How Do I Pick An Artist?
Look at artist portfolios! First of all, look for an artist who's style appeals to you and is the style that you want for your tattoo. Look closely at the technical aspects of the artist's work. Ask yourself: are the lines in his/her work smooth and consistent? They need to be! Does the color look solid? It needs to be! Make sure to ask to see pictures of healed tattoos that the artist has done. These rules apply to healed tattoos as well as fresh ones! Hint: if there appears to be a red area around the tattoo, it is NOT healed!
Can I get my name in Chinese or Japanese?
Not unless your name is something like, "Cherry Blossom!" Japanese, Chinese and all the other Asiatic languages WILL NOT directly translate onto English and vice versa. In most cases, when you are given a Asiatic name it is an approximation of the sound of your name, not really your name at all!
Do the tribal designs mean anything?
In most cases, no! The majority of the tribal designs that you find on the wall in tattoo shops are meaningless. They ARE evolved from a combination of styles found, primarily, in the Pacific Rim. The designs that most modern tribal tattoos are based on DO have very important meanings to the indigenous peoples who created them. However, after all the evolution that has taken place before they appear on the wall at your local tattoo shop, they are meaningless; and they bear very little resemblance to the original designs.
Can I make this design bigger?
Yes, always! Assuming you have enough skin.
Can I get this tattoo covered?
Most likely, Yes! If you need this section of the FAQ then you have already made a mistake with a tattoo, don't make another! Read on...Your first priority is picking an artist. He/she should be familiar, and comfortable, with doing cover-ups. Make sure that you tell them what style of tattoo you want to end up with, and what type of subject matter you want. Be flexible! Many times what a client wants simply WILL NOT work; the artist knows what will work and what they are capable of. The artist you pick should be willing to work with you as far as tossing ideas around until the two of you can settle on something that is acceptable to both of you.
