by Addie Panveno

Created on: March 16, 2009   Last Updated: October 20, 2010

The most important thing to remember when getting your first, or any, tattoo is to have realistic expectations about the entire process. For some reason, people still go to get inked with delusions of grandeur, thinking the tattoo artist is a miracle worker. There is an old tattoo shop adage, "there is cheap, there is fast, and there is good; pick two," and it is nothing less than the truth. Tattoos are a lifetime commitment and a decision that should not be taken lightly. Quality work does not come cheap, and any artist, no matter how good, is only human. If you put serious thought and consideration into your tattoo work, you can get the best out of you ink throughout its lifetime.

Choosing a tattoo artist is not like choosing someone to change your oil. Just because someone owns a tattoo gun does not make them a tattoo artist, no matter how much they might argue to the contrary. The best tattoo artists in the world have logged thousands of hours behind the gun, and no tattoo shop worth its salt will hire an artist without an extensive portfolio. Many tattoo artists take on classic apprenticeships to learn the craft, gaining knowledge under the instruction more seasoned artists, slowly gaining hands on experience. Tattooing is not something learned in a week, or through an instructional video. Tattoo artists are just that; artists, and should be appreciated as such. If something is going to be on your body for life, do you want Da Vinci or paint by number?

An artist's portfolio is the best way to judge if he or she is best suited to do your tattoo. Thought some tattoo artists do not specialize, some do their best work in one specific genre. If you are looking to get a custom tattoo, you need to find an artist who will share your vision and help create it for you. If you are bringing in a design of your own, you will want to find an artist who is comfortable in the style of your design. For example, you would not want an artist who specializes in tribal to necessarily do a portrait of your grandmother. If you don't have any design planned, and choose to go with flash from the tattoo shop wall, you might want to consider working with your chosen artist to alter or add to it in some way. You may love that design, but there is nothing more awkward than meeting someone with the exact same ink.

Once you have chosen an artist you trust, it is good to know what you are in for when you finally go to sit in that chair. It should be noted that good tattoo work does not

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