Are tattoos art?
Do tattoos hurt?
Where can I have a tattoo put?
Is tattooing Safe?
What is an autoclave?
What does "single-use" needles mean?
What about inks and other materials?
How do I know if proper standards are being followed?
How should I take care of my tattoo?
Myths:
Anyone who is artistic can tattoo.
Any good artist can do any tattoo.
My tattoo doesn't look right, I'll just go back and have them fix it.
Tattoos are accepted by society now.
Artist want you to get real big designs so they can charge more.
If I don't get a tattoo today, I probably won't get one.
Photos are the best way to judge an artist's talent.
I want your cheapest tattoo.
But I really want "Rock Rules" on my knuckles. I'll never regret it.
You don't need an autoclave, this works just as well!
You're not a real tattoo fan if you don't have lots of tattoos.
Don't get any water on your tattoo.
Types of Tattoos
Tattoo Types:
Black and Grey
Color
Portrait and Fine line
Tribal
Freehand
Cover-ups and Touchups
Are Tattoos art?
Yes tattoos are art. However, some tattoos are good art, poorly done... and some tattoos are bad art, done well. Find a tattooist who is competent with both a pencil and a tattoo machine.
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Do tattoos hurt?
You bet it hurts. Not as much as you think and definitely not as much
as some would like you to believe. Yes, some areas are more tender
than others, but the discomfort is manageable if you're getting what
you really want, where you really want it.
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Where can I have a tattoo put?
Where to place a tattoo is, and always should be, your own decision.
Don't be influenced by "it'll hurt less there" or "it'll
be cooler here", get the tattoo where YOU want it!
General advice on placement is that you should consider what kind
of clothes you wear, work and social, whether you would like it to
show all the time or only when you want to show it off, and in some
cases, the appropriateness of the design itself (i.e. the naked warrior
girl might be better placed on the calf than the forearm for those
who have to attend PTA meetings or be Soccer Mom/Dads!)
Most professional tattoo shops will not tattoo faces. They may tattoo your neck and hands IF you already have a lot of coverage. Do not expect to be able to get your first tattoo on your knuckles at a reputable shop!
There are certain areas of the body where the skin does not cooperate
well with tattoos over time, notably the fingers, toes and feet. Hands
are constantly exposed to the sun, scuffing and rubbing on things;
likewise the feet and toes rub on shoes. This means the skin is tougher
in these areas and constantly regenerating so it is likely the tattoo
will fade fairly quickly. It will need to be touched up on a regular
basis.
It may not seem like a problem at first, but on your fifth redo, you
might begin to wish you hadn't bothered! Women who are considering
having children are advised not to get tattooed on the stomach and
local area as the skin stretches so much during pregnancy that the
tattoo is often badly damaged.
Some types of SCARRING can be tattooed over, but not all, consult
with an experienced artist about this. Surgical scars should be at
least 6 months old before they are ready to be tattooed over.
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Is tattooing Safe?
Yes... if proper sterilization and infection
control standards are practiced by the studio you've chosen. Basically,
this means anything that comes in contact with blood / body fluids
must either be disposed of (single - use) or sterilized (autoclaved).
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What is an autoclave?
An autoclave is a heat / steam / pressure unit that achieves and maintains
250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius) under 10 pounds (4.5
Kilograms) pressure for 30 minutes or up to 270 degrees Fahrenheit
(132 degrees Celsius) under 15 pounds (6.8 Kilograms) pressure for
15 minutes. Most units run a 55 minute cycle from a cold start.
It is the only accepted method of sterilization that will kill every
living microorganism known to mankind.
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What does the term "single-use" needles
mean?
This means that every set of needles used to apply your tattoo
are brand new. They are individually packaged, sealed, and autoclaved.
An indicator strip on the package changes color when processing has
occurred. After use, the needles are disposed of.
One needle, one customer.
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What about inks and other materials?
All ointments, pigments, gloves, ink cups, razors, etc. used to apply
your tattoo are discarded after use.
Nothing is reused, this eliminates any possibility of contamination
of materials.
