Finding a tattoo artist: Doing your due diligence

There are a few obvious green flags when deciding on your artists, but other things to consider may not be as obvious if you haven't been tattooed in awhile.

Fifteen years ago, it was more common to walk into a shop and get tattooed by whoever was available. While some shops still do walk ins, it's important to do your research before working with an artist because we aren't one size fits all. Finding the right fit for you can take time, communication and searching around, but it's worth it for something that's going to be permanent.

Things to look for when choosing an artist:

Professionalism:

One of the most important things to look for is professionalism. When I say that, I just mean you want to go to a professional, licensed shop that practices proper hygiene and sterilization. Most shops do these days. Generally speaking, anyone who is tattooing out of their home is someone I would not trust.

What style are you looking for?

A lot of artists have some sort of specialization. These styles can include illustrative, neo-traditional, traditional, realism, new school etc. Deciding what style you're looking for will help narrow down your research. If you are looking for realism, an artist who specializes in traditional is probably not going to be the best fit for you and vice verse. If you're looking for something small and simple, usually most artists will be able to accommodate you. For something more complex, I recommend finding an artist specific to what you're looking for.

Consider how long you are willing to wait and your budget:

Every artist is going to work differently. Some shops have a set rate for all of their artists to charge, and other shops leave it up to each artist to decide what to charge. A lot of artists are also going to have some sort of wait, even if it's a short one. Different times of the year are also going to be busier than others, which will determine how long you will need to wait. During the spring months, we are usually busier because people are getting tax returns and have more to spend. We are slower during the fall and holiday seasons. One you find an artist with a style that you have decided on, the next step would be communicating with them about these details and deciding what works for you.

What are some things you look for when deciding which tattoo artist is the right fit for you?