So, general public, here are four things to keep in mind when you're interacting with tattooed people – and especially tattooed women – to strike a balance: to show appreciation, but not offend; to ask appropriate questions, but not overwhelm; to start a conversation that's genuine, not selfish.
Stupid ideas, indecisiveness, expecting free work (including expectations of original art), vague descriptions, haggling for price, being late to an appointment, /whining/ about pain, any question to the effect of ``is this permanent?
Here's some of the things you may want to avoid saying or asking: “Can you go any faster?” – If you want a crappy tattoo, maybe. “If I don't like it, can I get a refund?” – No, sorry. You pre-approved the art before they started.
Tattooing minors, offensive hate symbols, or copyrighted designs without permission are examples of requests that can be legally refused.
There's nothing wrong with asking what the hourly rate is, and for a rough estimate of how long the tattoo will take. Trying to talk them down on their rates, though, that's where it gets rude. You have to have an idea of the cost...
So, they often don't mind if you bring in headphones to listen to your own music during the session.
Tattoo Artists do not judge their clients. It is better to have doubts than to regret a tattoo you just got.
In most studios, payment must be made before services are rendered. It is up to each studio to decide which methods of payment they accept. Whatever method you pay with, make sure they give you a receipt. It is also customary to tip the artist for their work– 20% is the norm, but you can use your discretion.
Trust Your Tattoo Artist's Input About Your Design
It's also important to remember your artist is a professional and they know what they're doing – especially if they have a good reputation. Trust your artist when they talk to you about fading, size and shape, and where tattoos tend to smudge.
The black, both lines and shading in a tattoo is what will last the longest in any tattoo. For traditional American tattoos the black shading should be about ⅓ of the design. ⅓ of the tattoo should be color or black and grey shading ( not solid black), filling most of the remaining design space.
Unfortunately, there's no hard and fast rule governing how much to tip tattoo artists. As with tipping waitstaff, 20-25% percent is a good standard. An easy way to include tipping in your budget is to add it in when getting the estimated costs for having your work done.
“Can you please copy this tattoo?” Top tattoo artists want to do their own original work. Even if you like the work another tattoo artist has done, you should not ask a different artist to copy it. It is rude to the artist you are asking, as well as the artist whose work is being plagiarized.
Full back: As the back must be accessible, a hoodie or button down shirt that you can put on backwards to cover the chest area works great. If you wear bras and choose to wear one to the appointment, please wear one that unhooks from the back.
If the content of a tattoo is racist, homophobic, or problematic in some way, this is a different story. Problematic tattoos can be revealing about a person's character. They show employers what values or beliefs they might bring to a workplace.
No, flash designs are only drawn in advance. (And it's simple tattoo etiquette not to ask!) If you see something you like but want a more personalized touch, artists are usually happy to do that for you! This is considered a custom design, though.
Outlines are typically starting points for tattoos. Script or cursive tattoos are also among the best ideas for first tattoos. They are typically meaningful to those who get them and are a great way to start your tattoo journey.
Yes, you can donate blood if you have tattoos
The same rules also apply to ear and body piercings. Remember, tattoos also include tattoo “touch-ups” and permanent cosmetic tattoos.
We found that 63 percent of people with a tattoo smaller than the palm of their hand regret it. However, only 2 percent of people with full-sleeves or longer, regret their tattoo. Perhaps that's because people with full-sleeves or longer spent more time thinking about it.
The first part of proper tattoo etiquette comes in the design phase. Your tattoo artist is just that – an artist – so although the tattoo is yours, you need to work with them on the design. Don't ask them to tattoo in a style that's wildly different from their usual style, and listen to their recommendations.