• Why Get a Tattoo

The main reason to get a tattoo is because you have thought about it and really want one! I can’t emphasize the ‘thought about it’ part enough!

Reasons NOT to get a tattoo are because your friends are egging you on or daring you, or because you think it will make you cool or make you more desirable to the opposite sex or because you think it will make you more

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• Tattoos are permanent, so you should think about it and not just get something on a whim that you might regret later.

When I have clients that want a tattoo, but don’t know what to get, I tell them to think about their lives—what’s important to them—their interests—

their passions. I tell them to notice what catches their attention in their daily lives. If you see a pattern or picture that grabs you somehow, remember it, take a picture, think about what makes it attractive to you.

Sometimes you might want to reflect a hobby or sport you like, sometimes it’s just an interest you have in another culture, or in a time period in history. Your choice of tattoo should be a reflection of you! I have chosen to put some designs on me that came from antiques I inherited from my grandparents. When I see these designs, it reminds me of them.

• Hopefully when you choose a tattoo, you will have some kind of story about how it has affected you personally, too.

I also DO NOT recommend putting names of a ‘significant other’ on you  unless that person is dead (a memorial) or is your child, parent, sibling or some other relation that cannot change. Personally, I think it is bad ju-ju to put your spouse’s name or initials on you—kind of like asking for trouble and increasing the likelihood of a cover-up in your future. )  If you want to honor your spouse or significant other, consider using a symbol for that person or a symbol of a meaningful event for you two, so if for some reason you end up splitting up, the tattoo could be a reminder of better times for you and not need a cover-up.

• So pay attention to your dreams, interests, passions and then “Think Ink”!

• So you’ve decided to get a tattoo—What next?

First of all you need to find a reputable tattoo artist. How do you find one? You can ask friends for recommendations, you can check the phone book, surf the internet, or ask a stranger that has a tattoo that you admire where they got it…

• You want to make sure that they are a licensed tattoo artist, because that means that they are following health regulations and are monitored by their local or state government (just like restaurants).

You don’t want to get a tattoo from a place that doesn’t believe in cleanliness and using proper sterile techniques for obvious reasons! In Montana, we have to have an inspection of our premises in addition to following regulations regarding sterilization, bloodborne pathogens, first aid, and basic sanitation and take written tests on all of the above. Your prospective tattoo artist ought to have a copy of their local regulations and be able to talk to you about all of these precautions and why they are necessary.

Whether you are finding an artist without having a personal recommendation or have had someone tell you about them, go in and talk with the artist. See how you feel about them. Do you feel comfortable in their shop? Do you feel comfortable with them? Ask questions. Ask to see examples of their work. Don’t feel rushed into making a decision.

• Remember– you are asking this person to permanently put an image on you! Do you trust them?

• So what comes next? You’ve found a shop/artist and you have an idea of what you want… What next? What is involved in the tattoo process?

First of all you want to talk to your artist and explain what you want. You can look through their ‘flash’ (pictures that are already ready to tattoo) and/or ask them to design something custom for you. Many times custom tattoos begin with flash designs that are then modified to fit a client’s need.

• Where do you want to put this design on your body and how big should it be?

The next two things to think about are size and location on your body. When thinking about size, you want to make sure that it is in proportion to where you are putting it on your body. When thinking about size, also think about duration of pain. The bigger the tattoo, the longer it will take, which increases the duration of the pain.

• Yes, tattoos hurt, but how much depends on the location and on the individual getting it (what their pain tolerance is).

The design also makes a big difference. Generally, ribs, under the upper arm, inside of the wrist and feet are some of the more painful areas. Anywhere where your skin is thinner and you have less body fat between your skin and the bone underneath will give you a run for your money! The more detail and color, the more times going over the same area, thus a little more pain. Except for the novice tattooee, I wouldn’t let the worry of pain influence my decision. You should go for what you want—tattoos have to be earned and if you decide to scale down due to pain worry, you’ll probably regret it in the long run!

• Options to combat the pain of a large tattoo are to just do the outline first.

You may have to go with this anyway, due to how large the tattoo is and how long the outline takes. When you get a tattoo, the first few minutes are usually the worst—after that, your endorphins (stress hormones) kick in and help minimalize the pain for several hours. If your tattoo goes longer than that, the endorphins start to wear off and you feel the pain a little stronger again. So when you get a large tattoo, you can do the outline, wait 3-4 weeks for that to heal, then come back and color as much as you want at a time. That way you can control the duration to never last past the time your endorphins wear off!

• Hope this helps in your decisions on getting that new tattoo!