What to Expect When You Get Your Tattoo

To many people, tattoos are exotic and daring things to get into.  It's such a huge decision as the design, whatever it may be, will be permanent.  Not only might this seem daunting but the actual process of getting a tattoo can be frightening to those who have never experienced it.

Most people know that tattoos are created with a needle that delivers ink into the skin by the use of a special tattoo gun or machine.  Beyond that, many are clueless as to how the procedure might actually carry on.  It is important to realize that every tattoo artist and parlor varies in their techniques.

The first thing to be prepared for is choosing a design.  If you have a copy of something in particular, be prepared to discuss it with your tattoo artist.  He or she may be able to make recommendations to make the image look its best on your skin. 

If you do not already have a design, the tattoo artist can assist you.  The design will depend on where you want the tattoo on your body and if you prefer all one color or multiple colors. The tattoo artist can assist with making decisions based on your personality, size preference for that tattoo and the aesthetics of the design.

Once the design has been decided upon, the tattoo artist creates a stencil.  This stencil is laid out on the skin and traced.  Some artists will draw the stencil straight on the skin freehanded.  The general design can be visualized at this point on the skin. 

When the design is decided upon, the tattoo process begins.  This is where things can start to change a bit.  Depending on the location where the tattoo will end up, the customer is typically seated in a position as comfortable as possible to make for easy access to the skin by the tattoo artist.  Obviously the sitting position will vary accordingly.

The time frame is another variance.  As is easily guessed extravagant, intricate and very large tattoos will take a longer amount of time than a smaller, simpler design.  Tattoos that are excessively large, such as designs covering the entire back often require repeat visits to the tattoo parlor. 

Generally, for an easy and small tattoo of one color, one can typically expect to it to take about an hour or less for the design.  Some can take as little as thirty minutes.  If there are a lot of color changes or intricacies the amount of time will increase. 

Price can vary depending the geographical location of the tattoo parlor.  Other factors that are reflected in the price include the size of the tattoo, difficulty and color variations.  Many parlors charge by the hour with a general range of between $40 - $150 per hour, again depending on location and the design.  For very large tattoos, prices might change accordingly switching from a per-hour fee to a set fee for the entire process. 

Once the design is finished, expect to be taught how to care for the tattoo afterwards.  It may be dressed in a bandage that will need proper care for the days following.  The tattoo artist will discuss all after care instructions with the customer prior to letting them leave the parlor.

Getting a tattoo can seem a lot less daunting when you know what to expect.  Getting to know your tattoo artist can help one feel more at ease with the whole procedure.  Meeting the staff before hand might also go along way to ensure comfort with those working around you.