Once the decision has been made to get a tattoo, to design your own tattoo should be thoroughly planned and researched. Many people are looking for something unique and original, not something that can be picked out of a book at a tattoo shop. This tattoo should be unique to the individual, and represent either a story or important part of their life.
The first step is to decide what the tattoo will symbolize. Is it to honor someone or an event, have cultural meaning, or something just for fun? Once this initial step has been thought about, what images come to mind? Will there be words or initials in it, and if so, what kind of lettering will be used? What types of colors will be used? There are many options to consider, and all of these should be decided before walking into a shop. It is not necessary to be an artist, just have ideas that an artist can draw up from using ideas that have been written down.
Even though the design should be unique, there is no reason why flash art cannot be used just to get ideas. Look for symbols, tribal designs, or anything else that comes to mind. There are many sites on the internet that have pages and pages of tattoo ideas that can be used as a starting point. Print these out and combine them to fit the vision of the tattoo.Once a general idea of what it is going to look like is accomplished, the next step is to find a tattoo artist. This step is just as important as the design, and just as much research should be put into this. Remember, this tattoo will be on the body forever, and it should be done well. The best way to find a good artist is to talk to people that have had work done, look at their tattoos and determine if theirs are quality work. The worst thing to do is to just walk into a tattoo parlor without any prior research.
If locating a good artist through referral is difficult, stop into a tattoo shop and look at the artist's portfolio of work. If it is impressive, then set up an appointment with the artist to talk about the tattoo. If walking into a place is awkward, many artists now have all of their work up on the internet to view.
Once the artist is found, talk about the ideas of what the tattoo should look like. They usually will draw up the design and have the person come back in a couple of days to see the final draft. Make sure it is completely what is wanted, as they can make adjustments to it.
The tattoo may look good on paper, but make the artist put it on temporary tattoo paper and put it on the place the real tattoo will be at. Make sure it looks exactly how it was envisioned before getting this inked on the body. When the temporary tattoo is on the body, the artist can even use a washable marker to make any additions to it.
The last step is to get the tattoo! Many artists charge an hourly rate, and depending on how intricate the tattoo is, the price will range. The average price is usually around $100 per hour but can vary by state and region. Is is not a good idea to bargain hunt for a cheap tattoo. A good tattoo artist will be more expensive, but they produce quality work. As many would say, one gets what they pay for, so being cheap about a tattoo may cause regrets later.
To design your own tattoo is the best way to get one because it is personal. Many people walk into a shop and pick something off the wall to get tattooed and regret that decision years later. Unless you are willing to get laser removal, which can be very expensive and take years, this will be on the body for the rest of your life. Spending some extra time on this will make sure the result will be what is wanted and create a lifetime of happiness with the decision. ( By Sergio Sage )