alot of tattoo info ~101 ~for first timers

hello all!! i was looking through the posts and see alot of questions about first tattoos. being a professional tattoo artist myself, i thought id give some info based on my experience …Warning..long post…. What to get: o.k.. i cant stress this enough : !!!! A TATTOO IS A PERMENANT ALTERATION TO THE BODY!!! think about it ,& dont rush into it! get one that means something personal to YOU ,and chances are you wont end up regretting it later!!! * 'personal' does not mean the name of the guy you’ve been dating for 2 weeks!!-VERY BAD IDEA* tattoos in my opinion should reflect the individual. you dont have to settle for flash off the wall that millions of other people have. **and please, use the pix you find on websites as a reference for your own ideas-dont steal them ,-people post them to share they’re art -not to have it ripped off!! me personally, i would much rather design a cool custom piece than do that same tribal butterfly ive done a thousand times. You will get a better price if the artist will enjoy doing the piece! Research too many bad tattoos occur because people dont take the time to educate themselves ,i see it every day. -the process is not simple, and all shops are not the same. Check out a few parlors in town, how long have they been in business? Check out portfolios. Ask if licensed and certified.(laws vary state to state) ask about Sterilization!!**if a shop cant show you an autoclave run away!! any professional artist will take the time to answer questions and concerns. Cost “good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good” I think the most accurate phrase on tattoo cost. Trust me, just because your friend’s uncle will do the $100. Tattoo for $20. (And a case of Coors Lite) does not make it a good idea. This isn’t a bad haircut that will grow back, it’s your body. Don’t risk getting a disease to save a few bucks. Have a price in mind and usually the artist will make it work! Also, cost varies per artist. look more at the quality of their work, and you’ll get the most for your money. find someone you “click” with can make a world of difference! A lot of friends ive made over the years started off as clients! Pain factor First query is always “does it hurt?”.my initial response is: “well Its not being licked on by kittens”, or “I’m not going to feel a thing” It depends on where it’s going ,how much time involved, how the tattooist works, and your mindset. If you go into it nervous and are Convinced that its horribly painful-it probably will be. The trick is to be calm and tell your brain its going to be a cool experience. Don’t let your friends scare you, it’s different for everyone. most people realize it’s not as bad as they thought , and tend to describe it as an annoying burning. Piercings can’t be compared to tattoos. Totally different. They are a quick poke, but usually longer healing time.Also greater chance of infection. Aftercare Every artist will tell you a different way to take care of it. I personally use tattoogoo on myself, or if a tattoo care cream isn’t available, a fragrance free lotion works also. Less chance of reaction. Ive seen a lot of problems w/ triple antibiotic ointment- The skin gets no oxygen,it doesn’t absorb,and tends to pull color out. It’s made for wounds, not tattoos .use common sense! Keep it clean, keep constricting clothing off of it, don’t pick or scratch! Don’t go tanning or swimming the day after.wait til it heals. It may be sensitive for a day or so later, and will itch and flake while its healing, but will be generally healed give or take a month. Well that was long. But I felt like I needed to be useful. Lol I hope ive been helpful!! ~inkgoddess~