Research, research, research is key here. Don’t just go with a random artist your friend recommended, make sure to research their work carefully and see if their style of work matches the kind of style you’re looking for.
You could find the best tattoo artist in the world, but if they do a certain style of tattoo that’s not what you’re looking for then they’re not going to be suitable. Some things to look out for when researching an artist:
- Experience – How many years have they been tattooing and do they have the correct licenses.
- Portfolio of Work – Do they have a decent and consistent gallery of work that’s inline with what you’re wanting. Also check for any use of filters or photo edits in case they are trying to mislead how good their work is.
- Tattoo Studio – Where does the artist work from, is they’re studio clean and hygienic and do they have the necessary supplies and equipment.
- Location – Where abouts is the tattoo artist based and how far will you need to travel. If you find the perfect artist then distance really shouldn’t matter anyway.
- Getting Booked In – How long it can take to get booked in could be a factor to bear in mind, obviously for the right artist we’d always recommend waiting years if necessary, but some artists might be so popular you may struggle to get in so be patient. On the other hand if an artist has availability within a week it maybe a sign of they’re quality of work if they’re not very popular.
- Design Work – Something to look out for when checking an artists portfolio is how unique / creative their designs are to see whether they will be able to work on a custom piece for you. If their portfolio is very generic without much personality and has, for instance, just portrait or pop art type tattoos that would just be copied from source photos then they maybe an artist that will struggle to design you a unique, custom piece. Obviously if you’re not looking for a custom design this wouldn’t be an issue, and in that case the quality of how well they copy an image might be a stronger factor for you.
- Reviews / Testimonials / Recommendations – Also worth trying to ask around any previous clients the tattoo artist might have worked on (online reviews could be handy too if genuine). See how well their tattoos came out from genuine people and try to ask how their experience was with the artist to get a better understanding.
- Speak With The Artist Direct – There are some tattoo studios who hide their artist from speaking with clients until the day, we would recommend avoiding these. Make sure to have an in person conversation with your artist beforehand so you can get more of a feel for them and how they work and also so the artist can see your body and how their tattoo would fit on you, this will give them a better chance of designing the perfect tattoo for you.
- How Well They Listen – You want your tattoo your way and it’s personal to you, so make sure any artist knows this too and doesn’t try and force their own opinion or ideas on you. They can give suggestions but ultimately it’s your skin and your choice. If you gave the artist a brief and they supplied a design then make sure they have read your brief accurately and done everything you asked. If they miss any finer details you asked for then maybe they’re not as committed to your idea as you need.
Finally, we’d just say to take your time and don’t rush in, even if you booked in with an artist and waited months or years for the appointment, if you have any doubts always step away. And make sure to always test your design or idea here first, ideally before even searching for an artist.
