Have a look at five crucial decisions that you might want to ponder
before you proceed any further.

1) Do You REALLY Want A Tattoo?

A tattoo is a lifetime commitment, so you must be absolutely 100%
certain that you want one because it’s going to be with you for a
while. You might think that it’s the coolest thing in the world
today, but… will you feel the same about it in 10
years, 20 years or even 50 years?

Okay, tattoo removal technology is improving all the time, but it’s
still time consuming, expensive and painful. So for now it’s best
to assume that your tattoo will be for life.

2) The Tattoo Design

Once you’ve decided that you definitely want a tattoo, the next
step is to choose the design that you want. There are hundreds of
categories of tattoo design to choose from, including dragon,
flower, butterfly, angel, sun, etc. The choice is endless.

Most tattoos are done from predesigned templates. It’s just a case
of choosing the one that you want (some are free, but the better
ones cost up to $20) and taking it to your choosen tattoo artist.

So visit a number of tattoo related websites, take a look at tattoo
design books and decide on the general type of design that you
want. Once you’ve done that, narrow it down to the actual design
that you want.

Alternatively, if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for,
or you want your tattoo to be unique, you could consider getting an
artist to design a custom tattoo exclusively for you.

This option is more expensive (perhaps $200-300 and upwards for the
design, depending on size and level of detail), although more
mainstream designs will work out cheaper as most tattoo artists
will have experience of designing them. However, you’ll have
complete control over how your tattoo looks, nobody else will have
the same and it will last you for the rest of your life.

Always remember, a good tattoo is not cheap, and a cheap tattoo is
no good.

And a word of warning, unless you intend to place your tattoo on a
part of your body that you can’t see (such as your back), choose
something that you don’t think you’ll get tired of looking at. The
worst situation is to get a new tattoo on a highly visible part of
your body that you grow to hate within a few months.

It’s also important to choose a design that will be as relevant to
you in the future as it is today. This is particularly relevant
when it comes to designs that include names.

Many people get their names of their children added to their
tattoo. This is a safe option because they’ll always be your
children. But think carefully before you get the name of your
spouse or partner tattooed over your body. What if you seperate in
the future? Will a new partner be happy to see the name of your ex
emblazoned across your neck?

3) Color Or Black?

Another consideration that’s closely linked to your choice of
design is whether it will be in color or just black. This choice
largely depends on the type of design that you like.

But bear in mind that black tattoos tend to have more definition.
Due to the contrast with your skin they’re more noticeable than the
smoothing effect achieved by color tattoos. In comparison, color
tattoos are much richer and help to add more character to your
chosen design, but they do cost more.

4) Which Part Of Your Body?

Before you decide which part of your body to get tattooed, there
are three minor issues to consider. First, bear in mind the size of
your choosen design. If you’ve set your heart on a large design,
there won’t likely be enough space on your hands or ankles etc.
Back, shoulders, chest and stomach are better areas for large
designs.

Second, how visible do you want your tattoo to be? Do you want it
to be on public display most of the time, or do you want it to be
more discreet? If so, it’s important to bear in mind your normal
style of dress.

It’s also important to remember that certain professions such as
the police have strict rules about no tattoos on the lower arms
etc. So if that will be an issue, check with your employers first.

Third, certain areas are more painful than others. As a general
rule, areas of your body where the flesh is thinner and more bony,
such as your ankles, head and lower back, tend to be more painful.
Less painful areas to tattoo include your shoulders, chest, upper
arm and upper back. And due to the number of nerve endings
involved, it goes without saying that more intimate areas of your
body could be extremely sensitive.

5) Size

The size of your tattoo will to a large extent (not very funny!) be
determined by the location where it appears on your body. After
all, a design that measures twelve inches square won’t fit on the
back of your hand. Large tattoos will also take longer to complete
(and therefore cost more), and will be more noticeable.

But don’t let all that lead you to believe that a small tattoo is
something that can be undertaken on a whim. A small tattoo is just
as big a commitment as a larger design and will last just as long.

Getting any tattoo done is a major decision, so don’t rush into it,
and make sure that you’re absolutely certain about all of the
decisions above before you go any further.