I wouldn’t worry about getting something that others will think is “feminine” on a man. Tattooing is one of the most accepting industries where nearly anything goes (obviously excluding anything hateful).
I would say, though
- Take time finding the right artist. Don’t just go with the cheapest or closest person to you. You want to go to someone who does the style and type of tattoos you want every single day. Ie if you want a black and grey flowers, go to someone who is always doing black and grey flowers. Also, a waiting list is a good sign. If your artist can’t get you in for a few months then that shows how popular they are, for a reason. If they can get you in that week I’d be skeptical about them
- Trust your artist’s judgement. If you go to a good artist and they tell you that the size or placement won’t work, listen to them. They do this every single day, they know what will look good in 5, 10, 15 plus years time. You’ve mentioned you want small pieces, but tattoos need to be a certain size depending on what they are so they don’t become a blurry mess when they heal. It depends on what you want, though. A fine line script can be very small but a bolder, more detailed design needs to be bigger so the details hold and don’t blur together.
- Spend time researching styles to make sure you’re 100% on what you want. There’s so many out there (a few examples- fine line, black work, neotraditional, American traditional, Japanese, illustrative, new school, watercolour, etc). Also consider whether you want the pieces to be in colour or black and grey as that also will change what artist you want to go to (ie don’t go to a predominately colour artist if you want black and grey).
It’s natural to be nervous about what seems like such a permanent decision. Sit on it for a few months until you’ve decided exactly what you want and found an artist whose style you’re in love with. I have several tattoos that have cost me a small fortune but they are immaculately done and get compliments any time anyone sees them. I love them- I can’t imagine my body without them, now.
If you do decide to get tattooed, you’ll likely contact your artist via email or their online booking form. You email to request a booking and basically want to outline
- what you want
- where you want it
- the size you want it to be (roughly)
When I’m booking my tattoos I send a clear photo of the area I want tattooed, and then the same photo again but I use a photo editor to use a pen tool to highlight the exact area I want tattooed so there can be no confusion. It’s also really important you highlight what limb it is (ie your right or left) so they can draw it the correct way.
I describe fairly concisely what I would like in the body of the email (eg “I would like some florals on my shoulder. I like the neotraditional style and I’d like this to be black and grey. I don’t mind what flowers are used but I would like one rose. I have circled the area I want tattooed, roughly about 8-10cm long but I am open to a different size if it means the tattoo will look better”).
I also attach a few images to show what I mean, so I often attach photos of other tattoos that have florals which I really like, and then perhaps one or two which have the exact placement I want. I made sure I number these photos in a photo editor app and discuss them really clearly
(eg
- I like the shading in this tattoo
- I like this placement and size
- I like the flowers used here
- I like the leaves in this tattoo but I don’t like the way the rose is tattooed
- I like the way this wraps around the arm)
Also use this to highlight anything you really don’t want in the tattoo. So I’d maybe say “I don’t want any dotwork in the tattoo”, or “I don’t want any ferns or daisies”.
It’s important that you’re clear on what you want and what you don’t want, but you’re also flexible and willing to let the artist be an artist. Your artist draws every single day, they know what makes a tattoo look good. It’s important to give them some creative freedom so you get the best design.
They will then get back to you and either say yes or no and you’ll likely have to put down a deposit (some artists want a set amount, others want a set % of the tattoo, it just depends). They’ll offer you some dates and you pick what suits and that’s your appointment booked.
You’re never too old to get tattooed and I find getting tattooed one of the most liberating, freeing experiences. Yes, it’s painful. But there’s something amazing about working through the pain and coming out with something so tailored to you that you get to wear for the rest of your life. It’s something that no one can take away from you.
