I find it quite fascinating how many different styles of tattoos there are from bio-mechanical to traditional.  With many artist specializing in a specific style it’s important to find the artist that most closely matches the style of tattoo you want. Many artist are not comfortable doing portraits, others may just concentrate on traditional and then they’re artist that can do it all.

Take the time to talk with many artist and ask what styles they like doing the most. If you know the style of tattoo you want, look through the artist portfolio and look at similar styles to make sure the quality is what you want. Spending the extra time before hand can make all the difference; as I see too many individuals that wished they had gone elsewhere. Don’t let that be you!

With the number of shops that have opened and will continue to open I can only imagine that a large percentage of the artist have very limited experience, some should not even be called artist.  That’s why they coined the phrase “scratcher” and you can go on-line and see numerous examples on Craigslist or other websites.  I’ve been amazed at some of the atrocious work that some are wearing. Again, don’t let that be you!

One of the most important aspects of getting a great tattoo is the cleanliness of the procedure area and all the associated instruments being used. Making a call to your local health department will take only a few minutes and they can usually provide recommendations to the cleanest shops nearest you. Another good idea is to take a look at the shops restroom and if it’s not clean, good chance other areas are not either.

A good tattoo artist will show you during setup the equipment being used, which can include instruments that have been sterilized in an autoclave. Monthly testing of the autoclave should also be performed to insure proper sterilization. Most shops are required by law to do this. Single use needles are another means of making sure you are getting the cleanest tattoo possible.

Covering your new tattoo for the first hour with plastic wrap will also reduce the chances of infection.  After care of your new body art is extremely important in making it look great for years to come. Tattoo artist will generally provide an after-care packet that explains this process.  I highly recommend making the extra effort in the care of your new body art in the few days after receiving.

Thank you for visiting Dream of Ink and I look forward to bringing you information related to the Tattoo Industry.  It’s extremely fascinating the joy that body art gives to it’s recipients that have received a good quality tattoo.  I can only imagine the feeling of receiving a poor quality tattoo.  The history of tattoos is absolutely amazing to learn about and I look forward to sharing a lot of this with you.

With tattoos becoming so mainstream in the last few years, many teenage kids are getting body art with their parent’s permission of course. The number of kids getting body art on their 18th birthday is incredible since many of those teenage kids couldn’t get their parents permission.  Many of those kids are strongly influenced by the numerous Superstars sporting body art.

As we have learned recently in the news that “Spell Check” is such an important tool for body artist and too many are not using it.  Getting that special someones name on you seems to be another popular tattoo that many live to regret.  You can never go wrong with a “MOM” tattoo though.