Getting your first ever tattoo is a memorable experience. It can be quite nerve-racking too. However, you can make the whole process more positive if you know what to expect and what to do. You might have browsed various portals like https://mytattookit.com/ for tattoo ideas, but we can still run through the basics together with you.
Simple Guide for the First Tattoo
There are not many things you have to take care of in advance, but there are still some. This list can remind you of everything you have to do before the tattoo artist begins their work. Take some time and learn these tips beforehand.
Design and the art
There are millions of ideas for tattoos and various ways to receive inspiration for your first tattoo. If you can’t choose and feel lost, it is better to consult with the artist who will make the tattoo for you. Perhaps, you will find something extraordinary in the portfolio of your artist. There is only one rule – you can’t rush with the choice. If you think you like the picture, put it aside and come back to it the next day. You can change your mind. The sources of inspiration are:
- Big tattoo portals and websites with images like Pinterest. At least, you can find your theme or even the color palette there;
- Social networks and profiles of your favorite movie stars or influencers. You don’t have to be a copycat, but you can have similar tattoos;
- The portfolio that your artist already has. Keep in mind that every professional tattoo master is an artist. They already have something to offer, something they can easily draw;
- Movies, games, and favorite anime. Get inspired by Totoro or League of Legends. You don’t need to draw any faces of your favorite movie characters since not every Jon Snow will look pretty if you gain some weight and the skin will slightly stretch. It can be a symbol of the house, for example, or the cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service;
- Think about your culture or the one you like. Ancient Greece, Egypt, Aztecs, and Native Americans all have their unique languages and signs. Every modern culture has widely recognizable signs that can be fresh tattoo ideas for you. However, if you want to write something in a foreign language, honoring your favorite wuxia-styled book or movie, make sure you are well aware of the words. Don’t trust tattoo artists on their meaning. For example, a single character in the Chinese language can turn the meaning unrecognizably.
Safety and hygiene
This part can be also named the “reliability of your tattoo artist.” You have to find an artist who is attentive to details and always takes care of the tools for making tattoos. Since a tattoo is made by injecting the ink under your skin, there are lots of things that can go wrong without the appropriate attitude. This is why you can’t trust your friend who claims that they can make a free tattoo for you while the two of you are sipping beer. This does not work at all. You have to go to a professional tattoo shop.
Here are a few rules:
- The artist must wear gloves;
- All the needles and tubes must be sealed, not opened, before your arrival;
- The tattoo station must be disinfected and clean;
- The can of Vaseline to keep the skin moisturized must be clean too.
Before you start, your artist has to use a cleaner on your skin at a surgical level. It is an important step since you can still have an infection on it. Before you come to the artist, make sure you don’t have wounds on the place you want to get a tattoo.
Pain
Let’s talk about pain. While many people are terrified of the pain that tattoo artists can do with the needle, it’s not that bad. The pain is there, but it is tolerable. Still, each person has their pain tolerance threshold, and if you know that you can’t deal with it, try to pick the least painful place on your skin or check out small tattoos in one color.
Some people compare the pain with cat scratches or bee stinging. Yet, it is an individual experience. However, you still have to accept the fact that nothing will make the pain go away. The level of pain can be decreased by the properly picked part of the body, the skills of the artist, and your attitude.
If it is your first time and you have no idea whether you can tolerate the pain or not, you can start by testing your body. Some parts endure the pain better. The fleshier the part, the less pain you will feel. The perfect locations for your first tattoos are:
- Calves;
- Thighs;
- Forearms;
- Arms.
The most painful part is the torso since the skin there is soft. Knees and elbows are somewhere in-between. You can start with the common parts of the body. Pay attention to the fact that even once the tattoo is done, you will feel slight pain. It might feel like a bruise or sunburn.
Basic preparations
Don’t drink alcohol before you go to a tattoo shop. It will not lessen the pain. Moreover, artists will not accept you in this state. You can’t drink alcohol even the night before the session. Instead, you can start with eating healthy food and drinking enough water. You have to eat the normal breakfast before your morning appointment with the artist. No professional will start the process if you are hungry or dehydrated.
Memorable First Tattoo
Hopefully, this article will help you to understand what you need to do before you visit a tattoo store. Keep all these tips in mind while calling for an appointment. Once you find your perfect artist and choose the tattoo and the place for it, you can enjoy the whole process.
Do you have tattoos? What are they? Do you know their meaning? Share your memories about the first tattoo-making in the comments below.
