Things To Know Before Getting Your First Tattoo

It’s pretty clear that the trend of getting a tattoo has exploded in Australia in recent years.

What was once considered to be a pretty rebellious act is not commonly practised by everyone from teenagers to pensioners.

In fact, almost 15% of all Australians are sporting some ink, and in 2012 the tattoo industry raked in a whopping $93 million! But if you want to join the tattooed masses of Australia, there are a few things you want to think about. Getting a tattoo might seem as simple as heading out for a drink and coming home with ink, but it’s really not.

Here’s what you should know..

Your Design

The design that you get permanently inked on your body, not surprisingly, might be something you want to put a bit of thought into. It’s easy to just look on google images, but in the end you don’t really want to end up with the same tattoo as so many other people. Custom work is a good option if you want something unique, and smaller designs tend to be better for first-timers to the world of tattoos. It might take some time to nail down exactly what you want your tattoo to be of, but do yourself a favour and don’t make any rash decisions. Sleep on the design, and think carefully before you ink.

Your Tattooist

Now that you’ve sorted out your design, it’s time to find the artist that’s going to make this happen. Your tattoo artist is going to be your well of wisdom for all of your tattoo related questions, so it should be someone with experience who you feel you can trust. Obviously, just because someone happens to be a tattoo artist, doesn’t mean they’ll be the right tattoo artist for you. Their individual style may not be suited to your design after all. Have a good look around your local area, and even further abroad, before settling on someone.

Your Budget

To the uninitiated, the price of tattoos is a mystery. As many tattoos are custom designs, there often isn’t a clear pricing plan and first-timers can be blown away by the cost. Remember what it is you’re paying for. For custom work the tattooist will need to translate what is probably a pretty vague idea into stunning art for you. They’ll then need to spend however long it will take in order to tattoo it on your body, plus the cost of materials and everything else. Cheap tattoos look cheap, so remember that when you’re setting your own tattoos budget, and be upfront about it to your tattoo artist.

Your Pain Threshold

You ability to tolerate the pain of getting tattooed will have a direct effect on the size of the design that you choose and where you’ll get it placed. Tattoos on the soft skin or areas close to bones like the underside of the arms, the ribs, inner thighs, back of knees and the feet can really hurt. The most popular places for a first tattoo are the upper arms, the calves, or on the upper back. Also, the bigger the tattoo you pick, the longer it’s going to take to finish it. A larger tattoo might even be more than one session of you putting up with mild to major discomfort. It’s worth thinking about.

Your Buddy

Getting a tattoo by yourself can be a little scary, especially if its for the first time, so it might help to bring along a friend. Your friend doesn’t need to get a tattoo alongside you, but it helps if they’ve been through the process before. Their ability to reassure you, as well as occupy you while you distract yourself from the pain, is really helpful. Just make sure you don’t pick someone who doesn’t agree with you getting tattooed. The last thing you need in the midst of your tattoo is someone judging you!

Your Recovery Plan

A tattoo is like an injury to the skin, and it can take time to heal. Prepare for this before you get your tattoo by researching everything you need to know about tattoo aftercare. It can be a complicated thing to wrap your brain around caring for a tattoo, but not doing the right thing can lead to more pain and even infection. Now that tattooing has become more popular, there are even tattoo-specific creams and aftercare products, but your tattoo artist will be able to give you all the information you need on caring for your new tattoo. Remember that very new tattoos will restrict you from swimming, getting in a tub, or spending a lot of time in the sun. Plan for it!

Your Maintenance Needs

A tattoo is a piece of art on your skin, and a certain amount of work will need to go into maintaining this art over time. Obviously, the most work will be in the stage straight after you get your tattoo, which we’ve already talked about. However, if you get a tattoo with colour you should be prepared to deal with the fading of your tattoo’s colours over time. Regular and constant sun exposure may cause your tattoo to fade over time. In general, darker inks are not affected by this, but those who have bright and bold colour tattoos will notice if they get a lot of sun. Remember, we’re talking long term around 5 or more years, so it isn’t an immediate concern. But it’s certainly something to think about, and budget for, as a future possibility.