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Tattoo Essentials: What You Need To Know |
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
WHEN YOU’VE DECIDED WHAT YOU WANT
When you go into a studio after you have done some research and gained a little knowledge, you should:
Examine every artist's portfolio carefully; scrutinize the overall aesthetic of the tattoos within. If the tattoos read
well at a glance, better than what you've seen elsewhere, then start studying the finer aspects of the tattoos themselves.
Look for nice, clean, steady line-work. Make sure that all the lines are the same width and connect to each other.
Look for overlapping lines where they join to one another. Confirm that they are straight and consistent, not wiggly
or scribbly.
After this, check the black shading and coloring in the tattoo. Examine to see that the colors are well saturated in
the photos, making sure there are no holes or "holidays" in the colored sections.
Look for excessive bleeding or scabbing in the photos. These are all telltale signs of inexperience and inferiority of
execution.
In every issue of this magazine, we provide you with access to some of the best artists in the field of tattooing. Look
at their sites, study the artists' work, and compare the quality of this work to what you have available locally. If they
don't measure up to these standards, keep looking!
EXPECT A COMFORTABLE, PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE
When choosing a shop/artist, you should be made to feel 100% comfortable by everyone there, especially the practitioner
who will be doing your work. There should be privacy available if you desire it. The shop should be clean and
upkept. The staff should appear and behave professionally and be helpful and receptive to your questions. There
should be absolutely no evidence of alcohol or drug use in the studio, by staff or customers. If the shop seems grimy
and unprofessional or the employees are crude and impatient with your questions, then that’s probably a direct
indication of their overall attitudes and integrity and you should look elsewhere. These are things that have held
tattooing back from achieving the social and artistic acceptance it rightly deserves. There are an abundance of professionals
who consistently strive for excellence. The rest will fall by the wayside eventually as long as you demand
more from them and refuse the hacks your business. Above all else, don’t believe what people tell you; believe what
they show you by their actions or inactions.
Part 1 (Tattoo 101: Essentials, I Can't Wash It Off Ma, Don't Settle)
Part 2 (How Do You Know Who's The Best?)
Part 3 (When You've Decided, Expect A Comfortable Atmosphere)
Part 4 (Keepin' It Sterile)
Each part of Tattoo Essentials will be released once a week. Check back soon for the next part to be posted!
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