How To Choose A Tattoo

Too often someone arrives to get a tattoo and asked the artist what they would recommend. A good tattoo shop will send you on your way and tell you to do some research and some thinking about what type of tattoo you want because a tattoo is a very personal piece of art that you are going to have to live with for the rest of your life. So how do you choose a tattoo?

You might want to spend some time looking through some of the tattoo magazines that are available. They give some excellent examples of the various kinds of tattoos available. You should also spend some time at the tattoo shop going through the hundreds of designs they have to offer. You can even have a custom design done just for you.

What you decide to have done for a tattoo is entirely yours. It doesn’t matter what others think. But you also need to remember that if you are trying to project a certain image the type of tattoo you choose may or may not reflect that image. Your tattoo will leave a lasting impression on others.

So if you are a lawyer and you decide to get a serial killer tattoo it might not bode well with your image. Or if you are a teacher and you get a sexually explicit tattoo it may damage your reputation. Think before you ink because what ever you choose you get to live with for the rest of your life.

There are 8 main styles of tattoos. Each has pros and cons which we’ll outline when we discuss the 8 styles. These pros and cons are based on artist and customer feedback. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with them but it will give you some ideas.

Tribal tattoos can look great if they are done well. They are generally big and bold. They can be seen from a distance and have terrific visual impact on a nicely toned solid body. But done poorly they are horrible so make sure you know the skill level of your artist. Tribal is not Celtic. Most tribal tattoos consist of black swirls which over time can become boring.

Tribal arm bands are popular but done to death. If you don’t want to look like everyone else who suddenly decided to get a tattoo and thought they were being creative with an arm band, then stay away from these.

Celtic designs are increasingly popular. They consist of skin colored knots set on a black background and may include some color. If you’ve got Celtic ancestry you’ll recognize the meaning of various knots and they tattoo will be much more personal. You can find all kinds of Celtic designs and even people with not Celtic ancestry find these designs intriguing and interesting.

Japanese tattoos are always popular because the designs are colorful, large, and bold. The shapes include samurai warriors, Koi, dragons, snakes, flower, tigers, masks, geisha girls, and symbols to name just a few. The background usually consists of flames, water, sunsets, bamboo, or black swirls. You can easily find a design and color scheme that’s attractive and almost all Japanese tattoos are interesting and intricately detailed. No boredom here!

New Age has a strong American influence large tattoos that are boldly colored. It includes traditional American images like hot rods, flames, cherries, apples, dice, and any other nostalgic item from the 1950s. Not everyone can pull it off but it definitely is an eye catcher!

Traditional tattoos have regained their popularity. There are many traditional designs to choose from. They never go out of date and they never get old. They do however nicely reflect the history of tattoos.

Monochrome tattoos are also becoming more popular. They take less time to do and are very effective with the right design. They are also less likely to fade from sun exposure.

Polynesian tattoos are intricate abstract designs done in black. Many of these designs have meanings and some are considered ceremonial. These are amazing works of art but you need to realize if you visit one of these countries and don’t know what your tattoo means you might not get the warm welcome you were expecting.

Lettering has been around for ever. It may be a favorite slogan, word, phrase or a name. Choosing a partners name is never a really good idea. No matter how certain of forever you just never know and what the future holds.

Now for the pain factor. When it comes to get a tattoo some areas are more painful then others. Although this does vary depending on the individual, generally the most painful areas on men are the spine, chest and abdomen, and on women it’s the ribcage, spine, and ankle.

The least painful areas on men are the back, arm, and buttock. On women the least painful are the shoulder, buttocks, thigh, and abdomen. So if you aren’t interested in a lot of extra pain we recommend you use this guide.

Although tattoos are becoming more main stream every year and are acceptable to just about any profession you need to be aware that some employers still shy away from visible tattoos. They may not hire you if you have a visible tattoo or they may require you to have it covered at all times. This means you need to think a lot about the location you get your tattoo.

Choosing a tattoo is a very personal decision but one thing is for sure there is a perfect tattoo available for everybody!  

Aura Mirchandani is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory.