Whether or not you have one or 100 tattoos you will want to find yourself an artist you trust. Finding the right artist is a lot like finding the right barber – except the stakes are much higher considering a tattoo is permanent whereas your hair will grow back. If you’re on the hunt for a reliable tattooist, here are the key questions you need to have answered before deciding to employ that artist –
Aftercare
You would be shocked at how many tattoo artist totally neglect the proper first aid measures that are supposed to be applied immediately after the tattoo. Some artists are really good with this, the best of whom even use products to make the tattooing process more safe by using products such as the ink seal. Your artist should give you a brief outline of how to care for your tattoo in the following days – if he fails to do this, or worse doesn’t know how, then that may be a sign that you should switch artists.
Qualifications
Unlike many other commodities, tattooing and the artist you choose really do vary depending on how much you pay. 99% of the time the more the artist charges the more experienced he is. You should definitely hunt around to try and find the best price for what you want, but sometimes it may be worth spending a bit extra for a better design. Asking about the artist’s qualifications (in a polite manner) should be a relatively easy question for them to answer. If they can’t or don’t have much to say, this again may be a red flag.
Equipment Cleanliness
Safety and protection from harm is number one on the priority list when looking for a new tattoo artist. All tattoo equipment should be thoroughly sterilised after each use to ensure that nobody else’s bacteria is being transferred onto you. Even if the parlour has an autoclave, you should ask to see the current testing reports to verify that all machinery is working properly.
Proper Disposal
All legitimate tattoo artists should practice properly discarding their disposable material such as latex gloves, film, bags etc. Anything that encounters bodily fluid should be covered and disposed of after each tattooing session. Biohazard waste bins should be present as well as record of a company who has been hired to collect such materials.
Choosing An Artist
Finding your first tattooist or switching to a new one can be a long-winded and sometimes tedious process. However, it is much better to ensure that the tattooist you choose is up to date and compliant with all the health, safety and general tattoo etiquette practices from the start rather than realise halfway through that they are not. If you follow this advice on how to choose a new artist, you’ll be getting new tattoos in no time!
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