Insane Tattoo Collection

What to Expect When You Get Your Tattoo

To many people, tattoos are exotic and daring things to get into. It's such a huge decision as the design, whatever it may be, will be permanent. Not only might this seem daunting but the actual process of getting a tattoo can be frightening to those who have never experienced it.

Most people know that tattoos are created with a needle that delivers ink into the skin by the use of a special tattoo gun or machine. Beyond that, many are clueless as to how the procedure might actually carry on. It is important to realize that every tattoo artist and parlor varies in their techniques.

The first thing to be prepared for is choosing a design. If you have a copy of something in particular, be prepared to discuss it with your tattoo artist. He or she may be able to make recommendations to make the image look its best on your skin.

If you do not already have a design, the tattoo artist can assist you. The design will depend on where you want the tattoo on your body and if you prefer all one color or multiple colors. The tattoo artist can assist with making decisions based on your personality, size preference for that tattoo and the aesthetics of the design.

Once the design has been decided upon, the tattoo artist creates a stencil. This stencil is laid out on the skin and traced. Some artists will draw the stencil straight on the skin freehanded. The general design can be visualized at this point on the skin.

When the design is decided upon, the tattoo process begins. This is where things can start to change a bit. Depending on the location where the tattoo will end up, the customer is typically seated in a position as comfortable as possible to make for easy access to the skin by the tattoo artist. Obviously the sitting position will vary accordingly.

The time frame is another variance. As is easily guessed extravagant, intricate and very large tattoos will take a longer amount of time than a smaller, simpler design. Tattoos that are excessively large, such as designs covering the entire back often require repeat visits to the tattoo parlor.

Generally, for an easy and small tattoo of one color, one can typically expect to it to take about an hour or less for the design. Some can take as little as thirty minutes. If there are a lot of color changes or intricacies the amount of time will increase.

Price can vary depending the geographical location of the tattoo parlor. Other factors that are reflected in the price include the size of the tattoo, difficulty and color variations. Many parlors charge by the hour with a general range of between $40 - $150 per hour, again depending on location and the design. For very large tattoos, prices might change accordingly switching from a per-hour fee to a set fee for the entire process.

Once the design is finished, expect to be taught how to care for the tattoo afterwards. It may be dressed in a bandage that will need proper care for the days following. The tattoo artist will discuss all after care instructions with the customer prior to letting them leave the parlor.

Getting a tattoo can seem a lot less daunting when you know what to expect. Getting to know your tattoo artist can help one feel more at ease with the whole procedure. Meeting the staff before hand might also go along way to ensure comfort with those working around you.

Why Get a Tattoo?

We've all seen tattoos of various designs, styles, sizes, shapes and colors. Aside from the fact that tattoos can be removed by lasers, surgery and other methods, they are quite permanent. Most people have very specific reasons for these lifelong marks and some even have stories behind each one.

One simple reason for a typical tattoo is just for looks. The tattoo may be one that resembles one seen on a celebrity. It may also be a design that is simply pleasing to the eye. Perhaps the tattoo has bright colors or neat shapes that attract the eye. Aesthetics are one common reason for many tattoos.

Another reason why one might get a tattoo is as a memorial. Friends and family who have passed away are often memorialized through tattoos. These memorials are also often created in the memory of a particular celebrity. These might be designed with flowers, crosses or other shapes and dates of birth and death. They might include special sayings that were important to the deceased. They may also involve complicated tattoos that are copied off an actual photograph.

Children and relationships are a popular reason for getting a tattoo. Millions will have tattoos designed incorporating a child's, spouse's or partner's name. Typically these will be accompanied by other designs such as flowers, butterflies, shapes and even likenesses. Hearts, stars and script letters are often found on spouse or partner name tattoos.

Many people will have tattoos designed to commemorate special events experienced during their lifetimes. Achievements, difficult times and other special events are often displayed as a lifetime reminder of an important time in one's life.

Tattoos also represent spiritual status for many cultures. They can also be a symbol for social ranking. Some social groups are known for specific tattoos which would require a member to receive the same. Others are known for having tattoos in general, regardless of their designs.

Expressing individuality and personality are often the most common reasons for getting a tattoo. If a person likes butterflies, they might get a single tattoo or multiple tattoos flaunting butterflies. If another enjoys a particular field in which they are employed, they might have tattoos representing what they do for a living.

There are other ways to look at expressing individuality through tattoos, however. Many tattoos are designed to reflect heritage. Ancient symbols that are associated with the history of many cultures are often displayed on those who are of a particular culture's decent. For example, someone of Irish decent may choose a tattoo depicting the Claddaugh design while another of Egyptian decent might prefer one similar to ancient ancestors. On the other hand, many choose designs resembling certain cultures simply for aesthetics.

Regardless of where you want to have your tattoo applied on the body or where you have the procedure done, it's important to comprehend why you really want the tattoo. Tattoos are permanent. Having a tattoo created for the right reasons, and reasons that are truly important to you will help increase the enjoyment of the design for years to come.