As a 20-year-old girl myself, I know how tempting tattoos can be. It is more accepted in today’s society to have tattoos, but there is still a large stigma against tattoos. There are many factors that should be considered. When I was 15, I was convinced that I should have eight or nine tattoos by the time I was 25. I wanted script across my shoulder, wrist or ribs. I wanted a portrait on my shoulder blade and a symbolic, but cliché, butterfly on the back of my neck for my grandmother. About a year ago, I began spending time in a tattoo shop because of a position my friend held there as a tattoo artist and I got to meet a great deal of people getting tattooed, and see what tattoos people were getting.
Tattoos have been around for thousands of years. In 1991, Ötzi the Ice Man was excavated on a mountain between Austria and Italy. His body was over 5,000-years-old and had 57 tattoos. Criminals, gang members, sailors and circus members have been the main stereotypical figures who receive tattoos. In today’s society, it is much more common for young people to have tattoos. A 2010 Pew Research study stated that nearly 40% of people ages 18 to 29 have tattoos. Half of those people have two to five tattoos. Before you get a permanent symbol or piece of artwork on your body, here are some things to think about. We are not trying to scare you away from getting tattooed, you are going to do what you are going to do. It is important to know what you’re getting yourself into ahead of time if it’s something you’re seriously considering.
Why Not?
The principle of the thing; you wouldn’t put a bumper sticker on a Bentley. Think about how naturally beautiful you are and what a tattoo may do to your appearance or persona.
Misspelling
Scary, we know. It does happen that tattoos are misspelled. Imagine if “faith” looked like “fath” or “carpe diem” was spelled “capre deim” (or even worse- crape diem!) It would be horrible, but it is possible.
Getting Matching Tattoos or a tattoo for someone else
It may be very close with that person at this point in your life, but imagine if you get your husband or boyfriend’s name tattooed on your back and then you break up or get divorced. Your body will be permanently marked with their memory and every time someone asks about your tattoo, you’ll remember that person and the silly decision to get that tattooed. Matching tattoos also fit into the category of falling outs. It is important to consider that it is your body and that, even if you’re married to that person, things can happen. Unless you are having your children’s or your family member’s names tattooed on your body, it is not a good idea to have any one else’s names tattooed, ESPECIALLY NOT BOYFRIENDS, GIRLFRIENDS, FIANCES, HUSBANDS, WIVES, BEST FRIENDS, etc. Matching tattoos without names, but that you got with someone else are connected with getting tattoos for other people. You may believe your relationship is unsurpassable, but it may not always be that way. You’re young; young love often doesn’t last (cynical, we know). Be careful what you are doing with your body, and realize that you are giving a piece of it to someone else by getting tattoos of the sort.
Tattoos are not easy to remove
Laser removal is painful and expensive! A plastic surgeon at Beverly Hills Dermatological Center stated that tattoo removal sessions range between five and 15 sessions. The sessions generally do not cost more than $100 each. A large tattoo can cost up to $1,500
Visibility
Having tattoos in intimate places is one thing, tattoos with easy visibility is another. Employers, future spouses, family members, peers, friends and acquaintances will remember you and they will most definitely remember your tattoos. It is important to realize that people view you with your tattoos. You could be the most beautiful person in the world, but people will remember the artwork on your body rather than your natural beauty oftentimes. Also, keep in mind if you want to walk around in shorts, tank tops, bikinis, or even wear a wedding dress at some point. Think of the placement of your tattoos before you go through with it.
Your Community
Growing up and becoming a soccer mom can be difficult if you have tattoos. Many women try to cover up their tattoos because they feel judged by other mothers and parents in their communities. If you have tattoos on your arms, wearing long sleeve shirts to cover them regularly is inconvenient. Be prepared to have others think of you differently for having tattoos on your body.
Cleanliness, disease, health safety
Depending on where you choose to get tattooed, there can be health issues. Make sure you are going to a place that sterilizes all of their material prior to getting tattooed. Read up on your risks!
Body changes and Aging
Your body changes as you get older and so do your tattoos! You may be 110 pounds right now, but think about how your body and skin changes as you get older. If you gain weight, have a pregnancy, or age (which everyone does), your skin will change and the tattoo may shrivel, stretch or become deformed as your body evolves. We all wrinkle as we age, it is difficult to read tattoos on wrinkled skin and they turn out looking like dark blobs on your skin the more wrinkled your skin gets. Pregnancy and weight fluctuations also can change your skin and your tattoos depending on where they are located. If you have your wrist or feet tattooed, the tattoo will not change as much as a tattoo on your arm, back or stomach, for example.
