Some Tips To Avert A Tattoo Disaster

You should not take the decision to get a tattoo lightly, if you pick the wrong one or even just change your mind after it has been done then there aren't really many options you have to get it removed. Yes artists can do some wonderful things to cover tattoos up (or you can just cover it with a solid black one like I did!) but it is a lot easier to get it done correctly the first time.

Below are 3 tips to help you avoid some common tattoo mistakes that people make:

Make sure you choose the best person for the job: At the start of the page we discussed choosing the right tattoo, but it is also crucial that you pick the right person to do the work on you as well. You'll find that the level of skill between artists varies more than you can imagine, and in fact I don't think in most places that there are any qualifications someone needs to get before they start.

That is why when I want a new tattoo then I look at the tattoo magazines and read about some of the artists featured in there. You can really get a good idea from the write ups in there about which artists are really skillful and passionate about what they do, and you can see which have won awards etc to help you choose. Alright I admit you are not going to find someone near you unless you are very lucky, which means you need to travel if you want to get them to do the work, but at least you know the work will be top notch. It also hurts less if your artist knows what they are doing, so if you are having tattoos on your feet which is supposed to be very painful then you will glad you picked somebody good!

If you have any words in the design triple check them: This is one of the most common problems that I see with people who have had tattoos done, and one that is easily avoided. Often this happens when people want specific words or a phrase inked onto themselves and they just walk in and tell the artist what they want and let them do it. A much better and safer option is to actually type out what you want on the computer and print it, then you can spell check it to make sure everything is ok and the artist can't misread your handwriting, then double check the spelling after they have written it out on the template too.

Plan ahead: This is something I wish somebody had told me years ago. You might not think you are going to get any more tattoos after the first one, but you probably will so spend some time thinking about the future. It is important that you leave room to expand your design if it is in a popular place like on your arm or back, and how easy is the design you chose to add to later or blend in with other tattoos? Tattoos are quite addictive and it will look silly if you just get a collection of individual tattoos, the best designs are those that cover a large area and integrate a lot of different designs into them.