Tattoo Sizes

You've decided you are going to get a tattoo. Understanding the size of the tattoo is key to getting the tattoo you want.  Using words like small, medium, large are very vague because not all people see those as the same size measurements as you might see them. Using the term "palm sized" is also very vague. While your palm may be 4 inches, another person's could be 6 inches. You need to consider your tattoo in inches. This is how most shops base part of the pricing around. Knowing the size can also impact your tattoo in other ways. 

Sizing of your tattoo can impact the design. Smaller tattoos are harder to put a lot of detail into and have that detail stay crisp and clean as your skin ages. Smaller tattoos with lots of details can end up over time looking muddy. The larger you go in terms of size, the more detail you will be able to put into the tattoo. 

Size of the tattoo also impacts price. Smaller tattoos are going to be shorter appointments, compared to a larger design that might take multiple sessions. Most shops have a minimum price point and that even if your tattoo won't take that long you will still be paying that minimum. If you want to stay in a price point, understand that the size of you tattoo will impact that.

The size of your tattoo can also affect placement. Smaller tattoos can be placed most anywhere you want them to be. They can be easily hidden or placed somewhere fully visible. Larger tattoos are obviously going to be taking up more space and that might be something you want to consider if you want it to be seen or hidden away. 

The most important thing when it comes to getting a tattoo is finding an artist that you can trust. Trust them to guide you on sizing your tattoo.  Talk to you artist and listen if they tell you the design might not work with the size you have in mind. They want you to get the best tattoo possible and that might mean going a little larger or simplifying if you want to keep it small. Once you have figured it all out then you can be sure you are getting a tattoo you will love.

White Ink Tattoos

 White ink tattoos have started to become more popular in the last little while. The are seen as subtle and delicate. One of the reasons people want them is because they are easy to hide and are seen as a little bit more unique due to them being more uncommon than a traditional color or black and grey tattoo. While white ink tattoos seem a popular choice there are some things that you need to consider with getting a white ink tattoo.

The first thing to consider with white ink is that this color is mainly used to bring dimension and highlight other colors. It has a great opacity, which helps it easily blend with other colors. But on its own a full tattoo of white ink is hard to achieve. Some tattoo artists might add a bit of other colors to give the ink more pigmentation. This could mean that your tattoo won't be fully white. And even if it is fully white ink it might not look that way on your skin based on your skin tone and the way that your body heals. 

Which leads to the next point is that fully white tattoos don't last as long as other colors of ink. White ink tattoos fade quickly. They can fade to your natural skin tone or turn into a light grey or yellow (depending on the brand of white ink, so make sure your artist is experienced in this). After time your tattoo might end up just looking like a scar. Now if this is a look that you are wanting to achieve then white ink is the way to go. But if you are expecting a bright white tattoo for years to come you will end up disappointed. It is very difficult to re-establish white ink during a touch up and you may not be able to keep your tattoo looking as it did when it was first done. 

Keep in mind that most pictures that you will see online of white ink tattoos are usually brand new tattoos that were photographed the day they were done and that could be very misleading in what your expectations are down the road. If you do choose to continue and get a white ink tattoo consider a few key points. First the tone of your skin, depending on how light or dark your skin tone is, it is going to affect how much white will show. Next is size, if you go too small it can look muddy and more like a defect than a tattoo. Clean, clear lines are the best option so that the design that you pick is visible. And finally taking care of your tattoo long term. White ink tattoos are more fragile in comparison to more traditional tattoos. You will want to practice good care to ensure that your tattoo will last as long as possible. 

After considering all the points, it an all white tattoo something you would consider?

Tattoos and Scars

 

If you have scars and are wanting to cover them up with a tattoo there are a few things that you should know. You will want to think about the type of scar you have, and how old that scar is. What kind of tattoo design are you looking for? Do you want to try to hide the scar completely or do you want to highlight the scar and make it part of the design? And you also need to do some research to find a good tattoo artist who can cover a scar. 

The first thing to consider is the type of scar that you have. How old is your scar that you want to get tattooed? Over time collagen breaks down at the site of your original wound and the blood supply is reduced. With passing time the scar can become softer, smoother, and more pale. Older scars are easier to tattoo over than newer scars and most places won't tattoo you if the scar is 6 months or less old. You should generally wait a year before attempting to tattoo over scar tissue. The longer you give the scar to settle and heal the better chance you have of creating a tattoo over it. Other things to consider is how deep is the tissue damage, and  is there toughened scar tissue? 

This leads to the next point and that is to manage your expectations. Scar tissue tattoos differently than normal skill and can effect some design choices in what can be done to cover a scar. Scars harden your skin and make the surface irregular. Scarred skin is also less able to absorb ink compared to normal skin. The ink can also settle irregularly into your scar tissue. This can potentially lead to blurring and distortion. Some scar tissue might not take on any ink at all leading to areas of fading and patchiness. Tattooing over scarred tissue may need more sessions or darker colors. 

This can be alleviated by finding a tattoo artist that has experience with tattooing over scars. You should do your research and find an artist with a style that you like and also one with the experience to give you the best tattoo possible. It is not impossible to cover a scar, you just need to have the patience and trust in your artist to be able to design the best tattoo possible and give the outcome you are wanting. 

Dangers of At Home Tattoos

 

Lately there has been a surge of people buying kits to tattoo at home to try their hand at tattooing. With cheap tattoo supplies being sold online and self-taught tattooers offering how-tos and tips it's not surprise that people get the idea that they can tattoo at home with no major issues. This is all around a bad idea for multiple reasons. 

For starters tattooers doing this out of their homes are unlicensed and it is illegal for an unlicensed ( or permitted) person to tattoo. Even if this person gets licensed/ permitted but doesn't license their home that is also illegal to tattoo in an unlicensed location. This can lead to all types of potential legal headaches if you decide to either tattoo out of your home or allow yourself to be tattooed by someone who bought a kit online and claims to be a tattoo artist. It's best to avoid that all together and head to a professional shop for a tattoo.

Which leads to the next point is the difference of at home and in a professional setting is the studio itself. The tattoo studio takes on all of the safety and sanitary precautions in order to provide a clean environment for the best tattoo. For example, all the surfaces in the shop are covered to ensure that they’re nonporous to avoid infection transmission, and all equipment is sterilized and re-sterilized. Basically, every single decision is made in order to prevent the contamination of anything in a given workspace. In a home setting there can be all sorts of contaminating habits occurring that can lead to an unsafe and unsanitary space. You don't know if they have kids, or pets, or if the space has been cleaned properly to ensure your safety. The risks which include blood borne pathogens, infections and allergic reactions are much higher and more likely with an at home tattooer than a professional in a studio who has been trained and licensed to protect you and themselves while tattooing. 

The last point to consider is that most at home tattooers are not trained by a professional. It takes a lot more than watching a few YouTube videos and reading an article to be able to produce a high quality tattoo. An unskilled and untrained at home tattooer giving you a tattoo could lead to a bad tattoo that will need to be fixed or removed by a professional. 

Overall the risks associated with going to an at home tattooer far outweighs any so called benefits that you may have heard. Make sure to do your research and pick an artist who is licensed or holds a permit, trained and works in a clean and safe studio to give you a tattoo or you might regret it in more ways than one.