During this time, excess blood, ink, and plasma may pool up underneath the film - it's totally normal, Ariel W. Wei, for example, says you can leave it on for three to five days, while Fergus usually recommends taking it off after 24 to 48 hours. For those with a clear bandage, like Saniderm, follow your artist's guidelines as many have different suggestions. If your artist used plastic wrap to protect your tattoo, you can remove it after a couple of hours. I think that's a mistake people often make in the beginning." "The size of the tattoo isn't going to decrease the pain. And if you're hoping for it to be on the smaller side because you think it'll be easy to start with, "that's totally fine, but the tattoo is not going to hurt any less," Garner says. Some lettering may need to be enlarged so they can be legible over time. "That said, it's perfectly normal and OK to want changes made to your drawing, but communicating that politely, without insulting and showing mistrust is important."Īlso, keep in mind that not all tattoos can be as tiny as you want them to be. "Remember you contacted this artist because you trust their vision," Abad says. However, make sure your feedback is respectful. If you want to make any adjustments to it, all the tattoo artists we talked to agree you shouldn't be afraid to speak up, as the art is about to be on your body for the rest of your life. The artist's form or email is a good place to request one.Īfter your consent forms are filled out, your tattoo artist will show you the design they mocked up for you.
EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL TATTOO SKIN
During a consultation, they will tattoo small lines or dots of different hues you're interested in getting tattooed to see how they heal on your skin before making final decisions. Let's see what works.'" Fergus also mentions they have a few color pieces on their body, so they can show clients what certain hues of tattoo ink looks like on deeper skin tones. "It should never be like, 'You automatically can't get this thing without even trying to see what works,'" they explain. If you encounter an artist who tells you they don't work with deeper skin tones or give you a list of things and colors they can't do on you because of your skin tone, find someone else who is more accommodating and inclusive. Skin tone: Although some forms may ask you what your skin tone is, Toronto-based tattoo artist Thomarya "Tee" Fergus stresses tattoo artists should be able to make a design work for you no matter what color your complexion may be. Availability: Another thing to be specific about is the dates and times that work best for you, so you won't have a lot of back and forth with the tattoo artist or their shop, Wei says.