Choosing a Tattoo Artist

You’ve spent weeks – maybe even months or years –  narrowing down your design. Now comes the tough part: selecting the artist responsible for bringing your vision to life.

Need tips on how to choose the person who will be responsible for your ink? Read on for our four top tips:

Know What You Want

No tattoo artists are created equal; each one specializes in different areas and displays an aptitude for certain styles.

If you want a portrait of a loved one, for example, carefully choose an artist that specializes in portraiture and/or realism. They’ll be able to beautifully recreate images as they appear in real life.

Get Recommendations

You ask for recommendations when it comes to choosing a decent place for dinner, so why wouldn’t you ask for suggestions when it comes to choosing a tattoo artist?

You can always flip through a portfolio or even check out an artist’s work through their website, but nothing – we repeat: nothing – beats seeing their work in the flesh.

If you spot someone with ink you admire, ask them where they got it done. Chances are, they’ll be happy to tell you.

Choose Someone You Like

Here at Ink Well, we know how important it is for our clients to “click” with their artist. It’s why we put such time and effort into assembling a professional, trained team made up of different personalities and skills.

If you’re getting a tattoo done (especially a large one that will take hours to do) make sure you take the time to meet with the artist in person. It’s important that you not only admire their work, but respect and like them as a person, as well. (And vice versa, for that matter!).

Good communication is important, so don’t be afraid to ask them about their preferred style of tattooing and why, where they did their apprenticeship, how long they’ve been in the business, and what their ideas might be for your tattoo.

It’s not necessarily about becoming best friends, but about establishing a working relationship you’ll be comfortable with for the duration of your session (and any future inking sessions you may very well have!).

Make Sure the Artist Has Safety in Mind

While getting a tat you love is important, your well-being is just as (if not more) significant.

Here at Ink Well, we take pride in executing all tattoos in a sterile and professional manner using disposable materials and hospital-grade sterilization techniques with an autoclave machine.

But not all shops are this safety-focused. If the place you’ve chosen isn’t, head for the door. And then come see us!

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