward to sharing my knowledge with you.