I’m a tattoo artist and these are the questions you should ask before getting inked to avoid any disaster
DECIDING on a tattoo can be a daunting process, especially if it's your first time.
That's why Fabulous spoke to Iain Parry, a tattoo artist with more than 20 years of experience, to find out what questions you should ask to avoid a disaster.
What style are you after?
One of the first steps to getting a tattoo is knowing what style you’re after.
Picking the wrong style can leave you hating your tattoo, that's why it's important to be sure what style you want before booking in with a tattoo artist.
Iain says although the internet is full of tattoo designs, you’re best off starting your search looking through tattoo magazines.
Searching for ideas online can lead you down a rabbit hole, as you’ll see so many styles you won’t know what to pick.
Plus, the tattoo is less likely to be unique as most people searching for tattoos online have seen the same ones.
He added: “Looking through magazines gives you a realistic idea of what it will look like.
"A lot of the photos online can be messed around with or have added filters creating super vivid colours that are impossible to create.”
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Is the design realistic?
If you've had a go at designing your tattoo yourself, or you've got a friend to draw one for you, ask the tattooist if it will translate well.
As much as you may love the design, it may not look as good as you thought when inked into the skin, warns Iain.
He said: "I’ve had to say no when people have brought their own drawings in, and it looks like a five-year-old has drawn it.
"A good tattooist will always work with their client to make their design better.
"At the end of the day it's our name on the tattoo so if we think it can look better we'll tactfully make some changes our clients are also happy with."
Can the artist do the design?
Many tattoo artists specialise in design and style, so it's important you find one that has experience in the style you like.
The best way to find a tattoo artist is by looking on Instagram, which often lends itself as a portfolio of the artists work so you'll know if it will be a good match.
Iain recommends booking a consultation once you've found one you like the look of, so you can go over the design together thoroughly before getting inked and check out their previous work.
Iain said: "It's always worth travelling far out if you like their designs enough, it's with you for life so make sure you're happy with it."
Visiting the studio before booking your tattoo can be useful Iain explains, as it gives you the chance to get the boring questions out of the way.
He said tattoo artists should be 'open books' about any questions you may have when it comes to their work.
You want to ask about their hygiene procedure as well as what types of ink they used, he added; "artists should always have their local council registrations in the studio, if they aren’t in view you can ask to see them."
Can you handle the pain?
Most people have a placement in mind for their tattoo before going into a shop.
If you're getting a large tattoo and it's your first time, it's worth bearing in mind some places on the body are more painful then others, and everyone's pain tolerance is different.
A quick search on Google can bring up a tattoo pain chart, which will show you the most painful placements for a tattoo.
Iain suggests asking the artist for a dry run if you are unsure about your pain tolerance or if the placement is right for you.
He explained: "Some tattoo artist will offer a dry run with no ink, just water, to see what it feels like, if it helps you decide.
"Some artists may charge for it, but it gives you an idea of what it will feel like."
It's also worth asking what sort of clothes you should wear before getting to your appointment as this can make the job easier for your tattoo artist.
What can be done if it does go wrong?
First of all, if you're getting someone's name or a date inked you should always triple check with the tattoo artist that it's the right one.
But, that doesn't always mean errors don't happen.
He explained how one client gave him the wrong birth month she wanted tattooed.
Iain said: "She wanted a Winnie the Pooh tattoo with her granddaughter's birthday tattooed in the balloons.
"We went over the birth date over and over again, but she got the wrong month.
"After the tattoo was done she sent a picture to her daughter and left the shop.
"Five minutes later she came back to say she got the wrong month."
If you do realise an error has been made on your tattoo, don't fret, there are plenty of ways a tattoo artist can fix it.
Iain was able to alter the number to the correct one, but he said there are lots of ways to get around it.
He said: "You try and disguise it as well as you can, if the number can't be changed, you’d then do another balloon with the right number in."
If you're planning on getting matching tattoos with your partner Iain warns that you should make sure you are 110 per-cent up for doing it and not to get anything too big in case the worst happens.
For more tattoo advice, one tattoo artist reveals the four places you shouldn't get tattooed if you have a low pain tolerance.
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