It's perfectly ok. You are the customer and the artist will work with you to give you the tattoo you want. Personally, I'm rubbish at drawing so I'm happy for my artist to take my scribbles as a guide and come up with something fantastic.
Come Prepared
It's also a good idea to bring a water or beverage with you. Some shops will recommend a beverage with a good amount of sugar in it to help your body endure the tattoo. Be sure to bring your ID and forms of payment also. Some shops may ask for your ID or completed paperwork before your appointment day.
While most artists are willing to design tattoos for their clients, they can't do so without any input. You have to work alongside your tattoo artist to come up with a design that you'll be proud of in the long-term. Before scheduling any consultations, you should have an idea of what you want in your new tattoo.
Overall, though, use a bit of common sense, find out your tattoo artist's views, and however you choose to say thanks is likely to be appreciated. Barbara says, just don't go over the top. “I think giving a gift to your artist is a lovely thing but also something that shouldn't be overdone,” she says.
There's nothing wrong with it at all. Different artists specialize in different things, jump around all you like. Don't be shy about it like you have to keep it a secret. It's nice of you to worry.
Some artists love to gab while tattooing but others prefer to be quiet. Let the artist take the lead or ask them what they prefer. Do bring a book to read or movie to watch provided you can do it without moving. Do let your artist take the lead on whether or not to talk.
A tattoo artist may refuse to do a tattoo if the design is racist, sexist, homophobic, or promotes hate speech. In such cases, tattoo artists may refuse to do the tattoo as it goes against their personal beliefs, and they don't want to promote offensive or discriminatory designs.
Many tattoo artists will be happy for you to wear headphones when listening to music or watching a movie. In fact, most will insist that you do. It's not seen as rude to wear headphones while getting a tattoo, as long as you communicate when needed.
It's usually best to email your tattoo enquiries in as you can explain in detail what tattoo you want, send reference photos and describe how you want the tattoo to look.
If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight. Every day from then on, you will wash the tattoo in the morning and at night, and apply lotion 3 times a day or so, or whenever the tattoo feels dry or tight.
Yes. It is certainly ok to ask your artist to adjust or redraw the sketch. This is your ink, which you'll be carrying on your body, for the rest of your life. Don't accept anything less than what you want, because the last thing you want is to end up with ink you hate.
In tattooing a general rule is that all designs should face the center of the body (heart). For example, front thigh tattoos should face inwards towards each other. And top outer arms will face forward in the same direction the body faces.
In short, yes, you should always strive to tip your tattoo artist. “Often, (tattoo artists) are renting a chair or space and give as much as 50% of their earnings to the shop owner,” Sinatra says.
Normally, in respectable tattoo shops, payment is due when services are rendered. This means you pay when the session is finished, not before it has begun. Large tattoos are paid for session by session, so you only pay for the work that was performed that day.
They're busy. Artists are often busy people who work long hours. They may have multiple clients scheduled in a day, or they may be working on a large piece that requires their full attention. It's important to remember that just because your artist isn't responding immediately, it doesn't mean they are ignoring you.
Although tattoo artists work with customers on a daily basis, they have the authority to refuse anyone for any reason. In most cases, artists are happy to accommodate but there are a select few tattoo requests that are likely to lead to a rejection.
You can should show your tattoo artist a pic of a tattoo design from your phone or you can print it out. They'll accept both bc they've to know what design of tattoo you want. For example. When I was getting my 1st tattoo, I show my tattoo artist a pic of a name Angela (which is real name) tattooed in script.
Ink naturally spreads in the body over time, so a tattoo that's too small will likely blur together as the skin ages. Your artist should suggest the best size for the integrity of the tattoo.
What if I hate the design? At the end of the day, it's a permanent tattoo going on your body. If at any point you hate the design, don't hesitate to tell your artist. You might have to reschedule the appointment, but they should be able to work with you to find a balance that you both love.
Generally, tattoo artists prefer quiet clients. It is important for them to be able to focus on the task, and having a chatty and continually distracted client is not ideal.
It is not rude to ask for a touch up. Reputable tattoo artists will stand by their work and guarantee its quality. Usually, within a set length of time the original artist will offer free touch ups for small spots in the tattoo that may have faded due to the natural healing process.
Drink a lot of water during the week; avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before getting tattooed. Please do not shave the area; we will do it for you at your appointment. Avoid aspirin or blood thinning medication at least 24 hours before your tattoo; ibuprofen, acetaminophen, & other NSAID pain relievers are OK.