What to Know Before Getting a First Tattoo

Getting Ink or Body Art Means Choosing a Shop, Artist, and Design

Sep 8, 2009

Getting a tattoo for the first time can be exciting and a little scary. A person can have a better experience if he's well-prepared and knows what questions to ask.

Tattoos don't seem to carry as much of a stigma as they used to. People from all walks of life are getting them, and that means what was once the stereotypical territory of bikers, prison inmates, and gang members is now acceptable for soccer moms and professionals, as well. People aren't branded or categorized as much by their tattoos now, and that seems to be a good thing for society as a whole.

Still, when someone gets his first tattoo it's a pretty big deal. It's a permanent mark (even professional tattoo removal doesn't always make it disappear completely) and it shouldn't be done without thought and planning. Everything from what tattoo to get, to where on the body to place it, to what shop to go to and why should be considered, as well as how much should be spent. Tattoos can be very expensive, and people often get what they pay for - but that's not always the case.

Choosing the Best Tattoo Shop

Looking for the right tattoo shop can be a complicated thing. It's important to find a shop with a good reputation, and a person should feel comfortable while he's there. If he's not among the stereotypical clientele of a tattoo shop, he might feel strange when he first walks in the door. The people there should be friendly and willing to answer questions and welcome newcomers who are interested in body art.

If the people in a shop treat customers rudely, as 'outsiders,' or otherwise make them feel unwelcome, that might not be the tattoo shop a person seeking his first tattoo would want to go to. Body art is a very personal thing, and it's important to get a first tattoo at a shop where anyone can feel 'at home.' Many shops today are well-lit, clean, and high-quality establishments where bikers and soccer moms intermingle. These kinds of shops are often better for a first tattoo because people tend to feel more accepted there, no matter what walk of life they come from. Finding tattoo shops in the local area can even be done online.

Choosing the Artist for a First Tattoo

Even if a person who wants a first tattoo finds a great shop, he still has to choose the artist. Some people will just go with the first artist that's available, which is generally fine for most body art. However, for people who have a very specific tattoo in mind (like a portrait, for example) finding the right artist to do it is highly important. Each tattoo artist is unique, and they all have different styles. Someone getting a first tattoo wants to make sure the style of the artist matches with what he wants to wear on his body for the rest of his life, and he should ask to see portfolios of the artists' work to help him make his choice.

Choosing the Design for a First Tattoo

People who get their first tattoo are usually a little nervous. They worry it might hurt, but mostly they worry they'll have something on their body forever so they want to make sure they really love it. Anyone who walks into a tattoo shop and doesn't have anything specific in mind will be confronted with walls and books full of 'flash,' or stock tattoos anyone can get. These have their place, but they certainly aren't as personal as something the person who's about to get tattooed came up with on his own. As long as thought and care have gone into the choosing of a tattoo, the bearer of it will generally not have regrets. There are thousands of tattoo designs available online, and they can give people great ideas for what they want to get.

Choosing the First Tattoo Placement

Where to put a first tattoo is a very important issue to consider. Anyone who wants a corporate or white-collar job should generally avoid tattoos that are easily visible. The other placement concern is simply where the tattoo looks best on the person. Some tattoos need to flow with a particular area of the body, and others can go anywhere. A good tattoo artist will be able to show a person where a tattoo will look best and explain why.

While there's a lot to consider when getting a first tattoo, it's worth taking the time to find the right shop, artist, tattoo, and placement. When a person plans to wear a piece of artwork on his body forever it needs to look as good as possible. The expense of the tattoo matters, but not as much as whether a person is happy with it both when it's completed and well into the future.

Resources for Getting a First Tattoo:

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