What to Look for in a Quality Tattoo Artist

Getting a tattoo isn’t a small deal. They’re meaningful, mostly permanent, and expensive. Essentially, they are a luxury that should be handled with care if you’re going to get one. But before you walk into the first tattoo parlor you come across and get a heart with your partner’s name scribbled through it, stop and do some research about what you should look for in a quality tattoo artist.

Personality

First and foremost, you should look for a tattoo artist that you feel comfortable with and trust. This means finding an artist that you can talk to and hold a conversation with, who can answer your questions and is willing to work with you. If you’re not comfortable with your tattoo artist, it’s going to make for a worse time while you’re getting inked, so finding something that you mesh well with, or can at least get along with for a period of time, will make it a better experience.

A Clean Shop

Hygiene is extremely important when it comes to tattooing, which is why choosing an artist with a clean shop is so important. The shop itself should appear clean, as well as the artist himself and the equipment they’re using. Failing to use proper equipment can lead to disease or illness, but that shouldn’t be a problem with a high-quality artist, as they will follow all the industry practices and ensure that you are taken care of both before and after your inking, giving you the vital information you need to properly take care of your tattoo once you leave the parlor.

A Solid Portfolio

Before you let somebody draw a permanent tattoo on your body, it’s a good rule of thumb to take a peek at the previous work they’ve done. Check out an artist’s portfolio of work to see if the quality of their work is up to your standards or whether you should go someplace else. Be sure to look for proper line work, shading, raised pumps, and so on. You may not be sure what to look for, and only that you like the art itself, but you can learn everything you need to know by checking online. It’s also a good idea to check online reviews and word-of-mouth appraisals for specific artists to see if they are respected professionally, like Certified Tattoo Studios, or if they are essentially just some people that decided it would be fun to try tattooing.

High-Quality Ink

If you plan on getting a tattoo in the near future, be sure to keep an eye out for each of these features, as they are the call signs of a top-notch artist that knows what they’re doing.