After the tattoo procedure has been completed, the work area surfaces
are disinfected with an EPA approved veridical which kills any surface
bacteria or viruses.
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How do I know if proper standards are being followed?
First, look around. Is the studio clean and professional looking?
Appearances can tell you a lot. Then, ask questions.
A professional studio takes pride in its safe tattooing procedures
and won't mind answering your concerns.
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How should I take care of my tattoo?
Our job is done, now it's your turn... Not looking after your tattoo
properly may result in loss of quality, so you should follow these
instructions carefully... Do not listen to your friends and people
in bars who think they have a better idea!!!!!
Remove bandage in 2 to 4 hours.
Wash tattoo carefully with warm water and mild soap.
Pat Dry.
Apply a thin layer of lotion after a few hours and then twice a day
for about a week or until the skin is no longer dry.
Good lotions to use are Lubraderm, A&D, Tattoo Goo...
Don't use fancy creams, hippy potions, or perfumed lotions.
You do not need antibiotic crème.
Showers are fine. Baths, swimming, and sauna are out until the tattoo
is healed
No sun or tanning 'til the tattoo is completely healed.
Sunburn on a fresh tattoo can cause severe irritation and allergy.
Do not pick, scratch, or 'help' the scab to come off.
If you have any questions please call the person who did your tattoo.
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Anyone who is artistic can tattoo.
Don't bet your skin on it!
The ability to draw neat designs does not make a tattooist. Without
the proper equipment, mechanical skill and technical knowledge, that
pretty paper design can turn into anything from mush to scar tissue
in a couple of months. Every tattooist has artistic talent. Unfortunately,
this is false.
A good deal of a professional tattooist's time is spent fixing or
covering someone else's "artistic talent".
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Any good artist can do any tattoo.
Not necessarily. While most professionals are capable of a variety
of styles, they usually have a specialty, a unique style of tattooing
they've developed and are very good at. That artist who's known for
his killer tribal work may not be the choice for the portrait of mom
and dad you've been planning. Match the design you want with the artist
who can pull it off.
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My tattoo doesn't look right; I'll just go back
and have them fix it.
Bad idea. Odds are that if their first attempt is botched, so will
their second, and third... Steer clear.
A professional may be able to fix-up that blotched job, but if you
keep going back to the butcher, you'll probably end up with an even
darker, uglier tattoo that requires a cover-up... Much larger and
much more expensive.
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Tattoos are accepted by society now.
Yes, more than say 10 or 20 years ago, but not as mainstream as you
may think. Most non-tattooed people still associate tattooing with
sailors, circus sideshows, skid row drunks and outlaw rebels. You
would be wise to place your first tattoo where it is covered by normally
worn clothing.
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Artist wants you to get real big designs so they can charge more.
Nonsense. Most established professionals have more work than they
can handle and can make more money doing a lot of small, uncomplicated
pieces than a few large complex ones.
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If I don't get a tattoo today, I probably won't get one.
Don't get one. An impulsive whim is a really stupid reason to make
such a permanent decision. If you wouldn't get a tattoo tomorrow,
don't get one today.
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Photos are the best way to judge an artist's talent.
No. The best way is to see real tattoos on real people. Photos are
second best. They do give you a good idea of what the artist is capable
of. Drawings or FLASH may reflect a tattooist's taste and artistic
ability, but give no clue as to his ability to tattoo those designs
on your skin.
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I want your cheapest tattoo.
Go home!
If you're shopping price, it's a safe bet you're getting tattooed
for all the wrong reasons... It's cool, my friends have one, I'm expressing
my individuality, it'll piss mom off. If you're serious about getting
a tattoo, get exactly what you want, even if you have to save up for
it.
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But I really want "Rock Rules" on my knuckles. I'll never
regret it.
Yeah, right. And that guy over there still thinks true love is having
his ex-wife's name forever tattooed on his chest. If a tattooist refuses
to do a particular design, think about it before you blow your top...
He just may have a good reason.
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You don't need an autoclave, this works just as well!
Absolutely not! The only acceptable means of sterilization is with
an autoclave. Boiling water, dry heat units, alcohol, bleaching or
any other kind of voodoo just won't cut it.
