Getting your first tattoo is accompanied by many different emotions. On one level, it’s both exciting and poignant; a tattoo is a way of expressing yourself, and it’s always an exciting experience. On the other hand, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed by it, worrying about how much it’ll hurt or whether or not you’ve made the right choice, and being anxious about the permanence of it all.
You’ll make the right choice in the end, but to get you off to a good head start, here are ten factors to consider for choosing your first tattoo!
1. Consider the Meaning
The first thing to do when you’re considering your first tattoo is to think carefully about the meaning behind it. Not only will this make your tattoo unique to you, but it’ll make it easier to settle on a design.
Coming up with a meaning leads to choosing a theme, and from there, you sit down with your tattoo artist and come up with something special.
2. Choosing Your Tattoo Artist
Naturally, a critical element of this whole process is choosing the right tattoo artist to do the job. There are many different types of artists out there, each with their areas of expertise.
It’s important to review an artist’s catalogue of work before choosing to get a feel for what they’re capable of and what they’re best at, and whoever you choose, you’ll want a few different concepts drafted.
3. Placement on the Body
A major consideration is where you’d like the tattoo placed on your body, and this will depend both on how visible you want the piece and what sort of design you’ve chosen.
Your pain tolerance is another thing to think about on this point. Most people consider tattoos to be less painful than they imagined, but areas like the ribs, ankles, and wrist (really, anywhere that the skin is thin) are going to cause more pain.
4. Size
The size of the tattoo is important for many different reasons. It matters most in terms of visibility, but also for the amount of detail required in the design and the price.
Larger, more detailed designs are going to cost you more money, and they’ll also take longer to complete. This might mean you have to attend several sessions.
5. Budget
In the same vein as the last point, your overall budget is a big determining factor for the design you’ll go for. The most complex of tattoos can cost hundreds of dollars – sometimes even thousands, depending on what you’re going for and the reputation of the artist.
Think carefully about how much you can reasonably afford, and factor this into your plan.
6. Safety
It goes without saying that any tattoo artist you choose should perform the procedure safely and hygienically, and they’ll have been trained to do so, providing you pick wisely.
But you’re also responsible. You’ll need to make sure you keep the area clean at all times and carefully follow the instructions given to you by your artist. If there’s any sign of poor healing and infection, head straight back (and also to your doctor if it’s severe, but this is rare).
7. Maintenance
It’s also key to understand the fact that your tattoo will change over time. Depending on where you have yours on your body, it’ll be exposed to environmental stressors and sunlight, which can start to dull the piece. Skin aging will also accelerate the effect.
You should always wear sunscreen to prevent UV damage, and if you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to discuss which moisturizers would be best with a qualified dermatologist (the same goes if you have any specific skin conditions).
8. Skin Tone and Texture
Even once you’ve settled on a theme and design you like, it’s essential to take into account your skin tone and texture. A design can look wildly different on one skin type than on the next, and how the pigments show up and develop is dependent on your own genetic makeup.
This is something you’ll want to discuss in detail with your artist: they’ll have experience working with all skin types, so will be able to guide you towards the right decision.
9. Are You Truly Ready?
Wanting a tattoo and being ready for one can sometimes be two entirely different things.
It may be that you go through weeks of designing your ideal piece, only to find that when it comes to starting it for real, you’re not quite there yet; that’s totally ok – it’s important to go at your own pace. This is your body, after all, and you should never feel pressured to do something you’re not ready for.
Sometimes, it can take months after the final design has been completed to fully commit to the process, so be sure to give yourself the space you need.
10. Consider Your Future Self
One thing many people worry about when getting a tattoo is that years down the road, they’ll come to dislike it and will want to have it removed.
This is certainly a possibility, but while you can’t gaze into the future to check how you’ll feel, you can help ensure you’ll grow to love your tattoo over time by thinking long and hard about the sentimentality of the piece. Delving deep to find meaning, as discussed in the first point, is the best way to make it timeless.
You should also take care to think about future job prospects. Unfortunately, many employers think negatively about certain tattoos, and while this shouldn’t be the case, it’s certainly something to bear in mind.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you’re now a little clearer on what’s involved with getting your first tattoo. You’ll likely rebound between periods of excitement and worry, and that’s normal – just take your time, talk to friends and family about it, build a strong relationship with your tattoo artist, and you’ll get there.
This is a marathon, not a sprint, so enjoy the process!
