5 Important Steps to Take When Planning Your Tattoo

Getting a tattoo is an exciting experience, whether it’s your first or your twentieth. But each time you get a tattoo, you have to do some pretty important planning. Getting a tattoo is more involved than showing up to a tattoo and piercing shop and saying “I want a tattoo”. So let’s look at a few important steps you should follow when planning your tattoo.

Choose your reference materials: First things first, you should already have a good idea of what you want to get. Whether it’s something small and simple or a full sleeve, you need to have a basic idea of the tattoo you want. After that idea is in your mind, you need to find reference materials. These are images or fonts that you can show to the artist to let them know what you’re looking to get.

Decide on placement and size: After you figure out what you’re looking to get, it’s time to decide where you want to get it on your body. Depending on the size, your placement options can change. But make sure it’s somewhere you’re comfortable having it and be mindful of how painful certain areas will be to get tattooed.

Don’t rush it: Even if you know what you want to get done, it’s important to take your time. There’s no need to rush so you don’t need to book an appointment the second you come up with an idea. Unless you want to go through the tattoo removal steps, you should wait until you’re absolutely sure of the tattoo designs.

Find the right artist: Once you’re ready to get inked, it’s time to start looking at tattoo and piercing shops. You need to find a tattoo artist who can do the style you’re interested in. Meet the artist, learn more about their style and process, and make sure you feel comfortable with them. And always make sure the tattoo and piercing shop is clean and welcoming.

Make final decisions: Your appointment is booked and now is the time to make any final decisions. You should listen to the artist’s suggestions about design, size, and placement, but ultimately, it’s your tattoo. So make sure you’re happy with the final design.

With there being about 21,000 tattoo parlors in the U.S., you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. So follow these steps, take your time, and you’ll have a tattoo you can proudly show off in no time.