To wonder how you know a tattoo artist is any good?

[BarryBarry]

I can't afford one atm so it's moot anyway right now but how on earth do people decide who to trust to permanently mark their skin? Like what distinguishes a good tattoo artist from an excellent one? What if they are having an off day? How do you know?!

Carabos it depends where you have them. I have half sleeves that were fine, a back piece that was bearable and pieces on my legs that didn't bother me at all. I have two tiny ones on the inside of each wrist that I was originally planning to extend, but it's just too painful for me there.

I think the best way to describe it is like someone lightly scratching you with a needle. For the first hour or so, you'd hardly notice it. After a few hours, you really have to concentrate on your breathing. It's well worth it though, if tattoos are important to you.

I spent 10 years umming and ahhhing before getting mine, my key deciders were:

• personal recommendation
• bit of a wait for an appt (ergo - popular)
• able to talk through the sort of thing I want, not pick from a book

When I talked my artist through what I was after (he made notes), he went away and designed- I went back a couple of weeks later to see the design, and we talked some more and edited it a bit - I loved it on sight. He then told me how long it would take, how much that would cost and even which bits would hurt (certain lines intersect and they are the sore bits at the time!)

Went back a week later to get it done, my god it hurt on those crossing bits but I was over the moon with the end result, and still am nearly 3 years later.

Another thing that was important to me - I made it have personal meaning to me (DC's initials are in it -but in a way that no one would know unless I showed them) that way I could never regret it

Good luck!

Check out some tattoo forums online too for opinions on tattooists and recommendations. If you can describe what you're after, someone can usually suggest an artist to meet your needs. You might have to be prepared to travel a bit though. I know a world renowned tattooist (UK based) in a particular style and he has customers who fly in from all over the world for appointments with him. He's just had a customer from the US have a full leg sleeve done - 18 hours of work in 2 days....that's pretty hardcore for both the customer and the artist!

Ask for recommendations from people who have the style of tattoo you like. A tattooist who is great at (eg) tribal work may not be so skilled at cartoon characters, or portrait/pin-up and vice versa.
If you don't see many people in your daily life with good ink, go to a tattoo show and get some recommendations there.

Recommendations
Portfolio
Waiting list
Price (£70 ph is reassuring)
Attitude of the artist
Qualifications ( the guy who does mine has a degree in fine art, your average backstreet scratcher might have a GCSE)
Hygiene
Licensing
Area (in some areas, eg Edinburgh, the tattoo industry is very well established and the council inspectors know what they're looking for)

Really want a new tattoo now.

I have a sleeve and several down my legs.

• Never get them done at home or go to someone's home, just don't. Unless they have a portfolio and references from being employed in studios for years I wouldn't go near them.
• Look at the lines. Are they nice and thick and even? Are they straight, no wobbly bits?
• Some people are good artists, and you think Ooh great, he is a good artist, but putting needle to skin not so good. Ditto some are good at the line work but shading can turn a good tattoo into a shit one.
• Good shading is smooth and bold. Bad shading is patchy with and uneven.
• Colour should pop, it shouldn't again, be patchy, or uneven, and it should be gradual and look natural.

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BAD tattoos above. See how the colour is not very bold? It looks patchy and uneven. Lines are OK but not very thick. For people that aren't hugely into tattoos they might look OK, but they are poor examples.

Here is a good one

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See the difference in colour? The colour in this one is bold and solid and even. The lines are thick and black and straight, no wobbles.

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another good one above.

You can btw, get some tattooist that work to that bad standard above, and still charge £70 an hour but cost is usually a good indication. People always think bad tattoo is badly spelt or just not very accurate and that's not always true. Also, most tattoos will be good all rounders but will have specialist areas like old school or new school tattoos, if you look them up the styles are quite different. Good tattoist will generally work hard to get their work seen to, conventions, social networking, etc to.

Dp just had a tattoo done today. £40 ph and we have both used them before. They are always busy, display their work, have all the certs etc.

Fascinating. It's a whole other world . Every day a school day on MN .

Anyone read Until I Find You by John Irving? Tattoo theme.

Recommendations and their catalogue of work.

Oh yeah and important to make sure they post photos of healed work. They do look different and occasionally there might be some minimal colour loss that they will be happy to go over for free.

Personal recommendation
Not cheap (!)
Waiting list
Happy to see you first for a consultation
View lots (and lots) of their previous work
You 'click'. You want someone you feel comfortable with, you're going to spending hours with them and need to be confident they'll listen to your ideas/concerns
Don't be afraid to ask someone with a lovely tat where they had it done.