Taste Change
When I was five, I liked Blue's Clues. When I was seven, I though the Backstreet Boys were the coolest band of all time. When I was 10, I threw footballs and basketballs around with the boys. When I was 13, pencil eyeliner that looked like a crayon was the hip thing to wear regularly. The point is, taste changes! As you age, you don’t want a permanent reminder of your love for Blues Clues or the Backstreet Boys imprinted on your body, and tattoos are the same thing. Aging gives you a more sophisticated set of interests commonly. It is important to remember that. Think of how often you get sick of wearing the same shirt over and over again. Tattoos are like clothes, but you can’t take them off. It would be like always having to wear blue lipstick 24/7, you might think it’s cool for a day, but you’ll outgrow it.
Employment
I know you don’t think about being 30-years-old very often, but imagine that you were 30 with tattoos in visible places on your body (arms, legs, hands, chest, back, neck, behind your ears, etc). Imagine that you don’t have a job and that you are going on interviews where employers in their 60s are looking over your resume and physical appearance. It is important to understand that you are representing them and their company. Your employer probably does not want to have someone coated in tattoos representing them professionally because it is difficult to take your appearance seriously.
Tattoo Check List:
Reliability of the shop
Read reviews of the shop, go in for a consultation and ask around! It is important to make sure you are going to a reliable shop with good standards.
Why are you getting the tattoo
What does the tattoo mean to you? Take your time considering what types of symbols, lyrics or words and pieces of art you are thinking of putting on your body. Don’t throw together a mess of pictures and words; really think about what you are putting on your body.
The art itself
Think about how you feel about the art you are considering putting on your body and think about what other people would think of your tattoo. Depending on the artwork and the place on your body, it is important to think about what type of artwork you are having tattooed. Also think about how long the art has been around and if it is a fad.
How long the artist has been working
The longer the artist has been working, oftentimes, the better they are. It is something to think about. Experience pays off!
Apprentice vs. Artist
Check in with shops to see which artists have been working the longest and ask the shop owner if he has recommendations depending on the piece you want to get. They may have some suggestions. Apprentices work in shops, but they are still in training. They tattoo well oftentimes, but they may not be as flexible with technique and design.
Shop/convention/house or garage
Shops are the most reliable place to get tattoos. It is important to consider this before getting tattooed out of someone’s house or at a convention. Shops often have specific styles or particular artists in the shop have a speciality or style. If you choose to get tattooed at a shop, you can choose who your artist is and what type of style you want your tattoo to be. Conventions have professional artists from tattoo shops, but they have less time to tattoo at the convention and often it is hard to follow up with artists for touch ups, especially because conventions host artists from all around the country and world. House and garage tattoos are not a reliable place to get tattooed. There are not the same safety and health precautions that shops and conventions have. It is easier to contract disease, have issues with the tattoo, not have information about how to care for it right and a poorer quality of artwork.
Well thought out, not thrown together
There isn’t a worse insult than someone asking if you’re a walk-in in a shop. Combining a liberty bell, hummingbirds and a Bob Marley quote screams walk-in. Taking cliché symbols and lyrics and attempting to put meaning behind them isn’t something to brag about when it comes to tattoos. Think about the meaning and come up with something unique. It is better to come up with a cool and unique design with meaning than throwing together miscellaneous items.
Tattoo Etiquette:
Leave it to the artist
Your artist does not want to be micromanaged. It is important to let them know in advance what you want and if specific colors mean something in the tattoo. If you walk in and say “I want an anchor with red poppies because that was my grandmother’s favorite flower” they will make sure the poppies are red. However, if you don’t specify color, they don’t want you micromanaging while you are being tattooed. They will choose the colors based on if you want a lighter or darker tattoo. Asking questions like that is “questioning” the tattoo artist’s ability in many shop’s eyes.
Communicate
Find out in advance how much the tattoo will be. Prepare to bring cash and cash to tip the artist. Be clear about what details are important in the design so your artist only has to draw the tattoo once unless changes are made when you come in the shop.
Show up on time
There is nothing worse than showing up late for an appointment, enough said. Even if your artist is running late, it is important to be there when you said you’d be.
Compromise
Understand that you are going to an artist and that you are coming to them for a reason. It is important to let them know what you want, but listen to their ideas as well. They are the professionals after all.
Bring the artist an idea that fits their style
There is nothing worse than asking a tattoo artist to do something outside of their comfort zone. Find a shop that fits what you want. If you don’t, you will most likely be charged a great deal more and the piece may not look as good as if you went to a shop or artist that focused on that style of art.
ALWAYS tip
You wouldn’t go to a restaurant and not leave a tip for your server. You wouldn’t let someone park your car at a valet and not leave a few dollars to say thank you. Why would you not tip your artist?! It is important to remember to tip!
