Things to Remember

Tattoos are open wounds. There is no one-trick-all for the healing process. Everyone’s skin is different. It reacts differently to the tattoo process and the healing process. What may work for Pete, may not work for Paul for lack of better words. after multiple tattoos, you will discover what works best for you. The tattooing process is the easy part, the hard and most important part is the healing process. Your artist cannot be there to babysit you and ensure you properly take care of your tattoo, therefore it is imperative you do your due diligence to ensure your new tattoo is taken care of properly. IF there are any concerns, questions, etc., make sure you ask your artist first and do not ever hesitate to ask, chances are, they have seen every type of scenario during the healing process if they have a good amount of experience, and can almost every time pinpoint the cause of anything other normal is occurring during healing. Certain areas of the body heal differently than others. Some artists will not tattoo certain areas due to this phenomenon.

Other artists, such as myself will warn you of the possibilities of such an area during the consultation and that is why touchups are not free in these areas as well. These areas include the neck, hands, fingers, elbows, knees, and feet. These areas have many features, such as heavily calloused skin, skin that sheds quite frequently, the bending and twisting of the joint area, exposure to the environment, and general life itself. These by-products of these areas can cause tattoos to not heal fully especially if not taken care of properly during the healing process, lines falling out, a pigment not being fully saturated, etc. I suggest to do your research on these areas to ensure they are right for you and the risks involved Being tattoos are an open wound, cleanliness is next to Godliness. A clean wound is a happy wound that will heal well, I simply cannot emphasize enough ***DO NOT** over-moisturize your tattoo at any given time. Your skin needs to breathe in order to heal, excess moisture acts as a magnet for bacteria, aside from causing the wound to sweat and possibly open to allow bacteria to enter.

DO

-Trust your artist’s advice and opinion
-Your inner forearm and outer arm is a great spot for a first tattoo
-Expect the tattoo to be more painful than it will be, therefore once the process initiates mentally it will be a lot better to deal with throughout the tattoo process
-For long sessions: bring snacks, preferably ones with high sugar and electrolyte content, like candy, pop, Gatorade, chocolate bars; this keeps your blood sugar levels up as the pain and shock can drop them causing additional pain, dizziness, faintness, etc
-If you feel faint, lightheaded, nauseous, etc., tell your artist immediately. The initial reaction most people have is to sit up, stand up, go to the washroom, etc. Which is a huge risk if you do faint or fall can cause severe injury. This period needs to pass before continuing to tattoo, and if it reoccurs, another session will be booked. Do not feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty because of this as it does happen. The body changes and the skin changes daily, and sometimes it reacts the way it reacts, just the way it is
-Come to the appointment well-rested, on a full stomach, preferably have a fruit of a citrus nature with your meal like an orange or grapefruit.
-Remember the tattoo process is 80% mental. Your attitude and perspective of the pain and process will greatly affect the amount of discomfort and how well you will be able to sit throughout the entire session
-Be honest about what you want, be specific, give direction, any and all thoughts, modifications, worries, etc. help immensely and allow
your artist to try and take your vision and put it into the design then to the skin. The design is not finalized, and the stencil placement including size is not final until you absolutely love it. Liking it, or being okay with it is not okay. Good is too close to average, so great is the only objective, and no settling; great design, great placement, great size, great tattoo
-Shave the area and surrounding area where the tattoo will be with a quality razor the night before or the morning of; this will help with irritation, allow any razor burn to subside which will decrease the amount of pain the tattoo will cause.
-Please try and make serious inquiries only. Artists, even though we give up our entire lives to tattooing, and sacrifice our lives outside of work like family life and social life are still human. If we don’t reply on the same day, don’t get offended, as we receive countless messages, emails, etc. We work long hours trying to balance a prompt response with each inquiry as well as balance our lives and ensure we are well rested to deliver the best tattoo day in, day out is a daily battle.
-Tipping: This is a complicated, complex issue that can be touchy. Conclusively, it all lies in each client, their viewpoints, and their experience. If an artist goes above and beyond for you, stays late, is super personable, genuinely cares, it shows, simple as that. As much as tipping is greatly appreciated, it is not mandatory of course. I personally understand great tattoos are not cheap, especially for big projects. So I will try and save my clients money each and every one of those long sessions, and also to those that just trust the process, and give me artistic freedom as well. It is a balancing act as an artist when it comes to the pricing, and tipping areas of the industry as it still is technically a service industry, even tho as artists we are producing and providing a one-of-a-kind piece of fine art like a high priced painter.

DON’T

-Do not if at all possible, place a small tattoo in an inappropriate spot on the body, like a 2-inch tattoo in the middle of your arm for example; especially if you plan on per se, having a sleeve down the road, also it will just not look aesthetically pleasing
-Do not start your tattoo collection with fingers, hands, neck, and face; get a sleeve, and finish the hand first for example.
-Come to your appointment hungover, intoxicated, on drugs, “that time of the month,” sleep-deprived, etc. is not recommended
-Come in with poor personal hygiene; regardless of how mundane it is to say. I.e. showered, teeth brushed, deodorant.
-Don’t come in with a bunch of spray tan or bronzer, especially where the tattoo will be tattooed and the surrounding area
-Post how much your tattoo was. Pricing is done between you and your artist. It should stay that way, it is not something to be discussed publicly with a post, etc. There are so many variables in a tattoo that it is inevitably changing. Guesstimates are given, and given the many variables, the cost can be less or more for the tattoo or project so do not be shocked or upset. Remember, good tattoos aren’t cheap, cheap tattoos aren’t good. Shopping for a tattoo based solely on price can cause great regret, remorse, hatred to the tattoo industry, and also more money if it needs to be fixed or covered up down the road. Do your research on your chosen artist. Pricing in the industry is usually based on skills and the quality of the art given to clients. Keep in mind, that large projects, such as a sleeve, back piece, etc, are lengthy, time-consuming projects. That being said, time does cost money for a great project, so be prepared for that.
-Do not be afraid to cancel. remember, not every artist is for you, a lot of the process is chemistry between artist and client. If the vibe is not right, don’t be afraid to say so and be honest and forthright with that politely. Vibes don’t lie.
-Tattoos are hard enough to create, but sitting well, staying still, etc, is imperative. Literally the only thing I personally ask each client to do during the tattoo process. Involuntary twitches happen, and if it affects the tattoo it is up to me to try and accommodate the tattoo if this does happen. Not moving results in a better tattoo, a tattoo that is done faster, as if I have to worry about you moving more than I do than actually tattooing the design, this could lead to a lesser quality tattoo, increased pain due to the caution of me having to work at a slower pace and non-efficient manner.
-Don’t come with a bad attitude. Great attitudes, manners, etc, make for a better experience overall, as elementary as that is to say