How To Select a Tattoo Artist

Once you've decided to get your first tattoo the excitement of picking a design and making an appointment can be intoxicating! But where should you start looking for a trustworthy tattoo artist?

The wide range of options may be daunting, but the most important part of the process is ensuring that you're safe and comfortable.

Asking for recommendations from family and friends is a good place to start but be sure to do your own research too. Not only is important to find an artist who produces high quality work that you love, but also to find out as much as you can about where they work. Read reviews on the shop you’re considering and drop by unannounced to see the establishment for yourself to before taking the plunge.

Always ensure that the tattoo studio you're considering is clean. You should see bottles of disinfectant, clean tattoo needles in sealed packaging and new ink trays at the very least.

The tattoo artists should also wear clean gloves between each tattoo and spend some time disinfecting their hands (before putting these on and every time they are taken off), and cleaning counters and other surfaces before starting your tattoo session. Don't only look at what the person you intend to go to is doing, but also check out the other artists. If everyone is adhering to high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, that is a good sign.

Remember, just because you see latex gloves and the wiping down of surfaces doesn't mean that a studio is safe and clean. For example, some have shared stories about how their artist put on their gloves, cleaned a surface and then wanted to start tattooing them. This is not hygienic! The surface/s should be cleaned first, the artist's hands washed with disinfectant, and gloves then put on to