Tattooing: Things to Consider

All of the information and ideas here come from my personal experience, both from my individual journey of getting tattooed and my professional experience of tattooing for 15 years. 

These are contemplations and offerings, nothing is set in stone. Like all of us, I am constantly evolving, growing and shifting. If you have questions or want a tattoo that is contrasting what I am saying, I am totally open to discussion. Every one of us is unique and there are always exceptions. 

In getting tattooed, there are many things to consider. 

If you are new to tattooing, please know that you are welcome and there is always a steep learning curve, I do my best to educate my clients along the way to empower and encourage you to get what you want, to expand your mind and perception, ultimately to open the door into a world which is almost infinite. 

Your questions and concerns are welcome, please ask me rather than assume. The world of tattooing can seem or be intimidating to those whom are new to it, but I assure you we are mostly a bunch of softies with tender hearts. My job is to make something for you that will make you feel more like you, something that you will be happy with for the rest of your life. 

When adding to your collection, there are things to consider:

If you are already a few roads deep into your tattoo journey and are starting to be more heavily tattooed, I invite you to consider what you want your body to look like when you are 70. 

That is a big ask and of course, gravity and patina will make you look wiser and one can only hope to age well… but what I am saying is think about what you want your whole body to look like rather than isolated pieces. 

Your forearms are connected to your arms connected to your back… you are one Being, and having harmony in your collection is very visually satisfying. People in our culture tend to compartmentalize in many ways and very much so with our bodies;  my suggestion here is to consider your body as one piece. You can most certainly have different pieces and what will ultimately unify them is YOU. 

Sleeves: I prefer to do full sleeves. 

I generally say no to 1/2 sleeves and 3/4 sleeves because 100% of the time that I have done that in the past people inevitably ask to add on it. This ends up being a less than ideal situation as often the key flow areas and focal points become lost or diminished from these choices. 

It is often out of fear or concern for the commitment of the full sleeve but I can assure you, you will not question it down the road. 

Backpieces include your bottom. 

A backpiece does not stop at your waistline. 

My personal preference is to do a more traditional Japanese approach to back pieces. I prefer when a tattoo compliments and follows the shape of a body rather than cutting it into pieces. When back tattoos end at the waistline, it creates a hard line on the body. It will in the end frame your bum in a way that makes it contained and almost more of a focus. 

This does not mean you have to get your whole bum tattooed but I feel that it should at least dip into or veer onto the bottom. Traditional Japanese bodysuits are a beautiful guide, they either involve full bum, halfway down the backs of thighs or all of the way to the backs of knees…. if you are doing a full body suit, it continues all of the way to the ankles. 

There does not have to be a hardline on the edge, at ribs or on the bottom, it can end organically; I often choose to finish this way, again the same notion of not chopping the body into pieces with hard lines and shapes. 

Smaller Pieces 

If you are collecting smaller pieces, it is a good idea to choose which direction you are going. 

One way to make things look unified is to choose either colour tattoos or black and grey tattoos. This simple choice will be a beautiful thread to make your curation look thoughtful and considered. There are lovely options of choosing themes, if you like florals or nature or cultural imagery. 

It’s generally nice to lay out some bigger pieces in the focal points of your anatomy, leaving the smaller spaces for smaller pieces to accumulate through your collecting. 

This means, if you are getting your chest tattooed, perhaps getting something larger in the centre, with some symmetrical placement of other pieces. 

It all depends on aesthetic but it is great to start asking yourself these questions, in doing so you will be happier with the outcome and you will be a better client. 

Cover ups

Welcome to getting tattooed, many or most of us have a cover up or few, depending on how we got into tattoos and how old we were. This journey (like all of them) is a learning process and it is not uncommon to find yourself with a tattoo that feels less right now than it did when you got it. 

Please don’t try to plan the cover up yourself. There are many reasons for this but mostly because you don’t understand the technical limitations or possibilities that tattooing entails.

What I suggest is to expand your mind. 

Let go of the idea of the cover up. Instead, take time to thing about what you REALLY WANT to have tattooed as opposed to trying to bandaid the situation. Come up with a few ideas of tattoos you really want, do some visual research and compile some imagery you like, then send me a photo of what you have along with ideas you have for your new tattoo and I can give you feedback and suggestions with regards to what is possible. 

We can have a dialogue via email and when we do book an appointment we will have a consultation for the final preparation and conversation.