First Tattoo: Choosing an Artist & Design, Safety and What to Expect

I don’t have a tattoo… but I have to admit I’ve thought about it and honestly I’m a little chicken… not so much of the pain but of getting a bad one. So I was happy to be able to interview Shannon Wang to answer my questions about getting a tattoo.   I met Shannon because she is also a talented artist outside of her work at Shop 53 Custom Tattoo and Art Studio.

Shannon recommended you do a consultation with the tattoo artist to make sure your styles mesh. Even before the consultation, you should look at the artist’s portfolio of work to see if they are good fit for you. The artist will draw out the design on paper before applying it to skin and then a stencil is applied to the skin as a template before the tattoo begins.

But what about that pain factor? Shannon recommended a few things that can help:

1. Get a good meal beforehand to ensure your blood sugar levels are appropriate (you don’t want to pass out!).
2. Stay hydrated.
3. Prep the skin with numbing cream if you are worried but check with your artist first as some can change the texture of the skin.
4. General care of the skin such as not being sunburned and staying moisturized is a good idea.

We also covered how to ensure you are in a safe and clean shop, aftercare of your tattoo, infection prevention, placement and choice of tattoos, best size and type of your first tattoo and so much more… you need to watch!