4 Tips on Getting Your First Tattoo

It's a great adventure going in and getting a tattoo - this is all the more so true if it's your very first tattoo! If that is the case, there are some choices you need to make that will mean the difference between a good tattoo and possibly a bad tattoo. Let us review some general pointers to take along with you when you're trying to decide on a tattoo.

1. Don't use flash artwork. There is a lot of really good flash art work out there, but it would make your tattoo much more meaningful if you either altered an existing design to your tastes so that it's original or came in with an idea yourself.

2. Get a good artist whose style you like. It's perfectly okay to ask for an artists portfolio of their work in order to help decide who will ink your flesh up. Any reputable artist is going to have a big binder of photographs available and probably even an on line portfolio showing their work in both tattoo art they've done and tattoo designs they've drawn but not necessarily inked into anyone yet. The better artists have distinctive styles that show through their work. Finding an artist whose work reflects the style of art you want will make the tattoo all that much more meaningful.

3. Avoid extremely specific tattoos. This means that you should think hard before getting a persons name on your arm or having a phrase inked into a visible spot on your flesh. This is also true to an extent with popular symbols placed on the body in very visible spots, such as the neck or forearms. While getting your boyfriend or girlfriends name on your body is not very recommended, no one would argue with turning your kids names into tattoos.

4. Be prepared for the pain but don't worry too much. Think about how many people around you have tattoos - everyone of them dealt with the pain and made it out alive. The truth is you will too. Many tattoo artists describe the sensation as aggravating a bad sunburn. This doesn't sound particularly nice, but you can do it. If not, there are numbing lotions increasingly available for the squeamish - ask your shop if they carry any and if they can work for you.

Finding a good artist and getting an original meaningful design makes for the best tattoos. Don't get impatient and just get anything - this is your body, this is your first tattoo: make it count!