Q. Do tattoos hurt?
A. Well... Kind of. First of all, if you have a low-pain threshold; DO NOT GET A TATTOO!
Other than that bit of advice, the pain you experience with a tattoo depends on a number of factors:
- Location: Generally speaking, the 'fleshier' the area is, the less painful it will be. I personally use the ruler test. Take a ruler, and thwack yourself where ever you plan on getting your tattoo. If it makes you cry, pick another place. Places like elbows, faces, necks, the lower back, the inside of the bicep are all examples of rather painful places to get tattooed. Some relatively pain free locations are the thigh, the outside of the bicep, and the chest (for a guy at least... I'm not sure how it is for women).
- Coloring: Large blocks of solid color cause a bit more discomfort. Colors like white require multiple lines over one another, and can cause further irritation.
- Size: I think this is self-explanatory - the bigger your tattoo, the more it's going to hurt.
Other than that, my only other recommendation, if you are concerned about pain, is to KNOW YOUR
ARTIST! If you don't feel comfortable with your tattoo artist, you should go somewhere else.
Q. What kind of tattoo should I get first?
A. This is largely dependant on your tastes. First and foremost, I have my own personal set of rules of what I will NOT get tattooed anywhere on my body.
- Cartoon characters. Sure they're cute. Sure you think they're great. Nothing says timeless like a Beavis tattoo with his lighter.
- Names. I think this should be self explanatory. My artist once told me that his favorite part about tattooing names was the fact he had a pretty well guaranteed cover-up job coming in the next year.
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Flaming anything. No skulls, no dice, no harleys, nothing that I want to explain to my kids when I have them.
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People. Due to the aging process of human skin, I'd certainly hate to have a drooping naked woman stuck on my arm for life, just because it looked cool when I was 21.
Additionally, I personally will not get any 'flash' work done. Flash is the stuff you see on the walls of tattoo parlours. Chances are if you get one because you think it's cool, someone else will too. It's already embarrassing enough
wearing the same shirt as someone at a party. I have been graced with the ability to draw all of my tattoos. If you have some artistic spark, I highly recommend that avenue. If not, all hope is not lost - the chances are that your artist will more than happily draw up a custom design for you, for an additional fee.
Q. How do I select an artist?
A. Well, first of all, if you have any friends with tattoos, ask them where they got theirs, and how they feel about the service they recieve. Word of mouth is always the best way to go. However, if you are the first kid on your block getting one, there are a number of ways to find a good artist. First of all, you can pick up a tattoo magazine, and see if there are any artists featured in your area. These artists will be more expensive than others, but it is always better to spend too much than to spend too little. This art will be on your body forever. Save the extra few bucks to go with a good artist.
Go visit different shops. Keep an eye open for the cleanliness of the shop, talk to the artist, get a feel for him. Does the artist make you comfortable/nervous? Does he/she seem knowlegeable about the art? Ask to see some of their prior work. All artists should keep a photo album of tattoos they've done. Does the work look good to you?
If everything looks good from here, then it looks like you've found your artist.
Q. What are some important questions to ask before getting my tattoo?
A.
- Do you use new needles for every customer?
- How long have you been tattooing for?
- How much will this tattoo cost (remember, you should include a tip on top of the cost of the tattoo)?
Q. How much will a tattoo cost me?
A. This is largely dependant on your location, and the tattoo you want. Tattoos can range between $40 (US) and thousands of dollars. However, you want to make sure you don't bicker over the price. Ask before hand, and get commitment from the artist. After all, this person will be very intimate with you for the next chunk of hours. You don't want an unhappy artist.
General custom dictates a tip for the artist, if you're happy with it. I generally will tip between 20 and 30 percent for a job well done.
Hopefully, armed with this information, you can make an educated desicion about painting your skin.
Oh yeah, and welcome to your new
addiction.