Getting the Perfect Tattoo: Choosing a Design

Getting the perfect Tattoo:  Choosing a Design

Wether you are getting a new tattoo with your friends, working on a large custom piece, or you’re getting one to remember your fabulous vacation, your goal is the same:  to get an amazing tattoo that you will love by a great artist.  To get the perfect tattoo for you is as simple as matching the right tattoo design to the right tattoo artist.  

Many first-timers want to keep it small or just “test the waters.”  Although a good artist will encourage you to get what you want, they will also encourage you to get something that looks good, fits your body well, and will last in the long run.  It is very important to take your artist’s opinion into consideration when planning your tattoo.  A good artist will give you the best opinion when it comes to size, placement, and color.  Although you should have a good idea of what you are looking for, being open to your artist’s opinions and suggestions is important to guarantee that you really do get the “perfect tattoo” for you.

When first starting to plan your new tattoo, it is best to find someone in the tattoo industry to talk to.  Go to a tattoo convention or stop in several different tattoo shops.  Look around and get ideas; ask questions.  You can even talk to people that are already tattooed to get more insight.  Be careful here.  Many heavily tattooed people complain about other people randomly grabbing them or touching their tattoos.  Most people will be happy to show you what they have, but you must be respectful.  Use common courtesy and ask if they wouldn’t mind talking to you about tattoos before engaging them at random.

Most importantly, be patient.  Getting the right tattoo is about being prepared.  Do your research.  Search online for tattoo pictures and other reference materials that will help you develop your idea.  Search and learn about art, not just tattoos.  Although pictures of previously tattooed images are great for reference, you should never just copy someone else’s tattoo.  This is disrespectful to both the person who has the tattoo, and the artist who created and tattooed it.

The Perfect Design

Only you can truly know the perfect design for you.  Again, do your homework.  Plan ahead.  Research the web and find as many different references as you need or want.  Good reference material can help you illustrate to your artist exactly what you are looking for in your tattoo.

Tattoo Reference Material Suggestions:

*Photographs

*Original artwork

*Pop Culture

*Tattoo flash

*Your own sketches or drawings

Again, finding the perfect design is about finding the right references for what you are looking for in a tattoo.  

The Perfect Artist:

Finding a great tattoo artist is even more important than finding the perfect design.  A good artist can easily copy your perfect design.  But the perfect tattoo artist can take any design or idea and make it an amazing piece of tattoo art.  

What you should look for in a good tattoo artist:

*Clean and sanitary

*Technical ability to apply good tattoos

*Artistic talent

*Professional demeanor

*Good reputation 

Finding the right artist for you will take time and patience.