how to choose the perfect tattoo

Getting a tattoo is a big deal. Few things are as intimidating as forever, and we are all so individual, its not likely that you'll be able to find your perfect image in a google search. Wouldn't that be nice?

drawing by Ariel Fenomenon

First of all, before you even worry about the final product, don't be afraid to start extremely vague with your ideas. A great source for ideas are actually official tattoo magazines. There you will find a wide range of styles and the work of various professional artists. This is a good place to start because in official tattoo magazines they interview artists and only include photos that the artist personally chooses and considers to be their absolute best images. So basically every image you see is essentially the best of the best. Literally.

So if you're not entirely sure what makes a tattoo 'good' or 'bad', by using an actual tattoo magazine you know for sure that you are browsing through top notch ink. If you're just scrolling down google or facebook, no matter what you typed in the search bar, you are going to get just a random splatter of tattoos, some good, some not so good, and some terrible, and you certainly don't want to fall in love with an image just to find out that its actually considered a dud and any good artist is going to reject it right from the beginning.

While you are looking through the best of the best work from all around the world keep in mind that you're not looking for your specific tattoo yet, not even close. This activity is just intended to get you thinking about what you like and what you don't like, what images are you drawn to? is there anything that jumps out at you that you for sure don't want your tattoo to look like? Look at the colour schemes, the sizes and placements of the tattoos. Maybe you'll see something you had never thought of before, such as a completely blackwash and grey design, with a single tone of colour used for highlights and lowlights.

Try to identify the different styles that the articles are divided into, you'll notice a lot of artists do completely unique pieces but somehow certain qualities appear in all of their work, giving off a defined aesthetic that applies to every one of their tattoos. Choose a few images that don't necessarily display the specific subject matter of the tattoo that you want ,personally, but ones that are visually appealing to you and that you could imagine possibly wearing something similar.

This will give you a place to start. Next what you should do is start browsing through the portfolios of your local artists. Does any of their work look similar to the images that you chose?

Look for an artist that seems experienced and also reflects the styles that you like. Chances are if you like the work in their portfolio, you will also like the tattoo that you get from that person.

After you've found an artist that is capable of accomplishing the kind of tattoo that you are attracted to; get in contact with them. Book a consult (they're usually free, but if there is a fee its definitely worth knowing this ahead of time) or schedule a meeting, or at least a phone call with the artist first.

Always trust your instincts every step of the way! Giving yourself as many opportunities to do this is going to be helpful. You might be able to reach out to them on social media, whatever the easiest way to start a conversation with them is. Find a way to send them your reference images and make sure you are clear about the fact that they are style references.

Start discussing themes that are important to you in your life. You never know what may surprise you as being relevant in the art for your design. What do you do for a living, what do you do for fun, what family members are you close to, how about your nationality? what events (positive and negative) have affected the direction of your life lately, what are your favourite things to do in your spare time, what is your horoscope? favourite colours, hobbies, food, music, sports? Any of these are topics that would make great tattoos.

Think about the essence of your personality and how you contribute to the world. If you're a little bit self conscious or you're just not sure about that one yet, then think about the types of things that you would like contribute or represent. Your artist should be familiar with symbols and imagery that will compliment any of these topics and more. If you are really drawn to the artists portfolio ask them if they have any art that they want to tattoo and if they can show you some of their original ideas.

Together you will be able to outline what's most important to you and what you would be most comfortable wearing for the rest of your life. Designing a tattoo is not easy, and to do it properly takes years of training. Even if you are some what art savvy, its probably not a great idea to attempt this challenge by yourself. Plus by doing so you may actually stifle your artists creativity and insisting on using your own drawings will limit yourself to something that will look unprofessional even if you are convinced of your abilities. Asking your artist to 'tweak' the image you come up with on your own is also not a good idea, give them the freedom to work their magic for you and do their job properly.

There is no limit to how much reference you should bring, in fact the more research you do the better. the artist will actually appreciate you taking the time to search out images that you like, this will help them in understanding exactly what you would be happiest with. Don't panic if you can't envision exactly what the end product is going to look like, the key here is choosing the right artist who's work that you like and who will take the time to hear you out and who will allow you to participate throughout the designing process.

If you trust your instincts, do your research, and keep an open mind, as soon as you see the image of your tattoo usually you'll know right away when it's perfect! Each time you get a tattoo the decision aspect will get less and less intimidating if you follow these steps! As long as you can give them as much information as possible, any talented artist is gong to be happy to professionally help you combine or adjust your images so that they make a great looking tattoo that matches your unique personality.