If your artist didn't wrap your tattoo, it's not necessarily bad; just focus on keeping it clean and moisturized, washing with unscented soap, patting dry with a clean towel, and applying a light layer of unscented lotion or Aquaphor, as the tattoo needs to breathe and stay protected from dirt, but always follow any specific instructions your artist gave you. The main risks are infection from dirt or bacteria, so diligent cleaning and care are key, especially since it's exposed to the environment.
If their space looks messy or they don't use gloves-run. 🚩 Doesn't listen or rushes you. A good artist will care about your idea and comfort. If they're pushing their own design or hurrying you into decisions, that's a red flag.
It's because they want to display their work. A cover-up is never going to look as good as one on fresh skin. They can only do so many pieces so they want to be able to show their best. That being said there is certain artists that take pride in showing cover-ups because that takes a certain skill.
During healing do NOT: Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there.)
Not every tattoo artist is skilled in cover-up work. In fact, it's a niche that requires: A deep understanding of skin types, conditions, and how ink layers. Strong design and shading skills.
for the first 5 days just wash twice a day with antibacterial soap (i recommend dial gold) or as often as you get sweaty or dirty. then pay dry with a clean towel (or paper towel since they are always gonna be fresh and clean) i don't recommend moisturizing until the skin forms a seal.
Here's a handful of bad habits that are top of the list of things tattoo artists hate.
You may notice one or more of the following:
Since oxygen itself plays a huge role in allowing the skin to heal properly, covering a new tattoo in plastic wrap or smothering it in petroleum-based products that limit oxygen supply can further complicate the healing process.
Should I cover a new tattoo when I sleep? Keeping your new tattoo covered for at least the first night or two will help reduce the risk of it leaking onto your bedding and lower the risk of infection.
For a $500 tattoo, a standard tip is $75 to $100 (15-20%), but you can tip more, even $125 or higher (25%+), for exceptional work, a long session, or custom design, with factors like artist's expertise and your satisfaction influencing the amount. Tipping 20% ($100) is generally considered great service, but tipping less is also okay if you're on a tight budget, while tipping more shows extra appreciation.
That doesn't mean that your idea is bad it just means it's not really the kind of thing we're trying to push. Again, with the bad photo, right? If it's a fresh tattoo, it might be kind of pissed off. We might need to wait for you to come back and get a healed picture before we actually want to post it.
Most tattoo peeling will start within a couple of days of getting inked. But don't worry—the ink is deep in your skin, beyond the epidermis and into the dermis (middle layer). ² So, you can rest easy knowing that peeling doesn't mean you're losing ink or that your new tattoo is going to end up looking faded.
Among the rest of the Stories & Ink team, the most painful places to get a tattoo include:
Lines should be smooth, colours fully saturated.
The tips of points shouldn't have little blobs on and lines should be reasonably even in diameter (assuming they are meant to be of course). Colour should be solid. Whatever colour it is should be smooth and saturated, and gradients between colours should be smooth too.
A $2000 tattoo can range from a large, detailed half-sleeve or thigh piece to a significant portion of a full sleeve or back piece, depending heavily on artist skill, location, color, and detail, often requiring multiple sessions for complex designs. It's usually a large, custom design (like 12+ inches or covering a significant limb area) that takes several hours or more, rather than just a small or simple tattoo, as shown in this example of a $2000 tattoo.
You have a rash or bumpy skin around your tattoo
If you notice a rash or lumpy, bumpy skin around your new tattoo, this could be something to worry about. Any itching that seems extreme, or rashes and cracked skin, could indicate infection.
Research on tattoos older than 40 years shows that ink particles remain in the deep dermis and local lymph nodes. According to the WHO data from animal experiments, black and red tattoo ink particles reach the liver, and titanium dioxide (white pigment) reaches the liver, spleen, and lung (4).
Stage One (Days 1-6) – Oozing, swelling and redness that gets better gradually over each day. Scabbing begins to form over the area. 2. Stage Two (Days 7-14) – Itching and flaking begins, and this continues until layers of dead skin and scabs have fallen off.
The most commonly used neutralizing color is a deep orange to cancel out the blue and blue-green shades of common tattoo inks. For tattoos with dark black ink, you should use a deep red neutralizer.
You may see red streaks or pus at the tattoo site and/or have a fever. Or you may notice swollen or tender lymph nodes. If you think you have an infection, call your doctor right away. Early treatment may prevent health problems or damage to your tattoo.
If you have a medical problem such as heart disease, allergies, diabetes, skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, a weak immune system, or a bleeding problem, talk to your doctor before getting a tattoo. Also, if you get keloids (an overgrowth of scar tissue) you probably should not get a tattoo.
The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) in art means that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts, helping artists focus on high-impact fundamentals like composition, color, and value to improve faster, or structure work with a quiet 80% and an impactful 20% (like details or focal points). It's used to identify vital skills (anatomy, perspective) for learning, prioritize essential elements in a piece (soft vs. sharp areas), and even manage the business side of art by focusing on core marketing efforts for bigger sales.
A $500 tattoo is typically a medium-sized piece, often around palm-sized or slightly larger (roughly 4-6 inches), but the actual size heavily depends on the artist's hourly rate (usually $100-$200/hour), design complexity, color, and location, allowing for 2-5 hours of work, potentially resulting in a detailed forearm piece or a smaller chest/back design, rather than a full sleeve.