Your First Tattoo – Five Things To Consider
Making the momentous decision to have your first tattoo is a very important step, but before you go right ahead and make an appointment at your local tattoo studio, stop and spend a bit of time thinking about a few important details—a tattoo is likely to be a permanent feature on part of your body, so if you get it wrong, it will be a mistake you have to live with for a very long time, and although it is possible to have tattoos removed, the process is expensive and very painful.
5 things to consider before having your first tattoo
1. Do I really want a tattoo?
The first thing to consider, and probably the most important, is do you really want a tattoo anyway? You might think tattoos look really cool on your friend, but are you absolutely certain that a tattoo is going to be a good move for you? After all, a tattoo is something you are going to have to live with for the rest of yourlife, so what looks hip and happening on a twenty something is not going to look as good on a sixty something.
2. Design
The second thing to consider is the design of your tattoo. You might already have a good idea of what you want for your first tattoo—perhaps you want a portrait of a loved one, or some script that has a special meaning—but if you have no idea, you need to do some research and collect a few ideas before making an appointment for a tattoo.
When you visit a tattoo studio for your first tattoo, take along as many visuals as you need. The more ideas you have, the easier it will be for the tattoo artist to interpret your vision and create a stunning tattoo design. You do not need to reject images because they are not quite what you want—it is fine to say “I like that aspect of the image, but I prefer that detail on the second picture”. The tattoo artist will use the images and add their own creative flourishes so you end up with totally unique design.
If you find that you are completely stuck for inspiration, check out tattoo websites on the Internet and see if anything catches your eye. Failing that, visit the tattoo studio and have a chat with your chosen tattoo artist—they might have some ideas you can use as an inspirational starting point.
Aside from the actual design, another important consideration is whether you want a color or black and white tattoo. Some designs, including script and tribal, are usually in black and white, but for many designs, color is optional. However, if cost is an important issue for you, remember that color designs will cost more.
3. Location of the tattoo
The third thing to think about before having your first tattoo is whereabouts on your body do you intend on having it? The human body is one giant canvas, so in theory you can have a tattoo just about anywhere. However, for your first tattoo, it is probably a good idea to have a smaller and more discrete tattoo, just in case you decide that tattoos are not for you.
4. How big should my tattoo be?
The fourth thing to think about before having your first tattoo is connected with the design. Size matters, particularly when related to tattoo designs. There is very little point in choosing an eye-catching lower back design if you only want a small tattoo—these styles of tattoo artwork are intended to be large. The same applies to tattoo portraits: a teeny tiny portrait will lose definition if drawn too small. So before you make a final decision on the design you want,talk it over with the tattoo artist and make sure the size is right for the design.
5. Which tattoo artist?
The fifth thing to consider before having your first tattoo is which tattoo artist you are planning on using. You might be lucky enough to have a close personal relationship with a great tattoo artist and therefore know exactly who are you going to entrust with the design and execution of your first tattoo, but if this is not the case, you will need to spend some time looking for the right person.
Choosing a tattoo artist is a very personal decision. Not only is their level of skill very important, it is also important you feel comfortable with that person as you are placing a high level of trust in their ability to produce a tattoo you can live with for a very long time. Ideally, before you make an appointment to have your first tattoo done, spend a bit of time asking for recommendations or doing some internet research. This will help you find the right person and ensure you havea positive experience when you get your first tattoo.
