Whether you’re getting your first tattoo or you’re an experienced tattoo collector, it is always a challenge to decide where to get your next tattoo. Sometimes you just want to get something done on a whim and leave it up to the artist, and other times you plan it all out and control it all like an art director. But either way, there are a few things to consider and some questions to ask yourself…
What Do You Want To Get?
Not all types of art make good tattoos. Tattooing has limitations and parameters that need to be considered. Some styles of art just do not translate well as tattoos on skin, so you really need to put some trust in your chosen studio or artist to guide you on this.
Some styles lend themselves better to certain areas of the body, such as highly detailed realism tattoos are better suited to larger areas such as the calf or forearm rather than the back of the hand or knees as an example. If you have your heart set on getting tattooed on a specific part of your body, be prepared to take direction from your artist as to what will be most suitable, and trust their interpretation of your ideas as to what will work best as a tattoo.
Script is another type of tattoo that benefits from “proper” placement. Some areas of the body lend themselves to script tattoos better, based on a readability. Getting a horizontal script tattoo that wraps around your arm will make it difficult to read and be viewed by others. This is again where if you trust your artist, you should take their advice on what their approach to the tattoo would be best.
Do You Want To Be Able to See It?
For some people, and cultures, getting tattooed is a deeply personal journey and not being visible is the aim. For some people, getting tattooed is a sign of strength, perhaps of overcoming hardship or a sign of celebration or achievement, and so getting tattooed in a highly visible area and showing them off is a sign of pride. For others, getting tattooed is a fashionable endeavour, and showing off their tattoos is just like showing off a new pair of shoes or outfit. Whatever the reason you want to get tattooed, considering the placement is a big decision. Keep in mind the industry you work in, or may be aiming to work in, as some workplaces still prohibit or prefer their staff not to have visible tattoos. This plays a lot in to why some studios have a strict “No Hands, No Faces” tattoo policy. You can read more about that here.
How Much Does It Hurt?
This is a very common question, however it should not affect where you decide to get your tattoo. Your tattoo will be forever, and the pain and healing is only temporary. Everyone experiences pain differently, and one persons perception of pain is different to another, so you must totally disregard images that depict a body and the “worst” places to get tattooed” as they are not accurate for everyone. Often you will hear horror stories of people passing out, or not being able to cope, and this is more often than not because people have not prepared for the tattoo experience. Passing out is usually due to the clients’ blood sugar dropping due to not eating, or the stress of anticipation of the tattoo. Some people decide the pain as just “annoying”, others describe it as a hot, scratchy feeling. In areas where the skin is closer to the bone, with less flesh in-between, you can feel some vibration. But it is mostly just a manageable pain which you can be distracted from by some deep breaths, good conversation, your favourite music or a good book (depending on how long your session is). And in almost all cases, after the end of the tattoo, people comment that it was not nearly as bad as they were expecting!
All of our artists are heavily tattooed, and know exactly what you are going through, so they will coach you through the process. If you need to take breaks, you can. And each step of the way we will explain and discuss the process with you. We have never had a client “tap out” and not be able to complete the tattoo. The first few minutes are the worse, once your natural endorphins kick in and you relax, its smooth sailing from there!
If you have a fear of needles, or hate vaccinations, just remember the process of getting tattooed is totally different. First off, a tattoo needle has a solid core, nothing is being injected into your skin. The ink soaked tattoo needle punctures the skin which creates a vacuum and the ink is “sucked” into the skin. Furthermore, the needle does not penetrate the skin much at all, only 1mm-2mm into the dermis layer. Not at all like an injection which goes deep into the muscle tissue.
At the end of the day, if you are still not sure where to get your tattoo, just book a consult with one of our tattoo artists Sydney to have a chat about it. Your friends will give you their personal opinions, but an artist can give you a professional opinion based on years of experience and 100’s of real clients. There is no charge for consults at Authentink Tattoo Studio, so you’ve got nothing to lose!