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.
A sleeve naturally reads top to bottom or as one continuous wrap; a spine piece reads as a vertical column; a ribs piece follows the curve of the…
Blackwork, dotwork and tribal compared side by side with real examples: how each looks, ages and which one fits your idea.
Placement Wear Forearm, hand, upper arm Short or loose sleeves, a tank top underneath Shoulder, upper back, chest A top you can take off or a button-up worn…
Placement Awkward or sensitive areas — ribs, hands, neck, spine — are slower to work on, and the session may need breaks.
Many classic ornamental placements — sternum, spine, ribs, hands — sit over bone and are among the more painful spots (see the pain by placement guide).
Inner forearm, upper arm, shoulder, back and ribs hold fine work well.
Watercolor tattoos: soft washes and painterly colour - the honest truth about aging, who they suit, cost and how to spot good work.
Realism tattoos: portraits and scenes that look like photographs - fit, sessions, aging, cost and how to spot a skilled realism artist.
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.