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.
If you want the tattoo to look almost exactly like a specific photo — every shadow, every texture — that's Realism, and it's worth planning for the time…
Compared with realism, fine line trades depth and contrast for delicacy.
How well an area holds a tattoo over time
It doesn't lean on subtlety or a perfect reference photo the way realism does — a confident design and a steady hand are what matter.
Section: Sun, for life →
Tattoo touch-ups explained: why gaps appear after healing, when to book, whether touch-ups are free, using a different artist, and refreshing old tattoos.
Is my tattoo healing normally? How to tell normal healing (redness, oozing, peeling, cloudiness) from an infection, allergy or blowout, with a quick checker and dermatologist quotes.
What a healing tattoo looks and feels like from day one to three months: oozing, peeling, itching, the cloudy stage, and signs that need a doctor.
How to prepare for a tattoo: sleep, food, alcohol, skin, clothing and what to bring on the day, so the session is easier and heals better.
Someone who produces beautiful realism may not be the right person for bold Old School , and the reverse.
Style and detail Styles that need long shading or colour packing — realism , New School , full colour work — take more hours than linework at the…
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.