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You're not a real tattoo fan if you don't have lots of tattoos.
Definitely not true. A person with one terrific tattoo displays more
respect for the art form than someone with an armful of uninspired
badly inked images.
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Don't get any water on your tattoo.
Partly true! You must not "soak" a new tattoo, but gentle
hand-washing of it is necessary to remove harmful bacteria from the
healing tattoo. When you shower, simply apply a little extra coating
of ointment to the tattoo and avoid direct shower spray on it. Blot
off excess ointment when you're done bathing.
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Black and Grey
Black and Grey basically means tattoos done with use of degrees of
black to grey shading. There is usually no application of colour at
all, although depending on the design a small amount of colour can
be added to enhance areas of the design.
This type of tattoo is particularly suited to darker skin tone, which does not accept colour well, and also to those who are regular sun-worshippers or solarium addicts.
Time tends to soften the tones of the piece and give it a realistic
depth quality.
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Color
Colour tattoos are full colour pieces lined with black and also shaded.
There are 2 main types of colour design.
1) Old style traditional tattoos, using block colour and no tones.
2) We use colour shading to obtain subtle colour merging.
Colour tends to fade if subjected to intense or long-term regular sun exposure as the skin cells, which hold the pigment molecules are damaged by u-v rays and removed by the body system.
It can be retouched if necessary and without much sun exposure looks good for many years.
All colours are dermatological tested pigments but those with known
allergies should request an allergy test prior to the application
of a colour tattoo.
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Portrait and Fine line
Portraits can be taken directly from photos, which should be of good
quality and large enough to clearly see the details of the face or
animal in question. There is a minimum recommended size for this kind
of work and anyone interested should contact Thailand Tattoo Center for more details.
Fine-line is exactly what you would expect from the description and
is mostly used for portrait work. It can be used for high detail and
definition in larger pieces.
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Tribal
Tribal is the name given to solid black graphic designs which have
become popular in recent years.
Its origins are, among others, in the Polynesian islands where the
tribes have a tradition of tattooing for ritual and ceremonial purposes;
the Maori of New Zealand with their facial mokos are probably the
most well known example.
Modern tribal designs do not generally have any symbolic meanings
and are simple body decorations for those who are unsure of what kind
of picture they could live with. Celtic designs, gangland style lettering
and Japanese characters all come under this description in modern
tattooing. Tribal combines well with the other styles mentioned and
can be useful as background or connecting separate pieces.
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Freehand
Freehand tattooing simply means that the tattoo is drawn directly
onto the body area without use of a stencil or pre-prepared drawing.
The advantages of this are that the tattoo can be better fitted to
the body, making use of the body shape, to give the image more movement.
Freehand is also used for cover-ups, to allow a more direct fitting of the new image over the old, making use of the existing shape and lines.
I would be happy to prepare a custom design for you, custom tattoos are prepared on paper and may, in certain cases, be applied by stencil to the body area.
All custom pieces are designed as a unique piece similar to an artist's commission.
Thailand Tattoo Center does not repeat custom pieces so they remain completely original,
contact Thailand Tattoo Center to discuss your requirements.
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Cover-ups and Touchups
Many people have tattoos that seemed like a good idea at the time
and whether it was through a bad choice of tattooists, a bottle of
J.D. or whatever, the results won't go away. There is a solution apart
from a laser or a long sleeved shirt:
Some bad tattoos are restorable to a proper version of the original plan and these are known as reworks, but the majority are usually only savable through cover-ups and you may be limited on the choice of design.
Remember that a cover up cannot always be your dream tattoo as it may not be possible to fit a specific design to the old piece, this depends how dark and distorted the old tattoo is. Usually we can come up with a good compromise though and anyone needing help or information about cover ups should contact Thailand Tattoo Center and be prepared to send a photo!
Tribal is not usually applicable here unless you want a black square, but there are more options than the standard black panther or peacock of old depending on the size of the old tattoo and intensity of dark pigments.
Every cover-up is an individual custom fitted piece and those interested
should contact us for more details.
