Getting a Tattoo

How to Decide on the Right Tattoo Design?

While deciding on your tattoo design, you should not hop onto any random idea or trend. To truly know what is the right tattoo design for you you must imagine your inspiration for tattooing. There must be some style, placement, design, or color that makes you feel enchanted.  Arguably one of the most important aspects […]

choose the right tattoo design

While deciding on your tattoo design, you should not hop onto any random idea or trend. To truly know what is the right tattoo design for you you must imagine your inspiration for tattooing. There must be some style, placement, design, or color that makes you feel enchanted. 

Arguably one of the most important aspects to ensure you get the right tattoo design is that you should be satisfied with your choice and not care about how others will judge your tattoo. As long as it is reasonable, you should embrace it happily. 

In this article, we will teach you how to choose the right tattoo design and tips on how to pick the perfect tattoo artist for you!

12 Tips to Choose the Right Tattoo Design

To have a tattoo design that looks perfect for the long run, you should do your homework patiently until you find an ideal or near-to-ideal design. Remember, tattoos are forever so don’t make this decision lightly. 

1- Search for Tattoo Ideas and Inspiration Online

There is no shortage of tattoo ideas and inspiration floating around the internet. Anyone should be able to find a befitting tattoo. The best places to find tattoo ideas are social media and tattoo-oriented websites. Some of the best social media platforms to find tattoo ideas are Pinterest and Instagram. Here, you will get a lot of options that can help you make up your mind about your type of tattoo.

Tattoo Catalogue

2- Take Your Lifestyle and Genre into Count 

Before selecting any specific design, look closely at your personality, appearance, interests, and inspiration for having a tattoo. It is because ink-art can further enhance your personality traits and how others perceive you as an individual.

However, make sure to be careful with following trends. This tattoo will remain on your body forever. Pick a tattoo that represents you down to the core, not just a trend you happen to be following.

3- Consult an Expert Tattoo Artist

An expert tattoo artist knows how to convert any tattoo design creatively. Even if you find “the perfect tattoo” online, most tattoo artists won’t copy other artist’s work exactly. They like to change up the design slightly and add your own personal touch to it.

Their experience can help the clients get the best design according to their style and personality. So, if you are puzzled about which one will best suit your body placement, ask a tattoo expert, especially if you are trying it for the first time. They can guide you with the placement, color, and designs.

4- Decide Your Budget

The process of getting a tattoo can be expensive, especially if you go to a reputable tattoo artist. In that case, you should consider your budget if you are going for cosmetic tattooing. Some tattoo designs or tattoo placements are a bit expensive.

This is a permanent design on your body and there are always health concerns when something is piercing your skin. Ensure to do your research on your tattoo artist before making an appointment. If a tattoo seems to be way cheaper than everyone else, it’s likely the tattoo artist isn’t the best.

Decide Your Budget

Also, it depends on the size of the tattoo. So, when you have considered all other factors, you must ask for the pricing of different Tattooists. So, you can opt for the right tattooing salon that meets your budget. If your main problem is deciding how to choose the right tattoo design, this will be made a lot easier if you pick the correct tattoo artist.

5- Should you try a Temporary Tattoo Before Getting a Permanent Tattoo?

It is vital to think many times if you want a temporary or permanent tattoo. Some people will get a temporary tattoo before getting a permanent tattoo to test out if they like the design, placement, and size. This is a great way to truly give your new tattoo a test run before it is on you forever.

It might be possible that the design you choose is age, taste, or interest-specific. Or the design will seem boring or irrelevant in the near future. So, to avoid any embarrassment in the future, one should not go with impulsive thoughts. However, this will make the process take a lot longer. 

6- Brainstorm Creatively

While analyzing some suggested designs, you should think about unique and creative design ideas. The best ideas come after you start brainstorming. Here your mind will focus on all the essential factors that you can choose.

Create Tattoo Design

You can brainstorm while taking into count each category of tattoos. You can shortlist your favorite types. Later, online research can assist you in getting your ideal tattoo design.

Here are some great questions to ask yourself for coming up with tattoo ideas:

  • What are your favorite TV shows?
  • What are your favorite movies?
  • Do you have any personal memories from the past that can work?
  • What are some of your passions in life?
  • Do you like color or black and gray tattoos?
  • What genre of tattoos do you like (such as horror, anime, realism, fineline)?
  • Do you have any pets that you want on you forever?

If you are considering the idea of getting a tattoo, keep in mind there are certain tattoos to avoid. Here are some ideas you should avoid:

  • Nonfamily members’ names.
  • Trendy tattoos.
  • Foreign symbols (unless you really trust your tattoo artist or know the language).
  • Anything on a Whim.
  • Drug References.

With these tips, you can choose the right tattoo design every time!

7- Tattooing your Loved Ones

As discussed earlier, people should consider their lifestyle while deciding the tattoo designs. If love, care, and loyalty are at your core, you can get the face or memory of your most loved person as a tattoo on your body.

Before you opt for this choice, you must reconsider because some relationships do not last long in life. And sometimes, tattoo lasts longer than relationships. It can be a little problematic.

8- Look for other Important Factors

Pondering over merely the designs is not enough. One has to look for other things too. The interested person should count the size, pigmentation, coloring, placement, and tenure of applying the tattoo.

After considering all these factors, one can discuss it with the tattoo artists. Tattoo experts always go with the creative approach. Also, their experience lets them help you imagine the design of your body.

9- Consider Your Favorite Quotes or Lyrics

Tattooing of words is an old tradition, but it is still in fashion. People get tattoos of their favorite song’s lyrics, inspirational quotes, or relatable words. It is a good idea to choose between versatile designs and font styles.

Tattoo Quotes

10- Commemorate Special Events

We all have some memorable moments in life. We try to save it in every possible way, but we tend to forget most of them. However, if you are able to remember any of these special core memories, you can commemorate those special moments by tattooing the dates on your decided placements.

It reflects how much you value things. And also, while seeing them, you will feel nothing else but positive vibes. It can be your birth date, anniversary date, engagement date, graduation date, or any other date that embarks a unique mark on your memory.

11- Anticipate the Designs on Your Body

Imagine how the design will look on that specific body placement of whatever designs you have shortlisted or discussed with your tattoo artist. Imagine how the design will look on that particular body placement? If it seems well to you, there is no issue with going for it.

Like, tattooing is a famous cosmetic surgery. The majority of Women might often consider tattooing their lips, eyebrows, moles, or freckles pigmentation. It is becoming more and more popular in Western countries as the love for makeup lets them get tattooed.

12- Think About Tattoo Placement

Tattoo placement is the second most crucial thing that fulfills your purpose for applying ink-art onto your body. So be very thoughtful while determining the position. Mostly, people avoid getting tattoos on the most visible parts of the body. It is because they want to show it in a certain way.

Tattoo Placement

So, designs will be more vivid if implied according to the body part. Like, neck, arm, abdomen, nipples, etc., have different design catalogs. Also, if you plan on getting more tattoos in the future, make sure to include them in your plan. Often tattoo enthusiasts will get a large piece on an important place (like their arm) and then not be able to complete another tattoo that they want later on.

Why is it crucial to consider all the details of Tattoo Designs?

Clear your doubts before you finally choose a tattoo design. Reflect on every little detail of your tattoo sketch, like the size, color, position, etc. You should not risk your body ink-art with doubts in your mind, as doubts can rain away from your excitement about getting tattoos.

Vlogigurl has even more tips to help you choose the right tattoo design on her tattoo blog page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nadine Harvey is an editorial tattoo artist based in California. She writes about process, aftercare, and the craft side of tattooing.
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