Pain There is pain. Only it is not the kind of pain that is completely unbearable. If that was the case, no one would be getting tattooed. I think I would more discribe it as a moderate to extreme discomfort. The larger pieces can be a little more painful that the smaller ones. Though the larger the piece, the more of a chance that you get "used" to the pain and it becomes more bearable. It also has alot to do with tolerance. That has more to do with the client than the artist. Do not listen to those who tell "war stories" about their ink. Chances are that that particular person has a low tolerance for pain and whined like a little baby. Also placement has a factor in the pain levels. Arms and legs, for example are less painful that getting on your stomach or foot.

Be careful about getting too excited thinking it is really going to hurt. This ups the stress levels and andrenaline making you more likely to pass out when you get into the chair. We will discuss that one further in a minute.

Age Most tattoo artists will not touch someone who is underage. There is those that will accept a parental consent release form. But the best advice I can personally give is wait. You may think you really want that lower back tribal now, but in a few years you will get bored of it and either wish you never got it or have it removed. Either of those choices are just as bad as the other. Wait and see if this is really the piece you want to get. Make sure you put alot of thought into it. A couple of years waiting is much better than getting a piece that you will regret when you are actually old enough not to have parental consent.

Placement Placement of a tattoo is vital to the look. Sometimes a really good piece of art will look like shit if you put it in the wrong place. Again, this will be with you for the rest of your life. Talk with your artist about where the best place will be. More than likely your artist will have had much more experience than anyone else when it comes to this.

Pricing If you have to worry about cost, then more than likely you should save some more first. But it is a factor you have to look at. Good ink is not cheap and cheap ink is not good. Prices between artists will vary so it is best to talk to the artist you are going to have your work done by. If you ask another artist and they give you an estimate, the artist that will be doing the work might charge hourly. So before you get your work done, ask the artist how much it will cost. Also you might want to bring cash. I have yet to see one that will accept checks or cards.

Aftercare Click here Please read that before and after getting your ink done, and also during if you feel you need to. (just try not to disturb your artist while he/she is working)

Touch-ups and future work Body art is a commitment. Once you have it, it will be with you forever. It is up to you on how it will look in the years to come. If you do happen to need touchups, try to stick with the original artist. They are virtually the only one that can make it look exactly the same as it did before (though there will always be minor differences). It varies by artist the cost of touchups. If you need a touch up after a month or so, visit the artist and show him/her the work and make another appointment. These sessions should be free if they are not due to negligance.

Ok, all joking aside, removal is alot harder than actually getting the tattoo. And much more expensive. A removal procedure normally requires a laser "surgery" that burns the tattoo away. This leaves a scar in the place of the once tattooed area. Scarring usually fades over time but that makes it no less painful to the skin and to the wallet. The best way to remedy this is to think about your piece BEFORE you get it done.