Posted: 10/6/2008 2:58:43 AM EDT
| I've been giving some serious thought about getting one, my first... anything I should be looking for or watch out for when trying to find good tattoo artist...? |
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Personally, I'd keep it above your elbow. Tats are something you'd be well advised to spend the money on a reputable artist. Shop around and look at the guy's portfolio. Pic up a tat mag and look for artists in your area. Find a guy who has been slinging ink for 20+ years. Here's a shitty pic of mine. Mind you its about 7 yrs old, taken with a camera phone, and it got sliced open to put a plate in after I snapped my fibula. 
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1. Look for a clean facility that uses sterile technique. 2. Look for a good artist. Look at their own work as opposed to pieces they copied. 3. Ask around, do a lot of window shopping. This thing's gonna be stuck on you, so make sure you get the highest quality with the least risk of infection. |
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20+ years experience doesn't mean a thing if the tattooist is a hack. Look at his portfolio of past work and determine if that's what you want on your body. Better still is to ask people who've had work done by the artist in question. Longevity in the business should NOT weigh into the decision. |
I'll definitely do my homework, no doubt about that. That's why I've started the thread. This thing will be with me for the rest of my life. I want to get as many opinions as I can, so I can make sure I don't leave anything out in my searching for an artist. I will also spend whatever it takes to get the best that I can get. |
The slingers I met that have been doing it for 20+ years were some of the best in the business. Shawn Degan at Perfection Tattoo in San Antonio did my leg. If you run your hand over the tat, you cant feel any raised edges. Damn near ZERO scarring (minus the whole surgery thing). The only thing I could feel was the needle, no pressure from him at all. I've got other tats from other folks, and they dug into me and it scarred like a mother fucker. That's the difference between some guy who's been doing it for a few years versus someone who started when I was still in diapers. I think if you've been in the business for 20+ years you know a thing or two about what the fuck you are doing and you want to be in the business. Not some yahoo with a mail order gun. |
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as im sure you already know watch them open up the needles infront of you to be sure they are sterile and new. also stick to a plan..... they can be addicting so prepare to go back for more. ETA: I don't regret any of mine and I'm covered (both arms sleeved, full back, chest, feet, so on) but if I didn't have any now I would not start. My reason..... everyone and their mom have them because of those stupid shows! 
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I don't regret the huge one on my forearm, but a lot of people do regret getting one that can't be covered by a t-shirt. |
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Do NOT under any circumstances let price be your guide. In other words, if you only have $200, don't just go and get a tattoo anyway. Think about this for awhile. Put some money together. Don't get something juvenile or half assed because you don't want to spend the money. How many other things are you going to have on public display for the rest of your life ? Yet many people, on the spur of the moment, when they are drunk and broke, get some ridiculous looking tattoo. I like tattoos and I pay attention to other people's tattoos. I can't believe the shit I see out there. People who have the latest wind tunnel tested hairstyle with the latest thing out in a cell phone, wearing the latest fashions, are walking around with tattoos that look like prison tats. The other big thing has already been mentioned. Get the tats done so that you can covered them with a short sleeved shirt. I also agree that you should think long term. Most people who get tats, get more than one. So, get the first one with this in mind. |
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Rule 1: Do not get some guy who your friend knows that does tattoos in his spare time to do a tat for you. Rule 2: DO NOT trade mushrooms for a tattoo Rule 3: DO NOT let the guy giving you the tat test out the mushrooms just before he does the tat. Also, remember, this is something that you will have forever. Don't get something tattooed on you that you wouldn't want when you're 90 (unless you don't plan on living that long), and I tend to prefer tats that aren't visible when I wear a short sleeved shirt. |
 Pick up some magazines and take a look at what qualifies as good. Everyone in the world thinks that their "guy" is the greatest, most are just retarded. You could wait until there is a tattoo convention in your area, pay the admission, and really get to see all the portfolios of all the artisits in a 400 mile radius, and actually get to see some of them do their thing. DOnt rush into a decision, getting a tatto is like deciding to buy a raven .25. The picture above is a tattoo done by my wife's artist. |
Now that's some great advice, right there...
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+1 dont get a tat because it's the trendy thing to do like 90% of the under 30 crowd |
There's a couple hack shops locally that have been in business over 20 years and I wouldn't let them tattoo a dead dog's ass, they're that bad. They make their money from tourists that get drunk and think a Florida tat is the thing to get and wake up hung-over and with ugly art in their skin. |
It's the interweb. You get what you pay for. |
I would be sure to research the artists work thoroughly beforehand and make damn sure you love what your getting. I remember when I was a senior in high school and everyone was turning 18 the big deal was to run out and get a tattoo. Well, some of them turned out well, most not so much. If you want to look like an ass for the rest of your life, I can introduce to you a guy who has a cross from his shoulder to elbow that looks like a toddler freehanded it. 
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Word of advice, no tats below the sleeve line or above the neckline, you'll thank me later. I have many tats and the only one I'd rather not have is the one on my right forearm. |
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Be careful what you put on your body. I've talked to alot of people who said they have been treated badly because of their tats. Doctors automatically assume your a drug head if you have alot of tats, and that makes it harder to get proper pain meds if you get hurt and really need them. Take the advice of the posters above and if you get one, get it where it can be hidden. Also it's talked about alot on different shows how jobs can be harder to land, if your covered with tats. |
I forgot to add this: 
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