Perhaps you’re getting your first tat on a dare or because your best friend wants you to get matching tats. For whatever reason you’ve chosen to get inked for the first time, you need to know a few things in advance.
Ink You Love
We’re not talking aftercare here or time spent sitting for the artwork. You need to choose the ink that works for you. If you do decide to get inked with a friend or significant other, you need to choose the artwork together. Don’t say yes to something you don’t like. Settling for a tat that’s just okay spells disaster for you as time passes.
Choose Location Carefully
Your tattoo will grow with you. You need to choose a tat location that will look the same year to year. Your shoulder, upper arm, etc. probably won’t change much as you age. Weight gain or loss doesn’t affect your rear, upper shoulders, so it provides a safe location. The inside of your wrist will hurt to get a tat, but it will look the same as you age, and your skin changes. Have you ever seen a wrinkled inside wrist? I rest my case!
Size Matters in First-time Tattoos
Both subject matter and location determine tattoo size. Some tats need a large space because they do not scale well. Whether or not your topic matter fits that description, you’ll learn from the artist who does the work. You can request an online consultation with the artist, or you can meet with them in person.
A Tattoo Just for You
If you want to peruse books of the artist’s works, you’ll need to visit their studio. This lets you see the tats they created in the past, including their original designs. While you do not have to choose one of these items, you can, knowing that the artist already completed that work at least once.
You might want something unique though. Why wear someone else’s design for life? You’ll enjoy a tattoo more as time passes if it means something to you personally. You might choose a favorite drawing or painting to recreate. A small design works best for your first artwork. The artist can place it in a single sitting. You won’t experience much pain and you will see the full result immediately. It is best to work your way up to large designs that require you to make multiple trips of many hours to the tattoo artist.