Straight answers to the things that stop people booking a tattoo — from the first idea to a healed tattoo. Each guide points you at real, credited work in the catalogue, and health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos.
What New School looks like
Which one fits what you're picturing?
Old School (American Traditional) is the direct ancestor — simpler shapes, a narrower and more iconic subject palette, flatter color.
Compared with Old School, it is the opposite philosophy: thin and subtle instead of bold and built to be read from a distance.
Tattoo cover-ups and reworks explained: what works, size and darkness, when to lighten with laser first, reworking a bad tattoo, and how to find a cover-up specialist.
How to choose the right tattoo size: detail versus size, how small tattoos age, how size affects price and time, and examples from small to sleeve.
Realism or fine line? What the two styles share, where they split, how they age and which one fits your idea - with real examples of both.
Placement and style work together — some styles (like Old School or Blackwork) hold up well even in smaller or higher-friction spots, while detailed styles like Realism need…
Nine stages from a vague idea to a healed tattoo. Every guide ends with a link to the next step, so you can read them in order — or jump straight to where you are.
The worries people mention most — and where the honest answer is.
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Health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos word for word. New to the words? See the tattoo glossary. How guides are written and corrected: editorial policy.